4 Minute Morning: My Quick 6-Step K-Beauty Routine

How long does it take to do a multi-step Korean beauty product routine? A lot less time than I thought, as it turns out. Gone are the old days of lazy 20+ minute AM routines, where I could leisurely apply layers of products between answering emails and sipping my coffee.

My AM routine now consists of potty dancing in front of my mirror as I slap on products while my puppy chirps and whines to be let out of her crate. It's easy to slap on a bunch of products as fast as possible, but it's trickier to have them absorb in time for your sunscreen to safely adhere to your face.

It's fast, it's fervent, it's done on a full bladder: it's my 3 minute and 47 second K-Beauty morning routine

It's also as hot and humid AF right now, which means my sunscreen wants to slide into my eyes as soon as I step out the door, resulting in me staggering around my yard trying to wipe my burning, streaming eyes like a freshly maced frat boy. I need my products in place and locked down against the summer heat, and that's a lot harder to do in the time it takes for the puppy to lose patience and start chewing her bed.

In this post:

• It's all in the timing; a simple change made a big difference
• Which 6 steps are necessities
• A full face with +2 minutes extra

Trying to get all this stuff done in stages, in between her AM potty break and AM playtime, just wasn't working for me. Instead of popping outside in a hat, doing the thing, and zipping back indoors for my next step, anything less than a fully ready face resulted in me chasing her around the yard trying to dig rocks, sticks, and occasionally my shoe out of her mouth, without sun protection. Hat + chasing down a speedy tinydog = unplanned sun exposure.

Necessity was the mother of inventing a workable AM routine so fast I decided to time it to see just how long it took for me to roll out the door, ready for puppy potty & playtime in the summer sun.

Take My Money: Swatches, Sulwhasoo Balancing Water First Impressions, & Beautytap Review

You know those shops that you always have on your radar, yet somehow never purchase from? That was me with Beautytap (née W2Beauty); it's been around for years, quietly part of the Korean-based shop landscape, a site I'd often check for new releases but ultimately bail on my cart, usually due to the high price tags and lack of distinction from the many other options I had for buying K-Beauty.

That changed when W2Beauty changed; all of a sudden they started doing smart things like bringing on top K-Beauty bloggers (like Coco Park of The Beauty Wolf and Sheryll of The Wanderlust Project) for their new Editorial section. Instead of the usual thinly veiled "advertorial" in-house blogs run by shops to shill their wares, they started publishing original content that was good, written by people who knew what they were talking about.

W2Beauty was always legit, but once it turned into Beautytap it seriously upped its game, and I started plotting out my second order before I even received the first.

Once this SWS water went on sale, it was tiiiiiiime

They also hired people who knew K-Beauty; they brought on Fiddy Snails (of Fifty Shades of Snail and The Snailcast podcast) who unleashed terrible things upon the unsuspecting K-Beauty community, like daily flash sales of fancy products that gave me flares of grabby-handitis and made my wallet weep.

All sorts of products that I'd regulated to the "if I ever won the lottery" wishlist are now regularly appearing in their daily deals, and I need Snesus because they're trying to kill me.

This was some friendly fire, y'all.

In this post:

• Am I affiliated with Beautytap?
• Shopping experience: pros, cons, & why I'll continue to shop there
• Swatch & first impressions: Peripera Ink Airy Velvet #10 Dry Rose Brown
• Swatch & first impressions: Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water EX

You might wonder why I'd bother doing something as old-hat as a haul post/shop review, but 1. the world always needs more swatches, and 2. there's a lot more to say about a haul from Beautytap that I definitely want to cover. Plus, hanbang. Haaaannnbaaaangggg.

Sheet Mask Reviews & Empties: a Month of Getting #Sheetfaced

I like sheet masks.  I like them so much I use them once a day (also known as 1일 1팩) or even twice a day.  Some days, I might even #doublefistmasks-- aka using two masks back to back, coined during a discussion I had with fellow Snailcaster Fiddy of Fifty Shades of Snail, which I shamelessly borrowed from the rich tradition in Canada (and elsewhere) of having an alcoholic beverage in each fist to ensure one can more efficiently imbibe without pesky interruptions like having to get up for another drink.  Hmm, I'm seeing a theme: #doublefistingmasks, #sheetfaced, drinking wine with a straw while masking ... well, considering the alcohol in some masks, clearly I need to write this review with a drink in-hand, eh?

