My K-Beauty Inspired Morning Skincare Routine: Summer 2017

A few things have changed since my last morning skincare post, here. Firstly, I'm no longer pregnant, and unfortunately my skin pretty much returned to its sad acne-prone, oily/ combination state :( Oh I miss you so, pregnancy glow *woefully stares at eye bags & blemishes in the mirror*. Secondly, yes, I have since majorly hopped back onto the K-Beauty skincare train thanks to overenthusiastic perusal of the Asian Beauty subreddit. As a result, my routine is quite a bit different - shall we take a look?

Before we start, a few facts about me and my skin, in case you're not a regular reader: I'm 30 (WHAT?! When did that happen?! Lol, jk), fair to light skintone, and my main concerns at the moment are treating and preventing acne, fading red post-acne P.I.E., as well as aiding dehydration and skin-aging in the form of fine lines, mostly around my eyes.

As a side note, I'm not going to provide reviews for separate products in my routine here, partly because it would cause this post to inflate to a mind-numbing length, but mostly because I haven't tested all of these products enough yet to give a thorough review. Yeah, so I did introduce more than one product to my routine all at once (and if I only swapped out one product, what would be the point in writing this post, right?). However, I also run out of a whole bunch of products all at once, and didn't love those enough to repurchase. So there - shoot me. My face hasn't fallen off (yet).

My typical mom morning skincare routine with an eight month old Julian starts by buckling him into his bouncer with a toy (or, you know, a kitchen utensil, since that tends to hold his attention for a few more minutes - he specifically enjoys whisks and the egg beater attachment for our mixer) and quickly running to the bathroom to wash my face. I'm currently using the last dregs of Lagom Cell Up Gel to Water Cleanser, but I have already dabbled in its replacement, the Erborian Gentle Cleansing Foam, which I vastly prefer. Wait, what - a foaming cleanser?! I'll admit that I may have been convinced to use a low pH foam cleanser after all. I think that *maybe* overusing balm and cream cleansers with a hot washcloth wasn't doing the greatest things for my skin, especially in the morning. Plus, it's much faster (and more refreshing, especially in the summer!) to gently massage my face with a light foam and just splash it off with cool water. It also helps to feel more awake after being rudely woken up by a hangry baby at the ungodly hour of 6.30 am ;)

I'll then pat my face dry with a towel, spritz on some COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner (for the purpose of balancing my skin's pH level for the following L-Ascorbic Acid step, the COSRX toner is definitely NOT an exfoliant - I won't repurchase though, I don't think it's necessary after a low pH cleanser) and press in half a pipette of NuFountain C20 + Ferulic Serum (from Amazon). I'm choosing to use my Vitamin C in the morning as some studies have shown it boosts the effectiveness of sunscreen, but using the potent but unstable L-AA form of Vit C has quite a few drawbacks, so I'm not sure if I'll continue with this particular active after my bottle of the NuFountain runs out (or, more likely, oxidizes half-way though).

I then run out of the bathroom and go on with my morning, which mostly involves attempting to eat breakfast and do some light house chores while simultaneously keeping Julian occupied and happy. I succeed probably 50% of the time :)

When Mister Jay gets tired of independent floor play (mind you, he's not crawling or walking yet) and Daddy play ends due to Daddy having to eventually get to work, he (I mean Julian, not my husband) gets strapped into the bouncer again and we head back to the bathroom together (he really enjoys being in the bathroom for whatever reason).

Forgot to add food play. Julian's apparently hatching a plan to take over the universe while gnawing on a piece of melon.

This is the time I complete the rest of my routine. I either rinse off the NuFountain C20 + Ferulic, or leave it - at this point, the L-AA has done all its magic either way. I follow with either the Cremorlab T.E.N Mineral Treatment Essence, decanted into a spray bottle (full review here), or a newbie to my stash, Benton Snail Bee High Content Skin - essentialy, a hydrating toner. I then apply a thin layer of my HG Hada Labo Gokujuyn Hyaluronic Acid Lotion (reviewed here) on skin still damp from the toner. I seal all that hydration in with the Mizon Snail Recovery Gel Cream (reviewed here); I'm running out though and would like to trial the Laneige Balancing Emulsion for Combination/ Oily Skin*, which I've kept in my back-up stash for a very long time. Lastly, I layer on a good amount of Shiseido Urban Environment Oil-Free UV Protector Broad Spectrum SPF 42 PA+++.

Thin hydrating layers, L-R in the order of viscosity: Cremorlab Essence, Benton Snail Bee High Content Skin, Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion.

You may have noticed the omission of chemical exfoliation (AHAs or BHAs) compared to my last routine - the main reason for this is that I'm currently using Differin at night and would like to avoid irritation/ overexfoliation, as well as be able to truly evaluate the effectiveness of adapalene in treating my acne (I'm planning to write a separate post on my Differin experience in a few weeks' time, after completing my trial run. The jury is still out).

When my eye area is particularly dry, I'll also dab on some Aveda Tulasara Eye Wedding Masque, but I mostly reserve it for night time.

I've been following this routine for over a month now, and while it's still quite early, I can already tell you my skintone is looking more even (less irritated as well as less hyperpigmentation/ sun spots) and my skin feels more hydrated, plump and bouncy. I also notice less sebum breakthrough as the day goes on. I haven't noticed a major decrease in blemishes or clogged pores, but I do think the emerging blemishes heal more quickly. Overall, I think my skin is heading in the right direction.

That's it - the evening routine shall follow shortly (or, more like in a month or so, judging from my current posting schedule). Please leave any questions in the comments, but I am also planning on reviewing most of these newly-introduced products in separate posts to follow. Has your skincare routine changed in any major way now that we're in the midst of the heat and humidity?

