American Vs. Asian Skincare

I've always struggled with finding a skin care routine that covers all my bases.  What do I mean by that?  Let me explain.  "Combination skin" is basically a blanket term for when you have multiple skin problems. So anything labeled for "combination skin" is basically just a gentler version of something meant to satiate oily or dry skin.  My version of combination skin is an oily t-zone, dry cheeks/forehead/chin, and sensitivity.  Sensitive and oily skin don't go well together because skin care for oily skin is typically too harsh.  But skin care for dry skin is typically too moist for mildly oily t-zone areas.  It can be even more difficult for a person with combination skin to develop a decent skin care routine then someone with exclusively oily or dry skin.

American skin care in general is very drying.  Face washes are typically "foaming" or gel based which can strip the skin of the oils it actually needs.  American face washes really irritated my cheeks.  I didn't even bothering touching a toner because they too were skewed more for strictly oily skin.  But the lotions meant for drier skin broke me out.  I felt like I was constantly running in circles with my skin care, struggling with interchanging bouts of irritated or greasy skin.

And then there's asian style skin care.

Asian style washes lather up nicely like most American washes.  Asian washes, however, are typically lighter and infused with moisturizers.  Toners in my opinion are the most significant difference in Asian vs. American.  A lot of Asian toners are billed as "lotions."  They are the consistency of American toners  but are considered less of a secondary cleansing step and more of a pre-moisturizing step before a heavy night lotion.  Hyaluronic Acid is a typically ingredient in Asian lotions.  It's an ingredient included to increased moisture retention.  Asian moisturizers are also typically thicker and more mask-like.  Whitening ingredients are also common (although "whitening" isn't necessarily what it does...it just evens out and brightens your skin tone).  The days I am feeling more oily I skip the heavy moisture creams and opt for a moisturizing mask instead.  Facial masks are coated in serums that soak into the skin easily without breaking you out.  There are even masks meant to neutralize existing breakouts and limit sebum excretion.

For my combo skin, Asian skin care is perfect.  My skin feels comfortably moist without getting oily.  There are a lot of fragrance free options out there that work well for sensitive skin.  The skin care line that I have been using and loving for the past couple of months is Rohto Hadalabo's Super Hyarulonic Acid line.  The products I use look like this:

From left to right:

Hyaluronic Cleansing Foam (my favorite...my skin is so clean without feeling tight and dry!)

Super Hyaluronic Acid Lotion (or toner)

Hyaluronic Emulsion

Masks

I haven't tried the masks in this line yet; I've heard mixed reviews about them.  But as far as the other three, I feel like they work very well with my skin problems without costing me a fortune.  I ended up getting all three for a little over forty dollars.  I bought them from BeautyKat.  The service was exceptional and delivery was quick.  The wash makes the biggest difference for me.  As the whole line is fragrance free my skin is never irritated and the Hyaluronic Acid keeps it moist.  The lotion sells one bottle every four seconds in Japan.  While it does get a little sticky (typical of Asian lotion toners) it soaks in within a few minutes and makes my skin feel plump and full.  It also serves as a great base for makeup.  The emulsion can be a bit too oily if my skin is acting up.  Otherwise, it really smooths my skin out and holds in the moisture while I sleep so my skin is bright and dewy in the morning.  I will most likely be buying from this line again.

I hope this post helps to clear up any confusion about Asian skin care, as most people feel hesitant to break away from the domestic market themselves.  I definitely suggest looking around at Asian skin care if you struggle with your current routine.  

Until later,

xoxo JessieBear

Halloween 2010: The Cheshire Cat!

Hi All!

For those of you who know me in real life, you could definitely say I'm a little bit obsessed with Alice in Wonderland.  So when I sat down to think about Halloween this year it was obvious who I was going to be: the Cheshire Cat! He's fun, lovable and quirky.  Instead of doing the classic pink and purple version, I decided to go with the 2010 film version.

I chose this version because he's blue and grey...my favorite colors!  I am also a HUGE fan of Tim Burton and his films so it only seemed right to pick his rendition.

To get into the Halloween spirit, I also carved my first pumpkin....