This means I go through a lot of sheet masks, and it occurred to me that people might like to see the wreckage left behind after a month or so of rampant sheet masking.  Once a day, twice a day, or if it's prepping for a special occasion, even more?

Mmm, sheet masks.

In this post:

• 47 empty sheet masks
• 24 mini reviews
• Assorted inebriated jokes

As someone with chronically dehydrated skin that hates occlusive products, I have to spend a lot of time sloooooooowly restoring hydration to my skin.  Too many layers results in a build-up of product residue on my face once it's sucked the water out of  any essences, serums, and creams I apply.

So, I combat summer heat, winter dryness, stress, and laziness by doing the slow cooker Korean beauty equivalent: sheet masks.  20-60 minutes of slow, sustain saturation replenishes my thirsty skin and lets me relax from the long and stressful hours of my day job.  Here are my thoughts on this giant pile of mask empties!

LS Cosmetic Oriental Herbal Skincare Premium Mask Pack Review: Four Flavours of Hanbang

I like sheet masks a lot, and I use them a lot, but I don't review them often as my blog would be nothing but sheet mask reviews if I did.  I'll sometimes review them on my Instagram, or I'll put them in a Best of post, or pick my top masks for a season's routine.

I'm making an exception for the LS Cosmetic Oriental Herbal Skincare Premium Mask Pack sheet mask set, of which I have types but one, as they're worth reviewing and people have expressed a lot of interest in hearing about them.  I'm sure this is due to 1. them being very, very Hanbang (한방, traditional Korean herbal medicine) and 2. being in ultra cute packaging that looks like different styles of Hanbok, a type of traditional Korean garment.  Normally cute packaging results in really disappointing masks, but these were a pleasant surprise.

I've also already used almost all of them, as you can see in this image below, so it's high time I review them before they're all gone.

Yes, I did save these empties for this post. You'd think that I didn't like the blue or green ones as I have 3 left of each, but actually I'm hoarding them because precioussss.

I purchased these in my Korean buying service haul from the terminally adorable Boyah Shop, which you can read about here: Boyah Shop Korean Buying Service Review + Haul of Hanbang & Sheet Masks, and at this time they're not available (affordably!) anywhere other than Korean sites, but if that changes, I will definitely update the review.  These were about $0.86 each before shipping, and I'm quite pleased with them.

Even the boxes are fancy, with pretty gold detailing on the edges:

Image from: Boyah Shop Korean Buying Service Review + Haul of Hanbang & Sheet Masks

Still, when it comes to sheet masks, it's what's inside the package that counts, so let's get to it!

In this post:

• Chaga Mushroom Sheet Mask - Wrinkle Care Type Review
• Shang Whang Mushroom Sheet Mask - Sensitive Type Review
• Silk Worm Sheet Mask - Whitening Type Review
• Wild Ginseng Sheet Mask - Cleansing Type Review

Each mini-review contains product details, comments on fit, scent, essence, ingredients, and other details, including which ones I will (and won't) be repurchasing.

Sulwhasoo Herbal Soap Review: The Day I Hanbanged Too Hard

It's finally happened.  I've always been one of those reckless, flirt-with-danger, no-such-thing-as-too-hanbang, hanbang-me-harder types.  There are so many proverbs and fables that warn of this foolhardy approach, but I didn't pay any attention, seeking greater hanbang highs with every product, until it all culminated in traumatizing regret.  I'm talking about the venus flytrap of Hanbang products, the Sulwhasoo Herbal Soap set.  Don't be fooled by it's comely appearance; this product has no concept of boundary limits or safewords.

It looks so pretty, so enticing, so ... innocent.

It was only a matter of time before it happened, to be honest.  My endless thirst toward all things Hanbang is even something I'm known for; the Hanbang tag on my blog is a deep, deep rabbit hole ... the kind that smells of rich earth and ginseng.  Hanbang (한방) is traditional Korean herbal medicine, and has its roots in TCM (traditional Chinese herbal medicine) but with its own local herbs and fermentation-heavy preparation methods.  Many people aren't into the intensely herbal scents of Hanbang, but dried herbs, teas, and tinctures were all forms of torture commonplace during my childhood and I find the herbal notes in Hanbang products an irresistible alternative to the sickly-sweet synthetic florals that pervade most K-Beauty products I've tried.

