Haul! + other Random things

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil (gift)

My Beauty Diary masks, Black Pearl (99 Ranch Market)

My Beauty Diary masks, 7 mask combo (99 Ranch Market)

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque (repurchase)

Compressed Face Masks (Ebay)

Blue Lizard Sunscreen (Amazon)

Alba Hawaiian Facial Mask w/ Papaya Enzyme (HEB)

MAC Glitz Gloss in Girl's Got It (gift)

Clinique Moisture Surge Intense (Sephora gift)

Maybelline's Colossal Cat Eyes Mascara in Glam Black, Waterproof (Kroger)

Hair clips (Ebay, similar)

Review: Onagrine Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream & Eye Contour

From left to right: Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream, Eye Contour

I was fortunate enough to receive samples of these two products in the mail. As you all know, I am constantly trying new skincare products in search of the awesome ones that really help the skin. So, here's my journey with these two items, and my reviews on them.

Onagrine is a brand based in France. Founded in the 1980s, it prides itself on using evening primrose oil as well as other natural ingredients in its products. These products are paraben-free (aka these types of preservatives) and are meant for all skin types. The company also prides itself on the fact that it does not conduct any animal testing - aka "cruelty-free".

First, the Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream.

The ingredients list for this item includes:

Water (Aqua), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Silica, Butylene Glycol, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ceteareth 20, Carbomer, Chlorphenesin, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Hydroxide, Commiphora Mukul Resin Extract, Oenothera Biennis Seed Oil, Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters, Limonene, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance, Iron Oxides, Geraniol, Polysorbate 20, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

This product is meant to be applied on in the morning on the face and neck. Interesting.

Thus, for two mornings, I applied this product onto my skin underneath my makeup and just went outside.

The product itself is very emollient. It is very smooth and glides on quite well. It is a rather thick lotion (cream) product, but it does absorb pretty readily into my skin.

The cream actually hydrated my skin pretty well throughout the day. However, the downside was that the night after the first day I put it on, my skin started breaking out. Since the rest of my daily routine had not changed and had previously not made me get acne spots (in general), I attributed this product to clogging my pores and giving me acne. When I looked at the ingredients list, it in fact, did have several oils, such as the evening primrose oil and the palm oil ester. Hmm. I guess not so noncomedogenic.

Now, onward with the Eye Contour cream:

The ingredients list for this item includes:

Water (Aqua), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Dicaprylyl Ether, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Ethyl Hexyl Palmitate, Nylon 12, Cetearyl Alcohol, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract, PEG 100 Stearate, Commiphora Mukul Resin Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Chlorphenisen, Cyathea Cumingii Leaf Extract, Acrylates/C10 30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Oenothera Biennis Seed Oil, Paml Oil Aminopropanediol Esters, Esculin, Potassium Sorbate, Limonene, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Glyceryl Caprylate, Geraniol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide 7, Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance

Once again, in order to be rich for the skin, there are several types of oils in this product, including sweet almond oil, evening primrose oil, biennis seed oil, palm oil, etc. Normally, all of these oils would raise a warning sign for me, but since this is an eye cream, it doesn't bother me as much (at least thought-wise) because eye creams are supposed to be super moisturizing and pampering to the skin. Also, since I usually don't break out along my eye area (cross my fingers to hope that it also doesn't happen in the future), it might not seem as bad.

Well, I was right. The product was super hydrating and really did seem like it would help my eye area a lot. My eye area's skin felt a lot more nourished during the time I used the product. Since I did not have as much area to cover with this product (just in my eye area rather than my entire face) I got to use this sample for a longer amount of time, about a week. It seemed like it really was helping out my eye area, so I actually liked it.

Now, onto the prices: 

The anti-wrinkle cream retails at $42 for 1.7 oz. The eye contour cream retails at $37 for 0.5 oz.

