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I buy crap so you don't have to

Tag: skincare stash

Tips and Tricks: Organizing and Storing Your Samples

Sorry I’ve been MIA for a bit. My trip was about 3 weeks long, and I had loads to catch up on when I returned. I used up a lot of samples during my trip, but still have loads left. It’s like they multiply when I’m not looking. When I first ordered skincare from Asia,… Read More Tips and Tricks: Organizing and Storing Your Samples

August 3, 2018 Snails4eva4 Comments

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Whoops. I meant this photo to be for #texturetuesday but I can’t seem to get the hang of posting regularly or on time. This starry night-looking mask is the DearPacker Black Ginseng Gold Mask. It’s a light gel that glides easily on the skin—it actually is a clear gel with bits of gold flecks. Niacinamide and ginseng are both very high up on the ingredients list, but since it is a wash off mask that I leave on for about 10 minutes, I don’t expect spectacular, lasting results. My skin is soft and moisturized after using it, and that’s what I expect from a wash-off mask. It washes off easily and doesn’t irritate my skin. The gold flecks don’t really do much for the skin, but they sure do make the mask pretty! . Note: this mask was sent to me for review from @dearpacker_usa and @chokchoksocial . #abbeatthealgorithm #rasianbeauty #daywithdearpacker #abcommunity #maskaddict #washoffmask #skincarereview #maskreview #maskobsessed #dearpacker #ginseng #abblogger
Here is part two of my empties from April and May! Please let me know if you want specifics about a product! I'm happy answer questions. 😍=Love ☺️=Like 😕=Meh . 😍Moroccan Natural Prickly Pear Seed Oil*: absorbs fast, moisturizes well. An excellent pre-sheetmask oil! ☺️It’s Skin Cookie and Body Ice Cream 😍Klairs Soft Airy UV Essence PA++++ 😍True Island Honey Bee Royal Propolis Serum (gifted to me by @thatnicelady): such a nourishing propolis serum. Will repurchase for winter 😍Bonair Blue Smoother Face Oil: blue tansy perfection 😍Origins Mega-Mushroom Soothing Face Mask ☺️Huangjisoo Pure Perfect Cleansing Oil*: wish it took off waterproof makeup. But still a lovely cleanser 😕Farmacy Clear Bloom Cleansing Oil: thin, didn’t smell great. Won’t repurchase 😍Banila Co. Miss Flower & Mr Honey Cream 😕A by Bom Ultra Moisture Black Tea Cream: not very moisturizing despite how heavy it feels on the skin. Used up on my body ☺️Sulwhasoo Radiance Energy Mask: very heavy. Great for winter and very dry skin. Leaves skin plump, soft, and radiant . *=gifted/pr . #skincarereview #skincareroutine #abskincare #abblogger #abbeatthealgorithm #kbeautyskincare #instabeauty #instaskincare #kbeautyaddict #abcommunity #skincarecommunity #skincarecollection
I have sooooo many empties from April and May that I'm doing them in two parts. This is part 1. Please let me know if you want specifics about a product! I'm happy answer questions. 😍=Love ☺️=Like 😕=Meh . 😍Re:sea Reborn Toner*: thin, light, very hydrating 😍Make P:rem UV Defense Me Capsule Sun Gel SPF 50 PA+++ ☺️Holika Holika Skin & Good Cera Emulsion: a thicker emulsion that’s great for winter layering ☺️Benton Deep Green Tea Toner (gifted by @teahoneybeauty ) ☺️107OneOseven Core Flex Liquid: it’s nice, but I like the cream essence more ☺️Acaderma The Oasis Serum*: a lovely hydrating Serum, but the price would prohibit me from repurchasing 😍Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum Ex: looove—makes my skin glow 😍Stratia C+C Serum: will never buy another vitamin C serum 😍Country and Stream Natural Honey Lotion: amazing random find. Smells lightly of honey, calming, hydrating ☹️Grown Alchemist Balancing Toner: awful—like water but useless ☺️Moroccan Natural Finest Organic Rose Water*: calming, hydrating 😍Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence: the best 😍Sulwhasoo Capsulized Fortifying Ginseng Serum (mini x2): lovely but pricey ☺️Bellflower Idebenone Brightening Serum*: overall brightening, hydrating, and sensibly priced 😍Wonjin Effect Vita Moist Ampoule*: incredible moisture and hydration in this dual phase ampoule. Will repurchase . *=gifted/pr . #skincareempties #skincarecommunity #abcommunity #rasianbeauty #abskincare #skincarereview #flatlayoftheday #abbeatthealgorithm #koreanskincare #japaneseskincare #kbeauty #jbeauty #skincarereview #instabeauty #bellflowercos #instaskincare
Here was this morning’s routine. Since I lasted posted a routine, I’ve started some new products and am finishing up some favorites. I’m committed to not purchasing new products (only replacements for HG products) or accepting PR until my stash has been used up so that I know nothing will go to waste or expire. . Stratia C+C Serum Aizu Homare Japanese Sake Lavender Lotion Country and Stream Natural Honey Lotion JKosmmune Beta Glucan Toner You Skincare Moisture Moisture Replenishing Essence* Aromatic Rose Absolute First Serum I’m From Mugwort Essence* Goodal Waterest Lasting Water Oil Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence mixed with iUnik Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum You Skincare Clarifying Glow Serum* Florishe Camellia Blossom Serum* A by Bom Ulta Time Return Eye Serum Ph Balance Recovery Cream* mixed with 3 drops of Herbivore Botanicals Emerald Klairs Soft Airy UV Essence Sunscreen Scent of the Day: Penhaligon’s Iris Prima . *=gifted or PR . #skincareroutine #abskincare #abblogger #abcommunity #rasianbeauty #abskincareroutine #summerskincare #skincareblogger #skincarecommunity #abbeatthealgorithm #instabeauty #instablogger #skincarefavorites #jbeauty #skincareobsessed #kbeautyobsessed #kbeautyblogger #koreanskincare