In this post:

• Regrets

Also includes: product details & ingredients, but mostly regrets.  Also, this review is going to be firmly NSFW so if you're unamused by concepts like safewords being used in a humorous context, turn away, this is not the review you are looking for.

Beginner Friendly: Simple K-Beauty Starter Kit #3 - Sensitive, Dehydrated & Aging Skin Type

Today's post is the third kit in my Beginner Friendly: Simple K-Beauty Starter Kits for 4 Skin Types series, which is a 4-part set of ultra-simple, 5-product 'starter kits' I've put together for the K-Beauty fans-to-be in my life-- by that I mean my hapless friends and family members who I am attempting to convert to The Way of the Snail.

This week's kit is especially near and dear to my heart, because it's the kit I put together for my mom, who is the apple (of wisdom) of my eye, and who I've sadly been unable to see much in the last almost-decade, seeing as I hied off to a foreign country thousands of miles away.  If I cannot shower her with love and affection in person, then by golly I'm going to shower love (and beauty products) on her from afar, with care packages selected with love and padded with wistful longing.

Left: simple. Right: eeeeek!  Both are examples of the daily routines I post on Instagram.

 As a quick reminder, the care packages from this series are actual care packages that I've put together for real people, based off their skin type.  I am not recommending any of these items as a 'treatment' for any skin type or condition; this is just me sharing the personal mini routines I've put together for friends and family.

In this series:

All starter kits will feature 5 items or less, what they're for, and how to use them.  All lovingly selected with thought and care, because when I make kits for my friends and family, it's a box o' love.  Obviously not everything works for everyone, patch testing is necessary, etc etc.  These are just my personal picks.

• Starter Kit # 1: My college-age friend with oily, acne-prone skin (link here)
• Starter Kit # 2: My college-age friend with dry, stressed skin (link here)
• Starter Kit # 3: My mother's sensitive, dehydrated, aging skin kit (you are here!)
• Starter Kit # 4: My mother-in-law's normal, hyperpigmented, aging kit (link here)

• Bonus Kit if I haven't thrown myself off a cliff from creating all these visual (yes, visual) kits:  My personal kit if my house burned down and I had to start over with nothing but Amazon gift cards, which won't be simple, less than 5 items, or anything else straightforward.  No promises. Done! K-Beauty on Amazon: Rebuilding a 15+ Step Routine if My Stash Caught on Fire

Once these posts are live, I will link them here.  Done!  As I mentioned in the original post, these items will be from Amazon for accessibility reasons as a counterpoint to the more internationally-focused From Beginner to Expert Mode: Where I Buy K-Beauty & Asian Cosmetics post.  Accessibility is an ongoing theme in discussions with the podcasters of The Snailcast and my decision to create this series was kicked off by by the straightforward & complete K-Beauty routine that Tracy of Fanserviced-b posted for normal skin types, which you can check out here: Easy Starter K-Beauty Skincare Routine for $100 on Amazon.

This routine was made for my mother's aging, dehydrated, sensitive skin and as it's made for my mom, it's heavily Hanbang (aka traditional Korean herbal medicine) focused, because that's what I am the most excited for her to try.

Boyah Shop Korean Buying Service Review + Haul of Hanbang & Sheet Masks

I use Korean buying services a lot, probably more than your average K-Beauty fan, for reasons ranging from "I'm a spreadsheet nerd who likes to min/max my costs for the best deal" to "I'm dangerously close to being a K-Beauty hipster looking for the next obscure thing" to "I like putting weird things on my face."  I've used 3 Korean buying services to date, and liked all of them, and today I'm going to review Boyah Shop.  I'm also going to post some haul photos, as peeps requested on my Instagram.