Anti-wrinkle cream:

Pros: Enriching for the skin? Goes on nicely, absorbs well into the skin

Cons: Comedogenic, pricey

Eye Contour: 

Pros: Enriching for the skin, does not make me break out, is hydrating, helps the skin around the eyes

Cons: Pricey

Would I buy either of these products? Well, not the anti-wrinkle cream, for sure. As for the eye contour, I might buy it if I were more well-off, but since I'm not, I have to say no to it for now.

Have a great day everyone!

<3

Sources: 1 / 2

DIY Coffee Mask

Coffee has caffeine. The end.

So what?

Caffeine is something that is actually good for the skin. It has astringent and antioxidant properties, and also helps tone the skin.

What can you do with it?

Well, you can make a coffee mask.

The cost? Virtually zilch.

Basically, what you do is:
1. Make a pot/few cups/1 cup of coffee using a coffee maker.
2. Take the strained coffee bits and put them on your skin.
3. Leave them on for 20 min.
4. Rinse off.

After you do this, the coffee will make your skin feel a lot more refreshed and smooth.

The only downside, for me personally, was that it kind of made my skin break out because of the oils in the coffee. Bummer. Although it did make my skin feel smoother and softer!

Yeah. You can try this. This is good for people with normal skin types (non-acne prone), and also for peeps who want to exfoliate/desquamate their skin, as well as people with dry skin.

That is all.

Source: 1

Review: Clinique 3-Step Formula

 Review: Clinique 3-Step Formula


I got a sample of these three from a Sephora order awhile ago.

Just going to post some mini-reviews.

1. Liquid Facial Soap - Oily: Skin types 3, 4 - $16, 6.7 oz



Pros:

• Definitely cleansed my face (oily-combination skin)

Cons:

• Was very drying on my skin
• Price - very pricey
• Was a weird texture - I've never had really a "liquid facial soap" before - it's always been bar, cream, gel, etc. Guess I just have to get used to it.

2. Clarifying Lotion 3 - $12.50 for 6.7 oz

Pros:

• Didn't really have any? Didn't see/feel any differences with and without the toner

Cons:

• Price

3. Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel - $36 for 6.7 oz


Pros:

• Very moisturizing without clogging my pores
• Very soothing
• Very easily absorbed by my skin
• Definitely helped my skin feel better
• Has a pump, which makes it easier to prevent germs from getting into than Clinique's Moisture Surge moisturizer (jar packaging)

Cons:

• Price

Overall, what do I think? Well, I think the product that was most worth it was the lotion. Definitely saw results. I don't think I'll buy any of the 3 - so expensive as of this point in my life (med student). I don't think the toner really did anything, although the soap did seem to work (but was drying).

Sources: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

Review: Bye-Bye Blemish Drying Lotion

Ever wish you had a cure-all sort of one-step zit minimizer? Something that could work within one night, and not something you had to wait forever on?

This is the product, ladies and gentlemen.

Not to sound like a commercial ad script, Bye-Bye Blemish Drying Lotion is quite interesting. It basically is a spot-treatment product that you use overnight and dries up acne pimples.

I remember finding a similar product, Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion, on a Youtube video by Secretlifeofabionerd:

This product looks really similar, a 1 oz bottle of clear liquid with pink stuff on the bottom:

I had really wanted to get Mario Badescu's product, but because it was $18 for a measly 1 oz of product, I looked for alternatives.

Thus, I found Bye-Bye Blemish Drying Lotion, which is basically just the same thing except at about 1/2 the price (I bought it for $9.75 online; you can buy it in packs of 3 on Amazon.com for about $22, roughly a little over $7 per bottle)

Here are the ingredients for the original Mario Badescu product:

INGREDIENTS: Isopropyl Alcohol,Deionized Water (Aqua), Calamine, Camphor, Colloidal Sulfur, Salicylic Acid,Glycerine, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Talc

And here are the ones for Bye-Bye Blemish's alternative:
Active Ingredients: Sulfur (10%) (Purpose: Acne Treatment)

Inactive Ingredients: Isopropyl Alcohol, Water (Aqua), Zinc Oxide, Salicylic Acid, Camphor, Aluminum Magnesium Silicate, Iron Oxide (CI 77491)

As you can see, they basically use just about the same ingredients. I bought this around the time I got really bad acne last semester, toward end of November-December 2012. Thus, I thought, why not give it a try?

