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!

TRAVEL SERIES PART 2: MY TRAVEL MAKEUP BAG

Hi everyone! I'm back with part 2 of my travel series. Today I'm gonna talk about what makeup products I bring with me in my upcoming holiday.

This super kawaii bag is a GWP that I got from It's Skin. It's just freakin' adorable >.<

• Base makeup: Skin79 VIP Gold Collection Super+ Beblesh Balm and Skin79 Sun Protect Beblesh Pact SPF30 PA++. Both products have been reviewed on my blog. Just click on their names and you'll be redirected to the posts.   
• Concealer: Skinfood Salmon Darkcircle Concealer Cream. This doesn't completely cover up my dark circles, but again I haven't found any concealer that does this, so it'll have to do.

• Eye makeup: I don't wear eyeshadow but eyebrow powder and mascara are must-have items for me. KATE Designing Eyebrow N and Kiss Me Heroine Make Long&Curl Mascara fit the bill perfectly. 

• Blusher: I love KATE Cheek Color S in PK-1 (click on the name to see full review). It's a very natural and pretty pink shade. 
• Lipstick: Since I plan on purchasing several lipsticks overseas, I only bring one with me and it's Tonymoly Prestige Crystal Lipstick SPF13 in Muse Coral which I raved about when I first started my blog. The color makes my face look brighter, livelier and the lipstick itself has SPF13! 
• Makeup tools: I love bringing The Body Shop Retractable Blusher Brush when travelling because it's small, compact, light and has a lid! I hate using powder puff because it makes my face look cakey. For eyes, I always curl my lashes before applying mascara. I've used Shiseido Eyelash Curler for about 4 years and it's still going strong ^^ I also have Etude House Eyebrow Razor to trim my eyebrows. I never pluck my brows as I'm afraid it'll make my eyes become droopy.

Well, that's everything I plan to put in my makeup bag. Wish you all a happy holiday :)

REVIEW: SKIN79 SMART CLEAR REFRESH CLEANSING FOAM

Last summer, my skin was damaged by Tonymoly Pore Cleansing Brush: it was dry but kind of congested at the same time because I couldn't use any deep cleansers to cleanse it. A lot of cleansing foams actually made my skin peel, so I decided to give Skin79 Smart Clear Refresh Cleansing Foam a go. I honestly didn't expect much from it, but it turned out to be one of the best cleansers I've ever used.

(Source: skin79.us.com)

Description: Eco Mild Clean effect to regulate the ideal balance for skin that remains healthy skin. The special cleansing line completely purifies unnecessary wastes and harmful environmental factors with a formula containing an natural ingredients keeping skin balance.

• Natural cleansing
• Make-up remover
• Deep clean
• Refreshing
• Skin purifying

Size: 100ml

Price: 271,000 VND (about US$12.74)

Main ingredients (source: http://en.koreadepart.com/item/1306376938/skin79-smart-clear-refresh-cleansing-foam): Formulated with berry cianine (acai berry, aronia berry, raspberry, cranberry, blueberry, blackberry, elderberry), eco mild complex (witch hazel, aloe vera, acerola, chamomile), camellia extract, phyto soap complex (rice bran, yucca, soapwort), levan extract

My opinion: At first, I was a little bit skeptical since this cleanser was for normal/oily skin, and I was afraid it'd dry my skin out. As it turned out, I couldn't be more wrong. This cleansing foam got rid of makeup, dirt and oil without drying or irritating my skin one bit! It didn't help with acnes but it also didn't break me out or clog my pores. A 100ml tube lasted me for 3 months, because I only needed about a pea-sized amount for each usage. Another plus is the cute packaging: I just love the blue color of the tube. I highly recommend this product for anyone who has congested but dry/dehydrated skin. In fact, I think that this cleanser can suit any skin types. 

Pros:

- Affordable

- Remove makeup, dirt and oil really well

- Non-drying

- Non-comedogenic and non-acnegenic

- Long-lasting

- Cute packaging

Cons:

- No effects on acnes

Score: 9/10

Repurchase: Yes, but not immediately coz I have so many unopen cleansers to try out :)

REVIEW: SKIN79 SUN PROTECT BEBLESH PACT SPF30 PA++

My holy-grail BB cream has to be Skin79 VIP Gold Collection Super+ Beblesh Balm, and the powder pact that goes best with it, in my opinion, is Skin79 Sun Protect Beblesh Pact SPF30 PA+. Both products appear in my 2013 Best Beauty Products List, so you can get an idea of how much I love them.

(Click on images to see description, instruction and ingredients)

Price: 515,000 VND (about US$24)

Packaging: I just ADORE the color and the design of this powder! It's pink and as you may know from my previous posts, pink is my favorite color :) The compact also reminds me of Sailor Moon's brooch for some reason. I love the face that there's a plastic lid to separate the puff and the powder because if I reapply throughout the day, the dirt and oil on my face will transfer onto the puff, and the powder may be contaminated when coming into direct contact with the puff. (However, as it turns out, I don't actually use the puff at all!)

Shade: The product comes in only one shade, and luckily, it looks quite natural on me. 

Coverage: It has a medium coverage. It doesn't cover my dark circles or big spots completely, but works well enough with minor flaws like discoloration or faint acne scars.

Oil-control ability: In summer, my skin will oil up after 2 hours with this on. However, in winter, it keeps my face matte for up to 5 hours.

Application: I tried applying this with the puff, but it just looked powdery and cakey. The best way, in my opinion, is to use a brush to lightly apply all over the face (I said "lightly" because if I over-apply it, I end up with a caked-up face).