My Current (Lack of) Beauty Favorites

It seems that somewhere along the way I just organically abandoned the idea of writing regular favorites posts. Mostly because I don't acquire that many new products to show you, but recently, I've just been feeling a bit blah towards beauty stuff I use on a daily basis. Let's overanalyze together.

At the recent Sephora spring VIB sale, I was hard pressed to find ANYTHING I wanted to buy. Well, there was an Amore Pacific $24 duo with the Treatment Enzyme Peel that looked tempting (and useful enough as I just run out of all my other powder exfoliants) and then I figured I could also get some hair goo to style my pixie. That still (especially with the discount) landed me short of the free shipping threshold, and after agonizing for a day or two, I convinced my sister-in-law to choose something for herself so I could place the order. Yeah. In the end, the hair goo was a fail and I sent it back, and in retrospect, I should have just skipped the sale altogether.

My daily make-up tray (an organizer drawer, really)

This whole conundrum though serves as a good example of my general feelings towards beauty products. It's not just that I don't want to purchase anything new, there isn't really anything new that's tempting. Furthermore, I experience a big fat 'MEH' when using most of the products in my daily make-up tray. In the past, I would have swiftly dealt with my ennui by going on a make-up shopping spree so that I could feel excited again about my renewed routine. However, most likely because of project panning/ limiting spending/ decluttering stuff for the past couple years, I'm currently under no illusion that a nice big haul would actually solve anything in the long run, as I would eventually bore of the newer products too, and start lemming something else again, and again, and again...

So I've been doing a lot of soul searching to figure out the exact reason why I feel so ambivalent about my make-up routine. Here's what I came up with: firstly, I think my style/ tastes have changed a lot since having a baby (or because of *cough cough*... age?). Secondly, at the moment I'm rather unhappy with the condition of my skin and how make-up looks and lasts on my face.

As to the first reason, a great portion of the products I own now seem very much over the top for my day wear make-up preferences. While trying to finish a pencil eyeliner recently, I more or less decided that I dislike lining my top lash line, and will only occasionally use a pencil to tightline. Furthermore, I don't even like wearing eyeshadow all that much (and as a consequence haven't been tempted by ANY eyeshadow palette releases, which used to be my downfall in the past), and when I do, I like it to be quite subtle and simple, as in no strong metallic finishes, no dark smokey shades, no colorful brights. I also don't want to wear bright bold shades on my lips either, as you were probably able to surmise from my 'Keep or Declutter' series. I'm definitely leaning towards 'less is more' approach towards make-up looks these days, and frankly it's not at all due to the 'new mom' lack of time to do my make-up - Julian naps like a champ in the mornings and even when he's up, I can usually set him to play on his activity mat and have a good 20 minutes (with some interruptions when he gets too bored and shrieks for attention) to do my face.

I've also been wearing my pre-reformulation bottle of Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation and the Viva Glam Cyndi lipstick.

I was debating whether my current 'Shop My Stash' make-up favorites were even worth sharing, but hey ho, maybe you've also owned these products for years and need a little reminder about how good they are. You may remember that I tried to use up my Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in 01 Rose Shimmer in a Project Pan, and  a year (or more?) later it's still going strong. And you know what, I'm not mad at it, I still think it's a fantastic, plushy, moisturizing gloss formula. I'm also still into the Clinique Cheek Pop blush texture, although I've gotten rid of Pansy Pop (reviewed here), which I deemed not that flattering on my skintone, and have been reaching for Heather Pop all the time instead. My current favorite mascara is Max Factor Masterpiece Max in Velvet Black, which I strongly disliked the first two weeks after opening and was *this close* to pitching it in the trash, but I decided to give it one more go some time later and now I'm really liking the combo of natural volume & separation.

The second reason for the beauty blahs - the pitiful condition of my skin - is what pushed me to re-examine my current routine and search for better solutions. I'd say that for the past year or so, I have been predominantly using skincare from my back-up stash, and largely products I was sent for review that were patiently waiting for their turn. The thing is, my skin was different during pregnancy than it is now, and even extrapolating from that, probably a good portion of the products I had stashed away wasn't even suited for my skin in the first place. All that coupled with changing hormones and possibly the introduction of adapelene (Differin) into my routine has wreaked havoc and my skin is currently impossibly clogged, oily and prone to painful under the skin bumps that never come to a head, and when they finally do go down, I'm left dealing with the red P.I.E. aftermath.

Aaand... That's not even everything I bought.

So... I binged on some Korean beauty skincare videos and have been digging up lots of information from the Asian Beauty reddit, and inevitably, shopping ensued. It will obviously take me a good long while to incorporate these new additions into my routine, test them out thoroughly and report back to you, but I do plan on reviewing these products for you in the near future. Yay! I'm excited to see whether I can get my skin back on track with their help.

I think that's about it for my little beauty update. I have plenty of ideas for posts and more products to review than I can find the energy and time, but I'm doing the best I can. What's been floating your beauty boat recently? Or have you redirected your enthusiasm towards some other non beauty related pursuit?

Do I Need It? Cremorlab Mineral Treatment Essence Review

The Cremorlab Mineral Treatment Essence ($42 for 270ml/ 9.1 oz on Peach & Lily, or ~$35 on Amazon) is a prime example of a product that sucked me in purely by its beautiful packaging. I spotted it at the Peach & Lily K-Beauty sample sale last summer and even though I'd never heard about the brand let alone this specific product, I thought it just looked too beautiful to pass up, and one can always incorporate an essence into their skincare routine, right?

Uhm, on that note. How do you guys feel about essences, the curious in-between a toner and a serum? Do you love them and always remember to apply for an extra boost of hydration, or do you find them completely superfluous and not worth the time? Because I can't make up my mind, and the Mineral Treatment Essence has only served to confuse me further.