Well, I think it was a good idea.

The instructions for using it were on the bottle as well as shown in the YT tutorial above from Secretlifeofabionerd - basically you let the pink stuff settle, and you use a q-tip to dip into the pink solution and pull it out. You dab it onto the spots onto your face and set it overnight. The next morning, wash it off.

Results? Pretty darn good.

Pros:

• Helped control my acne
• Got rid of/shriveled up acne spots
• May have even prevented future acne from popping up so rampantly

Cons:

• Really dries out your face
• Some skin types may be very sensitive to the (potentially burning) sulfur-alcohol-salicylic acid solution
• Terrible, strong sulfur smell
• Actually took several days (rather than one night) for the solution to fully work

Personally, I didn't mind the smell, and I combated the dryness with very emollient gel lotions and sunscreens.

I actually really liked this product. I think I'm going to repurchase this - perhaps even in packs of 3 on Amazon!

I would definitely recommend this product to people with oily and/or combination skin, particularly for acne-prone skin. I probably would not recommend it for people with sensitive skin or dry skin. Be sure to get that pink stuff - the calomine lotion soothes the skin against the strong sulfur, salicylic acid, and alcohol.

Ideally one could probably DIY this product with calomine lotion and concentrates of salicylic acid. However, I would probably advise against it in the case of this product because it seems like this combination of chemicals could potentially be unstable, and it would be a good idea to get the "safe" product that was already manufactured to stay together longer.

I definitely feel this product is worth the money paid, and then maybe even some! Highly recommended =D

Sources: 1 / 2

Review: Jergens Daily Moisture - Dry Skin Moisturizer

Photo source

Here you go!

I got a sample of this in the mail recently. Jergens is the brand of lotion I used as my facial moisturizer before I started really getting into skincare years ago. Hello for a reunion!

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Esters, Ceteareth 20, Glyceryl Dilaurate, Cetyl Alcohol, Mineral Oil, C12 15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dimethicone, Fragrance, Stearic Acid, DMDM Hydantoin, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Carbomer, Isopropyl Myristate, Sodium Hydroxide, 

Ananas Sativus (Pineapple) Fruit Juice, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Juice, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Juice, Hydrolyzed Silk

What did I think of it?
Pros:

• Very emollient and hydrating (glycerin = second ingredient listed)
• Interesting ingredient blends of juices and "hydrolyzed silk"
• Nice fresh citrus fragrance
• Price ($6.50 for 21 oz, according to drugstore.com)

Cons:

• Some may not like mineral oil or the parabens in the product
• Some may be allergic to the citrus ingredients and/or fragrance

Overall, what do I think? This product is great for body moisturizing, especially during those long cold winter months. Would I buy the full-sized version of it? Probably!

Get free Amazon Prime shipping for 6 months!!!!

Here's the link: Amazon Prime

Yes, I do get a $10 credit, but I really do use Amazon to buy stuff (case in point: textbooks) so I would just really appreciate it if you would use my referral link.

Thank you!
~Lucia

DIY Hair Removal Wax

Inspired by Secretlifeofabionerd, this hair removal wax recipe has saved a lot of waxing frustrations, money, and time.

Don't want to spend $10 or even $15 on a trip to the spa for eyebrow waxing? Well, you can make one right at home with your own ingredients, and very simply too =D

Ingredients:
-2 tsp brown sugar (A giant bag for $2)
-1 tsp honey ($3-$5 for a large bottle)
-1 tsp water (don't need to state the price for this one)

Also:
-Popsicle sticks (I recommend the normal sized ones for eyebrows, and the big ones if you want to use it for leg hair removal) ($3 for about 150 at Michael's)
-Strips of cotton cloth (cost me $2 for a pretty large piece at the Joann's)

Directions (preparation):
1. Pour together everything.
2. Pop in the microwave for about 30 sec. Stop right after the mixture starts to boil.
3. Let cool for 10 min.
4. Strips of cloth: cut into about 3'' x 1'' strips.