My buying service order has arrived! My heart sank when I saw a giant leak or possible rain damage on the box, worrying that my preciouses might be damaged. But thanks to the stellar packing skills of @boyahshopkr, my products were safely sealed away from what turned out to be massive rain damage.😱☔💧💧💧 I also received a sweet note and I'm a little 😭❤😭 over how amazing this service is. I'm not even sure if I want to write about it on my blog, because I don't want her to be buried in an avalanche of thirsty #kbeauty fans looking for their buying service fix (RIP @Dowaja, you were not long in this world), but spoilers: this buying service is amazing. AH-MAZ-ING. I just ... I can't even. The responsiveness, the customer service, the cute ... so cute. A++++ 😍😍😍 I need to find something I want just so I can use her service again and bask in the cute. 😍😍😍 (in addition to great service, obvs) Working with her is like hugging a pile of kittens, but without allergies involved. #koreanbeauty #koreanbuyingservice #hanbang #haul #cremorlab #jungsaemmool #sheetmasks #snailunit #rasianbeauty

A photo posted by Snow White and the Asian Pear (@snowwhiteandtheasianpear) on Mar 14, 2016 at 3:44pm PDT

I suppose the caption of this is a bit of a spoiler, heh.

In this post:

• How a buying service works
• What Boyah Shop offers
• My experience with the ordering process
• What I bought
• Would I recommend their service

Also featuring some gratuitous unboxing photos of my goodies, because that's how I roll.

Weekday Randomness: 11st Mini Haul ft. Books, Sheetmasks, & Massive Savings

Earlier this week I posted one of the items that I had recently gotten from 11st onto my Instagram; I don't normally post hauls on my blog these days (I prefer to post about philosophies on mindful purchasing, rather than, y'know, stuff) but since the coupon I had used was so dang good, I was down for a mini-post about it if people were interested.   They were, because 11st can be very very tempting.

Listening to the final cut of tonight's @thesnailcast podcast episode 🎧 while indulging in some #adultcoloringbook stress relief. I love this Korean trend, even if it's not a #kbeauty trend. I'm considering doing a mini post on the small haul I just received from @11st.official, of which this is a part, if people are interested? 🐌🐌Also the topic of this week's podcast, along with direct-from-KR buying sites, buying services, and resources on how to use all of the above🐌🐌 11st is one of the sites we discuss, and also where I got this; @fanserviced PSA'd a great 20,000 krw off EMS shipping with a 50,000 krw purchase ($40 USD) that works for existing users so I took advantage and picked up a few unusual things. If you'd like to see a quick post about it, please shoot me a comment below! #koreanfolkart #11st #11street #haul #hanbang #sheetmasks #koreanskincare #kbeauty #koreanbeauty #coloringbook #watercolorpencils #thesnailcast #snailunit #🐌🐌🐌🐌 #rasianbeauty

A photo posted by Snow White and the Asian Pear (@snowwhiteandtheasianpear) on Feb 24, 2016 at 8:11pm PST

As it turns out, people were quite interested, so here's a quick (as in, I've only worked on it for a few hours) mini-post, as requested!

Fellow Snailcaster Tracy of Fanserviced-b posted the current 11st shipping coupon on her Instagram last week, and since the minimum purchase (around $41 USD) was so low, I snagged a few unusual items that I'd been eyeing for a while.  The coupon is for 20,000 krw off EMS shipping (expensive but fast) with minimum purchase of 50,000 krw, which is super low for 11st, so I hightailed it to their English site version to take advantage of this deal.

11st does have a bit of a learning curve to it, but it can be so worth it if you are willing to put in the effort to score good deals.  In fact, the most recent Snailcast episode is on this very topic, namely "Hardcore K-Beauty Shopping" including sites like 11st, and alternatives such as buying services; you can listen to the podcast here if you are interested in levelling up your shopping game, or just hear our take on it.

In this post:

• What I purchased
• How much I saved (it was a lot)
• How to use 11st & the coupon

There's going to be a lot of photos in this post, as well, it's a haul post.  It's all about the eyecandy ... and spreadsheets.  And sheetmasks.  And Hanbang.  Well, at least I'm consistent?

Review: Illi Total Aging Care Body Lotion, I Kinda Hate You But It's Not Your Fault

I've been putting off this review for ... months.  I actually purchased this product in the fall, yet we're heading into the final months of winter and I've yet to review it.  I knew when I purchased it that it was probably a bad idea, but I persisted anyway because this was going to be my First Real Winter In Eight Years, and I had to be prepared. #enablinglogic

I kept procrastinating, hoping as the weather worsened, I'd suddenly find myself in love with a product I didn't really like.  Worse, it's not even a problem with this specific lotion, which is actually quite nice, nice enough that I've managed to use it once or twice a month since I got it.

