TW/KR Haul!!

Lucky me! My Aunt when to Taiwan for a visit and found my beloved Lovemore masks on sale! Apt because it was right around Mother's Day. Her friend's layover was in Korea and YES, I did get my fill of second time purchases and first time tries.

The hauls!!!

This Taiwan Mask Extravaganza!!! only cost me $33!!

This Duty Free Shopping Spree put me back $91. Though I honestly think there might have been a little lost in translation. You need to haggle in Mandarin, darn it!!

Three repurchased items!! FTE Bae, MRCS (which has been growing on me). And Nature Republic's Combination gel cream (which I didn't realize was so heavily fragrance until I stopped using it and put in Mizon's AIO Snail goop).

I'm so happy!!! But in post-finals time I broke my no spending rule again by late night Amazoning. Nothing good can happen when you Amazon at 1 in the morning..... Goodbye money!!!


Items pictured in this haul:

1. Lovemore Pearl Barely and Milk Mask
2. Lovemore Rosa Hybrida Mask
3. Lovemore Loofah and Aloe Mask
4. Lovemore White Yeast Mask
5. Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence Intensive (third bottle <3)
6. Innisfree Super Volcanic Clay Mousse Mask
7. Innisfree Soybean Energy Essence (to compare to FTE bae)
8. su:m37 Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick (second stick!)
9. Nature Republic Aqua Super Aqua Max Combination Water Cream (second jar, probably the last though)

Skincare Routine Mondays: May 16, 2016

1. Oil Cleanser: Maybe around once or twice this week: Shu Umeura High Balancing Cleansing Oil.
2. Water-based Cleanser: Gave my Konjac sponge a rest this week. Used it once or twice. I started getting pimples on the outer fold of my nostrils, so I gave scrubbing there a rest. Otherwise,  Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick for everythang.
3. First Essence:  My FTE BAE: Missha's FTE Intensive, though I've another FTE in my latest haul... hehehe, coming soon!
4. Toner:  The Face Shop's Chia Water 100 toner, again, can't wait to be done with this. It is very hydrating, but I don't think it does anything too much. Used some of my travel size Missha Time Revolution Clear Toner, which actually reminds me of the fermented sake smell it has. I didn't notice it until I stopped using it. I think getting another fermented sake toner might be ok with me.
5. Serum or essence: Finals week has made me lazy. Tried Missha's Something Super Aqua Cell Snail Renew Sleeping Mask and still didn't feel like it did anything. And my skin was still sticky in the morning. NOPE, did not like this.
6. Masks: Used a Skinfood Broccolli, like putting a soggy, but durable, paper towel on my face. Can't say I cared for it much.
7. Moisturizer:
    AM: Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Nourishing Moisturizer SPF 30.
   PM :Mizon - All in One Snail Repair Cream (75ml), which I am almost out of, so I have Amazon'd the BLACK AIO Snail Cream to try!!

Skincare Routine Mondays: May 9, 2016

Happy Belated Mother's Day for all Mom's out there. My mom is someone who I love and I am trying to get her into taking care of her skin just a little bit more. Can't splurge on a regimen for her as she doesn't stick to these sort of things for long. But I have hope. She wants a facial mist...when does doesn't even regularly wash her face with anything more than water.  Slowly, right? I mean, who knows how long this will last for me. It's time and money consuming and right now I am single and at home and can afford such a time luxury.

My face has not been Tazorac'd, and after the skin flair-up from soaking in my SPF last last Saturday, I've been masking it daily. Either with a sheet mask or with a sleeping pack.

1. Oil Cleanser: Evenings only: Shu Umeura High Balancing Cleansing Oil, which I massage into my face as well as using my knuckles to massage the sides of my neck. Drain those lymph-nodes, or something like that.
2. Water-based Cleanser: AM: Konjac sponge with the teeniest amount of Fresh Soy Face Cleanser. PM: Using my new heart konjac sponge with a couple swipes of Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick. Lathers right up.
3. First Essence:  My FTE BAE: Missha's FTE Intensive
4. Toner:  The Face Shop's Chia Water 100 toner, can't wait to be done with this.
5. Serum or essence: Been masking in lieu of either of these. I have an essence from Nature Republic, but am waiting until I am out of my night moisturizer (Mizon - AIO Snail) before incorporating two products from the same line into my routine. Which will be soon. I was surprised how quickly I am using up the AIO cream.
6. Masks: Used the remaining essences from  Lovemore's Rose and MBD's Imperial Bird's Nest masks. Using Laneige's Water Sleeping Pack every other day. Purchased Say Yes to Tomatoes and used it on Thursday to treat my usual hormonal acne flair that is happening on my chin per usual. Followed this clay mask with the Laneige sleeping pack because I was too tired to deal with a sheet mask.
7. Moisturizer:
    AM: Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Nourishing Moisturizer SPF 30.
   PM :Mizon - All in One Snail Repair Cream (75ml), perfect for the change in seasons. Most likely will repurchase!!