Directions (waxing):
1. Spread the waxing formula onto the area of interest with a popsicle stick.
2. Use the strips of cloth to cover the wax and smooth it over. Then, pull the cloth in the opposite direction that the hair runs.
3. Wash off excess with water.
4. Tweeze stray hairs as necessary.

Results:
I personally liked this a lot more than the store-bought kits and than the salon done ones because (1) it's a lot cheaper than all other options, (2) it works effectively, (3) you can use stuff you've already got in the house, (4) you can just wash the wax off with water rather than having to cover it with other messy stuffs, etc. It does do the job!

I personally recommend this wax recipe. It really does work. I still have a ton of wax material, popsicle sticks, and strips of cloth left that I can use many, many times - perhaps up to 30-40 waxing sessions, really. That's basically about ~3 years worth of waxing material, for about $12!

Price comparison (in my experience, rough estimates):
Kits bought in store for 3 years: 5 x $5 = $25
Salon visits: 18 x $12 = $216
See how much money this saves?

I don't think I want to buy kits from the store anymore, nor do I think I will need those salon visits any time soon. This is good enough!~

Tag: This versus That

I'm putting in my own category: neither

Answers are bolded!

MAKEUP:
blush or bronzer neither
lip gloss or lipstick
eye liner or mascara
foundation or concealer
neutral or color eye shadow
pressed or loose eye shadows
brushes or sponges

NAILS:
OPI or china glaze
Long or short
Acrylic or natural
Brights or darks
Flower or no flower

BODY:
perfume or body splash
lotion or body butter (lotion in summer, body butter for spring/fall/winter)
body wash or soap
lush or other bath company - just everyday Softsoap is fine

FASHION:
jeans or sweat pants
long sleeve or short (depends on season)
dresses or skirts
stripes or plaid 
flip flops or sandals 
scarves or hats
studs or dangly earrings either
necklaces or bracelets
heels or flats
cowboy boots or riding boots
jacket or hoodie 
forever 21 or charlotte russe
abercombie or Hollister
saks 5th or nordstrom

HAIR:
curly or straight
bun or ponytail
bobby pins or butterfly clips
hair spray or gel (neither)
long or short
light or dark 
side sweep bangs or full bangs
up or down (up for work, down for free time)

RANDOM:
Rain or shine
Summer or winter
Fall or spring 
Chocolate or vanilla
East coast or west coast

Review: Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils in Dime and Baked

I got these two pencils from a sale on Hautelook.com. They were on sale for only $2 each. What a steal! Clearance price for high-end makeup!

I normally don't do makeup reviews (I'm not a makeup guru or anything) but I just thought I'd share this with you all.

Dime

Baked

Swatches:

Pros (of both):

• Very pigmented
• Great for waterline (I've been using these for about a year now)
• A little goes a long way (I've been using these pencils just about every day for the last year, and have barely used an inch of each!)
• Lasts a long time (can last for 8+ hours on my eyes and not smudge or fade)
• Very creamy - glide on very well
• UD is a cruelty-free brand

Cons (of both):

• Price (normally they retail for $18 each)

Would I buy these again? During sales, and during UD sales, definitely. These are very much worth the price.

Sources: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 

Review: Premier Dead Sea Instant Stretching and Revitalizing Mask & Concentrated Facial Serum w/ Vit E and C

 

I got these two products as part of my March MyGlam bag. In case you all don't know, MyGlam is a company founded by several Youtube beauty gurus, including Michelle Phan, Promise Phan, Jessica Harlow, Bethany (I couldn't find her last name, but her YT screen name is MacBarbie07), and Andrea (I don't know her last name, but her YT screen name is Andreaschoice). The MyGlam business is a sampling product service that is similar to Birchbox, Julep Maven, Beauty Army, Glossybox, etc - that gives people a chance to test different beauty/skincare products every month for $10. I had a subscription to MyGlam for a few months before canceling - at the time, I felt like I had enough makeup, did not need it anymore, and also felt that it was not worth the price.

