Just Sharing my Excitement!

I got excited when my seller friend Bae Lu sent me a message that my orders arrived last weekend and got stoked when I saw the pics of my order.  She even said she got happy while checking my orders.  Well, who will not get  happy with these stuff:

the mandatory freebies

No, the masks and hand creams are not my main orders but they are the mandatory freebies from the seller in GMarket.  It's "free" so why not?

fresh from the box with bubble wraps

From Laneige, I got the Water Bank and White Plus Renew Essence samples for me to try and a miniature/travel skincare set for an I don't know reason ahahaha...maybe I got overwhelmed with the shop in GMarket.

Laneige samples

Next is from Iope.  Not familiar with the brand?  Well if you are a subscriber of Michelle Phan's then you might have heard the Iope Air Cushion Sunblock Ex-Cover in her summer favorites video (you can watch the vid here).  I heard about the brand from Hope in a Blog but only learned from Michelle how to pronounce it :)

Iope is under Amore Pacific who is also behind Etude House and Innisfree.  You can check Amore Pacific's site here.

Iope samples

Next are from Sulwhasoo.

Sulwhasoo Samples

Sulwhasoo is a high end brand in Korea under Amore Pacific and there's no freakin way that I can afford their full sizes skincare products so I went for the samples.  By the time that I'm making my order, I have no emulsion that's why I ordered a lot but then I couldn't help but buy one when Etude House went on 20% sale so I guess I have two quarters supply of emulsion now?  Hehehe, I don't mind.

And as you can see there's a Missha bags in the photo.  I wish they are mine but they are for Bae Lu's other customer.  Dang, I should have ordered when there's a 1+1 event, now all I do is look at the photo (I hope the customer wouldn't mind ^^).

Missha

All photos are from Bae Lu's fb page from here https://www.facebook.com/bae.lu.fashion/media_set?set=a.682243881788928.1073741854.100000099676763&type=3.  You can like her facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/baeluBFCuisine to know what's the current promo from Korea.

I still don't have my orders as I asked her to wait for my Clio and maybe my 3W Clinic Natural Make-Up Powder before shipping all of these to me.  I'm excited for November, I smell Christmas!

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

GMarket Haul 2: BitterSweet

Finally; after months of waiting, I got (actually it's "we", I'm with a friend) my 2nd GMarket box.  I feel like a winner and a loser at the same time with this box because I'm one of the winners of GMarket's March Blogger of the Month and at the same time I paid lots of taxes all thanks to our dear customs for declaring my orders as illegal entry (sob sob, I don't want to talk about it because I paid a lot of $$$$).

Here's the box, bigger than my first but....

still from GD *belat*

...if I arrange the small boxes and platic neatly, the big box is half empty (such a huge waste of space).  This time around, I ordered other stuff aside from cosmetics and cellphone case.

around 5 little boxes plus 2 plastics

I ordered a bag and a shirt.  The bag looks really cute but the quality well is...okay?  The lining is surprisingly good but there are defects on the outside material and I don't think I can put book/s in this bag (durability is very questionnable).  The shirt on the other hand is very comfortable!!!  It's actually a shirt dress and goes well with not so thick skinny black jeans.  I tried it with leggings but it looks better on skinny.

the backpack is from here and the shirt is from here

Next would be the cellphone cases of my friends.  I don't know why they always change their cellphone cases but well I love the colors, so refreshing!

both cases are from here

And of course, the very reason why I ordered:  Skincare/Cosmetics!  It looks a lot on the 2nd picture but if I combined all my orders and remove all the unnecessary bubble wraps, they can all fit in a small box.

see? and there's already layers of bubble wrap underneath these goodies

 If I remember it right, Secret Key delivered my order the fastest!  The tin cans really look cute even the inspector from customs said so.  The mini hand cream is a mandatory freebie.

