Kose Clear Turn Babyish Moisture Mask

Japanese sheetmasks are a new discovery for me. If I'm thinking of sheetmasks, it's probably Korean or Taiwanese brands, but thanks to trusty eBay, I found a 7 days mask pack of these adorable Babyish sheetmasks.

I decided to go take a picture of my morning routine outside and I saw a gian Amazon package! But it was for my mom😢 I'm on a no buy at least until September because I have a problem. Anyhoo! Here's my morning routine😁 . . . ▶️#LeeJiHam Tea Tree 90 Essence . ▶️#DermaNu Youth Activating Eye Gel . ▶️#Olay Tone Perfecting Cream . ▶️#Mizon UV Sun Protecter Essence . ▶️#Foxbrim Peptide Complex Serum ▶️#BeautyByEarth Facial Toner ▶️#TreeOfLife Retinol Serum . ▶️#Foxbrim Vitamin C Serum . ▶️#Strexderma Hyaluronic Acid Serum . ▶️#MaryKay Timewise Cleanser ▶️#Kose Clear Turn Babyish Mask . . . #kbeauty #sunblock #spf #sunscreen #essence #ljh #teatree#eyegel #peptides #toner #facialmist #retinol #vitaminc #hyaluronicacid #cleanser #sheetmask #sheetingaway #facemask #jbeauty

A photo posted by Aramicah "Mikey" Johnson (@aplaceforthese) on Jul 28, 2016 at 11:04am PDT

Claims: Moisturizing - soft and smooth as a baby's bottom

Ingredients: Water, BG, DPG, Sorbitol, Chamomile Extract, Glycosyl Trehalose, Peppermint Extract, Serine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyquarternium-51、Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben

What a cute resealable package!

Process: After cleansing, apply mask sheet to face. Leave for 15 minutes and pat in remaining essence.

Performance: Maybe I have a big face, or maybe Japanese women have smaller faces, but this didn't cover everything. It has a cooling effect on the skin, and lasts about 20 minutes if you're being conservative. I don't know that my skin felt like a baby's, but it was definitely hydrated and plump.

The downsides of not being able to read Japanese. 

Final Thoughts: The masks aren't super wet with essence, probably because there's several sheets in the pack, but the cling is good, and they work how they're supposed to.

I completely forgot to get a pic after I put this on. So this is how it dried. 

Where to Buy: Amazon | Yes Style | Rakuten | Imomoko 

Kiss, Kiss.

-A

PreLab Skin Energy Mask in Aqua Energy

PreLab is a relatively new company to the sheetmask game, and y'all know that I LURV sheetmasks. I got one of each of their Skin Energy Masks a while ago in the Memebox FOMO Mask Box, and I've used 2 of them so far and really enjoyed them, so I thought I'd review at least one of them.

My @memebox_usa FOMO Mask Box came😁😁😁😁 using one of these tonight for #maymaskmonth! #koreanskincare #koreanbeauty #asianbeauty #rasianbeauty #kbeauty #sheetmask #facemask #mediheal #oozoo #urbandollkiss #prelab #banobagi #memebox

A photo posted by Aramicah "Mikey" Johnson (@aplaceforthese) on May 4, 2016 at 7:17pm PDT

Claims: Moisturizing

Ingredients: Water, methylpropanediol, glycerin, butylene glycol, sea water, trehalose, sodium hayluronate, allantoin, panthenol, peg-60 hydrogenated castor oil, ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/vp copolymer, xanthan gum, tromethamine, carbomer, disodium edta, ethlhexylglycerin, chlorphenesin, ethyl hexanediol, 1,2-hexandiol, fragrance 

Look at all that precious face goop!

Process: Open the mask pack and unfold mask. Place the mask on your face and let sit for 10-20 minutes. Remove mask and pat in excess essence.

Performance: There were no issues with the fit of this. It clung pretty well. I like to leave sheetmasks on for as long as they'll last, so this one stayed on for 30 minutes before I took it off. I could have left it on for another 10 minutes if I wanted to. My skin felt cool and plump once I took the mask off. After 15 minutes, all of the essence had soaked in. My skin was left feeling just the tiniest bit tacky. 

I'm sorry I look so angry.

Final Thoughts: There is so much essence in these masks! The sheet was absolutely soaked. Did I mention these come with 25mL of essence?

Where to Buy: Memebox | Beauteque | RoseRoseShop | Amazon

Kiss, Kiss.

-A

Algenist Algae Brightening Mask

Sephora doesn't play when it comes their Favorites collections. I finally decided to pick one up, and I got the Skincare Rituals. In it was this little cutie. Algenist is a line I've never tried before. Masking is totally my thing, so this was right up my alley.