Anyway, inside my March MyGlam bag were sample packets of Premier Dead Instant Stretching and Revitalizing Mask & Concentrated Facial Serum w/ Vit E and C. Boy were those long names to type!

Each of the packets were only meant for one use. I did not like that part. But still, I decided to try it and see what would happen with one use.

First, the mask. Basically it was just an oily fluid that I applied onto my face. When I put it on, it felt as if I was literally putting oil onto my face. Kind of gross. This white pasty liquid-solid did not seem to absorb in during the 10-20 minutes I was supposed to put it onto my skin, so I decided to leave it in longer.

40 minutes in total. Still felt like it was oil on my face. Later, it felt like my skin was starting to itch, so I just decided to take it off.

Not so cool.

Well, results? I guess my face felt okay, though not much different than before I had put on the mask. It didn't give me any "stretching and revitalization", as promised by the name of the product. Well, I guess since I am in my early 20s, my skin wouldn't stretch that much, but I certainly didn't feel very revitalized.

Oh well.

Afterward, I applied the serum onto my face.

Wow, the serum actually felt pretty good! My skin definitely felt refreshed. It felt like it was revitalizing, at least in a sense. The serum was actually absorbed by my skin pretty quickly. Pretty nice, I guess.

Note: The listed price of the mask is $125 for 2.04 oz, and the listed price of the serum is $150 for 1.7 oz. However, I actually found them on Amazon for less than $20 each (excluding tax + shipping). Pretty interesting, although prices on Amazon tend to change a lot. Awesome.

Would I be interested in purchasing these items? The mask, definitely no. The serum, perhaps, but on Amazon. I don't know though. Right now, I have some other lotions and other items I want to try first before I actually consider buying full-sized versions of these products.

Have ya'll tried these products? What did you think of them? What masks/serums do you guys/gals like? Leave a comment!

<3

Sources: 1 / 2

Review: Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils in Radium, Ransom, and Junkie

I got these recently from a purchase made on Sephora.com. I split the purchase with a friend: I got radium, ransom, and junkie, while she got Perversion and Woodstock.

Radium Swatches:


Ransom Swatches:


Junkie Swatches:


Lemme tell you, here we go!

Pros: (all 3):

• Very smooth, strong color
• So creamy- glides on so well
• Very permanent - does not smear or smudge for about at least 8 hrs (although it came off of my eyelids a bit after that)
• Easy to sharpen
• Very intense color
• UD is a cruelty-free brand

Cons (all 3):

• Pretty expensive (the set of 5 eyeliners in travel size came to about $34, while each of these eyeliners individually sells for $18)

Con of Ransom: Isn't as easy to glide on as the other two; I have to go over the color several times before it will stick on as dark as the other two.

Would I buy the full-sized version of these products? Since I have a Sephora gift card, yes. And also, if there is a sale, yes. I think these are worth the splurge.

Sources: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

New 2013 + Beauty Resolutions of 2013 (Realistic and just hopeful)

Image courtesy of Idea Go/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

1. Get more sleep - at least 7 hrs/day.
2. Adjust sleep schedule so that you become a morning person.
3. Shower at night instead of day.
4. Apply sunscreen every morning, and every afternoon, rather than just every morning.
5. Be more faithful in using serums and facial moisturizers.
6. Actually use up products before trying out new ones and forgetting about old ones!
7. Stop buying so many products. Just use up what you currently have.

**Yeah, I know these are a bit late, but better late than never, right? XD

The Sunscreen Project, Part 19

Here we go again!

This sunscreen is actually an eye cream, per se, but of course I'm going to review it because it has that UV protection factor!

