MY SUMMER SKINCARE ROUTINE + MINI PRODUCT REVIEWS (ETUDE HOUSE, IT'S SKIN, BIORE, BIFESTA, DHC, THE BODY SHOP)

I believe skincare routine should not be permanently fixed. Instead, it must be changed according to the weather, environment and skin condition. I previously wrote about my spring skincare routine, but as it's summer now, I want to do an updated regime. Since it's scorching hot now, my skin has changed from normal/dehydrated to combination/oily and acne-proned. As a result, I tend to use light but still hydrating products to keep my skin clear and moisturized. 

A.M. 

• Cleanser: Etude House Baking Powder Pore Cleansing Foam

This is my favorite summer cleanser as it's light, non-stripping, non-drying yet effective in getting rid of dirt and oil on my face. It has a refreshing lemon scent which I absolutely love because I feel like it wakes me up in the morning. It's also free of alcohol, mineral oil, fragrance and paraben. Another bonus point is the super affordable price and its huge size (170ml). 

- Ingredients: glycerin, water, potassium stearate, potassium myristate, PEG-32, stearic acid, micro-crystalline cellulose, myristic acid, potassium laurate, cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium bicarbonated (0.1%), citrus medica limonum (lemon) peel oil, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil, lauric acid, glyceryl stearate, disodium EDTA, lauramide DEA, PEG-100 stearate, PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate, sodium benzoate

• Toner: It's Skin Supersize Peeling Softner

Don't be freaked out by the word "peeling" in the name because the product is actually quite gentle. It's claimed to be an exfoliating toner, but I don't think it can replace the regular exfoliators like peeling gel, scrubs, etc. at all. Having said that, it does make my skin feel smooth, cool and refreshed after each usage. The 400ml bottle lasts for a very long time too. However, I am a little bit disappointed in the lid quality. Below is a photo of the lid in its original form:

After about 2 months, the white plastic part came off like this:

I managed to put it back but it still comes off every now and then, which is admittedly quite annoying. When I used this toner in winter, it did make my skin feel a little bit tight, though not dry, so if you have really dry skin, I'm not sure if this product is suitable for you.

• Eye cream: It's Skin Collagen Voluming Eye Cream

I used to use It's Skin Brighten System Eye Cream, and while it was good, the price was a little bit steep for me. This Collagen Voluming Eye Cream is half of the price of the former one, and it performs just as brilliantly. It absorbs quickly because of the light texture and moisturizes my eye area really well. The cream also doesn't irritate my eyes or give me milia. It's free of paraben and alcohol. One thing I dislike about it is the heavy scent, which lingers for quite a while after each usage.

• Serum: It's Skin Power 10 Formula VE Effector with Vitamin E derivatives

I wrote a full review about this product before, so please click here to read it. In short, it's a light, moisturizing and radiant-boosting serum. I've used for so long that it lost the anti-blemish effect on me, but it's still doing a great job in brightening and plumping my skin.

• Sunscreen: Biore UV Perfect Milk SPF50+ PA+++

I don't use sunscreen on my face in the summer because all the ones I've tried so far turn my face into an oil slick after 2 hours. Instead, I use Skin79 VIP Gold Collection Super+ Beblesh Balm SPF25 PA++ and top off with Skin79 Sun Protect Beblesh Pact SPF30 PA++. I know many dermatologists said that sun protection in makeup is not enough, but I think this combo works for me as my skin neither get tanned nor burned when I use these. Besides, I don't have to go out in the sun that much anyway. However, I do use Biore UV Perfect Milk SPF50+ PA+++ on my neck and body. It's a waterproof sunscreen with a super light texture which enables it to sink into the skin right away without leaving any white cast behind. It protects my skin from getting burned, but my skin will still tan if I go into the sun frequently. I don't recommend this to people with dry skin because it does contain quite a lot of alcohol.

- Ingredient (source: ratzillacosme.com): cyclomethicone, dimethicone, alcohol, zinc oxide, water, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, lauryl methcrylate / sodium methacrylate crosspolymer, polymethylsilsesquioxane, glycerin, talc, polysilicone-9, PEG-12 dimethicone, titanium dioxide, methicone, PEG-3 dimethicone, dimethicone/methicone copolymer, cetyl-PG hydroxyethyl palmitamide, alumina, silica, BHT, fragrance

P.M.

• Eye makeup remover: Bifesta Eye Makeup Remover

This eye makeup remover is light, gentle, non-greasy and non-irritating, yet it manages to take off my waterproof mascara and eyeshadow so quickly and effortlessly. I just pour it onto two cotton pads, place them on my closed eyes for about a minute and voila, everything is off! I see lots of people rubbing their eyes to remove makeup, but please don't do that because it'll damage the sensitive skin around the eyes and create fine lines/wrinkles. 

