Saturday, January 28, 2017

K-Beauty Routine Follow-Up: Estimated Costs of My Routine!

Thanks everyone for the great responses to my previous post!  I got one question that I want to answer as best I can--because it's an important one--how much would I be spending to do this routine?  It's hard for me to answer based on my order history for a few reasons--first of all when I discovered K-Beauty I did exactly what you're not supposed to do and went nuts and bought ALL THE THINGS, so I started products in March of last year but I had a bunch of things I tried out but don't include in my regular routine; for example, since March 2016 I have emptied 2 bottles of cleansing oil that wasn't my fave and then started my Kose Softymo which I really like and the bottle is about 5/6 full right now.  Also, I'm not perfect and there have been weeks where I didn't keep up much on my routine, especially if travelling, and sometimes just did micellar water cleansing and Clinique DDM instead of the whole shebang.  So I want to give a more accurate estimate based on my now-solidified routine and how, ideally, I use my products. This is a lot of math so I hope you appreciate it because I don't much care for doing math! XD

First off, how much I use: for serums, it's generally 2-3 drops.  I googled how much is a "drop" and it said 0.05 ml, so for those products I'll estimate 0.15 ml per use. 

For thin liquids, like Hado Labo lotion or the COSRX active liquids, I'd estimate 1/4 tsp, (it's like 3 shakes to get drops out of the bottle) so I'm going to say 1.25 ml.

For creams I'd say 1/8 tsp so we'll say 0.75 ml.  For sleeping packs I'd say 1/4-1/2 tsp so let's say 2 ml.  

KEEP IN MIND: I wanted to be sure to overestimate rather than underestimate! This is how much I use of these products based on eyeballing it, but your products could certainly last longer than I'm estimating...

So here we go, I'm going by today's prices on each product: 

Purchase price $9.85
2 ml 1x/day--Bottle should last for about 4 months.  

Purchase price $22.30
This is a solid product so I'm not even sure how to measure but I will tell you that I've been using it at least 1x/day since September and it's still got a ways to go so I'm going to say it will definitely last at least 4 months.   **I'm being told from other k-beauty fans that this lasts WAY longer than 4 months. We'll see but that would certainly affect my totals a little. 

Purchase price $12.25
Since I use this on a cotton pad I'll say 1/2 tsp 2x/day.  At 5 ML/day this would last about 2 months.

Purchase price $17.55
I think I use about 1/2 ML 2x/day so this bottle would last 2 months.  

Purchase price $16.49
You are supposed to use 1/4 tsp on your face which is about 1.5 g so a 2-pack would last a little over 2 months. **An anonymous commenter reminded me that you are actually supposed to use 1/2 tsp per day--1/4 for face and 1/4 for neck--so this would likely last for a shorter period of time.  I've likely overestimated on other products, though, based on reddit feedback, so I'm not going to update the totals just now. :) 

Purchase price $16.80
3x/wk 1.25 ml this would last about 20 weeks or 5 months.  Let's go with 4 months just to make things more consistent. 

Purchase price $14.40
Same use as BHA liquid so 4 months.

Purchase price $12.15
1.25 ML x 2x/day--this would last about 2 months. 

Purchase price $25.48 
I use 3 drops maybe 2x/week.  Love it but I don't need it often.  0.15 ML at 2x/week means this bottle would last about 2 years but it'd probably be expired so let's go with 1x/year purchase.

Purchase Price $26.30
3 drops (0.15 ml) per day, this bottle would last about 1 year. 

Purchase price $25
Based on my estimates if you used this every day it would last you two months, however, I've had my first jar (which is close to being done) for much longer.  I don't use this every day because I don't always need this much moisture.  I'm going to go with every 4 months purchase.  

Purchase price about $9
0.75 ml daily this would last about 2 months. 

Purchase price $11.93
0.75 g 4x/week 
I don't know what I'm doing wrong with the math but it's saying this would last 26 weeks but I don't think so.  So let's go with 4 months. 
JUST LOOK AT ALL THIS MATH

Purchase price $12.56
2 ML 3x/week means this would last about 3 months.  **I was told by another k-beauty fan on Reddit that this lasts much longer than 3 months! I really slather this stuff on (it feels so cooling and tingly in a good way) so I don't think it will last me much longer but we'll see! 