I went into Sephora to get my birthday gift, and saw this! It's the Sephora Favorites Skin Ritual set. I had to have it lol. It's such a good deal with all these travel sized items to try out. Trust and believe that there will be mini reviews on every single one of these products over the next few weeks. I'll list what comes in the kit below! . . . 💧#Boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser . 💧#Origins Checks & Balances Frothy Face Wash 💧#Marula Foaming Facial Oil 💧#PeterThomasRoth Irish Moor Mud Purifying Black Mask 💧#Glamglow Thirsty Mud Hydrating Treatment. . 💧#Algenist Algea Brightening Mask . 💧#KateSomerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cream. . 💧#OleHenrikson Sheer Transformation Face Creme . 💧#FirstAidBeauty Ultra Repair Hydrating Serum. 💧#Murad Invisiblur Perfecting Shield . . . . #skincare #Sephora #sephorafavorites #blackcleanser #checksandbalances #foamingcleanser #cleansingoil #ptr #irishmoormud #mudmask #facemask #cleanser #algea #thirstymud #sunscreen

A photo posted by Aramicah "Mikey" Johnson (@aplaceforthese) on Jul 5, 2016 at 9:40am PDT

Claims: Exfoliating, nourishing, brightening, hydrating

Ingredients: Water, Kaolin, Bentonite, Ilite, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Isostearate, Silt, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Sorbitan Stearate, Algae Exopolysaccharides, Algae Extract, Alaria Esculenta Extract, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Sea Water, Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid, Glucosamine HCl, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium (Orange) Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Urea, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance, Chromium Oxide Green.

My adorable 10 mL sample from the kit.

Some notable ingredients are alguronic acid (polysaccharides for anti-aging), brown algae (reduces wrinkles and whitens), blue green algae silt (reparing old cells and build new ones)

Process: Sephora's website says to smooth onto clean skin in a circular motion. Then rinse off after 10 minutes. Use once or twice a week.

A quick peek inside to see the olive green color.

Performance: I couldn't take the mask off at the right time. I was tending to my son. That mask stayed on for a good 30 minutes or so the first time I used it. Putting it on, it feels kind of gritty, but it does contain 2 kinds of clay. It has a fresh scent to it that I really like. When I finally got around to washing it off, my skin felt AMAZING! It was so incredibly smooth and soft and not dry at all. I find that clay masks suck all the moisture out of my skin, but this is absolutely hydrating.

It has a whipped texture.

Final Thoughts: The jar this comes in is glass, even for a 10mL sample. That says a lot to me. That says this company invests in it's products and likes to have happy customers. I really want to try out more from this brand based on what this mask did for my skin.

Because I have to show you my face.

Where to Buy: Algenist | Sephora | Ulta | Amazon

Kiss, Kiss.

-A

Identifying Your Pimples: Purging VS Reaction Breakouts

As a beauty blogger, I try out a lot of products. Like, a lot! I have new things come in at least once a week that I have to fit into my routine and give a try to write reviews on. That being said, I sometimes breakout from new products, and I'm sure you do to. I mean, why else are you here? Lol So before you return, toss, or give that cream to a friend, I'm gonna help you learn what your breakouts mean. 

Purging - It gets worse, but then it gets better. 

Purging only happens when you're using actives. Actives are things like AHAs, BHAs, retinoids, scrubs, and peels. These all remove dead skin and allow any oil and gross stuff to come to the surface. Purging = bad stuff already in there comes out of there. Purging is cleansing your skin of existing yuckiness. So unless you're testing a new serum or something, you aren't breaking out. That's just your skincare doing it's job, and once you've used it for a while, they purging will stop. Just give new actives about 6 weeks to get out of the purging phase. If it last longer than a few months, yeah stop using that. 

Breakouts - That is NOT supposed to be there!

To tell if you're having a breakout from a product, and not just a purge, you should be getting acne where you don't normally get it or your normal breakouts get a whole lot worse and don't go away. Just don't confuse this with an allergic reaction or skin irritation. Allergic reactions happen your skin burns or gets red and itchy. Immediately stop using the new thing. Try applying a hydrocortizone cream to calm the skin. Irritation is when your skin feels sensitive from a product. 

Take your time when testing new beauty items. That new scrub you got is probably helping you. 

Kiss, Kiss.

-A

July 2016 Sephora Play! Box

My first look into the July box.

This is my third month getting this box, and I've just been getting acclimated to being a mother of 2 while taking a break from blogging. In case you didn't know, Sephora Play! is a 10$/month subscription service from Sephora (duh!) that offers deluxe size samples of prestige beauty brands. You get 5 samples and a perfume shipped to you in a cute striped box with an even cuter little bag inside. On top of that, you get a little Sephora Play! card that you can take into your local Sephora and redeem for 10 Beauty Insider Points. This month, I got 3 makeup, 1 hair care, and 1 skincare product, in addition to my fragrance sample.

