All Gone!: Beauty Empties

It feels like FOREVER since I've done an empties post! The last one had to be at least like 6 months ago. I'll link it here if your interested. It takes me such a long time to finish products. Between being pregnant, work, and having a 5 year old, I don't have a ton of time to use my products the way I want to. That being said, I've used up so many in the past 3-4 months, I had to post this. 

Haircare

Not to many things in this category this time. I finished my first official co-wash. It's the Head & Shoulders Moisture Care Co-Wash for dandruff. I really liked this. Like a lot. This paired with the shampoo did really great things for my scalp, and I really liked how my hair felt after each use. I've got a first impression and a full review about the full line posted from last year. Planning on repurchasing this. As for the Toni & Guy Leave In Conditioner, I wouldn't buy another. It did it's job, but it wasn't life changing. 

Body Care

There's one bag of epsom salt from the dollar store. It's been a staple my entire pregnancy for back, hip, and muscle pain. I have to have it. The brand doesn't matter to me. I already have more in a eucalyptus scent and another in a lavender scent. Aside from that, I finished 4 body washes. From least to most favorite they are Aromas Artesanales de Antigua in Lotus Flower, Olay Radiance Ribbons, Bath & Body Works Berry Vanilla, and Ogx Coconut Milk Hibiscus. The only one of these I wouldn't buy again is the AAA body wash. It didn't have much of a scent or much of a lather. 

Skincare

I have a ton of skincare products to go over. A lot of things have met their end lately, and it makes me so happy! I have so many more products to go through. I have 4 things that I didn't get to finish but were hitting their expiration date. Those are Step 1 & Step 3 of the AcneFree System, my CVS AM Moisturizing Facial Lotion, and Nourish Organic Eye Cream. 

Things I actually finished are the Neutrogena Naturals Fresh Cleansing & Makeup Remover, Skin&Co Truffle Therapy Serum, Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Mask, Clark's Botanicals Deep Moisture Mask, and a few Dermal Korea Sheet Masks. It took me forever to finish that Neutrogena cleanser. I'm so glad to be done with it. I wouldn't repurchase the Dermal Korea masks. They're super cheap and it shows. I love all the sample size products. They're just so expensive.

These last 2 are just boring things, but they're so necessary. Swisspers Cotton Rounds are the best! I already have another package of these open, and one more on standby. The Equate Cleansing Cloths are really great too. Good moisture content. 

Makeup

I saved the best for last with the makeup products. I gave up on 2 mascaras: Origins GinZing and L'Oreal Lash Out Butterfly. I really love them both and would definitely repurchase. I'm tossing my Too Faced Shadow Insurance. The texture has changed since the last time I used it, plus it was getting low anyway. The last 2 things are lip balms. It's always an accomplishment to finish one of these. One is a classic Carmex, and the other is a classic Blistex. 

That's everything! I did such a good job, right?

Kiss, Kiss.

-A

Memebox Haul Part 2 featuring Benton, Tony Moly, and more!

Hey, lovelies! Welcome back for Part 2 of my massive Memebox haul! Just in case you missed Part 1, just click here. I got some really awesome stuff from the brand Shara Shara. In this haul, I'll cover a few products from different brands. 

From Benton, I purchased the Snail Bee High Content Essence. I am so freaking excited to try this out. I've been really interested in trying out some essences, boosters, and ampoules. I know that Anastasia over at Glamorable uses this and recommends it. So of course I needed it. If you want to know more about essences, she recently posted about them here. 

I also purchased a super cute Skin Care Trial Set from Dear by Enprani. In this set comes a 65mL Moistfull Booskin, and both the Bounce Cheese Cream, and Tone-up Cheese Cream, each 15mL. I already own the full size Bounce Cheese Cream, and I'm completely in love with it. The Booskin has rave reviews, and I just needed to try the Tone-up Cream to compare it with the Bounce Cream. 

Anyone familiar with Korean skincare has heard of the Brand Tony Moly. They have some of the sweetest looking packaging! While the packaging on their Pure Eco Snail Moisture Gel is pretty cute, I'm more concerned about what's inside. This gel is primarily made of snail mucin. 90%, to be exact! I know how incredibly hydrating snail filtrate is, and I couldn't pass up anything with this high a concentration for this big for such a low price. I only paid 5.50$ for a 12.8 oz tub! Since it's a gel, I'm probably going to hold off on using it until the weather stays consistently warm.

Imselene is a brand I'm not super familiar with, but donkey milk products have been popping up on my radar lately. Having only tried one sleeping mask, I had to get this and try it out. In case you were wondering, it's the Donkey Milk Holic Sleeping Mask Pack. With 3.52 oz of product, I'm not sure when I'll get through this. I only really use my other sleeping mask once or twice a week. 

Anyhoo, thanks for joining me today! If you have any super cool recommendations on Korean skincare products for dry/combination skin, please let me know. Until next time...

