There's a lot of links to products in this post.

[buhfly]

I am REALLY a fan of the multi-step Korean skincare regimen. I looked at my face today when I went to wash it this morning (er...okay, so it was like 3pm, sue me) and I really noticed a difference. Texture is better, it's plumper, so soft, and there's even less redness! That last one is a miracle, because I turn red for EVERYTHING. It's like permanent contact dermatitis, nothing helps. Or I thought nothing helped.

My mom thinks I'm crazy and I can understand that. My morning routine is 8 steps and my evening is 11. It's a lot, I'm ngl, but it's kind of soothing. And the fact that I'm seeing results after 1 continuous week (okay, it takes FOREVER to get me into a pattern for anything) is bolstering.

I'll just cut this because it's ridiculous.



I'm sorry these don't open in a new tab on their own. I'm using LJ's new editor and I'm too lazy to code by hand anymore.

MORNING:

1. Wash face with NOONI Snowflake Whipping Cleanser and I absolutely use their Marshmallow Whip Maker. It might seem gimicky at first, and I'll admit I got it because I just wanted to make bubbles, but I literally use a dot of product less than the size of a pea to wash my entire face and neck, yo. It also breaks it down so it doesn't take as much friction, which helps my delicate flower skin from freaking the fuck out. I've seen claims that it lowers the pH of products but...that's...that's not how chemistry works, so we're going to ignore that. It'll work with any cleanser, even the powders.
2. Tone with SheaMoisture African Black Soap Problem Skin Toner. I don't really have problem skin anymore, but I really like the effects of African black soap and since I'm not using it elsewhere in my routine, I snagged this when I saw it. SheaMoisture has some amazing products. Originally designed for natural black hair, some of their products aren't too heavy for my limp white girl strands. They're also trying to branch out. I highly rec their Peace Rose Oil hair line and their Manuka Honey hair line.
3. Serum 1, Radha Beauty Vitamin C Serum. I tried another kind and it smelled really awful? So when this went on flash sale one day and I snapped it up. It's the most watery of all my serums and just rubs right in.
4. Serum 2, Eva Naturals Peptide Complex Serum. It's a jelly.
5. Serum 3, Etude House Moistfull Collagen Essence. No, that's not a typo, that's how they spell this line. I used the sleep pack for a long time but Roxie turned me onto this serum. It gives you all the plumping power of the sleep pack without the heaviness that won't work under makeup. Also, it smells a little bit like melons and it's lovely. Kind of a jelly meets a watery texture but a little goes a looooong way.
6. Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream is next and, again, a little goes a super long way. (Noticing a pattern with the Korean products?) Tbh, I tried their ceramide serum first and had to return it. They put denatured alcohol in it, which to my skin is the same as rubbing alcohol, and it basically burned me. :( I turned bright red and it hurt for hours. I read the ingredients but I'd missed it. I told Roxie was happened (she had no issues with the serum, but she also returned hers after my experience and that's how she found the Etude House serum already mentioned) and she turned me onto the cream. All the benefits of the ceramides I was looking for without the alcohol and none of the greasiness I usually associate with creams.
7. Dr. Jart+ Water Drop Hydrating Moisturizer for my actualfacts moisturizer. It's so refreshing to go on! A little goes a long way again. AND it can pretty much act as a makeup primer!
8. Dr. Jart+ Every Sun Day UV Sun Fluid. I literally do my entire face with an amount smaller than a pea. I s2g, American products rip us off and Korean products give you way more than you were expecting. I've found this with Korean makeup, too.

On top of that, I do my makeup. It sounds like a lot! IT IS A LOT! But I have a hand fan I keep at my vanity and it helps to dry between layers (I also do that with my makeup) and it's really pretty quick once you've got the routine down.

EVENING:

1. Oil wash with safflower oil. Srsly, if you haven't tried oil washing and you wear a full face of makeup like me, give it a go. Different oils do different things. Safflower is pretty gentle, it bonds to dirt, and it doesn't sink in immediately like, say, jojoba. Its smell is also pretty neutral which I appreciate. I keep it in an old pump bottle from one of my previously purchased oil washes that I finished. It takes six little pumps to wash my face (rub in until the makeup breaks down, wipe off with a damp cloth) and one pump for each eye to break down my eye makeup.
2. Back to the NOONI Snowflake cleanser.
3. At night, I tone with Etude House Skin [mal:gem] Smoother. It has exfoliating properties and is also a "skin brightener" which is code for whitening. However, it's first job is to even skintone. It will not bleach your skin. But be aware, when buying Korean products, that "brightening" to them means "whitening".
4. Serum 1 again.
5. Serum 2, although I'm pondering replacing this at night with a CoQ10 serum. I don't have wrinkles, yet, but I think that's the perfect time to start warding them off.
6. Serum 3 again.
7. Ceramide cream again.
8. Borage oil. My skin isn't dry the way some people get where it's patchy or flaky but I get a little bit of that orange peel texture to my skin when I have makeup on. My research says this is a dehydration problem and since I can't go hard on hydration under my makeup, I make up for it at night. Why borage oil? Because it's known to reduce redness over time.
9. MIZON All-In-One Snail Repair Cream. Eew, snail slime??? Yup, snail slime! There are peer reviewed studies that found it fights skin cancer and potentially can ward off certain signs of aging. Also, it makes your skin ridiculously soft once it soaks in. Surprise! A little goes a long way.
10. MIZON Snail Repair Eye Cream. Guess how long a way a little goes?
11. Etude House Moistfull Collagen Sleeping Pack. It plumps your skin! And it's so soothing and smells good and a little goes a long way. Like, I mean it this time, don't overdo it or it'll feel greasy.

Whew! That's a lot of words.

In other news, I had the mother of all headaches today. :( I managed to kick it by the time mom got home, but it came back about 20 minutes into Newsies on Broadway, which we went to see at the movie theater. It got so bad I thought my vision was going to go for a little bit. UGH.

I loved Newsies, tho. SUCH AN ANGRY JACK THAT WAS. And so much ballet. <3 <3 <3

I have learned, through trying anecdotal remedies, that you can feed a migraine with ice cream and it will help cut the symptoms. I've tried just cold drinks and it doesn't work, so I think it has something to do with how ice cream will cling to the roof of your mouth? In any case, I got an ice cream cone and took four ibuprofen and I no longer feel like there's a tiny dragon in my skull trying to hollow it out for its den. Dracarys.

Sadly, because headache wrangling involved a lot of sleep today, I did not get my nails did. I should do it tomorrow but I also have to go grocery shopping tomorrow and timing logistics... I can't go past this weekend, tho. I've got at least a 1/4" of natural nail at the base and it looks awful. AND THEY'RE TOO DAMN LONG.