The Face Shop Smim Radiating Moisturizing Essence

The Face Shop has a mini line called "The Smim" with various products to improve skin elasticity, provide energy, whiten skin, and more. Here I'll be reviewing Smim Radiating Moisturizing Essence, with more information from its webpage.

The tagline on the front and back state "Flawless skin with moisture radiance" and "An essence restoring moisturized radiance from inside the skin with deep moisturization by naturally fermented kefir."

According to the webpage, this product uses Tibetan mushrooms, cloudberries, shea butter, and more to whiten, moisturize and make skin more resilient. It also suggests that after using the product for two weeks, you should notice that your skin is significantly more glowing and radiant than before. I won't be using this product for two weeks straight, so I won't know if this is true or not.

The instructions online state that after using the Smim Toner, every morning and evening, pump two to three times and apply in an outward direction, then lightly tap in the product to absorb. I never understood the importance of the direction to apply creams, but I won't question it.

Here is the product itself. It smells like the Tony Moly Snail Essence, a slight scent of lemon. It has an interesting consistency, as it is runny like watery congee. It's also really pretty, as it's translucent white with metallic flecks. The amount pictured above is enough for the bottom of my eyes downwards.

The Pros

• The product goes on very thinly on the face, since it's so watery. Therefore, a little goes a long way.

The Cons

• It feels like the product is just on top of my skin, like a film is on my face, and not really penetrating into my skin. It took two hours for it to fully absorb into my face.
• The smell did bother me a bit, but eventually I got used to it. It is very subtle though.
• This product is suggested for normal skin types, and I completely agree. It's watery so it won't help to rid grease nor will it help heal dry skin.

Overall, I don't think I'm a good person to be reviewing samples at all, since they're only to last a few days, and these products are meant for a long term effect. I'm the lazy type, so I'll only use a product if I have a skin problem that I want to fix (acne, dry, greasy, etc.), so I probably won't use this product again since it's to perfect already normal, healthy skin. I would like to just stick to my Kpop unboxing posts, but I have all these samples that I can use for blogging...

The Face Shop Olive Essential Cream

Back in February I wrote a review here about my Olive Essential Cream, a sample I got from The Face Shop. Though I've tested so many samples, this is honestly the first sample that I've loved so much and felt such an improvement after only one use, that I bought the actual product for myself!

I'll just review the packaging, my comments about the cream itself are in my original post. I bought this jar for somewhere around 10,000₩, or roughly $10USD. It is a little more pricey than their cheaper lines which I tend to buy (because the cheaper ones tend to have cuter packaging and the more high end ones are just for quality products).

This is a tinted olive green glass jar with a sturdy plastic screw lid with one of the brand's logos (I'm not sure if it's for one of their lines or just a general logo?). Every time you screw back on the lid, it always aligns perfectly to the front label. The jar is pretty small, about as tall as a golf ball.

The bottom of the jar has information printed in Korean, as well as the expiration date December 3, 2016. Usually Korean products would list the manufacture date, so it's nice to see the expiration date for once (since that's the date that really matters). It also states that the cream is 50 ml, or 1.69 fluid ounces.

The inside also has a thick plastic cover with a convenient handle. The underside of the lid also has a foam cushion, but it gets dented due to the handle. And I had to include my Infinite mouse pad in the picture, as they're the same color!

While the packaging isn't cute like a fruit or animal, it's simplistic and really high quality. I will definitely cherish this cream as one of my most favorite products I bought specifically not for the packaging!

The Face Shop Essential Pearl Mask Sheet Review

The Face Shop has a mini line of Essential Mask Sheets that use more scientific ingredients such as collagen, coenzyme and hyaluronic acid. Here I'll review the Essential Pearl Mask Sheet, the least scientific-sounding from this line.

Information about this product online, as well as on the backside, says that it's for all skin types and uses pearl extract that penetrates into the skin smoothly and lightly. Honestly this doesn't actually tell me what the benefits are...The backside also has directions and a warning. The instructions state to leave the mask sheet on for 15 to 20 minutes, and then let the remaining essence absorb into your skin. The caution warns you not to use this sheet on broken or abraded skin.

