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YesStyle is back with another INSSAKIT!
INSSAKIT Vol.2 is specially curated to make our quarantine routine a bit more exciting and productive. Aptly named the Jib-kok Edition, a Korean word meaning “to be stuck at home,” this box is filled with ten Korean beauty and lifestyle picks so you can chill even during quarantine. Scroll down and unbox with us!
Level 1: Morning Routine
Dianne: I always start the day by writing down my to-do list, and I’ve found this memo pad to be a therapeutic switch from my usual online checklist. It’s got a “color your day” section which is fun to color and doodle in. The memo pad has a meticulous table design so I can easily jot down what I need to do for the day and when!
Sarah: I find it so easy to waste time away doing absolutely nothing, so I’ve been trying to discipline myself by setting fixed routines. This daily memo pad came just when I needed it! We got the soft, dreamy peach version with a cupcake graphic, but it also comes in equally aesthetic lavender, pink, beige, blue and mint green. This pad would work great as a study planner – there’s room for organizing by subject, listing out assignments and visualizing your rundown for the day. Bonus points for the circles at the top of the page, which you can punch if you want to keep the sheets in a ring binder.
Dianne: Although I’m just at home, sticking to my usual routine does wonders for my productivity, and part of my routine is to put on light makeup. I’m partial to versatile lip tint formulas, and moonshot’s Cream Paint LightFit Air makes it incredibly easy to give my lips and cheeks a pop of color. The smooth creamy formula adheres seamlessly over lips to create an MLBB finish, and just a small dash over the cheeks brightens my face!
Sarah: I’ve mostly given up on lip products since we’re wearing masks 24/7, but I swipe this lip tint on during the rare dinner date. After all, I still want to look nice when I take my mask off! I’ve always preferred matte finishes over glossy ones, but struggle with overly dry formulas that exaggerate cracks and lines. This tint gives a soft matte finish but glides on smoothly with its lightweight, airy texture, making it an absolute dream to apply. Mine came in 503 Chilling Coral, a lively coral pink that brightens my complexion with a single swipe. I also love the sleek and minimal packaging.
Dianne: THE FACE SHOP’s Mono Pop Multi Palette Signature Edition may not be part of everyone’s morning routine, but its natural, spring-like shades add fun to mine. The palette comes with nine shades of matte, shimmer and glitter eye shadows as well as a highlighter, blush and shading color. You can get creative with this compact palette thanks to its cohesive color structure and buildable formulas!
Sarah: I adore the mint-colored letter-and-envelope packaging of this palette. It even comes with a faux wax seal and vintage postage stamp! The palette taps into 2020 S/S makeup trends with its warm browns, refreshing pinks and bright corals, which are diverse enough for looks spanning from everyday to glittery and dramatic. The girly-girl in me is obsessed with how pretty the rosy shades and soft pearlescent finishes are, while my practical side appreciates that this compact allows you to complete a full face of makeup.
Level 2: Afternoon Pick-Me-Up
Sarah: Getting your daily vitamins and staying healthy has never been more important, and luckily, it’s super easy with these powder stick packets! Each contains 500 mg of Vitamin C to help fade skin discoloration, increase collagen, counter fatigue and recover health. It also includes 2 mg of Vitamin B2 and 5 mg of Vitamin B6 to regulate physiological functions and boost metabolism. The powder doesn’t need to be mixed with water but can be consumed directly, making it super convenient for on-the-go use. Whenever I sense the beginnings of a cold, I’ve always relied on Vitamin C tablets to boost immunity, so I figured I’d love this product just as much! The intense sourness made me pull a few funny faces at first, but I got used to it. What sweetens it up is the collectible BTS packaging featuring a member on the paper box and on the stick packets – fingers crossed you get your fave!
Dianne: I was definitely shocked the first time I emptied the Vitamin C powder into my mouth, but the sourness abated quickly enough. It’s a perfect afternoon pick-me-up that gives a much-needed boost of energy. I usually begin to wish for a siesta by mid-afternoon but a packet of the Vitamin C powder fuelled me enough to finish off the day.
Sarah: My family has been a longtime fan of the honey butter almonds from Tom’s Farm, but I had no idea that the brand expanded into so many new flavors like black sugar milk tea, mint choco, hot spicy chicken and tteokbokki! I’m always itching for snacks in the middle of the work day, and this small-sized packaging is perfect for satisfying those cravings. The wasabi flavor causes a burn in the sinuses that feels intolerable for a split-second, but then it mellows out into a perfect salty-spicy balance.
Dianne: I was initially hesitant to try out the wasabi almond snack as I’m not a big fan of spicy food. However, this snack is honestly quite addicting! The wasabi burn dissipates quickly and leaves me salivating for more.
Level 3: Wind Down
Sarah: This face wash hair band coupled with the Kakao Friends Little Sleeping Eye Mask from the INSSAKIT Vol. 1 is the perfect set for getting unready in style. The pink coral fleece material is soft and comfortable, and it’s adorned with an uber-cute Apeach plushie. The stretchy band fits comfortably to keep hair off your face as you go through your skin care routine, making it a practical must-have item.
Dianne: Like everyone else, I made the mistake of cutting my own bangs during quarantine. Did I regret it? Yes. Is it making my makeup and skin care routine harder? Also yes. I’ve actually been using the sleeping eye mask as a makeshift hair band when I wash my face and apply skin care. Thankfully, this kit comes with a face washing hair band! The fabric is soft on skin and, most importantly, keeps even the shortest strands of my bangs out of my face!
