Skin Care

5 Things I’ve Been Loving Lately

September 21st, 2018 by Karen 38 Comments

sally hansen color therapy fall 2018 — New shades of Sally Hansen Color Therapy polish from the left! — Falling Deep, Bronze Reflection, Dusty Plum, Pink and Harmony, Cashmere Calm ($7.99 each)

1. These gorgeous nude Sally Hansen Color Therapy nail colors

I can’t decide what to wear for the next installment of Desperately Seeking Persistent Polish! Too many choices… I’m leaning toward dark burgundy Falling Deep, since I wore a pastel cream last week. What do you think?

2. MAC Cosmo Lipstick

Busted this out for the first time in months and remembered why I love it so much. This neutral pink with a hint of brown is a lovely everyday lip color, and it looks amazeballs with brown and taupe eyeshadows!

3. Kim’s Convenience

I found the best show on Netflix! In every single episode, there’s at least one moment where I have to hit pause and scream to nobody in particular that “SERIOUSLY, THIS SHOW IS BASICALLY MY LIFE.”

I’m not Korean, and my parents never owned a grocery store (they’re both retired accountants)…and I’ve never lived in Toronto (Bay Area strong!), but the family stuff rings so true growing up Asian with immigrant parents — ESPECIALLY the miscommunication and how the family members express their love for each other. I’ve laughed and cried my way through both of the seasons on Netflix. It’s the most authentic show I’ve ever seen about growing up in an Asian immigrant family, but it’s also just good. Very witty, funny writing IMO.

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Latest Drugstore Loves! —> Neutrogena Deep Clean Purifying Micellar Cleansing Water and Micellar Cleansing Towelettes

September 14th, 2018 by Karen 10 Comments

If you’ve ever donned a smoky eye to go get Baked Cheetos at 10 in the morning, or if you’ve ever “needed” to bust out three tubes of mascara to simply continue living your life, you already know that whatever makeup goes on, must come off, and that’s when micellar cleansers like these two new ones from Neutrogena are handy.

For the uninitiated, micellar cleansers are a type of liquid makeup remover comprised of tiny balls of cleansing oil molecules suspended in soft water, and they’re designed to remove makeup, grit, grime — basically everything, even the hard-to-remove stuff like waterproof mascara. Also key: they work without heavy scrubbing, so they’re gentle.

Neutrogena Deep Clean Purifying Micellar Cleansing Towelettes ($6.99) and Micellar Cleansing Water ($11.99)

Neutrogena’s micellar cleansers work quickly and well. I can completely remove a full face of makeup with one swipe, and I’m talking about a look with all teh things — multiple layers of mascara, highlighter, bronzer, foundation, concealer — and they don’t irritate my skin or my eyes.

They’re so much better than the last drugstore micellar wipes I tried (*ahem* Garnier).

“Neutrogena Deep Clean Purifying Micellar Cleansing Towelettes effectively remove makeup while gently cleansing and purifying skin. These gentle, ultra-soft face wipes provide a deep clean by targeting 100% of impurities, leaving skin feeling soft and refreshed. The pre-moistened cleansing towelettes purify and revitalize skin. The formula is powered by Triple Micellar Technology which combines three gentle cleansers that work together to help remove even the toughest makeup, effectively cleanse, and purify skin without being harsh. Neutrogena Deep Clean Purifying Micellar Cleansing Towelettes require no rinsing and are non-comedogenic and oil- and alcohol-free.”

— neutrogena.com

Although…I’d still exercise caution if you’re thinking about removing the eyeliner on your water line with one of the wipes because IMO they’re kinda scratchy for such a delicate area. Instead, I soak a soft cotton pad (I highly recommend the ones from Shiseido) with the Micellar Water, which removes my eye makeup just as well (even waterproof mascara, liquid and gel liners, and other long-lasting stuff).