The mask sheet is thicker than others and almost circular with deep slits that allow the sheet to fit my face more accurately.

The Pros

• The fit may be big, but this mask sheet surprisingly covers the top half of my face well and my entire face is decently covered, except for my eyelids.
• The mask also stays on my face well, even if I'm facing the floor.
• The thickness of this mask sheet seems high quality.
• I could still feel the essence on my face the following morning.

The Cons

• This mask had an initially too-strong flower-hand sanitizer-hotel soap scent that I could still smell a few minutes after putting on the mask.
• Compared to other masks, this one didn't leave much essence on my face. Even taking the mask sheet out of its pouch, it felt like it didn't absorb as much essence. Usually I'd have to tap the excess on my face, but it wasn't necessary with this one.
• There was barely any essence left inside the pouch, and I could just barely have enough to use on my neck and limbs; compared to others, I usually have lots of excess essence, but not this time.

Overall, I wasn't too impressed with this mask sheet. While it did leave essence on my face, it didn't seem as effective as any other mask sheet I've tried before.

The Face Shop Arsainte Eco-Therapy Crystal Water Super Gel Review

The Face Shop's Arsainte Eco-Therapy Crystal Water Super Gel contains one part iceberg water from Canada and one part phyto-hyaluronic acid, according to the description on the back. This product's webpage adds that this gel cream seeps into your face for lasting moisture.

The directions online say after using toner and emulsion, use an adequate amount of product and apply onto your face from inside outwards. I see no difference as to where you apply this gel first, but if they say so...

This product is a gel that spreads easily and feels like I'm glazing my face. It is a translucent white hue with metallic flecks that turns completely clear once spread around, so there isn't actually glitter on your face. The scent is like that of grass jelly you'd have in boba tea.

The Pros

• The scent is pleasant and not overbearing.
• It spreads easily on my face and feels light, yet effective in providing moisture.
• My face has no reaction to this product: no stings, no burns, nothing!
• A few minutes after putting a layer on my face, it feels like a light layer of wax (in a good way, like moisturization). This smooth layer even lasts until morning, when I applied it the night before.

The Cons

• Nothing!

Overall, I like this water gel. It's light on the face and creates a smooth texture that lasts the following morning. In a way, the results of using this Water Super Gel is like a milder version of using The Face Shop's Olive Essential Cream; this gel could be used for the hotter months while the cream could be used for the colder months.

The Face Shop Baby Face Sleeping Mask Aqua Drop Pack Review

Update: Read the last paragraph for my latest (and pretty gross) thoughts about this mask.

The Face Shop has different masks in the Baby Face line that are meant to give you healthy skin, hopefully comparable to a baby's. Here I have a sample of the Baby Face Sleeping Mask Aqua Drop Pack, which may also go by Baby Face Hyaluronic Acid Pack.

The description from this product's webpage states that this mask uses aqua drop massage to moisturize, shine and improve blood circulation while lavender is used to calm the nerves and induce sleep. The directions on the back of this sample say to use at night, after cleansing and toning, by gently massaging the mask onto the face and neck. It is implied to leave the mask on and then go to sleep.

This mask has a tart lemon scent that reminds me of Tony Moly's Intense Snail Care Essence. It is white that easily turns transparent as it's spread, and is very smooth and runny.

Sleeping masks seem very similar to night creams, but with sleeping masks you put on more product (maybe a thin, but still visible layer on your face) so that it can seep into your skin overnight. This is the general idea, but I'm not too fond of it. I put on one layer, which was very wet and smooth to the touch, and it easily absorbed like thick face cream such as The Face Shop's Olive Essential Cream. Since it's a sleeping mask, I put on a second layer that will hopefully penetrate my skin overnight. Surprisingly the product doesn't make my hair feel sticky or gross since it's more watery. When I woke up, there was a layer of cream that remained, which felt a bit gross. My face did feel smooth and a bit waxy (like using those thick night creams), so it would be a good base layer for BB cream, but the amount of mask still on my face was too much. I didn't want to wash it off either, because it would be like washing off lotion.

