Beauty and fashion

[violetchain 912]

The only real beauty routine I have beyond just washing my face, brushing my hair and exfoliating occasionally in the shower is managing the hair on my face. I'm pretty sure I have a mild case of hirsutism, and it's super annoying because I have really dark, coarse hair, so if I miss even one or two I feel like it's really noticeable. It's fairly manageable with Nair and regular tweezing, but I'm still trying to figure out a better, less time-consuming way to do it.

[nomemorial 341]

My wife has given me a solid (and necessary) push to do a bit more with my daily skincare routine and I've been pleased with the results thus far. I've been wary of adding anything to my daily routine as I had pretty frustrating acne in my teenage years so I have this weird latent fear that any change in my normal routine will be disastrous (and luckily that hasn't been the case).

 

Outside of general facewash (Cerave Foaming Facial Cleanser) and moisturizer (Aveeno Clear Complexion) I've added a fine-line reduction serum from The Ordinary (Matrixyl - it has worked quite splendidly) and daily facial sunscreen (Neutrogena Ultrasheer 55+) to protect my aging and naturally pale skin from the elements.

 

Doing a bit more for my skin as really breathed a lot of "life" back into it and as someone who's generally terrified of aging poorly I'm glad I've been making some changes now.

 

Really can't say enough good things about The Ordinary's products, too. My wife has converted me wholly to what they sell and it's everything I love - functional, aesthetically packaged, and VERY cheap.

[riyusama 79]

Oh!! A beauty and fashion thread!! Two things I love ❤️

 

FASHION:

For fashion, I have a few clothes that blend in with society when I'm lazy lol but I mostly have lolita inspired dresses and some punk-rock clothes. Over the years, my skin has gotten more and more sensitive so I have to really picky the type of fabrics carefully. I can only wear cotton, polyester, silk, and such. Any fabric that's too rough will give me rashes lol so basically, lolita and smooth clothings are more on my style. (not much black nowadays too cuz the heat in the Philippines will kill you.)

 

Also, I go shopping in thrift stores here as well, a lot of good clothes there XD Apparently, some VK inspired clothes get stuck around in thrift stores here in my country so score for me guys. 

 

SKIN/FACE:

Imma be the first to admit that I was born with a pretty nice complexion lol but, still sensitive and dry skin so I need to be careful with my products as well but any hows, I think some of my routines would be good to share as well just in case there are other peeps here who have sensitive skin like mine ouo

 

PS: I don't have pale skin, I have morena/brown skin so like yeah, I can't give tips on whitening products, but right now I do hear from my friends here in the Philippines about this like really popular skin whitening product called Dr. Alver. My friends use it and they have like those pale white complexions that Kpop stars have so like yeah.

 

Skin care routine:

 

Tony Moly's Black Tea Facewash 

I swear to hell this facewash is GODLY. It really makes my skin so smooth and brightens it up. I had my younger brother use it too and now he has lesser pimples tbh and his face is smoother now too. It's also great at removing make-up.

 

 NuSkin NaPCA Moisture Mist 

This moisturizer I absolutely LOVE. You just spray it onto your face and voila! You're good to go. It dries up easily on your face that you don't feel like you're walking around with a wet face that just got out of shower and you were too busy rushing to properly dry your face with a towel. Or feel oily or smth. It's really good for dry skin tbh

 

Tony Moly Naturalth Goat Milk Moisture Emulsion

My second favourite moisturizer would have to be this one, in case I don't have the NuSkin moisturizer. Tony Moly products are GOOD AF but with this one, as much as I love it, it tends to take too long to dry up or smth. Maybe because it's cream based but still, very good for your skin. 

 

Bentonite Clay Mask 

This shit I use like at least once or twice a month and lemme tell ya'll. My blackheads have lessened. It's not really the best tho, I'd prob try to find a better one once I stop being lazy of finding a better clay mask lol but it makes my skin extra smoother and shit so a 4/5 recommendation lol

 

For body lotion I just use Jergens Ultra Healing, it's really good and really repaired my skin cuz ya know, the heat here in the Philippines is a MENACE. 

