Tips To Better Skin

I don't know if I am qualified to give advice but I here are some tips that helped me, and hopefully it'll help someone else too! My skin was problematic a few years ago but it has improved a lot and at least now I know how to get it back in control. I got these tips over the years, reading and listening to advice from people who know skincare.

Tip #1: Find the right products
What an obvious tip right? But there are some less obvious reasons why you to find products that will work for you. If your current routine no longer works and the products do nothing for you, it is time to find new products. Using products that work for you will make you motivated to stick strictly to your skin care routine! Are there days where you skip the moisturiser or toner because you were lazy? Or have you had the thought that missing a day or two will not make a difference anyway? These things will make you slack on your skin care routine. After I switched to my current products (mainly Innisfree), I saw the improvement of my skin and I actually like to apply the products every morning & night. I've never missed a day. I believed that the products worked for me and I religiously apply them every day/night. When you use products that work, you'll like the products and you're more motivated to do your skin care routine daily.

Tip #2: Follow the instructions on the packaging
They are there for a reason. e.g. If the sheet mask should be removed in 15-20 minutes, you should stick to that. Maybe just a few more minutes, but definitely not for TOO LONG. Leaving it for too long will have counter effects and may irritate your skin. That's just one example. Try to follow the directions/instructions on the packaging and apply them as they should be. I guess it is okay to use less than directed, but probably not more. Similarly, do not use a product more often than you should. Clay masks work wonders, but if you use it daily, you'll be stripping your skin of its natural oils and again: counter-effective.

Tip #3: Your hands are dirty
Keeping your face clean. Always try to think that your hands are dirty and don't touch your face more than you need to. Especially when you have a pimple. It's just like how you won't sit on a dirty chair. If you don't want to dirty your clothes, why will you want to dirty your face? Of course, not touching your face doesn't gurantee your good skin, but its a start.

Tip #4: Be gentle with your skin
Pat your skin with a towel or one of those facial pads. Do not wipe it with force. If you apply anything with a cotton pad (makeup remover.. toner..), apply gently too! Also, do not over-exfoliate your skin. Only use any exfoliating products 2/3 times a week. Exfoliating products include facial scrubs, silicone cleansing pads, and facial cleansing brushes (like clarisonic). They are great to get rid of dead skin cells and cleanse your skin, but using too much will also be counter-effective. Be gentle!

Tip #5: Simplify your skincare routine
Like I've mentioned in tip #1, it is important to have a skin care routine you stick to. But do not spam your face with all kinds of products! If you've not found products that work for you, start from the most basic routine -- facial wash, toner, moisturiser. Once you've found the products that work for you, you can slowly add products like eye cream, serum, etc.

Tip #6: Read & Research
A lot of people actually have a lot of misconceptions on how some products work, or they simply do not know. For example, some people think that products that work for someone with dry skin, will not work for someone with the "opposite" oily skin type. That's not true at all. I've seen people review & recommend products that do not work for them, TO people with the "opposite" skin type. It doesn't always work like that. Try to read reviews by people with similar skin type as yours, instead of reviews by people with the "opposite" skin type. Another misconception: people with oily skin may think that they do not need to moisturize, when the fact is that everyone should! That brings me to my next tip...

Tip #7: Moisturise
Regardless of what climate you live in, and what skin type you have, you should always use a moisturiser. I can't tell you how many times I've read someone state that their secret to flawless, young-looking skin is moisturising. AND sheet masks. Actually this should be Tip #1 because I think this is very important!! (not that the tips are in order of importance though...)

Tip #8: Do not reapply base makeup (foundation/bb cream)
Well, not really reapply, but do not apply on MORE throughout the day on top of what you already have on. Imagine patting on foundation on top the the dirt/grime/oil that was on top of your first layer of base makeup. ew right? It sounds like an exaggeration, but you really should try to avoid applying on more base makeup as the day goes on. If your base makeup slides off easily, use a primer, powder or change your foundation/base makeup! That's my only makeup-related tip here. I think I focus more on skincare & getting good skin than having good makeup to cover flaws?

--

Of course, there are lucky people who do not need to take special care to have good skin, but there are those of us who require more effort to maintain healthy, clear skin. Small changes can make a difference.

Well, these are just a few tips you can take note of and keep in mind. You don't have to believe or follow all of them, but it is good to change some bad habits you may have. It's a start! Along with a healthy diet and skin care routine, you should be on your way to better skin!

Essence Sending You Kisses, Exits on Your Right Nail Polish Swatches

Essence: Sending You Kisses, Exits on Your Right.

I got these 2 polishes from Watsons a few months ago. I love all the polishes from this collection! I would've totally gotten the whole collection! I decided to get a pink because I really don't usually wear pink and I already own similar colours of the rest.