Kiss, Kiss.

-A

Winter Nighttime Skincare Routine

Alright, so a few weeks ago I covered my Winter Morning Skincare Routine. In that post, I covered my skintype and my skincare concerns. My morning routine tends to be less strenuous than my night time routine. At night, it's easier for me to pile on the heavier products and add more products in. As a disclaimer, I don't do all of these steps every night.

First Cleanse

Oil cleanser have gotten a lot of attention, as of late, and for good reason. These are great at removing makeup and impurities gently and effectively without stripping the skin. I'm finishing up my first bottle of the Julep Bare Face Cleansing Oil. It looks like they changed the name on it, but it's still the same product. Used on it's own, it's a great hydrating cleanser. It has grapeseed and olive oils which are great for getting rid of excess sebum and hydrating the skin, respectively. I like to use it to remove my makeup on the days where I wear it.

Second Cleanse

Sometimes, I put on a lot of makeup. Like a whole lot of makeup. My first cleanse doesn't get all of it off my face, like stubborn mascara, I go in with my Neutrogena Naturals Fresh Cleansing & Makeup Remover. This is my main cleanser on days where I don't wear makeup at all. I really like the fresh apple scent and how creamy it is.

Tone

Toner is super important for balancing the pH of your skin after you cleanse. It can also help to address skin concerns such as irritation and inflammation. I like to use a witch hazel based toner like Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Pore Perfecting Toner. This is an all natural toner made with 86% witch hazel or witch hazel extract. Witch hazel is great for reducing redness and helping to repair small tears in the skin.

Mask

Masking is a very important step in my skincare routine. If I ever feel my skin is getting a bit off balance, I can use a mask as a quick push in the right direction. I use several different masks, each one addressing a different concern. As a rule, I use some type of mask at least 3 times a week. My current favorites are the Cucumber Gel and Rose Stemcell Masks from Peter Thomas Roth, and the Hydrating Bubble Mask from elf Cosmetics.

Mist

If I'm not doing a mask and I still want a little moisture boost, I use a facial mist. I'm currently using Shara Shara's Vita Aura Level Up Mist. This is a Korean skincare product that's a dual layer mist, so be sure to shake it before each use. Containing Vitamin C, it helps to brighten skin and the oil layer helps add a bit of moisture.

Serums

I use up to 2 different serums in given night. For everyday use is the elf Soothing Serum. This one I use specifically for the nutrient boost. It has Vitamin E, Jojoba, Shea, and Aloe. The second serum, I actually use first because it's thinner. This one is the IQ Naturals Argireline Serum with Hyaluronic Acid. This is one of the first anti-aging products I've incorporated into my skincare routine. Argireline is used specifically to reduce the depth of wrinkles. Hyaluronic acid is amazing for dry skin. Just one gram of this stuff can hold up to 6 liters of water! Because argireline can irritate the skin, I only use this serum 3 times a week.

Night Cream

This is a night cream that I used to use and then stopped using it to try out a different product. I picked it back up again because, a) I had finished my previous night cream and, b) I wanted to use it before it expired. The Proactiv Clarifying Night Cream has salicylic acid in it which helps to get rid of any dark marks and refine the texture of the skin. 

Oil

I've started using facial oils, and it really does help make the skin really supple. I'm currently using the Now Solutions Apricot Oil. It doesn't have much of a smell, but it feels really nice on the skin. It soaks in quickly and doesn't leave an greasy residue. A few drops covers the entire face. 

Moisturizer

This moisturizer is my very favorite product in my skincare routine. I mentioned it in my morning routine, as well. It's the Dear by Enprani Bounce Cheese Cream. Enprani is a Korean brand, and their Dear by line is fantastic. I've sample about 4 products from it and I love them all. This moisturizer is stringy, like cheese, and just a little bit goes a really long way. I will absolutely be repurchasing this when it looks like I'm going to run out. 

Sleeping Mask

In place of my moisturizer a couple times a week, I use a sleeping mask. This is also a new thing to Western skincare. Sleeping masks are designed to give the skin an extra boost. You apply it at the end of your routine, let it sink in, and rinse it off in the morning. My very first sleeping mask, and my current sleeping mask, is the Ladykin Emalju Mangchee Lifting Mask. It comes with a tiny little spatula, that you don't think will be enough product but is! The texture is really thin yet silky. It smells light and sweet. 

So that's it! That's how my nights usually look. Like I said up top, I don't use all of these products at the same time. For example, on a night I wear makeup, I would use both cleansers, toner, mask, serums (only using the argireline serum on MWF), night cream, oil, then moisturizer. That's pretty typical for me. If I want to do a short routine, I would use the second cleanser, tone, and moisturize. That's it. The products that I use depend on my skin's needs and my energy levels. So I hope that was informative for you all! See you next time. 

Kiss, Kiss.

-A