 

MAKE-UP:

PS: most of the products I use are cruelty free and such so yeah lol, just getting that out in case someone is conscious about that like me

 

Foundation: HYPOAllergenic Aqua Jelly Make-up

This is THE BEST foundation ever (in my opinion lol) since as I've said earlier sensitive skin. One of the perks of this since the brand was like made by dermatologists or some shit like that, it actually helps heal your skin and all that shit when you use it??? Idk how but it does. It's good at hiding blemishes and imperfections, doesn't feel heavy on the face and best of all, it actually helps a little with pimples lol 

 

Powder: L.A. Girl Pro Face Matte Pressed Powder

This is by far, the only brand I know that I can use where my skin doesn't get any bumps. Like ya know, your face looks like it was bitten by an ant or bee or smth when you use certain brands? Well, this one is the only one I trust when it comes to powder lol

 

Eye-shadow: Too-faced, Jazzy, BYS, and Tony Moly

I don't use eye-shadow much and have only recently started exploring on this. These three so far are my best pick for eye shadow and their colors are great! Especially if you love make-up that sparkles/glitters cuz they have so many options like that ouo

Tony Moly has good eyeshadows and eyeliners

BYS I recommend their blush as well

 

 

HAIR:

I actually have no comments for hair cuz, I usually get mine done in salons lol

 

AND NOW FOR SOME HELP FROM YOU GUYS LOL 

 

QUESTION PORTION:

 

So, I think I have nice skin but like, there are some dark spots in my skin? Like, I think these spots are like scars I had before when I was a kid and I got chickenpox lol What do you guys do when you have little scars on your face? How do you remove them? How do you guys even out your skintone?

[plastic_rainbow 2162]

@platy I recommend the Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser! I honestly love it so much. It's very gentle on the skin, never breaks me out, and keeps my face nice and hydrated! I used to have dry areas around my cheeks, chin, and jawline, but ever since I've been using that cleanser my dryness has stopped and I don't even feel the need to use a heavy moisturizer. I just use a lightweight one with a milky texture. I feel that I've been getting less oily skin as well. Let me know how it goes for you if you decide to try it! ^^

 

@nomemorial I've been wanting to try products from The Ordinary for quite a while now (they're so unbelievably cheap!) but I don't know where to start. What are some of your favorites? Maybe that'll help me narrow down some of my choices. I HAVE been eyeing the niacinamide + zinc and the AHA + BHA peeling solution one though.

 

@riyusama I've read a lot that vitamin C or products that contain niacinamide helps with evening out the skin tone as well as reducing hyperpigmentation and blemishes. I've still yet to test these out but I just recently ordered a Melano CC Intensive Anti-Spot Essence which contains vitamin C in it. You can also look for vitamin C serums. There's a ton of them out there....but unfortunately I can't help you out with narrowing down your choices. xD I heard that rosehip oil helps with hyperpigmentation as well so maybe you can give that a shot?

Edited April 11, 2019 by plastic_rainbow

[nomemorial 341]

7 hours ago, plastic_rainbow said:

 

@nomemorial I've been wanting to try products from The Ordinary for quite a while now (they're so unbelievably cheap!) but I don't know where to start. What are some of your favorites? Maybe that'll help me narrow down some of my choices. I HAVE been eyeing the niacinamide + zinc and the AHA + BHA peeling solution one though.

 

All I've personally used is the Matrixyl, but my wife has been using the Vitamin C solution, the Cold-pressed Marula Oil, and this caffeinated under-eye serum that I've been meaning to try. We've only been buying their stuff for the past few months but it's all been a success so far, so I really don't think you can go wrong with any of it!

[Nighttime Jae 238]

I see people posting their skincare routine, and I guess I'll chime in too😁

 

I use mostly European brands, lately it's been a lot of Yves Rocher, their formulations are pretty natural and I find their products to work really well.

 

My morning routine consists of  cleanser, toner, eye gel cream and moisturizer, pretty simple but efficient. Nighttime it's pretty much the same with a few more steps. First off, I of course take off my makeup and this is my holy grail. It removes everything and it's so satisfying to see your makeup literally melt on your face. I then proceed with a cleansing milk on my face and a regular makeup remover on my eyes. Then it's cleanser, toner, serum, night cream and a heavier eye cream than the one I use in the morning.

 

Once I week I exfoliate and put on a face mask. I usually rotate between clay mask and black peel-off mask, both pretty efficient for blackheads. I also try to exfoliate my lips pretty often casuse no matter what I do, whether I drink lots of water and apply lipbalm constantly, they're constantly chapped.

 

As for everyday makeup, I use foundation, concealear, powder, winged liquid eyeliner, mascara, a touch of cream blush and colored lipbalm. I love makeup and experiment with eyeshadows, contouring and bold lipcolors, but it's definitely not an everyday occurence.

