I remember first encountering Holika Holika way back in 2009 or 2010, when they were using a model who looked very much alike to Beyonce (although I’m quite sure they don’t have the monehs to engage the Queen B herself). Anyhoo, they seem to have come a long way in terms of their brand image, with their latest collaboration with Sanrio being the ultimate squeal-enticer – I mean, c’mon, it’s Gudetama!😀
The entire range of products, of which I only bought half. Ok fine, I admit it. I bought almost everything.
Holika Holika Gudetama Jelly Dough Blusher – KRW8,900 each
A sponge puff application – it’s not the usual BB cushion types that are super absorbent and airy – it seems to have a latex/rubber-like surface that almost appears to be waterproof. It seems kind of odd at first, but after you experience the blusher texture, you’ll realize that it’s a perfect fit with the puff.
I say…
The Packaging: A cute compact that measures about 6cm across and 2cm high. Note that the exterior design differs ever so slightly – the Grapefruit Jelly shade comes with a slightly happier expression and a word “Hoot”, while Plum Jelly looks slightly more despondent. Both come with inbuilt mirrors and a sponge puff (which, as mentioned earlier, is slightly latexy/rubbery and does not absorb much liquids). What I like about this is the plastic sheet separating the blusher from the puff – they’ve added an extra design (which says “close it (the compact casing I’m guessing), I want to be alone”) that 100% reflects Gudetama’s lethargic IDGAF personality hahahaha.
The Scent: An awesome fruity scent that is refreshing. It doesn’t linger long on your skin, but it does provide for some olfactory pleasure when you’ll applying it.
The Texture: Now as the name suggests, it isn’t your usual consistency – it’s not a cream / powder blusher. I think the best word(s) to describe it would be “putty”, which is somewhat akin to clay. It seems moudable – you can prod it gently with your finger and it’ll cause a depression (that does not bounce back into shape). It’s relatively moist to the touch, but surprisingly comes off powdery and velvety on the fingers/cheeks. This is why I say the puff is a good fit with this blusher – it doesn’t absorb the moisture from the blusher pan, and transfers the color easily to your cheeks.
The Verdict: An interesting and cute product that’s pretty affordable – I like the texture that allows for easy blending (and it has medium pigmentation too). It smells great and has a super cute packaging that makes for convenient carrying around/touching up (which may or may not be necessary since the color lasts for a good 4-6 hours if you’re not rubbing your cheeks like Gudetama does). The only downside is that the interior of the blusher gets slightly “ugly” after usage because of the putty-like texture. But then again, the softness of the Jelly Dough is what makes it easy to not get Pikachu cheeks. I say… Get both shades naooooo.