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Book Reviews (and My Take on the Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Honey Mask)

August 9th, 2018 by Karen 17 Comments

Among other mind-blowing things I’ve learned in the last few weeks…did you know that when silent film starlets would wear lipstick on camera in the 1920s, the lipstick would register as black on film? Also, although perhaps less interestingly, I’ve finally figured out that the key to properly using face masks is — drum roll, please — reading books!

For serious.

Yes, I know. Face masks have many skin benefits, especially for combo skin like mine, but I absolutely loathe waiting for them to dry because it feels like there are so many other important things I need to be doing, like plotting to arrange the marriage of Idris Elba and Beyoncé so they can finally adopt me and make all my dreams come true. 🙂

If I apply a mask before I sit down to read, though? Oh, man, the time just flies, and my skin is better for it!

The mask I’ve been hitting the books with lately (reviews below) is by Origins.

Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Honey Mask to Purify and Nourish ($34 for a 2.5-oz. jar)

I usually steer clear of anything “purifying” or “detoxifying” because they often render my cheeks dry and tight (UGH), but Origins spiked this deep-cleansing mask with honey to moisturize while it draws out the gunk from your pores.

It smells like honey, and it kinda feels gooey like honey, too, but it’s weirdly satisfying when I smear it all over my face. I’ll read a chapter or two as it dries, then rinse it off, and my skin just glows afterwards.

From the Origins website…

WHAT IS IT
This gentle purifying mask deeply detoxes while nourishing skin, leaving it feeling comfortably clean, clear & conditioned.

WHAT IS IT FORMULATED TO DO
Formulated with Bamboo Charcoal, this purifying mask actively deep cleans & draws out deep-dwelling pore-cloggers, impurities & debris. Golden Wildflower & Fermented Honey help nourish skin.

WHAT IS IT FORMULATED WITHOUT
Parabens, Phtalates, Propylene Glycol, Mineral Oil, Petrolatum, Paraffin, DEA, Polyethylene Beads, Animal Ingredients*
* except cruelty-free Honey & Beeswax

WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW
Bamboo Charcoal acts like a magnet to draw out deep-dwelling pore-cloggers, Wildflower & Fermented Honey help nourish. Skin looks clear, feels perfectly pure & conditioned.

INGREDIENTS
Water, Butylene Glycol, Bentonite, Montmorillonite, Honey, Polysorbate 20, PEG-100 Stearate, Polybutene, Jojoba Esters, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil*, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil*, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil*, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil*, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Bud Oil*, Gaultheria Procumbens (Wintergreen) Leaf Oil*, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Extract, Triethyl Citrate, Ethyl Phenylacetate, Limonene, Linalool, Eugenol, Citral, Benzyl Benzoate, Yeast Extract, Kaolin, Charcoal Powder, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Trehalose, Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-150 Distearate, Silica, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Tetrasodium EDTA, Dehydroacetic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499). *Essential Oil

— origins.com

❤️❤️❤️❤️ 4 out of 5 hearts.

And because reading is fundamental…

The Glass Forest by Cynthia Swanson

Oh, gosh, so good! — but don’t start reading it before bed because you’ll end up staying up way your past your bedtime. This suspenseful tale tells the story of the three women of the Glass family — Angie, Ruby and Silja.

The action kicks off in the fall of 1960 when Silja goes missing and Ruby’s father commits suicide deep in the woods of upstate New York. Angie, Ruby’s aunt, thinks she’s traveling from her Wisconsin home to New York to care for and comfort her niece, but she discovers dark Glass family secrets instead…

I practically tore through the pages and was even tempted to skip ahead and read the last few chapters before finishing the book (which I never, ever do). That’s how desperately I needed to find out what happens at the end.

Highly recommended reading for your next long flight because the time will fly! Haha.

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Do You Like to Layer Sunscreens?

August 2nd, 2018 by Karen 14 Comments

layering sunscreen — Lemme tell you a story about sunscreen…

When I was pregnant with Connor (and for almost the entire year after she was born) I wasn’t good about wearing sunscreen. I wore very little.

