My The Ordinary Order

The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane - 30ml	7.90	x 1	7.90
The Ordinary “Buffet” - 30ml	14.80	x 1	14.80
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% - 30ml	5.90	x 1	5.90

This simple order makes me smile. Though I originally wanted the Rosehip Seed Oil, it was sold out, so I opted for Niacinamide instead. (Free shipping starts at $25, so might as well try something else!)

Ever since my lovely time healing from when I chemically burned my face (that's really must have been what I had done, there's no other explanation for it), I have been very thankful for Squalane. The ONLY item in my routine that did not leave my face stinging upon application.

However, it is important to not discount the fact that I had also incorporated two newer items into my routine: SK-II and Beauty of Joseon Dynasty cream. SK-II stung my skin when I was going through my reaction, and the Beauty of Joseon Dynasty was applied at the tail end, so I cannot actually assess if it was helpful or not.

Squalane, precious plant-derived squalane. Though the one I am using now was bought for $10 during the Peach and Lily, the original price is $42 and I am not willing to pay that much for 1 ounce of facial oil. The price that The Ordinary offers is cheaper than what I originally paid and I am going to compare it when I get the chance. DECIEM notes that they can take up to ten business days to process and order, nevermind actual shipment and deliver of these products.

There is no rush, I have an abundance of skincare products that I need to get through before they expire.

Maybe this is the time where I should introduce an eyecream... after using SK-II for a month to see how my skin stabilizes. (Ah, but sometimes I just get so excited about products that I want to use them all at once!)

Allergic Reaction Non-Action

So, where I might have tried to up my game and fix my allergic reaction that I felt two Sundays ago (January 21), I realized that maybe less is more and time will heal it in itself.

So I did mask a couple time at first, but my face was still really sensitive. Even my Missha Clear Toner and my SK-II essence felt like it burned when I slapped it (figuratively) on my face. Especially around the upper lip and mouth area. Oh boy, it stung and stung and stung, morning and night, both routines. Then, on January 24th, on Wednesday I ran out of my usual moisturizer, and started using the Beauty of Joseon Dynasty cream which I purchased on a whim when I saw it went down to $15 USD on Amazon.

This is one of those sticky creams, and I AM LOVING IT. Whereas I did not have a good experience with Donkey Milk cream, I am having a good one with Beauty of Joseon Dynasty.

However, I think it's only fair that I mention the importance of 100% Fluid Squalene, the ONLY part of my skin routine that did not sting my skin on contact.

Thank for face oil, for treating my skin right when everything else brought me pain.

ALLERGIC REACTION ACTION

Masking is great, I LOVE sheeting masking.

However, it does not always love me. I found this out the hard way when I tried a Freeset Donkey Milk Aqua Skin Gel Mask Pack and found that my mouth area felt like it was burning... well I knew I had to take it off and wash my face again immediately.

Of course, I did this mask and had this sort of discomfort right before a Friday night date. Wonderful :/

I quickly applied a Lovemore Milk and Barley smoothing mask over it to counteract whatever issue I had just felt and thought I evaded all problems. I thought wrong. Though Friday night it was fine, and all Saturday I felt normal, when I woke up Sunday morning, it looked like I was wearing a red muzzle. It was dry, it was tight, and it felt swollen and uncomfortable.

This morning, Monday morning, it felt the same, and worse, if that's possible. It feels like my skin is dried but still stung by bees. I brought moisturizer to work, but I am worried that by over lotioning my skin, not only will I look oily and greasy, but that it will exacerbate the problem.

Ugh, what a reaction for the first day of classes. Not fun.

Need to take action without exacerbation. We will see how this works. Used sheet mask good and still felt it. I wonder if using The Boy's Neutrogena Deep Clean face wash to wash my make-up off on Friday night excaerbated the issue... but it didn't show until a day later? That's kind of weird, but now that I think of it, totally plausible.

