Whoops! It's Mid-October

So my hiatus was only supposed to be for a short period, but I forgot after getting out of this habit. Ghana has changed a lot in me, and where I used to stockpile and haul lots of products at once, I realize that I live in such gross abundance and should only buy what I need when I need it. Instead of buying things I don't need at all and let them sit in the closet.

Less of a consumerism mindset and more of use what I have and be over grateful for it.

I am also grateful that I live in a such a place of such abundance and accessibility. What would I do without Amazon? I have no idea, but I hate them at the same time for killing smaller markets in a world where everyone is just trying to make it.

In using what I have and not buying more, I realize I have been a part of this skincare game for many years now (over three, has it really been that long?!) and I know what I like. I really hated the Secret Key dupe for first essence treatment and would not buy that stuff again in a million years. Finally finished that bottle at the beginning of this month and it felt like ages before I went through it (I would use excess as well, but it still lasted FOREVER).

I know what I like and it's this:

1. Cleanser: sum37 MRCS, which is currently out of stock everywhere it seems. I have one stashed away, but am hesitant to start it now, so maybe I'll try the Neogen Green Tea stick to see how it compares. I am not a fan of oil cleansing.
2. Toner: Missha Clear Toner. Every time I am using a bottle of this, I just feel like my skin is so much more ready and willing to soak in other products. Love the wateriness of it, too. Currently I am using a Peach and Lily sample sale of Bitgoa Hue Essence Toner. It is actually lovely and great, but at that price I just kind of miss my $16 Missha Clear Toner bottle. It's more fragranced than I like, but it does work nicely (albeit seems like it's for older ladies and smells like it too). I recommend it, but I think there are cheaper products that work just as well.
3. First Essence: SK-II, which really, I've tried the Missha dupe, which is my favorite dupe of it, but there can't be a dupe when it sells for $150 a bottle (ok, that was duty free pricing, I think Sephora in the States has it for over $200). It feels like I am splashing my face in dollar bills when I use it, but I am always so pleased with the results.
4. Serums, ampoules, etc etc: Actually haven't found THE ONE yet. I've tried face oils, and The Ordinary (which just went through a mass of drama, I mean, the ex-CEO is clearly on some sort of drugs) isn't really as high quality as other products I've used and it's just ok. Never found a vitamin C serum that made me excited to use up the whole bottle. Definitely wasted two amber bottles as they spoiled before I remembered to use it more consistently. On my third bottle of Caudalie serum, but at that price, I just rather invest in my SK-II instead of extra serums that seem to peter out after a while. There hasn't been any wow's in this department.
5. Face Masks: Too Much Fun In the Sun by Leaders is my ABSOLUTE FAV and I got it by accident when it was on sale at a random TJ Maxx in a neighborhood I hardly visit. Great find, I really like them the most. Second would be Lovemore's Pearl Barley and Milk smoothing masks. To be honest, I guess I have a propensity towards smoothing masks; they seem to help my skin and make it feel much better.
6. Moisturizer: Though Mizon Snail line has earned it's place as I have bought it again and again and again (just love the scentlessness of it as well as the way it gets absorbed so quickly). But the true winner here is the chewy and sticky Joseon Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream. At 50 ml it goes so quickly, but the texture, the absorption, and even the light, sweet fragrance to it makes all my nerves at ease. It makes my face feel chok chok in the harshest of winters (which Mizon AIO Snail and Black Snail both fail to do).
7. Sunscreen: BAE Biore Watery Essence 50 spf pa plus plus plus plus. As a person of ghostly paleness, sunscreen is my life. Sometimes I don't feel fully protected by BAE Biore because it's chemical and not mineral, but I always go back for that light citrusy scent of sun protection. It goes on so smooth, I forget what my skin feels like underneath. It is BAE for a reason, great product, great results, great price (when you can find it for ~$6) and really, my most repurchased product in all of skincare.

When it comes to everything else that I've tried, whether it be exfoliating toners followed by AHA/BHA serums or clay masks for detoxing, or sleeping masks for the harsher winter months, none of them really wow me into keeping them, and often they sit in the medicine cabinet open and half used, forgotten because they didn't really bring anything to the table. Some products I just use to try to finish using, and got "creative" by putting it elsewhere (I've got the smoothest legs and tummy skin, I swear, I wipe my hands on my tummy after application way more frequently than I like to admit).