Ignore my ugly hand and focus on what’s in it: one of the best chemical sunscreens I’ve used. The Klairs Soft Airy UV Essence PA++++ is light, moisturizing, and absorbs almost instantly. It also never migrates into my eyes. I think it has a light citrus scent, but others say they get more if a plastic-y scent. I love it and recommend it to everyone. Even people who usually don’t wear sunscreen are impressed by it. Remember to wear sunscreen daily! . #snails4evareview #sunscreen #kbeautyaddict #kbeautyskincare #klairs #kbeauty #abcommunity #abskincare #rasianbeauty #abblogger #abbeatthealgorithm #kbeautyunicorns #skincarereview #sunscreenreview
Do you have sensitive skin, irritated skin, dry skin, and avoid fragrance? Then this review is for you. It’s been a minute since my last post, but rest assured I’ve still been slathering skincare on my face. In fact, I’ve been testing a couple of products from a brand called Ph Balance. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When Aniko reached out to me (thanks to Tamy @thebeautyjars for the recommendation!), I knew I wanted to try their products: all of them are ph balanced (5.5-5.9) and are made to soothe irritated skin. The ingredient lists for each are very short (will include in comments). You can get them in these 1oz airless pump containers, making them perfect for testing and also for travel. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Hydrating Cleanser: This second cleanser has a ph of 5.5, which means it never leaves my skin feeling tight, stripped, or dry. It’s a clear gel with zero scent and it lathers up lightly. I like this as both a morning and an evening cleanser. The 1oz bottle is only $10. I would repurchase. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Skin Renewing Facial Day Moisturizer: This is a mid-weight cream that moisturizes well in the spring weather (so, not too hot or cold). I’m not sure if it would be enough for my dry skin in the winter, but it’s enough for the current weather. It absorbs nicely, layers well under sunscreen and makeup, and has no scent to speak of. The 1oz bottle is $14. I would consider repurchasing to take with me on a summer trip. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Recovery Cream for Sensitive Skin: I love this cream. I use it mainly at night and it works really well, even on tret nights. It also worked nicely during the day on some of the colder days this month. It’s a thicker, heavier cream than the day moisturizer, but my dry skin loves that. It layers well, has no scent, and while it takes a bit longer to absorb than the lighter day cream, I’m ok with that because it does an excellent job moisturizing. When my itching and redness flared up with the warmer weather (maybe allergies), this helped to calm and soothe it. It is $20 for 1oz and I would repurchase. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Thank you to Aniko for letting me try these and review them!
I love the I'm From Honey Mask, and while I had previously tried the Mugwort wash-off mask and wasn't a fan, I was intrigued by the rest of the line. Sophie's Beauty Box sent me the Mugwort Essence, the Mugwort wash-off mask, and the Mugwort Sheet Mask to try and below are my reviews of each. . I'm From Mugwort Wash-off Mask: I tried this again, just to give it another shot, and I'm still annoyed by the bits of mugwort in the mask. They're a pain to wash off and don't add anything except random light exfoliation. The gel is soothing and feels nice; I'd love it if the brand would take out the mugwort bits and keep this a gel. I even like the earthy scent of the mugwort. . I'm From Mugwort Essence: Now this I love. It's a thicker, viscous essence that provides a ton of hydration and instantly calms and soothes my skin. Quite simply, it feels nice and makes my skin feel nice. It layers well and seems to be a product that will work year round. For those with scentsitive noses, this does have a distinct earthy scent to it. I will be repurchasing. . I'm From Mugwort Sheet Mask: An incredibly thin mask (it's hard to tell it's even on!), this has the distinctive earthy scent and has a fair amount of essence. The mask clings and fits well. I noticed that it lasted about 15 minutes before it dried out, though. So, those of you who like longer masking sessions may want to skip this one. That being said, it did calm the redness on my cheeks from the tretinoin I applied earlier in my routine. . #sophiesquad #sophiebeautybox #snails4evareview #abblogger #imfrom #Mugwort #skincarereview #maskaddict #sheetmasking #rasianbeauty #skincareblogger #abbeatthealgorithm #scffinder #glowingskin #sensitiveskin