Skincare Routine Monthly Check-in: January 14, 2018

Not only am I fourteen days late of my personal deadline, but I am also all over the place because I have been traveling for the last two/three weeks.

The end of december went well, but it was full of final papers and things to take care of, and then before I knew it, it was December 26 and I was in the air on my way back to my beloved Taiwan. Taiwan was great, but I had my travel skincare routine, which consisted of Kiehl's facewash, leftover Moistfull Booskin toner, Maycoop Raw, and goodal's boost moisturizer. Sunscreen, of course, BAE Biore, new formula. Broke out a little, but that makes sense with the change of atmospheres between Taiwan, Bali, and back home. Bali was even hotter and more humid and Taiwan, which was already hot and humid enough.

However, I did do one thing while at Duty Free on my way home... I spent over $300 USD on SK-II. Pouring that liquid money all over my face as of January 12, 2018. My fine lines, especially the ones around my eyes, feel more apparent, in an exponentially fast pace. Therefore, when I saw the bottle that retails for $229, for $146 USD, I jumped on it, got the two bottle special edition Year of the Dog set, bought another started set that brought me up to over $10,000 Taiwanese dollars and gave me a travel set (which was probably worth $50 USD on its own).

In 2018 I vow to take the best care of my skin, and I have started with the expensive SK-II habit. Oh, feel that lifestyle creep? It says you're graduating and won't have to pay school bills for much longer.

Well, let's get on with it, my 2018 Skincare routine!

1. Oil Cleanser: None!
2. Water-based Cleanser:  Mornings still get Cosrx Low Ph Good Morning Gel cleanser. Been going back to usng Lagom's Gellup Gel to Water Cleanser, but it doesn't feel like it does anything much.
3. Hydrating Toner:  Missha Clear Toner, SK-II dupe of their $76 clear toner. It does the trick, but I have so many toners that once this bottle is done, it's time to use something else. It will be a product I miss using, I think that's an indicator that it's gaining HG status.
4. SK-II - Essence slapped onto my face here. It is lightweight and much sweeter smelling than I imagined. Reminds me of one of my favorite Taiwanese breakfast drinks, yi ren jian, or Job's Tears Barley drink. At over $60 for the little 75 ml bottle I'm using right now (Sephora sells it as a part of a $99 starter kit), I remind myself that each shake of the bottle is practically like pasting a dollar bill to my face. It's just that expensive.
5. Serum: Still using Olivarrier's Fluid Oil Squalane and it's odd, but I do like it. I make to pat extra around my eyes, I am so scared for those fine lines right now. Still using Derma Dr.Lab Hydromoist Night Rich Serum can't tell if it works, but I am going to finish using it all the same.
6. Moisturizer: Dr. G's Hydra Volume Cream tube, which has been on it's last legs (and if I didn't go on vacation, would have probably been gone already). Going to transition into another day cream, but I am not sure yet. Using the Coconut Souffle moisturizer at night since it's so thick.
7. Sleeping Pack: Too Cool for School's Pumpkin Sleeping Pack, forever!! But it has started to run out and I squeeze out compressed air half the time now. Once it's done, it's time to start and finish the other Holika Holika sleeping pack I have, though I know it won't live up to the Holy Grail status of TCFS's Pumpkin.
8. Sunscreen: Haven't been using the Peripera Oil Capture Peach Sun Finisher with SPF 50/PA+++. Instead I had opened up a new formula tube of BAE Biore. I still like it, even though its different. Interestingly enough, I got four more tubes in Taiwan.... and they're still only selling the old formula. Got to use that up first then, I usually run out every month and a half, so that's not going to be too bad, no matter how old the formula is, I think.

Really need to make amends to my sleeping patterns, as I vowed never to be late to this job again. Also, I need my beauty sleep, but I keep finding myself in long naps each evening. Tired from vacation, need a vacation from vacation. Totally missing the daily massages we would get in Bali.