Will probably try to do Tazorac again after I am over this eye infection. (So maybe around two weeks from now.)

Spent $20 on 11 Masks... Probably not the best idea I've had.

Like any skincare obsessed person out there, I keep a spreadsheet of my products, my thoughts on said products, and what I have in the arsenal.

Sheet masks were something I loaded up on back in January when I went to Taiwan. Two boxes of My Beauty Diary, two boxes of Lovemore, lots and lots of buy one get ones from Etude House (and yes, I always bought them in pairs if I could help it), some random NRK and My Scheming ones, and some leftover Innisfrees that my friend mailed to me and therefore go me all obsessed about Asian Beauty. (Thanks Sam, you're the best.) My Spreadsheet tells me my arsenal current has 53 Sheet Masks, and this does not include the Sleeping Packs I use in lieu of a sheet mask, or the fact that my Aunt just came back from Taiwan with four more boxes of sheet masks. It's addiction, help!

So Today, which perusing K-Town, I went inside "The Mask Bar," which is admittedly not a good idea since I am trying NOT to buy things and yet I already spent over $100 yesterday on Eye Doctor's Visit ($30 copay), Doctor Prescribed Eye Drops ($40), Forever21 basic leggings and tank tops ($20), junk from discount department store including my Konjac Sponge and Say Yes to Tomatoes Clay Face Mask($20).

UGH, but I did it. I went to the Mask Bar and I found packs of masks 10 for $10. Though I didn't know the brand, I did find a 5 for $10 of Skinfood's Broccoli mask (which is essentially the same price you can get it on Amazon) and Cettua random 6 for $10. The Skinfood masks are pretty much approaching their expiration/shelf life date (I realized this at home when I saw the manufactured date of 2014), and I have never herd of Cettua before.

The Less Cute Version I Bought Ages Ago

Turns out, after a ton of Googling and reading through a million Malaysian Beauty Blogs, that I have used Cettua before. In fact, it was one of the first masks I tried out in Taiwan way back in 2009. Oddly enough, I recognized their older products when I found them online and had a vivid trip back to when I first purchased their products.

Way back then, in Taiwan, I lived ten minutes away from the Yong An Market Station. There was a McDonald's and a Momo across the street. Momo sold mainly beauty products, but sometimes a little of everything like household items, purses, etc. They are kind of like the HSN of the US, but they would have small stores that were like small CVSes without the drugs.

I got a pore shrinking masks, and half-mooned under eye patches on the second floor clearance table. It was a decent price, but now that I think back I probably still got ripped off, Momo was not known for their prices. Also, I had NO IDEA what I was doing. There was too much "goop" and I threw most of it away after feeling gross sitting with this wetness on my face to ten minutes. Maybe I didn't even make ten minutes. Used half of the pack, then forgot about it and years later tossed it out as it was expired.

They've got such a cute new style though!!

Yes, those "mirrors" are really reflective surfaces on each of the masks.

Baby Got Herself a Konjac Sponge!

Well, I've seen them EVERYWHERE from ages ago...

But who wants to buy this humid little thing in a wrapper that has condensation all over the inside? Looks gross, and in Taiwan where everything molds, I was scared.

However, I have joined the masses as I have found the PERFECT one for me.

It's a pink heart! With a string. (Screw you konjac sponges that think I have a place to lay it down the dry!) Not to mention it was on sale for $2.

It's not a known brand, and it's pink because it's the "clay" version. Honestly, have no idea what the difference is. Just that some sponges are sold moist and some are sold dry. My heart was sold moist. (Ew, does that sound gross or what?!)

Today strikes day one on this three month long beauty product. Maybe I will stretch it out for longer, maybe I won't like it and my heart will just dangle on its strings listlessly and forgotten.

First things first, it really helped my SUM37 MRCS foam up! I just swiped it across the konjac sponge's surface a couple of times and had an excess of lather. Wonderful, really.

