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This product was sent to me for review purposes. I was not paid for this post and I do not make any profits from the discount code advertised. Affiliate links are not used.
I first collaborated with BONIIK last year when they were a relatively new store in Australia, and wanted to introduce their brand to a bunch of us beauty bloggers. I’m really happy to say that I will be working with them again in the year of 2019 and, just before I left for Vietnam, I was invited to visit their new store at World Square (Sydney CBD) where I discussed with them my ambitions as a beauty content creator, my skin type and also got recommendations of new products to try out.
So, in this post, I’m going to be writing about the in-store experience for BONIIK. They have two stores in Sydney where you can visit yourself to talk with their store assistants for skin recommendations, or you can also shop them online at BONIIK.com
Best of all though, is that they’ve actually give me a discount code to share with everyone! Until the end of March, you can get 15% off all purchases at both their physical stores or online just by showing my code – OHMYSTELLAR15
So, lets get into this post! I can’t wait to show you all of the photos I took of their store because it’s actual eye candy to see all of these walls of glorious kbeauty.
In-store Experience
BONIIK aims to be a one-stop kbeauty destination, both in Australia (where their physical stores are) and online – and this is clear as soon as you walk into their stores. They have a massive range of Korean skincare and make up brands, ranging from more common names (like Laneige or COSRX) to more indie brands like Pyunkang Yul and Klairs. Rather than just bringing in a bunch of famous labels, their products are also carefully curated by their team to ensure that they only carry the best of what the kbeauty industry has to offer.
On all occasions that I have visited them (since their store is relatively nearby to my work place) their customer service has always been great and I love how knowledgable their store assistants are. The BONIIK store is a great place to go if you’re new to kbeauty and don’t know where to start, or if you have specific skin concerns that you’d like advice about. All of the assistants are very familiar with the products that they carry and are ready to answer any questions that you might have (whether it is about ingredients or skin sensitivity).
To be honest, their prices are higher than what you might find online (since their products are physically imported to Australia), but the in-store experience makes up for it. I have a lot of confidence in the BONIIK brand and, especially when I buy more obscure brands from them, I know that I am getting a legit product that is recommended for my skin type. Also, brick-and-mortar stores are always more expensive to maintain and it is rare to find any physical kbeauty stores here that carry things cheaper anyway.
That all being said, if you aren’t from Sydney or can’t get to a BONIIK store, you aren’t missing out either. They also have their online store (BONIIK.com) where they give both Aussie and international audiences easy access to their products. They also have a lot of online exclusive promotions too so definitely check out their website – especially around sale periods.
Skincare Consultation
After some chat with BONIIK, we discussed a lot about my skin type as well as skin concerns. Since mine has been changing a lot in the past few months, I’m actually at a bit of an awkward time in my skin health – so, personally, I have been struggling to find things that balance out for me. In the past, I had dry skin but it has now become more combination with a normal skin type and a lot of oils in the t-zone (especially obvious later on in the day). My skin is also more prone to break outs now but it has been weirdly reacting more to ‘safe’ products than those that are considered harsh.
My usual skin concerns would be with brightening and whitening (i.e. minimising pigmentation). While this is still true and I have many brightening products in my skincare routine, I am currently now shifting my focus on hydrating and rebalancing my skin – because I was so tired of looking so shiny all the time! According to my story, BONIIK concluded that my skin may be overproducing oils from dehydration – which would explain the combination skin type and why my skin has a tendency to oil up later on in the day. With that in mind, they recommended a handful of different brands and products that I might be interested in trying.
Note: They did also introduce some of their cosmetics range to me, which I will also show some of below. For this collaboration though, I really wanted to focus on BONIIK’s skincare consultation and their skills in that area. I really believe that their services would be suitable for people who are just starting their skincare routine or – like me – are in a tricky point in time.
About the Brand – Belif
One of the first brands that I checked out was Belif – they’re an indie brand that gained a lot of prominence in recent years as their Aqua Bomb Cream became a cult favourite within the beauty community. They claim to be a herbal brand, utilizing a 150-year-old herbal processing method (developed by a British herbalist in 1860) to deliver nutrients to the skin in the most effective and yet natural manner.
Their brand highly emphasises honesty in their ingredients and delivery, evidenced by how prominently their information is displayed on their packaging (which I love, by the way). I love that Belif is carried at BONIIK because I’ve always wanted to try their products but, since they are a bit more expensive, I wanted to test them out in person first. I had actually seen their physical store before in Korea and had heard a lot about this brand, but had never gotten much detailed information on them until now!
