Sheet Masks

Hey Guys!

So today I thought I'd write a quick review on some sheet masks.  For those of you who have never used/heard about sheet masks, here's a little background.

Sheet masks are cotton or paper sheets cut out in a one-size-fits all face shape.  They all have holes for your mouth and eyes with flaps cut out in the nose area so that the sheet fits around the shape of your nose.  Some also have flaps in the eye area (instead of just holes) to cover your CLOSED eyes.  They're soaked in an essence and wrapped individually for one time use.  You can buy different masks based on your skin needs.

I generally buy masks that target dull, undernourished skin or masks that help brighten the skin.  I'll usually use them 2-3 times a week unless I feel like my skin needs some oomph.  Today, I'm going to review the ElishaCoy Caviar and Gold Sheet Mask.

This essence-type, eco-friendly pulp mask sheet contains premium nutrients such as caviar extract and pure gold to recover the skin's natural resilience. (from packaging)

Price: approx. $2/mask

Contents: One sheet, 23 g

I will definitely continue to use this product.

I got this sheet mask, along with a bunch of other ones, at Sune.  First of all, the packaging isn't as adorable as others (for example My Beauty Diary) and the package itself is bigger than My Beauty Diary's masks.  However, the masks are about the same size.  This mask is made out of cotton, which is a total plus for me.  The paper sheet masks are so hard to unfold (Park View Angel has torn a few already) and not as soft as the cotton masks.  This particular mask has eye holes, no flaps, so I was able to watch TV while wearing the mask.  It's scent is very fresh, light and soothing, perfect for nighttime!  After about 10 minutes, I took off the mask and gently patted the remaining essence into my skin.  My pores looked so much smaller and my face looked brighter right away.  Whether or not this will last is something that we will have to wait to find out but for now, I'm liking this mask and am glad I bought a bunch of them.  All in all, a good buy.

That's it for tonight.  I'm still getting the images together for the make-up tutorial I did with Park View Angel.  Look forward to that soon!

Before and After Pictures

Hi there!

So today I went back to Sune and Jenn, the funny lady that she is, said I need to post pictures of myself after using the products.  Or even just swatches of the BB Creams.  Now, since I am writing this at 10:15 PM, I"m not going to do swatches of BB Creams.  However, I did take some photos of my cheek before and after my skin care regime.

Before

This picture was taken right after I washed and dried my face.  Notice the redness in my cheeks and the slight pigmentation from previous break outs (a wonderful reminder of why I should be very careful with what I use on my face).  I don't have huge pores but they are noticeable, especially to my hawk-like eyes.  

Products used:

1. Laneige Sensitive Gel Cleanser

2. Elisha Coy White Balancing Skin Repair Toner 

3. Laneige Sensitive Essence 

4. Laneige Water Bank Moisture Cream

5. Naruko Taiwan Magnolia Brightening and Firming Serum

6. Naruko Magnolia Brightening and Firming Night Eye Gelly

*tonight is the first night I've used the Elisha Coy toner so after a few weeks I will write a review on it*

 After

I pulled my hair back with a terry cloth head band so that I don't have to deal with my hair getting all over my face.  You can still see some of the pigmentation on my face but there's less redness on my cheeks.  Also, the pores look significantly smaller.

Now, obviously I have waaaay more than a simple 3 step (cleanse, tone, moisturize) routine and slightly more than a 5 step routine (double cleanse, massage/facial mask, moisturizing toner, essence/emulsion, moisturizer) and I do it for a reason.  I have extremely fickle skin.  ANY little thing can make me breakout, including forgetting to change my pillow cases after a few days.  I should note that I try not to sleep on the same side of a pillow case more than once a night before changing/washing it.  I also have very dark circles under my eyes and unfortunately this is hereditary for me.  I get about 9 hours of sleep a night so that the circles don't get darker but I use an eye cream every night and day to ward off any premature wrinkling in that area.

Some nights I'll use a mask/sleeping pack/exfoliator but I really base it on what I feel my skin needs at that particular time.  It's been very dry in San Francisco these past few days so I started using my face cream instead of my emulsion as a moisturizer.

