Skincare Routine Mondays: September 5, 2016

It's September already! How in the world did this happen?!?!? School starts up again, so I am less likely to be so thorough, though it seems this summer things have gotten more simple as my interest has waned.

1. Eyelid Cleanser: Ocusoft (AMs only, and not when I travel)
2. Water-based Cleanser: sum37's Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick
3. Toner: That CosRx one that I used to prep for actives.
4. Actives: OST 20 Vitamin C serum (Maybe once this past week)
5. Serum: Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum, like thrice.
6. Moisturizer: Mizon's AIO Snail Cream, which I have repurchased. It's lighter, much better for the summer. However, this past weekend I've been traveling so I have nearly exhausted the Cane + Austin moisturizer that gives me face a slight tingle when I use it. Quite like it though it smells and feel like putting Elmer's glue on my face.
7. Sunscreen: Biore Aqua Rich Waterly Essence Sunscreen 50g Spf50+ Pa+++  per usual.

Stopped with my FTE and actually haven't really felt a difference. Which is sad because I raved about it at first. Really think it has to do with the fact that I had started my routine with the FTE and Clear toner, which I believe work really well in tandem. 

However, now I am more into the chemical side of things, which glycolic acid. Which are harsher, but with more results. We will see how things turn out for the rest of the semester.

Skincare Routine Mondays: August 29, 2016

Last week before school starts. Got some travel from last weekend, got some travel for this weekend. Overall, my routine has been simplified.

1. Eyelid Cleanser: Ocusoft
2. Water-based Cleanser: sum37's Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick
3. First Essence:  Finished my second bottle of Missha's FTE Intensive, but it doesn't feel quite as nice without the Missha Clear Toner
4. Serum: Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum, like thrice.
5. Moisturizer: Mizon's Black AIO Snail Cream, which I also just finished and have been trying the Cane + Austen moisturizer through the magic of Sephora Sample Wonderland while out of town.
6. Sunscreen: Biore Aqua Rich Waterly Essence Sunscreen 50g Spf50+ Pa+++  per usual.

The FTE bae has been losing appeal to me. I am not sure if it does anything, and really, I think I had the best results from when I used it in tandem with the same line's clear toner. Since I have nixed toner from my routine, I am not sure how I feel about it anymore. I have one more bottle left, I think I will hold off on the next round of opening a bottle to see if I feel a true difference.

The Cane + Austen 10% gycolic moisturizer is ok. It has a slight smell to it because it's "fragrance free" meaning it's an au natural smell that is weird to me. It seems very interesting that it can be a chemical peel and moisturize at the same time. But then again, I do use SPF 50 sun oil, which also seems contradictory in itself. First tired L'Oreal's sun oil with the SPF of 50, and now I splurged on Super Goops 5 oz at $22 USD for their SPF 50 sun oil. 

Got two busted pimples on my chin/jawline, on either side. Ugh, why pimples?! I just finished my period this past weekend. They're big painful ones too. 

Maybe will incorporate Vit C back into my regime, but it just takes so long that sometimes I don't want to be waiting around.

That being said, I remember how I stopped using Luna Oil and really didn't even notice a difference.

Skincare Routine Mondays: August 22, 2016

Traveled half of this week, so half less than usual.

1. Eyelid Cleanser: Ocusoft
2. Water-based Cleanser: sum37's Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick
3. First Essence:  Missha's FTE Intensive
4. Serum: Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum
5. Moisturizer: Mizon's Black AIO Snail Cream 
6. Sunscreen: Biore Aqua Rich Waterly Essence Sunscreen 50g Spf50+ Pa+++ .

Didn't quite keep up with a routine, and am still functioning on bare bones. Used a Caudalie Glycolic Peel twice this week, once paired up with OST Vitamin C, which gave me a slight burning effect, so I'm probably not going to do that again.

Starting using the Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum, which is like runny lotion. Reminds me of a watery emulsion, but really, my skin feels softer and nicer the morning after I use it. Really kind of happy about this product, really kind of unhappy that 1 ounce would set me back $79 USD. Why are face things so expensive?!?!?