The Pros

• The citrus scent is quite pleasant.
• It feels soothing on the face (except for on my zits).
• As a sleeping mask, it wasn't messy while sleeping. Definitely a plus!
• My face was smooth the following morning (but there was way too much excess mask still left on my face).

The Cons

• Using this mask did sting my zits, but after about 10 minutes the sting was gone.
• It just feels like I'm putting on too much night cream...which is why I'll just use one layer next time, as a night cream.

Overall, I see this sleeping mask more as a light night cream. I really don't like waking up with goop on my face, so that was a turn-off, but if I were to put just one layer on like a night cream, then it'd be much better.

Update:

Instantaneously after using this mask for the second night in a row, I felt irritation where my zits are, around my chin. Then I noticed that this entire area was completely red, and my skin felt very raw and dry; my skin felt like it was burning...so I guess I'm allergic to some chemical in this mask, as this reaction definitely shouldn't happen. The first photo (which I realize is all red because of the lighting...) is directly after I applied the mask. You can see the redness under my bottom lip. The middle photo is about half an hour afterwards, with aloe plastered on top. The bottom photo is of the following morning, with slight redness and dry, flaky skin. It's been three full days, and my face is still like the bottom photo. I honestly don't know what went wrong or what ingredient I'm allergic to (my face very rarely gets reactions!), but now I have a fear of using any of my products...like the saying goes, if it's not broken, don't fix it. Maybe I shouldn't use so many products anymore...?

The Face Shop Volcanic Clay Black Head Charcoal Nose Strip Review

The Face Shop has a small line containing New Zealand Volcanic Clay that eliminates blackheads, with products including nose packs and nose strips. Here I'll be reviewing the Volcanic Clay Black Head Charcoal Nose Strip, which can be purchased individually or in a set of seven. This nose strip also comes in Aloe, but I chose Charcoal since that seems more hardcore.

The front shows that this product uses New Zealand volcanic mud, which contains natural minerals, to clear pores and create smooth skin. This product's webpage states that this nose pack removes blackheads and dead skin cells thoroughly.

The directions on the backside follow the illustrations well. Start by washing your face and leaving your nose very wet, then remove the lining from the strip. Place the strip across the bridge of your nose as reference and firmly press down from center outward, making sure that the entire strip is on your skin and that there are no air bubbles. Leave on for 10 to 15 minutes until the strip has completely hardened on your skin, and slowly remove from the edge inward. There is also a warning, cautioning people only to use this product up to two times a week.

The strip has a grayish, fuzzy side (top photo) and a black smooth side that is directly against the plastic film (bottom photo); the latter is the side to be placed directly against the nose, and the orientation follows the former (the strip should have the "M" shape while on your nose).

Please excuse the most unflattering, unnecessary close-ups...! It's stressful knowing that I only get one chance with nose strips, especially with my past experience with nose strips, it usually never turned out well. But this time was a success! I doused my nose with cold water, then carefully lined the "U" at the bridge of my nose and placed the rest of the strip on my nose, pushing down firmly from center outward. Not the entire strip stuck to my nose; the bottom edge was very resistant. The first few minutes, the strip feels like slipping off, but just keep it in place until it molds around your nose. Within three minutes you can feel it hardening and stiffening and becoming sticky to touch. After 10 minutes it has completely hardened. This was when I felt air gaps, which means I wouldn't be able to remove all the blackheads.

Here is the strip after I removed it, with gunk stil intact. Removing it doesn't hurt if you go really slowly, but it is stuck on pretty well, like paper mâché. Because there were those gaps around the edge, I was able to peel it away. Peeling this did give me some tooth pain, however, because I had a root canal done on my front tooth and the nasal cavity is connected to the oral cavity. This sounds a bit gross, but I was able to see the gunk being pulled out deep within my pores. It's very satisfying to actually see my face being cleaned. On the left, you can see white gunk sticking up. The strip completely removed deeply inside these pores (which are about 2 mm long), while the center and other side got about 25% of the length (about .5 mm long). To avoid this, next time I have to make sure that every part of the strip is firmly on my nose, with no air bubbles.