check Secret Key here

Star Cream from It's Skin which I got for a special introductory price.  It's like a primer and a CC Cream? not quite sure since it's not clearly indicated in the description.  So generous of It's Skin to give a mini Toma Jelly Mist (I gave it to my sister though.  I tried the Toma Jelly Cream/Gela nd I like it).

got the Star Cream here

Missha finally have it's...like a store in GMarket and most of their products (around 80%) are actually cheap.  These foaming cleansers (in set of 3 but give the green tea variant to someone) are bigger than I have imagined (I really thought they we're just refills).  Also got some sponges as a freebie.

these affordable Missha cleansers are from here

And the most expensive item in my box, a Laneige toner hehehe.  I thought that this is an essence that's why I ordered it.  Later did I know that it's a toner (the "refiner" in the name deceived me).  I wish the seller gave me more freebies but come to think of it, the Missha Time Revolution Serum is kinda expensive.

don't know if Laneige has it's own space in GMarket but I bought the toner here

Want to know what's on GMarket?  Check the english website at http://english.gmarket.co.kr/index.asp

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

It's Skin Aloe Soothing Gel

Yep I'm still alive and here's my take on It's Skin Aloe Soothing Gel.  Now, I bought these two from GMarket at very affordable prices but weeks ago, I saw some serum of It's Skin in Watsons and hope Watsons would bring more of the brand's stuff since the prices are affordable plus I could escape the staggering shipping fee plus the painful way going to the customs.

Let's start with the Aloe Soothing gel 92%.  You can find the link from GMarket here and I got it at 50% off.  I got the english description and ingredients below though from koreadepart.com:

It`s Skin ALOE SOOTHING GEL 92%

Ingredients:  Aloe Vera Extract, Black Bean Extract, Camomile Extract, Rosemary Extract, Lavender Extract, Oregano Extract, Spearmint Extract
Product Description:  Includes California organic certified aloe flesh and 6 herb ingredients.  Pacifies skin from the Sun.  Provides moisture
How to Use:
1.  Apply moderate amount around sensitive and dry face
2.  Massage until aloe flesh grain melts


It's Skin Aloe Soothing Gel 92%
8800 won/$7~$8
200ml

You might be wondering why I love aloe gel, well Aloe Vera have many benefits and the fastest to get ahold of it for is through store bought gel.  Here are some benefits from mindbodygreen.com:

1. It treats sunburn.

2. It acts as a moisturizer.

3. It treats acne.

4. It fights aging.

5. It lessens the visibility of stretch marks.

6. It's nutrient rich for good health.

7. It soothes in periodontal disease.

8. It aids in digestion.

Well, of course I'm interested with the first 5 benefits.  Since it's freakin hot here in the Philippines especially this summer, aloe is my must have.  It gives my skin instant freshness without the sticky feeling even if I put layers of it.  It also gives an instant relief if I over scrub or if there are red spots on my skin.  Moisturization is light to almost medium so sometimes I still layer a lotion if my skin is extra dry.

the clear aloe gel

I'm wondering though why there are lumps of...I guess aloe in the tub.  If it's It's Skin's way to show that it's this gel is really made of aloe then I think it's unnecessary because it's bothersome to see an almost transparent lump on my skin that's why I'm more into the 90% version of this one.

It's Skin Aloe Soothing Gel 90%
3300 won/$3~$3.50
75ml

So I got the 75ml of the It's Skin Aloe Gel still from GMarket so I wouldn't pay an extra 2500 won domestic delivery charge.  I also got this at 50% off.  I always carry this around with me for instant freshness when everything around me is hot and humid.  It doesn't have any lumps so it spreads smoothly on skin.  The consistency is more dense than the 92% but it's still not sticky.  Plus it has english description!

english description is always welcome :)

Both of these products have the aloe smell (almost identical to the real one).  They provide enough moisturization in a hot weather without the sticky feeling and gives instant relief from the burning rays of the sun and itchiness.  My hair also feel refresh when I apply this but I don't recommend these to be use on the lips as they somewhat dries mine.

Tried an aloe gel lately?