 

I'm pretty pleased with my face routine, on the other hand, I feel like I gotta improve my bodycare. For some reason I get lazy when it comes to moisturize my body everyday, exfoliate it etc. If I could transfer my skincare routine onto my body as well I'd be good.

 

As for haircare goes, because my hair has kind of a wavy, relaxed curl texture that can get pretty frizzy, I've been trying to use the Curly Girl method for more defined curls, and I'd say it's working quite well. I used to use henna on my hair a long time ago with fantastic results, but it's such a hassle to deal with, especially the dying kind.

 

@nomemorial@plastic_rainbow I've been wanting to try The Ordinary products, but I've checked their formulas and surprisingly enough they're full of silicones, not natural at all. That was kind of disappointing since they seem to shill themselves as a "natural" brand. That's probably the reason why they're so cheap since well, silicones are pretty cheap compared to more natural alternatives. So idk.

Edited April 11, 2019 by Nighttime Jae

[nomemorial 341]

@Nighttime Jae That's actually, oddly enough, one of the things that intrigued me about them. Their products are almost entirely chemical-based and my understanding is that their whole logic is that "sure, there are plenty of things in nature that people put in skincare, but we've tested these specific things scientifically to see how they affect the skin and these are our findings." They're pretty much all in on the fact that their entire line is rooted in chemicals and "non-natural" things (even the packaging kind of reflects this). I was hesitant for the same reason, but I've had better results with their stuff than I have many other things I've tried to add to my routine in the past.

[Nighttime Jae 238]

7 minutes ago, nomemorial said:

@Nighttime Jae That's actually, oddly enough, one of the things that intrigued me about them. Their products are almost entirely chemical-based and my understanding is that their whole logic is that "sure, there are plenty of things in nature that people put in skincare, but we've tested these specific things scientifically to see how they affect the skin and these are our findings." They're pretty much all in on the fact that their entire line is rooted in chemicals and "non-natural" things (even the packaging kind of reflects this). I was hesitant for the same reason, but I've had better results with their stuff than I have many other things I've tried to add to my routine in the past.

Oh I see, that's fair. To be honest I haven't looked much into their philosophy, I was under the impression that they were trying to market themselves as a "natural" based on what people were teling me, I've been linked some pages of their products and when I started looking at their ingredient list I was pretty surprised. But if they're pretty upfront about it that's fair. I for one try to avoid chemicals in my products as much as possible, especially silicones, but of course I know that they're tested and safe and can work well for some people.

[nomemorial 341]

Reaching out here cuz it seems appropriate.

 

Planning on stepping outside of my comfort zone a bit and trying a bit of makeup. Really want to go for some rougher looks a la modern Kyo or some of the Nagoya-kei bands. No clue where to start, though, in terms of makeup brands/must-own stuff. 

 

Watched a few makeup tutorials on YT and since I'm finding that I wanna go somewhere between VK and "goth" it's difficult to find something that really hits both marks in the middle.

 

What do the people of MH use for makeup? What do you consider staples? Please help me. I am clueless.

[astra☆ 26]

For me, I'm very simple! I don't like to spend too much on products, as I would go broke quickly since this is my day to day look.

 

My makeup is pretty often usually what you see in the picture. I like brightly colored eyeshadow applied in an almost raccoon-y way and lots of foundation to add paleness to the face. It depends on if I intend on eating anything while out, but if not I'll usually pale the bottom lip and color the top. This is a look I don't see often, but I like it! I don't really go by brands, but the makeup I typically buy has glitter in it.

 

As far as fashion goes, I wear aristocrat fashion with a white ruffled shirt, black dress pants and knee high heeled platform boots. I'm a big fan of jewelry as well. I wear long black formal gloves usually with no less than 2 rings per hand. I like extra gaudy jewelry. Sometimes I wear a crystal earring that I made (visible in my picture). It's quite heavy though so I only wear it sometimes. Perhaps I will post a picture of the entire look one day.

 

For my hair, I'm afraid of frying it since it is quite long and I don't wish to damage it, so I let it stay natural and style it more similar to earlier tanbi-kei bands (think Tetsu in MM or Kamijo in Lareine). I think I got lucky having wavy hair! I may want something to make it look a little less flat at the top though. Any recommendations for what I could do to give it a more lifted look?