I obviously don't have perfect skin but I like to take care of it.  It's a very relaxing ritual that helps me wind down from a long day at work.  I would never take this long on my skin if it wasn't something that I enjoyed.  I usually like to put on some music or listen to one of my favorite TV shows while I'm doing this.  My advice is, if it feels like a chore to you don't do it.

That's it for now!  Look forward to "Before and After Pictures: the AM edition."

Cheers!

Update!!

Update on the status of the Lioele Hydropeel Therapy Lotion

So after a few weeks of using this product I started breaking out.  I've decided to stop using it and passed it on to my roommate to try.  I did like it at first but the small breakouts turned into huge breakouts and I'm not a fan of that.

That's it for now!

BB Cream

Who here knows what BB Creams are? Honestly, I didn't know much about them until last year but boy am I glad I discovered them.  

One day, on my way home from work, I stopped by to grab some dinner and I see this adorable little store (Sune).  I walked by it and saw some advertisements in the window for this thing called BB Cream.  I did what any intelligent consumer would do: I went home, went online and googled "bb cream."  I discovered many many MANY blogs that talked about BB Creams.  Some of my favorites are Beautifymeeh, BubzBeauty, and MusingsofaMuse.  Each one does a fantastic job of reviewing skin care, make-up and bb creams.  I used them as a basis of possibly purchasing some bb creams.  Then I stumbled upon an article (can't remember where it was now) that talked about Korean and Japanese skin care.  Seriously, those actresses have such amazing skin!  I know that make-up and lighting plays a big part in it but they don't look like they have a lot of make-up on and their skin STILL looks amazing.  The article said something about a 5 step cleaning regime and BB Creams.  So I knew then that I needed to try these things.  I went back to Sune and got some samples of BB Creams.  I tried them all and ended up buying these 2 in regular sized bottles.  

Liole Dollish Veil Vita BB Cream in Green

Cost: $22

As a BB Cream with double function of makekup base and BB Cream, it's effective for skin tone correction and coverage which not only protecting skinwith vitamins but expressing more natural skin tone by changine capsule color righty after application.  It gives you feeling of moisturized and matte finish.

Suitable for all skin type, the green base is good for controlling redness

I love this BB Cream.  I use it when I'm wearing make-up (which is rarely) or whenever my face seems a little red from the weather, i.e. cold wind, winter.  I use about a dime size amount for my whole face and then throw on some loose powder to set it.  I love this BB Cream cause all it does is even out the redness in my skin.  This is not for someone who wants coverage for dark spots!  I've had the bottle since November 2011 and there's still a lot left.  I'll have to finish it up soon since I probably shouldn't keep it open past 6-9 months.

Skin79 Super Plus BB Cream Triple Function

Cost: 15?

TOTAL SOLUTION BB CREAM WITH 10-IN-1 EFFECTS. Moisture based triple function BB cream takes care of the base as well as colour makeup and allows the skin to look bright and natural without greasiness or feeling tight.

This BB Cream claims to do it all: whitening, wrinkles, sebum, moisture, skin barrier, uv protection, corrects skin tone, skin adhesion, base makeup.  So far, so good.  I got the small size of this bottle because I was still on the fence about it.  I like that fact that this blends in fairly well with my skin color (I'm not as light as other asian girls so a lot of BB Creams make me look ashy) but it wasn't very easy to spread around.  When i'm not going to wear make-up I'll put on about a dime sized amount of it all over my face and walk out the door.  This happens almost everyday when it's nice and warm outside.  As you can tell, I have been using it a lot due to the uncharacteristically warm weather in San Francisco!  The text on the bottle is practically wiped out.  I also love that the bottle has a little nozzle pump so I can't get it all dirty.  I've had this since November also (I think) and I'm more than halfway done with the bottle.  When it's all gone I will definitely buy another one.

Those are the 2 full sized bottles I have.  Next post will have all of the sample sized ones I've tried!  Also, look forward to posts for 2 guest speakers!

See you next time!