Guess who it is?! Yup, my favorite blue feline :)  

So to start this look, I took some inspiration from Michelle Phan's Enchanted Masquerade look.  You can see that here.  The eyes in that look are so dramatic and cat-like I knew it would work perfectly for what I was going for.  Instead of using the dark purple shadow on the ball of my eye, I used a teal blue (the 3rd from the left below) from the Maybelline Eye Studio Quad in Sapphire Siren.  I used the same black shadow, "It List" from Lancome on the outer half of my eye.  Then I finished off with some Shisem's lashes (sorry I don't know the style).  And of course I'm wearing Geo Super Nudy Blue lenses too :)

Early in the month I had purchased a blue Cheshire Cat costume from Yandy.com.  They were great!  I had to change my delivery address at the last minute and they were really efficient.  It took 4 days to ship from Arizona to Virginia by ground :) I'll post pictures of the whole look later.

Next I painted on a smile.  Using white and black grease paint and a pink grease paint stick from PartyCity (you can get some at just about any costume or party supplier), I drew an outline of the smile on my face and filled it in with the white and black paint.  Then I drew a line along the smile with the pink stick to make the gums.  Afterwards I dusted the whole mouth with a translucent powder to help the smile last longer :)

I'm currently uploading a video tutorial to youtube as I type!

Have a fun and safe Halloween!!

Shiseido White Lucent Line (New Haul!)

For those of you who hadn't seen this yet, I uploaded my first haul video :) Click Here to Watch

At first I couldn't decide if I wanted to include my current skin care products.  Ultimately I decided not to because I didn't have the packages to show you lol.  But for the past couple of weeks I've been using Shiseido's White Lucent skin care line...all of which were samples!! The ladies at the Shiseido Boutiques in Maryland are so sweet.  Each time I go in they give me a handfull.  And the 7mL bottles I recieved a set of at one point lasted me a whole week by themselves.  Actually, I still have some leftover emulsion and a squeeze left of the face wash.

While I really love the results I saw with the White Lucent line, I'm probably never going to use it again.  In most places, the regular sized bottles of each product retails for about $42.  For me, that's a bit pricey.  Even though my skin ditched that usual tight and itchy feeling I have with most American products, there are several cheaper options in the Asian skin care market. For those of you unfamiliar with Asian skin care and how it differs from American skin care, I will be posting a comparison veryyy soon :) The white lucent line is meant to lighten and even your natural skin tone.  Since I'm already using a lightening serum for my sun spots, I figured I'd give this a go.  Man did my skin glow after using these products!  Everything smelled very nicely too...except for the day cream.  If I didn't have about a week worth of it for free, I wouldn't have used this product at all.  It smells like..burnt graham crackers?  That's the first thing that came to mind even though I'm not sure I've even smelled that before.  Not so pleasant. And unlike the other pretty scents in this line, the day cream's smell sticks with you the whole day.

Overall I'd give this line about three out of five stars.  Three because of the high price and wicked smelling day cream.

On to test out Hadalabo's Hyaluronic skin care.  I'm actually sitting in the living room right now waiting for it to be dropped off at my door :) I'm definitely excited to move on to this brand, as it has wild reviews.  I'll get back to you soon!

xoxo,

JessieBear

Sasa Sadness

This morning I woke up and was insanely excited cause an email from Sasa.com was waiting in my inbox. Good news about my order, right? WRONG.  Instead of the dispatch/shipping notification I've been waiting 2 weeks for, I got a "processing error" email.  I have no idea what that means but apparently it's not going to even begin to process and leave the place before Oct. 10.  Good thing I'm not ordering medical supplies or I'd be dead by then.

Lesson: while Sasa does have an incredible stock and great deals, if possible, buy your foreign products local.  Unfortunately, what I bought I can't all find in one place.  But I probably wouldn't have bought it if I knew I was going to have to wait that long :( OR I would have waited to buy it after the 27th? What's wrong w/ the purchases placed before then? It's kinda not fair that the people who placed orders more recently get processed and can have their things before us pre-27th-ers.

But I'm done ranting.  Especially since the Hong Kong processing center can't hear me and will continue to goof up with their priorities/stocking.

Ciao,

Jessie


PS.  This is what the unfortunately email actually looked like:

Dear valued customer,

Re: Order processing was suspended

We deeply regret to inform you that due to some products availabilities show discrepancy with our system record. Hence, order processing will be suspended for further 10-14 business days. For orders purchased before September 27, 2010 (HK Time: GMT +8) will be processed after October 10, 2010. We hereby apologize for any delay and inconvenience caused.