This is to say, that though my Skincare Journey is not over, it is slowing down. I am reusing products that are tested tried and true (oh dear lord I have over $300 of SK-II in my closet that is waiting on the queue to be used because other products are expiring first). My posts will be less about what is in my routine, but more on products I've been trying to use up so I can maintain the usage of my favorite products that are listed above. 

Skincare Routine Mondays: Feb 1, 2016

1. Oil Cleanser: None. Still none. I am bad at this.
2. Water-based Cleanser: Fresh Soy Face Cleanser. This was a Christmas present from my friend, and I really love it. It gets milky the same way that oil cleansers get milky, but because you wet your face before using, it gets milky as you massage it around your face. I use a pinky-nail's worth of cleanser and it goes such a long way. So far, I LOVE IT. It's the first cleanser that doesn't make my face tight and it feels clean, yet moisturized. 
3. Toner: Missha's Clear Toner (in the Time Revolution Starter Set).
4. Serum or essence: Not quite an essence/serum, but a "First" Essence-- Missha's The First Treatment Essence (in the Time Revolution Starter Set).
5. Moisturizer. 
      AM: Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Nourishing Moisturizer SPF 30. But sometimes I just use my PM cream with Biore's Watery Essence PA 50+++. Depends on how greasy I  feel.  PM : Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Combination Watery Cream.

I've really calmed it down with trying to maintain my samples of "liquid gold" (aka SKII Repair Treatment C). Can I tell a difference? Not really. Hahahahaha. Oh my gosh, how much am I spending on things that may or may not actually have an effect?!

Have a random pimple on my left cheek (totally in the middle, like one red dot in the vast desert of my left cheek) and my chin area feels greasy and pimple-prone. What is up with my face. When I used the masks on Sunday I made sure to follow-up with a nutrient-rich mask. Tested out My Beauty Diary's Imperial Birds Nest and it's great. Best quality mask in that it's pretty see-through, keeps it's wetness for a prolonged period, and feels great.

Skincare Routine as of December 14, 2015

1. Oil Cleanser. None. No make-up = no oil.
2. Water-based Cleanser (Foaming Cleanser). None, see above.
3. Water rinse. My actual step 1. Water is at a neutral ph of 7. Check.
4. Toner. Missha Time Revolution Clear Toner. It goes one light, and you can feel it dry on your face in a very nice and refreshing way. Don't know if I am supposed to have it dry before I put on the first essence.
5. First Essence: Missha Time Revolution First Treatment Essence. It has the same water consistency of the Clear Toner, however it smells more yeasty. Due to the fact that often do my routine without my glasses on or my contacts in, I have been very nervous about getting the toner and the first treatment mixed up. Good thing the Clear Toner comes in a cheap plastic bottle with a round screw-off top, whereas the FTE comes in a glass bottle with an oval screw-off top. Also, the smell would be an indicator, but I don't usually realize until I slap it on my face. This watery essence does leave my face a little stickier than the toner. 
6. Serum or essence. MY LIQUID GOLD samples of SK-II Facial Treatment Repair C from Sephora.  Then, as of yesterday, I have had sample of Amore Pacific MOISTURE BOUND Rejuvenating Serum which I am using after the SKII is absorbed a bit into my skin due to it's thicker texture. The SKII glides on and leaves my face a little sticky, whereas Amore Pacific is light and gets absorbed almost instantaneously. 
7. Moisturizer. AM: Still using my holy grail of moisturizer meets SPF of Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Nourishing Moisturizer SPF 30. It really makes me feel moisutrized and happy to know that I am also getting SPF 30 out of it. It's heavier, so many people might feel it's greasy, but with my combination skin, it works like a charm. PM: Freeset's Donkey Milk 3D Moisture Cream, been using this for a while, and while it's not a holy grail, I am very content with its results. Each morning my skin feels plump and more balanced. My t-zone remains greasier than the rest of my face, but it really is not bad at all when using this cream.

What's new here? Amore Pacific and Missha Time Revolution Clear Toner and First Treatment Essence.

Wrote about my New Sample Excitement with Amore Pacific.

Wrote about my disappointment with Missha's Super Aqua Cell Renw Snail Sleeping pack.

Pretty darn happy with my Time Revolution set so far. Should also note that I have been suffering from acne on my chin/chin jawlin/upper lip since last Wednesday. Though I don't usually get pimples on my chin's part of the jawline, they have subsided quickly and I hardly know the difference now.