As you can see, this beautifully designed bottle houses a clear liquid that's just a hair thicker than plain water in consistency - I forgot to show you but once you unscrew the cap, there's just a small hole at the top for dispensing the essence. The instructions advise you to either pour a little bit out into the palm of your hand and pat directly onto the face (which is what I prefer), or to use a cotton square and wipe like you would with a regular toner.

This Cremorlab essence does contain mostly water - according to the brand's marketing, their proprietory T.E.N. thermal water - as well as several flower waters/ hydrosols (rose, chamomile, lily and cornflower), a ferment extract (akin to the cult SK-II Essence, reviewed here), niacinamide and glycerin. There's no added fragrance although I think there's a very faint scent from the niacinamide, which to me smells a bit like nicotin - not my favorite but I've always liked the effect of this active ingredient on my skin. Cremorlab claims their Essence will hydrate, brighten and smooth your skin's texture.

Do I think the Mineral Treatment Essence actually works? Yes, I do - but the results are not very noticeable. Overall, I would say my face feels softer and smoother, and a bit more even-toned. However, is the effect worth paying over $40 for and in my particular situation (tired new mom), worth spending an extra minute or two to complete my skincare routine? I'm not so sure. Here's the thing - I don't think I can consistently stick to a routine with the added step of an essence between my toner and a serum. What I can do is replace a toner with an essence - which is how I'm using the Cremorlab Essence currently - but in all honesty, I do prefer the speed and convenience of using a spray toner. I wouldn't replace a serum with an essence though; I believe I get better results in terms of hydration or other concerns (hyperpigmentation, breakouts, what have you) from a serum than an essence such as this one. I also haven't noticed the essence working to boost the performance of my serums; I don't see any 'deeper penetration' of ingredients or anything of the sort, and while you can notice better absorption, that's also true for most regular toners (applying any serum on damp skin).

All in all, I think the Cremorlab Mineral Treatment Essence is a good product, but I'm not planning to repurchase it, or any other essence for that measure. Once my bottle runs out, I'll just go back to using a spray toner, because of, erm, mostly laziness, I guess. How many steps/ products are there in your skincare routine? Do you prefer to do the basic cleanse/tone/moisturize or do you go full throttle K-beauty with its 10+ steps?

Luminous Nude Cheeks: Surratt Artistique Blush in La Rosée du Soir

Time for blogging is rather sparse these days, but I had to come on here to show you the newest member of my blush stash, the Surratt Artistique Blush in La Rosée du Soir ($32 for 0.14 oz/ 4g). After trying the Surratt pressed powder 'slurry' formula via his eyeshadow in Scintillante (reviewed here), I was really interested in trying a blush from the line, and I was finally enabled to do so by the Sephora VIB rewards card - even though I really do not need any more blushes in my life.

In the same manner as his eyeshadows, the Artistique blushes come in single resin pans which can be glued into a Surratt custom palette, available separately. For the time being, I'm too cheap to actually spring for that beautiful compact and just use the pans as is - luckily they're more substantial than a regular metal pan and also come with a sliding plastic lid to help protect the powder inside. The shade name is printed on the back label, which is also a sticker you'd use to secure the pans in the palette.

Well, since my window for blogging isn't very long at the moment, let me keep this post brief and just say that I really, really like the formula of this Surratt blush. It's just as pillowy soft as my Scintillante eyeshadow and applies like a beautiful glowy cloud of color to the cheeks. I feel like La Rosée du Soir certainly isn't the most pigmented blush formula out there, but that's my preference - I find opaque blushes very difficult to work with on my fair skintone.

The texture is creamy and blendable and looks natural on the skin; there's no trace of powderiness (is that a word? Don't think so...) once applied. The subtle luminous finish is also incredibly believable. I would compare it to one of my HG blush formulas, the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes - it's the same amount of ethereal glow without obvious shimmer or, God forbid, glitter. However, I may even like the formula of the Surratt blush better, because it feels less dry than the Hourglass both on the skin and in the pan.

L-R: Surratt La Rosee du Soir, Hourglass Mood Exposure, NARS Douceur, KIKO Trio Blush in no. 1 Natural Rose

I know what you're going to say - La Rosée du Soir isn't a terribly unique shade. In fact, I have an almost exact dupe in my stash already. But the finish and tactile feel of the Surratt blush is unique enough for me to warrant keeping it, and this nudey rose color family is my favorite at the moment, so I don't mind having several to choose from. I've swatched it here against three other similar blushes to give you an idea of the shade if you're planning to order sight unseen. I've seen La Rosée du Soir described as a nude pink (Sephora says it's a rosy nude) but I would keep in mind that this shade pulls rather warm, especially on a fair skin tone. I would even say it looks a bit more like a nude muted peach on me; it's definitely warmer than NARS Douceur and less rosy than something like KIKO Shade Fusion Trio Blush in Natural Rose (here).

So while this purchase was definitely superfluous for my collection, I'm really pleased with Surratt La Rosée du Soir, and I would gladly buy more shades from the newly expanded range. It's also worth mentioning that yes, the brand's Cheek Brush (reviewed here) works exceptionally well for picking up and blending their blush formula. Have you tried any of the powder products from Surratt Beauty? What is your favorite everyday 'goes with everything' nude blush?

Black & Gold: Clio Gelpresso Waterproof Liner in Golden Black no. 7

Believe it or not, but for a while this year, I didn't have a single black eyeliner pencil in my stash. While I used to consider black an absolute essential, I actually don't find a huge difference on the eyes between black or any other darker eyeliner shade, be it navy, plum or deep green. However, when I found these Clio Gelpresso Waterproof Pencil Gel Liners ($15 for ) on a deep discount at a sample sale, I couldn't resist picking up the shade Golden Black no. 7, a creamy black shot through with black microglitters.

