Present from Korea!

Yay, I just received my sister's birthday present from Korea! She is so sweet, she always sends presents, and they are always on time too! I feel bad because mine are never on time and I still have yet to actually send her birthday present (although I am actually making her a present, shhh, don't tell her!)

So today I got her package and when I opened it up I tiought it was just this bag and this dress, which would've been plenty

but it turns out the bag and the dress are for my twin sister, and there was more stuff inside the bag for me!

More skincare samples (I haven't even finished the other ones she sent me!)

Some nail polish and nail files, how cute!

Omg, these are sooo pretty! Love the packaging!

This cute little photo holder, although I actually don't have any wallet photos right now...but I'll probably use this for credit cards and my id

Eyeshadow quad and lipstick, I love the packaging on these too, kinda retro chic

Hello Kitty lipgloss, I'm so glad everyone knows about my Hello Kitty obsession!

Cream eyeshadows, very bright!

Huge mirror, and it stands up too! Very handy

And finally some face gel stuff...I actually don't know what this is! Moisturizer? It says "hydro gel..."

Lol, my son checking out the mirror for me!

Thank you soooo much Jina! I love you! And I love everything you sent me, you're the best :)

Wow, it seems like lately all I have been doing is hauling! But I promise, I will catch up on my reviews, tutorials, and other stuff I've been meaning to do. With me being sick so much lately, I think hauling has just been the easies thing to do....and the funnest, hehe :P (I know funnest is not a word, but I don't care, I still use it!)

P.S. I hope with all these hauls you guys do not take it as me trying to show off or brag about the stuff I buy. I just get really excited and want to share the stuff I find or products I am trying out, please let me know if I sound like I am bragging, because I really just want to share what kinds of products are out there in case some of you aren't aware and are looking for new brands to try! :) Thanks!

 

Marshall's & Target Steals

I haven't been to Marshall's in so long, in fact, I think I've only gone one time. But the other day I was heading to Target and Marshall's is right next door and I remember reading on someone's blog that Marshall's has makeup and skincare stuff, so I decided to pop in. They have some really good deals! I wish I had more money when I went. But that would probably be a bad thing :P

Anyhoo, I found a bunch of Elizabeth Arden face products, such as moisturizers, serums, and eye creams, and they were all relatively cheap! I didn't think they would have those type of name brands, especially for such low prices. Haha, I totally sound like a commercial right now. I've never used Elizabeth Arden products before, so I thought I would give them a try.

Both products claim to give you better tone and texture within a couple weeks, so I'll be sure to do a review then.

The Day Emulsion is really thin and kinda slippery

The Visible Difference is thicker and creamier

Both products have a nice scent, not too overpowering, just a simple clean smell. They feel a little sticky on the skin and take a little bit to absorb, but they do a good job of moisturizing. I hope they really work!

After I went to Marshall's I stopped in at Target to find a Valentine's card for the bf. Of course I stopped in the makeup section (what, do you think I'm made of steel? :P) I just happened to look on the very bottom shelf of the Boots section as I was walking by and saw a bunch of makeup brushes that were on sale. I've never used anything from Boots, but the brushes looked pretty nice and were really cheap! I got the powder brush for like $5 and the blush brush was like $3.50? or something like that

They are pretty decent, a little scratchier than I prefer, but they get the job done. And hey, for the price I can't be too picky!

I love finding bargains!

Product Review: Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque

I have heard so much about this face mask that I wanted to try it, and I finally got it a couple weeks ago and tried it out. What's the verdict?

I love it!

This mask is a clay based mask that goes on smoothly and hardens after a couple minutes. Supposedly it helps shrink pores, removes blackheads, and dries up pimples. I haven't noticed any of these yet since I have only used it a couple of times and I don't really have any pimples, but it is very refreshing and I love applying it, the formula is so creamy! After I rinse it off my skin feels clean, refreshed, and smooth!

Here are some pics of me with the mask on for your viewing pleasure!  Haha, I look like I should have rollers and a bathrobe on! Only for you guys would I let you see me like this! :P

Okay, you can stop laughing now!

See? Clean face! Now off to bed :)

(I look crossed eyed or something!)

Rating: 4/5

Pros: Refreshing, goes on smoothly, non drying, face feels very clean and smooth afterwards

Cons: twist off cap, hardens a lot! you can barely move your face!

Would I repurchase? Sure, it's really nice, plus inexpensive!

My current skincare routine

I have had a couple people ask me what my skincare routine is, and my answer to that is, it is always changing! Seriously, I hardly ever use the same products twice (with a few exceptions) and once I finish a product I move on to something else. Why do I do this? Well, for a couple of reasons. First, I heard somewhere that it's good to change up your products once in awhile because if you keep using the same product for too long your skin can get used to it and over the time the product won't be as effective anymore. Second, if a product doesn't work for me the first time, I see no reason to continue using it. And third, there are just too many products out there that I'm curious to try, and I am a total sucker for peer pressure. :P

So as of right now, these are what products I have been using (I really haven't tried any high end department store brands yet, mostly just because I am always broke):

On a daily basis I switch between these, I really like the Philosophy cleanser, it does a good job at removing makeup and I like the smell. I heard so many reviews of the Cetaphil that I had to try it, but it didn't really impress me much, although I do like the texture. And the SkinEffects I just picked up recently, it came with some moisturizer and they are supposed to help reduce redness. So far I haven't seen a difference yet, but maybe it's too soon to tell. It smells really strongly though, almost too strong, like medicine.