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

How I Order from GMarket

My second order from Gmarket is already on it's way and I'm so excited to unboxed my package.  With this haul, I became more aware of the discounts and where to find some great deals and I'm just going to share with you how I order (from an "overseas" view).

Since I'm into cosmetics, I always check the Beauty Calendar as I find here sales and promos and events for the month.  You can also find here the $1 dollar deal that Gmarket offers every month.  Haven't ordered any $1 deal because the item always get out of stock but there are other items that will keep on flashing that are also on sale.

Click the Beauty Calendar if you wanted to know what Beauty Shops are on sale or promo

Unsure what to buy and where to shop?  Then check the "Best" part of Gmarket homepage.

the Best Portion

You can find here the Best Sellers, Best Sellers per Country, Best Minishops and best Soho A.  Just click on the link of the picture and you will be lead into a page like below.  I found my bag and shirt here which are both on sale and free domestic shipping in this area.

I always browse here to look into some bargains

You can also go to "Plus Zone" under the Plus ON area to know the deals of the week plus you can also draw some coupons for discounts.

for now it's spring items

Have an item in mind?  Then directly go to the search button.  You will have no problem if you can understand Korean language but if not then you need an online translator like google translate or use the translate option of your browser.  Not all the brand names are in English so you might want to find first the Korean word or words of the item you like.  I type in Hadalabo before and the search engine didn't find any item.  But when I typed 고쿠쥰,  Hadalabo items appeared.  Don't forget to tick the Worldwide shipping.

item, price, domestic delivery if free or you have to pay an additional amount, offers like discount, gift, mileage and stamp, name of the seller and customer rating

Click on the item name to know further details.

Coupon Box?  Shopping Support Rewards?  Yes, you can use coupons or rewards when buying.  How to get them is quite easy.  You can mainly get them in the GMarket Lounge.  Hover your courser to the Plus On, then click Plus Zone Go.

click Plus Zone GO>

Roulette game

I got a 1000won shopping support rewards by spinning the roulette but most of the time I get mileage.

Gmarket Lounge tabs

Now, next to Plus Zone is Special Benefits where I got my 5% discount that I applied in the Laneige product that I got.  Next  is the Discount Coupons tab where you can get different kinds of coupon based on your Membership Grade.  The higher the membership grade, the better coupons you get and you can also exchange (or exchange to draw) your GStamps .  My first draw was a failure and didn't get anything.  Last tab is the Deals of the Week where you can find different items from cosmetics to potatoes and other grocery stuff that are on sale or offers a great deal.  There's also this benefit called "Buy Many?  More Discount!" where you can get additional 20% off on your beauty stuff you buy 50 items or more.

click here to find more

There are also coupons that suddenly pop out or suddenly appear on the bottom part of the screen when you click coupon so don't forget to check them out.  Remember though that not all coupons are applicable to all products.  There are sellers who do not accept discount coupons and rewards plus the coupons have expiration date too.

click, tick then apply

Now that I have different kinds coupons, it's time to use them by clicking the coupon box and ticking the coupon that is applicable or use then click apply (sorry if it's step by step, I sometimes forget to click the apply button that's why).  And voila!

from 74,100 to 69,100 won

Other items that I check are the additional option if I wanted to buy other stuff from the same seller (so that I can ask for additional freebies or discounts) and the Item Info portion where I find the estimated weight and if the item can be be ship to my country.  Scroll down and you can find other details about the product and reviews from the buyers.

look how heavy the coat is

Click the Minishop logo to go the sellers homepage and if you have any questions or you wanted to haggle the price with the seller then click inquiry.  Make sure to add the name or link of the item/s that you inquire about in your message.

inquiry and seller info

If I'm ready to purchase the item, I click add to cart then move on on finding the next item in my list (unless you just wanted to buy one item, then click Buy Now).  I always use combined shipping to save from shipping fee because as the weight gets higher, the fee gets cheaper.  If I already found all the things that I want then I go to the Shopping Cart.

my orders summary

Above is the screenshot of the items that I will purchase listed in a summary.  Price, discount, total delivery, total payable amount, estimated weight and mileage and stamp to be earned are indicated.   If you still have coupons to use,  just click on the coupon box, tick and apply then refresh the page.
EMS is the only courier for Gmarket so it's a bit expensive but fast (well based on my experience).  Select your country to know the estimated shipping fee that you will pay, here's the link to the shipping rates.

