Today it's going to be about honey! When I was searching up for information, much of it was related to using honey by itself in its raw form and not as an base ingredients. But this information still stands regardless of how you use honey in your skincare routine.

Honey has anti-bacterial properties. This makes it a good cleanser for acne. If you apply some raw honey onto an affected area for 10-15 minutes and rinse, your skin will feel much better and less "raw'.

Honey is also very moisturizing because it has the ability to absorb and retain moisture and this helps in keeping the skin well hydrated, fresh and supple. It is rich in natural antioxidants that have anti-microbial properties.

If you have dry hair, honey can also be used as a home-made hair mask! Mix half cup of honey with ¼ cup of olive oil and apply gently on your locks. Cover it with a shower cap and wash hair after 30 minutes. This works because of the moisturizing properties of honey.

Honey also even outs the tones of your skin. Because of its exfoliating properties, honey will get rid of your dead cells and debris from your skin. It'll remove blackheads and give your skin a more smoother, even look.

Honey lightens scars and blemishes since it is packed with anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. It induces regeneration of tissues and diminishes stubborn marks. This will really only work if you do this daily over a long period of time though.

A quick search on Roseroseshop for "honey" shows a large list of products but the product I'm most interested in trying is the Cosrx Ultimate Moisturizing Honey Overnight Mask. I find Cosrx products to have done wonders to my skin, so when I get the chance to, I'm going to add this to my cart to try. I've personally never tried anything with honey in it before (except in hand creams) but after doing all this research, I'm very interested in trying out some products with honey in them.

Sources

• http://visual.ly/12-amazing-beauty-benefits-honey
• http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/7-benefits-and-uses-of-honey/
• http://www.homeremedyhacks.com/28-health-and-beauty-benefits-of-honey/

Today it's going to be about green tea! I'm sure you are all aware of the common benefits. Green tea can be used in a variant of ways, and you can even make your own at-home products with green tea! This post is going to be a bit more informative, because of how much information can be found about the benefits of green tea.

If you suffer from acne, green tea is a good anti-acne product. Green tea contains catechins. These are anti-bacterial agents that suppress acne-causing bacteria and help regulate hormonal imbalances. Green tea also possesses potent anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce the redness and inflammation brought about by zits, thereby helping them heal.

If you suffer from uneven skin tones (tinges of red here and there), green tea may work to decrease the level of redness in your skin. In particular, those who suffer with rosacea may find that green tea masks and toners to help immensely.

Green tea also helps with signs of premature aging, and makes the skin more moist and supple. The EGCG compounds in green tea help reactive skin cells that are dying due to exposure to sunlight and pollution. Green tea also contains high levels of oligomeric proanthocyanidins and these help ward off premature aging by fighting free radicals and healing damaged cells.

But can green tea actually diminish the number of wrinkles you get? Probably not (there aren't enough studies done on this subject yet). Green tea is more likely to slow the development of signs of aging that already exist on your face.

Green tea also has substantial anti-inflammatory properties, which make it an ideal beauty ingredient for sensitive skins. Vitamin K is also found within green tea; vitamin K helps against dark circles and puffy eyes.

Green tea helps soothe sunburned skin as well. Its high concentration of tannic acid, theobromine, and polyphenols ease inflammation and repair sun-damaged skin. This only works with green tea in its liquid format however. You must boil and chill some green tea, and then soak a cloth in the tea and apply to skin.

I don't necessarily recommend creating your own green tea products (such as DIY masks and toners) because everyone's skin reacts differently and home-made products do not last as long as mass manufactured products. However, doing a quick search for "green tea" on Roseroseshop returns a long list of products that feature green tea.

The best benefits of green tea still come from consuming it in its liquid form. This will help you internally and the effects will be long-term. Using green tea externally will return quick results, but if you stop using the product after awhile, those problems may reoccur.

Sources

• http://thebeautygypsy.com/green-tea-beauty-benefits/
• http://www.smartskincare.com/treatments/topical/greentea.html

I am literally the worst blogger. No time management skills, no scheduling, ugh. I'm so sorry devoted readers. I got caught up in finishing my final assignments, doing my readings, and studying for and writing final exams.

But I am back! And this time, I promise you. I will have a few things scheduled beforehand so you will see my schedule come back to life.