Clio's Gelpresso Liners are close to cult classic status for many K-beauty lovers, so I was curious to see how they compared to my favorite Pixi Endless Silky Eyeliner Pens (reviewed here) or even Urban Decay eyeliners. The first major difference is the packaging: Clio's pencils are retractable and come with a built-in sharpener at the end. In theory, I'd consider this to be an improvement (because uhm, LAZY), but in practice, I kinda miss that freshly sharpened tip to my pencil liner; yes, you can make the tip a bit finer by using the provided sharpener, but it's not as precise.

I believe there are multiple shades in this range, including neutral and bold shades, in both cream and shimmer/ microglitter finishes. The black base of the shade Golden Black isn't quite as deep and inky as my Marc Jacobs Highliner in Blacquer, especially when smudged or blended out, but I don't really mind that.

In terms of texture and wear, after about a month of use, I have to say this Gelpresso Liner hasn't surpassed the Pixi liners or Marc Jacobs Blacquer for me. For whatever reason, it's just not as smooth and creamy as the other two formulas; it drags and skips just a little bit on the lashline. On my upper lashline, it wears well throughout the day, but for tightlining, it transfers down and smudges at the outer corners within a couple hours (which the Pixi and MJ do as well, but at least feel softer to line with).

I've also tested how well the Gelpresso in Golden Black could withstand vigorous removal with a cotton square soaked in micellar water, and as you can see below, it faded A LOT more compared to the Marc Jacobs Blacquer. It also seems to wear off more when rubbed with a finger, so that's something to consider if you tend to rub your eyes accidentally throughout the day.

For me, while I do find the quality of the Clio Gelpresso in Golden Black to be quite decent, it's definitely not my favorite gel eyeliner pencil I've ever tried. If you like the convenience of a retractable pencil and you can find these on sale somewhere, I think they're a nice option, but I wouldn't go out of my way to seek them out in the future. I would also be interested to see whether the cream (no shimmer or glitter) finish pencils in this range perhaps feel a bit creamier and smoother; in my experience, pencils with microglitter tend to have a somewhat drier texture. Have you tried any of the Clio Gelpressos? What is your favorite black eyeliner pencil?

Multi-Benefit Korean Beauty: 24/7 Touch Up Skin-Perfecting Cream* Review

How often does it happen to you guys that you see a beauty product and have no idea about its purpose or function? As a seasoned beauty fanatic, I pride myself on being well-versed in the world of make-up and skincare, yet Korean beauty products sometimes still baffle me - like this 24/7 Touch Up Skin-Perfecting Cream* ($22 for 0.61 fl oz/ 18ml, available here) I received to try from the US-based K-beauty retailer Peach & Lily.

If you've never heard about Peach and Lily, they carry a curated selection of mostly Korean skincare from popular brands such as Mizon or May Coop, but they also specialize in bringing new and exciting K-beauty launches to the US. I have previously never heard about the brand 24/7 so it was interesting to read that they focus on releasing make-up products with skincare benefits. When I first opened the box of the Touch Up Skin-Perfecting Cream, I thought it was a concealer; but it's actually a subtle shimmer cream that can be applied as a highlighter on the cheeks, dewy make-up primer or used throughout the day to bring more glow to the face. The Touch Up Cream contains castor oil, glycerin and adenosine to provide anti-ageing benefits for your skin.

The Cream is packaged in a simple squeeze tube with a small opening at the nozzle, which is great because you certainly don't need a lot of product to achieve a glowy result; I also find that the amount of product you get in a tube is great value for money. Now, the first thing I noticed about this product is the scent: unfortunately, it smells very strongly of something akin to baby powder, and at least on me, the fragrance really lingers on the skin after application. A lot of Korean products have these strong fragrances, so I guess it was to be expected, but I could certainly use without it in this product or at least I wish it was not as tenacious.

The texture of this highlighting cream also took me by surprise. It is quite thick, and very, very rich and creamy. I'm not sure why Peach & Lily descibe it as lightweight on their website, because to me, it's the exact opposite: it's viscous and dare I say, quite oily on the skin. Even when applied in the tiniest amount possible on top of my cheekbones, it leaves behind a glow that's due more to its glossy finish and not any visible sparkle or shimmer in the product. It does contain a very subtle, refined pearly sheen, but honestly what I notice more is the wet effect of the product sitting on top of the skin. Throughout the day, it doesn't set and remains tacky on the face, and unfortunately gathers a bit in my fine lines - I've also tested it as a brightener layered under concealer on my under eye area, and it caused creasing there as well. Mind you, the skin on my cheeks is normal, and I would say my under eyes are a bit dry and dehydrated... so I'm not sure how dry your skin would have to be for this product to absorb more into the skin. Needless to say, I have not tested it on my entire face as a primer - that would just be a catastrophe waiting to happen.

I speculate that my somewhat negative feelings towards the formulation of this 24/7 Skin-Perfecting Cream may stem from cultural differences between the West and the East. Yes, I like to highlight my face in strategic areas, and yes, I sometimes like my base to look extra glowy - but I absolutely prefer something that sets on the skin and doesn't move throughout the day. Who knows, maybe in Korea they like their mul-gwang so much they don't mind a wet gloss to their cheeks - or maybe it would work better if your skin were in need of some serious boost of moisture. For me, I guess I'll stick to my powders and thinner textured highlighting sticks. Do you prefer to enhance your glow with liquids and creams or powder highlighters? Would you wear a 'wet' highlighter on your cheeks?

Disclaimer: Product featured in this post is a press sample I received from the brand's PR for review consideration. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the product featured was purchased with my own money or provided free of charge. Thank you for reading! 