Clearly I didn't think through about the before and after photos, since they have different lighting. I'm only using these to demonstrate the effects after removing the nose strip. The charcoal, when wet, left black watermarks on my face and fingertips, which are easy to wash off. Also to show just how effective this strip is, the pores of which had gunk removed are now very red. (Well my entire face looks red because of this lighting...but that's not the case)!

The Pros

• It is fairly easy to use after the first time around.
• It removed gunk deep in my pores (though only on the right side of my nose; left side in strip photo).
• There is virtually no scent; there was an initial, very subtle scent when I placed the strip on my nose, but I got used to it within a minute.
• My nose definitely feels matte and really clean afterwards.

The Cons

• The 2D shape of the strip doesn't fit perfectly around my nose, especially at the bottom edge of the strip near my nostrils.
• It may be difficult to remove air bubbles within the strip, which results to not maximizing the strip's strength of ripping out all the blackheads.

Overall, I am really satisfied with this nose strip! I'm surprised that this one use removed so much gunk deep into my pores. Now that I get the hang of it, hopefully next time I'll be able to remove more of the gunk all around my nose. Using strips is the best, most direct way of removing blackheads, so I can't wait to get my hands on more of these!

The Face Shop Real Nature Mask Mung Bean and Pomegranate Review

The Face Shop has a wide variety of face mask sheets with different price ranges. One of the lower lines is the Real Nature Mask line, which has masks with the essences of Raspberry (which I reviewed here), Lemon, Rice, Olive, Cucumber, Kelp, Red Ginseng and more. Here I'll review the Real Nature Mask Mung Bean sheet and the Real Nature Mask Pomegranate sheet.

I bought the Real Nature Mask Mung Bean sheet from The Face Shop's Markham, Canada branch just over a year ago, and the packaging has been updated since then. The front shows fresh mung beans on top of grounded up ones, giving an idea of the flavor to expect inside.

The back has full information in both Korean and English, along with illustrations of the steps. The bottom also has the expiration date (20151019) imprinted, meaning that these mask sheets have a shelf life of at least two and a half years.

This information can also be found on The Face Shop's international webpage for this product. The English states that this mask sheet has 1000 mg of grounded quality mung bean extract. This extract is meant to purify pours and result in clean and smooth skin. It also mentions the typical warning, along with to not use if you have "broken or abraded skin," meaning if your skin has been chafed off (ie. rope or rug burn). If that were the case, you would probably be putting ointment on rather than a dinky face mask sheet (no offense).

The directions state to use this product after washing your face and using toner. Then unfold and line the sheet onto your face according to the designated eye, nose and mouth holes and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. Afterwards, remove the sheet and pat the excess on your face for deeper absorption.

Once taking the mask out of its bag, I could smell a refreshing and subtle scent, like the scent of trees or a meadow. It's really hard to explain, but it doesn't smell sweet like flowers or "clean" like soap like other products I've tested. The mask itself is very moist and damp, and inside the bag there is still a lot of excess liquid. This liquid was very smooth, with a runny gel consistency.

It was a bit difficult to unfold the mask. Be careful not to rip it! But my pomegranate sheet easily unfolded. This is a circular mask sheet with slits around the border to fit over your face and huge, larger-than-life size holes for the eyes, nose and mouth. But the mask is so large anyways, that you can bunch up and fold over the mask at the temples to cover the eye holes. This is obvious, but make sure to line the mask perfectly and tap it so it lies directly on your face, with no air bubbles, for maximum absorption.

The Real Nature Mask Pomegranate sheet, which I have no idea when or from where I got it, has the same layout, information on the back, mask sheet dimensions, basically everything, as the mung bean mask sheet. The only difference is the pomegranate flavor, with its description as this mask containing 1000 mg of freshly grounded pomegranate extract, which has vitamins and minerals to lift, moisturize and make the skin radiant. This product's webpage also states that pomegranate extract provides elasticity and gives a glossy finish. This pomegranate mask has a sweet scent, like ripe cherries.