I'm okay with my orders so I'll go ahead and click Place an Order to move on to the second to the last stage of ordering which is payment.

payment summary

The payment screen will show you 1. Order Products where the items that I'll be ordering are listed, 2.  Delivery Info for my Address and Sender, 3.  Discount applied and 4. Payment.

payment portion

delivery info portion

Just type in the blanks the necessary information in 2.  My friend and I always think of who will we put in the sender portion (her favorite is GD) and if you have additional memo to the seller like "I want more freebies" then this stage is the time to do it (unless you want to go back to the start).  Don't forget to tick the policy agreement.

discount applied and payment portion

If you have credit card discount from My Shinhan Point, Bl Card, Shinhan Card, Lotte Card and KB Kookmin Card then take time to look in 3.  Discount Applied.  I have a Cash Balance in my last order and applied it here.  The remainder, I paid thru Paypal in 4.  Payment Info.  Just tick what kind of card or other mode of payment that is acceptable to Gmarket that you'll be using to pay for your items then fill up the card info and done!

I just have to wait for the sellers to send my orders in Gmarket warehouse. I check and track  the status of my orders in "Overseas Order" portion of "My Gmarket".  When all orders are in, Gmarket will put everything in a box, weight it then ship it to EMS Korea then it will be ship through airplane to be delivered to EMS Philippines.

domestic delivery done 

Oh, if the fee for the actual weight is greater than the estimated weight by more than 3000won, then you have to pay first your balance before Gmarket further process your order (click here for the worldwide shipping guide).

worldwide shipping in progress

So that's basically it.  I'm just starting so I still do not have enough mileage to convert but once I get the necessary number, I'll share how to use it.

summary on how to buy

PS.  I'm using Mozilla, IE8 or Google Chrome when ordering.  All photos and screenshots are from Gmarket.

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

Oh Yeah! My First Ever GMarket Haul

Yesssss, I finally got my GMarket Package (insert applause and ^__^ evil laugh here).  Yeah, so this is my (and my friend's) first time and I've known GMarket because of a friend who loves BigBang (particularly the leader) who endorses GMarket.

Unlike others who have a BIG box on their first haul, mine is in medium size.  I'm expecting a small one but turns out that I need two hands to carry it.  Actually I wanted to buy lots of products but two words keep on bugging my head: Shipping, Customs, Shipping, Customs, Shipping, Customs and boy they scared me.
(and because they scared me I forgot to get the $1 deal from Mizon. I could have added just P150 for the product and shipping)

~my precious~

Thank you EMS for carefully handling my box,  I thought that it would look haggard when I'll claim it but it looks safe and sound that even the invoice don't have any tear nor scratch.

Okay, to all GD fans out there...I'm so sorry.

to all GD fans all over the world, please accept my sincerest apologies

I used Kwon Jiyong a.k.a. GD because I don't personally know anyone from Korea and since my friend loves GD, why not give her a little *kilig* di ba?

GD gave me a gift ^__^

And so let's take a look at what's inside.  Ahahaha, the box is only half full (maybe this is GMarket's standard medium size?).  And inside, there's another 2 boxes that came from the 2 stores where my friend and I ordered.

waste of space, I really should have ordered more

And here are the 2 packages.  The square one is my friend's order while the elongated one is mine.

packing tape everywhere

The square box is from 폰 plus Minishop in which my friend ordered her Mercury-style cell phone Jelly Cases for her Samsung S3.  While on the way home, my friend hoped that she'll get another case for free.  With her wishful thinking, she got what she hoped for plus more!

free pink case plus koala dust stopper

She ordered the black and the baby pink one here for 2650 won ($2.60) each.  So how did we know what color to pick from the drop down button (which is in hangyul)?  What else, Google Translate!  Thanks to the seller by the way for the very fast and smooth transaction (the items are shipped to GMarket a few hours after we paid even if it's on weekend) and of course for the generous freebies.

