What is purging? Myths and truths

Hi, everyone. First off, sorry for my long hiatus from blogging, and I am so sorry if I have ignored your emails and comments. My email account that was associated with this blog has been hacked, and it has taken me this long to recover the email address, and to continue posting. I will try to improve my email security in the future so that this do not happen again. I have attended a few beauty seminars in Korean and Japan, and met with a few renowned skincare experts there. I couldn't stop nagging them with a lot of different questions, and I am bursting to share the new information with you! In addition, I have also tried a lot of new products, some of which are just genius/wonderful, and I really want to share all the reviews with you. 
One of the questions I get asked most often is whether breakouts after initially switching to a new product is "purging, and how long "purging" is supposed to last. I feel that purging is one of the most confusing skincare concepts, and often misused by sales assistants to persuade you to stick with a product that do not work. In this article, I wanted to share a few facts about purging to help you: 1. recognize purging; 2. know when to expect purging; and 3. debunk all the myths of purging. 


What is purging?: Purging, by definition, means the skin's action of getting rid of excess sebum or "gunk" in the skin, generally through the process of breaking out. Many people allege that they experience purging when they try a new product that causes breakouts initially, but works well eventually without causing further breakouts. However, not all of those reactions are actually purging. Sometimes, the initial breakouts experienced when trying new products may indeed be the new products working to rid the skin of all the "gunk", before making skin better; however, other times, the initial breakouts may just be the skin's way of getting used to the new products.


Differentiating between purging and skin's initial adjustment period to a product: As mentioned before, there are two main reasons why a new product would cause breakouts on the skin initially, but stop causing breakouts after some time of continued use: purging and reactive skin. Purging occurs usually when someone uses a product that is supposed to help with acne, generally cleansers, exfoliants, and other topical acne medications (such as salicylic acid, retin-a/tretinoin, and benzoyl peroxide). The product may work by first lifting the impurities from the skin, such as the gunk in clogged pores. Sometimes, the gunk comes out easily, while other times, the gunk may have a difficult time being expelled from your pores, causing a whitehead or a inflammatory pimple. This is not really supposed to happen with non-medicated moisturizers or foundations. 


Reactive skin also causes breakouts (as well as maybe red patches or other symptoms) when you first start using a product, and the breakouts may or may not subside after a time. This is because some of us has skin that is rather sensitive and reactive, especially those of us using acne or other topical medications that thins the top layer of skin (such as benzoyl peroxide). The thinner the top layer of your skin is, the more you may be prone to sensitive or allergic reactions to a product. Unlike purging, reactive skin can occur with a full range of skincare and facial makeup products, from cleansers to concealers. 


What products generally cause purging: Products that are most prone to causing purging are products containing topical acne medications and products that are supposed to help with acne. Some examples are a new scrub, a new toner containing salicylic acid, and a new moisturizer containing benzoyl peroxide. Do not stop using a product simply because you are purging. Once the purging period is over, you may (or may not) receive the clearer skin the product promises. 

How long to expect purging to last: This is a really hard question and differs from person to person. It depends on how fast your skin reacts, and also, how serious your acne was before you started the new product. For example, a person who had a full face of clogged pores may experience more purging than a person only suffering from a blackhead on the side of his/her nose.


How long to expect reactive skin to last: This also differs from person to person, depending on the sensitivity of your skin and the products you are trying. I sometimes experience no reactions from new products, sometimes I experience one single breakout, and sometimes, I may have to wait for 2 months before a product starts working for me without causing trouble. 

Am I purging or having reactive skin or is this product simply causing me to break out?: As mentioned before, the type of product you are experiencing with gives a clue about whether you may be experiencing purging. It is more difficult to differentiate between reactive skin and simply breaking out. For a lot of people, this simply turns into a waiting game to see if their skin bounces back after a time. 
Sometimes, you may be able to tell based on your skin's past reactions. For example, if I am reacting to a product, I would generally experience inflamed pimples. If a product is simply too rich for my skin, I would see whiteheads and clogged pores. And if I were purging, I would see whiteheads and some inflamed pimples where clogged pores used to be. 

How to reduce the symptoms of purging and reactive skin:  There is no way to skip right through the purging or reactive skin phase, but you can make the symptoms milder by easing in a new product. When I start using new products, I never start using a few new products all at once. I ease them into my routine one by one. I generally experience the least reactions this way, and also, if a product were causing me trouble, it is easy to pinpoint which product it is. I also start using a product very slowly. For example, if I were trying to introduce a new cleanser into my routine, I would substitute it for my original cleanser twice a week or begin with, and slowly increase the frequencies until it completely replaces my original cleanser. 

Review: The Multiple Uses of Sudocrem

I think each country has some sort of medicine that EVERY household always has. In Japan it's probably this medicine called Muhi to ease the itching in mosquito bites, or this little heatpack that you shake to make it warm in the winter.

Sudocrem probably has this status in the UK, but as someone that started living there in late 2008 - I've been clueless about it for quite some time. That was until I heard about its amazing qualities of curing spots here in the blogosphere, and a few days after thinking of purchasing one, Hayden offered these cute little tubes to try out - couldn't say no could I :P

Now I did some brief research on this and there were a few things that I was quite confused about:

1) There's not many examples besides baby rash on how to use it.
2) It says it acts as a barrier but what does it mean? Why wouldn't I just use a bandaid?
3) It says it's good for away from home.. but it's such a thick cream that hardly ever goes transparent - I wouldn't want to walk around in public with white patches on my skin!

And lastly I didn't think the formula is suited for the packaging - yes it's cute and very handy, but sometimes it is just SO difficult to get some product out. That being said, it's probably a lot less messy than the tub, so while I wouldn't use it "on the go" for reason 3), I can see myself getting this over the tub if I repurchase!

Now as you can see I got 3 tubes. I distributed it to a few people - myself shared with my mom, my boyfriend's sister, and my boyfriend's mom. I gathered a few things that it works for, between the four of us:

*1) Mosquito bites - relieves the itching really really well!

2) Blemish treatments

3) Itchy, dry patches on the body

*4) To soften slightly calloused skin (good for before sanding heels/elbows down!)