Each bottle only cost $3.50. The formula of these were great too! Highly pigmented and I could definitely get away with just one coat. Below are the swatches of them on my nail wheel. These are without topcoat! The gloss is not bad, isn't it?

Review: Innisfree Jejubija Anti-Trouble Facial Foam

Today, I'll be reviewing Innisfree's Jejubija Anti-Trouble Facial Foam! 

I've been using this on 23 June... So that's been slighly more than a month? I like it so far! 

This facial foam is part of Innisfree's anti-trouble line. "Anti-trouble" is pretty much a euphemism for "acne". I guess having a "anti-trouble" facial foam in your shopping bag is less embarrassing than anything that says "acne". Don't want people to start scrutinizing your face right? 

The packaging of this describes it to be "Enriched with torreya seed extract from pure Jeju island", to help "control blemish for clear skin". It also claims to "remove pore impurities as it prevents and relieves skin trouble". It is also composed of "natural originated salicylic acid, panduratin, and rose crystal that helps to relieve skin trouble". Sounds promising, yes? 

This is also 5-Free: Paraben free, sulphate-free, artificial colouring free, mineral oil free, animal ingredients free.

This cost 8,000 Won for 150ml of product, which is pretty affordable. It only comes in one size, so it may not be that travel-friendly. When I first used it, the smell was so strong! I remember the first time I used it, I thought of the Yardley of London powder?? Which is supposed to smell like lavender.. but I think this facial foam smells a bit minty too. It may not be a pleasant smell to have on your face but I got used to it by the first week! I also felt a cooling feeling on my face, which will notice if you stop lathering and leave it on your face for a moment. I thought that it seemed a bit gimmicky, but perhaps it really has an effect? My skin always feel clean and refreshed after washing. This also foams up well.

After using this for 6 weeks, my skin is still clear. I will definitely repurchase this again! I have normal/combination skin. My previous facial foam makes my skin feel a little dry & tight after washing and I usually have to follow up with moisturiser or a facial mist, but this facial foam does not give me that dry feeling after use.

If you don't have troubled skin, I'll still recommend this to you. Do not assume that all trouble skincare range are only meant for those with oily/acne-prone skin. Acne can be caused by a lot of factors!! I think this also works to clean the pores and prevent clogged pores. 

I don't have trouble skin or major acne problems, but I used to always have at least 1 pimple (new/healing) at any point of time until. I wasn't really looking to switch my facial wash, but Innisfree products had always worked well for me and so I bought this to try! As my previous facial wash already helped my skin, switching to this Innisfree facial foam didn't improve my skin significantly, but it still worked as well! This Innisfree facial foam is 5-free and works just as well!

I bought this in Korea in April at the Duty-free shop at Lotte. The Duty-free shop at Lotte houses a wide range of popular Korean cosmetics brands, both low end and high end. You can find counters for brands like Etude House, Innisfree, Skin Food, Holika Holika, Laneige, Sulwhasoo, SKII etc... Pretty much like those at airports, but this is just in the city. They don't stock nail polishes though. They also seem to like selling things in multiple quantities. When I wanted to get this, the sales lady told me I had to get 2, then I was like, alright, then I won't get it. (Since I've never tried this, why would I buy 2 x 150ml of something that may not work or break me out?) But after I said that, she let me just get one. At Skinfood though, I wanted to get the popular Black Sugar Mask Wash off, but they only sold it in a pack of 4!! Why would I get 4 of the same thing... -ends random rant-

To end off, here's the ingredients list:

Gmarket Haul #9

Wow! It is haul 9 from Gmarket Global!

I haven't ordered from Gmarket for some time because I went to Korea in April this year and so I was holding back on ordering from Gmarket. Heh.

I ordered from Gmarket on Thursday (18 July), but because I had a pre-order from an album in my order, my items were only shipped out from the Gmarket warehouse on Wednesday (24 July). The parcel reached my doorstep on Thursday (25 July). That means my whole order took only 1 week (including weekends) to come!

Now, on to my loots from Gmarket....

Etude House Dear My Party Nail Polishes: Pajama Party, Celeb Girl, Prom Queen

Etude House PBL601 Pajama Party, PPP505 Celeb Girl, PPK001 Prom Queen

Aren't they lovely! I don't usually fancy glitter nail polishes unless they are in a milky/opaque base. These were SOOO full of glitter, I couldn't resist picking them up when I saw them in stores. They were easy to apply. The glitters spread out pretty well without effort, but if you like, you could dab the brush on your nails to get more glitter. There isn't really a need for that though. It looks good to go with just 2 coats, but I would apply 3 coats + topcoat. I love them so much!! They are so fun to wear. Out of the whole Etude house dear my party nails collection, I feel that these are the 3 I like the most. I would also get a few others... but I would wear them in a nail polish sandwich. I can wear these 3 on their own.

