I am finally back with a long awaited updated! Unfortunately, it's not a new ABCs post. I realize that I am super behind with that series but I haven't had any time to do any research so all my research will have to take place during Reading Week. 

So now, onto the products that I have finished in between the time I wrote Empties No. 1 and now.

So this is the Banila Clean It Zero. I wrote a blog post about it here, where I compared it inadverately to Shu Uemera's Cleansing Oil. To summarize, I really like this cleansing balm; it's travel friendly (I actually finished it while I was back home in Vancouver!), the balm consistency means it doesn't flow down my arms while I'm using it, and it takes up very little space on the counter. I repurchased two (opened one already) for backups. I highly recommend this cleanser if you are the type of person to regularly put on a ton of makeup and hard to remove waterproof mascara.

This is the Marula Intensive Repair Shampoo. I purchased this back in June and finished it in November. This took me a long time to finish, not because I disliked it, but because I don't wash my hair every single day. I actually wash about 1-2x a week because of my hair colour. I dry shampoo every other night. I have the conditioner from the same line, but it's on its last drops now. I have purchased Living Proof's restore shampoo/conditioner to replace the two (mainly because Sephora no longer ships it to Canada, but also because I didn't see a huge improvement in the condition of my hair).

This is Philosophy's Hope in A Jar Night cream. This is my absolute holy grail night cream for the winter. Especially because I live in a dry climate, this is one of the few things that keeps my face super moisturized. I highly recommend this night cream to anyone who lives in a drier climate or suffers from dry skin. It is kinda oily feeling (but not like putting straight-up oil on your face oily), but the cream sinks into your skin really nicely, and when I wake up in the morning and wash my face, I'm not washing excessive amounts of cream off. Unfortunately, I did not repurchase immediately after running out because every time I went into a Sephora to try to repurchase, it would be OOS. I am currently using Laneige's Water Sleeping Mask ($30) instead.

Philosophy recently added a new version of the night cream to their lineup but it costs $65 (versus the $59 for this one). 

This is the ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Brow Wiz in Taupe. Holy grail for a lot of people, and I really enjoy using this product to line my brows, but I can no longer justify the $27 for 0.003oz of product. I'm currently using a product from one of those Ipsy bags (my friend gave it to me because it was in the colour Taupe and her hair is dark brown). I find that there is no absolute need to buy this particular eyebrow pencil because there are so many others out there that perform just well. I find that smaller/thinner pencils (the kinds that don't need to be sharpened and are retractable) are the best, regardless of brand. 

Maybelline's The Colossal Volume mascara and Benefit's Roller Lash Curling & Lifting mascara (in a trial/deluxe size). I really enjoyed Maybelline's The Colossal Volume mascara. It lengthened and volumized my lashes in 2 swipes. I had another friend tell me that they also liked this mascara. Perhaps this mascara is good for short Asian lashes? Let me know if you've also tried this product out before. I will repurchase this product again, once I finish using up all of the other mascaras I've bought...

The Benefit mascara I believe I got as a deluxe sample for purchasing their gel liner... or as one of those Sephora 100pts rewards.  Either way, I did not like this mascara. Both of Benefit's two most famous mascara did not work on my short Asian lashes. 

This is Make Up For Ever's Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primer in Travel Hydrating Primer. I liked this primer but I'm not really the type of person who needs primer to get makeup to stay on my face all day long. However, I know beauty gurus really like this primer in both the Smoothing and Mattifying version. As for providing moisture/keeping my skin hydrated, I felt that this did an alright job. After taking my makeup off at the end of the day, my skin was not noticeably drier or anything so I assumed this was doing its job to some extent. I did repurchase from this line, but I bought the Nourishing Primer in the full sized version (because it's winter and my skin is always super dry during the winter).

Just a money saving note, if you're looking to buy either the Smoothing, Mattifying or Hydrating primer, it's better to buy the travel version which is $19 for 0.5oz but $43 for 1oz. When it's summer again, I'll repurchase the Nourishing primer in the travel sized to save some money. 

Heroine Make Long & Curl Mascara Super Film and Too Faced's Better Than Sex mascara. Both have passed the 6 months mark, so out they go (just as a further note, I throw out all my mascaras within 3-6 months even if they're not close to done). The Heroine Make mascara was newly released when I bought it so there wasn't a lot of information on it, but I figured any of the Heroine Make mascaras couldn't be too bad... 