So today, I'm going to discuss "ferment". Now this isn't an ingredient per say, but it affects certain ingredients power and benefit.

When we think about ferment, we usually jump right into foods (like kimchi). But fermentation can take place outside of the food industry and has been an integral part of the Korean skincare industry for quite some time.

So what is fermentation? Fermentation is the metabolic process of converting sugars into acids, gases, or alcohols using yeast and/or bacteria. Fermentation increases the potency of certain ingredients like tea, ginseng and rice. Fermentation makes the molecules of these ingredients smaller, thereby making it easier for your skin to absorb it.

Fermented ingredients are also usually acidic and this helps to naturally exfoliate your dead skins, making it even easier for products to be absorbed into your skin. As a result, fermentation products are often touted as having "anti-aging" benefits.

However there are some doubts that fermentation has any beneficial results when applied topically. Internally, the good bacteria that fermentation produces is beneficial to us because it helps kills bad bacteria with probiotics. Some scientists argue that "when [fermented ingredients are] ingested, the human body has biochemical processes that utilize fermented materials; the outer layers of the skin absolutely do not."

So does fermented ingredients really have any benefits on our skin? Scientists say no, but cosmetic companies say yes. While fermented products may be a marketing gimmick from their part, if you feel like a certain product has worked wonders for your skin, I'd say just continue using it! Maybe the fermentation is helping, maybe it's not. Fermentation is supposed to break down the molecules of whatever it is, so your skin can absorb it easier. I think all in all, in that regard, fermentation would be immensely helpful if you are looking for quick results.

I hope that was somewhat useful for any of you! Until Friday :) Although I do have some reviews I will be writing and publishing soon.

Sources

• http://www.refinery29.com/best-fermented-beauty-products#slide
• http://www.allure.com/beauty-trends/blogs/daily-beauty-reporter/2015/07/fermented-skin-care-korean-beauty.html
• http://www.racked.com/2015/10/30/9637454/fermented-skin-care-effective-korean-beauty

Aaaaand I'm back! Sorry I've been MIA these last two weeks. I've been super stressed out with school assignments and work commitments. I'm going to try and spend the rest of today writing out these posts and scheduling them, so I can stay on my schedule.

So today, the focus is on ectoin. According to Wikipedia, Ectoin (1, 4, 5, 6-tetrahydro-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinecarboxylic acid) is a natural compound found in several species of bacteria.

In skincare, ectoin is commonly found as an active ingredient in sun protection products. It stabilizes proteins and other cellular structures and protects the skin from stresses like UV irradiation and dryness. It is also a skin-conditioning agent and thus, functions in cosmetics as a stabilizer. Little research has been conducted on ectoin as a successful protectant of the skin from UVA damage.

However, there was a study published by Skin Pharmacology and Physiology in 2004, showing that Ecotin did protect the skin from the effects of UVA-induced cell damage in a number of different ways. It was demonstrated that the UVA-induced second messenger release, transcription factor AP-2 activation, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression and mitochondrial DNA mutation could be prevented. The results obtained clearly demonstrate that Ectoin counteracts the effects of UVA-induced and accelerated skin aging at different cell levels.

There are no harmful side effects associated with the use of Ecotin in our skincare products. So while this post is largely just informational, and not cautionary, I hope you were able to still get something out of this post! Not a lot of "fad" skincare ingredients begin with /e/.

Thanks for reading!

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ectoine
• http://www.cosdna.com/eng/58675d6398.html
• http://www.paulaschoice.com/cosmetic-ingredient-dictionary/definition/ectoin
• https://www.truthinaging.com/ingredients/ectoin

Today's ingredient is dimethicone! Not an ingredient people commonly talk about, nor is it touted as "the next best thing" in skincare, but it is commonly found in most of your skincare, hair and makeup products.

So what is dimethicone? Dimethicone is a man-made silicone oil; it is commonly used as an anti-foaming agent, skin protectant and hair conditioner. Manufactures often use this ingredient because it allows for their product to spread easily. This ensures that the customer gets the feeling of cream or lotion being spread over their skin. Dimethicone also forms a protective barrier on your skin, and will fill in fine line and wrinkles, making it popular ingredient in makeup primers.

