Review: Curology updates

It's been about 7 months since I wrote about getting on the Curology train. I figured it was well about time I provide some updates!

So... has Curology been work the hype?

100% yes for me. It's been an indispensable part of my routine, and I don't know what I'd do if I had to stop using it!

Joining that Curology train: First impressions and hesitations

I think at this point, it is safe to say I am by no means a skincare trendsetter.  I am never on the cutting edge, lending my face for the good of skincare-kind by testing out the latest new products.  I just enjoy Asian beauty, makeup, and skincare as a way of taking care of myself.

Pretty much me in the skincare scene || Source

Which is why, given my long absence from /r/AB since starting grad school, I had no idea what Curology was until I saw this Instagram post from Joan of Kinseng (everyone should go check out her awesome blog, by the way!).

A photo posted by kinseng (@kinsengnsq) on Dec 27, 2015 at 7:55am PST

I had heard the term floating about, but never took a serious interest in the brand and its products until Joan's IG post.  I decided to do some research into them (aka a cursory Google search).

COSRX: Mini review, but lots of love

I am a pretty punctual person in real life (well, most of the time), but when it comes to trends, I have been, and always will be, late to the party.

Okay, I was actually ahead of the curve for the glory and greatness that is/was Gangnam Style, but that was mostly a fluke | Source

Whether it's fashion, TV shows (looking at you, Game of Thrones), or skincare, I only jump on the train as it is leaving the station. Even as I write this now, there are already so many posts and proclamations of love for COSRX that everyone else is already hopping on to the next wave of Asian Beauty pretties (Tosowoong, Goodal, Whamisa, Cremor Lab, anyone?). As I have been slow to come aboard this hype train, and am still contentedly yet belatedly sitting in it as it is leaving the station, I figured I might as well shout my love for COSRX into the dwindling void, because seriously my skin has never taken such a liking to products so quickly.  I'll post mini-reviews on the three COSRX products I have been using, mostly since many others have reviewed them already, and there's only so much new insight I can contribute!

In this post, I'll be providing mini-reviews on my experience using the following three products:

1. COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid
2. COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid
3. COSRX Galactomyces 95 White Power Essence now mercifully changed to COSRX Galactomyces 95 Whitening Power Essence because the COSRX team is truly bae 

I felt like I was taking pictures of a boyband when photographing these.

Additionally, I will also comment how these products, plus their fantastic customer service and relations, will most likely be taking my money for the foreseeable future.

Review: CLIO Waterproof Brush Liner vs. KATE Super Sharp Liner

You know, sometimes I think life would be infinitely better if I just stayed optimistically disappointed about everything. That way, things would only be able to look up from there, you know?

And on that optimistic note, here I go on my review comparing two liquid eyeliners: CLIO Waterproof Brush Liner and KATE Super Sharp Liner.

There has been a lot of love and buzz on these two liners - particularly CLIO - but do they live up to the hype? The surprising, and mildly disappointing results, after the break!

Review: Shiseido Aqualabel Whitening Jelly Essence

I am writing this while wearing a hydrogel mask with my newly purchased Daiso silicone mask cover! Mask + Daiso + glasses = me looking like an overly studious and botoxed serial killer. It is for this reason I have waited until the rest of my house has gone to bed before applying the slippery hydrogel onto the skin, so as to prevent any impulsive 911 (well, 191 here) calls should someone walk in to see me like dis. Anyway. It's been approximately one month since I started my relationship with the Shiseido Aqualabel Whitening Jelly Essence, so I can finally review it!

Apologies for the blurry photo! I only just noticed this after uploading.

The following information is paraphrased from the ever-informative, Ratzilla Cosme: The Shiseido Aqualable Whitening Jelly Essence is supposed to be a 4-in-1 product: an astringent, hydrating lotion, serum, and moisturizer. Its main function is to prevent dark spots. The main active in this is m-tranexamic acid. I became interested in this after this post on Reddit about actual pore minimizing ingredients. The poster mentioned this product as an affordable option for the ingredient, glycylglycine, and what do you know, I managed to find it in stores on sale a few weeks later! So I bought this for the pore minimizing abilities, but became pleasantly surprised at the overall results.

Review: The Saem Snail Soothing Gel

Having lurked assiduously on several skincare and beauty blogs and subreddits for almost two years (1 year and 7 months if you want to be exact), I've learned a lot about how to read ingredients list on a skincare items. This allows me to be more critical, and look past advertising claims (since everything seems like the new "it" and wonder product these days) in order to determine where best to invest my money. This is important, because whether I use the product or not, every skincare and beauty product I buy will be sunk cost anyway (unless I manage to sell/swap it, but that's hard given my location).

My improved knowledge of ingredients has given me more confidence to venture out beyond blogger favorites, and explore lesser known products. This leads me to today's review of The Saem Snail Soothing Gel.

Look at dem snails, ain't they so cute?

Review: Fairydrops Volume Burst Waterproof Mascara

Friends, I may have discovered my holy grail mascara. This may just knock off the oft-raved about, very well-loved Kiss Me Heroine Long & Curl Mascara from its #1 status on my lashes.

Fairydrops Volume Burst Waterproof Mascara | Source

I am truly in love with the Fairydrops Volume Burst Waterproof Mascara. It ticks off everything I want in a mascara, and then some. Before, I never asked for too much out of my mascaras. I just wanted something that 1) held a curl, and 2) really lengthened my short Asian lashes. It wasn't until I used this Fairydrops mascara that my eyes were opened (pun completely intended) to the wonder of having a curl-holding, lengthening, and volumizing mascara on these unimpressive lashes.

Review: Namu Life Snail White Cream

First review! Let's do dis.

Look at that cute little snail sticker!

Today, I’m reviewing this exceptionally popular cream from Thailand Snail White Cream by Namu Life. It is well-advertised around the city, and apparently quite popular. In fact, it is so popular that there are apparently fakes of it floating around.