Whilst resume order processing, we may send the “Product out of stock notice” to you again if sort of varies remained. Alternatively, we will send a “Dispatch Notification “email to you after we have dispatched your order. You can kindly login to “my account” to review “order history” for any updates.

【Note】

·             Since no changes will be accepted, should you would like to cancel the entire order, please kindly email to cancel_order@sasa.com, we will follow up accordingly.

·             Once an order is being packed or dispatched, order can not be cancelled.

Upon learning from the error and rest assured that we have registered this case for our ongoing service review and improvement, we would like to offer a small gift. Simply enter“sep74975839” under the promotion code field on the "Shopping Basket" page. The gift will be delivered to you together with the order. (Please take note this code will be valid from Sep 15, 2010 to Oct 31, 2010 and is to be used once.  Sasa.com reserves the right of final decision on any questions regarding these free gifts).

Thank you for your patience and understanding. Should you have further queries, please feel free to contact Sasa.com customer services hotline (852) 2975 3747 or by email tocontact us. We are always ready to serve you.  Thank you.

My Experiences at Super H Mart

This morning I had a bit of extra time before I had to leave for my 1:30 Bio lab.  So, while munching happily on my bagel w/ cream cheese, I looked up some local asian grocery stores.  I'd already been to the Lotte in Fairfax and the Grand Mart in Falls Chruch, so I though I'd give the Fairfax Super H Mart a try (I've been on an intense hunt for a store that sells My Beauty Diary or HadaLabo products :3).

Firstly, I've always been a huge fan of calling a place before looking for a product in store.  Even if there's a 95% chance it'll be there, it's always nice to check that it's in stock before making the trek out to wherever you're going.  So I dialed the number on the H Mart website.  I was told that I needed to call the cosmetic department to see what they sell (apparently the grocery section and makeup section are run by two different people).  When I called the cosmetics department, I started to say "I was wondering-" when the lady just hung up! Apparently since she doesn't speak English and didn't want my business....but when I called the main grocery to tell them that, they said there wasn't anything they could do to help.  So Super H Mart started off on a very bad foot with me.

Since the store is located on my commute to school, I figured I'd stop by before lab.  I totally wasn't prepared for what I saw.  Asian everything!! It was awesome! Even though they didn't have the HadaLabo line, I saw that they did have the JuJu Cosmetics versions of the Hyaluronic line (which I was thinking of trying anyway).  However, they didn't have the masks, and the prices on the JuJu was just a little too high for me so I decided just to wait and order from SaSa.

However, the two super big points Super H Mart gets from me come from things I wasn't even looking for.  First off, the sell the Shiseido Tsubaki line AND the Shiseido skin line (including the Anessa products, which as I was told they aren't imported to America for the most part, got me excited).  In my flurry to get to class I didn't check their prices on the Tsubaki lines but since it's literally 2 minutes away from the road I turn on to get to school, I'll definitely be heading back there.  While I really love my Shiseido store in MD, it would be wayyyy better if I only had to go 15 mins away vs almost an hour.

The second point that makes me crazy for Super H Mart.....EIWA MARSHMALLOWS!!! I acquired a taste for these almost 5 years ago when my uncle went to Tokyo and I haven't found them hardly anywhere.  The had the Mango, Pineapple, and Chocolate flavors.  I picked up the Mango cause I already have a bag of the Pineapple at home :) (I don't particularly like chocolate candies).  While I'm still on the hunt for the elusive Eiwa Strawberry Marshmallows, my taste for Asian style candies is satisfied for now.

And if you aren't familiar with mallows from asia, they're slightly more condensed then American ones and definitely less sugary.  The flavor comes from a pocket of fruity/chocolaty jell in the center.  Andddd they're typically Hello Kitty themed.  Definitely the perfect treat! lol.

Shiseido

Over last weekend, I went with my family to the Shiseido Cosmetics Boutique in Germantown MD (we also hit the Dave and Buster's while we were there :3).  I have to tell you, I was in cosmetic paradise.  Overall the place wasn't that big, but it was covered in wall to wall shelving of all the Shiseido products you could dream of.  For those of you that aren't familiar with Shiseido, it's a Japanese company that's made it's way over to America.  There are still a couple of lines that aren't available in the states (namely the Anessa products).  The SCB also carries alot of other Japanese and Korean products.  They're prices are definitely lower than anywhere else I've found most of the Shiseido products.