My period arrived yesterday, which is usually the factor to blame when I get mouth/chin area pimples. Jawline though? That's a bit weird, but no one can tell, just me.

Got a compliment on my skin on Sunday. My friend who hasn't seen me in a couple of months (she moved cross-country for her career) said my skin looked fantastic.

In another unrelated comment about my skin, someone noted that I looked "paler," which I didn't really think was possible considering how ghostly pale I am already. Here's the hoping that this "paler" comment is in regards to my skin's cells balancing and renewing themselves.

Also have to think of how much long I am going to go around to random Sephoras that carry the SKII line and ask for samples of my liquid gold. I cannot live on samples forever, but $170 for a single ounce really is beyond my means. I am already so stoked that I got the Missha Time Revolution set for 46 bucks during the Black Friday weekend, and I am going to use that for at least the next year.

Nervous though, because I am pretty sure I am going to do a Duty Free Incheon Airport haul in the next month and those products will bring so much excitement that I just might switch around my routine. As someone said, your skincare products are more of a wardrobe. You can't wear all of your clothes at once, but you can pick and choose what you want for the time being.

Rethought Review: Missha Super Aqua Cell Renew Snail Sleeping Mask

You know how I wasn't impressed by this sleeping mask?

I tried it again, this time without wearing my usually cream first.

Then I tried it again, slathering a thick later onto my face.

Then I tried it again when I was suffering from pimples and wanted my face to calm down a bit.


Each time I woke up, without fail, GREASY T-ZONE. Totally as if I didn't do anything to my face at all! No balance, whatsoever. It would get absorbed the same way, even that one time that I globbed it on so generously I was scared that my skin would stop breathing halfway through the night.

It smells so clean, so fresh. It has a great consistency that is like a matte gel. But it doesn't do anything to me! At least, I cannot tell. All I can tell is that it doesn't balance out the dry and greasy parts of my face like Donkey Milk 3D Moisture Cream does, and for that, it makes me feel like I almost didn't put anything on at all.

This product was a fail in my book. Smells great, but I can't seem to see or feel a difference that I am happy with.

Rating: Will use, but only out of fun, not actually for results. Such a pretty box and packaging, but I would gladly trade it for something else less pretty looking that actually gives me a bit more oomph.

First Impressions Fridays: Missha Time Revolution's Clear Toner and FTE

There is one thing that I just don't really get, what is the difference between dewy and greasy?

Dewy means your skin is plump, but is there a hint of sheen to it? Greasy is synonymous with bad things like pimples and smelly hair, but when is sheen too much sheen and just greasy looking?

My first impressions after using the toner and FTE is that it does make a difference. Even though I feel like I am splashing my face with a yeasty smelling water, and then splashing it with some more water (FTE's consistency), I do feel like my skin is lighter and more supple than when I had no used it prior.

This morning though, when I put on the Nature Republic sunscreen I felt like my skin was not taking it as well. It was TOO supple, TOO moisturized. Is that when it becomes greasy? Maybe I never noticed it before, but I felt like after putting on my moisturizer, my face had had enough. Like it didn't want any more layers to it.

Anyway, this is day one, second use, and at night it's fine (though I do still wake up with an oily-ish T-zone, my U-zone is properly hydrated). We will see what happens as the two weeks wear on.

Add a Product Thursday! Missha FTE

It's late, and I really shouldn't but I am going to. Today marks the second week of using Freeset's Donkey Milk 3D Moisture Cream. More detailed review later.

My friend got me a sample of Nude's face oil, which is in a small dispenser that I will check out later.

The last two or three days I have been using the Nature Republic Sunscreen, more on that later as well.

Today I am excited because I am not introducing one, but TWO new products. Usually I would be hesitant, but they came in a set and I want to use both the toner and first essence.

Day one of using Missha's Time Revolution Starter Set's Clear Toner and First Treatment Essence "Intensive." Let's see how it goes.

Review: Missha Super Aqua Cell Renew Snail Sleeping Mask With Snail Extract

The Missha Super Aqua Cell Renew Snail Sleeping Mask With Snail Extract was a part of my Missha Thanksgiving-to-myself haul.