Sooooooo.... 

TOTAL INITIAL COST FOR THIS ROUTINE:  $232.06

TOTAL MONTHLY COST TO MAINTAIN THIS ROUTINE (basing on annual cost for all products but NOT including the initial outlay so you would actually be paying less than this for a while): 
(Seriously this was some intense math!)

$66.25.

BUT WAIT!!! Don't freak out.  Depending on your circumstances, this may seem like pocket change or it may seem like an Ivory Tower.  I am quite fortunate that I'm able to keep up my routine but I KNOW it is not costing me that much. 

Shifu puppy photo to help you relax
1. DON'T YOU DARE GO OUT AND BUY ALL THIS STUFF AT ONCE SO HELP ME.  You need to introduce things slowly, and patch test new products.  What works for me may absolutely not work for you.  Start with cleansing oil, foaming cleanser, sunscreen and a moisturizer.  Jolse.com and RoseRoseShop.com offer sample packs of MANY of these products so start with those before you buy full size products.  You can also often get decanted samples on r/asianbeautyexchange. 

2. I am often able to get items on sale for much cheaper.  If you know things work for you, you can place a big order on RoseRoseShop.com and the lower costs will make the shipping worth it.  Google coupon codes, sign up for mailing lists and wait for sales.

3. Almost all of these things are available on Amazon Prime.  Ask for Amazon GC's for birthdays and holidays if you need to :) Keep your Amazon Wishlist current.  I got several of these items for Xmas. 

4.  For me, skin care is self-care.  It's a routine that makes me feel good, shows me positive results, and is enjoyable and relaxing to do.  This is why I feel comfortable spending money on skin care, and I'm economically privileged enough (but not wealthy by any means) to make it work.  My ultimate blog goal is to use it to support my product habit. :) 

5. Be careful to use your products sparingly**.  Even though I tried to estimate as best I could, I know I'm not going through this stuff as quickly as I've estimated.  Maybe I'm not as consistent with it as I think, or maybe the amounts are very generous estimates.  One thing that allows me to use my products more sparingly is I don't 100% let every layer sink in before applying the next.  This gives you a lot of "slip" so that you can evenly apply less product in each layer.  

6. Before you blanch at the cost, do you know what you are currently spending on skin care?  I have never looked at it in-depth like I've done on this blog post.  This may not be much more than you're already spending, and you may have spent even more impulse-purchasing products with spectacular claims that didn't end up working for you.  

So, my darlings, there it is.  I do wholeheartedly feel that the K-beauty style routine that I've developed is worth the price and is far less expensive than quality Western products in a lot of cases. You're worth it!

**Except sunscreen.  DON'T SKIMP ON SUNSCREEN.  1/2 tsp for face and neck, darlings! 

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

How K-beauty changed my skin

Before/Beginning K-Beauty: Summer 2016
I discovered Korean skin care in the spring of 2016, originally through the blog Fifty Shades of Snail, and then "down the rabbit hole" of r/AsianBeauty on Reddit.  Since there are several excellent, active blogs about Korean skin care I had no plan to even make a blog post about it... But then I stumbled across this photo of me from last summer and I was shocked by the difference in my skin.  It's so clear that Korean skin care has had a dramatic difference in the clarity, youthfulness and even tone of my skin, I decided I had to share it with y'all so you can get these same results.  For some context--I have combo/oily breakout prone skin, and had some uneven coloring and aging concerns (I will turn 40 this year!)  Keep in mind that I am wearing no makeup and have applied no filters to either of these photos of me.
After K-Beauty: January 2017!
I never really had a great (or even passable) skin care routine before this and I'll tell you the reason why: before K-beauty, I never found any moisturizer that didn't break me out into painful cystic spots on my cheeks (an area where I never usually break out).  Oil-free moisturizers, those for sensitive skin, those especially for acne, those for dry skin... All broke me out.  A couple of years ago I discovered Clinique Dramatically Different Moisture Gel and for once, it didn't break me out, so it is all I used.  It's really not very moisturizing but at least it didn't break me out!  I do still use the Clinique DDM as an AM moisturizer, but most of the rest of my products are now Asian, and most of those are from Korea. 