The Pros

• Both scents are refreshing, subtle, not too overpowering and linger for the full 20 minutes.
• On the face, the sheet is cooling and refreshing; perfect for those hot, summer months.
• The sheet stays on my face really well; I can be very mobile and move my face in all angles without worrying about it budging.
• There is so much excess liquid afterwards, it's nice to re-soak the sheet and use it as a cleansing towelette on my body.

The Cons

• The mask sheet is a very generic, one-size-fits-all sheet. The eye and mouth holes are especially big, so much of my face isn't covered by the sheet. Also the mung bean mask sheet is meant to clean pores, but the fit was so poor around my nose, that none of my blackheads were covered by the sheet (and I had to realize this after I had finished using the sheet -.-).
• After removing the mask sheet off my face, the excess quickly dries up, but leaves a sticky residue over my face.

Overall, both mask sheets felt very refreshing and using them was a good way to wind down and relax before bed, like a mini spa treatment. I liked that my skin absorbed a lot of liquid and felt clean and fresh afterwards. The one downfall, as always with mask sheets, is that the sheet and holes are way too big, so it doesn't rest on my entire face. Someday, I'll hope to find a perfect-sized mask sheet!

The Face Shop Dessert Lip Balm in #03 Honey Review

The Face Shop has done it again, with another line of small and adorable products! This time it's the Lovely ME EX Dessert Lip Balms, which come in fragrant flavors of #01 Strawberry, #02 Orange and #03 Honey. Here I'll review the honey flavor.

I absolutely love the design of this packaging! The top half is a lid that screws off. It has honey and pale yellow stripes with a bit of "honey" seeping over the edge, adding to the honeycomb-like design. The bottom half is a transparent container that shows the honey-like balm inside. The very top dark brown lid also has an adorable asymmetrical curved front, which makes the packaging that much cuter. As the lip balm is only 6 grams, you can also see just how small, and therefore adorable, the size of this is compared to my hand.

And here are the labels. The label on the back of the container has the product's name. While difficult to see, the label at the bottom has the instructions and ingredients listed in English (because I got this at one of the New York branches). The instructions say to use on dry and chapped lips for intense moisturization.

The top half looks like just dead space, but really, by opening the top lid, it reveals a seriously cute, little translucent honeycomb dipper with little indentations at the ball of the stick to grab just the right amount of honey. This top lid is also very sturdy: it can stay in place at any angle.

Here is the balm after unscrewing the top half. Also, every time you screw back on the lid, the lid always properly aligns so you would open the top lid from the front.

Here you can see that the balm is very solid and doesn't budge. This is also a very small amount, as all lip balms typically are. This angle also shows how translucent this balm is, like real honey. The smell is also intense, like real honey from the farmer's market.

And here is the honeycomb dipper in action. I scooped just a bit of product with the applicator, which shows the jelly-like solid texture of the balm. The amount on the applicator is a perfect amount for my lips. This balm leaves a clear sheen on my lips and it feels very smooth, like honey, without being overly sticky. My always dry lips really do feel smooth and moistened.

The Pros

• This packaging is so cute!
• If you love honey, this is perfect for you: the scent, the texture, the hue...
• Despite being like honey, there's no sticky mess.
• The cute applicator works well and avoids unsanitary germ transfer and keeps my fingers from getting sticky.
• The balm has a very smooth consistency and leaves only a little bit of stickiness on lips (like other balms).
• My lips are left feeling smooth and moist.
• It leaves me with a clear sheen for healthy-looking (and feeling!) lips.

The Cons

• Absolutely nothing to complain about!

Overall, I really do like this product. I tried it once at the store and thought it was really sticky, but I'm trying it again now, a few months later, and I don't sense that originally intense, sticky feeling now. The packaging is to die for, and the product does moisten my chapped lips, which is all I could ask for!

The Face Shop Fruit Bowl Lemon Hand Cream Review

Realistic food and drink items seem to be the trend in Korean cosmetic brands. The Face Shop has its own collection of realistic looking (though not as pretty as Tony Moly's) fruit hand creams. This line consists of the Apple and Blueberry (which both look very unrealistic and like any ordinary container, or even a lame toddler's play toy, no offense), as well as the Lemon, which looks much more realistic. Here's how the Lemon looks like. It still looks like a play toy, but more realistic than the other two. And that annoying expiration date is printed so obnoxiously!

