Posted on by VQP. usu BEAUTY

April & Ko Haul*

Hi everyone!

Today I’ll be showing my April & Ko haul that I bought back in August. I’m a subscriber to their emails and occasionally they have sales that are exclusive to subscribers – you can sign up on their website here, they also have a 15% off code for subscribers 😉

Anyways, you may be familiar with April & Ko, as I did a review on some products I received earlier in the year. If you missed that post, you can catch up here. On this particular day, April & Ko had a 20% off sale, and I had to take advantage of this sale, as I’d been eyeing a few products for some time. So I ended up purchasing a few products, and they were kind enough to send me a few more to review. Those marked with an asterisk were sent to me for a review, those not marked with an asterisk were purchased by me.

Today I’ll just be reviewing the products sent to me (those marked with an asterisk), but if you’d like review on the products I purchased, please leave a comment below letting me know or DM me any blog post requests.

Etude House Moistfull Collagen Sleeping Pack

Formulated with Super Collagen and Baobab Water and is designed to intensely moisturise and nourish while you sleep.

It has a gel-like texture which rapidly absorbs into the skin, leaving your skin feeling refreshed and hydrated.

Directions:

Apply a moderate amount evenly onto face and neck as the last step of your night skincare routine. If your skin is feeling quite dry, you can use after your regular moisturiser. Leave on overnight and rinse off with lukewarm water in the morning.

Ingredients:

Water, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Butylene Glycol, Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract, Cyclopentasiloxane, Alcohol, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Trehalose, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Beta-Glucan, Stearyl Behenate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Carbomer, Poloxamer 407, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Polysorbate 20, Propanediol, Phytantriol, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Tromethamine, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance

First Impressions:

I love the bright orange packaging, it really stands out for me. It’s a 100ml tub, which is actually plenty because I don’t use sleeping masks everyday, maybe 3 times a week max or when my skin is feeling a bit dry.

I love the texture of this, it reminds me of the Laneige Sleeping Mask, but this is just a tinyyy bit heavier.

It feels very nice on my skin and I like how it has that protective lid between the product and the outer lid.

When I washed it off the morning after, my skin felt so soft and moisturised.

What I like:

  • Packaging

TBH I’ve never really been a fan of orange (the colour or food/s), but this colour really sets it apart from other products. So I thought that was interesting.

  • Works amazingly

I loveee how my skin feels once I wash it off.

  • Affordable

This is definitely one of the cheaper sleeping masks (compared to brands like Laneige), also taking into consideration the size of it.

  • Size

Most sleeping masks I’ve used range from 50ml to 70ml, so this being 100ml is actually huge.

What I don’t like:

  • No spatula

If anyone has used the Laneige one before, you’ll notice that it comes with a spatula. I wish this did as well, because it’s convenient to use since it’s in a tub + it’s more hygienic. But since I use my hands, of course I ensure my hands are properly cleansed before dipping into the tub.

Overall:

I was impressed with this as well! I love the texture of it, because it’s so gel-like. I’m also using the Cosrx Rice Sleeping Mask and the texture of that is more like a lotion, whereas this one is a gel and that’s why I like it a tiny bit more haha. It’s a great size and colour, but I forgot to mention that the packaging is very durable as well. It’s not prone to breakage which is great because I store this on a shelf sometimes and I would hate for it to fall and break.

Benton Honest Cleansing Foam

Benton Honest Cleansing Foam contains conditioning botanical extracts which leaves the skin feeling soft and moisturised after cleansing.

Best for normal to oily skin types.

Directions:

Work the product into a lather and massage onto face in circles. Rinse off with lukewarm water.

Ingredients:

Water, Myristic Acid, Glycerin, Lauric Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Sorbitan Olivate, Polyquaternium-10, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Althaea Rosea Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Propanediol,  Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Phytosterols, Lecithin, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Ceramide NP, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Fragrance

First Impressions:

So the first few times I used this, I was using it totally wrong haha. I then started using it the right way, and I really enjoyed it. You put some product in your hands and wet it and work up a lather before applying it to your wet face. Then you wash it off.

I find that it’s a really gentle cleanser, it didn’t break me out or anything and you don’t need a whole lot. It lathers a lot better when used correctly too haha.