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer in Pore Minimizing

I've tried the original primer, and it has a silicone feel to it. It definitely makes your foundation glide on really nicely, but this variety I haven't tried. This version is supposed to be mattifying, minimize your pores, and help your foundation stay on for 8 hours.

Blotterazzi by BeautyBlender

I remember when this first came out! It got such mixed reviews. I know it's made from the same material as the original BeautyBlender, just in slice form. I haven't been super oily since my pregnancy, but I still have some oils creep through over a long day at work.

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer in Medium/Deep

I was so freaking excited when Too Faced brought this out in a deeper shade! I always wanted to use the Chocolate Soleil, but it was never dark enough for my skintone. I'm really upset that this STILL isn't dark enough!

Ouai Haircare Wave Spray

I know I won't use this, haha. I don't like texturizing sprays for my hair. As soon as I opened my box and saw this, I immediately messaged my friend and asked her if she wanted it. So this will be going into her next package. Plus, I'm not liking the scent of it.

First Aid Beauty Deep Cleaner with Red Clay

YES! Skincare! If you follow me on Instagram (and if you don't, please feel free to), you know that I mostly post about skincare. This is a brand I've wanted to try for a good while. Cleanser are a great way to get to know a brand. They're such a must in your routine.

Nest Fragrances Citrine Eau de Parfum

I'm not big on scents, but this is soooo nice. I suck at describing scents, but it's warm, musky, and fresh all at the same time. The perfume sample actually comes with a spray nozzle. Thank you, Sephora!

Kiss, Kiss.

-A

Sol Theory: The Subscription For Accessory Junkies

I have many, many, many (many!) obsessions, one of which is sunglasses! It all started with my very first pair of Ray-Bans. And then I was hooked! But Ray-Bans get expensive, and so I was lost. Left to my own devices in a sea of expensive eyewear, I had to continue wearing last year's styles. It was traumatic. But then, Sol Theory came into my life! And can you believe that they send you the latest styles for as little as 12.99/month plus shipping?! 

You can choose from 8 different subscriptions ranging from 12.99 to just 26.99 a month! And they have accessories!!! You can get a single pair, a pair for you and a pair for bae, 2 pairs for you, and a few other options. For my first month, I decided to just get my toes wet with a single pair of shades for her. I got these babies!!!

 

If you guys wanted to get a subscription and save some money on your first box, you can use the code "PLACE4" to save 20%. If you're lazy like me and don't wanna copy and past, just click here and my coupon code will automatically apply at checkout^-^

Kiss, Kiss.

-A

Annie's Way Arbutin + Hyaluronic Acid Brightening Jelly Mask

My journey into K-beauty has also taken me into T-beauty. That's Taiwanese for those who don't know. Annie's Way is a Taiwanese brand that pops up a lot when T-beauty comes up, so I decided to find a mask and try it out. I recently won an auction for this on eBay, and got this massive 250 mL (8.33 oz) tub for 6$. SIX DOLLARS!!! The lowest priced tub on eBay the day that I'm writing this review (7/21/16) is going for 17.49$. But enough about what a great deal I got on this product. Let's get into the details!

Each tub comes with a tamper evident seal.

Claims: Whitening, moisturizing, reduces fine lines

Ingredients: Water, Carbomer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocotrienols, Ascorbic Acid, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Panthenol, Fragrance, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Alpha-Arbutin, Propylene Glycol, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Methylisothiazolinone, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate.

When the sticker is removed, this is what you're left with: a bunch of voids.

Process: After cleansing and applying toner, apply the mask with the provided spatula to a thickness of 0.3-0.5 cm. After letting the mask set for 30 minutes, gently scrape off the mask and wipe off any residue with a tissue, then rinse the face. Apply moisturizer. Use twice weekly, or as needed. For sensitive skin, wear for only 15 minutes.

This definitely looks like hair gel.

Performance: I followed the directions listed on the packaging as closely as I could. I definitely left the mask on about 10 minutes longer than I should because I went out and walked my neighborhood playing Pokemon Go with my sister, but give me a break! Once I dried my face, my skin felt so incredibly soft. It LOOKED soft. And it felt super smooth and hydrated. There was an immediate brightening effect, too.

The evolution of the mask: (L) when first applied, (C) after 30 minutes, (R) after removal.

Final Thoughts: I'll definitely be adding this into my regular rotation. The claims on this are spot on. I love anything with hyaluronic acid in it, and it definitely plumps up my skin. I'm probably also gonna buy 1 (or all?) of the other varieties of jelly mask Annie's Way offers.

Where to Buy: Amazon | eBay | Yes Style | Beauteque | Beautibi

Kiss, Kiss

-A