[R/O 36]

Makeup-wise, my eyes are the centerpiece. I tend to go for heavy, dark eyeshadow above my eyes and pale eyeshadow below. Highlights are invariably silver. I generally connect my eyes to my eyebrows with eyeliner (helps that I have long and low brows). I wear dark lipstick and foundation that matches my skin tone about exactly. Occasionally I will use pearly white eyeshadow (the same I use for my undereyes) in lieu of powder to give a slightly unreal look to my face. The color I currently use is blue, but I’m in the early stages of forming a band and there I will have purple as an assigned color. For the most part I tend to look pretty old-school, mostly because many of my favorite bands and artists (and fashion influenced—my style tends to reflect my musical tastes closely) are very high-theatrics and... well, I can’t exactly strut into a school with pale foundation, fake lashes and whatnot.

 

My hair is curly and black, in a slightly overgrown sideshave. It generally does what it wants, so I don’t try to style it too much. Attempts to bleach it have proven futile (and very orange) in the past. It is, however, almost invariably sprayed with blue or silver temporary dye.

 

Fashion-wise... every bit as old-school as my makeup, and for the same reasons. I’d look like a particularly loud glam metaller if not for the makeup. That is rapidly changing though—I’m trying to incorporate more “loony gothic” looks in my outfits.

[plastic_rainbow 2162]

Here's a bit of an update on skincare products I've been enjoying! Sorry but, I will probably keep on talking about (asian) skincare products here lol.

 

Cure Natural Aqua Gel (Japan) - Apparently, this is the no.1 exfoliator in Japan and I can definitely see why! My skin looks brighter every time I use it and there has been less redness on my face. My skin texture seems to have improved and gotten smoother as well. I use it in the morning twice a week after rinsing my face with water and towel-drying it. It's a bit pricey if you buy online so I would snag it in Japan if you get the chance. Since you only need to use it twice a week the bottle will last pretty long though. I've started using it on my legs too since it's pretty dry there and I've noticed that it has gotten a bit smoother. My legs are like alligator skin I swear.

 

Kikumasamune Sake High Moist Lotion Toner (Japan) - Yes, there is sake in this, but this thing works! At least for my scalp. I've dealt with dandruff for as long as I can remember and after reading how others have used this moisturizing toner on their scalp, which is mostly meant for the face, I've decided to try it myself. And I will tell you that I've significantly gotten less dandruff and itchiness in my hair. My scalp has never felt healthier. Showering in colder water or trying different shampoos never worked, but this did the trick. The bottle is really HUGE and I've read reviews saying that the pump works horribly and sprays across the room so I've been decanting it in a travel size spray. I spritz this on my scalp after showering and massage it a little with my fingertips. I have not tried it much on my face so I can't really give my opinion on that.

 

Biore UV Perfect Face Milk SPF50 (Japan) - Good physical sunscreen for oily-skin types. This feels very lightweight and has a milky consistency to it. My face never feels congested whenever I use it, which is great. The bottle is a little small but it's very travel-friendly. Also,  make sure to shake the bottle before using otherwise you'll only get the oil part of the product lol.

 

Etude House SoonJung pH 5.5 Relief Toner (Korea) - A soothing and gentle toner that I love to pair with the emulsion from the same line. It seems to boost the madecassoside benefits from both products, which is good for repairing damaged irritated skin, and helps in calming my inflamed bumps. The consistency is very watery but has a slight viscosity to it. It also comes in 3 different sizes so if you're trying it out for the first time you can choose to buy the smaller size. I finished the small bottle not too long ago and recently got a new one in the 180ml size.

 

I really can't talk about makeup since I'm not much of a makeup person.

Edited October 24, 2019 by plastic_rainbow

[platy 3018]

@plastic_rainbow I really appreciate your comments in this thread. I bought two products you mentioned previously, the Secret Key Tea Tree Refresh Calming Toner and SoonJung 10-Free Moist Emulsion. They did wonders for my skin after years of not knowing how to manage it.

 

The next step is finding a sunscreen that isn't gonna clog my pores and make me look like a greasy pig, so I'll try the one you mentioned above.

 

I'll try out the scalp tonic you mentioned above, especially in colder weather, mine gets super dry.  But as a contribution to this thread, Kaminomoto hair growth serum turned out to be a miracle cure for my dry and itchy scalp, though I didn't see much progress in hair growth. 