Glotion Trend: Tatcha Pore Perfecting Water Gel* Review

It comes as no surprise to say that I'm a fan of Tatcha skincare ever since I tried two of the original products from the range, the One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil and the Rice Enzyme Powder (here), which I still use in my skincare routine today. So I'm always looking forward to trying out their new releases, and I was especially excited to trial the Tatcha Balanced Pore Perfecting Water Gel Moisturizer* ($68 for 50ml/ 1.7 fl oz, available at tatcha.com and Sephora). My skintype is combination pretty much all year round, but in the summer it tends to get especially oily, so this moisturizing gel seemed like a match made in heaven for my skin.

The Pore Perfecting Water Gel quickly became 'the' skincare product of summer 2016. Wherever I turned, I heard nothing but raves - it was part of Sephora's 'Glotion' campaign, and every self-respecting beauty guru had it and touted it as a firm favorite. It seems to me that within a few months, it already became a cult classic everyone needed in their routine. I received mine a little later - in mid July - and have since been testing it as an integral part of my morning skincare routine.

On that note: I realize it is now October and beauty stories have already turned to nourishing products for the colder season. Yes, it would have been more fitting of me to put up this review in July or August when there was potentially more interest in a lightweight summer moisturizer. However, this is not how I work. I just don't think it's fair to you guys to write a full review of a product - especially when it's skincare, and expensive skincare at that - after just a few weeks of testing. When I trial a new product, I do need to use it consistently for at least a couple months to firmly establish what I think of it and rule out any hasty conclusions. In the case of the Tatcha Water Gel Moisturizer, I have tried it on bare skin, with different toners and serums underneath, and layered with several sunscreens, make-up primers and foundations over the top to fully evaluate its performance. I know there's a constant pressure in the beauty community to be the first to feature a newly released product and I do feel it too - but what's the point if I can't give you my honest and balanced opinion? My personal priority will always be to provide a thorough and detailed review instead of staying abreast of every trend. I hope you understand :)

Okay, rant over - let's get back to the point. Tatcha's Pore Perfecting Water Gel claims to offer 'ultralight, oil-balancing hydration', and 'features Japanese Wild Rose, Leopard Lily and Dokudami extracts to balance and clarify skin, while visibly tightening pores in 28 days'. There's also a fine 23 karat gold dust suspended in the formula, which aims to impart a shine-free glow to the skin. The ingredients list includes lots of lovely botanical extracts (green tea, rice, chamomile, licorice, silk, algae) as well as glycerin, propanediol and squalane from olive oil. The product comes in a sleek pistachio green glass bottle with a hygenic pump dispenser, and the gel itself has a definite herbal scent (maybe the closest to chamomile tea?) that dissipates quickly once on the skin - there's no artifical fragrance in this. One pump is sufficient for my whole face.

The Water Gel is especially recommended for normal, combination to oily skin types or to be used as a primer prior to make-up application. Unfortunately, after testing it in every way I could think of, I have to conclude it just doesn't work for my combination skin. Yes, the texture is a liquidy gel and it seems like it should absorb quickly into the skin - but for me, it just never fully sinks in, no matter how long I wait. Every time I tested it, the Water Gel left an unpleasant sticky residue on my face. It definitely hydrates my skin, but I just can't get over the feel of it on my face, and if I attempt to use it in combination with another hydrating serum underneath or even my regular sunscreen over the top, the end result is way too tacky, heavy and shiny. I also haven't noticed any improvement in the appearance of my pores; if anything, the shiny finish accentuates them under my make-up (there's no glitter or sparkle though so rest assured - I can't see any shimmer particles once I apply it to my face, it's just the actual shiny finish of the gel itself). It also doesn't prolong the wear of my make-up at all - on the contrary, I can see my foundation breaking down on the T-zone faster than with other moisturizers. In comparison, the Tatcha Overnight Memory Serum Concentrate (reviewed here), aimed for evening use and dry & dehydrated skin types, feels less sticky and more comfortable on my skin than the Pore Perfecting Water Gel. Yes, it doesn't really make sense - but such is my personal experience with this product.

I am not saying that the Pore Perfecting Water Gel is a bad moisturizer and you shouldn't give it a try - I'm saying it simply doesn't work for me. Skincare can be weird like that; maybe one of the key ingredients in this product just doesn't mesh well with my skin. But since I haven't really seen any negative - or uhm, even lukewarm - reviews of the Water Gel in the blogosphere, I wanted to add my thoughts into the mix. Have you already tried the Pore Perfecting Water Gel? Have you ever purchased a hyped-up product that just didn't work for your skin?

Disclaimer: Product featured in this post is a press sample I received from the brand's PR for review consideration. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the product featured was purchased with my own money or provided free of charge. Thank you for reading! 

K-Beauty Cleopatra: Soo Ae Donkey Milk Skin Gel Healing & Aqua Sheet Masks

It finally happened - I worked through all of my back-up stash of sheet masks and actually needed to stock up on some new ones! My friend Kar Yi (look! She just reviewed these as well!) very kindly picked these up for me when the Club Clio store in NYC was doing their 50% off sale; there were lots of sheet masks to choose from but she had previously liked the Soo Ae Freeset Donkey Milk Skin Gel Mask Pack in the Healing variety ($30 for a box of 10 masks) and so she purchased them along with the Aqua variety, and we split the boxes between the two of us. Isn't it great to have a friend who shares your love of all things K-beauty? :)

If, like me, you've never heard about the Soo Ae brand, they're a Korean developer of sheet masks (at least according to their claims) for more than 80% of Korean brands. It seems that Soo Ae is gaining a lot of presence on the US market this year: their masks are available at Walmart and Club Clio stores, as well as online at Target, Memebox & Birchbox. From my understanding, they have several lines of sheet masks (as well as other skincare), and the Donkey Milk is part of the Freeset range. There's also one other Donkey Milk mask version in this range, the Brightening/ Whitening (pink accent color). If you wanted to try just one or two of these masks without committing to the full box of 10, the best price per mask I've found online is at Memebox ($2 each).