5) Sunburn

The stars represent what worked for me - the rest are things the others told me. However, I have used A LOT for my mosquito bites which has made dealing with them a whole lot easier, and it was pretty okay in softening my heels which have been quite calloused due to continuously wearing flip flops :)

Would I repurchase?

Maybe, if one day I have a strange skin problem that I'm not sure how to tackle - to me, Sudocrem comes across as a very universal product that has the potential to solve many problems, and is gentle enough to always give it a shot for whatever skin problem. I reckon it's handy to have in the house for when an unknown skin problem pops up! However, as there are no mosquitos in the UK, and there are loads of other body butters that work well for my calloused skin, I can't really say I'll be running out to get another tube instantly after I run out of this one!

But like I said earlier, if I were to get another one, I'd definitely choose the tube over the tub despite it being hard to come out - it's a lot more sanitary and less messy than a tub!

The biggest flaw I think, however, is marketing this as good for "home and away". No one wants a white patch on their face or on their body when they are away!

Bagology Facebook App

Hayden asked me to take a look at Sudocrem Tube's Bagology app that can be found on Facebook, here. I gave it a shot, and chose the Hobo (it was somewhere between that and the shoulder bag :P):

"You (like your bag) have an appetite for lots of stuff! You'll have many interests and are very much a 'cup half full' kind o' gal.

You can't easily let go of your hobo - she's an every day, every occasion kind of must have. You know you'll need to keep a firm grip of your hobo bag and your ideas to stay focussed on making things happen.

You and your bag are no nonsense partners but may suffer from a little too much self criticism as you strive for perfection!"

Aww shucks ;P It's quite fun, give it a shot here! :)

What is your favourite way to use Sudocrem? :)

<3yu

My Skincare Hunt & First Impressions of Clinique 3 Step System

I realise that while I've written about some skincare products, I haven't really been clear about where I stand in my "skincare hunt" for a perfect routine :) I've sorted it all out in my head, so I thought I'd put it down on paper (screen) - it's a bit rambly but I hope you enjoy!

To start off, I have combination/normal skin - I get oily in the t-zone in the warmer months, and normal on my cheeks. Since I've gotten rid of my teenage acne last year, it's been a bit difficult assessing whether something is good, because I'm now after the luxury of perfect skin as opposed to just getting rid of things that shouldn't be there - if that makes sense?

I have a few bits and bobs of my skincare that I can say, "Yes, I love these products and I will rebuy them" but I'm still on the lookout for that perfect combination of products for a perfect routine. Anyway, here's the present standings:

* Face Wash

- Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser

- The Body Shop Seaweed Face Wash

* Toner

- MUJI Light Toning Water (works well with Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser)

- The Body Shop Seaweed Toner (only works well with the face wash)

* Moisturizer

- Day: Liz Earle Skin Repair for Combo/Oily Skin

- Night: Boots Botanics Night Shift Cream

As you can see, a bit complicated, and a lot of ties! So the other day while I was roaming around the cosmetics section, I stumbled by Clinique which I heard lots about from Steph, and the kind lady at the counter explained a lot about how the system works, and gave me a 3-day sample kit to try.. (needless to say it's lasted me about 4 days already)..

Left: Clinique Clarifying Lotion 3 (toner)

Centre: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

Right: Clinique Facial Soap for Oily Skin

Used together, this set has ticked all of the boxes. Firstly, the soap leaves my face squeaky clean, and my face always appears brighter or maybe even whiter than it started off with. I'm guessing this is what the lady meant when she said it lifts the dead skin cells, to prepare for the next step.

The clarifying lotion, which is like a toner, then exfoliates and removes the dead skin cells. I genuinely feel this works, but god the smell is horrendous! I feel like I'm putting nail polish remover on my face, it's unbearable to smell and the lady told me strictly that I can't use it near my eyes or mouth - I wouldn't want to! That being said, at the end I feel refreshed and I feel it does its job.

The moisturizer feels like somewhere between a typical gel and a silica skin primer - it has that smoothing-over effect, but it's also quite wet. I think it does a decent job of sinking into my skin, but I also feel like I've felt others do a better job. That being said, the thing I like about this is that when I wake up, I'm not half as oily as I am when I use other moisturizers, and I have no qualms about using this for both day and night - which in the long run may save some dosh!

All in all, the bits of bumpiness and redness on my face has been seriously reducing - sounds perfect, right? But I'm still not 100% sure what I should be looking for, as I don't have any blatant problems anymore! Should I be aiming to have 'normal' skin as opposed to combination? Should I aim to have baby skin? Idk! (any help appreciated :P)

So my plan is on the 26th of August, to head over to the counter again and take full advantage of a campaign where for a few extra hundred yen (lol) added to the cost of a full-sized Clarifying Lotion, you get loads of 1 month sized products, like the face wash, the moisturizer and other things. AMAZING. I'm not sure if this offer is only in Japan though..

After that I hope to figure out if the full Clinique's 3 Step System would really work for me, or if I need to cut and paste from the previous list mentioned above. I personally don't really want to give up the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish nor her moisturizer, nor the MUJI Toner (it's paraben, alcohol, fragrance free!) - but I've got to admit, they're all running for their money with these 3 Clinique bad boys in town :)

Does anyone have 2 skincare routines, is that even possible? :P

Have you found your perfect skincare routine?

What do you look for when deciding whether a product stays in your routine? :)

<3yu

Skincare and Beauty Product Expectations

If you are a beauty junkie like me, you have likely tried many many different skincare products in your life time. You have products that you genuinely like, but you may decide to switch when the next new and great things come along, ignoring principles like "If it ain't broken, don't fix it". Sometimes, after spending a lot on the new products, you suddenly discover that it is nothing special, and did not deliver the results it promised, or horror of horrors, it made your skin worse. Do not return, throw away, or generally dispose of that product yet! One question we need to ask ourselves before deciding to give up on another product is: Have I given it enough time to work? In this article, I will answer a few FAQs about using new skincare products, and share the "product trying timelines" I use for each different type of product.