Fruit Picking

Hi All,

My sister and I recently went fruit picking for some delicious cherries, apricots, peaches and pluots!  We were very disappointed with the peaches but everything else was delicious.

 Here's me trying really hard to reach some of those delicious cherries!

I gave up and found a ladder to climb instead.  Hint: The cherries at the top are way more delicious than the ones near the bottom.

Different angle!

We took our fruit haul back to her place and made jams and pickled cherries!  Photos of the process to come.

Hall of Faces

Hi there!

I just got back from my very first facial!  I know, I worry so much about my skin yet I haven't had a facial before today?  In all honestly, I was always afraid of getting a facial.  I'd read horror stories of people who broke out after a facial and my friends never really had a place that was "the place" to go.  But I finally caved and bought one of those coupon deals for a custom facial at Hall of Faces and I'm so glad!

When I first got there, the owner, Denise, opened the gate for me and welcomed me in.  She gave me a towel and some super comfy socks to change into.  She asked me if I had any allergies, etc.  Then we got started!

She washed my face and complimented me on it (hehehe thanks Jenn for all the products to help me take care of my skin).  I only had a few extractions done cause I didn't really need it.  Best of all I had a great head, neck and arm massage as part of the facial.

I must say that it was definitely worth the money.  I will be going back to Hall of Faces again but maybe this time i'll do a body wrap.  She suggested I just come back every few months since my skin doesn't really need that much help (again thanks to Jenn).

I'll let you know how the body wrap goes next time!

Semi Annual Sale

Hi Guys,

Guess what?  Sune is having their semi annual sale!  You can check them out at mysune.com  There's free shipping on orders $45 and over.

I actually went in today to pick up some BB Cream samples for my sister and to buy a few products.

Today I bought the Lioele Reborn Food and Heel Cream, Naruko Brightening and Firming Night Eye Gelly, and the Naruko Raw Job's Tears Supercritical CO2 Whitening Morning Yogurt.  I got a sample of the Night Eye Gelly and the Morning Yogurt and fell in love with both products.  Jenn (the owner of Sune) convinced me to try them for at least a couple of weeks before I commit to buying a full sized product and I'm glad she did because they went on sale! But that's besides the point.  Normally, I'd shy away from buying anything with "whitening" in it but the Raw Job's Tears line is supposed to be great for sensitive skin and at the very least the Morning Yogurt has been great.  The Night Eye Gelly, well, that's a whole different world.  I liked it so much that I decided to buy it while it was on sale (even though I still have some of the sample size left).  I'll give a more in-depth review after about a month of using the product.

That's it for today!

More Reviews

Introducing... Park View Angel!!!

Hey all!

I've recently had the pleasure of introducing my housemate to the wonders of skin care products.  I'm sure her significant other is probably cussing me out for it but eh! a girl needs a partner to try out all the goodies available here in beautiful San Francisco.  Plus, I'm sure he's just worried about other men noticing this darling Park View Angel.  I've asked her to share her thoughts on this blog so once in a while you'll see Park View Angel:  commenting on products, places and food!

Before I get into all the reviews I'd like to make it known that I've been using these products for about 9 months and I've taken meticulous notes about the effects they had on my skin.  It's very important for me to know what products made my skin break out and what actually helped it.  I don't suggest anyone else doing this unless they have sensitive skin.  Most of these posts will be taken straight from my journal so the next couple of days/weeks will be product review heavy.

Products Reviewed:

Laneige Bright Renew Skin Refiner

Laneige Bright Renew Emulsion

Lioele Hydropeel Therapy Lotion

Lioele Seaweed Multi Gel

Lioele Seaweed Trouble Care Mist

Laneige Bright Renew Skin Refiner

Product Info:

120 ml/ 4.1 fl oz

Skin Type: All skin

Price: $25.00

This skin refiner is supposed to make the skin brighter.  The product itself is clear with a thicker consistency than the Laneige Sensitive Skin Refiner. It's still a little runny so I use a cotton pad to swipe it on my face but sometimes, like when I run out of pads and am too lazy to go get some, I'll pour a dime sized amount into the palms of my hands and pat it all over my face.  