And what a utter lie that was. This mascara. It's got lots of tiny fibers, so it coats each lashes individually properly but it doesn't do much. It barely lengthened my short lashes, and did not hold a curl as well as the original Long & Curl or Volume & Curl mascara. I would recommend either of the two original mascaras over the Super Film version. If you're into a very natural look, this mascara would probably be a good fit for you, but as someone who's into heavy eye and face makeup, this just wasn't doing it for me.

On the other hand, I really liked Too Faced's Better Than Sex mascara. It curled AND lengthened my short lashes really well. I didn't have to layer another brand of mascara on top of this just to get some length. The only draw back is the price. It's $30 for 0.27oz of product that I will never actually use up because of mascara's short life span. If it comes back as a deluxe sample or 100pts perk, I will definitely be getting it.

My holy grail foundation - the YVES SAINT LAURENT Le Teint Encre de Peau foundation in B30. I believe I'm on my 3rd bottle of this foundation now. This foundation is super lightweight but it gives medium coverage. It provides a matte finish. Even when I get mild pimples, I don't even use concealer. I just use this foundation on top to cover it. By the end of the day, this foundation doesn't feel heavy on my face - in fact, I barely even remember it's there! 

Because I switch between foundations regularly, I am able to use one bottle for around 7-8 months, which is good, because this foundation costs $64 for 0.84oz. I'm actually looking into buying Becca's Aqua Luminious Perfecting Foundation and/or the NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint, so maybe the new bottle I just opened last week will last even longer than 8 months. If anyone has tried either of those two, please let me know what you think about them! 

And that's it for this round of empties! I'll be back soon with an update of the ABCs series (at the earliest next week during Reading Week). 

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

Banila Co's Clean It Zero is pretty much a cult product in South Korea now. I'm sure you've all seen it online before (if you're into asian beauty), so I am here to give you my review of it!

So the Clean It Zero is basically a solid oil cleanser. It reminds me of the texture of coconut oil when it's solid, but less solid. If I press on the oil with my fingertip, it will cave inwards easily. I use this as a makeup remover, so I just take a little bit into my palm, massage to turn it into a oil, and then rub all over my face. 

The ingredient list is in Korean, but there are translations of it online. 

This is what it looks like when you open it up. Banila Co has provided a little spatula thing in that plastic cover, which is super nice and helpful for hygiene reasons. 

So I was a religious user of Shu Uemura's cleansing oil (the purple one), but the larger sized one (15.2 oz) was $92 and I had already gone through two bottles of that in approximately two years. Not a bad value, but I had heard good things about Banila Co's Clean It Zero, and it was much cheaper (but smaller in size) so I figured, why not try it out. Shu Uemura also changed the cleansing oils. I'm not sure if they only changed the formula or not, but the one I used to use does not exist anymore. 

The one I own is 100mL worth of product. There is a larger size at 180mL but I wasn't sure if this product would perform as well as my Shu Uemura cleansing oil, so I decided to just try out the 100mL first. 

I find that this removes all my complexion makeup pretty well. A little goes a long way with this one, especially if you only do BB cream/complexion makeup. However, I wear eyeshadow and gel eyeliner, and I find that even after double cleansing, there are still some residual traces of eyeliner left over. The Shu Uemura cleansing oil was able to remove all my makeup (I usually use two pumps) without any residual left over. 

What I liked about this one more than the Shu Uemura one, is that the oil does not drip into my eyes easily. With the Shu Uemura, sometimes there'd be a film of oil clouding my eye and I'd have to take extra effort to rinse it all out, while this one doesn't drip into my eye as easily. Being a solid oil, this one also does not drip onto my arms as I wash my face. Also, this product is more travel-friendly, I'd say. It's solid, so it will not spill everywhere into my luggage. I've had problems travelling with the Shu Uemura cleanser before, where even though I had "locked" the pump, it would unlock itself and spill oil into the Ziploc bag I had placed it into. 

All in all, I'd say that both the Shu Uemura and Banila Co are pretty good oil cleansers. If you wear a lot of heavy eye makeup, and you've got cash to drop, I'd go for the Shu Uemura over the Banila Co. If you're a light makeup user, or on a budget, the Banila Co will work for you. They both remove makeup really well, but come with their cons. 

Would I repurchase this? Banila Co's 180mL version is about $17.55USD (as of writing), not including shipping, whereas the Shu Uemura is 450mL for $92CAD (without tax). This makes the Shu Uemura one about $0.20CAD/mL, whereas the Banila Co is about $0.10USD/mL. The value can be seen in the Banila Co's cleanser, but because I'd probably have to give up my first born to pay for shipping, I'm undecided. If I was making a large order on testerkorea with friends, I'd probably repurchase. I wouldn't just make an order for this though.

