September 2018 Roundup

October 8, 2018October 8, 2018 MICHXMASHLeave a comment

Favourites

Klairs Soft Airy UV Essence SPF 50+ PA++++ * – Klairs did a great job with this sunscreen; It is comfortable to use on application and finish, doesn’t add a crazy glow, and is not sticky. My boyfriend, who has normal skin, was able to use this alone and he felt comfortably moisturized. Whereas for myself, it was okay at first on its own, but I did notice my dry skin feeling dry (lol). Nonetheless I think it’s great for any skin type!
SUNSCREEN SUNDAY #1: Klairs Soft Airy UV Essence SPF 50+ PA++++

Make Up For Ever Matte Velvet Skin Full Coverage Foundation Y305 Soft Beige – Around this time of year I get into full coverage foundations. I’m still super happy with my It Cosmetics CC Cream (REVIEW: It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream SPF 50+ (Medium)), but the beauty junkie in me can’t help but gravitate towards a more polished look. I grabbed this foundation on recommendation from a couple of friends that this would be a great matte foundation for dry skin. Well, they were right! It looks very natural for it’s not a flat matte, buildable coverage, and lasts all day. I’ll give a full review when I have tried wearing it in other ways.

Physician’s Formula Eye Booster Ultra Fine Liquid Eyeliner – It’s been years since I picked up an eye liner from the drugstore, but this one did not disappoint! It has a nice brush tip, is very black, easy to use, and doesn’t smudge! On the packaging it says it’s made in Japan, and I have actually been using Japanese eye liners for years. Highly recommend this product!

Empties

ByWishtrend Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water * – I really liked how this acid toner did not leave my skin feeling dry and somehow managed to help control my acne despite it being an AHA! It did sting a bit at times, I’m not sure if I had cuts on my face or what, but I do remember never feeling sensitized at the beginning while using this. If you’re looking for a gentle acid toner, Mandelic Acid is the one to pick and ByWishtrend’s Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water is a good option to consider.
REVIEW | [ByWishtrend] Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water

Cerave PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion – Already repurchased my 3rd bottle! This is such a great moisturizer and truthfully peaked my interest in trying out more drugstore skincare.
My Morning (AM) Skincare Routine 2018

Dermalogica PreCleanse Balm * – A more thicker first cleanse product, but I loved that a little went a long way and it took about a year to finish up the entire tube! You’ll definitely get your money’s worth if you have been thinking about getting this. Because it’s heavier, I don’t think any oily-skinned peeps would like this and would probably want to opt for their PreCleanse.
I tried Dermalogica’s Double Cleanse Routine ft. the PreCleanse Balm

Innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask – This was my second purchase of this mask, and I’m already missing it. Despite it being a clay mask, I was able to wear this for a long period of time without feeling like my skin completely dried up. My skin always looked even tone and really helped subside the size and pain around any active breakouts. Because of the size, I always had it in my carry-on back in my frequent flyer days, when I tend to get a zit or two after being on the plane for so long. I’m trying to finish up other masks right now, but definitely consider this one if you want an affordable K-Beauty mask!

I’m From Honey Mask – I definitely had this for too long, for I feel like it lost a bit of its potency since I didn’t use it up when it was near its end. I’m definitely considering repurchasing this, for my face became clearer from breakouts, and my skin felt very moisturized to the touch and smooth.
Review: I’M FROM Honey Mask

Differin – I already cracked open my 2nd tube of this stuff, and I feel like since using it my face looks a tad bit smoother and less breakout prone. I’m not sure if I want to keep using it however, because I want a retinoid or retinol that’ll help with breakouts AND preventative aging. I’ve been noticing the finest of lines on my forehead and around my mouth, so I’ll keep using this until I find something else to tackle additional concerns.
My Nighttime (PM) Skincare Routine 2018

Hada Labo Koi Goku-Jyun Perfect Gel – I miss this one. I got the classic Lotion to try and it really doesn’t do anything for me other than make my face feel a bit more hydrated. The Perfect Gel just really locks in my hydrators and leaves my skin feeling super smooth. Maybe the Premium Lotion would be a better one to look into since it has 5% urea in it.

Mad Hippie Eye Cream – A potent moisturizing, and lightweight eye cream. Ever since I stopped using this and tried to use just my regular moisturizer my under eyes don’t have the same bright, youthful look. I definitely want to repurchase this, but first I’m going to try an eye serum.

Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum – This vitamin C product was very gentle and showed its effectiveness. I don’t think it did too much to help prevent breakouts, but I noticed my post-inflammatory marks didn’t last as long (especially when I used Differin at night). Defintiely recommend if you want to start using a vitamin C serum, I haven’t found other ones that worked for me (even the Ordinary ones!).