Of course this lovely little sample came from the 500 points rewards I'm putting to use:

CAUDALIE FRENCH SKINCARE STARS

• Caudalie Micellar Cleansing Water (1.69 oz)
• Caudalie Instant Detox Mask (0.5 oz)
• Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet (0.33 oz)
• Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum (0.33 oz)

Sephora Play August 2016 arrived at my house on Saturday. Although I already knew what I was getting, none of it wowed me. Honestly liked the July 2016 box better as it had more variety. This one was really eye-centric, and the only thing that I'm sort of happy about it the Algenist eye cream. Because everyone know eye creams are ridiculous, but such a nice luxury to have. The Lancome sample looks weak, the eye pencil is a color that I probably won't care too much about since I prefer liquid liners, the Clean Warm Cotton smells like fabric softener, the mascara is more advertising and packaging than impressive, and that MUFE eyeshadow is so neutral it's kind of boring. 

The Sephora Play! box is setting me back about $132 USD for the year, which is a lot, but I might not even want to do a whole year if I keep feeling meh about their selections. Perhaps I'm the wrong demographic because I'm a skincare addict, not a make-up enthusiast. Actually, if it weren't for this gosh-darn wedding coming up, I wouldn't be doing half the beauty-oriented things that I've been doing-- eye lash extensions, beauty subscription boxes, yadda yadda.

I did, however, use a mask this past week, and it was so annoying that I ripped it off earlier than I usually would. I think it's just that brand, the Etude House I Need You series, feels too heavy and like wet paper towel on my face. Not the biggest fan, especially now that I've used enough to have favorites.

Also, really kind of upset that my skincare tastes are gravitating towards more expensive choices. Why is Caudalie simple and nice and so gosh-darn expensive?!?!? Have to say that I am less than impressed with the moisturizing sorbet. Got to love me my snail creams.

Skincare Routine Mondays: August 15, 2016

Traveled half of this week, so half less than usual.

1. Water-based Cleanser: sum37's Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick
2. First Essence:  Missha's FTE Intensive
3. Moisturizer: Mizon's Black AIO Snail Cream which I've decanted into a smaller pot so that I can bring it with me on the plane
4. Sunscreen: Biore Aqua Rich Waterly Essence Sunscreen 50g Spf50+ Pa+++ per usual.

Traveled a bunch this week, and didn't sleep much. Will probably want to break out a mask a couple times this week to restore my poor skin. Missed my eyelid cleanser since I couldn't figure out how to decant it. My eyes kind of hurt and were sensitive when I wasn't using it. Probably also didn't help that I only got about three or four hours of sleep this past weekend.

Sephora Play August 2016 is coming out soon. I already see it in my account and I wonder how many of these items will I actually enjoy. Haven't used to played with my July 2016 box too much yet.

QUICK LOOK

LANCÔME

Énergie de Vie The Smoothing & Glow Boosting Liquid Moisturizer

$55.00

AUGUST 2016 BOX 

QUICK LOO

ALGENIST

Complete Eye Renewal Balm

$68.00

AUGUST 2016 BOX 

QUICK LOOK

MAKE UP FOR EVER

Artist Shadow Eyeshadow and Powder Blush

$21.00

AUGUST 2016 BOX 

QUICK LOOK

SEPHORA COLLECTION

Contour Eye Pencil 12hr Wear Waterproof

$10.00

AUGUST 2016 BOX 

QUICK LOOK

URBAN DECAY

Perversion Mascara

$22.00

AUGUST 2016 BOX 

QUICK LOOK

CLEAN

Reserve Warm Cotton

$90.00

AUGUST 2016 BOX 

Skincare Routine Mondays: August 8, 2016

August 8th! Chinese Father's Day... for the Chinese father I've never had.  Anyways....

Keeping is SIMPLE, thanks.

1. Oil Cleanser: Nope, eyelash extensions.
2. Eyelid Cleanser: Ocusoft
3. Water-based Cleanser: sum37's Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick
4. Hairdryer: To dry eyelash extensions, and then I brush them out when they're a bit drier. They clump up terribly if they aren't dry, and I wouldn't want a clumpy look like that if it dried that way.
5. Toner: That CosRx one that I used to prep for actives.
6. Actives: OST 20 Vitamin C serum (Maybe three times this past week)
7. First Essence:  Missha's FTE Intensive
8. Serum/essence/masks: Too lazy.
9. Facial Oil/Night Oil: Whoops, too lazy for that too.
10. Moisturizer: Mizon's Black AIO Snail Cream is running out and I've ordered another one from Amazon. I wonder why the Black AIO is cheaper than the Original AIO. I feel like the thicker texture of the Black AIO makes it last longer and possibly a better product? But I ordered one of both, since I plan on letting my sister take one with her to school anyway.
11. Sunscreen: Biore Aqua Rich Waterly Essence Sunscreen 50g Spf50+ Pa+++ per usual.