I picked up:

Shiseido Tsubaki Shining Shampoo
Shiseido Tsubaki Shining Conditioner
Shiseido Tsubaki Damage Care Treatment
Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion SPF 60 PA+++
2 pairs of Darkness Lashes

I could rant and rave about the sunscreen all day lol.  It's seriously the best I've ever tried.  I picked up the 100mL bottle for almost $40, but it's totally worth it.  The solution is soooo light.  I typically have problems with my face sunscreen being too thick and making my skin look too pale, even after it's all rubbed in.  This sunscreen gives you a nice dewy glow.  Not to mention, it spreads really nicely.  Since it's not very thick (you have to shake the bottle each time before you use it) a little but can cover your whole face.  I squeeze out about a nickel size into my palm and spread it onto my face with clean fingers.  Definitely wash your hands after using any type of sunscreen though.  Some sunscreens will dry white on your clothes like deodorant :/ not a good look.
For those of you who don't use sunscreen on your face daily I 100% RECOMMEND IT.  It helps to prevent premature again and those unattractive dark spots.  Not to mention, it reduces your risk of skin cancer.  Trust me, no one wants a scar on their face from having to have a spot removed.
Because it's expensive, I don't use this sunscreen every single day. If I know that I'm not going to be outside for long or it's a cloudy day, I use more generic brands you can pick up at the drug store.  If you know you're going to have to reapply at some point in the day (which should be every two hours you're outside) I would suggest this sunscreen.  It doesn't build up and clog your pores like other products will.  It also smells fantastic (not too much like a sunscreen...more floral actually) and serves as a perfect base for powder foundations or blushes.

As for the Tsubaki Hair Care line, check out my new review vid here!

(I plan to do a tutorial later on the application of false lashes, so don't worry!)

Until next time,

xoxoJessieBear

New Video Review!

My video review for the My Beauty Diary Apricot Masks is now up on youtube!! You should definitely check this out...what an amazing product :)

Click Here for my MBD mask review.

Look what came in this weekend!

Recently I've been really obsessed with Sasa (an online beauty store that carries mostly asian products).  A lot of asian companies offer a wider variety of different products than we do here.  An example of this definitely be the My Beauty Diary facial masks.  Sasa currently offers 20 different types of My Beauty Diary masks (although most of them are currently out of stock).  I picked up the MBD Southern French Apricot masks from Amazon.

They typically come in a box of ten for around $11.  Each is meant to do something different for your skin.  After I run out of my current box (which is specifically for moisturizing dry skin), I definitely want to try out the strawberry yogurt mask.  It's supposed to eliminate oils and minimize pores.  I found a great chart of some of the masks' different benefits here.

After I remove my makeup I'm definitely going to try one of these suckers out tonight.  I'll let you know how it goes!

Til later :)

xoxoJessieBear

Sephora 9/4: Part II

As promised, I want to finish talking about my experience with the Kat Von D Concealer and other products the ladies at Sephora pointed me towards.

Ever since I was little I've had these dark freckles on my face.  While I've been fortunate enough to never have any acne problems, I'm still not a fan of this discoloration.  It's from being exposed to the sun too much.

As you can see, I have dark spots on my central cheek, chin, and forehead.  After reading the reviews of the Kat Von D Concealer, I thought I'd give it a try.  Because it's designed to work on tattoos, it can also cover natural dark pigmentation of the skin.  I had the ladies at Sephora test it out on my face. In order to get the product to set on my skin, my artist, Nada, applied a layer of the concealer, followed by Laura Mercier's pressed powder in sand.  She repeated this three times over my freckles.  Then she coated my face in Laura Mercier's tinted moisturizer for normal skin, also in sand, followed by more of the pressed powder.  These were the results:

                                  

It's very obvious that I'm coated in makeup.  The Kat Von D Concealer is very thick because it's meant for tattoos.  Topped w/ the moisturizer and more powder, I definitely look a little bit cakey.  But for a formal event it would work well.  I'd just need to blend more into my neck than she did lol.  