Last year I saw several articles on Buzzfeed etc. about the "weird 10-step Korean skin care regime" as K-beauty started to rise in visibility--and most of my friends, when I told them about my new routine, immediately said "I don't have time for that".  So, yes, I do have several steps in both my morning and evening routines but it really doesn't take that much time at all, and I do most of my evening skin care in bed while I watch Bob's Burgers and wind down for sleep.  

I wanted to take a glam Insta-worthy pic of my skin care routine but Elvis the Beagle wants to be famous.
AM Routine

-Cleanse with Su:m 37 Miracle Rose Cleanser stick and a washcloth or konjac sponge
-Wipe with a simple alcohol-free rosewater toner (Thayer's is great)
-Two pumps of Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence (hydrating and soothing)
-Light moisturizer (Clinique DDM or Mizon Snail Recovery Gel
-Sunscreen (Biore Watery Essence or Biore Perfect Milk, depending on my makeup plan)

PM Routine:

-First cleanse/remove makeup with Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil 
-Second cleanse with Su:m 37 Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick 
-Wipe with rosewater toner
-4x/week: CosRX BHA liquid on T-zone, CosRX AHA liquid on the whole face
**Wait 20 minutes while watching Bob's Burgers**
-If I'm feeling extra parched, apply a sheet mask (I like My Scheming, Innisfree, and Tony Moly masks) and wait 15 minutes (Keep in mind--I live in Colorado which is so damned dry it's like living with a bunch of those silica packs that come in handbags)
Then I swipe on my products, letting each one sink in for a few moments.  It's usually recommended that you "pat" them in but I generally just rub them on very gently. 
-Hado Labo Gokujyn "Lotion" (more like a hydrating toner, this includes hyaluronic acid for hydration)
-Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence
-Missha Time Revolution serum in the purple bottle (it has a ridiculously long name!) 2-3 drops
-A sleeping pack, which is meant to seal everything in: I rotate several, but my favorites are Rosette Ceramide Gel and Innisfree Wine Jelly Sleeping Pack
-Eye Cream (currently using Tarte Marajuca Eye Treatment, but I'm not married to it, I'll try something new when I run out)
-Lip balm (currently Dior Creme de Rose and while I enjoy it, I don't think it is worth the shocking $$$ that I paid for it. My other favorite is Smith's Rosebud Salve.) 

Yes, I know it seems like a lot, but actually if you don't count the time I wait for "actives" (BHA/AHA) it only takes me about 10 minutes, if that.  

Reasons I love Korean Skincare:
-Korean consumers are very skin-care conscious, very picky, and have very little brand loyalty.  What this means is that there is a large amount of market competition and brands race each other to put out effective products at a reasonable price.  You can get really effective products from Korea for "drugstore prices". 
-The packaging is often adorable.
-I'm able to find a wide range of products that don't break me out.
-Asian brands do sunscreen on a whole different level than Western brands.  Sunscreen is another thing I almost never wore because even the oil-free ones felt sticky and greasy and broke me out horribly.  The Biore brands that I love are weightless, and the Biore Perfect Milk is actually the best mattifying primer I've ever tried.  
-Self-care: Keeping up with my skin-care routine gives me some self-care time every day and makes me feel luxurious and glamorous.  Fifty Shades of Snail's "FiddySnails" wrote an excellent article about how her skin care routine helps her depression and I can relate to this so hard.  
-RESULTS.  Seriously, look at my skin.  JUST LOOK AT IT.  


So, now you want to try Korean skincare, right?  IMPORTANT TIP: Don't just throw everything on your face at once.  Patch-test everything, introduce products one at a time to make sure that if you have a reaction, you know what did it.  YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary) is a concept that definitely applies to K-beauty--what works for me may not work for you!  