Secondly, the heart is a great shape because it has a point, which I use to get into the nooks and crannies of my nose. Especially since I've been under the weather and it could use some gentle exfoliation.

Third, it's a heart! Damn I love me some cuteness.

Skincare Routine Mondays: May 2, 2016

And that, is how the skin on my face feels: mad, upset, aggressive, overly-gelled.

Ugh, I am having a not good time with my face this week. Even the daily facial masking hasn't been making things much better. What a waste of products on my angry angry face.

1. Oil Cleanser: Because my MRCS has been making my skin dry, I've decided to break out the old bottle of Shu Umeura High Balancing Cleansing Oil to help it even the playing field... I really don't want to admit how long I've had this product. When I got it, I thought it was going to be great! But then I wasn't into a skincare regime, and it failed to take off all my make-up, so I kind of just forgot about it. It is 450 ml, so it lasts FOREVER. What scares me the most is how expensive it is on their US website. I got mine in Taiwan for about $30-40 bucks, but it was on sale.... 
2. Water-based Cleanser: Using the last of my Fresh Soy Cleasner, especially since I've been having a bout with bad skin, and it's much gentler than SU:M37's Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick. My skin has been a mess these past few days. No thanks to myself for taking too many risks, UGH.
3. First Essence:  Thank the stars for Amazon and packages that arrive earlier than they predict. Bought my second bottle of Missha's FTE from "World_Wide" for $25 and change, which is about $3 dollars and change cheaper than any other seller. The box was a bit banged up, the product itself had no harm. Also was manufactured in 2015, had a label in English noting that expiration is two years afterwards (meaning 2017 in this case). I'm going to be using this RIGHT AWAY. It was supposed to arrive by May 6th, but it's been here and in use since April 28th. LOVE IT.
4. Toner:  The Face Shop's Chia Water 100 toner, which I believe is a hydrating toner and has a slightly tackier and thicker feel than my Missha FTE, so I've adjusted accordingly and put it on after my FTE.
5. Serum or essence: My face has been a red angry mess since I've been messing with Tazorac (after day three or so) and so I've been going through masks like crazy. Laneige's Water Sleeping Pack, Lovemore's Rose Whitening, My Beauty Diary's Imperial Bird's Nest. Saturday I had a late night out, so no asking or Tazorac, which my skin is probably grateful for.
6. Moisturizer:
    AM: Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Nourishing Moisturizer SPF 30.
   PM :Mizon - All in One Snail Repair Cream (75ml), which I still stand by, it's a skin saver! But with my Tazorac'd face, even this lovely goop has been stinging my face. The mask serums had stung my face. Everything sucks and I made my skin upset, therefore I am upset at my own stupidity.

Lots of things happening with my face that I am not happy about. So keeping it simple, really:

• Oil Cleanser
• Second Cleanser
• FTE
• Hydrating Toner
• AIO Snail
• Mask (if I have the time)

The Retinoid Diaries: Taking a Hiatus After Day 3

The more I document my skincare habits, the more I realize the stupid things I put myself.

Point and case, I was sick on Day 3 of Tazorac, but I still went through with it all. Even though I noticed that my face stung whenever I put ANYTHING on it. ANYTHING. I blamed my chaffed nostrils, but what would that have to do with the apples of my cheeks? Nothing. Just nothing.

Oh, my chosen stupidity.

Then, on Saturday, I did it again.

I washed my face, took care of everything and then I put on sunscreen less than an hour before I went to take an intensive exercise dance class.

Not only was I sweating, but my sunscreen was going into my pores and my face felt like it was on fire! It looked like I had a minor sunburn after the class ended, but it felt much worse than that!

Again, stupid me, for using a nice smelling sunscreen instead of my usual two-in-one SPF moisturizer.

My face was on fire, my nostrils are peeling rice paper like flakes, my lips are chaps to the point where it feels like I botoxed them, and then I went out drinking and didn't have time to wait and think about putting on Tazorac since my face was already suffering.

However, my face looks red, feels red, and is sensitive to EVERY SINGLE PRODUCT I've put on my face. So I am going to be taking a Tazorac Hiatus until my face stops reacting with everything it comes into contract with. My Missha FTE stung, my Chia Seed Hydrating Tonor stung, the serums from masks STUNG. What the hell is wrong with my that I keep on inserting new things without figuring out what's really the issue.  I need to slow the hell down.

My beauty routine will be affected by this, for sure.