The ingredients and information label is printed vertically on the side of the container. This label strategically has perforation where the lid turns and slits at the ends so the label won't come off even after unscrewing the lid. You can also get a sense at how big this is compared to my hand.

Once the lid is unscrewed, there is a clear plastic film to protect the cream from seeping out. The lid always screws back on so the labels line up properly. According to The Face Shop's website, all three fruits contain 30 ml of product and can be used on all skin types. This cream is meant to moisturize and hydrate hands using "botanic butter ingredients."

The cream has a slight lemon scent that resembles Purell hand sanitizer. It has a translucent, pale yellow hue that easily becomes  more clear when spread. The amount on the left is enough to cover my hands. It feels very light and runs like gel. The more I rubbed my hands, the stronger the lemon scent appeared. Afterwards, the cream left my hands with a layer of shiny grease, which can be seen on the right.

The Pros

• The scent is light and refreshing, and makes me crave carnival lemonade!
• The lightness of the cream is nice.

The Cons

• The exterior packaging could look more realistic, though it's not a bad design currently.
• The greasiness is overbearing...I definitely can't use this cream throughout the day. I honestly shouldn't be writing my review on this right now, right after using it on my hands.

Overall, I am not a fan of this hand cream. I'll just be using it right before bed so the greasiness can stay contained in my bed and quickly use up this lemon to add it to my collection of cute hand cream jars.

The Face Shop Olive Essential Cream Review

The Face Shop has a mini skincare line that focuses on the benefits of olive, called Olive Essential. This line includes three products to use in a skincare routine:  Moisture Toner, Moisture Emulsion and Cream. According to the product's webpage, these three products contain the same ingredients to moisturize skin. While the product works for all skin types, it is recommended for those with normal skin.

The backside of this sample claims that this cream uses olives to deeply moisturize and nourish skin.

This product is opaque white and has a very thick, creamy consistency that easily blends clear. It has a subtle cleanly scent with the slightest hint of lemon. The amount in the picture is plenty for a thick layer on my entire face. Using this cream is like putting on a thick layer of melted wax (in a good way) because it's so thick. I find this cream very comparable to Missha's Super Aqua Ultra Waterfull Cream.

The Pros

• This cream really moisturizes dry skin well! I used it at night right after washing my face, and in the morning I still felt the cream seeping into my skin. It creates a smooth and thick layer over my face, like the cream is protecting me from the cold weather outside. This is perfect for the harsh winter air!
• A little goes a long way, so these sample packs can definitely last me a few days.
• The scent is subtle and refreshing, not bothersome.

The Cons

• Nothing - I absolutely love this cream!

Overall, I really like this Olive Essential Cream. It's thick and creamy texture works well to moisturize my dry skin, which is especially handy for these brutal winter months.

Update: I actually bought this product because I loved the sample so much! Here is my review of just the packaging.

The Face Shop Mini Pet Floral Hand Cream Review

While many products from The Face Shop don't focus on cute packaging, they do have the Lovely ME EX line that includes several adorable products, such as hand creams and lip balms, that are also small enough to be convenient while on-the-go.

Within the Lovely ME EX line, The Face Shop has four Mini Pet hand creams in the shape of a cute pet peeking out of a colorful flower pot. Each animal designates a specific scent: baby powder, sweet fruits, white floral and fruity floral. All of these hand creams are 30 ml and are for all skin types. In the photo, you can get an idea of just how small the container is. According to the product's page on The Face Shop's website, these creams are light, not sticky and absorb well, containing moisture and nutrients for soft hands. And after testing this product, I totally agree that everything that the website stated about this cream is definitely true!

I decided to start of with the Mini Pet Floral, which has a cute pastel pink kitten poking out of its hot pink flower pot. The pot screws open just under the lip of the pot. Inside, there is a clear plastic film to avoid the cream from spilling. The lid always closes back so the kitten is facing the "Mini Pet Floral" label.

