Oh my goodness, guys. Look at this – I’m at it again. I keep telling myself that I should really space out my haul posts (because I even have three videos filmed to go on YouTube) but I really didn’t want to hold back on this. You see, the longer I don’t post about it, the longer I have to stop myself from using this stuff… and that’s really hard.
Today’s haul is a little smaller than the previous but still substantial. This is part of my Kbeauty Haul and is from iBuyBeauti, usually called IBBI. The store was recommended to me by Sophia who had ordered from them quite a few times before. The best thing, of course, is that they have free shipping for purchases over $50 and, honestly… it’s really easy to buy more than fifty bucks, haha!
Their prices are a little bit higher than RRS to accommodate for the free shipping, but they’re the best option if you’re looking to buy only a few things (around $50 – $100 in total) or if you’re buying even less than $50 and want to team up with your friends to do a bulk order.
Now, let’s have a look at what I bought! I’ll put down the names but won’t do a review of (most) things because I’ll save that for individual posts later on.
CLIO – Waterproof Brush Liner Kill Black XP
I usually use the pen liner but I found that all of my usual stores were sold out! Both of these use the same formula though and, interestingly enough, the brush liner currently comes with a oil remover that I didn’t get when I first purchased it in Korea. The pen liner is easier to control so it good for those first learning to use liquid but the brush gives you the most expressive and flexible strokes.
CLIO – Brow Tattoo Lasting Gel Pencil Kill Brow #1 Natural Brown
I was needing a new brow pencil and, since Clio is home of my holy grail brow tint, I knew that they would be the best place to turn to.
ETUDE HOUSE – Play 101 Stick #11 shading
I swear, so many people rave about the Play 101 Sticks for contouring, so I couldn’t turn away from it. I had previously bought the highlighter and bought the shading stick at IBBI. Because they’re so popular, I had trouble finding a place online that stocked both colours. They also have a blush colour that I tried in store and will definitely be on my next purchase list.
ETUDE HOUSE – Play 101 Stick Brush
ETUDE HOUSE – Various Look At My Eyes Eye Shadows
Look At My Eyes Jewel #BE019 Bride in Hanoi – On sale for $4.21 on IBBI
Look At My Eyes Jewel #PP504 Prima Donna – On sale for $4.21 on IBBI
Look At My Eyes Cafe #PK003 Berry Soda – On sale for $2.67 on IBBI
Look At My Eyes Cafe #PK009 Flower Market – On sale for $2.67 on IBBI
Look At My Eyes Cafe #PK010 Minnie Peach – On sale for $2.67 on IBBI
Look At My Eyes 2016 S/S NEW #GR707 Ivy Green – On sale for $2.67 on IBBI
ARITAUM – Magic Contouring Cream #1 Deep Brown
Although their brand isn’t as prolific with international fans in comparison to places like Etude House and Nature Republic (I blame that on Aritaum using far less idol endorsement in comparison), they are another brand that I really trust. I’m really getting into contouring and learning all the different things I can do with it, so I made sure to really (over)stock myself with everything there is to offer.
INNISFREE – Glow Liquid Shadow #2 Quiet Lane, #5 Sunset on Grass
I love shiny, metallic eyeshadows and these reminded me of a simple version of my Josie Maran Coconut Water Shadows (except, you know, not argan oil infused coconut water) so I thought I would give them a test. I love the pigmentation already.
NATURE REPUBLIC – Botanical Stick Highlighter Shine Pink
I bought the gold colour before and, really, this is just be covering all bases. I love how well this product goes on though and it’s very easy to blend without accidentally shifting all of your base make up too.
LANEIGE – Water Sleeping Mask
Is it too much to call this sleeping mask a cult product? Probably not because people won’t stop raving about it! Apart from pretty much being a saviour for your skin, it’s also meant to help you fall asleep through the use of aromatherapy. I’ll be doing a more in-depth review of this later on. This is the third(?) revision of the original product.
CLOUD9 Whitening Cream
This is a whitening cream that I, pretty much, swear by. I first bought it when I was in Korea and ended up buying multiple of them to bring home. This one was bought for my aunt so I didn’t open it, just photographed the one I’m currently using. I did check it after she opened it though and it is definitely the genuine product! The packaging is a little bit different from the one I bought a year ago though, likely because it is an international version for other retailers (I bought mine at Watsons).
So what about my overall experience with iBuyBeauti as a store and service? Here goes!
PROS
- Wide selection
- Good prices that are reflective of the Korean RRP
- Genuine products
- Very safe packaging
- Free Shipping!
- Many customer product reviews from verified users (I know because I just accidentally found Sophia’s review)
CONS
- Email response can be
a little spottyvery spotty - Restocking of some products takes a while (a month or more had passed and my eyebrow tint was still unavailable in #2)
PRICING
IBBI prices are very affordable, though a little higher than some other stores because they offer free shipping. I think that, for this reason, they are best for people to buy less at once but rather frequently. Definitely make good use of their free shipping!
SHIPPING TIMES + PRICES
My IBBI package came in approximately 2-3 weeks (which is average for standard shipping) and was processed fairly quickly. I’ve heard that, sometimes, the processing time can be a bit longer though as they sometimes have to order in products that they have under stocked for. Their online system is good to keep track of your order though.
Pay the extra few dollars for tracking, guys. Really, you should do this for all of your purchases anywhere.
COMMUNICATION
I emailed IBBI in the past about when some items would come back in stock but, after a few responses, I seemed that my emails might have been ignored as they did not have a change in situation (that is, the product still hadn’t restocked). I think that their business can definitely improve with better personal communication between the store and customers.
However, looking at their website, I see that one of their team members (a moderator) often responds to comments recommending products and colours to different skin types. On this note, I love how honest the moderator is. If the product is not suitable for you, they won’t lie and say it is. Instead they will do their best to recommend another.
My favourite is that a 12 year old commenter (and soon to be 13) asked about using the Cloud9 Cream and the moderator suggested that she may be too young to use the cream, which I absolutely agree with. I love that they hold the customer’s wellbeing over just trying to make a sale.
WOULD I PURCHASE FROM THEM AGAIN?
Although communication is a little spotty, I think that IBBI is a reliable site and definitely good for when I just need to replenish some supplies or want to try out something new. I would definitely buy from them again and would recommend them to others too!
Unfortunately, after time shopping with and working with other brands, I have decided to revisit this post and I will no longer be buying from IBBI in the near future. Their service is legitimate and you do get your products… eventually. I have witnessed multiple times where products took a very long time to ship out because of their strangely poor inventory management and that their customer service is abysmal. After the first message or two, they have a habit of ignoring emails – which will make it difficult if you’re trying to locate a late package.
Sorry, IBBI. I won’t be buying from you again unless it’s out of necessity. Customer Service means too much to me.