The FDA has approved the use of dimethicone as a skin protectant ingredient in over-the-counter products, and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) panel has assessed it as safe to use in personal care products. So according to the US government, dimethicone has been approved for safe usage in our daily skincare products. The FDA also has one of the highest standards of safety, and they rigorously test ingredients to ensure that you are not being harmed.

However, there are people who refuse or try not to use dimethicone in their skincare products. While dimethicone is safe to use, many claim that it will make your dry skin worse over time, instead of improving it. Additionally, the artificial coating that dimethicone provides is not ideal for your skin:

• Dimethicone traps anything that was already on your skin and essentially keeps it on your skin with its coating. This could lead to increased breakouts and blackheads.
• The coating prevents your skin from doing its usual thing: sweating, getting rid of dead skin cells, regulating skin temperature, etc
• Some people (with sensitive or reactive skin) may have an allergic reaction to dimethicone

From a manufacturing point of view, I can see why companies like to use dimethicone. It's FDA-approved, it fills in your fine lines and wrinkles, and gives consumers that feeling of product being spread over their face. However, there are some negative sides to using dimethicone, as listed above. If you see that you are getting more breakouts than usual, check your skincare/makeup products for dimethicone. Some products may have it listed as an active ingredient, while others list it as an inactive ingredient. Even if you don't see if on the box, check the company's website for the full and extensive list of ingredients. 

If you are not a fan of artificial silicon, check out products that tout natural oils instead, or look for products that explicitly say "dimethicone free". It may be a bit of a challenge, as this ingredient is in almost everything, but there are ways around this. Alternatively, you may be able to just avoid silicone ingredients in general and turn to water-based products. 

I hope you were all able to learn something new! 

Sources

• http://www.drfranklipman.com/the-truth-behind-the-common-cosmetics-ingredient-dimethicone/
• http://www.annmariegianni.com/ingredient-watch-list-dimethicone-the-smoothing-silicone-that-exacerbates-acne/

Aaaaaand I'm back with another post in the series! Almost forgot to write this, haha.

Firstly, what is collagen? Collagen is a protein present in all the body’s organs and tissues. It provides the matrix that sustains the body’s structure. Collagen sustains our tendons, skin and cartilage, while also providing integrity, firmness and elasticity to their structures.

Collagen is useful as a skin supplement; it has been determined that collagen is responsible for our skin strength and elasticity. Our collagen levels decrease as we increase in age, resulting in more wrinkles and fine lines.

However, collagen is difficult for our skin to absorb through topical products, so collagen is mainly found in supplements. Nowadays though, collagen creams can be found but it is important that collagen is found as an active ingredient in those creams.

Etude House Collagen Moistfull cream

Etude House's Collagen Moistfull cream is a popular choice within the AB community. I have tried this product before, but I didn't see any results (keep in mind I am in my early 20s though!), so I didn't bother buying a full sized version. There are also reviews out there with people who have had a negative/allergic reaction to this cream, so YMMV.

Collagen face creams help dry and damaged skin. If you live in a colder climate with harsh winds, it may be worth considering looking at collagen products. Collagen also helps to remove dry patches on the surface of your skin and also to reduce redness, which gives the skin a healthier glow.

But does collagen really help reduce fine lines and wrinkles? Hard to say. Very few studies have been done on the benefits of collagen, and they mainly focus on a specific group of people within a limited period of time. To know whether or not collagen actually eliminates wrinkles, the test would have to be done over many many years, and within many different sample groups. Also, people often use collagen products as a preventative measure for getting (or avoiding, I should say) wrinkles. Does it actually help slow down wrinkles, or is your skin just genetically blessed to not obtain wrinkles easily?

For the most part, I think collagen can be helpful in providing moisture to your skin. If your skin naturally hold a lot of collagen, then you are genetically blessed, and will probably not get wrinkles until much later in life. Hard to say whether or not collagen prevents early wrinkles, but hey, if you think it helps with that, then by all means.

I hope this was informational in some way or another! Until next time :)

Sources

• http://organicbeautyandskin.com/what-is-my-skin-type/collagen-skin-care.html
• http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-benefits-of-face-cream-with-collagen.htm

Hellooooo! This is the second post in this blog series; I hope you're all enjoying them and learning something new.