I like this product a lot more than the Sensitive Skin Refiner for a couple of reasons:

• The bottle has lasted me longer than the Sensitive Skin Refiner
• My skin feels more moisturized with this skin refiner than the Sensitive Skin Refine

Luckily, this product has not made me break out in a rash or dried out my skin in any way so I will continue using this until I've finished the bottle.  

Laneige Bright Renew Emulsion

Product Info:

100 ml/ 3.4 fl oz

Skin Types: All skin

Price: $28.00

The Bright Renew Emulsion is an opaque white color liquid with a consistency similar to a very light lotion.  It's a little runnier than a lotion so I use about a nickel sized amount for my whole face and neck.  I like to use gentle upward strokes with the palms of my hand to spread the emulsion on my face and neck and then pat my face.  I really like this emulsion because it absorbs fairly quickly into the skin.

*Tip - Play music while you're doing your skin care routine.  A lot of products asks you to wait a few minutes before you put the next product on your skin and I don't know about you but I don't have a timer set up for it so I tend to wait until a new song starts before moving onto the next product.  

Lioele Hydropeel Therapy Lotion

Product Info:

120ml

price: $31.50 

This intensive moisturizing lotion protects dried skin and is absorbed without oiliness.  By including organic moisturizing ingredients, it gives smooth and elasticity to skin.  Deep sea and Trehalose which contain various minerals present clear skin

Contrary to it's name, this face lotion is not a scrub.  When I first saw the name of the product I was very confused but apparently the lotion is used to help with pimples.  Now, I don't know about the other ladies out there but I will break out about, oh, once a month, like clockwork.  And it's not always a major breakout.  It's normally 3-4 pimples in different areas of my face.  The only difference I've seen while using this product is smaller pimples but hey! it hasn't irritated my skin yet.  Normally, lotions for pimples/acne will work for about a week for me and then my cheeks will get super red and sensitive and my skin will feel itchy but thankfully none of that has happened with this product.  Yet.  I'll continue using this lotion as a morning face lotion since it is very light weight (similar in consistency to the Laneige Emulsion) so I'll need to use something more hydrating at night.

Lioele Seaweed Multi Gel and Lioele Seaweed Trouble Care Mist

Seaweed Gel:

Product Info:

100g

price: $19.20

I originally bought this product in the winter when the weather was extremely dry.  There wasn't much rain in California this year but the weather was still kind of cold.  My skin got extremely painfully dry so I'd slather this on before I went to bed.  I'd wake up the next morning with soft skin but the night before I'd always worry.  The product it a thick gel that feels tacky to the touch.  It doesn't get any better once it's on the face.  I stopped using it after I was halfway done with the jar just because I didn't really like the tacky feeling on my face.  As of now, I'm using it on my legs when my legs get extremely dry.  

Trouble Care Mist:

Product Info:

105ml

price: $16.80

Like original sea bathing therapy.  Lioele Seaweed 90 Trouble Care Mist contains 90% Seaweed water for , soothing trouble, and giving relaxation to skin.  The more you apply this mist, the more moist and soothing effect penetrate into your skin. A 3 in 1 smart choice: Makeup fixer, Skincare booster, and Cooler for skin temperature.

I bought this along with the Seaweed Gel since they were supposed to work together.  I tried carrying it around with me in the winter to mist my face when I felt it needed some moisture but the cap broke in my bag so that didn't work.  I've pretty much left it at work and I'll use it sometimes because working in an office building is not always great for the skin!  When I spray this on my face I feel like I've just sprayed water all over my face.  Needless to say, I will not be buying this product again.

That's it for this post!  Look forward to more reviews on Naruko and Elisha Coy products 

Transit of Venus

I want to share a couple of photos before I get into the Transit of Venus.  It's a gorgeous day in San Francisco and here's the view of the Golden Gate Park from one of my windows!

Isn't it gorgeous?!  It's a little windy outside but the skies are clear so I'll probably head out to a special viewing of the Transit of Venus.  This is a very special event where Venus passes between Earth and the Sun.  The Transit of Venus happens in pairs (8 years apart) and only happens about every century.  Today is the last time to see this in this lifetime.  The next time anyone will see Venus passing across the Sun will be in 2117!  So go out there and find a place that offers safe viewing of this special event!

