Monday, January 19, 2009

Orbis!

I've always seen Orbis in Japanese magazines, but I didn't have easy access to it, Ichibankao has it way over priced, but I found the store, hooray!
Orbis is a Japanese brand, and I believe most of their products are oil-free as most of their products are labelled as "oil cut". (I could be wrong cuz I don't understand Korean and I can't read the Chinese on the Taiwan Orbis site)
I've seen some ads for Orbis around Seoul but didn't think much about it. I thought it was another Korean brand and for some reason it didn't hit me that Orbis was the Japanese brand that I've seen in magazines and in Hong Kong.
I went to Myeong Dong (famous shopping area in Seoul) to do some gift shopping and I stumbled onto the Orbis store by accident! (Why do I feel like I've said this before?? lol)
I took their catalogue and compared the Korean prices with Hong Kong prices. It's cheaper for me to buy it in Korea because the won is so crummy and it'll cost me more to exchange my money to HKD to buy the Orbis products in HK. I went back the next day to do some major haulage.

Orbis packs everything in clear plastic bags instead of boxes. A little less garbage to throw out, which is nice. I didn't buy that many things, half of that pile were samples. I even got a membership card to get some points which gives me a certain percentage off my total. I don't really know how they calculate the points because I can't read Korean, but instead of purchasing my items for 106 000won, it was 84 000won with my membership card.

In the catalogue, it suggested a way to even out your skin while using minimal makeup. It also suggests when you can use other products like the masks and treatment essences.
I can't read Korean so I based this on the pictures. You start out with the UV Cut Sunscreen on Face, which is a tinted, a Color & Nuance Base, which comes in yellow, pink or green, the Eye Zone Bright Veil, Smooth Mat Base and Spot Concealer. (If you click around the site, they show you some ways on how to use each product.)
For a more polished looked, you could finish with one of their powders. Notice how it doesn't include foundation? If you follow those steps, your face should look pretty fresh and almost flawless, which is perfect for the hot humid days.
I bought everything from the bottom of the picture except the sunscreen, concealer and the powder. The store was out of the sunscreen so I'll probably be heading back this weekend. I definitely need the sunscreen as it's got an SPF of 34 and I'm going to Hong Kong after all. The sunscreen comes in 2 formulas, a light runny one or the regular creamy type.

I also bought the travel sized Aqua Force line, the Cleansing Liquid (because of the LE bottle XD) and the Liquid Foundation #3. If you're interested in looking at their foundations and other products, check out their website. This is the Taiwan site, but it has the English product names.
The foundation is something I've never seen before. I believe it is separated into 2 liquid layers and you have to shake it before using. The foundation was really runny, I might have to purchase a sponge just for this foundation. They only have about 5 shades available so I hope #3 works out for me.
I haven't used any of the products yet since I don't like to use much when I go to school. I probably won't be able to do a proper review until after the weekend.

And lastly, my samples! Just a few essences, masks and a neck cream. I already used it yesterday as it was a one time sample. It feels like a a very silky cream that's not too thick and it absorbs very quickly. I might also have to purchase that this weekend XD
I know I've babbled on a lot about Orbis and I haven't even used anything yet, but I promise last little bit of reading...
Aside from the fact that they are supposedly oil free, Orbis uses less packaging and they also sell refills of most of the products in a baggy. Quite a neat idea!
Ok, I'm done yammering away. I saw this chocolate on Yumeko's blog and I HAD to get it! So freaking tasty! (I hope you're having fun in Hong Kong!)

These are from the February(?) Pinky magazine. Photos by Hudie.com
They feature some of the new Spring palettes and also the newest Majolica Majorca mascara!

Oh! I forgot to mention, it's Chinese New Year next Monday, the year of the Ox! I get a 4 day weekend because Korea also celebrates it, but they call it Lunar New Year. Too bad I'm not seeing any family or relatives, otherwise I could get me some red pockets! XD

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

I always hear about Orbis is ViVi mag but I hate already gotten other products in HK. Omg how do you always manage to get so many samples? lucky :P

Mona said...

don't you just LOVE discovering new places? mwahahha

when do you head off to hk?

my fam stopped the red pockets a while back >.<

fuzkittie said...

Nice haul!! I saw Orbis ad in Queen magazine, hehee. I hope you get the package soon! It shouldn't have taken so long!

xphoenix06 said...

