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