This is what I use when I start to break out, which isn't very often, my boyfriend uses this more than me which is why it's almost gone. It has a very creamy texture which feels good, but it kind of leaves my skin dry, which most acne cleansers tend to do

These are what I use to exfoliate. I have been using the St. Ives Apricot Scrub for over ten years and it is the only non makeup facial product that I cannot live without. Seriously, if I don't have this on hand, I go crazy! The Biore is a microdermabrasion polish which works really well and is a lot easier to use than the other products I've seen, mostly because it is only a one step process and comes in a convenient squeeze tube. Check out my review here

And these are my moisturizers that I currently use. The Pond's dry skin cream is really rich and not overly perfumed, this is the moisturizer that I always fall back on because I love the texture and it's really moisturizing. I still like to see what other products there are though. The Roc moisturizer is just okay, I actually don't really like how it makes my skin feel after using it, kind of flaky or something. The Oil of Olay cream is okay too, but neither of them seem to work as well as the Pond's. Oh and the SkinEffects moisturizer is kinda weird, it feels tingly and kind of refreshing, but sometimes it feels kind of like it's burning my skin. And it doesn't seem to be helping my redness any.

I only just started using eye creams, mostly because I haven't been sleeping well lately at all and it's starting to show. The Amore Pacific I got as a sample in my Sephora purchase and the Biore I picked up at CVS. So far neither of them seem to be working very well, or I just have extreme problems that these won't solve. :(

So there it is, my current skincare routine. To be honest, I really don't like half of the products because they don't seem to be effective whatsoever, but since I paid for them I don't want to waste them. But in another month or so I will probably have a whole new routine, hopefully. :) I am constantly on a quest to find new and better skincare products that actually work, so if anyone has any suggestions please let me know, but preferably products that aren't super expensive. I have dry skin with redness and discoloration, but not oily at all and hardly any breakouts. Oh, and I want to start using masks, I haven't used one in so long, and I definitely need to start using serums, sunscreen (I know, I'm horrible for not using one already!) and other important stuff.

Find the right facial moisturizer for your skin

Find the right facial moisturizer for your skin

 

 

Winter is here and if your skin is anything like mine, than it is probably dry, flaky, and dull. But it doesn't have to be!

Check out these 19 awesome facial moisturizers and watch your dull winter skin transform just in time for summer!

Product Review: Biore Skin Preservation Even Smoother Microderm Exfoliater

(ew, my hand looks really gross, sorry!)

Biore has recently come out with a new line of skincare products, Skin Preservation, aimed at those who are no longer in the teenage acne phase, but hasn't quite reached the age where it's time for wrinkle cream. I have been looking for new products to try out and their Microderm Exfoliater was just what I was looking for. My skin is really dry and uneven, with patches of redness, and I am constantly on the lookout for products that will reduce any of these problems. This is the description of the Microderm Exfoliater, taken directly from the Biore website:

"Even Smoother® Microderm Exfoliator features the same ultrafine alumina crystals that are used in microdermabrasion, a process aestheticians use to help skin look radiant and smooth. Skin-conditioning Shea Butter and calming White Tea Extract are on hand to help soothe skin, with the result that it feels beautiful – not irritated.

• Botanamide® Technology
• Non-comedogenic (won't clog pores)
• Dermatologist tested
• Hypo-allergenic
• Oil-free

INACTIVE INGREDIENTS:

Water, alumina, glycerin, propylene glycol dicaprate, cetearyl alcohol, PEG-12 dimethicone, caprylic/capric triglyceride, arachidyl alcohol, trilaureth-4 phosphate, cetyl-PG hydroxyethyl palmitamide, camellia sinensis leaf extract, nymphaea coerulea flower extract, melissa officinalis leaf extract, hordeum distichon (barley) extract, disodium rutinyl disulfate, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), behenyl alcohol, cetearyl glucoside, arachidyl glucoside, acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, propylene glycol, sodium hydroxide, DMDM hydantoin, methylparaben, propylparaben, fragrance."

This product claims to remove rough, dull surface cells so that new cells can emerge, giving you brighter, softer, more even toned skin.

So did this product live up to its claims?

I would say for the most part, yes. It made my skin feel cleaner, softer, and got rid of my dry patches. After applying moisturizer, my skin felt smooth and clean. I have only been using this product for about a week, so I haven't noticed any reduction of redness or a more even skintone yet, but I like it so far, and hopefully the more I use it, the more results I'll see. I definitely like it better than Oil of Olay's Regenerist Microdermabrasion & Peel System. While I liked how this one made my skin feel after using it, it was kind of harsh on my skin when  applying it, the crystals felt warm and soothing and had a nice orangey smell, but when I added the activator serum, it felt like it was burning my skin! Also, it was a lot messier to use because it's a two step system and you have to apply two different products which can get kind of messy. I like the Biore one because it's in an easy squeeze tube, and its a one step process which saves time and doesn't burn my skin.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this product to anyone who is looking for smoother, softer skin!

Link

http://www.makeyourcosmetics.com/index.asp

 

Hey everyone! I found this website awhile back and I absolutely love it! There's some great recipes on here to make your own homemade soaps, makeup, face masks, etc. and most of the ingredients you can find pretty easily. I tried a recipe for a great body scrub which worked really well, but here's a super simple recipe for a face mask that takes like two minutes to make:

Ingredients:
1/2  avocado, mashed
3-4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice

Blending Procedure:

1. Add the lemon juice and stir. If your skin is normal or oily, add more lemon juice for added astringency.
2. Spread evenly on clean, damp face and leave for about 10-15 minutes.
3. Rinse well with warm water. Tone and moisturize as usual.
4. Make a sandwich by spreading the leftover mask onto two slices of bread. Add sliced cucumbers, onion and tomato, sprouts -- cheese if you wish -- and enjoy!