• Face makeup remover: Bifesta Cleansing Liquid

This stuff is my holy grail, because it's not only an excellent water-based makeup remover but also an exfoliator! I know it sounds weird, but this is the only product I use now to remove my dead skin cells. Whenever my skin feels rough and congested, I'll massage this on my dry face for about 3-4 minutes, and I can actually see the white heads under my skin come out, which is both gross and satisfying at the same time. My skin always feel so smooth and moisturized after using this, possibly because of the hyaluronic acid in it. It's also free of oil, mineral oil, alcohol, fragrance and paraben.

- Ingredients: water, PEG-8 glyceryl isostearate, dipropylene glycol, butylene glycol, isopropyl myristate, hydrogenated polyisobutene, cetyl ethylhexanoate, glycerin, propylene glycol isostearate, PEG-12 laurate, hydroxypropyltrimonium hyaluronate, PEG-6 caprylic/capric glycerides, citric acid, sodium citrade, caprylyl glycol  

• Cleanser: Etude House Baking Powder Pore Cleansing Foam

• Toner: It's Skin Supersize Peeling Softner

• Eye Cream: It's Skin Collagen Voluming Eye Cream

• Serum: It's Skin Power 10 Formula VE Effector with Vitamin E derivatives

• Cream: It's Skin Toma Jelly Cream

Despite its name, this cream is actually a gel. I don't use it everyday because I feel like it's a bit too much for my oily skin. However, I use it on top of It's Skin Power 10 VE when my skin is dry or dehydrated. It absorbs quickly and moisturizes my skin quite well. It also doesn't clog my pores or break me out. I have nothing to complain about this, but I think it's been discontinued in Korea already because it's no longer listed on itsskin.com.

• Lip Balm: DHC Lip Cream

First of all, this is not a lip cream, it's a lip balm! It is odorless, moisturizing and the packaging is just so cute. It doesn't feel sticky if I only apply one layer; thus, it's the only lip balm I've tried so far that can be used under lipstick without interfering with the color payoff. Having said that, my lips rarely get dry so I usually just use it at night before bed. I think it'll last for 4 months since I only apply it once a day. 

SPECIAL TREATMENT

Once or twice a week, I use The Body Shop Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask to deep clean my face and eliminate the small bumps under my skin. It's also my go-to acne treatment. Whenever I have blemishes, I'll dot this mask on the spots and leave it there for 1-2 hours, then wash it off. I do it every day until they are all gone, basically. Before this, I was using Origins Clear Improvement Active charcoal mask to clear pores, but even though it's like double the price of The Body Shop mask, it's just not as good. Once again, my skin seems to prefer affordable stuffs over high end ones. 

That's it for my summer skincare routine. I hope this'll be helpful to you. See you next time!

REVIEW: BIORE FACIAL FOAM ACNE CARE

Lately I've been really good at finishing off skincare products :3 This morning I finally used up the last bit of my Biore Facial Foam Acne Care. 

The good: This cleanser is ideal for oily/combination skin in summer as it effectively gets rid of dirt, oil, and even makeup on the face without drying the skin out. It's non-acnegenic, non-comedogenic, and super super cheap :)

The bad: I first used it in spring when the weather was still cold, and it was a tad too drying for me. I had to stop using it and waited till the warmer months. So, this cleanser is definitely not suitable for those with dry skin. The instruction says to get about 3cm of product, but a pea-sized amount is more than enough. Although it has salicylic acid and is labeled as an "acne-care" cleanser, it neither prevents nor heals my hormonal acnes. It also contains alcohol and paraben, which doesn't bother me, but some people may wish to avoid this. A minor complaint is that despite its big size (130g), it only lasts for about 2 months.

Verdict: 7/10

Repurchase?: No because it doesn't impress me that much.

2013 BEST AND WORST BEAUTY PRODUCTS

As today is the last day of 2013, I wanna tell you what I think are the best and worst beauty products of the past year. Many categories will be absent because 1) I rarely use these kinds of products (e.g. eyeshadow and eyeliner) or 2) I haven't found anything good enough to put on the list (e.g. moisturizing cream and shower gel). Since my skin has been both oily and dry in 2013, some categories will contain products for these two skin types. Most of the items have been reviewed on this blog, so if you want to read my detailed reviews, just click on their names. Some haven't been mentioned before, but I'll work on their reviews as soon as possible. Without further ado, let's see what's on my list this year.