If you want more info about K-beauty, I recommend these blogs:

I've linked all the products I've mentioned, but in case you are looking for retailers, I have ordered from and would recommend the following:

Amazon (but be sure to order Prime products ONLY.  Items that are not prime-eligible are far more likely to be counterfeit.) 
Memebox (big markups for some items, but some are only easily available to US consumers through Memebox, like my favorite Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream)
Jolse (free shipping on any amount)
RoseRose Shop (high shipping but low prices--if you are ordering a large amount, it's worth it)

**I purchased all of the listed products with my own money, and did not receive any product or promotional consideration for this blog post.  I do not currently have any referral links.  


Sunday, January 22, 2017

My first Boxycharm! January 2017 First impressions.


I've enjoyed Ipsy for a while, but I had become somewhat unexcited about the products I was getting so I decided to cancel Ipsy and try out Boxycharm.  Boxycharm** is a subscription beauty box that provides 5 full-size beauty products each month for $21.  I had looked at many reviews on My Subscription Addiction and I felt that the value for the price was there and they seemed to include some great products.   
Boxycharm's boxes have some variation, as far as I can tell there are generally 1-3 products that are in every box, and then a few products that are variables.  In my box, I received (all full size):
I was pleased because there were a few variation items that I really didn't want, and I really wanted the cheek stain.  I am listing these retail values as stated on Boxycharm's website and from retailers if possible--Pur Cosmetics are sold at Ulta but they do not carry this particular item.  Oscar Blandi seems to have disappeared from both Ulta and Sephora.  

My favorite item in the box was the Vintage by Jessica Liebeskind highlighter duo.  The two shades are "rose quartz" and "chocolate diamond".  First of all, the packaging is beautiful--sturdy matte plastic with a vintage aesthetic and a mirror in the compact.   Both highlighters are so silky soft (almost creamy)  when swatched with a finger and did not have any visible particles of glitter--just a shimmer glow.  In this lighting I did not see a big difference in the two shades when swatched but I am sure in natural light there will be a difference--however, both shades worked well on my fair skin and I think that they would be lovely on a wide range of skin tones.  

As far as the rest of the products, I liked the cheek stain but it has somewhat limited use in my arsenal; I usually wear matte liquid or powder foundation, and this type of product is much better suited to sheer, dewy base makeup. However, the shade is quite nice, it blends well and I like the feature of the brush on the opposite end of the package.  

The fan brush is fine--it's not luxe, but it's not garbage either.  I'm glad to have another because I've been wanting to dedicate one fan brush to sweeping away eyeshadow fallout and this will work well. 

I haven't yet tried the dry shampoo or the nail product but they will both get use so I'd call this box a win.  

To take advantage of my new products, I did a minimal/dewy look using the cheek stain and the highlighter.  As you can see, they both blend well and the highlighter really is just stunning.  

Other products used:
Clio Gelpresso eyeshadow stick in Hold Me Tight (glitter peach) 
Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Demolition (matte brown)
Tarte Lipsurgence Lipgloss in Fearless (shimmering coral) 

All in all, I am happy with my first month of Boxycharm, and after seeing some spoilers for the February box, I'm pretty excited for that too.  I'll have to have a few more months under my belt before I give it a seal of approval, though!

**I purchased my Boxycharm subscription with my own money and did not receive any product or promotional consideration for this review.  

Friday, January 20, 2017

So, yeah, as it turns out Tarte's Shape Tape IS as good as the hype suggests.

I've been looking for a good concealer for a while and hadn't yet found my true love.  I needed something that was not greasy, doesn't cake or crease, has true full coverage, and very long-wearing since base makeup tends to flee my combo/oily skin pretty quickly.  I've tried several in the past year and they were all varying levels of dud.  Tarte's Shape Tape** has been the HYPE BOMB for several months and nearly always out of stock.

I went to Ulta last week and had planned to pick up another Tarte concealer that has gotten very good reviews (the Amazonian Clay Waterproof 12-Hour Concealer) and they had an end cap of Shape Tape with nearly all of the shades out of stock except miraculously the shade that appeared to be my own match, Light Sand.  So, thanks to Ulta's very generous return policy, I could try it out with no real risk.   I'm quite glad I did.