This hand cream has the white floral scent. The scent is initially a bit strong when first scooping the cream from the pot, but it doesn't remain that strong once I rub it on my hands. This white cream is very light and smooth, and the amount in the picture is the perfect amount for my hands. 

The Pros

• At first the packaging may seem childish, but the cuteness has really grown on me!
• A little goes a long way; despite being such a small container, this cream will definitely last for awhile.
• My hands don't feel greasy at all; just five minutes after using this cream, I'm willfully typing this review on my computer without leaving gross grease marks. My skin absorbs the cream really quickly, which is very convenient for on-the-go.
• My hands are well-moisturized!

The Cons

• There is nothing I don't like about this product!

Overall, I love this hand cream! My hands feel moisturized and I absolutely love the non-greasy feeling. I'll definitely use this every night before going to bed to have continuing moisturized and non-chapped hands during this winter.

Los Angeles' Madang Plaza: Korean Shopping

Located in Los Angeles' Koreatown, Madang Plaza is an outdoor, multi-story mall that surrounds a small courtyard.  This cozy mall has a variety of Korean businesses, including eateries, a hanbok shop, a gym, a movie theater, and more.  I visited Madang Plaza at around 8AM, so most businesses weren't opened yet. Here are the places I saw:

The Face Shop

The Face Shop is located on the street, before walking into the actual courtyard.  Interestingly enough, this branch shares the same space as Chocolate Chair, with no barrier dividing the two businesses once inside.  I peaked in through the glass doors, and saw The Face Shop products are neatly displayed on shelves and tables on the left half of the space.  You can also see Kim Hyun Joong in the front display!

Caffe Bene

Two doors to the right of The Face Shop is Caffe Bene, a popular Korean coffee shop chain.  My Korean friend said this place is overrated, like Starbucks, and had more negative views of this chain.

What drew my eye, however, was the cutout of Jang Geun Suk peaking behind the glass paneled walls!

Cosmetic World

Inside the actual mall is a fairly large cosmetic shop that carries high end Korean, Japanese and Western brands.  Also there are photos of Nichkhun around the store, enticing potential shoppers!

Doni Burger

I didn't know Doni, entertaining MC of the variety show Weekly Idol, had his own chain restaurant!  One branch is located in this very mall, with an advertising banner just out front. This restaurant offers Korean burgers, with patties like bulgogi and pork katsu.

Paris Baguette

Paris Baguette is a Korean bakery chain with a defined presence is the US.  This branch opens at 7AM, and by the time I arrived at 8:30AM, all the tables were full.  I guess people, mostly Korean, stop by here before going to work.

The theme appears to be like a classy, Parisian cafe, which can be seen by the logo.  The workers even wear French inspired outfits like berets and black and white striped shirts.

This theme can also be seen by the decor.  Inside does look classy, with a dark gray color scheme on the walls and diamond pattern cushioned benches, elegant mirrors and chandeliers hanging overhead.  It's a bit hard to see, but the right half of the bakery is the sit down area, with the mirrored walls and upscale looking atmosphere.

The set up is like a typical Asian bakery, with tongs, trays and paper place mats neatly displayed at the front and rows of clear containers filled with different baked goods. Here is the view of most items on display, with individual buns inside the displays and prepackaged sets above the center displays.

Here is what I bought!  I honestly forgot what these are or how they taste...but the quality is pretty good and I definitely had a satisfying breakfast.

The cups are so adorable!  They are made to look like faces (there are two black dots as eyes and a smile towards the bottom).  I bought a green tea latte and a smoothie, both of which were very tasty.  As for my entire experience at Paris Baguette, it could have been better.   I was waiting patiently in line and was about to order, when the cashier interrupted me and said that I had cut in line, and then served a Korean man who was definitely not before me.  Then when she finally let me pay, she wasn't very friendly.  Despite this mishap, I didn't let it ruin the rest of my Korean bakery experience.

Overall, this mall is quite small but has a variety of shops.  I came too early to actually go into any shops besides Paris Baguette, but it was still fun to experience a mall centered around a courtyard!