I really liked the concealer.  The consistency worked well on my skin.  However, I had two major problems with it.  First, each bottle runs for $25 and is very small.  To coat my whole face at least three times would mean I'd be dropping a lot of money on a product that does nothing for my problem (I like to have a little bit more a return with my products).  Secondly, none of the shades really fit my skin tone.  The lightest two were quite literally white.  The next two were VERY yellow.  And the ones after that were too tan.  I had to opt for the lightest concealer, which in the harsh lights of Sephora, made it VERY obvious.  Yes the end product did look very nice.  But the pressed powder and the tinted moisturizer used with this look together cost over seventy dollars.  So for a look that is no where near natural and only a once and a while thing, I didn't think it was worth it.  Instead I chose to go with something that would actually fix my problem :)

I bought the Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector.  It goes for $50 but can last more than two months (as only one pump is necessary to cover the whole face).  It's a serum so it glides onto the skin very nicely and takes no time at all to dry.  After applying it to the face (twice a day) you HAVE to follow with sunscreen.  It even says something weird like "sunscreen imperative" on the back of the bottle.  If you don't prevent more spots from forming, there isn't any use to this product.  It says from four to six weeks your spots will have noticeably lightened.  In the 4 or 5 days I've been using this product (I tested it out a couple days before I bought it) I've seen some of my newer spots lighten greatly.  Obviously the ones I have had since I was young are going to take more time, but it's definitely worth it.  That way, once my spots are lighter, more options will be available to me to cover the remainder of them up, without looking cakey or overdone.

I'll update you on the improvements I see once I've had more time to use the corrector :)  

Sephora 9/4: Part I

Last saturday I went to my local Sephora to test out a couple of new products and to pick up a few things I had had my eye on.  I went in thinking I'd come away with the Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer, some brushes, and Urban Decay's Brow Box in Brown Sugar.

The Urban Decay Brow Box I did end up buying.  I have very thing and wispy eyebrows that are hard to keep tame and visible at the same time.  As an avid user of Anastasia of Beverly Hill's Clear Brow Gel, I naturally looked for a powder by them.  I am absolutely in love with my brow gel.  Even though it does make your brows very shiny, they stay in nicely in place all day long.  The mascara-like applicator also makes application really easy.  That being said, I wasn't impressed by the reviews on Anastasia's filler products.  The Brow Ex-press comes with two filler shades, highlighting powder, wax (to keep them in place, not to remove them lol), and four different brow stencils.  People who had tried the product were disgruntled with the difficulty of using the stencils and the fact there was only one brush included (you need either two separate brushes for the brow powder and the wax, or wash your single brush religiously between using the products).  For the same amount of money I purchased the Urban Decay Brow Box instead.  It comes with two different brow powder shades (and is available in four different color sets), a tray of wax, a mini pair of tweezers, and a mini angled brush.  It's a godsend.  Definitely my new favorite product.  It glides on perfectly and really helps to define my brows :)

Next come the brushes.  I've always just used the brushes and applicators that come with the compacts I've purchased.  Recently I acquired the urge to expand my capabilities and the ease of my makeup application with some decent makeup brushes.  Sephora can get very confusing when it comes to brushes.  There are so many different styles of each type of brush to choose from it's hard to decide what's worth what amount of money.  Buying Sephora's brushes individually gets expensive quickly.  The cheapest individual brush they're offering at the moment is the retractable foundation brush for $10 on sale, versus the regular $18.  The platinum line's concealer brush (#47) runs for $27.  Instead of easily spending from $60 to $100 dollars on Sephora's brushes, I went to target.  Sonia Kashuk has recently released individual makeup brushes, priced from $5 to $18 dollars each.  For a little over thirty dollars, I got the multipurpose foundation brush, the liquid foundation brush, the medium eyeshadow brush, and the multipurpose nylon brush.  They work wonders on my makeup application.  I didn't seriously think it would make that much of a difference in my daily routine (I apply very little makeup on a regular day, usually only for special occasions or when I'll be in front of a camera lol).  These brushes are really excellent quality.  As with any brush, a nice daily, post-use cleansing will definitely keep these brushes working miracles for a long while.  You can see her full line of products in target stores, and on target.com.

As for the Kat Von D Concealer and the other items I picked up, I will be posting again tomorrow as well as beginning to film my first beauty vid.  See you then!

(I had to split this post into two parts cause I've just been so busy/tired lately. Sorry! lol)

Hi guys!

After a long and tough debate I finally decided to start up my own blog filled with tips and thoughts on beauty products and other things that I thought you may need to know :)  Of course I'm going to add a couple beauty tutorials on my youtube page as I get the ball rolling.

There's so much that I have to say...where do I begin? lol