PRODUCT REVIEW: BOBBI BROWN, MARIO BADESCU, NARS

Bobbi Brown Extra Face Oil

This is literally MY HOLY GRAIL PRODUCT. I never understood people when they called a product their "holy grail" until I bought the Bobbi Brown Extra Face Oil. After using the First Aid Beauty Ultra Face Cream and realizing that it wasn't working for my skin, I bought the well-known Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream. I thought I was going to LOVE it at first because I heard so many good things about it, but my face started stinging/burning every time I used it. I let the stinging/burning sensation pass the first few days because I thought I had gotten sunburned. This tingly/stinging sensation occurred even when using the First Aid Beauty Face Cream. As stupid as I may sound, I didn't realize that I was allergic to both the moisturizers for months until recently. After realizing that I was allergic to something in the moisturizers, my skin problems (random pimples, red bumps, uneven skin tone) made complete sense. I was very shocked that I was allergic to the Kiehl's moisturizer... After doing research, I came upon this oil. I remembered seeing a couple of Korean celebrities using this oil on television in their skin care routine, which was another reason why I wanted to try it out. I was obviously allergic to something in cream moisturizers so this face oil sounded a lot more appealing. The product description on Sephora states that its a "blend of oils, including sesame, sweet almond, olive, and jojoba" -- basically a bunch of natural oils with vitamin and such.

Okay, now I will discuss my personal review on this product. The first night I applied this oil I loved everything about it--the smell, the light texture, and the quick absorption. The Bobbi Brown makeup artist and many reviews stated that a small amount goes a long way for this product. Therefore, I did not want to apply a heavy amount, especially because it was an oil formula. At first, I was a bit iffy applying such a small amount because I felt it wouldn't be enough to moisturize my face but I didn't apply more because I wanted to see if a small amount was enough as the reviews stated. Before applying this oil, I only applied the Clinique 'Dramatically Different' Moisturizing Lotion.

Morning came around and I really noticed a difference in my skin. My skin tone looked a lot more even and it looked super hydrated. It made my skin look so flawless that I didn't want to wash my face in the morning... The makeup artist said that this product can also be used as a day moisturizer, so before putting on my makeup I applied a small amount and really massaged it into my face. AH! My skin felt and looked SUPER moisturized -- it gave me a dewy finish. I LOVED IT. My face makeup always looked good the moment I applied it, but after thirty minutes, it turned super cakey because my skin always lacked moisture. I finally found my SOLUTION. Also, because the oil worked to even out my skin tone, I found myself using way fewer products on my face because I didn't need to conceal the discoloration as much.

I know there are a lot of people who may be a bit hesitant to apply oil on the face because it can clog pores and bring out the nasty blackheads/ whiteheads. I was a bit worried at first too, but after using the oil I noticed that my whiteheads shrunk a lot.

One con about this product is that the packaging. It comes in a glass jar with a small hole on top, which is a bit inconvenient to use. It does not even come with a dropper. The way I get "a small amount" is by placing the palm of my hands over the hole and quickly flipping the jar upside down. I find the oil left on my palms to be enough. This was the method I saw Korean celebrity Park Soo-Jin use with this product. I then rub the oil to make it warm before massaging it onto my face.

Other than that, it works wonders.  It will definitely be something I will be repurchasing. For 1 oz, it costs me $63 (~68 w/ tax :/). It is a bit pricey, but I think it is really worth it.

**I apologize for this LONG "review." I wanted to share my whole experience with this product. I was SUPER excited to share it! :)

Mario Badescu Hyaluronic Eye Cream 

After running low my Kiehl's Powerful Wrinkle Reducing Eye Cream, I began to look for a cheaper option. I heard that you don't really need to invest in an eye cream, especially people in their early 20s. I wanted to look for a mid-range, hydrating eye cream because the Kiehl's eye cream, which was ~$45, did absolutely nothing for me. While researching, I came across this eye cream, and it sounded perfect for me. I was excited to try another Mario Badescu product aside from their amazing drying lotion.

Let me first start off my saying that it is SUPER hydrating. I noticed a BIG difference the morning after applying it. My under eyes always looked cakey after applying concealer because it was so dry, but I don't have to worry about it anymore. It works really well for day and night. Remember dryness around the eyes is what causes wrinkles! I will definitely be repurchasing this. The price for this eye cream is $18.

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils in Dragon Girl

I'm starting to really get into lipsticks. I still have a fear for them, but I'm slowly finding a solution. I got this particular color because I saw several Korean celebrities using it --Nana& Lee Sora on Roommate; Gong Hyo Jin; Taeyeon from Girl's Generation (i dont always buy things they use but this color red/pink really stood out). It was also recommended on Korean blogs. I don't have the courage to apply this full out on my lips, but I use it to make a gradient effect. Because it is matte, I always exfoliate and moisturize before applying it. It has a staining effect because it is matte so you don't have to reapply as often. The price is $25.