Here was last night’s routine. I’ve started applying my Curology after my toners to help lessen the irritation (thanks to @silvertran for the tip). I wait 15 minutes before and after application. . I used the DearPacker Royal Black Black Tea and Black Rose Hydrogel Mask (pr) to soothe my face after applying my Curology, which contains 0.012% tretinoin. There was a bit of extra essence in the package, which I put on my face before applying the mask. Hydrogels aren’t known for being soaked in essence, but tea and rose are known for soothing, so I wanted to see how it would perform. This tow-piece mask was cooling, comfortable, and didn’t slip like many hydrogels. It smelled just like the wash off mask with the same ingredients: like tea with a hint of rose. I left it on for about 15 minutes. After, my face felt soothed, soft, and hydrated. I’m not partial to many hydrogels, but I really liked this one. I would repurchase! . Aizu Homare Japanese Sake Lavender Lotion Country and Stream Natural Honey Lotion JKosmmune Beta Glucan Toner Blithe 8 Nourishing Beans Vital Treatment Essence I’m From Mugwort Essence* Thank you Farmer Miracle Age Repair Toner Curology (0.012% tret, 5% azelaic acid, 4% niacinamide) Acaderma The Oasis Barrier Booster* Wonjin Effect Vita Moist Ampoule* Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence mixed with True Island Honey Bee Serum Bellflower Idebenone Brightening Serum* Moroccan Natural Soothe and Smooth Eyes* DearPacker Royal Black Black Tea and Black Rose Hydrogel Mask* Florishe Camellia Blossom Serum* CeraVe Eye Repair Cream Ph Balance Recovery Cream* mixed with a scoop of The Granola Goat Starry Night Balm and 3 drops of Urang Vitamin Oil Serum Skin & Lab Barrierderm Relief Balm* . *= I’m From, Skin&Lab provided by @sophiebeautybox; DearPacker provided by @dearpacker_usa and @chokchoksocial; Bellflower, Moroccan Natural, Wonjin Effect, Florishe, and Acaderma provided by the respective brands
I've been testing some new oil cleansers recently, including the Aromatica Natural Coconut Cleansing Oil and the Erno Laszlo Hydra-Therapy Cleansing Oil. All I expect from an oil cleanser is that it will take off my base makeup and sunscreen without leaving any residue and at least most of my eye and lip makeup. It should emulsify easily, and I prefer ones that aren't too thick or too thin. . So, let's start with the bad: The Erno Laszlo Hydra-Therapy Cleansing Oil is, in a word, terrible. Swipe to see the video for evidence. First, it doesn't do a great job removing makeup. Second, it doesn't emulsify. Third, it leaves a layer of oil on my skin that refuses to come off. You can see the water on my hand pilling up because of the oil. The two times I used this on my face, I had to use a second oil cleanser and then a second water-based cleanser to get it all off! So gross. I'm just going to toss it since it literally does none of the things I expect an oil cleanser to do. This is the first Erno Laszlo product that hasn't worked for me; I tried the "sensitive skin" (pink) oil cleanser and it worked well, so I'm not sure what's going on with this formulation. . Now for a positive review: The Aromatica Natural Coconut Cleansing Oil has been great! It's a thicker oil that nourishes my skin. It takes off my eye makeup well, emulsifies easily, and washes away clean. Karen @teahoneybeauty sent this to me because it didn't work for her. It has a natural coconuty scent, but it isn't overpowering. It's a bit expensive for an oils cleanser--$45/300ml--so I'm not sure I'll repurchase. But if natural, organic, EWG verified products are important to you, this is a good option for oil cleansing. . #oilcleansing #abskincare #rasianbeauty #ewgverified #aromatica #ernolaszlo #abblogger #skincareblogger #instaskincare #snails4evareview #skincarereview #abcommunity #skincarecommunity #cleanskin #skincareroutine #scffinder
I adore the aesthetics of Grown Alchemist: the apothecary-like bottles with writing as the only “design” on them. They invoke an authority that says what’s inside is well formulated. The focus is on botanical ingredients, which I generally enjoy. Unfortunately, despite the great ingredient list, I do not enjoy the Grown Alchemist Rose, Ginseng & Chamomile Balancing Toner. . This is a very light, water-like toner (with no discernible scent) that is supposed to hydrate while also tightening and smoothing the skin. I used it for a couple of weeks but didn’t really see a difference in my skin’s hydration levels. So, I emptied the bottle into a spray bottle to use as a mist after showering to repurpose it. Unfortunately, I’ve noticed that if I use several layers of this to keep my skin from drying out until I get to my skincare, instead of feeling hydrated, my skin starts to feel tight and dry. I know the product claims to tighten, but this feels like it’s being dried out, not not like it was something the product did to firm up my skin. So, I may just dump it out. It’s always disappointing when a product just doesn’t work, you know? . #snails4evareview #skincarereview #skincareblogger #instablogger #instabeauty #skincarecommunity #scffinder #grownalchemist #toner #ginsengskincare #skincare #flatlayoftheday #dryskincare #glowingskin

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