Anyway, for those who don't know or are just new to this series, The Sunscreen Project is a series of posts I've been doing while trying out different sunscreens. I'm looking for an optimal product that will give me the following:

• Good UVB protection (SPF 30 and above)
• Good UVA protection (Has ZnO, TiO2, or avobenzone)
• Preferrably a physical sunscreen (with ZnO or TiO2 rather than avobenzone, homosalate, etc)
• Not greasy, or overly emollient
• Doesn't smear or drip into my eyes
• Lasts awhile
• Doesn't make me break out
• Affordable price

Anyway, when it gets down to that, there are a lot of things I'd like to get out of a sunscreen. Hence I've been trying a bunch.

Thus, this next one, an eye cream, is Murad's Essential-C Eye Cream SPF 15 PA++.

Ingredients list, according to Murad's website:

Active Ingredients: Avobenzone (3.0%), Homosalate (4.0%), Octisalate (5.0%)

Other Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Butylene Glycol, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Shorea Stenoptera Seed Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Silica, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone, Cetyl Phosphate, Rice Amino Acids, Zinc Aspartate, Ascorbic Acid, Chitosan, Propyl Gallate, Retinol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Cimicifuga Racemosa Root Extract, Caffeine, Siloxanetriol Alginate, Methylsilanol Mannuronate, Phospholipids, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Proline, Sodium Lactate, Sorbitol, Polyester-8, Carbomer, Aminomethyl Propanol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77499)

A cursory glance at the ingredients list shows that the product has UVA and UVB protecting agents, as well as cool things like retinyls, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), amino acids, caffeine, sodium lactate, and fatty triglycerides. I'm not sure how big of a percentage they make on the composition of the product but they're there all right.

I got a nice sample of this at Sephora and have been using it for the past 1.5 weeks. Here's what I've found so far:

Pros:

• Feels very smooth and nice
• Doesn't make my eyes water
• Doesn't feel overly emollient
• Didn't make me break out
• Does have UVA and UVB protection

Neutrals:

• Chemical sunscreen
• Is PA++ on UVA rating scale (PA+++ is the best)

Cons:

• Is SPF 15 (below FDA recommendation of SPF 30)
• Pricey - $67 for 0.5 oz!!!!

In short, while I like this product, I won't be purchasing it again because (1) it's a crazy price, (2) it's a chemical sunscreen, (3) it's SPF 15, and (4) eye creams aren't really that necessary - you can just use a sunscreen instead.

See my sources for the topic of if eye creams are necessary:

FutureDerm article 1 - by Natalie Bell

FutureDerm article 2 - by John Su

Paula Begoun - You Don't Need an Eye Cream

Previous posts:

Part 1: Introduction

Part 2: Vanicream SPF 30

Part 3: Solbar Avo SPF 32
Part 4: Pur~lisse Essential Daily Moisturizer SPF 30
Part 5: Coppertone Sport SPF 30
Part 6: Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 15

Part 7: Shiseido Sun Protection Eye Cream SPF 32
Part 8: Clean & Clear Finishes Oil-Free Pore Perfecting Moisturizer w/ SPF 15

Part 9: Coppertone Oil Free Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 30
Part 10: Wrap-up (Season 1)
Part 11: Season 2 Start - MAC Studio Moisture Fix SPF 15
Part 12: Avon Anew Rejuvenate 24-Hour Eye Cream, SPF 25
Part 13: Articles
Part 13.1: Articles (further updated)
Part 14: Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunblock SPF 30
Part 15: Neutrogena Healthy Defense Daily SPF 50
Part 16: Murad Essential-C Day Moisture SPF 30
Part 17: Clinique's Even Better Skin Tone Correcting Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20
Part 18: Algenist Ultra Lightweight UV Defense Fluid, SPF 50

Source: 1

All right guys and gals,

Time for some up-closeness. I'm gonna share with you some pictures that I haven't really shared with anyone else, pictures of my skin and how it's doing.