Laneige Product Reviews 

Alright guys, I have today off from work so I'm going to start the reviews on different products I've tried so far.  

Review List:

Laneige Sensitive Gel Cleanser

Laneiege Sensitive Skin Refiner

Laneige Sensitive Essence 

Laneige Water Bank Moisture Cream

Laneige Water Sleeping Pack_EX

Laneige Multiberry Yogurt Peeling Gel

I got all of these products at Kim's Housewares in San Francisco.  

Laneige Sensitive Gel Cleanser

Product description:

(200 ml/6.8 oz)

alcohol free/fragrance free/color free

packaged in a plastic light green pump style bottle

gel consistency

This product was great for me when I broke out in a strange rash around my eyes and eyebrows.  It was very gentle and didn't irritate the rest of my face.  I ended up getting a prescription cream for my eyes (the rash was from an allergic reaction to some makeup) but now that the rash is gone I'm still using the cleanser.  I've had this bottle for about 2 months and it's still about 1/3 full.  I use one pump in the morning and 1 pump at night.  It lathers very well and doesn't get too bubbly but sometimes it does run down my arms.  Overall, I'd say that this product was well worth the price and I'll definitely be using it for a while.  

Laneige Sensitive Skin Refiner

Product description:

(120 ml/4.1 fl oz)

alcohol free/fragrance free/color free

packaged in a hard plastic green bottle

clear watery liquid

From the Laneige website:

- Soothes sensitive and stressed skin and gently exfoliates excess keratin without irritation for healthy skin with fragrance-free, alcohol-free and color-free system
- Bio Dusali, extracted from fermented seaweed with strong energy of life, supplies energy to the skin and promotes keratin turnover, while the Hyacinth extracts purify the skin from heavy metal, smog, and other harmful materials to leave the skin moist and transparent.
- Rice bran extracts with outstanding skin soothing and moisturizing effects along with a highly skin-friendly high-molecular moisture barrier provides sufficient moisturization and healthier skin condition.

1. Dispense appropriate amount onto a cotton pad after cleansing every morning and evening.
2. Gently apply as lightly wiping out from inside to outside

The Sensitive Skin Refiner from Laneige is a very light toner for sensitive skin.  I used it right after the gel cleanser to help get rid of any dirt left on my skin and prep my skin for the next step in the skin care routine. The liquid was very watery and poured out whenever I tipped the bottle over.  I used a cotton pad to swipe the product over my face.  Unfortunately, the product was so watery that the cotton pads absorbed a ridiculous amount of product and I ended up using the whole bottle in a month.  To me, this product wasn't very cost efficient.  I ran through the whole bottle so FAST!  To be fair, I really liked the product but for the price, it wasn't worth it to me.  I may buy the bottle again if my skin starts to get dry since it was very gentle on my skin but for now, I'll hold off.

Laneige Sensitive Essence

Product description:

I actually don't know anything about the packaging since I got this as a bunch of samples

This essence comes out as a clear gel consistency.  I generally use about a dime sized amount to pat into my skin.  I'm not really sure what an essence should do but my skin feels very refreshed when I put this on.  When I first went to Kim's Housewares, they ran out of the product so I got about 30 samples of the product.  I went back about 2 weeks later and they still didn't have it so I got another batch of samples (this time she gave me a huge bag full!).  Each sample size lasts me 2 days (I use it both day and night) so I really haven't had to buy it yet.  I'm actually on the fence in terms of whether or not I will buy it though.  I like the product but I think I might try something different once I run out of samples.

Laneige Water Bank Moisture Cream

Product description:

50ml

skin type: Dry skin/Normal skin

cream based product 

comes in a blue glass jar with a spatula to get the product out of the jar

From the Laneige website:

- A 24-hour long-lasting moisture cream with a strong hydrating effect and a rich texture to refine a rough skin into a smooth and shiny skin. 