Banila Co's Clean It Zero is available here on TesterKorea for 14,400 won and you can buy Shu Uemura's cleansing oil through Sephora here, or here through their main website. 

Disclaimer: Not a sponsored post.

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

Hello! Like I promised, I am here to give you my shopping list for the 20% off event. I am actually headed to Sephora today after lunch, so I will do a haul post after I buy everything from instores and online :D

Sephora always gets me with their 20% off. I've reached a point in my makeup/beauty life now, where I can control my impulsive needs to buy ALL the lipsticks and eyeshadow palettes, but 20% off is such a good deal, I always waver between buying the new Christmas limited edition palettes and lipstick sets and just sticking with restocking on my basics/HGs.

So without further ado, here is the list of things I will definitely be buying:

Yves Saint Laurent Le Teint Encre de Peau

This is my HG foundation, the Yves Saint Laurent Le Teint Encre de Peau. It's super light weight, but provides medium to full coverage, and is build-able. The thinness of this foundation may not work for those of you who have acne or other similar skin troubles, but if you skin is relatively "smooth", I would definitely recommend this. It covers all my hyper-pigmentation and makes my skin super smooth. I often forget I'm even wearing foundation.

Caudalie Resveratrol Lift Night Infusion Cream

I recently finished up my jar of Philosophy Hope in A Jar Night. I've used this one consistently for about 2 years now, and it does a superb job of moisturizing my skin during Toronto's shitty winters but I find that it doesn't do much other than moisturize my skin. Seeing as there's all these newer products out on the market now, I've decided to try Caudalie's Resveratrol Lift Night Infusion Cream. It claims to visibly redefine facial contours, which I highly doubt.... but why not give it a shot. Sephora's excellent return policy means that I can just try this product and if it doesn't work as well as I'd like it to, I can just return it and get my Philosophy night cream as usual.

Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos™ Glycolic Night Serum

I'm in the market for a good serum, and I stumbled upon Drunk Elephant's T.L.C. Framboos Glyolic Night Serum. I'm hoping my skin will react positively to this, as this will be my first time trying out AHA. It's got good reviews, and a lot of people say that it's completely healed their skin troubles, while it didn't do much for others. The $112 price tag is quite steep but with 20% off, I figured I might as well try it, and if it doesn't do anything for my skin, or if it breaks me out, I can just return it.

Anastasia Brow Wiz

Stocking up on another HG product. I'm currently using Anastasia's Brow Wiz in the colour taupe, but they've changed the colours/names yet again and replaced the lightest one with taupe. I try to get the same colour as the dipbrow pomade, and seeing as those all the other colours but taupe don't match my hair colour, I'll probably repurchase taupe.

MUFE Step 1 Base Equalizer

I actually have the Hydrating Primer in the travel sized version, but I will repurchase in the nourishing primer full sized one because I find that it works and is super good. I wish MUFE would come out with more travel sized versions because $43 is kinda steep :(

Now let's move on to a list of items I want to buy, but probably will not buy because I think I can control myself... but all the limited edition stuff released for Christmas is super cute and has great value this year so ugh what is my life:

SEPHORA COLLECTION hakuho-do + SEPHORA PRO Kanpeki Perfection Brush Set

A motherfucking set for the Hakuho-do + Sephora Pro brushes. A SET OF THEM. When they were originally released, they were released individually and were priced like $60 each SO THIS SET IS SUCH A GOOD DEAL BUT UGH I don't really need those brushes in my life anyways, so this is something I'm gonna pass on. But the brushes are such good quality. I have the angled concealer brush, which doubles as a highlighter brush (and that's what I use it for), and the bristles are so smooth and soft on my face. Why am I poor.

Clarisonic Mia 2 Keith Haring "Dance" Skin Cleansing System

Clarisonics' are HGs for some, and a complete waste of money for others. I kinda want to try it out, but as my skin isn't breaking out into hives or whatever just yet... (knock on wood), I don't really need to spend this kind of cash, even though the Keith Haring special edition is one I would totally buy just because I resonate with its message.

Elizabeth and James Nirvana White Dry Shampoo

I actually own the Elizabeth and James Nirvana White perfume so when this came out in a dry shampoo formulation, I wanted it so bad. I love the scent of the perfume and it's the exact same scent in the dry shampoo but because it's ridiculously overpriced at $34, I'm probably not buying this. My Batise dry shampoo for $7 works pretty good so there's no need to buy one that's more expensive.