My husband actually lol'ed when he saw my box of these masks - 'Donkey milk?! Are you serious?', but it seems that donkey milk is currently one of the trendy ingredients on the K-beauty scene. Purpotedly used by Cleopatra for bathing, donkey milk is rich in vitamins and nutrients as well Omega 6, which help to prevent moisture loss from the skin. I'm not entirely convinced any one ingredient can perform absolute miracles on my face, but it's nice to know that in these Soo Ae Skin Gel Masks, this ingredient isn't just a gimmicky flourish but actually features quite high on the INCI list (the concetration listed states 0.5%). Both the Healing and Aqua variety contain 25ml of essence.

I first tried out the Healing version, aimed at sensitive, damaged and acne-prone skin. I was pleasantly surprised that the mask had a very light, 'skincare' scent as opposed to a strong fragrance that's prevalent in many Korean products. The mask itself is a textured/woven cotton material; I believe the 'gel' part refers to the consistency of the actual essence the sheet is generously soaked in, which is definitely thicker and helps to keep the mask better on the face without it slipping off. The Healing masks also come with a plastic backing to help position the sheet on your face; I found the fit to be a little off for my oval face (the mask is much more of a round shape) but definitely workable.

So far, I've tried this mask twice and both times wore it on the face in the evening for about 15-20 minutes. The sheet felt cooling and soothing on my face and I was happy that there was no dripping of the essence. After removal, I noticed my skin was definitely more plump, hydrated and even in tone (overall a lot less redness). The result wasn't anything spectacular and I didn't notice any change in pore size or healing of blemishes, but I don't expect that from a sheet mask anyway. The next morning (I patted the rest of the gel essence into my skin and left it on overnight), my face still felt very soft and hydrated and my foundation seemed to blend in a bit better. I did notice however that in some areas where not all of the gel have absorbed into my skin, it seemed to leave a bit of a residue that rolled into small clumps where I touched my face. But all in all, I like the performance of this mask, but I still like the Leaders Insolution Coconut Gel masks just a little bit better.

Compared to the Healing variety, I think I liked the Aqua version even better. Surprisingly, the Aqua masks don't have the plastic backing but are made out of the same thick woven material. They're nicely saturated in the same thicker consistency essence and the scent is light and fresh, definitely not overpowering. The mask felt cooling and soothing the whole time I've kept it on my face, and it seemed like the gel essence absorbed quite well into my skin with less residue than the Healing version. When I removed the sheet, my skin looked plump, hydrated and more even, and in the morning it was still glowing and less red/ irritated than normally. I give it two thumbs up.

Overall, I enjoy both of the Soo Ae Donkey Milk sheet masks, but I would repurchase the Aqua over the Healing variety. I do think they're good quality sheet masks and they're easier to keep on the face than most masks from other brands thanks to the thicker gel consistency of the essence. If you're looking for a new brand of sheet masks to try out, I'd definitely give them a go - especially the Aqua. Which sheet masks are you currently using? Anything you'd recommend to your fellow sheet mask fanatics?

Asian Beauty Sample Subscription: The 3B Box* Review

Today I'm coming to you with a short and sweet review of a new beauty sample subscription service that's going to interest all lovers of Asian skincare and make-up. As you may know, I'm a big fan of Japanese and Korean beauty products, so when I was contacted about trying out the 3B Box*, I was really excited to give it a go!

3B (Beauty Beyond Borders) is a beauty start-up from Seattle (Pacific Northwest FTW!) that offers a sample service program for Asian beauty products as well as an online shop where you can purchase full sizes of the goodies you trial in the box (the store is launching in a few weeks). The 3B Box* is $12/month and comes with 4-5 deluxe samples/ minis of skincare and/or make-up from both less expensive and more high end brands, so you can expect brands like SK-II or Sulwhasoo as well as Etude House or Skinfood. Each box also contains a description card detailing each product with its application tips, key ingredients and claims - that part is especially helpful since most of the writing on the products is not in English. Your credit card will be charged monthly after subscribing, and you can cancel any time by emailing the 3B customer service team.

Now that all the practical details are out of the way, shall we see what I received in my first 3B Box? I believe this was the August 2016 box, which is probably no longer available, but this still gives you a good idea of the type of goodies you may expect in future boxes.

The box was shipped via USPS First Class Parcel to me and delivered very quickly. It came packaged in a slim cardboard box, and inside I found a mesh bag containing most of my samples; the sheet mask was placed separately since it wouldn't fit in the pouch :)

I received: the Leaders Insolution 7 Wonders Amazonian Acai Anti-Pollution sheet mask ($6 each - I just purchased one from Ulta a few weeks ago because the Leaders coconut gel masks are some of my favorite sheet masks I've tried to date), Goodal Waterest Lotus Cleansing Tissue 20ct (the price online ranges a lot on this item but it's about $5 value), Etude House Age Defense Essential Softener deluxe sample (~$25 for full size 130ml; not sure of the volume of the sample but it's probably around 10-15ml), Tony Moly Floria Nutra-Energy Emulsion ($27 for full size 145ml; the sample is quite tiny, probably about 5ml), and lastly 5 foil packets of Hera Waterin Gel Serum (~$60 for 45ml, each sample packet is probably around 1ml). According to my super advanced math skills, the value of the box is roughly $20.

Overall, I'm happy with what I received in the box. First of all, I really enjoy Leaders masks, and you're getting one from their premium range in the box. The make-up remover wipes from Goodal will be super practical to pack in my hospital bag. I'll also happily test out the other skincare samples; yes, I do wish the Hera Waterin Serum was a deluxe sample instead of foils, but in my experience, having a few foil packets of a product is usually enough to give it a really good test run (at least a week of use for me). The service also promises between 4-5 deluxe samples, and this month's box had 2 full sizes, 2 minis and some foil samples - you could treat them as an 'extra'. I also noticed that with the samples provided in this box, you could even try out an entire new skincare routine: you have a product for cleansing, a moisturizing toner, a serum and a lightweight moisturizer. That's pretty neat, right?

