Beauty Report

I have never done any blog post about beauty despite I am an avid reader about the newest and the latest technology and products. No, I am not talking about make-up, I am referring to skin care.You see, it is probably VERY rare for a "blogger" or even a girl between the age of 25-35 to not have any make up on a daily basis. The only thing I put on my face is either lip balm or lip gloss due to the dry weather here. I do not use anything else on my face besides skincare products in the morning and at night.
I have always been told I have good skin, so I thought I would share with you what I normally use on a daily basis. In the end, I wolud do something VERY daring to show you an UP-CLOSE, clear shot of my face, no make up on, at all lol.

First up, cleaning. It is VERY important to start any skincare routine with a clean face. Remember to know your skin type and choose a face wash that works for you. I have thin, combination to dry skin (oily on the forehead and nose, but dry and somewhat sensitive the rest). I always love getting face wash from my local Japanese store.
Rohto Hadalabo Hyaluronan Face Wash from Amazon for under $15! It's filled with hyaluronic acid which keeps your skin very moist and smooth even after cleansing.

Once or twice a week, I would switch to a scrub to achieve deeper cleaning. This ensures as you get rid of the dead skin cells on the surface of your skin so all the goodies you put on later go IN. I like Neutogena Anti-Wrinkle Anti-Blemish Scrub from Neutrogena at only $6.50.

I always use a serum right after the face wash. A serum is not as "thick" as a lotion. It is light like water but slightly stickier so it is absorbs rather quickly into your skin. This preps the skin for the lotion later. You can also do some gentle massage with the serum so your skin gets some light exercise to stay toned.

I have been a big fan of the Japanese skincare line SK II (II as in the number "two"). You can find this brand products in alot of places. My favourite is the SK II Facial Essence Treatment. The secret ingredient is the 90% pure Pitera. It derives from rice and it feels so wonderful on your skin (and hands afterwards). This is one of the few things I splurge on because it works! You do not need a lot and it works like wonder!

Never forget about the eyes. Skin around the eye are very different from the rest of our face. It is more delicate and thinner so it requires special care. I am also a big Olay fan. I have been using their products since the age of 13! For eye cream, I love the Olay ProX Eye Complex. All you need is a rice grain potion. You then gentlely dab it onto the undereye area and around the corner of the eye in a circuar motion until the lotion is completely absorb! Buy from Amazon or Olay directly. You can find them vary a bit in price but on average about $30 a bottle, it lasts at least a couple of months!

Another favourite is by ROC. It is not as well-known but I like an important ingredient, retinol-A! It helps cell renewal. Remember to avoid the actual eyelid area. The initial tingling sensation is normal because as your skin shesd off the old skin and grows new one. It's priced at a bargin at $16 a tube on Amazon.

Time to put on the lotion to "seal" off the nutients. During the daytime, I always use lotion with SPF EVEN it is cloudy and raining outside. Remember, UV ray is invisible and it is present at all time while you are outdoor! My favourite is once again by Olay, all-in-one with SPF. It is perfume free and goes on like silk. A whole 1.7 ounce is about $18, I LOVE it!

 At nightime, I alternate a night lotion which is normally richer and more concentrated for night time! My favourtie two are once again, Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream

An more splurgy option would be SK II Skin Signature Cream. I alternate between the two. When I am feeling stressed out and do notsleep enough or when I am traveling, I tend to "baby" myself and use the SK II option. Buy it from many major department stores such as Nordstrom, Saks or SKII's official website! The price tag is normally around $120 for 80g.

Once a week, I would apply a warm mask right after shower (leave the mask unopened in warm waterbefore use). This is especially helpful during the dry winter. It's somewhat difficult to find ready-made masks on the shelves in the US. I found a REALLY inexpensive option when I traveled to asia but am HAPPY to locate them on Amazon (at price tage under $15 for 10!!)

My favourite ones are the ones from My Beauty Diary. They have a LOT of different "flavours", and they all smell amazing. Dark chocolate, truffle, strawberry etc just to name a few! I am currently obsessed with Red Wine and Yoghurt, c'mon, can you say no to them? (remember to only leave the mask on for maximum 10min. Leaves it longer than that time may dry your face).

Lastly, want to let you on a "secret". I have been using Latisse to grow more lashes! Remember it is by prescription only so visit your eye doctor and talk to him or her about it! It really really works!

Lastly, my "nude" face haha. No make up at all!

Lashes!!

Remember, drink lots of water, eight hours of sleep and eat plenty of fruits and veggies! And SMILE more! Stress does no one good :)

I hope you enjoy this rather LONG blog post! Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks for reading!