Lifestyle

March 2, 2018

My Korean Skincare Routine

Throughout my life I've been battling the asshole known as hormonal acne (oh hey, oily skin) which has led to my current day battle with its cousin, acne scars. I've tried countless face washes over the years where salicylic acid was my best friend and I've been to the dermatologist for prescription creams. A lot of these would work for short periods of time before my hormones realized what was up and started fighting back. So finally, fifteen years after puberty first started kicking in, I've gotten my skin into a pretty consistent place of being relatively clear for an extended period of time. How you ask?

👏🏻 KOREAN 👏🏻 SKIN 👏🏻 CARE 👏🏻

I know almost everyone and their mothers are slowly jumping on the bandwagon here, but I can't stress enough how much these products have actually changed my skin for the better. Reading through countless articles to learn more about this phenomenon, a few things stuck out to me: (1) Korean skin care philosophy focuses on prevention instead of quick fixes and (2) Korean consumers are willing to spend so much money on skincare products which in turn brings in more $$ for research and development...bringing their innovativeness to the forefront.

While the typical Korean skincare routine involves ten total steps, I started off small, focusing on my main problem areas:

Grain Ferment Cleansing Water ($15) - I use this to take off my make-up for the day and duuuuude it's incredibly lightweight, not oily at all (which is a problem I've had in the past), and so damn effective. 1-2 pumps of this water on a cotton ball gets my whole face make-up free without having to vigorously rub my face.
Tea Tree Balancing Foaming Cleanser ($22) - Next, I clean my entire face with this cleanser, which is incredible for my oily T-zone. My face feels dry afterwards without being dehydrated and the tea tree helps mildly treat my acne.
Snail Recovery Gel Cream ($14) - To treat my acne scars and help diminish their appearance over time, I apply a thin layer of Snail Recovery Gel cream (it's not gross - I swear - the snail extract works wonders).
Clinique Moisture Surge ($12) - This might be the only product that's not Korean Beauty (although I'll probably swap it out over time), but a tiny bit goes a long way and these help moisturize my dry cheeks.
Acne Spot Dots ($5) - For any active breakouts, I'll smack on these acne dots overnight that'll treat and reduce inflammation within hours (and also keep me from picking at those nasty buggers).

2-month results: I get breakouts less frequently, redness in my t-zone has decreased, and most of my acne scars have faded away. I'm also able to control my oil better throughout the day which in turn helps my foundation stay on my face longer. Korean skincare, I give you ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Bless you.

My go-to retailers are Botanic Farm and Peach & Lily (click here to get $10 your first order), who make it so easy to figure out the right combination of products for your skin type. If you try it, let me know - I'd love to hear about your Korean skincare journey too and exchange tips!

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January 12, 2017

#PerfectNever at Home with Reebok

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April 12, 2015

Sundays with Firmoo

Unisex Black Frames c/o Firmoo

I've had increasingly bad vision ever since the third grade. I remember getting my first pair of glasses and, like the typical 8-year-old at that time, feeling like the biggest nerd at school. I would hide them in my desk and pretend like I "accidentally" misplaced them, just so I wouldn't have to put them on my face.

Then the day came for contacts, while I was in middle school, and I never looked back since. I definitely felt #blessed, although I didn't know it at the time due to the lack of the hashtag's existence. But as my parents like to remind me, you can't wear your contacts 24/7 and it's good to give your eyes a little break from time to time. But luckily, glasses are more of a fashion statement these days so I make the most of it by trying out new pairs whenever I can. So even if I have to nudge my glasses up my nose a few times a day and struggle to keep the smudges off, at least I'm looking Instagramable. Na'mean?

Big shout out to Firmoo, as usual, for making glasses so affordable and stylish so I can keep switching things up. If you've never checked them out before, sign up and get your first pair free!

And yes, I'm just casually chilling with a wine bottle of flowers, thanks for Jeremy. Also, I'm not wearing pants because it's a Sunday and Sundays are meant to be pantless.

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April 7, 2015

This Past Sunday No. 2

9:00 AM Good morning, Jeremy. I apologize in advance for waking you up in the most annoying way possible.

10:00 AM Good morning, Bubba. I apologize in advance for waking you up in the most adorable way possible.

11:00 AM Hello, new ink. S/O to Three Kings Tattoo for the quick and easy session. The leaves each represent a different state that I was raised in; I moved around a lot until I was 7 years old and each environment shaped me in their own unique way.

12:00 PM Finally got some Greenpoint Lobster in my stomach. Let's talk about that market fish sandwich for a second; I couldn't get enough of it. If you're ever in Greenpoint, you can't pass it by. Even if you've already had brunch, make room for a second brunch.

1:00 PM Yawning because he's not a fan of waking up early and he's already ready for a nap.

2:00 PM Afternoon tea and desserts. Always much needed.

3:00 PM Because food is always on my mind, time to pick out fresh veggies for dinner and wind down for the evening.

What did you guys have on your plate (both life-wise and nom-wise) this past Sunday?

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March 9, 2015

Sunday Mornings (ft. Jasmine + Brandon)

8:00 AM Sundays are for waking up early but staying under the covers. Always.

10:00 AM There's nothing more enjoyable than having the time to cook breakfast. And Instagram it, obviously.

12:00 PM In anticipation of a snowy afternoon, Jeremy and I hid out in a nearby cafe for some carrot ginger soup and lattes.

2:00 PM And we're still at the cafe. Much work was done and even more noms were had.

Wondering whose photos are on the right side? Jasmine and her partner in crime, Brandon, captured their exact same morning all the way out on the west coast. If you've been following for a while, you'll remember her from our early Dynamic Duo collaborations (some being very embarrassing) when she blogged over at Transient Withdrawal. Now she's documenting her west coast adventures with Brandon over at Be The Plebeian - head on over to see her morning details.

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January 1, 2015

The Year of Star Wars

Love Culture Blue Peplum Top (similar), White Skater Skirt c/o Lulu's, Hot Topic R2D2 Bow

So maybe 2015 isn't exactly the "Year of Star Wars" (whatever that means), but Jeremy and I felt the need to have a Star Wars-themed NYE bash. Why? Because (1) the next Star Wars movie is coming out at the end of this year and (2) I needed an excuse to use some dope Star Wars cupcake decorating kits (buy here and here) that I couldn't resist investing in. Despite the end result of sticky floors and hungover compadres, it was a grand success. A sick nasty rager it was, as Yoda himself would say.

Happy New Year, everyone!