You may remember that I've also tried a different K-Beauty subscription service in the past, the Beauteque BB Bag. The main difference between Beauteque and the 3B Box is the fact that BB Bags come with 7-8 full size items for $24/month. If you're looking for the best bang for your buck, the Beauteque is probably a better option; however, for me personally, it wouldn't work long-term as I would be simply inundated with more products than I would know what to do with. The 3B Box is more sustainable for how I use cosmetics; a few deluxe samples each month to trial and play with, which would then give me a good idea if I want to go ahead and purchase a full size.

There you go - a fun subscription service if you want to dip your toes in the world of Asian beauty products and familiarize yourself with new product types (sheet masks, essences, softeners, emulsions etc.) and brands (in case you didn't know, Hera is a popular high-end Korean brand under the AmorePacific umbrella, while Goodal is a more expensive skincare line available at Club Clio stores). What did you think of the contents of this 3B Box? Is this something you would like to try out?

Disclaimer: Product featured in this post is a press sample I received from the brand's PR for review consideration. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the product featured was purchased with my own money or provided free of charge. Thank you for reading! 

Masking with Yogurt and Strawberries: Laneige Multiberry Yogurt Repairing Mask* Review

For whatever reason, I've been much more into moisturizing masks than my past favorite clays this year, even now in our stifling hot and humid summer weather. There's just something SO nice about relaxing with a cooling layer of moisture on your face - and if I can remember to pop my mask in the fridge for a bit beforehand (especially my sheet masks!), that takes the experience to a whole new level. What's your current favorite mask type - hydrating creamy ones or purifying clays?

Anyway, today I wanted to show you what I've been using for the past few weeks to soothe and replenish my skin - the Laneige Multiberry Yogurt Repairing Mask* ($25 for 80ml at Target), which is suitable for all skin types and contains the brand's propietory Sogurty (fermented yogurt enzymes) and a Multiberry Complex of raspberries, blueberries, wolfberries, cranberries and strawberries. You may remember I reviewed another product from the Multiberry range a while back; you can find my thoughts on the Laneige Multiberry Yogurt Peeling Gel* here. Laneige claims their Multiberry mask will leave your skin looking softer and healthy, and deliver moisture and antioxidants to repair it.

The packaging is quite similar to their cult Water Sleeping Mask (reviewed here - still a firm favorite) but in light pink instead of blue. You may think the price tag for this mask is a bit steep, especially considering that it's sold at Target, but you do get a very large amount in one jar. The tub comes in a cardboard box listing all the ingredients, and you also get a little plastic spatula to scoop out the mask. Aside from the ingredients highlighted on the front, the Repairing Mask also contains glycerin, shea and cocoa butters (second, third and fourth on the INCI list), as well as squalane, soybean and yeast ferment extracts, niacinamide and meadowfoam seed oil. The suggested application is 5-10 minutes on clean toned face, once or twice a week.

Despite the abundance of extra nourishing plant butters in the formula, I find the texture of Laneige Multiberry Mask to be quite fluffy and easy to spread around on the skin. It has that delicious strawberry yogurt scent but I don't find it too overpowering once I have the mask on my face. I usually leave it for a bit longer than the recommended 10 minutes (more like 15-20) and in that time, the mask sinks pretty well into my skin, so when I rinse it off, there's just a little left and it's very easy to get off.

After removing the mask, my face definitely feels softer - just like promised - and I guess it does look healthier as well, whatever that means. I have a lot less redness and my skin seems plump and glowy. It's not anything different than the result I get from their Water Sleeping Mask, except that I feel like that one is somewhat more hydrating whereas the Multiberry Mask is more moisturizing. They have very different textures as well; their overnight mask is a gel that easily absorbs into the skin (but still leaves a slight residue on top), this wash-off Repairing one is creamy and admittedly a bit heavier. I think both of these masks have their purpose and I like switching between them, but if you wanted to purchase just one, consider how long you would like to keep the mask on and whether your skin is overall dry (in which case I'd get the Multiberry Mask) or just occasionally dehydrated (Water Sleeping Mask).

I have now tried a lot of hydrating and moisturizing products from the Laneige range and I can honestly say they do them very well. I have recently used up my bottle of their Water Bank Serum* (reviewed here) to the very last drop and that was one of the most nourishing serums I've ever tried - so much so that it was perhaps a bit much for my combination skin in the warmer months. I think if your skintype is dry and you're not looking forward to shelling out big bucks for skincare at Sephora, you can't go wrong with these moisturizing products from Laneige; they also offer a Hydration Trial Kit which comes with 6 deluxe samples for a reasonable $29.

I'm curious, do you guys use any moisturizing/ hydrating products from Korean or Japanese brands in your skincare routine? I have to say that I'm an Asian beauty convert when it comes to delivering a big boost of hydration and luminosity to the skin without spending a fortune.

Disclaimer: Product featured in this post is a press sample I received from the brand's PR for review consideration. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the product featured was purchased with my own money or provided free of charge. Thank you for reading!

No More Dry Skin: TATCHA Overnight Memory Serum Concentrate*

I mentioned in my Evening Skincare Routine post (here) that I've been using a new product from TATCHA's Luminous range for a while now - the Overnight Memory Serum Concentrate* ($110 for 50ml/ 1.7 fl. oz), so it's high time to give you my thoughts on it.

The Overnight Memory Serum claims to 'restore hydration, refine texture and visibly plump fine lines' thanks to Okinawa Red Algae and 7 botanical extracts. It also contains quite a few plant oils (squalane from olive oil, rice germ and camellia), as well as glycerin and royal jelly. The serum can also be used in a fine layer to add extra glow during the day; Tatcha says this is the ultra-concentrated version of their cult Dewy Skin Mist, and recommends using one to two spoonfuls per application.