Update: After almost a week, I finally have the guts to throw the boxes of my haul but lo and behold! I found these 2 plastic of protectors, each containing 2, my friend would really be happy to have these extras.

found additional freebies in the magic box

Next is mine!  I only got 4 items (insert sad face here) but this is my first time and I'm very nervous because of what I read from other bloggers about their package being held hostage in customs.  Anyway, still very happy because I got everything on sale.

did I order bubble wraps?

So every item of my order is bubble wrapped. Removing the bubble wraps will leave the box half empty.

92% aloe and 90% aloe hmmm what will be the difference?

I don't know why I ordered another tub of aloe since I still have 3 Nature Republic Aloe Gel.  Maybe I want to compare the two or maybe I've been wondering why the It's Skin's is pricier?  Maybe both!  And also got a tube of aloe to carry around but it's smaller than I thought.  Anyway, the main reason why I got it is to escape the domestic delivery charge of 2500 won (1650 won versus 2500 won? of course I'll go with the 1650).  Original price of the It's Skin Aloe Soothing gel 92% is 8800 won for 200g  (link here) while the It's skin Aloe Soothing gel 90% is 3300 won for 75ml (and yet the estimated weight is .3 kg whoah!, link here).  Both by the way are at 50% off.

Next, still from It's Skin: Skin Rice Firming Cleansing Milk.

can it also brighten my skin?

I'm loving my cucumber cleansing milk from The Body Shop so since this is at 30% sale, I got myself another cleansing milk and I'm happy that it's dermatologist tested.  Here's the link to the product which I got for 4760 won.

Last item is the Phyto Theraphy Nature in Emulsion.  Again, I got this out of curiosity because of the word "Phyto".

Phyto, Fighting!!!

Pretty box, pretty packaging and pretty price too good thing I only got it for 7400 won.  This one promises to wake up skin's own potential energy.  I do hope that it can wake up my pale face!

And last but not least is of course freebies.  Not much, just 3 sachets of Power 10 Formula VC Effector which is one of It's Skin's best seller.  Still thankful to the seller because he still gave freebies even if I bought everything on sale.

with Vitamin C Derivatives

The name of the mini shop and link is 잇츠스킨숍 and just to let you know, this shop doesn't process order on weekends based on my experience (I ordered on a Saturday and they processed and shipped my orders on a Monday which is for me still fast).

Here's what I paid for the shipping.  I didn't check the weight of my package so it's a shame that I paid for the .11 kg even if I didn't use it (click here for the shipping rates of GMarket).  I wish that the next time I order, the shipping fee is also on sale kekeke. Just a note, if you are new to GMarket, check Plus Zone first before ordering.  I only check it after purchasing and I'm not aware of the coupons and special benefits.  I got a 5% discount coupon but too bad I already ordered.

Subject	Shipping Fee Info.	Amount	Remarks
Worldwide Shipping Fee	ㅁEstimated Shipping Fee (Prepaid)	￦18,160 ㅁ	ㅁ Estimated Weight :1.60 Kg ㅁActual Weight :1.69 Kg
	ㅁAdditional Shipping Fee (Paid)	￦0 ㅁ
Total Worldwide Shipping Fee : ￦18,160

this is my tracking.  thanks EMS Korea for answering my question

Overall, my first GMarket experience is very good.  Fast and hassle free and as you can see in my tracking (except when my package arrived in the Philippines, the intervals is just 1 day.  I ordered February 2, 2013 and my orders already arrived in my country February 6, 2013.

Kamsahamnida GMarket!

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

*to learn more about GMarket, go to http://english.gmarket.co.kr/