I was so pleased when I managed to find the empty box, as I'd stashed it somewhere 'safe'.

No, the problem is not with this specific lotion, the problem is that it's a lotion.  A body lotion.  I hate body lotions.  I actually hate lotions in general- hand, foot, or body lotions.  I'm actually sort of twitching a little just writing that sentence.  Why do I have an aversion to slathering cold, slimy, oily, thick, greasy lotion all over my skin? Ah, wait, that might be it.

In this post:

• Product details
• Ingredients list
• What I like about it
• What I don't like about it

I admit that the primary motivator of doing this review now, aside from the fact that it's good to have a mix of positive and negative reviews, is once I've reviewed this I can finally destash it to a friend who loves this stuff and goes through it quickly.

I know, intellectually, that it's a good product for body lotion fans- I even suggested it as a full-size hanbang option in my post Hanbang for the Holidays Gift Guide II: Full Sized & Wallet Friendly because I knew other people love it.  But I've come to the conclusion that it just doesn't suit me, so it's time for me to review this and send it off to its new home.

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.

Coming soon to the blog: something magical from @Sulwhasoo_us that I've been stalking for a year, and it's finally mine. #kbeauty #koreanbeauty #kbeauty #koreanskincare #koreanmakeup #instabeauty #Sulwhasoo #prettypackaging #hanbang #ABblogger #kbeautyblogger #thesnailcast #snailunit #rasianbeauty

A photo posted by Snow White and the Asian Pear (@snowwhiteandtheasianpear) on Jan 21, 2016 at 7:37pm PST

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!

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.

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!

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!

2015 in Review, Part II: My Favourite K-Beauty Tips, Concepts, & Trends of 2015

In Part I: My Favourite K-Beauty Products of 2015, I listed what I consider to be the best products I've used in 2015, but the products are only part of the story.  As a counterpart to the simple shout out to the tangible products that caught my eye in 2015, this post is about the trends, habits, concepts, and thoughts I have on K-Beauty in 2015.

It's a different beast than it was in the early days of this blog; K-Beauty is now available in Sephora, Target, Amazon Prime, even outlets like TJ Maxx and Marshall's, making it readily available in mainstream shopping venues.  K-Beauty has also evolved and shaped itself to meet the needs of international customers, and the international Asian beauty product fan community has produced some fascinating discussions in the last year.  So this post will be the intangible best of 2015, to balance the light-hearted and unashamed consumerism of the 'best of' product list.

In this post: My Favourite Tips, Concepts, & Trends of 2015

• K-Beauty goes mainstream: does it have to be Korean to be K-Beauty?
• The most influential concepts of 2015
• Healthy habits: things I adopted and let go of in 2015, for the better
• Top tips from 2015: things that made my life easier
• Trends I loved in 2015 and will continue to love in 2016

If you don't care for long swaths of rumination, I'd recommend bailing out now for 2015 in Review, Part I: My Favourite K-Beauty Products of 2015, and here's a Chinchilla sipping tea for some cuteness as you escape.  If you're down for some heavy discussion of some serious topics mixed in with the fun bits, let's do this!

Enjoying my Afternoon Tea🐭😘

A video posted by BuBu The Chinchilla (@cute_bubu) on Jan 30, 2015 at 7:42am PST

This tea-sipping Chinchilla speaks to me on a philosophical level, at least the part of me that loves tea and small furry cute things.  Let's roll!

2015 in Review, Part I: My Favourite K-Beauty Products of 2015

This year has been definitely been an exciting time for K-Beauty and Asian beauty product fans; long-time fans have seen what was originally a grassroots niche become mainstream.  We've seen the advent of products carried in Sephora, Amazon, and other major retailers, regularly featured in major magazines like Vogue and Allure, and even book releases on the subject- K-Beauty and AB (Asian beauty products) has really come into its own this year, and it's the time of year for 'best of' posts, so here's mine!

The amazing scent of this wreath makes up for the needles everywhere.  Mostly.

There will be two parts to this post, the first a light-hearted rundown of products, and the second a more reflective discussion of the themes, concepts, tips, trends, etc, of 2015.