(OK…I didn’t wear any at all.)

It started out from a cautionary standpoint. I was freaked out about chemicals and everything I was consuming (except for the massive amounts of frozen waffles, of course) and putting on myself potentially affecting the baby, but then, well…it morphed into a long-term bad habit. I was also so exhausted from merely just living at the time that I couldn’t handle having to do another thing in the morning, so I just stopped using sunscreen.

I was thinking about this as I got ready this morning. I don’t have anywhere special to go — just a regular Thursday — but I grabbed, not one, but two (!) sunscreens for my face from my bathroom shelf.

Some peeps (like me now) like layering a chemical sunscreen with a physical sunscreen (here’s the difference between them). That’s what I’ve been doing this summer.

After I wash my face, I do a layer of Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion WetForce SPF 50+ on my face and neck, wait a few minutes for it to sink in, then do another layer of Clinique SPF30 Mineral Sunscreen Fluid for Face on top. This particular combination works well for me, especially under makeup.

And sometimes, if I’m feeling up to it, I’ll also do a few sprays of Supergoop! x Milly Defense Refresh Setting Mist Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 50 on top of my makeup.

Is it overkill? Perhaps.

Probably. 🙂

But my skin’s doing pretty well this summer (knocks on wood), and I’ve been breakout-free for months.

I am more sensitive to sun than ever, though, which I think has to do with the Biologique Recherche P50 1970 I’ve been using every night. It’s a fairly aggressive acid toner.

How about you? Do you layer different sunscreens together to make your own super sunscreen cocktail, or are you a single sunscreen guy or gal?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The Shower Files, Summer 2018 Edition: Moisture Mania

July 23rd, 2018 by Karen 12 Comments

Yup, still spending an inordinate amount of time in my shower. Also yup, I’m still a lizard person (and thus still require moisturizer). It’s hot here now, and I’ve been living for lotion and oils. If your skin could use a quenching kiss of extra moisture, you might like one or more of these…

Everyone 3-in-1 Citrus & Mint Lotion ($10.99, 32-oz. bottle with a pump)

A huge 32-ounce bottle of this organic cruelty-free lotion will only set you back $10.99, to which I say “What a deal!” This lotion is GREAT, and I can’t deny deriving a great deal of pleasure from seeing the huge bottle on my shelf.

This is what I use when I DON’T want to use a thick, heavy body cream but my skin still needs/wants more moisture.

Ingredients
Purified Water, Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Stearyl Alcohol, Organic Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Esters, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, EO® Organic Herbal Blend [Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf, Organic Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Organic Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, and Organic Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract], EO® Essential Oil Blend [Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil , Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil], Xanthan Gum, Sodium Phytate, Dimethicone, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, *Limonene

As far as lotions go, it’s the runny side, but it isn’t greasy. It’s kinda like Curel or Lubriderm, and I’d initially presumed, because of the consistency, that it wouldn’t be very hydrating, but it is.

Oh, it is… I can almost hear my skin sighing in relief when I use it, and I think it smells soooo good, too. I get more of the orange than the mint, and the fragrance is of that magical variety that doesn’t overwhelm other perfumes.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ 5 out of 5 hearts.

Yes to Ultra Hydrating Moisturizing Coconut Oil Stick ($9.99 for a 2-oz. stick)

What can I say? I still love them Daisy Dukes (even though I probably should’ve stopped wearing them 10 years ago), and this solid stick moisturizer is booty shorts BFF material.

Ingredients
Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Beeswax, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trihydroxystearin, Glycerol Caprylate, Glycerol Undecyleneate, Fragrance (Parfum), Coumarin

It leaves your legs a little shiny, but not in that oiled-up semi-scandalous Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover way.

Note: The scent will follow you around. In fact, you’ll leave a trail of coconut in your wake, which is a plus in my book.

❤️❤️❤️❤️ 4 out of 5 hearts.

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