Why your skin may appear worse when you first start a new product: I get a lot of emails with different variations of this question, generally saying "I have just started using XYZ product, it does not seem to be working for my skin. My skin has become (insert symptom, including dehydrated, oily, rough, dull, broken out)." I am very sympathetic to the difficult phase of when one tries a new product, so I would like to share the answer with all of you:
Your skin may appear worse because you have stopped using a product that has been working for you, and started a new one whose benefits has yet to kick in. I realize that many products promise permanent results, but the fact is, the results you receive from most beauty products begin to diminish as your use of the product ceases (with anti-aging products being an exception). However, keep in mind that if you experience worse skin, the symptoms should intensify during the first few days of trying a new product, rather than popping up the very day of trying a new product (with the exception of acne in reactive skins). For example, skin may become rougher and duller because your previous skincare products contains acids or other forms of chemical exfoliants, but it will happen in the span of around 3 days to a week.
Cleansers: If all you were expecting from a cleanser is to get your skin clean, you can expect the cleanser to work right away if it is going to work. However, if you are expecting anti-aging or acne-reduction benefits from your cleanser, please follow the guidelines below for that specific category.

Exfoliants: You should see softer and more glowy skin right away. However, full benefits should occur after half a month to a month of consistently using the product. If your skin appeared to be red and irritated (especially from a chemical exfoliant), your skin may become more used to an exfoliant after a period of use (ranging from a week to as long as 6 months). However, the most discomfort you should experience is flakiness or a burning sensation. Anything more than that would mean that you are allergic to the product, and therefore, you should discontinue use.

Moisturizers: If all you were expecting from a moisturizer is higher levels of hydration, you should see some benefits right away or several hours after application, with full benefits following after around 1.5 months of use. If you want brightening, anti-acne, or anti-aging, please follow the guidelines below for that specific category.

Anti-Aging Products: Anti-aging serums are an entirely different matter. By anti-aging, we mean age-prevention, which category generally consists of antioxidants and sunscreen/sunblocks. You are not supposed to see a lot of results from anti-aging serums because their effects are meant to be seen in the future. Therefore, unfortunately, you have to be very very careful in choosing products in this category, because you cannot use your skin's reaction as a guide to how well the product is functioning. I will do two articles on antioxidants, and sunscreen filters in the near future. However, some people do see some benefits from anti-aging products, such as plumper skin, or most frequently more radiant skin. This is because some antioxidants can repair some damages done to your skin in a very short period of time prior to using them.

Anti-Acne Products:  Anti-Acne products are by far the most tricky, probably because acne is a tricky condition by itself. Many times, you may see your skin become worse before it gets better in this category of products, because some anti-acne products may bring to surface all the pimples that are forming deep in your skin, this is often called "surging". This type of products may take from 1 day to 6 months to work. However, you should be able to see a lessening of "bumps" on the skin, otherwise known as clogged pores. 


Skin Plumping Products: This really varies by the type of product. For some products, you can see results from the first day, and for others, you can see results after a few months. It is best to ask the person you are buying the products from if they are the "authorized sellers". However, it should take at least 1.5 months for full benefits to develop for this type of products. I must also admit that skin-plumping products is not my "area of expertise", so I cannot go deeper into this type of products.

Skin Tone Improvement Products: This is also a tricky category. It is generally hard to see an effect after the first use, and many people become discouraged easily. I tend to allow for 1.5 months in order to see some slight slight improvements (unless the product promises otherwise), and if I see no benefits, I generally discontinue use unless I'm also using it for some other benefits.
Makeup: For makeup, of course, you should see benefits right away, unless you are expecting some skincare benefits from those makeup. "Makeup" benefits are defined as immediate benefits that can get washed away, and "skincare" benefits are defined as long-term improvements that will persist.

If you have sensitive or reactive skin: It is common to experience surge of pimples or redness when first using the product. However, be careful to avoid products that cause clogged pores, which generally show up as flesh colored bumps on your skin that is not inflamed, because clogged pores are not caused by the initial adjustment period. They are caused by heavy ingredients in the product incompatible with your skin type.

"It gets worse before it gets better products": There are a few categories of products that may make your skin get worse before it gets better. Generally anti-acne and exfoliants. One of the most famous/notable products in this category is Retin-A. It is a retinoid, and is used for acne, but it is also the only FDA-approved ingredients that reduces wrinkles. It may sound like a magical product, but in the beginning stages, many people experience acne, red, scaly, flaky, peeling skin.

Allergies: Do not mistake an allergic reaction to some products as the harmless initial reactions that will go away. You know your skin best, so you should be able to tell what types of allergic symptoms you are prone to. However, as a general rule of thumb, unless you are experiencing pimples, you should generally check whether you are allergic through googling or consulting your physician/dermatologist.

Arcona lineup introduction and brief review

I have mentioned in a prior post that I have not been using much makeup or trying lots of Korean skincare items, because I have been trying a new skincare line my Korean derm found for me that requires exclusivity. I have received a lot of curious questions from readers about this mysterious skincare line, and even a few concerned advices that tells me exclusivity is merely a marketing ploy. I kept delving the questions, not wanting to reveal what the line I am trying is. Well, today I'm going to tell you what I am using and my thoughts so far (having gone into the program for around a month now).