In case you don't know already, my skin type is combination/oily, acne-prone. This means that the areas around my cheeks are generally acne-free, but my T-zone (my forehead, nose, between eyes, chin, etc) is a constant war zone filled with acne problems. Not only that, the edges of my face often get acne as well.

In order to improve this, during the last 5+ years I've been trying all sorts of skincare products, regiments, lifestyle changes, etc. I've thrown tons and tons of money (or at least as much as I've been able to) to the skincare industry. This skincare blog is definitely a big part of it - detailing the progression of my skin, the products I've tried and the results I've gotten from them, as well as lots of facts I've learned about skincare in general throughout the years.

Now, without further ado, here are the pics I have. Promise: they are NOT photoshopped in any way whatsoever. I took them with the webcam from my new computer (still transitioning to Windows 8), which is probably the best camera I could find where I could properly control (as much as I could) self-taken photos.

For makeup: I do have some eye makeup on (eyeliner, mascara, eyeshadow, undereye concealer, brow powder) but nothing else. No foundation, bronzer, blush, face primer, powder, etc. I do, however, have sunscreen on (I wear it everyday).

Here's a very closeup pic of my forehead. As you can see I have some little bumps on my forehead. These are part of the acne I battle all the time. I try to approach acne from a preventative standpoint - aka try to get rid of them before they erupt as serious, vibrant pustules. You can also see an acne scar between the top of my nose area and my right eye (hyperpigmentation). These pictures were actually taken post-fall semester of MS-1, after my acne had subsided a lot (due to high cortisol levels from med school stress of exams and beyond). Thus you are seeing my skin in the best light it has been in for months.

Here's a view of the right side of my face. Generally acne-free but you can see acne on my chin and in the area next to my eyes.

Here's a picture of the left side of my face. Generally same conclusions as the right side, except there's less acne around the eye area periphery.

My chin area: as you can see there are quite a lot of acne marks and scars, especially compared to the rest of my face. I don't think my webcam does the marks/scars justice - there are actually a lot more than are actually shown - objectively probably 3x more. I've been trying different things for years to try to get rid of this, but these are the results I've had.

Overall I think my skin is okay. At least it has gotten a lot better since my middle/high school years. As you can see in the archives of this blog, I've gone through a lot of products. I'll definitely keep on trying new things as time goes on!

Question: can anyone tell me whether I have warm, cool, or neutral skintones? I can't really tell. I understand that most people automatically assume East Asians have yellow skintones but as shown on Musicalhouses this is not always the case. I think I have pinkish undertones but I'm not exactly sure.

In case if anyone wishes to know:

Makeup:

Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer in Light 4-5

ELF Complexion Perfection powder (covering the concealer)

DIY eye primer

Be A Bombshell Eyeliner

Clinique Quickliner in Black

Stila Eyeshadow + ELF Eyeshadows + Estee Lauder Eyeshadow Highlight

Urban Decay Waterline eyeliner in Dime

ELF eyelid pencil (light brown), Stila Eyeshadow for brow powder

Neutrogena Healthy Volume Waterproof Mascara in Carbon Black using ELF Eyelash Curler

Review: Up & Up Blackhead Facial Scrub w/ 2% Salicylic Acid

 

This is compared to Clean & Clear Blackhead Clearing Scrub - except Target brand. 5 oz, $3.50.

I bought this product thinking it would be pretty good. Boy was I wrong.

(I couldn't find a list of ingredients - I don't have the tube anymore, but it's very similar to the Clean & Clear Blackhead scrub with 2% salicylic acid, I believe)

Pros:
-Low cost

Cons:
-Did not get rid of my blackheads, even after 1 month of use
-Left a nasty layer of "stuff" - thickened white substance, even after washing, that I had to physically scrape off of my skin
-Made me even break out along my chin

Overall, would I repurchase this? Of course not! I give this product 1 out of 5 for the price, but nothing else. Sorry - failed product for me.

Source: 1