Sarah: This portable cold massager contains a gel refrigerant that soothes and cools sensitive and irritated skin, improves skin elasticity and minimizes pores that have been stretched out due to heat. The massager can be kept at room temperature, stored in the fridge, soaked in warm water or used with a soothing gel or moisturizing cream. I don’t have sensitive or irritated skin, so I initially felt like this product wasn’t doing much for me. Then I learned that it’s also suitable for use on puffy faces in the morning and tight legs, so I’ve since been using it for these purposes instead. I recommend a relaxing warm face massage for mornings, and using a refrigerated massager after workouts to relax sore body parts and cool down flushed skin.
Dianne: Soothing and calming your entire body is the best way to wind down at the end of the day. Storing the massage healer in the fridge and using it to cool my body after being under the hot summer sun – especially after a grocery run – is essentially part of my daily routine. After a long day of sitting cross-legged on my bed, however, I prefer a warm massage to relax my calves.
Dianne: Staying indoors has really cultivated the creative spirit in all of us, from making banana bread to tie-dyeing everything we own. I’ve covered almost every DIY project so I don’t go stir-crazy. I was incredibly excited to find a DIY candle setinside the kit since I adore candles and this one is made out of 100% soy wax. The set comes with soy wax flakes, a wick, a glass container, a sticker, a fragrance oil and a paper container all encased in a cute coffee cup.
Making it was fun, therapeutic and easy. Just pour the soy wax into the paper container little by little, and microwave it for 30 seconds before adding more wax in. The fragrance oil doubles as a dye. If you want to be a bit more creative, you can adjust the amount of fragrance oil for a lighter shade! The wick has an adhesive bottom so it’s easy to place it on the glass container before pouring in the melted wax. We waited for around two hours as that was all our patience allowed, and then immediately lit it to enjoy its soothing fragrance.
Sarah: We got the “I’ll Be Best of the Best” version of the DIY candle, which comes in a bright teal and Royal Water scent. It smells super light, refreshing and clean, like freshly washed sheets. I’ve never been much of a candle person, but this innovative set might have changed my mind! I love the clever packaging, vibrant colors, fun fonts and the cute sticker for your candle holder. It’s the perfect stay-home activity for a lazy day. Plus, the result is perfect for sprucing up your living conditions for an IG pic! NGL, I low-key want to collect all the different colors and line them up in a rainbow-colored set.
Sarah: This face mask is recommended for dehydrated and acne-prone skin as well as those with large pores, deeply rooted blackheads and excess sebum. I struggle with most of these issues, which is why this product felt perf for me and ended up being one of my fave products from the whole box! The mask is formulated with Canadian glacial clay to control excess sebum and remove skin waste, oatmeal to remove dead skin cells, soften skin and offer hydration, and tea tree leaf to calm skin while resolving and preventing acne. It offers cooling, lifting and deep cleansing effects, killing acne-causing bacteria while tightening pores. I love that this mask is extremely low-maintenance and easy to use, as it dries quickly and washes off easily. It has a natural, earthy smell that reminds me of ginger tea and offers an immediate cooling sensation. My skin feels soothed and cleaner after use, and I’ve not seen any new breakouts since I started incorporating it into my routine. The mask can also be used partially to target sudden breakouts, as well as on other acne-prone areas of your body.
Dianne: This clay mask was recommended to me by fellow YesStylist editor Romy a while back and I’ve loved it since! I’m so glad it’s included in this box because I’ve been meaning to repurchase. As someone who’s got incredibly oily skin, this clay mask has been my go-to to control my excess sebum. Wearing a face mask all day long has also aggravated my skin and made it more textured. The clay mask is really great at exfoliating my skin, leaving it feeling fresh and smooth.
Sarah: I have pretty dry, frizzy hair, so I was really looking forward to trying this hair ampoule set. It’s infused with protein, collagen, keratin, ceramide and amino acid to leave hair soft, shiny and supple. It also has a Self-Heating System that locks in nourishment and hydration for up to 72 hours. To use the ampoule, you have to mix with cold water in a ratio of 1:1 until it becomes a cream, and then massage it into hair and rinse. This product took longer to prepare than expected, as I had to measure out the water and search for an unneeded plastic container to mix the solution. I really enjoyed the scent of the mixture and it made my hair feel very moisturized and sleek – although I’m not sure if the effects lasted for 72 hours. Those with longer hair might find that there isn’t quite enough product, as I couldn’t really cover my ends.
Dianne: As Sarah predicted, there wasn’t enough of the ampoule for my waist-length hair. Perhaps that’s why I couldn’t feel the effects of the ampoule until my second use. My hair is dry and curly so it constantly and desperately needs moisture. This ampoule left my locks soft, shiny and hydrated, without the heavy feeling that some other hair products leave. My hair didn’t feel limp after use. It looked like it even added a bit of volume which is a major plus in my books! For those with longer hair, I would suggest using two bottles instead of one to really let the ampoule do its magic.
That was the #INSSASCOOP on YesStyle’s Vol. 2 of the INSSAKIT! Did you learn anything new or were you already a long-term inssa privy to all the deets? Let us know in the comments below!