In this post: Favourite Products of 2015

• Favourite Cleansers of 2015

• Favourite First cleanser

• Favourite Foaming Cleanser

• Favourite Travel Cleanser

• Favourite Cleansing Tool & Honourable Mention

• Favourite Acne & Anti-Aging Products of 2015

• Favourite Skincare of 2015

• Favourite Toner

• Favourite Essences

• Favourite Serum

• Favourite Cream (and overall top pick for 2015!)

• Favourite Sheet Masks

• Favourite Sunscreen

• Favourite Makeup of 2015

• Favourite Base Makeup

• Favourite Lip Product

The more serious-toned Part II is here: 2015 in Review, Part II: My Favourite K-Beauty Tips, Concepts, & Trends of 2015, and includes:

• K-Beauty goes mainstream: does it have to be Korean to be K-Beauty?
• The most influential concepts of 2015
• Healthy habits: things I adopted and let go of in 2015, for the better
• Top tips from 2015: things that made my life easier
• Trends I loved in 2015 and will continue to love in 2016

It should go without saying that this is just my personal list of top picks; please don't be offended if your favourite isn't here!  This year has seen a lot of interesting developments beyond just the products, so rather than just focus on the tangible products, I'll also be giving a shout-out to the intangible developments that excited me the most in Part II- now finished and linked above.

Powder Cleanser Comparison Review: Tosowoong, O'slee, Su:m37, & Tatcha

As I've mentioned before, it's really easy to write reviews of products that you either loved or hated, but it's harder to write about things which are simply mediocre.  Those bland reviews still have value, even if there's little to say about them, so I like to knock out a few at a time and compare them to other products if possible.

Today I'll be doing a comparison review of 4 powder cleansers I've used, and why only one of them has a spot in my cleanser wardrobe.

Secret weapon to create better foam with powder cleansers: konjac sponge or foaming net!

Powder cleansers are relatively new to me (as in, the last year or so), but I became interested in them when I discovered that many of them are actually low-pH as well as being super fun to use.  Since my dive into the research behind low-pH skincare was so compelling as to convince me to give up my old HG cleanser, I've been on a bit of a mission to find cleanser options that thrilled me in addition to being low-pH, since that's simply not enough on its own.

In this post:

• What is a powder cleanser?
• Tosowoong Enzyme Powder Wash review
• O'slee Rosehip Hydra-White Cleansing Powder review
• Su:m37 White Award Enzyme Powder wash review
• Tatcha Polished Rice Enzyme Powder review (sorta)

Before we jump in, I'd like to remind folks that skincare is the ultimate YMMV (your mileage may vary) so what worked best or worst for me is totally dependent on my skin and experience, and it doesn't necessarily mean that your skin will react the same way.

Let's do this!

Hanbang for the Holidays Gift Guide III: Sheet Masks for the Commitment Shy

We've covered small-sized luxury in Hanbang for the Holidays Gift Guide I: Little Luxuries Under $15, and full-size affordable options in Hanbang for the Holidays Gift Guide II: Full Sized & Wallet Friendly, and now it's time to look at the easiest Hanbang (or at least herbal) option to slip into an existing routine: sheet masks.

Sheet masks are the guilt-free one night stand of skincare; you can wear a different one every night or double down with your favourites, and you can easily fit them into your existing routine if you're already happy with it.  They're also a fun thing to do with family or friends, which makes them an excellent gift option; it's an invitation to spend time together while pampering your faces.  They're also a small investment; most of my sheet masks are in the $1-$5 range (for the ultra fancy ones) so if it doesn't work out, you can walk away without wallet regret.

Sometimes I'm tempted to sing Part of Your World when I see my Hanbang mask collection: You want herbal masks?  I've got twenty.  Bit who cares?  No big deal?  I want moooooore ... 

I will warn you before we start that not all of these masks will be 'Hanbang' per se; Taiwan makes some of the best sheet masks out there and Hanbang and TCM (traditional Chinese herbal medicine) are based off the same principles. so I'll be including both in this guide.

In this series:

• Luxe for Less: Little Luxuries Under $15 (link here)
• Full Sized & Wallet Friendly: Full Size Products in the $20-$30 Range (link here)
• Hanbang for Just One Night: Sheet Masks for the Commitment Shy (you are here!)