Today, I'm going to focus on bird's nest! I know bird's nest is not a commonly used ingredient, but it is used in beauty regiments (primarily in Asia), and it's readily available as a mask from MBD and I'm sure people wonder what bird's nest even does!

First of all, let's start with the basics. Bird's nest is very very expensive, with some sources saying it ranges from several thousands of dollars per pound. They're made from the saliva of a type of cave-dwelling birds called swiftlets. Because the nests are located within caves, the nests are difficult and dangerous to harvest, thus giving them their high price. Those who harvest bird's nests will leave some behind, just so the swiftlet can remake their home easily.

Traditionally, bird's nest is consumed as a soup/liquid dessert. I think there are many various different ways of preparing it, but the way I have always consumed it was through a sweetened boiled milk, with the bird's nest submerged in it. It doesn't have much of a taste; you eat bird's nest for its texture and health/beauty benefits. Another popular way to consume it in China/Hong Kong is through a liquid sugar mixture with bird's nest. These things are actually really expensive, so I don't get to buy any unless someone has a free coupon for it.

Scientists have not declared and/or labeled bird's nest with any heath benefits, but it is believed by the ancient Chinese that "the nests are considered to have a high nutritional and medicinal value, believed to have everything from anti-aging and anti-cancer properties to the ability to improve concentration and raise libido" (Parry 2012). 

It was difficult to gather information from reliable sources for this one. I believe most published scientific papers would have been written in Chinese, and my reading comprehension skills for Chinese are terrible, so take the rest of the information with a grain of salt.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong apparently conducted a scientific study on bird's nest before. Their conclusion was that the water-soluble protein of bird's nest contains a Mitogenic Stimulation Factor and Epidermic Growth Factor. These two factors can:

• Enhance the rebirth of cells
• Reinforce the immune system
• Restore energy and stamina
• Boost heart functions
• Supply, distribute heat energy throughout body

One distributor of bird's nest has the following to claim about bird's nest:

Generally... those all are things that have been told to me by my mother as well, so I assume benefits about bird's nests are all YMMV since there is a lack of reputable scientific papers about its health benefits.

Bird's Nest is supposed to improve your skin's collagen and "whiteness". This mask also helps moisturize your skin and makes it feel super soft. It erases dullness and roughness, making skin translucent, tender and smooth. Like any other mask though, these are all going to be instant effects that won't last for long. They'll be perfect if you need a boost of instant moisture before a big fancy event or whatever, but don't expect your skin to look perfect after using this a few time!

As bird's nest grows in popularity, it has been exported to Korean beauty products as well! A few years ago, all the bird's nest products were made in China or Taiwan and were primarily done through face masks. While the most popular form of bird's nest beauty products are still in masks, some companies have turned it into shower gels, and creams.

At the end of the day, whether or not you believe that bird's nest is beneficial to your beauty, it is a popular ingredient and has been used for a very long time in Chinese history. Bird's nest is better to be consumed, but because that is very very expensive, using MBD's bird's nest mask is probably the best way to try out bird's nest.

Let me know if you've ever tried bird's nest! Did you find it helpful towards your skin or did it not do much for you? You can buy the MBD mask on www.sasa.com and www.amazon.com

Sources

• http://www.livescience.com/21534-edible-birds-nests-health.html 
• http://www.emperiobirdsnest.com/benefits
• http://www.amazon.com/My-Beauty-Diary-Birds-Nest/dp/B00DOKA468

This is the first post of my new blog series! I hope this really takes off, and that you can all learn something new.

First ingredient is "aloe vera"! Aloe has been used in various different ways throughout history, but it has really taken off as a popular topical skincare ingredient. There are various products out there on the market, with various percentages of aloe, but the one above (Nature Republic's) is a popular one, and contains 92% of aloe vera. Why not 100% you might ask? Some people find 100% too sticky for them and that something around 92% is better because it was more watery/gel-like and is less sticky.

So here are some of the things aloe vera are known to do:

• remedy for various skin conditions including, but not limited to:
• burns, sunburn, frostbite, and cold sores
• healing of surgical wounds (1)
• improve blood circulation in wounded areas
• moisturizes and hydrates the skin
• cool and soothe skin after prolonged sun exposure (2)

These are some really basic things that aloe vera can do, and I'm sure you already know of these things. Most people usually use aloe vera as a moisturizer, or to heal surgical wounds in the skin. I've burned myself cooking before, and by slathering aloe vera on it right away, the burn wound went away much quicker and it hurt much less. 

