Putting All the Steps in Perspective

When I randomly bought a CC cream from the Club Clio warehouse sale, I went searching for my Korean skin tone match (found a great article on the Klog). As I remember from living in Seoul that one summer, Korean foundations, bb creams, cc creams, and cushions (ok, cushions weren't a thing quite I understood yet in 2012), Korean skin tone colors are limited. Usually has a range of three colors: pale, less pale than that, more pale than pale. This is great for me because I do border on the porcelain range. From memory I only remember there being colors 21 and 23.

Bomi-Box, which is an overpriced Korean beauty box subscription, has a great article that really simplifies the whole process in a way that makes it easier to relate to. In essence, they break up what scares off most people: the number of steps. They note that Korean skin care regimes are about three things: clean, treat, and protect. Which is precisely right. This is how an introduction to skin care should go.

They really break it down, easy as pie, with simple explainations and I love it:

Step 1: Clean
1. First cleanser
2. Second cleanser
3. Toner
Step 2: Treat
4. Essence
5. Ampoules, Boosters, Facial Oil
Step 3: Protect
6. Eye Cream
7. Moisturizer
8. Sunscreen 

They define each step, but within the three major movements of clean, treat, and protect. Now, it can't get easier than that. Thank you, Bomi-Box, though I won't be buying your random assortment of products in a box anytime soon, I appreciate the simplicity you have brought to us all, Nameless Author.

Skincare Routine Monthly Check-in: September 1, 2017

Omgosh, it is cold today and feels like a cold wave is hitting us even though it was just August yesterday. Omo, this is bad because my skin, as you can tell from the skincation I had to do earlier last month, does not handle sudden changes well.

In fact, I am still only at 70% of what my skin used to be. Perhaps it's because I'm older and nothing heals as fast as it once used to. My shoulders still have that dirty look because of the slight sunburn I got earlier in the summer.

1. Oil Cleanser: Still haven't really gotten back into that.
2. Water-based Cleanser: Sometimes I use sum37's Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick, especially since we ran out of Cosrx Low Ph Good Morning Gel cleanser. Sometimes I use the Tosowoong Enzyme Powder wash cleanser. Lately I've been using Goodal's Natural Clear Deep Cleansing Gel to Foam because I got it from a Club Clio warehouse sale for $10. It makes my skin feel a bit too clean, but we will see how this goes after another week or two of usage.
3. Son & Park's Beauty Water: I know, I know, I know. I really should be using this with cotton swabs, but... I haven't. Still slapping it (literally) onto my face.
4. Hydrating Toner:  At night sometimes I'll slap some Kikumasamune Moist toner on. But Enprani’s Dear by Enprani Moistfull Booskin on gym days.
5. Serum: Laziness, still. Caudalie if I remember, sheet mask remnants if I remember.
6. Moisturizer: Rosette Aqua Ceramide Gel has been doing the trick during the evenings. Mornings I have used the regular Mizon AIO Snail because we had some left over from the Rome trip. Then there's this new one that's got such an odd consistency, like thick pudding gel that gets watery when you smear it around. Derma Dr. Lab Hydromist Gel Cream is sold at Target for $32, but I got it at the Club Clio warehouse sale for $10. I mean, $10 is around how much I pay for moisturizer anyway, so I decided to give this one a go. Can't tell if I like it yet.
7. Sunscreen: Went back to the BAE Biore SPF, especially since they bottles have changed and I have to get used to the new formula because if I keep the other one around too long, it means it's gotten too old. Tarte's spf 30 on gym days (trying to use up their ultra small glass jar sample).

There have been some more masking, and the last one that I really liked was My Scheming's Milk Extract Brightening mask. It went on so nicely and I woke up with such smooth skin. However, since I was pampering that night, I also had time and slapped on some Timeless 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum. Maybe it was the two together, I am not sure.

However, I do know that I have contemplated going vegan and that's going to be very hard on my skincare routine. Too much love for snail mucus, milk extracts, honey, and more. 

Skincation is over

Still babying my skin, but it's pretty much back to normal. Been squeezing a Vit C session here or there.  My forehead is under control, my jawline is a mess but it's smoother. Everything is becoming smoothly, actually, so I don't need to document the basics anymore. Though I realize that some of my sheet masks are going to expire, or perhaps they already have. I'm just about to book another trip back to TW and so I'm going to use all these masks up. Invest in the ones I like the most: Leaders and Lovermore. Though I am not sure where to get Leaders next, that was a very lucky TJ Maxx find.