Bottle shots:

PBL601 Pajama Party

PPP503 Celeb Girl

PPK001 Prom Queen

Macro of the bottles. Aren't they so pretty??

Swatches. Yikes, sorry they aren't in order and aren't labelled. but I'm sure you can tell which is which!!

My favourite has to be Pajama Party. It is just chockful of colourful tiny glitter. I would say that Celeb Girl's glitter is more subtle simply because the blue base is more opaque? but it does not completely cover the glitter. These are all very lovely milky-based glitter polishes and I would definitely recommend them!

What are your favourite Etude House nail polishes?

Review: Innisfree The Green Tea Seed Serum

I loved the Innisfree Green Tea Pure Cream and I've heard great things about the serum, so why wouldn't I buy it! And..... I love it too! 

I got this when I went to Korea earlier this year. I actually bought 2 of it! I was a little apprehensive about getting it because when I was reading reviews, there was this girl who said it broke her out when her skin is usually not that sensitive ): Thank goodness this didn't break me out. 

According to this, you're was supposed to use the serum before the green tea pure skin/lotion. I've always thought that toner should come before serum (then again, I've never used a serum before). I don't use the toner from this range (I used Etude House's Wonder Pore Freshner -- LOVE IT TOO) so I didn't know whether toner or serum should come first. Anyway, what I do now is toner --> serum --> moisturiser. And that works fine for me. 

/edit: If you have dry skin, it is recommended to use the serum right after cleansing & before toner. If you have normal skin, it is alright to use the serum after the toner. 

If you're thinking about buying this online, I think the packaging is quite safe for shipping. The bottle is plastic and it comes in a box. It also comes with a little plastic cap for the pump.

I've used this serum for exactly 2 months now and I can feel that my skin is significantly softer & smoother these days. I try not to touch my face too much but nowadays I can't help touching it a little bit more after I wash my face. It's not psychological because I wasn't even expecting any major improvements but it is true that I realised that my skin is better these days. This is the only major addition to my daily skin care routine for the past 2 months! I use this every night and every morning when I wash my face, I can see that my face looks more dewy and moisturised. I don't apply this in the morning though.. simply because I like be able to pat in skin care products onto my skin and I don't have time for that in the morning. lol. 

I use 1 or 2 full pump for my whole face. A little goes a long way! I like to pat it on my face and let my skin absorb it before applying my Green Tea Pure Cream moisturiser. I love that these products are absorbed quickly into my skin and I don't feel like there's something on my face, and still feels hydrating. (Don't you hate it when you apply a cream and you go to bed and you feel like you have to make sure you don't accidentally "rub" off the cream?) I also love the smell; it is very subtle, and it smells like what most green tea skin care products smell like.

The ingredients list!

Overall, I definitely recommend this product! It is worth the price as you only use a little product each time and the bottle lasts a long time!

Review: Biore Cleansing Milk make up remover

I love Biore for their sunscreen & makeup removers. I've tried 3 types of Biore makeup remover and I like them all. Today, I will be sharing my thoughts on Biore's Cleansing Milk make up remover.

On my trip to Taiwan, I decided to grab a bottle of Biore Cleansing Milk at Watsons to try since I've gone through 2 bottles of the Cleansing Oil and I thought of trying something new. I've never used a cleansing milk formula before so I didn't know what to expect.

Application:
The instructions state to apply a suitable amount (it suggests 2-3 pumps, but I feel that is too much!) and spread it on your face to massage, and rinse off with water. No need for cotton pads.

My thoughts: 
The product doesn't foam up, but it still does a good job of cleansing off my BB cream. It does not make my skin feel tight/dry after I rinse it off with water. It doesn't leave any residue and I usually don't double-cleanse (meaning I don't follow up with my facial wash) when I use this. I've not had breakouts since I use this so I guess it does clean quite well! Note that I only use this on days where I only wear my BB cream or sunscreen (yes, you should still use a remover to remove your sunscreen properly!). When I have heavier makeup, I still use my Biore cleansing oil to wash off my make up thoroughly. I feel that it is a very gentle cleanser for daily use for people who don't wear a lot of make up.

One thing to note when buying this product is the country it is manufactured in. I realise that Singapore sells those made in Japan, while those sold in Taiwan are made in Taiwan. I have used a bottle of the cleansing oil made in Japan, and made in Taiwan, but I didn't feel that there was much difference. For the price difference, I don't mind getting the made in Taiwan ones.

Ingredients: 

To sum it up..
What I love about this product:

• Smells good (as with all Biore make up removers)
• No residue
• Pocket-friendly
• Doesn't make your skin feel dry/tight after using
• Gentle, yet cleans well

I'll definitely recommend this product for people who don't wear much make up!