Korean Facial Mask Recommendations!

I'm an fanatic of facial packs so I bought some while I was in Korea. Some Korean facial packs that I really recommend are : 

1. Innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask:

   I used this last time with my aunt while I was in Korea studying abroad but found out I bought just the Volcanic Pore Clay Mask and not the SUPER Volcanic Pore Clay Mask. I find there to be a really big difference between the two. This one work super well. I don't really have big pores but my face feels so smooth and the small bumps/ sebum balls seem to shrink in size after using this. I apply a generous amount all over my face and as I wash it off, there are minuscule "beads" that exfoliates your skin. 

2. Innisfree Green Barley Gommage Peeling: 

    This was again another product I used while I was studying abroad in Korea. I got it as a sample and it was so gentle on my skin. I wasn't able to buy it previously because I literally had no room in my suitcase. However, went I went to Korea this past winter, I was able to buy myself two of these. I knew this worked well, so why not buy two? You leave the product to dry after application and then once it's dried, you wet your fingers and softly peel away your dead skin. I really recommend this to anyone with sensitive skin. It's seriously super gentle! 

3. Innisfree Green Tea Sleeping Pack 

    

   While I was in Korea this winter (2014), I couldn't leave without buying a sleeping pack. I didn't want to buy the Laneige Water Sleeping Pack because I felt it didn't do much for my face after using two containers of it. I knew how popular the green tea line was at Innisfree so I ended up buying this sleeping pack! The lady who worked there recommended that I put it in the refrigerator for soothing effects and I have been doing so. I like the product and apply it once/twice a week when my face looks dry. There are small white little beads in the product that dissolve once you massage it in--I don't really know what it does but I feel there's too much of it. 

4. Lastly, I asked my mom to buy me the Skin Foods Black Sugar Mask because she stayed two week longer than I did. I was contemplating on buying it because I thought the Innisfree Green Barley Gommage Peeling would be enough, but I wanted something a little "rough" for days when I want heavy exfoliation around my nose (for blackheads). I do like it and it works well to get rid of blackheads, but it doesn't do anything drastic. 

Hope you enjoyed!

My Experience with the Clarisonic Mia 1

I'm back after being very MIA with my blog! In this post, I will be sharing my experience with the Clarisonic. One reason I decided to write about my experience is because upon looking up reviews before buying the Clarisonic, I only read reviews that urged me to invest in a hundred dollar facial cleanser--none that provided me with another aspect. 

Upon purchasing the Clarisonic, I was in a hurry to try it out because as the reviews stated, in a few weeks I believed I would have  flawless skin. Amidst the excitement, I was a bit worried because I read numerous reviews about the "purging" stage, where my skin would break out because the Clarisonic would bring all the dirt in my skin to the surface before giving me my flawless skin. Despite my fear of the purging phase, I used the Clarisonic (sensitive brush head) every night, and for the first week or two, I noticed that my face would get "squeaky" clean--little did I know, my face was not supposed to be that clean (I needed to get rid of the bad oil but keep the good/natural oil in my skin). During the first and second weeks, I started to get pimples on areas of my face I never broke out in prior to using the Clarisonic (chin, philtrum). I let it pass because I thought I was experiencing the purging phase to a lesser degree. I was actually glad I wasn't getting a crazy breakout as others mentioned. 

About the third to fourth week of using the Clarisonic daily, I continued to get random pimples all over my face that would NOT go away. And to make it worse, I began to get small little bumps all over my forehead--something I like to refer to as sebum balls. These sebum balls were literally scattered all over my forehead (near the center and T-zone area). Despite stressing over the sudden appearance of these nasty sebum balls, I continued to use the Clarisonic. After about seven weeks, my face was not improving at all--I still continued to get pimples - quite a lot - and the sebum balls on my forehead continued to increase. My mom, who bought the Clarisonic around the time I did, constantly complained about how she got random pimples and sebum balls over her face after using the Clarisonic. Finally, around the eighth week I decided to stop using the Clarisonic and see how my skin would react. 

One reason I kept using the Clarisonic, despite knowing that it might not actually be working for me, was because I thought it was the most effective way to really clean my face well. I didn't think cleansing oils or face washes would be able to get rid of all my makeup, dirt, and bad oil. By this time, my skin was at its worst point and these sebum balls were not going away. I was in Korea during this time for a family vacation and had the chance to visit a dermatologist. Upon hearing what the dermatologist said and doing further research, the Clarisonic was cleaning my face all too much --it was taking out the bad and good (natural) oils in my face. Therefore, my skin produced more oil to make up for the natural oil I was constantly washing away--producing the sebum balls. She suggested that I do a skin laser treatment becauase the sebum balls were not going to go away even with time. Although I really wanted to do the skin laser treatment, I was leaving Korean in two days (the laser treatment required several sessions). Because I was unable to do the treatment, the nurse recommended an enzyme soap to use after cleansing my face. The enzyme soap was pretty much a powder wash form that foamed up as soon as you added water and lathered it up.

So upon coming back home to LA and changing up my skin care routine, my skin improved a lot. The sebum balls on my forehead have shrunk significantly and my skin improved from when I was using the Clarisonic.