First off, this concealer tube is HUGE.  The amount you get for the price is excellent.  To compare, here are the other concealers I've tried in the past year or so:

Maybelline Fit Me  0.23 oz for $6.99
NYX Hi Definition  0.11 oz for $4.99
NYX Concealer in a Jar  0.21 oz for $4.99
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer 0.22 oz for $29.00
Benefit Boi-ing Industrial Strength Concealer 0.10 oz for $20.00 (SERIOUSLY Benefit? Eff you.)
Tarte Shape Tape 0.34 oz for $24.00 Thanks Tarte!!!

The applicator is huge, too, which some people have not enjoyed--you definitely do need to use a light touch to avoid splooshing concealer all over the place.  That would be my only complaint, but really not a complaint because it's just such a great product.

Before Shape Tape, Maybelline Fit Me was the best I've tried, but not as good coverage as I'd like and not as crease-resistant as I'd like either. NYX HD was basically no coverage.  NYX Concealer In A Jar broke me out in painful spots.  NARS RCC was too thick and creased badly on me.  Benefit Boi-ing is super greasy, not a great shade and not great coverage either.

Enter Shape Tape.  When I swatched it in store, I actually said "Wow" out loud.  It seems like almost pure pigment, but blended out it's a very natural skin-like finish.  The coverage is to die for.

When I picked it up a few days later to use on my face, I was so delighted with the effect.  Tiny, tiny dots under my eyes blended out with my BB for totally full yet weightless coverage.  Then I got ideas.  I haven't used concealer really for anything other than my undereyes or an occasional blemish. I have VERY ruddy cheeks in the totally wrong spot (why couldn't I have flush on the apples of my cheeks and therefore not need blush... huh?!) and I decided to see if the Shape Tape could cover up that redness without wasting too much product.


If I'm doing a full-glam face, I will use Estee Lauder Doublewear foundation in 1N1 Ivory Nude (which is ALSO as good as everyone says), but even with its excellent full coverage I generally have to use 2 coats on my cheeks to cover up that Nordic ruddiness.  For everyday wear, I use Dermablend Intense Powder Camo in Ivory, and again, I have to use a lot to cover up that red, even though it really is the best coverage powder foundation I've tried.

 I dotted just a little bit of Shape Tape over the red areas of my cheeks and blended in with a Beauty Blender.  It covered EVERYTHING in one pass. I used my Dermablend powder lightly on the rest of my face and my skin looked as even and flawless as I get with a hardcore coat of Doublewear.  It seems like they put some sort of magic in there.

I am so psyched to be able to get a totally full coverage face without a complete layer of foundation.  I'll still use my Doublewear for special occasions as I have, but this stuff is, as they say, a game-changer.
It's been 3 days since I tried it and no spots on my cheeks! So it passes the breakout test.  The one thing I can't speak to yet is its resistance to tears and sweat--I have always-watering eyes and I did not see it wearing off under my eyes but I think I had a low-tears day that day.  Yesterday, it did last all day under my undereyes with no creasing or obvious wear.

So, this was a minimal foundation look for an internship day (all products pictured in top photo). Product list:
Tarte Shape Tape in Light Sand (on undereyes and cheeks)
Dermablend Intense Powder Camo in Ivory
applied lightly with
Too Faced Retractable Kabuki Brush
NARS blush in Orgasm
Urban Decay Afterglow highlight in Sin
Urban Decay Primer Potion
L'Oreal Infallible Eyshadow in Amber Rush (cult classic)
Rimmel Exaggerate eyeliner (black)
Kiss Me Heroine Make Waterproof Long & Curl Mascara
Anastasia Dip Brow in Ash Brown
Sephora Collection Lipliner (clear)
Lipstick Queen Saint lipstick in Nude

In summation, I'm skeptical of products that everyone seems to rave about since the monetization structure of beauty Youtubers and bloggers doesn't necessarily incentivize totally honest reviews.  But Tarte's Shape Tape is legit.  I'll definitely repurchase it when I run out, and I'll be recommending it to all my friends.  WTG, Tarte!