What I like:

  • Packaging

It has very simple packaging and isn’t clouded with information or pictures – I often find lots of words on packaging as quite a distraction and unattractive.

  • Not drying/gentle

This leaves my skin feeling soft and moisturised, as well as prepped for the following skincare steps. Sometimes I find foaming products can be drying, but this doesn’t do that at all.

  • Ingredients

This definitely is an honest cleanser, the ingredients are simple and draws inspiration from botanicals. Some notable ingredients are centella asiatica extract, rosemary, leaf extract and shea butter. All these ingredients are very gentle to the skin.

  • Lasts a long time

I’ve been using this for a little over a month and it’s still going strong. You don’t need to use a lot because when it becomes lathered up, there’s a lot more product to use.

  • Affordable

It’s only $15, and April & Ko often has sales, so you can get this even cheaper!

What I don’t like:

  • Packaging

I wish this could come in a clear packaging, because then I can see how much product is left. Although I do enjoy it’s current packaging, it’s just a personal preference of mine to have clear packaging so I can see what’s left. I often end up cutting open products because nothing can be dispensed, but there is still some product left inside. You’ll be so amazed at how much leftover product there is once you cut it up.

Overall:

I’m pretty pleased with this cleanser. It’s affordable, gentle and lasts long. Whilst I did comment on one thing I disliked, it doesn’t discredit my thoughts on the actual product and how it functions. I definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a simple cleanser, because it’s suitable for all skin types as well. I know some people aren’t fussed about what kind of cleanser they use, so they just get any cleanser that cleans their face – this is that kind of cleanser!

Benton overall is a very reputable brand with great products that help people with acne prone skin or oily skin. I have tried quite a few Benton products already and I’m very impressed with how well they work with my skin 🙂

Neogen Real Flower Cleansing Water in Rose

Can be used alone as a cleansing step like micellar water or as a post-cleansing toner.

With real Rose petals, it is hydrating and perfect for those with dry or sensitive skin. The rose extracts with natural cleansing agents gently sweep away dirt, impurities and makeup.

Its soothing formula is free of artificial fragrances and colouring.

Directions:

Soak a cotton pad with the cleansing water and sweep across the face, from the centre outwards. For areas of stubborn makeup, press the soaked cotton pad to dissolve the makeup then gently sweep across the face.

Ingredients:

Water, CPEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Rosa Damascena Flower, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower, Rosa Damascena Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Flower Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Extract, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Xylitol, Centella Asiatica Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin ,PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance

First Impressions:

This is so pretty and it has real flowers inside. It also smells amazing and I love the size of it (300ml).

I used a lot the first time and found that  I really didn’t need to use that much.

It removed everything off my face and it didn’t feel dry at all.

What I like:

  • The look of it

This cleansing water has real flowers in it, and I find it so fun to play with by tipping the bottle upside down haha. I’m just so mesmerised by this, because I’ve never encountered anything like it.

  • Smell

This smells soooo nice! But I think some people might find the fragrance to be a bit overpowering.

  • Size

It’s a 300ml bottle, which is enough to last you a few months if you’re someone like me who doesn’t wear a full face of makeup very often. However, if you do wear a full face 5 days a week, I find that you will probably finish this pretty quickly.

  • You don’t need to use a whole lot

I only need about 5+ drops of this in order to effectively cleanse my face. Using too many drops leaves the cotton pad too soaked that when you rub it on your face, it drips.

  • Lasts ages

I think this will last me some time since the size is so big!

  • Effectively cleanses

You seriously don’t need a lot to cleanse your whole face, and I’m so impressed by this.

  • Isn’t drying

I thought this would leave my skin feeling dry, but it didn’t do that at all!

What I don’t like:

  • Nothing

I am quite surprised by how great this is!

Overall:

I’ve never really been into cleansing waters, but I was so impressed by this as you can see by all  the things I listed. I’d love to try the other ones in the range, but that won’t be for a few months haha.

That’s all I have for today, I hope you enjoyed reading this  blog post. If you have any questions, as always let me know and I’d love to help you out. Have you tried any of these products before? Let me know in the comments too!

With love,

Irene

*These products were gifted to me in exchange for a review. All opinions are 100% honest and my own. I am not being paid in any way to post about these.