Innisfree

Can we talk makeup gems for a moment? Because Innisfree has so many of them! The South Korean cosmetics and skin care brand’s $6 shimmer shadows could have just as easily come from Shu Uemura, Armani or Guerlain, but they’re way, way, way more affordable.

I’ll get to some of their other stuff in a second, but the shimmers…SWOON. And I haven’t even been into shimmery product like this lately, really, but the two shimmer shadows I tried (a warm reddish bronze and a peachy gold) make me wish for every color in the line.

They’re both brimming with pigment, and the powders are so finely sieved that creating smooth gradients is a breeze. The flattering pearly finish glows without highlighting fine lines either.

I still can’t get over the fact that the pans are only six bucks!

Other things I’ve recently tried and liked from the brand…

My Palette My Countouring in Shade 4

Weird name, because it’s just one color and not a palette, but this powder is so fab. It’s a cool-toned taupe with a slightly gray undertone, so you can easily create the illusion of cheeks that are sharp enough to cut glass. I mainly use this as a crease color to deepen my eye sockets, and it’s great for that. Available in four shades for $8 each.
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Well, hello there, $8 blush!

I’m really excited about Innisfree, even though I’ve only just discovered them. They aren’t exactly new. They’re a Korean makeup and skincare brand with some great deals. The products are made with ingredients from the protected island of Jeju, and they say that every product contains an average of 80% naturally-derived ingredients they source responsibly from the island… Sounds very mysterious. The brand name, Innisfree, is from a William Butler Yeats poem, BTW.

The Lake Isle of Innisfree

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet’s wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart’s core.

Innisfree has a few freestanding stores here in the Bay Area, and they’re also available online and at select Sephoras across the US.

Here are a few of their products I’ve been using and loving…

My Blusher in Pink Coral ($8)

This one’s a sheer powder blush that doesn’t look or feel heavy. If you like sheer blushes like the ones from Clinique and Neutrogena, it’s an affordable dupe.

My Highlighter Cream in 1 ($8)

Picture an understated MAC Cream Color Base in Pearl. It’s pale beige pearl with a satin sheen, and it almost looks like a gloss sometimes. It’s long lasting, too.

(I can’t believe this is only eight bucks!)

My Lipbalm in Green Peppermint Tea ($10)

Ooh, good stuff! It’s colorless, thick and rich, almost like a cuticle cream (in fact, sometimes I use it on my cuticles!). Tastes and smells like mint tea and NOT toothpaste, and it layers seamlessly underneath lipstick. Green Peppermint Tea is just one of the “flavors.” There are also 10 other options, each one tinted with a different shade of sheer pink, orange, berry or coral.

Skinny Waterproof Mascara ($12)

The newest version of this waterproof mascara comes in different packaging, but the ultra thin wand is the same. I like this for the lower lash line and outer and inner corners because the dainty wand easily stretches and lengthens each individual lash.

Smart Drawing Blusher in Cherry Blossom (about $12)

Seems like this cream tube blush has been replaced by a pan, but if you’re overseas, I hear it’s still available. Unlike a lot of cream blushes, it completely dries down after it’s blended in. It almost has a silicone-y smooth consistency, and I really love how this blush doesn’t separate or break up when it’s layered on top of tinted moisturizer or foundation. It does a bang-up job of staying intact.

Have you tried anything from Innisfree before? I’m low-key obsessed.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen