shop with me: blush pink

Those of you who know me know that my wardrobe basically consists of whites and greys. I'm not anti-colors I just don't look good in them! In any case, I've been playing around with colors via accessories and makeup and am currently obsessing over blush pink everything. It's a feminine color that goes well with neutrals and isn't too trendy for it to go out of style in a couple years. Blush nude shoes give the illusion of longer legs and even blush nail polishes make your hands look slimmer. For a little lady with chubby fingers, this might be my new fave color lol ;]

Zara

Nails INC

                       

Coach

                                     

L.A.M.B

<3yaeinn
(Ecc3:11)

the best thing ever

My uncle travels quite a bit between Buenos Aires to Seoul to Chicago and he always brings us goodies- usually a ton of duty-free chocolate and trendy beauty items from Seoul. Last year he brought these weird pimple stickers...on the packaging it said this product is only available at the pharmacy which caught my attention right away. Despite the creepy doll-like cartoon on the front, the product itself has become a bit of an obsession for me and my sisters (even my bro-in law haha). Here's a quick overview of my experience with this- what it is, what it does, the best way to use it, and where you can buy it!

What it is/does

I did a bunch of research on this because as many of you know, I have the most sensitive skin eva. Basically it's made of a material called Hydrocolloid- a type of wound dressing. Unlike a typical bandaid or gauze dressing, it adheres to the skin without the need for tape or glue (which are often irritating). It provides a moist environment for the wound to heal- I'm not a doctor but you know how wounds heal really fast in your mouth because of the moist surrounding? Pretty much the same concept. On acne spots, the dressing works two ways- first it prevents picking which can lead to deeper infections and scarring, and secondly, it blocks bacteria from entering and spreading to other parts of the face. For those of us with sensitive skin, it's awesome because there are little to no side effects or risk of irritation. I've also used it on the sides of my nose when I get eczema from the weather and it helps to calm the redness within a couple days!

How to use/some tips

In the beginning, I wasn't sure how to use the stickers so I just stuck it randomly all over my face lol. As time went on, I realized these work on certain types of acne and not so much on others. It does not work on- blackheads or pores (blackheads and pores are a result of genetics and lack of exfoliation) but it does work on- whiteheads, the typical red bumps (that have come to a head), and a little bit on deeper cystic acne spots. Okay now here's the kind of gross but satisfying part- the best way to use these is to wash your face thoroughly at night with a mild cleanser, moisturize only on the dry areas of the face (avoid putting moisturizer on the spots), then grab either a lance or sewing needle, disinfect it like it's your job, prick the whitehead of the acne spot, take a clean q-tip and gently squeeze excess gunk (you don't want to see blood!), then put the sticker on the spot overnight. I know it sounds gross and time consuming but I swear your spot will be at least 75% healed in one night! The next morning, you'll see the sticker has gone from a clear jelly like consistency to a more white, opaque color (it's basically the gunk from your spot that was absorbed into the sticker). It doesn't hurt to peel off and if there's any stickiness from the sticker, it'll wash off with warm water and face wash. If the spot is still looking funky, feel free to use a sticker during the day- it's a little noticeable but probably less noticeable than an angry red spot.

Where to buy

It's safe to say that almost anyone who suffers from acne spots can benefit from this product! Unless you have severe acne all over the face, these little zit stickers will save you from picking the crap out of your skin and heal the spots faster than any cream or medication can. Especially if you follow the steps I listed above, you'll soon become obsessed with these, too =] You can find them on Ebay or certain Asian sites like Yes Style.

<3yaeinn  

(Ecc3:11)

   

mini sephora/ulta haul + swatches!

I needed to toss some makeup I bought last year (used makeup should be thrown out 6 months-1 year, ladies!) and since my cool frands got me a Sephora gift card for my birthday, I did a little shopping. These products are all new to me within the last week so the purpose of this post is to show swatches of the colors and give a first impression review!
[Swatches were taken in natural light for accurate coloring]

Clinique Pop Lip Colour + Primer in Cherry Pop

I'm typically not a lipstick kind of gal because most lipsticks dry out my lips plus I hate having to carry it around, reapply, etc. The reason I like this one though is because it's versatile- when I lightly tap it on, it functions like a lip stain but I can build it up to a bold, opaque lipstick (as you can see in the swatch above). It doesn't dry out my lips, there's zero scent, and there are a variety of color options from nude/bright/vampy that will work for every skin tone. It's also super long lasting which is probably where the primer part comes into play- after I swatched it on my arm, it took soapy water and a makeup wipe to get it all off! This shade in particular is great if you like the 'just ate a popsicle' look (bonus jonas- the blue undertone makes your complexion and teeth look brighter).

Top Row

Bottom Row

Essence All About Sunrise Palette

Everyone and their mamas have a Naked (1, 2, 3, basics 1, 2...madness) palette but I don't spend money on shadows since I barely use them. For research purposes, I decided to get back in the eyeshadow game. I saw this cute little palette at Ulta and thought the colors were really warm and pretty for summer (plus it was only $5 bucks!). The pigmentation is good for drugstore (comparable to the Maybelline eye studio ones) and the best way to apply it is to use your finger and pat on the lid- some reviews said it did not apply/blend well using a brush. All the colors except the darkest brown shade are very shimmery and borderline glittery so if you're not about that sparkly life, this isn't for you. I have to test it out a bit more but for $5 I think it's worth checking out!

Stila Aqua Glow Watercolor Blush in Water Blossom

Out of all the new S/S 2015 launches, I was most intrigued by this Stila blush. There's nothing like it in the U.S market and it's made in Korea so it has to be good (no bias lol). When I went to Sephora, it turned out they no longer carry Stila in stores (you can still purchase at sephora.com)- I skipped on over to Ulta. I swatched all 5 colors and besides Water Blossom, they were too shimmery for my taste. Formula wise, it's a watery gel consistency but once it's on the skin it almost dissipates into nothingness (in a good way). The colors look intimidating in the jar, but as long as you use a tiny amount, you can't go overboard. You'll love this if you have dry-combo skin but oily skin types can use it too- just set it with a light powder over top. It won't work well if you tend to wear a full face of foundation as it's a water based formula that will be better to use on bare to minimal makeup skin. If you have scars or discoloration on your cheeks, this won't work for you because it's hard to use concealer under/over it. It lasts forever like a stain (I had it on for at least 7-8 hours) and I'm thinking you can also use it on the lips! The packaging is a little gimmicky and messy- make sure to tighten the lid well before shaking it up. Application is easy to use with fingers or a stippling brush. Unlike most powder blushes, this gives a fresh 'glowing from within' cheek look so if you're into that, try it out!

What new beauty items did YOU purchase for spring/summer? :]]

<3 yaeinn

(Ecc3:11) 

warm weather essentials

Summer is finally here in Chicago! I don't know about you but when the weather gets warm, my skin and hair freak out. When the seasons change, it's good to add/remove a couple things to your routine- in the winter, you might need a moisturizing shampoo and a thick body lotion, but in warmer weather, a clarifying shampoo and lighter lotion is more appropriate. Here are a few things I use in the summer to feel so fresh and so clean clean~ ;]

Left to Right: The Body Shop's Vineyard Peach Body Lotion//Acure Organics Lemongrass and Argan Stem Cell Clarifying Shampoo//Evian Facial Spray//Tree Hut Coconut Lime Shea Sugar Scrub//Sonia Kashuk Blotting Paper//Tarte Amazonian Clay Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20

Hair Care: When the weather starts getting warm and humid, I have moments where I wish I were bald...or a dude lol. I hate feeling grimy and hot so I add a clarifying shampoo to my routine. Since clarifying shampoo is too stripping/harsh for everyday, I use my normal moisturizing shampoo and use the clarifying one every other shower. For conditioning, I would suggest every other shower as well since it can weigh the hair down or try a light, leave-in spray conditioner. If you heat style, make sure to use a protectant- the hot sun during the summer + heat styling can really damage the health of your hair, go natural if you can!

Body Care: In the colder months, I tend to get pretty dry all over so I actually don't use soap or body wash! Sorry if that's gross to you but I barely sweat even when I work out (which is never haha!) and don't find the need for soap. In the summer however, I do need a little something to exfoliate the bod especially since I shave my legs quite often. This Tree Hut one is made from sugar so it's not too harsh- the granuels slowly dissolve as you exfoliate and leaves your skin smooth and comfortable. For moisturizer, I recently got this Body Shop one- it's not too heavy or thick and smells like peaches (my fave fruit during the summer)!

Beauty: For my face, I tend to use the same products year round only because I have super sensitive skin. The Tarte tinted moisturizer is great for evening out any redness while protecting the skin from the sun (if you're fair/tend to burn easily, use a separate sunscreen under your makeup). One thing I add to my routine in the summer are blotting sheets. I like the Sonia Kashuk ones (sold at Target) because it absorbs oil without moving your makeup around (plus they look chic and don't gross me out like the blue kind). To set my makeup, I love using the Evian facial spray- it feels sho nice on a hot day and you can use it to sooth bug bites!

<3yaeinn

(Ecc 3:11)