Marc Jacob Beauty Style Eye-Con No. 20 - Plush Eyeshadow

Marc Jacob has released this super gorgeous eyeshadow palette for the Christmas season and I want it soooooo bad. It's got a good mix of neutrals and just a pop of smokey colour and I love the addition of all the purples. But I've got already got enough eyeshadow, and another one isn't going to help me.

I  think this is the finalized list of things I'm going to buy and things that I want, but I know I'm going to be enthralled by all the tiny travel sized shit near the checkout counter so watch me come home with more lipsticks than I need...

Anyways, happy shopping everybody! What are you buying this year? Let me know in the comments below :)

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 :)

Okay.... the title is a little bit misleading as everyone defines "pimples" differently, but I assure you the products I'm going to be talking about below will be useful!

So I've had this huge ass pimple thing on the side of my nose for about a week and it was one of those where you couldn't pop it easily as it was really under the surface. So it was essentially just a raised red bump on the side of my nose. And it wasn't like it wasn't noticeable either (maybe not to others...) but it looked huge to me and I decided that I wanted it gone.

A quick overview of my face... I'd say it's fairly normal, with a more oily T-zone, and dry cheek spots. I have lots of whiteheads on my nose, and sebaceous filaments on my chin area. 

To help purge your face of unwanted pimples and to prevent future pimples from happening, it is very important to wash your face properly and cleanly. As someone who puts on lots of makeup almost everyday, I utilize the double cleanse method (oil cleanser and then gel or foam cleanser). The oil breaks down my makeup and gets rid of it, while the foam/gel cleanser cleanses your skin of all the dirt and whatnot that has accumulated over the course of the day. I'm a bit lazier about washing my face in the morning with a product, but I do wash and scrub with water right after I wake up in the morning.

There are several products out there in the market that help get rid of already existing pimples, but the first product I tried out was Ciracle's Pimple Solution Pink Powder. I googled reviews of this product, and while there weren't too many, the ones that I saw were positive and seemed to have helped the bloggers, so I went ahead and purchased it. Some recommend the Mizon Pink Powder over Ciracle's, but I couldn't be bothered to purchase both on the off chance that only one of them worked, so I just went with Ciracle. 

It's a relatively small product

Ingredient List? Method/Steps?

The actual product itself

The q-tips included

The product itself is basically just a bottom layer of pink powder, and the watery/yellowy liquid is probably alcohol based. It's important to keep the two separated, and you do happen to accidentally shake it, just let it sit for a while to let the pink powder float back down to the bottom. 

The q-tips provided were quite unique. One side is your regular cotton q-tip, but the other has a plastic end with a small hole in it. I assume it's for pushing out your pimples, whiteheads/blackheads after using the products, but I find that it didn't really work or that the pimple was already out to a point where I could just use a pair of tweezers or a small needle to just pluck it out completely. 

While the product is only 16ml, I don't think I'll use through this very fast. One good dip into the product is enough to cover like 3-4 pimples thickly. 

To use this product, I just dip one end of my q-tip into the jar, let it reach the pink powder and then retract. Afterwards, I spread the wet powder onto my pimple and let it dry. It is recommended that you use it overnight, so that it has more time to "pull out" your pimple. 

When you first put it over your pimple, your skin might feel a bit tingly in that exact area, and I assume it's the alcohol base that's doing that. The alcohol dries out your skin so that the powder can more effectively draw out the bad stuff under your skin. It also feels like your skin is just slightly burning. The effect wears off within a minute though, so I don't think it's something to be worried about.

I found that this product was very effective at pulling all the bad stuff to the surface. For smaller whiteheads/blackheads or pimples, where you could just poke a needle in it and press it all out, this works well enough. However, it wasn't like I woke up the next morning and all my whiteheads/blackheads and pimples were gone. They were just at the surface and needed to be plucked out of my skin. This might be because my pimples tend to stick to my skin deeper than most people. 

Ciracle's Pink Powder made my nose pimple bigger every time I used it, but it would never reach a point where I could just stick a needle in it and squeeze it all out, so I decided to introduce something else into my pimple purge routine.

Cosrx's One Step Pimple Pad

Features & Ingredient List

The product itself

top of lid (it's so cute)

the pads

Cosrx's One Step Pimple Clear Pad has Betaine salicylate in it to help exfoliate your skin and also to purge your dirty skin. 