- Contains mineral water for skin regeneration and Water Pump System for a moisture circulation to safeguard skin moisture and hold it in to leave the skin moisturized and smooth. 

- Contains grape seed oil and mango seed oil with anti-oxidant and soothing properties to emulsify the skin and supply nutrition and energy.

1. After using the essence, release about a hazelnut-sized amount. 
2. Gently spread from the center of the face towards the contours. 

 At first I was weirded out by the packaging.  I've never seen a product with a spatula before but I read some other product review sites and found out that the spatula is provided for sanitary purposes.  Apparently, using your fingers to get a product out will contaminate the jar so I clean the spatula before and after I use the product.  Although, to be fair, washing your hands before using a product would probably be the same.

Like the description says, this cream is very hydrating.  My skin feels super soft after I've used the product without feeling oily but because it's so hydrating I only use it at night.  It's a little too much for my skin during the day time.  

Laneige Water Sleeping Pack_EX

Product Description:

80ml

Skin type: All Skin

From the Laneige website:

Night time skin transmission (permeability) shows higher rate than the one in the day time. 

Applying it right before sleep time, the best state for the skin transmission according to the skin circadian rhythm, maximizes the efficiency of overnight water supply. 

The function of skin remarkably declines in the night time. Enriched with Beta-glucan, Water Sleeping Pack_EX deeply hydrates fatigue and dry skin while Ceramide SLN formula strengthens the skin barrier. 

With containing the Snow Water, it helps to keep your skin look more crystal clear and vitalized.


- Antioxidant effect of Hunza Apricot Extracts helps brighten skin tone evenly by removing harmful oxygen and purifying skin.

Laneige Multiberry Yogurt Peeling Gel

Product Description:

White grainy product

Skin type: All skin

* Hypo-allergenic peeling gel gently polishes skin for a smooth complexion
  with mannan and strengthen the skin barrier with the fermented yogurt.

* Soft yet powerful exfoliation
- Natural Konjac (Mannan) beads gently exfoliate dead skin cells and impurities with short time of massage.
- Recoverine from Chestnuts extracts promotes turnovers of horny layers to remove dead cells for vigorous
  water supply and sleek skin texture.

* De-oxidating and calming effect for healtier skin
- Sogurty™, a specialized fermented yogurt, has anti-inflammatory effects to soothe skin from skin troubles.
- Multi berry complex (various berry extracts from raspberries, blueberries, wolfberries, cranberries,
  and strawberries) delivers abundant nutrition and antioxidants to eliminate harmful free radicals.

1. Used on wet skin after face wash.
2. Take an appropriate amount (2cm in diameter is recommended) and gently massage over the face using
gentle circular movements with the fingertips, and then rinse with lukewarm water. 

* Use 1-2 times a week. 
* For best results, follow with Laneige Multiberry Yogurt Repair Pack.
* Caution: Avoid eye area

I didn't like this product at all.  I really tried hard to like it since it got some great reviews but when I tested it on my arm, I ended up breaking out in a rash.  I gave the whole bottle to my sister after that.

Hi Everyone!  Thanks for visiting my blog.  I've been wanting to start a blog to share my thoughts on certain skin care products.  Here's some background about me:

• I recently developed some serious allergies as well as food sensitivities

• My skin has become super super sensitive (to the point where my hands will swell up when I touch anything remotely "dirty")

• I live in San Francisco where the weather is, in one word, strange.

I lucked out and stumbled onto a wonderful little shop in San Francisco with some amazing skin care products.  Sune is this adorable little shop in the Sunset District that has shelves of BB Creams, make-up and skin care products.  The owner was the only person working at that time and she was very helpful.  She gave me a bunch of products to try and I've been going there for most of my skin care products.  Another store I go to is Kim's Housewares.  It's this small little shop that sells housewares but in one corner there is a station set up to sell Amore Pacific products.  After about 9 months of going to Sune, Jenn, the owner, told me I should create a blog to share my thoughts and experiences with all the things I've tried.  I thought about and figured "Why not?"  So from here on out, I'll be giving reviews on the products I've tried with a sprinkling of restaurant/food reviews and general thoughts.