Aloe vera has potent antioxidant and antibacterial properties, which helps limit or prevent the growth of certain infection-causing bacterias in humans (3). There have been studies done to test on the credibility of aloe vera as a faster treatment on burns. One study found that aloe vera reduced the healing time by 9 days, in comparison to other types of medication and gels (4). Other types of wounds however, were found to be inconclusive when treated with aloe vera versus other types of medication. 

Basically, aloe vera has proven to be a good remedy for burns, but not so much for other types of wounds. However, its antibacterial properties would be useful for open wounds or thin cuts (e.g. when the skin next to your lips split open from the cold weather). 

There have also been various studies done on aloe vera's usefulness in improving the skin's elasticity. One study found that topical application of aloe vera improved skin elasticity over a 90 day period and increased collagen production (5).  Another study found that topical application of aloe vera reduced erythema but increased the skin's dryness (6). 

There's a lack of evidence as to whether or not aloe vera is useful for improving our skin's elasticity and for getting rid of erythema (redness of the skin that is usually caused by our skin's negative reaction to something ingested or applied). However, if you find that one brand's aloe vera is having positive effects on your skin's elasticity, don't be afraid to stop using it just because there's a lack of academic studies on this subject! Skincare products have various effects on people, and skin elasticity may be something that is just too variant for it to have a widespread effect. 

Aloe vera can also be drank! It is found in many drinks (usually only found in Asian supermarkets, but I did see a few at a 7-11). I've seen many various brands before, but the image above is probably the most iconic bottle of aloe vera juice. There's also flavours now! I remember buying a mango or peach flavoured aloe juice. Supposedly aloe vera juice helps our skin radiance, but there are no studies backing that up, so take that with a grain of salt.

To recap, aloe vera is useful as a moisturizer, burn remedy, and antibacterial gel. It is relatively inexpensive, and can be found in a variety of products now, but the higher the percentage of aloe vera that is contained, the better. Different percentages of aloe vera gel can be found all over the Internet, and I'll include some links below to various popular brands. Most people I know swear by the Nature Republic's gel, but I'll have to get my hands on 3W Clinic's after I finish my Nature Republic tub.

[Nature Republic's 92%] [3W Clinic's 100%] [Lacvert's 93%] [The Body Shop] 

I hope that was informational! That's all from me, so please come back on Friday, when I release the next post in this series!

Sources:

(1) http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-607-aloe.aspx?activeingredientid=607&activeingredientname=aloe

(2) http://www.lilyofthedesert.com/common-uses-for-aloe-vera/

(3) http://authoritynutrition.com/8-proven-health-benefits-of-aloe-vera/

(4) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17499928

(5) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2883372/

(6) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4078333/

Hey guys! I'm finally back with a post, after what seems like forever. I've been caught up in school, work and other real life obligations, so I haven't had any time to write posts or review things.

I am just here to let you guys know that I will be kicking off the month of November with a new series! The tentative title is "The ABCs of Popular Skincare/Makeup Ingredients". I plan to post these twice a week (Tuesday and Friday), and I will be writing them in advance so I can publish them on time.  In all, this series should take about 13 weeks to complete! I'm really excited to be starting this with you guys and hope that you can all learn something new about the ingredients that lie in your skincare and makeup!

Tentatively, the list of ingredients I will be focusing is as follow:

Aloe
Bird's Nest
Collegen
Dimethicone
Estrogen
Ferment
Green Tea
Honey
Isopropyls
Jojoba Oil
K
Lanolin
Mango Seed
N
Olive Oil
Propolis
Q
Rose
Snail
Tea Tree Oil
U
Vitamin A/B/C
W
X
Yeast
Z

As you can see, some of the letters have less ingredients (or are used less commonly in makeup/skincare, at least), so I am having difficulty coming up with ingredients. If you have a suggestion, please leave me a comment below! Additionally, some ingredients start with more common letters than other (such as R - rice and rose), so occasionally I will include a honourable mention at the bottom of some posts.

That's all for now! Watch out for the first post of the series on Nov 3rd :)