What's In My Skincare Wardrobe: Actives (Prescriptions, Antioxidants, and Acids) Edition

It's time for a routine update!  Instead of posting my full routine and possibly terrifying people who get the wrong idea that I use all these steps at once, I've been loving the concept of the "Skincare Wardrobe" and posting a "What's in my Skincare Wardrobe?" series instead.  If you aren't familiar with this concept, it's the idea of having a 'closet' of options to select from rather than wearing everything all at once-- people often look at massive multi-step K-Beauty routines and mistakenly think you throw all of it at your face at once.  You don't.

In fact, I post my actual routine to Instagram on a regular basis, if you're curious to see what a 'real' daily routine looks like.  I can assure you, it does not look like this:

My current Winter 2016 Skincare wardrobe
Yes, this is a photo of my Skincare Wardrobe, from which I might select anywhere from 3 to 15+ items from in a day.  You don't wear the entire contents of your closet in a daily outfit!  You can read more about this key concept is The Painful Path to K-Beauty Wisdom: 7 Mistakes Beginners Make:
I look at my products as a 'wardrobe' of options; I may have items in my closet ranging from bathing suits to winter coats, but that doesn't mean I'm going to wear every piece of clothing I own at once.  However, having a range of skincare options is actually a good thing, in my opinion, because it populates your wardrobe with options that you can mix and match depending on the 'weather' that day.
In the first of these posts, What's In My Skincare Wardrobe: Cleanser Edition, I showed the 8 cleansers I have in rotation + what they're for + when I use them.  Mind you, if I wasn't testing things for review, I would likely need at most 3-4 cleansers, instead of 8.  Most people may be happy with just the two needed for double cleansing, and that's perfectly fine!

I've already covered cleansers, so next up in the order of product application is Actives.

Top row: current actives which don't allow use of any others.  Bottom row: what I'd be using if I wasn't using a hardcore prescription that prohibits me throwing any other exfoliants at my face.
I've held off posting this version because since switching to a prescription Azelaic acid and Tretinoin Rx from Curology/Pocketderm, I've all but dropped actives from my routine.  Why? Because I quickly learned, in the form of broken capillaries, that Tretinoin is a jealous mistress who doesn't tolerate sharing.

That being said, I still want to share the actives that I would happily pick back up and use if I stopped using my prescription, as these have been a mainstay of my routine for a long time.

I'd just like to remind people that the idea of a Skincare Wardrobe is not to have a lot of things open at once, but to allow yourself the flexibility to customize your daily routine.  That's what the multi-step Asian skincare hype is all about, in my opinion.  Customization for the win!

In this post:

  • What are actives?
  • pH adjusting toner
  • Prescription with Azelaic acid and retinoid (tretinoin)
  • Vitamin C serum
  • BHA acid exfoliant
  • AHA acid exfoliant
  • Actives that don't exfoliate
Before we jump into this, I'd just like to remind everyone that these are not meant to be used all at once.  Pick your poison and stick to it until you're ready for more.  Tread carefully.  Do your research, and consult with a dermatologist if you have question or have a specific skin concern you're trying to address.  BE CAUTIOUS.  There is a time to go in guns blazing, and acids are not it.

An Ode in Photos to My Elusive Muse: Sulwhasoo Limited Edition 2004 Shine Classic Powder Compact

Warning: this post is going to be pretty much "packaging p0rn" from start to finish, but the good (?) news is that this product is impossible to find so your wallet (if not your heart) is safe.

Earlier this week I put some teaser photos on my Instagram because I had just received it and (let's be real here) I couldn't control myself.  I had to share something about it, even if I planned to do a big reveal this weekend-- and in the theme of realness, by "reveal" I mean "excuse to take a ton of gratuitous packaging p0rn photos just because it's one of the most gorgeous things I've ever seen."  There's pretty packaging, and then there's this.


I had mentioned in an early episode of The Snailcast podcast that I had been looking forward to the 2015 release of the yearly Sulwhasoo Shine Classic Powder Compact, because I've always inappropriately coveted (nearly biblical-levels) the 2004 Ornamental Tile Limited Edition Sulwhasoo Shine Classic owned by @Labellevie245. However, I knew the 2004 would never be mine; a year ago, Neiman Marcus had a limited stock of them but they'd long since sold out.  I had planned to get a consolation History of Whoo pact but they're so expensive ($100-$150) and my heart really wanted a 2004 Sulwhasoo, even though I knew it was hopeless.