This list will also be a mix of sources; there will be the cheapest options for those preparing mega hauls from Korean sellers to maximize shipping cost value, and more accessible mini-haul options for those looking to just pick up a few masks.  I'm going to slap on a sheet mask as I write this (any time can be sheet mask time) and we'll begin!

Hanbang for the Holidays Gift Guide II: Full Sized & Wallet Friendly

Let's say that either you, or your gift recipient, is ready for a full-size commitment; you spy a gorgeous bottle on social media and swoop off to find out how much it costs, and upon spying it's three-digit price tag, shriek in horror and flee back to safer wallet waters.

While it's true that the full sizes of the products I mentioned in Hanbang for the Holidays Gift Guide I: Little Luxuries Under $15 are quite expensive, there's still lovely full size options out there that won't immolate your bank account as soon as you cast your eyes on them.  Hanbang products come in a range of brands, with varying quality, and as long as you have reasonable expectations and understand why you're buying them, you'll be able to find something within a reasonable budget.

Speaking of expectations, as I mentioned in the last post, I don't rely on my non-active-ingredient skincare for active effects; this frees up the rest of my routine for hydration and relaxation.  I'd also like for them to have an attractive smell and be in attractive packaging, and this is the recipe for my torrid affair with Hanbang skincare.  I don't mind if it doesn't whiten my dark spots, fade my fine lines and wrinkles, or control my acne, because I use science-based products for those tasks, even if they smell bad (Cosrx BHA), are unpleasant to use (azelaic acid from Curology), or come in ugly-but-functional packaging (too many examples to list!)  I have science to care for my skin, I want Hanbang to soothe my soul.

And soothe it does, when my mornings are greeted by beautiful things like this:

Image from The Bottle That Stole My Heart: Sooryehan Hyo Biyeon Concentrated Brightening Essence Review

In this series:

• Luxe for Less: Little Luxuries Under $15 (link here)
• Full Sized & Wallet Friendly: Full Size Products in the $20-$30 Range (you are here!)
• Hanbang for Just One Night: Sheet Masks for the Commitment Shy (link here)

To recap: some of these I have tried myself, and others are simply on my watch list of things that have caught my eye.  I'll also be including some non-Hanbang but still thematically similar Taiwanese sheet masks in part III, because they're a little easier to source than my Hanbang faves.

Hanbang for the Holidays Gift Guide I: Little Luxuries Under $15

It's that time of the year where postal service slows to a crawl and K-Beauty fans make their last orders with hope of arrivals before the holidays; and if you've been considering sending your mother (or whomever) some Hanbang skincare as a gift, this post is for you.  (Unless you're my mother, in which case, READ NO FURTHER, MOM!)

If you've read my blog, you'll know that I'm pretty deeply in lust love with all things Hanbang; just click my Hanbang tag and you'll find post after post devoted to the lovely creatures that populate my skincare wardrobe.  If you're not familiar with Hanbang, 한방 is traditional Korean herbal medicine, similar to TCM (traditional Chinese herbal medicine) but native to Korea with its own traditions, preparation, native herbs if applicable, and a heavy emphasis on fermentation techniques.

One of the questions I am asked frequently is "what does it do?" and while there is often promising initial studies (mostly out of Korea, naturally) about the potential medicinal benefits of Hanbang remedies, they are rarely relevant to skincare as they're just not studying their topical effects.  So why the obsession with Hanbang, when a huge part of my skincare philosophy is a reliance on ingredients with a proven scientific pedigree?  Because I like pretty things that smell like herbs and feel nice on my skin, and one can find those qualities in spades in Hanbang skincare.

Image from The Hanbang Set Project: Translations, Patch Testing, & Pictures

It's also a matter of expectations.  Unless a product contains an 'active' ingredient that is clinically proven to have a specific effect on skin, my expectations of skincare are quite reasonable: I want things to hydrate and/or moisturize my skin (i.e. impart water, or oil), be pleasant to apply, and not break me out.  With realistic expectations, I have the freedom to apply things for benefits other than active skincare management, hence my love of Hanbang.

The problem with Hanbang skincare is that it's also often very expensive, which puts people off from trying it out.  So I've put together a little holiday guide of affordable-yet-beautiful options ranging from deluxe travel sizes of expensive products to full sizes of products that won't set your wallet on fire.