Sun-protection property: Last summer, I travelled to Malaysia and Singapore for one week, and I didn't apply sunscreen on my face because I hadn't found any suitable sunscreen for my face. I used Skin79 VIP Gold Collection Super+ Beblesh Balm and top it off with this powder, and my face didn't burn or even tan at all (and the weather was super sunny and scorching hot). 

Bonus: This compact powder doesn't clog my pores or break me out.

Drawbacks: It contains mineral oil and paraben. It also accentuates dry patches, so I don't recommend this to those with dry skin.

Repurchase?: I'd love to, but I really want to try Innisfree No-sebum Mineral Powder next.

REVIEW: SKIN79 VIP GOLD COLLECTION SUPER+ BEBLESH BALM (a.k.a Skin79 VIP Gold BB Cream)

I had so many bad experiences with foundation, such as the odd color (Lancome Teint Idole Ultra was too pink for me and it turned orange after oxidization T-T) and the staying power (Laneige Skin Veil Oil Free Foundation, which lasted for about 2-3 hours on my oily T-zone). That's why I was so glad to  discover BB cream because they don't oxidize much and they tend to last longer on my face. Out of all the BB cream I've tried, I'm most impressed with Skin79 VIP Gold Collection Super+ Beblesh Balm (a.k.a Skin79 VIP Gold BB Cream).

Claims: (taken from Skin79 website)

- Protects the skin with wrinkle improvement and whitening. 

- Presents rich moisturized skin. Whole new level of moisturizing.

- Reliable UV protection.

Size: 5g

Ingredients: water, propylene glycol, cyclomethicone, demethicone, titanium dioxide, isopropyl palmitate, talc, butylene glycol dicaprylate/dicaprate, ethylhexylmethoxycinnamate, dipentaerythrityl hexadydroxystearate/hexastearate/hexarosinate, cetyl peg/ppg-10/1 dimethicone, prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, arbutin, ethylhexyl salicylate, zinc oxide, magnesium sulfate, polyglyceryl-4 isostearate, dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, silica, vinyl dimethicone/ methicone silsesquioxane crosspolymer, portulaca oleracea extract, piper mthysticum leaf/root/stem extract, glycosyl trehalose, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, tocopheryl acetate, adenosine, ubiquinone, hydrogenated lecithin, citrus unshiu fruit oil, ceramide 3, cholesterol, camellia sinensis leaf extract, madecassoside, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, nelumbo nucifera flower water, caviar extract, lycium chinense fruit extract, helianthus annus (sunflower) extract, cornus officinalis fruit extract, hedera helix (ivy) extract, schizandra chinensis fruit extract, disteardimonium hectorite, trihydroxystearin, aluminum hydroxide, aluminum stearate, methicone, glycerin, caprylic/ capric triglyceride, gold, triclosan, BHT, phytic acid, fragrance, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, iron oxides  

Price: 113,000 VND (approximately 5 USD)

Shade: There's only one shade and luckily, it matches my skin quite well. This is how it looks like on my face:

Coverage: Light to medium. It can cover my acne scars but I still need concealer for my dark circles.

Finish: This BB cream has a dewy finish.

Oil-control property: My nose gets oily after 2 hours.

Moisturizing property: When my skin was at its driest period because of the Tonymoly Pore Cleansing Brush, this wasn't moisturizing enough for me. However, now that my skin is back to normal, it works okay for me even in autumn/winter dry weather. 

Whitening property: With continuous usage, it does help fade my acne scars. It doesn't have any effect on the discoloration around my nose and on my chin though. 

Anti-aging property: I can't comment on this as I don't have any wrinkles.

Sun-protection ability: I used this BB cream without any sunscreen underneath when I travelled to Malaysia and Singapore last summer, and I didn't burn once or even tan! And it was about 35-36°C for a whole week!

Bonus: This tiny tube has lasted me for 3 months and I still have some left, so it's good value for money :) I have oily-combination skin but this doesn't break me out or clog my pores.

Score: 8/10

Repurchase?: Yes, I've actually purchased the full-size product :)

REVIEW: SKIN79 LEMON BRIGHTENING MASK

Skin79 is mostly known for their BB creams, but their skincare lines are actually really good, too. One of my favorites is the Lemon Brightening Mask.

Description and direction:

OK, Asian cosmetics usually have pretty awkward and weird English translation, and this one is no exception :P

Size: 75ml

Ingredients:

Price: 379,000 VND (about 17 USD)

My opinion:

This mask is a yellow cream. Once you apply it onto your face, it turns white and leaves a cooling effect on your skin, which is really great in hot weather. It has an AMAZING lemony scent! I often find myself sniffing the tub for like, a minute or so >< After leaving it on for 15 minutes, I wash it off. My face does look brighter afterwards, but it's nothing special coz I can achieve the same effect by washing my face with a foaming cleanser. I much prefer this as a deep cleansing mask as it contains kaolin (clay), which absorbs oil and draws out impurities from my skin. My skin is clearer and smoother. However, DO NOT use this when your skin is dry. The first time I applied this was when my skin was at its driest period. I stupidly thought that since it contained hyaluronic acid, it could be moisturizing. Boy was I wrong!!! It dried out my skin even more T-T Now that my skin is back to normal, I'm totally fine with using this once or twice a week.

Pros:

- Brightening (though only temporary)

- Deep cleansing

- Great scent

- Cooling and relaxing

- Affordable 

Cons:

- Can be drying for people with dry skin

- Temporary effect, not long-lasting

- Contain paraben (which doesn't bother me, but maybe a concern for other people)

Verdict: 8/10 (mostly because of the relaxing effect and the scent) 

Repurchase?: Maybe not, because I'm not really into masks. They're great for a quick fix or a pampering treat, but I much prefer an essence/serum that can give me long-term effect. The deep cleansing effect can also be achieved by using an exfoliator.