First off, it is a beautiful silver and gold package. Sophisticated, not cheap or tacky looking at all! And instead of having Korean and English on the package, it was English and Spanish, which I thought was pretty neat. The bottle itself only had a back label in Korean, but it made me feel good that the US branch really put an effort versus just having stickers over the box in English.

The freestanding tube is also very pretty, and it comes sealed, something else I also really like. No mess!

The texture is interesting and it squirts out in perfect little lines that look like immaculate play-doh rolls. Only it's much smoother and it feels like it goes into your skin almost as a moisturizer. I almost forgot that this is a sleeping pack and not my nightly cream. In fact, it's a bit sticky, but feels much more matte than my actual cream.

Instructions say to put on an "appropriate" amount and rinse off with water in the morning.

What qualifies as an "appropriate" amount? Did I use too little because my face felt a little tacky, but not really? Or is there supposed to be a layer of too much product? I am not sure how "appropriate" my amount was, but I hope it was enough.

In the morning it is my habit to wash my face with water, a kind of perk-me-up wake-me-up call. So, following that instruction was basically like telling me to keep breathing.

Night came, I applied the mask, and I went to bed. Eight hours later I woke up and for the first time in a long time I felt like my T-zone was oiler than usual. Actually, my WHOLE FACE felt rather oily. Even after rinsing my face with water it felt a little greasier than I usually am.

Back in the day when all I did was wash my face with water, I would wake up with such a greasy face that I would ten again wash with water to get back to normal. Why would this Missha Sleeping Mask have the same effect?

Masks are often used for their "instant gratification" prize. However, I did not really get any of that sort! My face felt like my face, but a old greasier version of my face. It would be a lie to say if I felt any effects or saw any effects. Just using a night cream alone did the trick, this sleeping mask seems to be a bust.

However, since I have a whole tube of it and I only got it for 13 dollars and change, of course I am going to try it again.... next week. Maybe I was just using it wrong and put an "inappropriate" amount on my face. Usually I think less is more, but maybe in this case more would be more? We will see.

Bottomline (tl;dr)
Woke up with a greasy face, so I was not impressed, but always open for second (and third, and fourth, and fifth) chances. Update May 2016: I keep trying, but I keep getting disappointed. Wish someone would take this off my hands, especially since other people note that it works for them. It just doesn't work for me... at all.

New Product Excitement!! - MISSHA Thanksgiving Haul

Can it really be called a haul when I only purchased two things?

My Missha Haul came: a Time Revolution Starter Set and SUPER AQUA Cell Renew Snail Sleeping Mask. The samples were stingy, I guess I came to expect much more than just two little night repair ampoule samples. No complaints though, I will use these and check how they work with my skin.

So excited!!! Though my trial period with Freeset's Donkey Milk 3D Moisture Cream is only in the sixth of fourteen days, I have used a mask (ugh, more on that bad choice later) and this is a sleeping pack, so it's an additional to whatever is usual. In twelve days though, I will introduce the Time Revolution Set which will incorporate a toner and a first essence prior to any additional serums and creams.

However, I really do NOT like the Clinique City Block SPF 40 that I have been using. This is probably because I am not used to wearing make-up and it reminds me of wearing make-up. It has this tint to it that I can see pools in the fine lines around my eyes (I am very expressive, so I am not surprised). My biggest turn off to this product would have to be the fact that this color comes off when I blot my face with a wet paper towel, which I often do after I was my hands in the restroom.

Perhaps this is odd, but I do not like to touch the bathroom door handle, or any other door handles really. It is gross and covered in germs. So usually, I go to the bathroom, wash my hands, dry my hands on a paper towel, and with this damp paper towel I blot my face (it's very refreshing) and use that same towel to cover the door handle as I exit.

Today I blotted at my face and it felt like I was just blotting all the SPF away. It made the paper towel so... brown, and I did not like that ONE BIT. Nope! I do not like at all and will probably just stick to my Aveeno SPF 30 instead. Seriously, that's one item I have not lived without. In college I started with their other line of moisturizer with was a cream bottle with a pastel green top dispenser. It only had 15 SPF and that was not enough as I would still suffer from slight bouts of sunburn, even on the least sunny of days. Lots of the reviews complain about it's smell-- I think it's a nice fragrance though I admit it is heavily fragranced.

Anyway! My excitement has carried on long enough. Tomorrow I will divulge my snail sleeping mask experience!! Yay!!