There are some on eBay for a ridiculous price, but I'm not about to spend $150+ on a 12 year old compact that is probably unsafe to use on my face, eh?

Then, this past weekend, magic happened; interrogation of hapless store clerks who had no idea what "Sulwhasoo" was may have also happened. #noregrets

In this post:

  • Photos of the box
  • Photos of what's inside the box
  • Photos up close and far away
  • Photos of the pattern in the powder
  • Photos for scale
  • More photos for no reason other than this is pretty

As I mentioned above, this pact is 12 years old, so there will not be product swatches, first impressions, or any other review-type content in this post (other than a photo demonstrating the size) as I'm not putting this stuff on my face.  I'll be looking into alternatives that can be placed into this pact, so if you know of something that would fit, or where to get just the insert/refill of a Shine Classic 2015 alone, please let me know!

I'll be telling the story of how I got it in between the photos, but this post is 90% photos and I wouldn't have it any other way.  Now onward to the eye candy!

Lazy Morning Staple: Su:m37 Skin Saver Cleansing Water Review

If you follow me on Instagram, where I often post my daily routines, you may have noticed that the Su:m37 Skin Saver Essential Cleansing Water has been featured pretty heavily lately.  After I realized that I had only used my favourite foaming cleanser of 2015 just once in the last two weeks, because I had been reaching for this cleansing water every day, I figured it was high time I reviewed it!

Su:m37 Skin Saver Essential Cleansing Water
Mmm, this packaging.  The opalescence of the bottle cap is so hard to capture!
This is the third cleansing water I've tried to date, and so far, I like it best of the three although I'm not passionately in love with it- hence why it did not make it onto the 2015 in Review: My Favourite K-Beauty Products of 2015 list.

That's not to say that it's merely the best of the available evils; I quite like this, and it's been my "dear saint snail I'm freezing my ass off and my bathroom is cold as hell and I don't want to wash my face because the chance of getting water on myself is too damn high" cleanser of choice.  It's also my "there had better be coffee when I sloth out of this bathroom like Jabba the Hut" cleanser, and my "I can't feel my fingers" cleanser, and also my "I've lost fine motor control functions because I'm wearing 8 layers to stay warm" cleanser.  It's the first real winter I've experienced after 8 years in the desert, and needless to say, I'm feelin' it.  Especially in the morning, when I look like one of those "before and after coffee" memes and I try to walk through walls and doors that have somehow leapt out to obstruct my path. Jerks.

So if you're like me and you 1. hate mornings in general, 2. hate cold mornings especially, and 3. can't manage to wash your face without splashing water all over yourself, cleansing waters are great.

In this post:

  • Product details
  • What is a micellar/cleansing water?
  • Ingredients
  • Packaging
  • Demonstration
  • Final thoughts & why I like it
I'm going to demonstrate this product's ability to remove makeup as some people use it as a first cleanser/makeup remover, but that's really not what I use it for.  I use it as a gentle, convenient, super-quick AM cleanse for mornings where I am super lazy and/or hate the world and everything in it because I haven't had coffee yet.

K-Beauty Belongs to Everyone: Reflections on a Lost Weekend

Today is going to be a very short post, because frankly, all I want to do is curl up in a blanket with some hot cocoa and a sheet mask, and watch snow falling for the first time in 8 years.

Yes, that's a backup supply of marshmallows in case they melt too fast. Don't judge me.
Instead I'm typing here with cold-stiffened fingers while I'm waiting for my new wireless handwarmers (they're little toasts!) to charge, and my heart is too heavy for reviews or tales of K-Beauty adventures today.

If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you may be aware that it's been a really eventful week; if not, I recommend that you check out this follow-up piece on Fashionista or the one from The Frisky.  Two other members from The Snailcast who were also impacted have already shared their thoughts:  Tracy of Fanserviced-b here, and Fiddy of Fifty Shades of Snail here.