Timeless 20% Vitamin C + E + Ferulic Acid Serum – Not completely finished because it oxidized. My boyfriend was using this one and we purchased another bottle for both of us to use. It is definitely more potent than the Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum, but it does have 20% Ascorbic Acid, the big brother of vitamin Cs. Nick’s face has always been good and never problematic like mine, but I do notice his skin looks a tad brighter and tighter from the first bottle. Let’s hope I get similar results!

Hope you enjoyed this month’s roundup! So proud of all the empties for this month.

xo, M

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My Nighttime (PM) Skincare Routine 2018

August 16, 2018August 16, 2018 MICHXMASH11 Comments

Please read my “skincare announcement” monologue before reading this post!
I’m Finally Sharing my Current Skincare Routines 2018

Breakdown
1. Makeup Removal / Double Cleanse
2. Acne Treatment
3. Hydrators
4. Double Moisturize
5. Main Active

1. MAKEUP REMOVAL / DOUBLE CLEANSE

Double Cleansing is a MUST in my nighttime routine. I first noticed skin improvements from this step alone, especially since I used to wear a cake-ton of makeup back in my early 20s.

I’m surprised with the Marcelle Gentle Make-Up Remover for Sensitive Eyes. Gentle really is all-encompassing with this. Just a quick shake and a squirt on a cotton round removes the most waterproof Japanese mascara I own with one cotton pad, doesn’t make my eyesight blurry, doesn’t leave a residue, or feel like anything for that matter after I use it.

At the top of the list, the eye makeup remover contains a few solvent-emollient ingredients such as Isododecane, Isohexadecane, Isopropyl Palmitate – ingredients that help dissolve makeup without stripping the eye area’s sensitive skin.

This eye makeup remover has been highly recommended by a few Canadian Bloggers, and I see why they love it and go back to it. It doesn’t add or subtract from my skincare (aside from makeup), so there’s really not much to it. It just works!

After I remove my eye makeup, I start off with my first 1st Cleanse using the Dermalogica PreCleanse Balm *. I only need a pea-sized amount to cover my entire face. Despite it’s thick consistency, it spreads easily and gently emulsifies after wetting your fingers.

The main oils in this product are Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, and Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil – definitely explains it’s thicker consistency and why my face feels so soft after I rinse it off! I can see why Dermalogica advertises it as a makeup remover for drier skin types.

Even with such nourishing oils, my skin doesn’t feel like it has any residue after I wash the rest of the balm off. It also comes with a silicone mitt which is REALLY nice to use with the PreCleanse Balm, but I’ve opted for my fingers to be as gentle as possible because of the actives I use in this routine.

For the 2nd cleanse, I also use a pea-size amount of the Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel * .

It contains Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, and Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract – surfactants and foaming agents that effectively clean skin. The foam that is actually creates is so small, and my skin feels like it’s softening as I continuously massage the Special Cleansing gel into my skin.

This is probably my favourite step in my entire nighttime routine. It’s gentle to use, my skin feels softer as I use it, and I notice my skin looking slightly brighter. Even when my sister used it, she liked it so much she bought the big bottle of it! The one downside would be that if you take too long to apply your other skincare products, your skin will definitely feel a tad dry. But this is avoided easily by following suit with my skincare products while my skin is slightly damp. I’m actually on the fence of whether or not to continue with Cerave’s Hydrating Cleanser once I’m done with Dermalogica’s Special Cleansing Gel, because I really like this cleanser too!
I tried Dermalogica’s Double Cleanse Routine ft. the PreCleanse Balm

2. ACNE TREATMENT

Nighttime is the best time to go in with a stronger acne treatment, that way whatever irritation or redness I get will only be at night.

Benzagel 5 Acne Wash is probably the best Benzoyl Peroxide product I have tried. The ingredients are no nonsense and you only need a small amount to effectively treat your face.

As the name suggests, it has 5% Benzoyl Peroxide, a very effective ingredient at killing acne bacteria quickly, and doesn’t pose the problem of bacterial resistance with continued use. I opted for the wash form that Benzagel offers because washes tend to be gentler than treatments, but just as effective if you use it long enough.

I use about a nickely to quarter-size amount and make sure I properly massage it evenly on my entire face, concentrating on my breakout prone areas. I do this for a couple of minutes until I rinse it off. I’m surprised for a small bottle it is still going! If I use it for too long I do notice my face becomes slightly drier, but most definitely nothing as severe as what I experienced in the past.

After doing this step for just over a month, I reintroduced acid toning into my routine, alternating with the wash. Since I am using Differin, I didn’t know what to expect in terms of irritation, so I stopped using my ByWishtrend Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water * until I felt confident enough to incorporate it back into my routine. I can’t do without an acid toner because nothing works faster when it comes to smoothing out the texture on my skin.

As the name suggests, it contains 5% Mandelic Acid, the largest molecule and considerably gentler acid in the AHA family. It also helps with breakouts because Mandelic Acid is supposedly slightly lipid-permeable (don’t quote me on this).