Why the golden spoon, I hear you ask - isn't that a bit gimmicky? While it certainly adds to the luxurious appeal of the heavy glass jar, it's actually very useful to scoop out product as Tatcha's newest serum has a very interesting texture: it is in fact a jelly. The serum wobbles amusingly in the pot when shaken, which really reminds me of panna cotta, but curiously once you scoop out a little, the surface evens itself out within a couple minutes. The jelly turns to watery gel when picked up with your fingers, and spreads easily and evenly on the face. I appreciate the novelty factor of this packaging and texture, but to be honest, I think it does take more time and effort than just pumping a blob from a bottle, so there's that.

The serum has a faint herbal scent that dissipates quickly, and is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skins. I have been applying it most nights for the past three months, and here's what I think: this is another damn good product from Tatcha (see my reviews of their One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil & Rice Enzyme Polish here, as well as Camellia Beauty Oil and Nourishing Lip Balm here. Oh, and I also really like their Deep Hydration Firming Eye Serum). I'm sorry - at this price point I wish I could tell you to save your money - but it really is effective and makes a noticeable difference in my skin. In simplest terms, I haven't had any dry patches or flakes on my face since I started using the Overnight Memory Serum. None. I used to always, always have a few flakes around my nose but those are completely gone now, and I can't remember the last time I had to worry about dry, crusty skin on my face.

So in terms of hydration and moisturization, Tatcha's serum wins in spades. Because my skin is now so hydrated, it also looks more plump and glowy overall - but if you were hoping for a brightening effect as in reduced hyperpigmentation, I don't think this serum really targets those issues. My other miniscule gripe with this product is that now that we've entered the hot and humid months, it's actually a bit too moisturizing; it doesn't absorb all the way into my skin leaving a bit of a tacky layer, even when used in a small amount and without a moisturizer over the top, and in the morning my skin is quite oily. It hasn't however caused any breakouts or clogging - it's just that I don't really enjoy the feel of  heavy layers on my face in this damn heat, which is also why I don't use a facial oil in the summer. Personally, for my combination skin, Tatcha's Overnight Memory Serum Concentrate is a godsend in the winter, but a bit OTT in the summer.

I'd say that if your skin is oily, I'd skip the Memory Serum altogether and maybe go for something like their just released Pore Perfecting Water Gel Moisturizer (I haven't tried it myself though - just pointing out there are other products in the range geared towards combo and oily skin). If your skin type is combination/ normal but seasonally dehydrated, or dry - by all means, get yourself a jar and watch your flaky skin disappear. While the price point is quite high, one jar should last you a really long time - mine doesn't even look like it's been used. What is your favorite hydrating serum for night time? Do you prefer jar packaging or a pump bottle?

TATCHA Overnight Memory Serum Concentrate is available on tatcha.com here (complimentary shipping and returns in the US as well as a deluxe sample gift on your first order) as well as at Sephora, Barneys and QVC.

Disclaimer: Product featured in this post is a press sample I received from the brand's PR for review consideration. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the product featured were purchased with my own money or provided free of charge. Thank you for reading!

Summer Proof Mascara: Shiseido Full Lash Volume Review

Summer heat and humidity is already upon us here in New York, which creates the perfect conditions to test the wear of a make-up product. Having recently finished off my sample tubes of mascara, I dug this one out of my stash: the Shiseido Full Lash Volume Mascara in Black ($25 for 8ml/ 0.29 oz). I haven't had great luck with Asian mascara in the past (click here for my review of Heroine Make Volume & Curl) but they do often wear much longer than the ones from Western brands, so I thought now would be the perfect time to give the Shiseido a try.

The mascara is packaged in an interesting 'twisted' tube, which reminds me of the Frank Gehry building in Lower Manhattan. It's quite sleek and not too bulky, something I really appreciate in make-up packaging in general. The brush itself has a curved shape with lots of short natural bristles all the way around; nothing innovative but very functional nonetheless.

Shiseido's Full Lash Volume promises 'flexible' volume (whatever that means) with a natural-looking curl and soft, touchable finish. It also claims to separate lashes for a 'stunning fan effect' with no clumps. All of those things sound great to me, but does the product actually deliver?

Well, yes and no. The formula of this mascara is a bit on the wet side right when you open the packaging, but now that I've been using it for about three weeks, it has definitely dried out to a significant degree. The brush is designed very well to separate lashes from roots to tips, but as the time goes by, I have noticed more and more clumping. I would say the volume I get from this mascara is quite good, but nothing dramatic - I usually have to build it up in two coats, and really concentrate the tip of the brush, which has more mascara on it than the rest of the brush, on my outer lashes to get any product there.

I don't find that the curved shape of this brush gives my lashes any more curl - if anything, I think they look a bit less curled than they usually do, maybe because of the wetness of the formula? Another downside is that I don't think it actually fans out lashes very well; they seem to all go in one direction instead. However, where this mascara absolutely excels for me is the wear. As you may remember, my perpetual struggle with mascara is getting transfer onto my browbone, and I have had absolutely no smearing there. I also haven't noticed any flakes or fading throughout the day. I would have thought this mascara was waterproof if it weren't for the fact that it's also very easy to remove at the end of the day with just about any make-up remover/ facial cleanser.

Top: bare uncurled lashes, bottom: after 2 coats of Shiseido Full Lash Volume

All in all, I really enjoy not having to worry about flaking or smudging when I wear this mascara, although I have used other mascaras in the past that have given my lashes a fuller, longer and more dramatic look. While it's not my Holy Grail, I may revisit it next summer if I don't find anything better with similar longevity. Have you tried any mascaras from Shiseido? What is your favorite mascara to wear in the summertime?