However, I'm not going to write about what happened, because for one it's already been well-covered at length in the links above, but for another, it's a sad truth that moments where someone attempts to hijack the influence or credibility of a blogger for their own gain are sadly not uncommon.  To be honest, I'm still troubled by the fact that people are trying to infer that the absence of one thing implies the presence of another, namely inferring that my objection to my work being appropriated to promote a political agenda (without my consent) is an indicator of my stance on said politics.

The thing is, I've never said what my politics are, and there's a very good reason for that: that's not what this blog is about.  Do I have opinions and beliefs outside of K-Beauty?  Well, I'm an adult human, so that goes without saying.  They have no place here, though; this blog is not a tool for politics, not even my own.  Therefore, my politics are, and will remain, private, and I don't appreciate people exploiting my silence on them as tacit permission to fill in their own narrative about what they might be (or not be.)

So in the light of all this, I'd like to make a statement about politics of ... K-Beauty, since that's, well y'know, what this blog is about.

K-Beauty is for everyone; it belongs to the people.

It does not belong to the shops, to the magazines, to the professional trend-watchers, to those seeking to capitalize on it.  It belongs to the fans, to those of us who connect with one another through social media, blogs, forums- striking up friendships and connections with people around the world as we engage through our mutual love of Asian beauty products.  K-Beauty did not become a "thing" through the machinations of business people, its evolution into the prominent force it is today is due to the international community that nurtured its growth.

K-Beauty is about sharing reviews and new discoveries with one another, developing communal knowledge, and silly Instagram hashtags that invite people to be part of the conversation, to be part of the narrative.  It's not about stealing people's ideas for profit, whether that profit is monetary gain, credibility, or exposure.

That community, that culture of connection, has been the light in the darkness this week; for all of you who have reached out to me for reassurance that things are ok, and to reassure me that things are ok, I am so grateful that we're all in this together.  Now let's go get #sheetfaced.

Have something you'd like to share with me?  Hit me up on Facebook or Twitter, or even better, snap a pic and tag me on Instagram at @snowwhiteandtheasianpear because I'd love to see it!

All the best,
-Cat

P.S. Someone asked me where the handwarmers were from, they're on Amazon for around $45 for the fancy wireless ones, the type I have is "Butta" but they have other faces as well.

**Disclaimer: All products reviewed/mentioned in my blog, unless expressly stated to be press samples which were provided for honest review, are 100% purchased with my own money; regardless of their origin, my opinions are entirely my own.  This blog contains  both affiliate and non-affiliate links, and clicking the former before you shop means that this blog will receive a small commission to assist in this blog supporting itself.  Please see my Contact Info & Disclaimer policy for more information.

The weekend I broke up with 75% of my sheet masks

This weekend is going to be a light-hearted progress report and not an in-depth review, guide, or discussion, so if you're not particularly interested in how I attacked the contents of my sheet mask stash and culled the weak from the herd, check in next weekend when we'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming!

Korean sheet masks, Taiwanese silk masks
I poured myself a coffee, hauled my sheet masks out of every nook and cranny of the house, & prepared to be savage.
I know, last weekend when I posted my massive two-part megapost (2015 in Review, Part I: My Favourite K-Beauty Products of 2015, & Part II: My Favourite K-Beauty Tips, Concepts, & Trends of 2015) I said that I was taking this weekend off due to the double-post.  I was exhausted from a hectic season at work, family events, and writing a megapost that required me giving up sleep 4 nights in a row to finish in time.  I was determined to give myself a break this weekend, and maybe I'd finally tackle the giant, sprawling, terrifying catastrophe that is my office.

I had no intention of blogging this weekend; every once of mental fortitude was already spoken for this arduous task ahead of me.  So how did I end up breaking up with the majority of my sheet masks, and then staying up late posting about it?!

In this post:

  • What possessed me to do this in the first place
  • What I'm excited to use
  • What I'm excited to try
  • What I'm keeping, but not using, & what I'll be using up
  • What's being given the boot- gifted, given away, and destashed
  • What my mask collection looks like in the aftermath
There may be a few expired masks in the 'destined for destash' pile, so I'll be sorting through when I decide what to do with them, but it's such a relief to have culled so much from my stash.  Life is too short to be wasted on masks I don't want to use!