BONIIK recommended their Aqua Bomb line to me because it has strong hydration benefits but is still light on skin and has safe ingredients (which is great for my recent break outs).
Although they are most famous for their Aqua Bomb Cream, I learnt at BONIIK that they have actually expanded their range to include the Aqua Bomb Sleeping Mask, as well as the Moisturising Bomb (which is intensely hydrating for very dry skin) and the Moisturising Eye Bomb.
About the Brand – Hanyul
Another brand that I was introduced to was Hanyul. At first, I wasn’t sure if I had tried anything from them before but yep – they are definitely new to me. Similarly to Belif, they are another ‘natural skincare’ brand but they are actually inspired by traditional folk remedies and medicinal practices. Their products make use of many traditional ingredients, primarily Korean plans and grains.
I was specifically recommended their Pure Artemesia line, which uses Artemisia (Mugwort) as its main ingredient. It’s actually not an ingredient that I usually look into, since I generally don’t like the scent, but I actually like how this smells! I was introduced to three different products from their brand (the Fresh Calming Water, Watery Calming Fluid and the Watery Calming Gel) and – to be honest – I liked them all.
According to BONIIK: “Artemisia, also know as mugwort is known to help purify and soothe tired skin. Derived from the region of Ganghwa in South Korea, Artemisia grows along the coastal area of Ganghwa which boasts good sunlight and water drainage. ‘Pure’ Artemesia is best harvested before May 5th according to the lunar calendar. Artemisia has been used traditionally as the first bathing water for babies and mothers. HANYUL uses raw ingredient from Korea and a traditional Korean processing method passed down from generation to generation.”
They are all very hydrating but super lightweight formulas that would be suitable for the warmer weather in Sydney, since it can hydrate my skin without exaggerating oil production. It’s also super cooling on the skin, which I personally love for mornings.
About the Brand – Huxley & Pyunkang Yul
And then the above two brands are ones that I briefly discussed with BONIIK but didn’t actually need to go into much detail because I already know these brands – and am really happy that they’re available here in Sydney.
The first, Huxley, is one that I use often and love. They are a “contemporary beauty brand for skin affected by the harmful environment and stress.” Their main ingredient is Sahara Cactus Seed Oil, which is very effective in hydrating skin even in extreme conditions. My personal favourite thing about this brand is the fresh cactus scent of their products, but have been advised that it can irritate some sensitive skin. For me though, my skin loves it!
And the second is one that I have but haven’t thoroughly tested out yet. It is Pyunkang Yul, which is a lesser known indie brand again (but is just as popular). I have used their toner before and liked the product, but they actually have quite an intensive product range. They are a curelty free and hyoallergenic brand that is very suitable for sensitive skin too. According to BONIIK, “Pyunkang Yul was developed by Pyunkang Oriental Medicine Clinic in Korea who has 40 years of history in oriental herbal recipes. Taking only ingredients that is necessary, Pyunkang Yul has no fragrance and color added to deliver the safest ingredients to your skin.”
These are both brands that BONIIK carries that I would highly recommend for people to try out! They aren’t big name mainstream brands, but very reputable skincare brands that have cult followings without the kbeauty community.
Cosmetic Offerings
And then there’s BONIIK’s cosmetics! Actually, they don’t have a massive range like they do for skincare but instead focus on bringing in some less common brands that are more well known for their quality than packaging (though there are a few cuter road shop brands in the mix). For this collaboration, I didn’t look into trying any of their cosmetics because I already have a lot of new products at home and because I already use and love many of them!
My personal favourite brands here would be Moonshot (which was stupidly hard to get in Australia in the past), 3CE, and Laneige. Most of the make up that I use are from Western brands but I don’t think anything beats Korean lip stains and cushions. They also make some very pretty natural blushes and shimmering eyeshadows (3CE is particular is quite bold in pigment for a Korean brand) which are abundant in the BONIIK store. Since I’m used to shopping for kbeauty cosmetics online, it’s really nice to have access to these products in person so you can actually swatch them and get a shade match.
Locations
BONIIK is very easy to find online (in fact, just click on any of their links on this post) with an easy to navigate interface and detailed product listings. They have free shipping for purchases over AUD$70 and also give AUD$10 credit on sign up.