BEST OF BEAUTY

SKINCARE

1. Best makeup remover:
- For eyes: Biore Cleansing Oil - In Cotton Wipes (review coming soon)
- For face and lips: Bifesta Cleansing Gel

2. Best cleanser:
- For dry skin: Etude House Baking Powder Bubble Cleansing Moist
- For oily skin: Shiseido Perfect Whip foam 

3. Best lotion/toner:
- For dry skin: Hada Labo SHA Hydrating Lotion
- For oily skin: It's Skin Supersize Peeling Softner (review coming soon)

4. Best eye cream: 
- Skinfood Salmon Brightening Eye Cream

5. Best serum:
- It's Skin Power 10 Formula VE Effector with Vitamin E Derivatives

6. Best acne treatment:
- It's Skin Prestige Creme D'escargot

7. Best lip balm:
- Nivea Essential Care (review coming soon)

8. Best mask:
- For hydrating and brightening: Mandom Beauty Barrier Repair Mask HA
- For deep-cleansing/exfoliating: The Body Shop Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask

9. Best sunscreen/sunblock:
- For face: It's Skin 2PM Sunblock SPF50+ PA+++ (review coming soon)

- For body: Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence Water Base SPF50+ PA+++ (review coming soon) (This product isn't in the photo because I've used it up and haven't repurchased yet)

MAKEUP

1. Best makeup base:

- It's Skin 2PM Sunblock SPF50+ PA+++ (yup, this sunblock is an AMAZING makeup base!) (review coming soon)

2. Best BB cream:

- For dry skin: It's Skin Prestige Creme D'escargot BB

- For oily skin: Skin79 VIP Gold Collection Super+ Beblesh Balm

3. Best compact powder:

- For dry skin: Tonymoly Cats Wink Clear Pact (review coming soon)

- For oily skin: Skin79 Sun Protect Beblesh Pact SPF30 PA++ 

4. Best blusher:

- KATE Cheek Color S in PK-1

5. Best eyebrow powder:

- KATE Designing Eyebrow N in EX-5 (review coming soon)

6. Best lipstick:

- Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in 040 Rendezvous

7. Best mascara:

- Kose Esprique Full Impression Waterproof Mascara (This product isn't in the photo because I've used it up and haven't repurchased yet) (I briefly mentioned this in my Fairydrops Volume Burst Mascara  Waterproof review)

BEAUTY ACCESSORIES

1. Best eyelash curler:

- Shiseido Eyelash Curler: This baby curls my lashes like a dream without pinching my eyelids. It also lasts forever. I've been using it for 3 years and it's still going strong :)

2. Best powder brush:

- The Body Shop Retractable Blusher Brush: I use this one to apply my face powder. It's soft and gentle on my skin. It also doesn't shed. I love that it's compact and retractable because I can toss it into my bag and bring it with me easily.

3. Best eyebrow shaver:

- Etude House Eyebrow Razor: I think this one has been discontinued, but it will probably last forever. It feels gentle on my skin and shaves my eyebrows well. The design and color are cute too.

BODY CARE

1. Best body scrub:

- It's Skin Fairy Jasmine Body Scrub (review coming soon)

- The Body Shop Bath Gloves (review coming soon)

2. Best hand gel:

- The Body Shop Absinthe Purifying Hand Gel (review coming soon)

3. Best hand cream:

- It's Skin Mini Bebe Hand Cream (review coming soon)

4. Best deodorant:

- Nivea Anti-perspirant Whitening Deodorant

HAIRCARE

1. Best shampoo:

- Essential Damage-care Rich Premiere Shampoo (review coming soon)

2. Hair serum:

- The Body Shop Grapeseed Glossing Serum 

BEST PACKAGING

- Jill Stuart Fruit Lip Balm N 001

             BEST SCENTED-PRODUCT

- Skin79 Lemon Brightening Mask

WORST OF BEAUTY

SKINCARE

1. Worst cleanser:

- Tonymoly Clean Dew Tea Tree Seed Foam Cleanser

2. Worst cream:

- The Face Shop Arsainte Eco-therapy Crystal Water Super Gel (review coming soon)

3. Worst sunscreen:
- Banana Boat Natural Reflect Lotion Sunscreen SPF50+ (review coming soon)

4. Worst lip balm:
- The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Lipcare Stick (review coming soon)

MAKEUP

1. Worst BB cream:

- Laneige Snow BB Soothing Cushion SPF50+ PA+++

2. Worst mascara:

- Bourjois Volume Glamour Ultra Care (I mentioned this in my Fairydrops Volume Burst Mascara Waterproof review)

BEAUTY ACCESSORIES

1. Worst facial brush:

- Tonymoly Pore Cleansing Brush

2. Worst powder brush:

- It's Skin Powder Brush: This brush sheds CONSTANTLY. The hair feels harsh on my face and falls off when I wash or use it. Whenever I apply powder with this, it leaves strands of hair all over my face.  

HAIRCARE

- Worst shampoo: The Body Shop Rainforest Shine Shampoo (review coming soon)

That's the end of my ranking list. Thank you so much for reading my blog in the past 2 months. I hope to continue receiving your support in the year to come. Happy new year!