Although I haven’t experienced heavy sensitization to my skin, I do notice that my skin is slightly more sensitive to this acid toner than it was prior to Differin. (Note: I stopped using this toner because I have been testing out a hyped up one that I will be reviewing soon. I’ll finish up this one once I’m done the testing period.)
REVIEW | [ByWishtrend] Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water

3. HYDRATORS

This step is the same as my morning routine! I’ll just be linking my morning routine here so I don’t repeat myself. This step is just as essential at night as it is morning, so I’m happy the products come in decent sizes at fairly affordable prices.

4. MOISTURIZE

Again, very similar to my morning. While my face is still tacky, I go in with Hada Labo’s Perfect Gel, following with Mad Hippie’s Eye Cream. But to seal everything in, I follow up with a heavier moisturizer like the Cerave Moisturizing Cream.

I would typically finish off my nighttime skincare with an oil, but because I am using a retinoid, I opt for a heavier moisturizer to counteract the dryness from it. So far, it’s been working! Of course, Cerave’s Moisturizing Cream contains Ceramides, helping to moisturize and assist with my skin’s barrier function. It also contains petrolatum making it slightly more occlusive.

Despite how much thicker it is, this has never caused congestion! My boyfriend even uses it as his daily moisturizer. A bonus is you get a big tub of it and you don’t need a lot for it to work.

5. MAIN ACTIVE

I’m glad I moisturize my skin well beforehand, because I do get quite dry with Differin. So far I have been using it for over a month and I can say I have seen some results. I have stopped using an exfoliating toner to make sure before I brought it back into my routine!

Differin contains 0.1% Adapalene, a retinoid specifically targeted for the treatment and prevention of acne. It is supposed to be more tolerant than its big brother, Tretinoin.

Although I apply this on top of my moisturizer, I find it still has shown results in the month or more that I’ve been using it. I have not gotten a huge cyst from the Crimson Wave (unless I really don’t maintain consistency), my skin looks smoother even without layers of hydrating product, and my hyperpigmentation is lightening up on my cheeks and under my jaw. I tried using it before my hydration step, and I just find my skin looks more red, gets dry really fast, and I don’t feel as satisfied with my skincare. I’m going to continue using Differin as the last step in my routine, and keeping Vitamin A as a constant active in my nighttime routine in general after I run out of Differin.

This nighttime routine has been working great for me, and I am so happy I’ve been seeing results. Paired with my morning routine, I can’t remember the last time or if I EVER felt so content with my skincare routine, enjoyed everything about it, AND saw results.

I really hoped my routines helped you out!

Be sure to check out my AM Routine: My Morning (AM) Skincare Routine 2018

xo, M

If you want to see the texture of the products and in action:

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BEST OF BEAUTY 2017: SKINCARE

January 16, 2018January 16, 2018 MICHXMASH2 Comments

What. A. Year!

2017 I’d say was the year of a lot of skincare discoveries. Not just my own curiosity and purchases, but some awesome opportunities to try products to review from PR samples. It also helped having a significant other use products as well so I can go through them faster!

From the past year, the skincare products I am mentioning in this post are the standouts. Like when I think about them and use them, it gives me the happy feels and I never want them to run out.

I tried my best to find a product under every possible category of skincare, but a girl can only mention so much until the happy feels disappear, and I don’t want to mention a product for the sake of filling in the category of a possible skincare item. And also, some of the categories may have more than one product mentioned teehehehee.

For those curious of my skin type:

Dry
Dehydrated
Can get oily by end of the daily
Acne-prone
Used to be super oily-skinned

Skin concerns:

Prevent & Prolong (preventative aging)
Acne
Hyperpigmentation
Indented post-acne markers (lighter than deeply pitted marks)

I tried Dermalogica’s Double Cleanse Routine ft. the PreCleanse Balm

October 29, 2017October 29, 2017 MICHXMASH6 Comments

IMO, double cleansing is probably one of the biggest reasons my skin started to clear up. Before I used to just run a basic cleanser (*cough* Cetaphil) on my face for a few seconds, rinse it off and rub my face with a towel. This routine obviously exacerbated my skin problems; I wore a cake-face amount of makeup to cover all the imperfections, and barely any of it would properly wash off. I basically just maintained a vicious cycle of skin problems because makeup would always be left on my face. It wasn’t until I discovered the magic of using facial oils as the first step of my skincare routine that I realized how important and beneficial a good cleansing routine is.

In short, Double Cleansing is – well – washing your face twice. But instead of using your regular cleanser two times, you want your first step to be an oil-based cleanser. This is beneficial as the first step of makeup removal because oil easily breaks down makeup and removes excess sebum your skin may have produced throughout the day.

Dermalogica released their newest product, the PreCleanse Balm. It is claimed to be a deep-cleansing balm-to-oil emulsifier that melts away impurities from the skin.

By using this with their Cleansing Mitt (included when purchasing the PreCleanse Balm), it’ll thoroughly cleanse the debris from the skin’s surface, and allow your cleanser to deliver more effective results.