The Retinoid Diaries: Day 3 of Tazorac

My skin was TERRIBLE yesterday. So I took a long shower, saw all the redness and irritation, skipped my usual toner step, used Tazorac, waiting, used Missha's FTE (second bottle!!), and slapped on a LOVEMORE mask (my favorite brand so far).

The Lovemore mask was a rose brightening one. IT WORKED WONDERS. Honestly, I love those masks and each time they have saved my skin from something else.

Wore it with my silicon mask until I felt the edges by my cheeks dry. Then took off the silicon and waited for it to dray a bit more before I peeled it off. Followed my Mizon AIO Snail cream.

My skin was GORGEOUS in the morning compared to the bumpy red mess it was the day before.

Today though, I put some Missha FTE and waiting, so when I applied Tazorac is stung a little little bit. Then I waited a mini-drama episode worth of time (15 plus minutes) and then applied a hydrating toner (Chia Seed, yuck) it stung again!!!

Doesn't help that my nostril were chapped to bits because I am sick and have a runny nose. That stung, applying anything before and after the Tazorac stung. However, my sebum looks a lot better, a lot clearer and for that I am glad.

To counteract the pain and stinging, I decided to stay with the whole concept of masking post-Tazorac as to balance out the dryness of "tret-face." Keeping my skin moisturized as I am trying my best to heal it without dealing with comedones. (Please don't goggle "comedones" it's really the most unpleasant Google Images I've seen today. And I've watched Buzzfeed's gross video with extraction popping, which really was the GROSSEST thing, how is there even a niche market for people who like watching that sort of stuff. I'm mentally puking bile at the thought and I want that thought to be over so I am stopping now!)

Have a few skin-colored comedones on my face, the biggest on is between my eyebrows. Thought it was a mole or a skin tag (as those run on both sides of my family), but Dr. Myself has WebMD'd extensively to the point where I've come to terms with it being a comedone. Although I don't know how it got there... or when it appeared....

Cheers to tonight, as my My Beauty Diary Bird's Nest mask is drying over my tret-face. Masking daily is rather time consuming, but I'm enjoying myself.

Skincare Routine Mondays: April 11, 2016

Missed the last two weeks because... school. Anyway, not much has changed. Just a bit of anxiety now that my Missha FTE is soon to be OUT.

1. Oil Cleanser: None. Should I bother when I'm fresh-faced (a la sans make-up) everyday? Please advise.
2. Water-based Cleanser: Fresh Soy Face Cleanser. Soon to be out. Thinking of trying out Corsx Low Ph Good Morning Gel Cleanser, which is actually on sale at Jolse, but I already whined about my hesitancy in purchasing from them.
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). And WOE is ME, as I am almost out and I realize that I do like this stuff, even though I don't really know what it actually is doing for me. One of those things where you keep doing it for the long haul, you know? I am almost out and I have been skimping on how much product I use because I don't want to be out! 
5. Moisturizer:
    AM: Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Nourishing Moisturizer SPF 30.
   PM :Mizon - All in One Snail Repair Cream (75ml), which gets absorbed so nicely that it's not bad at all to layer underneath my greasy morning Aveeno SPF moisturizer.
6. Treatment Sheet Mask: NRK's Collagen Booster Firming Mask, which I actually got individually from Poya (which you can purchase through Poya via Yahoo) 

I actually didn't take a picture the second time around. The first time I used it, I used the snail mask, as seen above. It came with a lot of clear viscous serum, and had a white plastic lining that had to be removed.

Honestly, it was big for my face, though I appreciated that the area between the nose and the upper lip was wide and big enough to be properly covered. However, the edges of my mouth were totally peeking out. It had the cuts in the side so that you can adjust and overlap them properly, which I didn't do such a great job if you can see all the wrinkles hanging out.

Layer that with my Daiso silicon cover and BAM, serum for days. (A good thing, even though I look miserable in that last shot!) The snail mask was unremarkable. Really, I hardly even remembered I did it until I was surfing through my photos trying to find one of the Collagen Booster. The Collagen Booster did not get any pictures taken of, but it had a nice and pleasant smell. It felt great, or maybe it's been a while since I did a mud mask follower by a sheet mask, but either way, it left a better impression than the snail mask (which didn't leave an impression at all, now that I think of it...).