If you’re looking to visit a physical store though, or just if you’re in Sydney and want to take a peek, then jump over to one of their two current locations. All of the photos thus far have been of their World Square store, but they also have a store at Westfield Sydney (which I visited first last year). Both are equally as well stocked and well staffed.
Westfield Sydney | 02 9232 4251
Level 2, Store 42G, Under Myer
Westfield Sydney Pitt Street Mall
World Square | 02 7900 3026
644 George St World Square
Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
BONIIK & The Face Shop Haul
And the most exciting part of any collaboration – let’s be real – are the goodies that we get to go home with! I am always so thankful to brands for either sending me or letting me choose products to try out and review for everyone. It’s a really generous opportunity for a blogger like myself to create more fresh content, try out new products that I might not otherwise know about and to give you my honest opinion (because never have I worked with a brand that demanded a ‘good’ review).
For this collaboration with BONIIK, they gifted me with a bunch of sheet masks and samples from their brands, as well as giving me some store credit to choose products that I personally wanted to try out. Below, I have pictured some of the brands and the sheet masks, which are all from brands that they carry. Aside from the Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Sheet Mask (which I have tried before and wasn’t a big fan of), everything else is new to me and I’ll be using them once I’m back in Sydney!
In particular, they gifted me some products from The Face Shop, which is notable because BONIIK actually owns The Face Shop Sydney (as well as Nature Collection), so you’ll find that they’re massive in the kbeauty community around here.
Watery Calming Gel (Hanyul) | AUD$49
From the Hanyul brand, I decided to try out their Watery Calming Gel which (as the name suggests) is a lightweight gel product that helps to both sooth and hydrate skin. This product adsorbs very quickly into skin and gives it a supple appearance, which I felt would be a perfect addition to my morning skincare routine. It claims to “instantly help cool down tired skin” and I love how quick it is to use – my morning skincare is rather abysmal since I’m always short on time.
The Watery Calming Gel (which is really an alternative for a ‘cream’ in your routine) comes in a very generous 250mL tub and they actually recommend using around a quarter size for a single application. It has a very refreshing scent and, while it does contain fragrance and some alcohol ingredients, I find it very gentle and non-irritating on skin.
So far, I am really enjoying this product and – depending on how I go once I finish the tub (if I ever do), I would definitely be looking to check out the rest of this range as well. I feel like it’s working well for my skin type and helps to give me a needed boost of hydration without weighing down my skin underneath my make up. It’s a great morning product!
Aqua Bomb Sleeping Mask (Belif) | AUD$69
I had a bit of a difficult time picking a second product (because there was so much that I was interested in) but I ended up going with the Aqua Bomb Sleeping Mask from Belif! At first, I was going to try out their Original Aqua Bomb, since that is what they’re most famous for, but wanted to go for something else so it doesn’t conflict with my Hanyul product. From my understanding, this is one of the newer additions to their line and claims to give the same intensive hydration that their original Aqua Bomb does.
This is a sleeping mask, so it is to be used at the end of your night routine to treat skin overnight. It has an interesting jelly pudding like texture, which has a tendency to sink back in like a ‘memory’ pudding. Although I haven’t opened this up to use yet, I generally love sleeping masks with that sort of texture as it helps the product to form a sort of film on my skin. This product claims to “revive dull, dry, dehydrated skin for a dewy and radiant glow while you sleep.”
This will be my first foray into the Belif brand. I’ve heard so much about them and I’m excited to finally be giving this a shot (I have a feeling that I am really late to the game). If this sleeping mask works well for my skin, I’ll also be looking into their original Aqua Bomb as I feel like it would work well either in my night routine or as a day cream for when the weather is colder and drier.
So if you’d gotten to this part of the post, thank you! I know that I have a tendency to ramble a lot but there was so much information and so much excitement that I wanted to share it all. Thank you so much again to BONIIK for this opportunity and remember to either check out their stores (if you’re in Sydney) or hop into their website (BONIIK.com) to check out their offerings if you’re out of the state or an international beauty lover.
They have exclusive sales both online and offline, but you can also use my special code (OHMYSTELLAR15) for 15% off your entire purchase until the end of March. This is not an affiliate code so I’m not making money from sharing it, it’s just something that BONIIK gave me to offer everyone.
And, until next time (when I post my reviews) – thank you again!
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