In this series:

• Luxe for Less: Little Luxuries Under $15 (you are here!)
• Full Sized & Wallet Friendly: Full Size Products in the $20-$30 Range (link here)
• Hanbang for Just One Night: Sheet Masks for the Commitment Shy (link here)

Some of these I have tried myself, and others are simply on my watch list of things that have caught my eye.  I'll also be including some non-Hanbang but still thematically similar Taiwanese sheet masks in part III, because they're a little easier to source than my Hanbang faves.

What's In My Skincare Wardrobe: Cleanser Edition

One of the ongoing themes that I've been championing for a while, and it's also favoured by other diehard Asian skincare devotees with serious skincare stashes, is the 'Skincare Wardrobe'; the idea that you can have a 'closet' of options to select from rather than wearing everything all at once.

This week, I'm going to be featuring the cleansers currently in my 'Wardrobe', because I have ... 7 cleansers (+1 I am testing, for a total of 8) currently on rotation and they all see regular use.  Shocking, I know!  But would it be so strange to have 8 different styles of shirts, ranging from tank tops to winter sweaters?  Nope.  Hence, the concept of the 'Skincare Wardrobe', and we're going to peek into my cleanser 'closet' today.

So many cleansers!  Can you really use them all?  Spoilers: yes.

Last week in The Painful Path to K-Beauty Wisdom: 7 Mistakes Beginners Make, under the section 'Buying 'cult' products that don't suit your skin type', I mentioned this concept again:

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.

This is a really important concept to keep in mind when you're reading tall tales of the supposed number of products used in an Asian skincare routine; even routines I have posted, such as the Multi-Step Korean Skincare Routine: Winter/Spring 2015, Part II: Current Products, featured a staggering 30 products in its lineup:

Image from: Multi-Step Korean Skincare Routine: Winter/Spring 2015

Sure, it looks like a lot.  The thing is, real routines don't actually look like that; if you check out my Instagram, you'll see typical AM and PM routines that I actually use, on a daily basis.

Here's a random selection of two AM routines, one featuring body lotion, and a PM routine complete with a mask pack:

Left to right: AM routine ft a sheet mask, AM routine ft body care, and PM routine ft mask pack.

As you can see, there are some consistent products, but even though I didn't deliberately pick these to illustrate my point (I only realized after I had collaged them together, haha) these routines all use different cleansers, which makes them perfect for today's post.  (Gotta love that serendipity.)  There's a pump-foamed cleanser, a cleansing water, and a foam-with-water cleanser.  They're all part of my Skincare Wardrobe, and I pull them out on different occasions.

That doesn't mean that I use it as an excuse to have a million things open at once, so there's no hope of using them before they expire, but it does meant that I have the flexibility to customize my daily routine to perfectly suit my skin's needs that day, and that's what the multi-step Asian skincare hype is all about, in my opinion.  Customization for the win!

In this post:

• Cleansing waters
• Cleansing wipes
• Oil, balm, cream, and gel oil cleansers
• Cleansing powders
• Self-foaming cleansers
• Water-soluble foaming cleansers

I will also mention, before we jump in, that all of my cleansers are low pH.  pH is just one of the considerations that goes into my choice of cleansers- as you're going to see from all the rejects I've 'purged' from my closet like outdated shirts and ratty jeans.

The Bottle That Stole My Heart: Sooryehan Hyo Biyeon Concentrated Brightening Essence Review

Sometimes we use skincare because it's an excellent product that gives good results, sometimes we use it because it's got an entertaining gimmick, and sometimes it's both.  Sometimes, we just like the pretty packaging, and today's review is firmly in the latter category, but I have no regrets.

Why?  Because it looks like this:

Prepare yourselves for a lot of senseless glamour shots 

I suppose I should feel some modicum of shame as a blogger that the primary impression I have of this product is of the packaging, but when the packaging looks like this, can you blame me?

In this post:

• Gratuitous photos
• Product details
• Ingredients
• Full review

This bottle was so pretty that I actually managed to completely empty it, to the point where I was caught unawares by it's abrupt end, unable to eke out enough of the serum to show the colour or consistency, whoops!  I think I have some ill-fated serum blend attempt photos somewhere, come to think of it.  Anyway, let's begin with the eyecandy and ... stuff.  Review stuff?  Mmm, shiny pretty things.  What were we talking about?