The name of the brand is called Arcona, and it was opened up by a rather exceptional esthetician in California. The brand is 100% organic and all natural, which is probably what attracted my Korean dermatologist to this brand because he LOVES natural skincare, even though he believes that most "natural" skincare on the market today is marketing bogus.
the concept of the brand is to contain a lot of active ingredients so that they can address skin issues most effectively, and not using a lot of "filler" ingredients. As a result, their moisturizers generally look like serums. I really like this concept because I hate cosmetics companies' use of "filler" ingredients. They are usually the ones that cause me most trouble. They cause my skincare products to not absorb properly, sit on the top of my skin, and cause oilyness, while all the time, I am deriving no benefits from those "filler" ingredients. The only time I like "filler" ingredients is when they appear selectively in my night cream, so that they can seal in the moisture and nutrients the night cream is supposed to contain.
I asked my SO to buy me their Basic 5 Kit for Oily skin from Nordstrom for me (so I made the purchase myself and I am not paid for the review). I really liked the lightness of all the skincare products, but my skin had a reaction to it for the first week or so. The reaction (a surge of pimples) did not irritate me a lot since I expected it. After all, I was going from a skincare line with only a small amount of active ingredients to a skincare line full of active ingredients. I expected that it would take a while for my skin to get used to it, and I would probably get a reaction out of it. However, the reaction still bothered me because I kept wondering whether this would just be an initial reaction that would calm down, or whether my skin is just incompatible with those ingredients. Luckily, my skin started calming down by the 2nd/3rd week.
Unfortunately, I am still carrying red acne marks from the surge of pimples I had in the first week. (my red marks from acne used to clear up within 3 days, but now they stick around for a while due to this. However, I have noticed my acne marks fading so much faster now because of all the antioxidants that I am using on my face.
I will review the products in another month, after I have used the products for a longer time, and know more about them. :)

What is the proper way to wash your face?

Many of you have asked me about acne problems as well as many other skin problems. I actually think that the most important aspect of skincare is not actually the expensive moisturizers or serums, but cleansing. This is because cleansing is the foundation of a good skincare regimen and without it, all the rest of your efforts may tumble. A good cleansing routine keeps your pores unclogged, which prevents acne and lets other products (serums, moisturizers, etc) absorb better.

What You Need:
1. A gentle cleanser, preferably one without SLS:
A gentle cleanser may not be as satisfying as a harsher one (you don't get a very clean feeling), and may not produce as good initial results as a harsher one, but in the long run, you are doing your skin a favor by using the gentler cleansers.
I have personally used some of the harshest cleansers there is in my teenage years. I remember for a week, I used a harsh scrub containing Salicylic Acid, immediately followed by a 10% benzoyl peroxide cream cleanser. My skin felt so dry after using this combination, and it did somehow prevent acne for a week for me. After that, my skin got so oily as to become very unsightly and I also developed acne.
Later on, I stopped stacking the two cleansers together and used the benzoyl peroxide wash alone for a year. It was not as stripping as that combination, and after a while, my skin does not feel dry after cleansing anymore, but I noticed that my skin produced more oil, and I responded by leaving the cleanser on my skin longer and longer. That was one of the biggest mistakes I made, and it took my skin a year to return to its normal oil production level.

2. A soft and clean washcloth:
This is rather optional actually. For years, I had no washcloth, and just pat dry my face after cleansing if I had time, or leave it to dry (or wipe the excess water off with toner on a cotton pad) when I'm in a hurry. It worked fine for me. However, I started using a washcloth a year ago, and I noticed the difference.
I don't use the washcloth while washing the face. I generally wash my hands, apply cleanser to my face, massage around, wash my washcloth while leaving the cleanser on, and then rinse off and pat dry with the washcloth. This has not made a big difference in my skin but does help me get ready faster in the morning. This will be essential for people who are living in areas with contaminated or hard water, because you'll want the water off your face as soon as possible.
If you do decide to use a washcloth, please clean regularly. The washcloth will accumulate the oil, bacteria, and impurities your cleanser got out from your skin. It is best to use a clean one everyday, and toss the dirty one into the laundry if you can afford it. However, if you are just using it to pat dry (like me), washing the wash cloth daily and then doing major cleanings weekly would be fine since when the washcloth come in contact with your face, your face is relatively clean.

3. Clean luke warm water, general running water is fine unless your water is very hard:
This seems basic. However, I have found that luke warm water is essential. You do not want to shock your face with too cold or too hot water, which may result in broken capillaries. Yes, cold water wakes one up in the morning, and yes, hot water makes one's face feel cleaner, but I'd rather forgo those benefits for beautiful skin.

How to clean your face:
1. Make sure your hands are clean: I generally wash with anti-bacterial soap before touching my face.
2. Put a drop of cleanser in your hands: This is important. Do not use too much cleanser. It is a waste, and can overdry your face. I have found that a pea-sized amount is generally fine for most cleansers. Or if you are using a bar cleansing, running the bar through my hands twice is enough for me.
3. Lather up the cleanser in your hands (foaming cleansers): Many people like to apply the cleanser straight to the face and lather up on the face. This is admitted easier. However, it is gentler to your face if the potential chemical reaction of cleansers interacting with water, and foaming up happens on your hands.
Or skip to step 4 if you have a non-foaming cream cleanser
4. Apply the foam to your face and massage or if you have a non-foaming cleanser, apply the cleanser to your face: Gently apply the foam or cleanser to your face, and massage with the palms of your hands. Massaging with fingers is tempting because it is easier, but palms are gentler. Massage around for a minute or half a minute depending on whether your skin is dry or oily or sensitive. The more oily your skin is, the longer you have to massage, unless your skin is oily because of overdrying.
5. Optional: leave the cleanser on face for less than a minute: Take this step if you have time in the morning or if your skin is extra-oily. I sometimes leave my cleanser on for a mini-facial when I think I need special cleansing power
6. Rinse off: Gently splash luke warm water (slightly warmer than room temperature) to your face to rinse off the mixture. I like to splash at least 9 times without touching my face, and rinse with my hands to make sure I get everything the last time. If I don't, I'll splash some more.
7. Pat dry with a clean towel/washcloth or with your hands or a cotton pad

Biore UV Daily Care Gel SPF 28 PA+++

I know winter is generally not the time when people buy a lot of sunscreens, but being a anti-aging junkie, I love sunscreen and use it any time of the year. After loving the Sofina Perfect UV White Protect Sunscreen, I decided to try out some Biore sunscreens. Why? Because Sofina is owned by Kao, and so is Biore, and I thought that the formulations would be pretty similar so that maybe the Biore sunscreens would just be a drugstore version of the Sofina Perfect UV range. Also, I found Biore sunscreens to get high ratings on cosme.net so I thought I'd try some out.
There are five sunscreens in this range, and I decided to try out the one in the green bottle, because this one is relatively cheap at around $15 for 120 ml, perfect for everyday use on my body. And also because the bottle is green and I like the color green. :)
Well, did I like it and was it as good as the Sofina range? Please read on to find out.

Pros:
1. Moisture: This is amazing for a sunscreen but it moisturizes very well for my body. Granted, my body doesn't need a lot of moisture, but the skin does feel hydrated when I use this sunscreen.
2. Texture: I like the texture of the sunscreen. It really is a very light gel like texture, very dissimilar to the Perfect UV, which is like a milk. This is very easy to spread on my body, and dries very quickly so that my arms and legs do not feel greasy or sticky. 

3. Lightness: As I mentioned before, I do not feel as if I have anything on when wearing this.

4. Good sun protection: SPF 28 PA+++ is not too much or too little. The perfect SPF protection for body on most days. 

Cons:
1. Water Resistant: This is NOT water resistant, which would be okay for most days, but for especially hot and sweaty summer days or day when you want to go for a swim, this is not the sunscreen. 

2. No oil control: Okay, I don't really need oil control on my body, but I know several friends who do. So the lack of oil control does not bother me at all, but it might be a problem for some people. 

Overall: Great sunscreen to use on my body for most days, except for days when I expect to get sweaty or wet. 

The Big Beauty Debate: Is Toner Necessary?

I am sure most of you have heard this debate: is toner really necessary or is it just a big waste of money? I cannot resolve this question since many beauty experts cannot agree on this. However, I can put all the facts in front of you so that next time you are at a beauty counter, you can decide whether to hand your credit card over for that bottle of liquid for yourself. The fact is, toners actually do have many functions, but they are usually used to supplement cleansers and moisturizers. And the cleanser and moisturizers nowadays have become far more developed that their past counterparts, so much so that toners are not necessary with some cleansers and moisturizers.
In this article, I will share with you the several functions of toners, and whether they are still useful today.
Main Functions of Toners:


1. Adjusting the pH or acidity of skin: I think this is one fo the most important functions of toners, and surprisingly, one of the most neglected. In the past, most cleansers are soap based, which are too alkaline, and the use of acidic toners adjust the pH value of skin to a comfortable level. This minimizes irritation, which may cause acne or lead to sensitivity.
However, many cleansers nowadays are formulated to be near the pH value of skin, which makes toners unnecessary. On the other hand, there are still a lot of cleansers on the market that need the follow-up of a toner, so if you are not sure whether your cleanser is formulated to have the "right" pH value, I would advise you to err on the side of caution and use a toner.

2. Removing cleanser residue: Once again, many cleansers of the past were made of soap formulas, which may leave a film on skin that cannot be rinsed off. Toners generally remove that film. Nowadays, most cleansers are formulated to not leave any unwanted residues. However, sometimes, people are in a hurry in the mornings, and do not rinse off their cleanser well enough (I know this sounds ridiculous, but I know several people in my family who does exactly that. One generally needs 8 splashes of water to get the cleanser off, and a survey showed that most people only splash about 3 times). This is where toners come in handy.


3. Astringent: This is probably the most famous function of toners in the US, and actually the most abused. Toners formulated with ingredients like alcohols can act as astringents, not only removing any impurities on skin, but also any sebum or oils. Many teenagers believe that this is good for acne prevention because afterall, acne is caused by a clog of oils in the pores. However, removing all the oil is still not suggested for acne-prone skin because skin would feel dry and would compensate by over-producing oil, which is even worse for acne. None of the toners I have ever used have the functions of astringent.

4. Making Moisturizer easier to absorb: This is a major sell-point of most Japanese and Korean toners. They claim that their toners and moisturizers are supposed to work together so that the small particles of toner brings in the larger particles of moisturizer, which makes moisturizers easier to absorb. I have personally found this to be true of my Laneige White plus Renew and Mamonde Pure White toners. However, many of the moisturizers marketed today are nano-particled, which makes toners a little obsolete in some cases.

What I think of "marketing ploys" of toners:
1. Delivering Moisture:  All right, I admit it. Toners can deliver moisture, and I have seen a lot deliver moisture quite well, such as the Sofina Jenne Lotion II. However, I think delivering moisture is the moisturizer's job, and one wouldn't need to buy a separate toner just to do that.

2. Delivering this and that nutrients essential for skin health: Toners often are marketed to deliver Vitamin C or vitamin E or botanical extracts etc etc to skin. I admit that toners may contain such nutrients, which may be better absorbed in a toner form than a moisturizer form. However, I think such properties should be more suited to serums for the reason that the nutrients are better absorbed in serums. Think about it, a serum is designed to be pat into the skin in a light, easy to absorb liquid; while toners are mostly designed to be wiped across the face on a cotton pad. Wouldn't it make more sense for precious nutrients to be delivered via a serum rather than wasted on a cotton pad?
In addition, few toners can have "toning" abilities if it is loaded with nutrients because many nutrients can mess up the pH value of toners, and may make a toner too rich to properly remove the impurities it is supposed to. In addition, the way one applies a toner means that it is roughly swiped across the face, which applies more pressure than when one applies a serum, and may cause clogged pores.

Overall: I personally buy toners when a product line is marketed with one. However, I understand what I am paying for, and know that for the simple functions of a toner, I do not want to spend more than $30 on it.

Laneige Water Sleeping Pack Review

This is probably one of the most famous Laneige products, having existed for almost five years, and recomended by the famous and beautiful Song Hye Kyo. Many of my readers have been surprised in the past that this is not one of my favorite Laneige products. This is not because the mask is not good quality, but because it does not exactly fit my lifestyle and I cannot find any need for it. Regardless, I kept repurchasing this mask for almost 2 years now. Why? Please read on for my review of this famous night-time mask. 

Pros:
1. Moisture: moisturizes very well. Every time I feel extremely dry (which is not often) or got burnt or irritated by a product, I would exfoliate lightly and directly go for this mask.
2. Smooth and dewy skin: Every night I use this, I get smooth and dewy skin the next morning. My skin feels very soft in the morning and very elastic. I was told that this soften wrinkles as well, but luckily, I'm not in a position to know. :P

3. Relaxing scent: I usually do not like scents in products, but this scent is very relaxing as Laneige describes it 

Cons:
1. Sticky Skin: The mask does not absorb as fast as I like. Whenever I use this mask, I plan ahead of time so that I can leave the mask on for an hour before going to bed 

2. Richness: I have a feeling that this may be rich enough so that you cannot use this every night without causing problems. 

My love and hate relationship:

This is a very impressive product, and very moisturizing, especially good for emergencies. However, I do not have such emergencies often, and I find that the water sleeping pack do not give me any benefits my night cream does not. So I always keep a tub at hand just for emergencies, but I do not find it necessary very often. 

Overall: Great sleeping mask providing great moisturization. However, if you do not need the extra moisture, it does not offer many benefits besides your regular night cream. I would advise using this for nights when you know you would not get enough sleep or are under extreme stress. 

A review of the Clarisonic and who should get it

For my birthday last year, my hubby wished to impress me with how well he knew me, so he went on my computer and flipped through my browsing history (not exactly legal but oh well). He came across a lot of articles about the Clarisonic, and thought that I must have wanted this fashionable skincare gadget and so got me a pink one.
I had in fact only been interested in the Clarisonic and was trying to convince myself that it was just another extremely overrated gadget. I was deeply surprised to get the real thing and was pleased to actually be able to use it and resolve the mystery around this little gadget that everyone has been raving about.
It turns out that I was never able to tell whether it was pure hyper, and could only understand that this works extremely well for a certain group of people, and is useless or even harmful for others. After a trial period of six month or so, I was glad to give it to one of my aunts when she asked for it.
In this article, I will try to express to you the findings of my research and my experience of using it. I also hope to give you a clear understanding of who (in my opinion) this lovely gadget is appropriate for.

Overview: As you may already know, the Clarisonic is a cleaning device, that works as a vibrating (or sonic) facial brush. One is supposed to use it in conjunction with a cleanser daily for around 1 minute.


Sellpoint (purpose): The purpose of the Clarisonic is to help the user get a deeper cleanse.


How it works: The idea of the Clarisonic brush is similar to a sonic toothbrush. The bristles of the brush move back and forth or around at a very fast rate (I believe 200 times a second) such that you cannot really see it moving visually, but can certainly feel the movement on the skin. This vibration motion is supposed to open up pores so that the cleanser gets out more of the impurities. 


Misconceptions: This does not remove makeup and should not replace your makeup remover. This is a very common misconception because the clarisonic's website itself claims that it "removes makeup 6 times better than a regular cleanse". However, it should be noted that this claim is made to demonstrate how well the Clarisonic cleanses, rather than lead users to use it as a makeup remover. 
Don't get me wrong. The clarisonic probably cleanse well enough so that you cannot see any more facial makeup on your face, so that if you use a toner on a cotton pad to swipe across your face, you'll see the cotton pad clean. HOWEVER, this is not something one would want to do. Using the Clarisonic on a dirty face full with makeup would mean a possibility of driving impurities into the pores, which can cause clogged pores or acne.


My experience with the Clarisonic: First of all, I think it might be helpful to mention how I use it. I wasn't wearing much makeup at the time when I started using the clarisonic, so I tried to get my face as clean as possible with just water in the shower. And then I use a foaming facial cleanser and massage around until my face is covered by foams. Then I turn on the clarisonic and use it on various parts of my face (forehead 20 seconds, cheeks 10 seconds each and chin 20 seconds). 
After using the clarisonic, my face felt incredibly clean. The pores seemed really small and moisturizers I used afterwards sunk right in. However, this is where the benefits ended. On the downside, my face felt really dry after cleansing, so dry that I don't feel comfortable opening my mouth until I apply moisturizer. I always do user toner and moisturizer after cleansing, but it was never "necessary", just a protective measure, because I think if a cleanser dries me out to the degree that my face felt dry without moisturizer, it isn't worth using. This is what the clarisonic did to my face. This may not be a con per se, since it just means that the Clarisonic really cleans well. The clarisonic asks the user to user a more gentle cleanser with the clarisonic than they usually use. However, my cleanser was already one of the gentlest I could find, so I couldn't switch down to a gentler version, so it was definitely a con for me.
In addition, I broke out after using the Clarisonic for the first three days. I know some people call this a "purging" process, a process in which the pores purge out all the gunk because the Clarisoonic cleanses so well, and prevents further breakouts. I cannot agree with this theory, or at least, I do not think it applies to me. I have not broken out for 3 months before using the clarisonic, so it stands to reason that there should not be anything to purge. However, I was not extremely surprised by the breakout because I know it takes the skin some time to adjust to new products, and this may cause breakouts. The breakouts got better after the second week and stopped at the beginning of third week.
By the time I stopped using the Clarisonic, my skin had got used to the deep cleansing so that it does not feel dry after cleansing and I got no breakouts.
Many people may want to ask: why did you stop then? Well, I don't think my skin received any major benefits from using the Clarisonic and therefore, I don't think it was necessary for me to use it anymore. In addition, I found out that my skin got used to this deep cleansing such that regular cleanses do not clean my face well anymore, and I get bumps whenever I do not use the Clarisonic. I realized this is a dependency on the clarisonic, and so eased out of using it gradually. I experienced breakouts when I first tried to stop using the Clarisonic, but a month later, my skin was back to what it has been before using the Clarisonic and while using the Clarisonic (between month 2 and month 6).

Who is the Clarisonic for: This is just my personal opinion, and it is generalized (I realize there can be many exceptions), so if you do not fall into the range of people I will describe, but you love the Clarisonic, please continue using it. :)

• People with Really Oily Skins: And I have to elaborate that this means people who really have oily skins. Many people think they have oily skins because they have acne, and use less moisturizer or more drying products on their face, which causes their skin to become dryer, and then overcompensate by producing oil, which leads to further breakouts. 
• People with pores that are prone to be clogged
• People experiencing loss of elasticity in their skin
• And just in general, people for whom regular cleansing just don't cut it

Overall: I did not like the Clarisonic because it did not bring me addition benefits and caused my skin to become dependent on it (which I think is not a good thing). If you have ever used AHA peels, you probably know what I mean. At first, one starts with a very low acidic peel (like 5%) and eventually go up to even 50% because the skin adjusts to those peels, and you have to eventually go higher to maintain the results. This is all right with AHA peels because there is no real harm, but I do not want to find myself using the Clarisonic more than 1 minute  per day eventually because it could irritate skin a lot and might even cause aging if used too frequently.

My recipes for strawberry yogurt mask--with variations for different skin types

In my last post, I promised to share my recipe of strawberry yogurt mask, which replaced laneige strawberry yogurt pack for me. I am aware that there are many versions of strawberry yogurt masks online, and that it is hard to say that my version is original. So let's just say that this is my version of the recipe that I got from my mother, and later modified after asking my Korean derm for some suggestions. I have made different versions for different skin types as gifts to my cousins and friends, so I will include different recipes for dry skin, oily skin, combo skin and normal skin. However, I myself have only used the recipe for combo skin. All four recipes are considered to be good for acne-prone and sensitive skin types. Please read on for the recipes


First off, I should mention the benefits of those strawberry yogurt masks, and I will elaborate on the benefits of each variation of the masks as we go along.

Strawberry: Strawberries is a natural source of salicylic acid, which is considered to be a BHA. Salicylic acid is oil soluble, which means that it can penetrate into the pores and dissolve the gunks and clogs caused by sebum over production. This is especially good for acne-prone skin.
In addition, strawberries contain a slew of antioxidants as well as many vitamins, which should give the skin a glow after washing it off.

Yogurt: Yogurt has anti-bacterial because it contains lots of yeast, which helps dry out acne and help prevent potential acne. Yogurt is also very soothing for skin, which soothes breakouts. It has often been said that yogurt bleaches skin. This is because to some degree, the soothing abilities of yogurt repair sun damage, so if your skin is tanned from the sun, it might become a little whiter with the constant use of yogurt masks. However, I have not seen much of a difference since I'm naturally very fair and adore sunscreen so much that I do not think I have tanned from the sun.


Combination Skin:


Ingredients: two tablespoons of honey, two strawberries, and 1 cup white yogurt (I do use store bought strawberry yogurt when in a hurry, however, making your own with strawberries and plain yogurt is still recommended)

Benefits: Honey is a great humectant, which means that it helps skin retain moisture, enough though it may not moisturize a lot by itself. I think it is especially good for combination skin because it helps the skin retain moisture where it needs it the most.
Honey also has great antibacterial abilities, which is especially good for reducing acne.
In addition, honey is sticky, which I've found to be good for reducing clogged pores, because it really does stick to the gunk in the pores and bring them out


Instructions: 
1. Mash the strawberries and blend with the plain yogurt until it turns into a beautiful pinkish color. If yours look like plain yogurt dotted with strawberries, either the strawberries are not fresh enough or you have not mashed them well enough. Keep blending until it's almost an even pink color.
2. Then I add my two tablespoons of honey into the mixture and keep blending. My mother likes to heat the honey before adding it because she believes it blends better that way. I just add the honey without heating because I'm lazy. :P
3. After blending thoroughly, I like the put the mixture in the fridge to cool it so that when I apply it, it feels cold and soothing. :)

When you feel like it (I do this after exfoliation), apply the mask onto your face, and rinse off after the mask has somewhat dried, or after 30 minutes.



Oily Skin:


Ingredients: Two eggs whites, two strawberries and 1 cup of plain yogurt.

Benefits: Eggs are very soothing for skin. For centuries in Asia, people would use the egg whites to soothe bruised and swollen skin, and puffy eyes. Egg whites also help maintain the right sebum balance in skin, which helps reduce oily skin. In addition, egg whites also help tighten skin.
Egg yolks are great for moisturization and revitalizing tired skin. However, we will not use the egg yolks in this mask. You could eat them or use them for a hand treatment like I do. I mix them with olive oil (or your choice of oil) as a mask for my hands, and seal with some thick cream like vaseline, then cover with plastic gloves.

Instructions: 
1. Mash the strawberries and blend with the plain yogurt until it turns into a beautiful pinkish color. If yours look like plain yogurt dotted with strawberries, either the strawberries are not fresh enough or you have not mashed them well enough. Keep blending until it's almost an even pink color.
2. Then crack the eggs and pour the egg whites into a bowl. Beat the eggs until they are foamy and frothy.
3. Add the egg whites and the strawberry yogurt blend together. Blend them until even.
4. Cool in the fridge.
5. Apply on face and leave on for 20 minutes. Try not to move facial muscles during this time.


Dry Skin:


Ingredients: Two tablespoons of jojoba oil or olive oil (or your choice of an oil that does not irritate your skin. This is very different for all people. OR if you cannot stand all oils, substitute with half of a ripe avocado), two strawberries, and 1 cup of yogurt.

Benefits: Olive oils (or most oils derived from nuts) and avocados are great in their moisturizing abilities because they contain lots of essential fatty acids. In addition, they contain great antioxidants which are good for anti-aging and correcting sun-damage or damage from free radicals.

Instructions: 1. Mash the strawberries and blend with the plain yogurt until it turns into a beautiful pinkish color. If yours look like plain yogurt dotted with strawberries, either the strawberries are not fresh enough or you have not mashed them well enough. Keep blending until it's almost an even pink color.
2. Add the olive oil or your choice of oil. OR if you decided to use the avocado, mash the avocado. Blend with the strawberry yogurt mixture.
3. Cool in the fridge.
4. Apply on face and leave on for 20 minutes.


Normal Skin:
Ingredients: Two strawberries and 1 cup of yogurt.

Benefits: If you have normal skin, lucky you! This is the simplest of the masks. As stated before, both strawberries and yogurt have anti-bacterial abilities, helps unclog pores, soothes skin and prevents acne.

Instructions: 1. Mash the strawberries and blend with the plain yogurt until it turns into a beautiful pinkish color. If yours look like plain yogurt dotted with strawberries, either the strawberries are not fresh enough or you have not mashed them well enough. Keep blending until it's almost an even pink color.
2. Cool in the fridge
3. Apply on face and leave on for 20 minutes

NOTES: I have not mentioned what kind of yogurt I use. I personally use full fat plain yogurt (organic when possible) 

Laneige Strawberry Yogurt Pack Review

This is a review for the Laneige Strawberry Yogurt Pack, which I liked to use after the Laneige Strawberry Yogurt Peel. I don't know if the two products work better together, but it has been suggested by the SA every time I bought this product, and I like to use them together because I like to indulge myself in the lovely strawberry scent. The two product combos were my staple for more than 2 years. Like I mentioned before, I have since stopped using the Strawberry Yogurt Peel, and I have also stopped using the Laneige Strawberry Pack with it. However, I continued using the concept of the Strawberry Yogurt Pack because I loved it, only a cheaper and "healthier" version. Hehe, my Korean derm have helped me develop a homemade recipe for this strawberry yogurt pack, with different variations for different skin types, and I wish to share it with you in my next article. This article will be a review of the Laneige Strawberry Yogurt Pack.

This Strawberry Yogurt Pack has a very pleasant smooth gel consistency, just like a typical American yogurt, but with strawberry seeds. :) The smell is lovely like a strawberry milk shake. I like to store it in the fridge so that when I apply it, it has a cooling feeling, and also prolongs the shelf-life of this product, which is said to be prone to expiration.

Pros:
1. Very cooling and soothing after application.
2. Moisturization: this strawberry yogurt pack moisturizes rather well, perhaps not so much as my favorite night cream, but enough to not feel dry after using the Strawberry Yogurt Peel (which I would feel otherwise). 

3. Soft and dewy skin: used with the Strawberry Yogurt Peel, I get very smooth and soft skin after use. I realize that the smooth skin is from exfoliation, but after using this pack, I feel my skin is very dewy and elastic. Like if I press my finger on my cheek (which I shouldn't do :)), I can almost see the skin spring right back after I remove my finger. 

4. Very good consistency: not thick enough to feel suffocating and not thin enough to feel runny. 

5. Prevents acne: yogurt has good bacteria in it, and strawberry has salicylic acid in it, both of which are good for acne-prone skin. I've found that even though using this weekly does not neccessarily prevent a lot of breakouts as to be noticeable, but it does help any acne I may have at that moment go away faster. Very good for a gentle treatment.

Cons:
1. Sensitivity issue: I've known a lot of people who have very sensitive skin report that they are a little allergic to this product, or that this product does not do much. I think this may be due to the scent of the product, which may irritate some people when left on the face for a long time (20 minutes is suggested). 

2. Fast expiration: This product seems to have a fast expiration process because it is recommended to be stored in the fridge in the summer. To me, this is a good thing because quite a lot of preservatives would have to be put into a product like this to keep it from expiring soon. 

General Comment: 

I thought I should mention how I use this product. I know quite a lot of people who wipe this product off with a tissue after 20 minutes and not rinse off. However, I rinse off, and then apply my toner and moisturizer as usual. I think doing this prevents me from becoming overly allergic to the scent and preservatives in the product. And I would advise people with sensitive skin who haven't had much luck with this product to try doing this. :) I honestly think that any nutrients the skin could absorb should have been mostly absorbed within the 20 minutes. 

Overall: Really great skin mask that I used once a week for two years. I still use a home-made version of this product, and it works great! :) 

Laneige Strawberry Yogurt Peel Review

I don't know how I could have forgot to review this gem until a reader asked me if I had tried it. The Laneige Strawberry Yogurt Peel is a chemical peeling exfoliator that takes off the top layer of your skin with chemical enzymes, most of which were claimed to be fruit enzymes. Thus it is supposed to exfoliate your skin very gently, much more gently than physical scrubs and chemical peels (which usually gives a burning sensation, which this does not).
However, despite my love for this product, I actually no longer use it, and have replaced my exfoliator with the Cure Aqua Natural Gel. In this article, I will review this product and explain I have switched. :)

When you gently squeeze the tube, a creamy pinkish gel come out, with some beads resembling strawberry seeds. It smells wonderfully like a strawberry milk shake. I only need a pea sized amount to exfoliate, so one tube lasts a long time. I apply this gel evenly on my face, and starts gently rubbing/drawing circles on my skin until the gel turns into little bits on my fingers and face. Sometimes, I like to wait 30 seconds or so after application before rubbing, because it seems that this allows more time for reaction, and more skin is exfoliated. I get a childish pleasure out of watching the gel turn into little bits on my palm and face. :)

Pros:
1. Very lovely smell: my friend says that the smell just makes her so happy, and I have to agree that the smell is very lovely, not irritating like some products :)

2. Very gentle exfoliation: the gentlest type of exfoliants
3. Slightly moisturizing and soothing

4. Does not over-exfoliate. Fruit enzymes are pretty mild as far as chemical exfoliants go, so this product generally insures that only the skin cells that should come off will come off

5. Leaves my skin feeling very soft

Cons:
1. Some of the balls you see on your skin and face are not actually skin cells that came off: I'm sometimes skeptical, and tried rubbing this product on a piece of unused leather. To my amazement, some of the gel still balled up looking like it was skin. I think this is because the gel is so thick. However, much less gel balls up than when I exfoliated my skin, and there was a runny liquid on the piece of leather, which led me to believe that this peeling gel does actually exfoliate skin. :) 

2. Exfoliation power is not very high, so it is not useful if you are deliberately trying to over-exfoliate to deal with stubborn acne, etc. In that case, AHA peels would be much more appropriate. 

Overall: A great exfoliator that is very gentle on skin.

Why I switched from this to Cure Aqua Natural Gel:

The Cure Aqua Natural Gel is much more "natural" and contains less chemicals. In a sense, the Cure Aqua Natural Gel is a "no-frills" version of this exfoliator, without the lovely scent or the slightly moisturizing properties. However, I get greater satisfaction from the Cure Aqua Natural Gel because the gel turns into a very thin liquid upon exfoliating, and I can actually see balls of skin of my hands and face, rather than balls of gel containing some of my skin-cells. 

In addition, with the Cure Aqua Natural Gel, I know that nothing comes off if there is nothing left on my skin to exfoliate. :)