I hope you guys enjoyed my reviews. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask!

With love,

Ahra <3

My Daily Night Time Routine ♥

Hello again! :) My first official post will be my daily night time routine. I will be giving my opinions on the products I use and the steps I take! Hope you enjoy! ♥ 

Removing the Makeup: Eye/Face

This is the most important step! Firstly, I have been using the Maybelline Clean Express Wateproof Eye Makeup Remover and I really like it. The bottle says its oil-free, but I'm not completely sure about that. It does a great job getting my makeup off and doesn't cause irritation like many other removers do. I use the waterproof eye makeup remover by applying the remover onto a cotton pad. It's important not to rub the cotton when you put it on your eye.To get the makeup off, gently place the cotton on the eye and wait for the remover to dissolve the stubborn makeup. Then, dip cutips into the remover to get any leftover eyeliner or mascara. For the face, I use makeup wipes. I have been using the Costo Kirkland Facial Wipes for years and they work perfectly well for me. It's gentle on the face, but get a lot of the makeup off. Because I'm running low, I picked up the L'Oreal Ideal Clean removers, but haven't tried them yet. A tip for make-up wipes is leave them in the refrigerator. It has a cooling effect and the wipes won't dry up. 

Cleanser

I use the Iope Derma Professional Auto Cleanser along with the Kracie Naive Face Wash to cleanse my face. I REALLY LOVE my Iope Cleanser. The idea is similar to a Clarisonic but it's something I can use everyday. It gets all the excess makeup and my pores clean! Last year, I broke out several times without a reason, but after using this cleanser, I realized it was because I didn't wash off my makeup completely.

I picked up the Kracie Naive Face Wash at an Asian beauty store and it seems to work well. No breakouts.After using the Iope Cleanser, I use the Victoria Lanolin-Agg-Tval Swedish Eggwhite Soap as my last step. When I was in Korea, my aunt bought me this soap because my skin was so bad. Egg whites are known to tighten up pores and the soap has been doing me well.

Toner and Lotion 

I included three of the toner I have been using for the past few months. I began using the Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2 about a year ago. Apparently, toner with alcohol is not recommended because it drys the skin, but it works to get the excess makeup off even after cleaning the face (yes, there is still makeup left even after washing it.) I didn't experience any breakouts with the Clarifying Lotion, but the alcohol smell really bothered me a lot. After returning from Korea, I started breaking out a little so I bought the Clinique Acne Solution Clarifying Lotion, which was highly recommended. It consists of salicylic acid so I thought it would work but it actually worsened my skin. My skin got extremely dry and I broke out even more. My third solution was trying a toner that was alcohol-free so I got my hands on the Clarins Toning Lotion- Normal/Dry Skin. I really like it so far! Because it's alcohol-free it very gentle on the face and I didn't experience any breakout- it smells very sweet too! 

My favorite lotion has been the Clinique Dramatically Moisturizing Lotion +. I've been using this lotion for the past year as well and it definitely keeps my skin hydrated and it is very lightweight. 

Moisturize/Cream  

I use the Clinique Moisture Surge Intense Skin Fortifying Hydrator to follow up my routine. I have extremely dry skin and I find this moisturizer to work the best. It absorbs pretty quickly, but I would not say it is lightweight, which is good for moisturizers you put on at night. Then, I use either my Innisfree bija anti-trouble spot essence W (for white heads/ just forming pimples) or the Innisfree bija anti-trouble spot essence R (for redder pimples/ scars). Theses products were recommended to me by a friend so I picked them up while I was in Korea. There are no quick noticeable differences but the essence R really helped the scars on my forehead face away. 

For eye cream, I use the Nature Republic Original Power Wrinkle Eye Cream. I'm pretty neutral about this product. I don't yet have saggy or noticeable wrinkly eyes so I can't really tell if the product works. But I heard women should start putting eye cream at a younger age! 

Acne/ Pimple Treatment

Pretty much my holy grail! This is the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion. You use a cutip to get the pink product on the bottom and dab it on any new pimples or existing ones. It works the fastest and gets the work done. I put it on before I sleep and my pimples usually get smaller by the morning. :) You can either order it online or buy it at Nordstrom or Ulta. 

I don't always use this product, but it's the Nature Republic Argan Oil. On days when my skin looks extra tired or dry, I mix two or so drops with my Clinique Moisturizer and use it as a sleeping pack to rehydrate my face. 

This then concludes my Daily Night Time Routine. I hope it helped!  ♥ ♥