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.

Tubing Mascara Review 5: Blinc Kiss me Mascara

The Blinc Kiss me Mascara is often said to be the original tubing mascara because blinc invented tubing technology. This mascara has also been said to be one of the formerly best selling mascara in Japan until Fiberwig came out. I don't know if either of those stories are true, but I do know that this is a great mascara for a lot of people (myself not included). In this article, I will give a detailed review of this mascara.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

Skin79 Intense Classic Balm SPF 20 PA++

A reader friend reminded me that I haven't reviewed that many BB creams recently, and asked if I have stopped using them. Yes, I have not used BB creams for the last two weeks, but it was because I was trying out a skincare line, which interestingly asked its users to only stick to a few very basic products within the line for the first 4 to 6 weeks of use, and begged that one use no facial makeup (but eyes and brows and lips and blush are okay) for the first 6 weeks, so that you may experience the full effects sooner. I was hooked on this skincare line by my Korean derm, who loves all natural lines with minimum ingredients and no preservatives, and I won't say anything more about this line until I've finished my 6 weeks, and can give you a better idea. :P

Anyhow, that is why I have not used BB creams in two weeks and forgot to review them. However, my suitcase is packed with BB creams I bought in Korea, and this is just another BB cream I could not resist picking up at the skin79 counter. 

To be fair, I was somewhat acquitanted with this BB cream since I bought it from Korea almost a year ago, and planned on using it. However, my young teenage cousin (male) came to visit and was so sick of his acne issue so that no girls would talk to him. He snatched the most masculine looking BB cream on my vanity and used it. He liked it so much that I gave it to him. So this is actually the first time I'm trying this BB cream on myself. 

So enough of my rambling and on to the actual review. :)

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