This is not to say the Clarisonic is a horrible product. There are just specific skin types that work well with the Clarisonic and some that do not. According to the dermatologist, her explanation was that many electronic facial washes makes "your skin thin and very sensitive." People who had amazing experiences with the Clarisonic had tough enough skin but apparently my skin was thin and too sensitive for the Clarisonic. 

This pretty much wraps up my experience with the Clarisonic. Despite being very sensitive about my skin, I got the courage to share my experience just to provide light onto a possible side effect that may occur to someone with a similar skin type as me. 

Thanks so much for reading! 

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 Favorite Masks/ Packs ♥

This post will be all about my favorite and weekly used facial masks and packs. Before leaving to Korea I did not care too much for my skin and occasionally used facial sheet mask (which probably explains my crazy acne breakouts), but I discovered a whole new world of skin care during my time there.

My first product is the Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask (with scoria and green complex)

I use this clay mask once a week to tighten up the pores that got bigger because of all the makeup. There is not much to explain about the formula as it is a clay-base so you put it on and wait till it dries up. I apply it with a mask brush because I feel I save more product that way, but using your fingers work perfectly well. This product is very popular in Korea, and I had to go to several stores to find it because it was all sold out. After cleaning my face, I apply my toner first (in case of any excess makeup) and apply a thin layer of this product with my brush. It usually takes15-20 minutes to completely dry. When washing off the product I gently massage the mask because it consists of minuscule beads that makes my pores squeaky clean. It definitely cleans and tightens up my pores mostly on my cheeks and forhead, but it does not get rid of a lot of the blackheads on my nose.

Overall, after using this product my face looks a lot brighter and my makeup looks a lot better the following day. 

My second product is the Face Shop White Jewel Peeling Mask. 

The name of the product basically sums of the product. It has a liquid-gel type formula that you massage all over your face to peel off all the dead skin cells as well as any dirt or leftover makeup. It works really quickly and it even gets the dead skin cells off my fingers as I apply the product. The directions say to massage it for 1~2 minutes but I only do it for 30 seconds and it still gets the work done. My face definitely looks a lot brighter and it becomes significantly softer. However, one important thing to note about peeling masks is the after care. Yes, peeling masks help to remove all the bad things on your face but it also removes a lot of the good things-- so moisturizing is KEY after using any peeling mask. I use this product once a week. 

This is the current peeling mask I am using, but my favorite one is the Innisfree Green Barley Gommage Peeling. I use the Faceshop Peeling Mask for 30 seconds because it makes my face sting if I use it any longer. It doesn't cause me any break out; however, it is not as gentle as the Innisfree Green Barley Peeling Mask-- I really recommend this one. Unfortunately, I couldn't buy the Innisfree one due to luggage weight, but it's AMAZING (just using the samples they gave me made a big difference). 

My third product is the Faceshop Volcano Clay Black Head Clay Nose Pack--my holy grail mask for my nasty blackheads. 

When it comes to masks, I prefer clay one because it just works the best for my skin. You basically spread a thin layer on your nose, wait for it to completely dry, and peel it off. As nasty as it may sound, your white heads and blackheads come off as you peel it. Something I recommend doing is using a dampened warm/hot towel and placing it over the nose for about thirty seconds (when I'm lazy I just cup hot water into my hands and place it on my nose :)). This will work to open up the pores/blackheads/ whiteheads on your nose. After drying the water, quickly apply a thin layer until it dries. After peeling the product off, I soak my nose in ice cold water to tighten/close up my clean nose.:)

Another product from the same line is the FaceShop Black Head Heating Gel Mask. 

I definitely find myself reaching for the Clay Mask rather than the Heating Gel Mask, but the Gel Mask is a lot more gentle. The product literally heats up your nose as you apply it and the directions say to massage it for about 10-15 minutes. As you massage the product, the clear gel turns into a grayish color. It contain minuscule beads to gently clean out the blackheads and the pores in your nose. 

My final products are the facial sheet masks. 

I feel like one dollar sheet masks work as well as expensive ones. Two tips I have are (1) keep them refrigerated and (2) don't keep them on for more than 20 minutes. 

Keeping the masks refrigerated will give your tired skin a cooling effect when applied on your face, which will work better to soak in the nutrients. ;)  Cheap masks work really well, but it is not recommended to keep them on for a long time. I know some people wait till the mask completely dries but your face probably soaked up the nutrients on the mask within the 20 minutes and keeping it on any longer will not allow your skin to breathe.

Another easy mask to try is the the egg white mask. I don't do this often, but I notice significant differences when I do. First, separate the white and yolk from an egg; second, beat the white until it becomes like bubbly foam; third, apply it all over your face- either with a brush or your fingers; fourth, wait for it to dry; and lastly, wash it off.

The egg white mask is already quite known, but from experience it really works. Your makeup the next day looks noticeably better and your skin gets brighter. BUT don't forget to use fresh eggs! :)


Hope this post was interesting and you got something out of it!
Thanks for dropping by!♥♥♥