NRK is sold in Taiwan, and it's pricer, too. Honestly, though I paid 27 NTD for it, which is just under a dollar, the LOVEMORE masks are a much better investment. I raved about them last time, and still, it's number one in my book. NRK is also thicker than the My Beauty Diary masks, which are also cheaper and a better bang for your buck. 

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.

HAUL HAUL HAUL HAUL HAUL HAUL HAUL HAUL

I really should have taken a picture before I squished everything into my luggage, but still, MAJOR HAUL TIME.

MASKS GALORE!
DUTY FREE IS STILL NOT THE BEST PRICE!!
IMPULSE BUYS!

Items purchased in Duty Free (which is cheaper if you can order it online first and pick it up later, which I foolishly did not do):

• Su:m37 Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick 80g Cleanser Stick ($20 USD)
• The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Cleansing Light Oil ($7 USD)
• Tonymoly Egg Pore Blackhead Steam Balm 30g (~$7 USD)
• Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Combination Watery Cream (~$10 USD)
• The Face Shop Chia Seed Watery SET ($24 USD)
• The Face Shop Real Nature Mask Pomegranate 10 Sheets ($8 USD)
• Laneige - Water Sleeping Mask ($21 USD)
• Nature Republic Ginseng Royal Silk Watery Cream 60g which came with an Essence I don't remember what exactly ($44 USD)

Items purchased in Taiwan:

• BIORE UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence - SPF50 PA++ 50ml (~$7.50 USD)
• My Beauty Diary - Imperial Bird's Nest Mask (10pcs) (~$6.25 USD)
• My Beauty Diary - Black Pearl Mask (10pcs) (~$6.25 USD)
• Daiso Japan Reusable Silicon Mask Cover for Sheet Mask (White) x2 (~$1.25 USD each)
• Etude House Collagen Eye Patch (x6) (~$1 USD each)
• Etude House I Need You Assorted Mask Sheets: Collagen, Hyaluronic Acid, Pomegranate, Vita Complex, Coenzyme Q10, Korean Ginseng, Snail , Damask Rose, Korean Strawberry, Silk Cocoon (~$1 USD each)
• Mizon - All in One Snail Repair Cream (75ml) (~$15 USD)
• LoveMore Pearl Barley & Milk Smoothing Mask (~$3.25 USD)
• LoveMore Rosa Hybrida Whitening Mask ($3.25 USD)
• Girls Face Washing Headband, Purple With Ears!! (~$2 USD) Not exactly the same as the link, but you get the gist. 
• Guerisson 9 Complex Cream 20g (~$6 USD) Usually you only ever see the 70g one for $20 or more. Oddly enough they had a small size of it in Taiwan and I thought that would be enough to try it out.
• My Scheming Masks (~$.80 USD each)
• NRK Masks (~1.25 USD Each)
• Esfolio Volcanic Ash (x2) and Snail Essence (x2) (~$.50 USD each)

Skincare Routine as of January 11, 2016

NEW YEAR, NEW HAUL

It's been a CRAZY month, with Christmas, going to Taiwan, and, sadly, coming back home. Taiwan is really the home I chose and there's nothing that can compare.

That being said, my skin routine has been tweaked and partially neglected these past two weeks. Taiwan weather doesn't call for the use of a moisturizer as thick as Aveeno, and I ended up using some new products I bought instead.

1. Water Wash
2. Missha Clear Toner
3. Missha First Essence
4. Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Combination Watery Cream
5. Biore Watery Essence PA 50+++

It's been a rough two weeks of fun, food, and exercise. However, my poor skin has been breaking out around the edges that it was time to use some of the masks I bought upon my return. Changes in atmosphere, humidity, temperature, and jet lag all have taken their toll on my skin. My poor ever-pale skin.

So right now I am adjusting to this less humid weather and going back to a routine more similar.

1. Wash Rinse
2. Missha Clear Toner
3. Missha First Essence
4. SKII Repair C (aka liquid gold I sample from Sephora)
5. AM: Aveeno SPF 30 Moisturizer
5. PM: Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Combination Watery Cream

Last night I used My Beauty Diary's Black Pearl Mask and I have to say, I am happy with it. My skin has broken out, but it doesn't feel that way right now. It feels smooth, dewy, and irritation free! Yay.