Let me know how the Orbis products works out for you gurl! ^-^

MMmm that chocolate looks so good! I've never tried chocolate from Taiwan or Korea only tried from Japan, and I just love it! Yah! I know it's coming up soon! Great time to spend with the family. ^-^ I'm sorry you won't be able to see your fam or relatives. I love getting red pockets too! ^-^

That's so cool u teach english in Seoul! I would just love to go and visit S. Korea! ^-^

Siska said...

wow I want them all!

miemiemie said...

chocolaaaaaaates!! argh! haha saw those on yumeko's blog too! hahaha

and those stuff you bought.so cute! i love the pink bottle thingie..so pretty to look at,reminds me of the shu oil cleansing stuff.

hahaha you should talk loudly with the bf to annoy your neighbor. so that he knows how irritating it is to hear people next door when you are trying to relax. hahaha..if i were you i'd do that, hahaha..i'm mean :) i would be like.. "hey bf,hand me that water puuuhllleeezzz", in a very very loud shouting voice.wahaha..nah i'm just kidding :) i'd probably turn on some loud music to drown that stupid neighbors' voice

Laura L said...

aha..ORBIS... you have great haul and shopping in Korea..how's the product? I've oily combination skin type,looking forward you review about them xD

I'm busy this week. but still I will find some spare time for myself to relax in my blog world. haha~*

cheers ^___^

Angie said...

Ooo Orbis looks promising! Do let us know what results you get! That LE bottle is adorable!

I love mask samples!

Aren't those chocolates yummy?! I think the caramel and chocolate ones are my fav!

Oh I sooooo want that new Majomajo mascara!!

Awww thank you! I'm excited to see what you got me! What on earth do you want?!! You gotta tell me! I don't feel like I know enough about your taste!!!!

I agree! I don't ever use that baby pink base.

Eek. Hrm have you tried buying P&J online? I had to get mine online as well!

Oh wow, that sucks! I hope you at least get a little bit more free time and time to relax with the winter break schedule.

I am! Hahha, I never get many red pockets though. I don't have much family, and most Chinese people we know are quite cheap ;) haha. I hope your family saves you some too!

Hahaha, well sometimes you have to instill fear in your students so maybe that's why that student loves Tim so much haha.

Yes it stopped snowing 2 weeks or so ago. Now it's just COLD and we've had these real strong winds.

Aw well at least you saw snow!! =)

Katrina said...

i knoe huh.. my lashes looked like a disaster :P ok so even if i hate the product, i still use it sometimes. like this morning before i went to the hospital, i was super late because i spent a lot of time re-curling my lashes! :P

wow so ur currently in korea? i've always wanted to go there. do u speak korean? i LOOOOVE watching korean tv shows. :)

Iyah Love said...

Wow! Lots of goodies!!! Yummy goodies! :D

Aw, I'm sorry to hear that your pores got clogged. :( I hope its better now? :)

Ms. Rodil aka Supervillain1 said...

it's funny how you apologize a lot about writing too much. I love your "yammering". I really enjoy your posts because they descriptive an well written..very useful and interesting. Oh I love chocolate. I thought I was done eating for the day, but I think I'm going to enjoy a chocolate tofutti because of your post. =)

paperdollrevenge said...

Ohh I didn't know Orbis was Japanese, I thought it was Korean too...maybe I just forgot. Yay for your new discovery! The pink bottle with flowers is cute!

I keep thinking I'm forgetting to answer you about something...am I? I don't know what! Maybe I'm just trippin, hehe.

Woohoo, New Year! I call it Lunar New Year too, it's more accurate, otherwise people will ask me "Are you Chinese? Then why do you celebrate it?" and I have to be the b*tch who explains Vietnam uses the same calendar which is based on the moon cycle as opposed to the sun etc. etc., maybe even get into the history of Vietnam and China! haha =P

Yay for your 4 day weekend...wow that's nice and long! Any plans?

Anonymous said...

i thought i'd reply to your comment here since i didnt know where to reply back ^^"

i speak cantonese all the time, i understand a bit of mandarin though. i got most of mine from sasa and a place called sogo. (catch the MTR it goes straight there) around CWB is a times square but its tiny as ! theres a high-end makeup place called lane crawford. check it out ^^
omg the SA's are heaps worst in china than HK x] do you speak a lot of chinese?

Joy said...

Thanks for sharing the magazines with us i love your blog

Iyah Love said...

MAC e/s thats just sitting around? Oh no! You should totally sell it :D or swap it :)

I'm glad your pores are all better now! :D I hope the BB cream won't clog my pores :/

Yumeko said...

i like orbis a lot so i hope it works out for u
the cleansing liquid is too oily for me but the bottle is soooo pretty!

acutelife said...

thats quite a haul :D orbis seems like a nice brand. are they pricey?? pls let me know whether they are good or not...