The one or two pimples on prime cheek and lower jawline area are diminishing and my skin is acting nicely, for once. Thank you very much. Please stay that way a little longer, I LOVE YOU.

Remember how I was kind of complaining that Vitamin C gave my face a weird smell. I think it's the layer of Vitamin C and then Missha's First Treatment Essence layered together to give that weird scent.

These eyelash extensions really make me lazy with my skincare routine. I guess for everything there is a balance. I mean, I go out of my way to blow dry my eyelashes. I guess that is time spent on if I put on acids or masks everyday, right?

What's That Smell? Vitamin C or Sunscreen

So, if you've been following me weekly, I've had a kind of lax Vitamin C routine. Can't bring it with me when I'm not at home (since it resides in the fridge), sometimes I don't have the 20 mins to wait for my skin to take it in and balance it out. Sometimes I am just lazy.

However, I have noticed that sometimes I hands smell kind of funny. It's because I lean my face on my hands a lot (wonder why I don't have worse acne actually). Then, after about a week of being too lazy to use Vitamin C, I started it again.

The red OST 20 box lives between some smell jars of ketchup and a half eaten jar of almond butter. Not bad of a location, right?

Anyway, I am not sure what it is, but I am sure that this weird smell I am smelling is me. My very own face. It smells kind of strange. and I honestly think it's the Vitamin C building up and layer unto my skin. It is photoprotective, and I read somewhere that it works four days in, or is it four days since last use? Either way, Vitamin C serum is staying around if applied properly.

Perhaps it's how it mixes in with my sunscreen in the morning, but the smell. O, what a scent. Not pleasant, but not gross. But weird because it's coming from me and now I can smell it all over my hands.

But then again, I smell this mainly in the morning. Perhaps it's the Biore's aftersmell. It does smell a little lemony, but who knows what it smells like afterwards?

Skincare Routine Mondays: August 1, 2016

WHAT?!?! How is it August already? Not enough time to work off this ice cream I've been eating daily!

These eyelash extensions are great, but really, I think it can be a bit more high maintenance than just applying mascara. Though I've not had to worry about any of that since I don't usually wear any make-up anyway!

1. Oil Cleanser: Nope, eyelash extensions.
2. Eyelid Cleanser: Ocusoft
3. Water-based Cleanser: sum37's Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick
4. Hairdryer: To dry eyelash extensions, and then I brush them out when they're a bit drier. They clump up terribly if they aren't dry, and I wouldn't want a clumpy look like that if it dried that way.
5. Toner: That CosRx one that I used to prep for actives.
6. Actives: OST 20 Vitamin C serum
7. First Essence:  Missha's FTE Intensive
8. Serum/essence/masks: Done a PTR Irish Moor Mud mask because we had a sample.
9. Facial Oil/Night Oil: Sunday Riley's Luna Oil, but less than daily, my sample is running out :(
10. Moisturizer: Mizon's Black AIO Snail Cream LOVE IT, but also at 1/4 of a jar :(
11. Sunscreen: Biore Aqua Rich Waterly Essence Sunscreen 50g Spf50+ Pa+++ 

One or two pimples on prime cheek and lower jawline area on the left side. Otherwise, it's diminishing and my skin is acting nicely, for once. Thank you very much.

Eyelash extensions are funny. I thought the left eye was perfect and goregous the first day, whereas the right eye in the inner center kind of flattened out. However, not that it's been a little over a week, the left eye is has gaps of where lashes aren't, seems to clump up, and isn't at it's peak anymore. The right side though? It's the same, if not better looking, and doesn't give me any problems. Sometimes the left eye feels weird, feels off, and I know it's the lashes doing something. There's also one very low hanging lash in the middle of my eye, but it doesn't seem to interfere with my sight, so that is what counts, right?

Really wondering how long this will last. How much longer will I be satisfied, and how many more lashes need to fall in order for me to say, "oh, maybe I don't like this so much." Either way, I bought another Groupon so that I can have these glamours lashes come time for the wedding. Whee!