Other basics:

• Got another AHA BHA toner, which I realize isn't something I need since I don't truly use acids, but now I have one and a half bottles. CoxRx and Mizon. 
• Trying to use up my Sephora Play! samples that have their own make-up case. Didn't realize how many colors of lipsticks I owned until I opened the case up. I'm going to have to add the deluxe sample I just ordered from Sephora on hold. 
• Yeah, I spent another $60 at Sephora and I didn't even use my play card to get an extra 10 beauty points. They never have sales in the store. I got a sale tweezer (addicted to cute little tweerman patterned tweezers), a sale eyelash curler (my green one from Taiwan just isn't curling my lashes anymore), and the $40 traveler's kit.... which has even more samples that I am going to have to go through and use. I haven't even finished the last travel kit, but I broke the bag on this last vacation so I figured I would just get a new one.
• Can't tell is the Smoothie Peeling Jam is peeling my skin or just lots of the product on itself. My skin feels tight afterwards, so I always plump it back up with toner. 

Skincation Day 8: Gym time

Went to the gym this morning, so there's a double morning routine. Also, sweated my brains out, so here's to hoping it clears the junk that's making my skin crater city! Bad news is that I've started picking at my face now the swollen pimples have gone down for the most part. Picking at my bumps is bad news bears.

Morning Pre-Gym:

1. Good Morning Low pH CosRx face wash
2. Son&Park Beauty Water

Morning Post-Sweat Sess:

1. Caolion Blackhead O2 Sparkling Soap
2. Moistfull Booskin hydrating toner
3. Origins GinZing eyecream
4. Clinique Dramtically Different Lotion (cream in a pot)
5. Shiseido Senka Aging Care UV Sunscreen SPF50+ PA++++ (Left BAE at home and wishing I didn't, just trying to use up this yellow tube for now).

Evening:

1. Tosowoong enzyme powder soap
2. Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask
3. aha.bha cosrx clarifying toner
4. timeless Vit C serum
5. Son&Park Beauty Water
6. Moistfull booskin toner
7. Lovemore Rose sheet mask

Skincation Day 7: One Week~!

Wow, I can't believe it's been a week since I came home and had my arsenal of skincare products to battle and work on improving my skin.

This morning:

1. Low pH Good Morning CosRx cleanser
2. SUM 37 MRCS
3. Son&Park Beauty Water
4. Kikumasamune Sake Skin Lotion High Moisture toner
5. Mizon AIO Black Snail
6. BIORE is BAE sunscreen

Evening:

1. Tosowoong enyzme powder wash
2. Son&Park Beauty Water
3. Rosette ceramide gel

Then I passed out and really, that's all the effort I could make when I passed out, woke up at 3 am and passed out again.

Skincare Routine Monthly Check-in: August 1, 2017

So, I'm currently doing a lot more than usual and documenting my day-to-day skincare process en route to healing my face.

This means I get a pass because I don't have a usual routine yet, right?

See you next month then!

Skincation Day 6: Feeling Better

Too Much Fun in the Sun really did make a difference when I fell asleep with it on my face at my friend's house Friday night.

Morning:

1. Good Morning Low pH Cleanser
2. Kiehl's Tumeric Clay Mask in the shower (so it didn't really get to dry the whole way)
3. Son&Park Beauty Water
4. Moistfull Booskin toner
5. Caudalie Vinoperfect serum left my skin looking greasy so I used in lieu of moisturizer. 
6. BIORE IS BAE sunscreen. Seriously, how did I ever leave this sunscreen? I am so sorry I ever doubted you and now there's a new formula and I don't know if I'll like it as much. Sadface here for my very first world problem.

Evening:

1. ToSowoong facial cleanser
2. Kiehl's Tumeric Clay Mask
3. Holika Holika Smoothie Peeling Jam
4. AHA/BHA Clarifying Toner
5. Timeless Skin Care 20% Vitamin C Plus E Ferulic Acid Serum
6. Son&Park Beauty Water
7. Moistfull Booskin toner
8. Tazorac

Last night, I felt like I could apply tazorac because my skin was greasy (which means less likely to get dry tret face), and because I have been seeing a slight improvement.  My forehead does not feel nearly as bumpy as before, the area under my eyes/high cheekbone triangle are now smooth. My jawline is still a mess, but 천천히 (chun-chun-hee), it will improve, I just know it now. Before I had no idea if my skin was going to bounce back, and though I've been made complete improvement, the progress is enough as long as it keeps progressing at this pace.