[nekkichi 6043]

1 hour ago, platy said:

 But as a contribution to this thread, Kaminomoto hair growth serum turned out to be a miracle cure for my dry and itchy scalp, though I didn't see much progress in hair growth. 

I'm not sure I remember it right, but iirc that brand is mostly used for age-related hair thinning issues; if you're having issues with hair growth, you should get tested for iron deficiency first and rule out hormonal issues, otherwise topic treatments won't be as effective anyway.

 

on that note, shiseido has a v. good shampoo + tonic combo, it's called adenogen, and they do actually encourage hair growth that doesn't stop if you discontinue using the product after some time, but be prepared to buy at least 3 months worth of product to get good results with it.

[platy 3018]

@nekkichi I've been tested for iron deficiency among other things. I think my issues are more stress related (or the consequences of a stressful period of time) and my hair is in need of a little boost to get get back to its former self. Thanks for the heads up, I'll look into the shiseido shampoo 👌🏼

[plastic_rainbow 2162]

@platy Oooh, I'm so glad they worked for you! Maybe it's because my skin has gotten more sensitive, but I noticed that the Secret Key Tea Tree Toner will cause some red bumps to appear on my chin area if I use it twice a day. I tend to breakout in that area a lot. So you might wanna avoid putting too much on your face. Let me know how the sunscreen goes! Compared to other sunscreens I've tried this one has caused me the least greasiness and doesn't feel like I have anything on. I should mention that the kiku sake toner has a smell, the scent varies between people, but it fades rather quickly and doesn't bother me.

 

Also, I noticed that you linked to yesstyle. Feel free to use my friend code! FUD8H3

 

Forgot to mention one other product that I've been loving, and that is the Rohto Melano CC Vitamin C Essence. I've been using this on my acne scars, specifically the area near my ear lobe, because I noticed that I had some pretty dark scars there, which have probably been there for a while. Ever since I've been using this my scars have faded so much! Not completely gone, but a lot less visible. I don't use it all over my face because the product dispenses in one drop, meaning it would take a while to get enough product for the entire face, so I use it in small areas only. You have to be very patient with this as the results are slow, but surely.

[R/O 36]

If I may ask... any website that ships to the US or shop in the Southern California area where I can find some VK-ish fashion? I’ve been trying to go for the look, but I can’t really find much. 
 

thanks in advance

[freesia 714]

I get most of my beauty, make-up, and fashion tips from youtube and IG. 95% of the ones I follow are Japanese.

Lately, I've gotten into the style of natural brown/beige clothes and make-up.

I don't have a definite brand for make-up but most of them are drugstore brands like Canmake, Excel, Kate, Visee, Media, L'oreal, Revlon, Banila Co, Heroine, etc..

Most of the clothes I wear are from GU and Uniqlo, but I would die to shop at Japan's Heather, earth, OLIVE des OLIVE, etc..

As for my hair, I usually just curl my bangs with a straightener and curl the rest of my hair with a curler. I'm still in search of a good hair style keeper that can hold my bangs and curls. Anyone got any recommendations?

 

Edited November 13, 2019 by freesia

[MAGORiA 33]

My favourite foundation is the urban decay all nighter foundation, mixed with clown white from eulenspiegel. Makes the skin look flawless, almost photoshoped in real life because it becomes extremely fullcoverage! Clown white also makes it lighter in color! You need to set it though using powder, I recommend regular baby powder. Baby powder is exactly the same thing as the dermablend setting powder or the RCMA setting powder, you only pay for the brand, not the actual product.

 

 

I love this white powder from manic panic for highlighting:

 

Favourite pencils are the urban decay glide on 24/7, works great for the eyes, eyebrows and lips. Also fantastic if you want to draw designs around the eyes and temple area. I also recommend the nyx slide on pencils as a cheaper alternative.

 

 

Zodiac Glitters from Lime Crime, love to use those around the eyes... I believe they are discontinued though since I can't find them anymore have to find other brands who sell glitters like these... I use NYX glitter primer to make it stay in place all day long, works great on the lips too.

 

Makeup revolution, their forever flawless palettes are awesome! I love this one called interstellar! Highly pigmented, cute packaging and it's supercheap!

 

I love Viva la Diva lipsticks, I don't know if you can get those outside of sweden though... these are my favourites that I have been using since 2009 haha

 

"Show off"

 

"Goth"

 

"Shame On You"

 

"Very Violet"

 

"Euphoria"

 

"Broken Heart"

 

This is my go to contouring palette from revolution pro, it has different shades for different areas of the face. Works great for the nose and eye area! Also it has some lighter shades that could work as highlighters. It's pretty cheap, very pigmented and will last for a very long time!