**I purchased this product at full price from Ulta and was not paid or given any product or promotional consideration for this review.

Monday, January 16, 2017

#WhatsInMyBag January '17 and what I need for a basic face!



Hi, I'm back!

For my first post of 2017 I thought I'd share what I lug around with me, including the products I need to do a basic look if God forbid I leave the house without my face on. ;)

In my big teal vegan-leather tote from Namaste, I've got:

1. Ticket stub from Flight of the Concords at Red Rocks last summer.  I just came across it in my bag and I left it because it's such a happy memory :)

2. My Kindle, cleverly disguised as Tina Belcher's erotic friend fiction notebook.  Currently reading on Kindle: The Handmaid's Tale, but I haven't been working on it lately because it feels too real these days.

3. Heart-shaped RX sunglasses from Zenni Optical, and an extra glasses case for my non-shades.

4. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

5. Business cards for my tattoo artist, Ana of Poisoned Apple Ink, so if people compliment her art I can refer.

6. My bullet journal, a Moleskine squared which is my favorite.

7. 2 of my fave pens, Monami Plus 3000, and a hot pink Pentel pen and a little cheapie stylus.

8. A tiny leather notebook with my new initials that my love gave me on our wedding night.

10. Therapy notebook, where I keep track of goals and burning issues.

11. Trashy true crime novel.  I'm so into true crime these days (books and podcasts). I think that kind of horror distracts me from the current political horror that really freaks me out.

12. Wallet that I got on clearance at Macy's.

13. The ear buds that came with my phone turned out to be really comfy.

14. These phone-cord hairties are so good!

15. Compact mirror that I ordered from China because I found it amusing.

16. Vape case with my Halo e-cig

17. Totoro coin purse that I got for Xmas.

18. My mom "lent" me this hankie for my something borrowed at the wedding.  I haven't seen her yet to give it back.

19. Benefit makeup bag that was a GWP a friend didn't want.

And on to my makeup go-bag contents:

20. A little "crystal" nail file I got cheap on Amazon

21. Mario Badescu rosewater spray. It's just refreshing and it smells nice!

21. Tiny NARS blush in Goulue--it's a pretty dark rose color, looks very natural on me. On the go I would just pat a little on with fingers.

23. Tony Moly Cat's Wink translucent powder. The powder is fine but I really wanted the kitty compact. :D

24. Makeup Forever DS eyeliner pencil. It's very smooth and if I'm doing a super basic look I'd just tightline my upper lash line with this.

25. Benefit Rollerlash. This is one of my 2 favorite non-drugstore mascaras (the other being Too Faced Better Than Sex).  The brush grips my lashes really well and it doesn't seem to smudge on me even though it's not waterproof.

26. NARS matte lip crayon, I think this was a sephora reward.  A nice neutral MLBB shade.

27. Lipstick Queen Medieval.  This stuff is damn near perfect.  Very pretty, sheer muted red, very moisturizing, and I love their brushed metal packaging.

28. Makeup Forever lipstick.  This was a GWP or it might have come in an Ipsy bag.  It's a really pretty mauve shade, satin finish, long-wearing.  Very nice formula.

29. Missha Eye Fit stick shadow, in a warm taupe color, great to just put on lid & blend up a little. It is matte and the wear time is excellent. No creasing!

30. Maybelline Fit Me concealer, the best drugstore concealer I've tried. Good coverage, not cakey.  Does crease a littlw bit :/

31. Neutrogena sheer pale pink lip balm that I got in a Target beauty box.

32. Nerdwax: it's like a lip balm that you put on the bridge of your specs to keep them from slipping down your nose.

33. Brow pencil that I don't love from an Ipsy bag but it works in a pinch.

34.  Becca Backlight Priming Filter.  I just love this stuff alone or under foundation.  Such a gorgeous, subtle glow.  I'll be sad when this little DS runs out, I wonder if I can refill it...

And that's "it" lol! I can do a full basic face with this go-bag and I can touch up with it too.  Each of these lip products are really neutral in case I forget to pop today's lipstick into my bag I can touch up with one of these, no matter what look I'm rocking that day. :)