With this product, I would take one pad out of the jar every two days and rub it all over my face, with more attention to my pimples. I do this after the double cleansing method and before my night skincare routine. Ciracle's Pink Powder came after my toner and sometimes before my moisturizer, depending on how I felt like doing my routine certain nights. 

Using this product has done wonders for my skin. My nose, which has lots of whiteheads on it, feels much more smoother and the whiteheads are not as prominent anymore. My face in general feels smoother. I'm noticing less prominent sebaceous filaments on my chin area, which is promising for me, as I haven't found a product yet that completely or almost completely eliminates their existence. 

But it wasn't helping me with my nose pimple, even though I was using it in conjunction with the Ciracle Pink Powder, so I tried something else. 

This is something I've blogged about before, 3W Clinic's Placenta Sleeping Pack. Knowing that this product worked for my skin in the past, I took it out again. 

I first tried to use it without using the Cosrx Pimple Pads. And it worked. My pimple, which had grown in size, thanks to the Ciracle Pink Powder, diminished to an amazing size. It was still there however, so I tried it again the next night, with the Cosrx's Pimple Pads. The next morning, even smaller. Hallelujah. Finally, my pimple was going away. I continued to use the 3W Clinic's Placenta Sleeping Pack for a couple more days and my pimple has officially reached a size where it's barely existing. You can't see it, and you can only feel it if you rub your finger over the spot. 

Conclusion: The 3W Clinic's Placenta Sleeping Pack (on sale for $2.99 as of 10/2; holy shit so cheap) does wonders for pimples that are difficult to get rid of just by poking it with a needle. It probably works best for deeply trapped under the skin pimples, as it purges from within your skin. 

The Ciracle Pink Powder... it's alright. For those of you who prefer to wait out your whitehead/blackheads or pimple's life cycle and just let your skin eventually push it out for you, this product will help speed up that process by drawing the product out to the surface faster. I'm a compulsive whitehead picker though, so I'll pop them before they're even ready. 

And as for the Cosrx's One Step Pimple Pad... It is now officially a holy grail for me. My skin is singing with joy; as I use this regularly, my whiteheads are diminishing, I'm noticing a lack of new whiteheads and pimples and my skin feels smoother. I wish they included a pair of tweezers in this, so I wouldn't have to use my dirty hands to gingerly peel off a pad, but that doesn't take away from it's effectiveness. 

So that's it for this post! I hope this was helpful in one way or another. 

Not a sponsored post

Just a heads up, Sephora is running their annual Beauty Insiders appreciation event again. This year there will be a closed door shopping event. You can RSVP here (for Canadians) by Aug 3rd.

Canada's RSVP page

Essentially, if you're a VIB Rouge, you get to go shopping with other rouges (and their +1s) behind closed doors, meaning no peasants. You'll get 4x the points on everything purchased, brand ambassadors will be there to promote their lines and teach you how to use their products, and you get a gift bag at the end of it (your +1 will also get a gift bag if they are at least a BI and purchase something).

The last VIB Rouge event I attended last year was also a closed door shopping event (I was at the Toronto Bloor location). I showed up a bit late (I left work early to attend but couldn't leave too early just to go shopping), gave my name to the Sephora workers standing at the door, and they let me in. There were free drinks (water, juice, and coffee I believe), and free desserts. They also had a Benefit promotion going on; the brand ambassador was handing out free brow wax cards to interested shoppers. Generally, I'm not a huge fan of the Bloor location; it lacks a wide variety of selection, and it's further away from where I live. As someone who can pick between the Bloor and Eaton Centre locations, Eaton Centre's Sephora is much better and bigger. I chose to go to the Bloor location because it's closer to my workplace and I had to attend a meeting afterwards at school, meaning it was just more convenient for me to go to that location over the Eaton Centre one.

If you do choose to go, pick a location that is either a) convenient for you to go to, or b) has a wide selection. My friend and I debated between going to our local mall (a mere 5-10 minute drive), or to one of the Sephoras downtown. Our local mall has a smaller selection, and our high school classmate works there, but the Sephora downtown is nicer and has more higher end goods. In the end, we chose to go downtown.

These events are often quite measly and offer little incentive to go. Nothing is discounted, and unless you have a list of things to buy, there really isn't any point to going when you can do all your shopping online and still get 4x the points. But as my friend and I are both currently unemployed and on summer vacation, we figured we might as well go because why not.

If you are in the Vancouver area and going, I'll be at the Robson location! Let me know in the comments below if you are going to attend this event :)

P.S. You could also sign up for the American version of this event, but it'll be on Aug 2nd, from 9-11am.