 

Kat Von D also has a contouring palette that is good, it's expensive though.

 

Aurora Lights and Galaxy Chic eyeshadow palettes from BH cosmetics are my favourite palettes to use on the lips haha! I love to use them as a topper on top of regular lipsticks. They also work great as regular eyeshadows, very shimmery though!

 

Their Zodiac Palettes are also amazing! BH cosmetics are very affordable

[MAGORiA 33]

On 10/26/2019 at 8:53 PM, R/O said:

If I may ask... any website that ships to the US or shop in the Southern California area where I can find some VK-ish fashion? I’ve been trying to go for the look, but I can’t really find much. 
 

thanks in advance

I've made a thread about Visual Kei fashion etc, check it out and you might find what you are looking for!

 

 

Edited January 11, 2020 by MAGORiA

[R/O 36]

On 1/11/2020 at 8:19 AM, MAGORiA said:

I've made a thread about Visual Kei fashion etc, check it out and you might find what you are looking for!

 

 

Thanks! 

[Gesu 1537]

@MAGORiA Damn, I want a makeover from you so badly

[platy 3018]

I had a bit of a disappointing product haul this year.

 

Thought I'd try some new stuff, so I bought the following:

 

Dear, Klairs  Vitamin E Mask - Expensive for what it is. The tiniest pot ever. Can't really comment on effectiveness, but you can either mix it with other lotions/creams or apply directly to the face. Went with the latter, but I'll just aim for moisturisers that already come with vitamin E in the future.

 

Etude House  Soon Jung pH 5.5 Relief Toner - This toner just makes my face feel gross after. You're supposed to apply it and leave it on your face like some kind of lotion and I just feel sticky until washing it off and it can irritate my skin. I just use it as a normal toner (cleansing with a cotton pad) and then wash it off my face . I'm going right back to Secret Key Tea Tree Refresh Calming Toner once this one is finished.

 

 Etude House Moistfull Collagen Essence  - Amazing reviews, but I wasn't amazed by it. What put me off the most is the fragrance, I've never used a 'perfumed' moisturiser before, and it's not an unpleasant smell, I just don't wan't perfume on my face lol Depending on the day, my skin definitely feels irritated by it. Good points are that the bottle is really nice and it has a pump which works great.

 

Kao Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel SPF 50+ PA++++ 2019 Edition - King amongst sun lotions. Didn't clog my pores, didn't make me greasy, no streaking. Tried and tested it under Brazilian summer conditions. 

 

The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil - Two colleagues with similar combination/sensitive skin to mine recommended this product. I've been using it at night and seems to be good so far. It's pricey, but I can see it lasting for a really long time  

 

 

 

Also, I started following the curly hair care routine. I've been experimenting for a couple of months now and still have a lot to figure out but one thing I know for sure is that I've been horrible to my curls for the past...well, I dunno, most of my existence lol My hair and curls are so much happier now, all I need is a haircut and I'll be in the healthiest/happiest place I've been with my hair. Products I've been using:

 

(All products no sulfates and no parabens)

Garnier Ultimate Blends Hair Food Coconut Oil 3-in-1 Frizzy Hair Mask Treatment - It's everything-free, smells good and has so many uses. Love it.

 

Cantu Shea Butter for Natural Hair Moisturizing Twist & Lock Gel - My hair isn't super thick, so just a little goes a long way. It smells good too. I've been experimenting with time of application. e.g just out of the shower = little texture, looser curls, after a bit of drying = more crunch and definition

 

Shea Moisture Superfruit Complex 10-in-1 Renewal System Shampoo -  I've tried a trillion shampoos, so-called organic ones, healthy ones,etc. Heck, even horse shampoo. This is the best one. It's super 'powerful', my hair/scalp never felt cleaner, it smells great and leaves everything super soft. Since it's so powerful I use once or twice (no more) a week and only wash with conditioner in between. Also experimenting with frequency of washing.

 

[Rahzel 110]

Ohh ... There is a topic for fashion routines.

 

TBH I collect makeup and skincare products much more than I actually *use* them (yes I am That Person who can't really distinguish "good looks" i.e. skin/makeup from "bad looks" for the most part, yes Im nearsighted.) but let's see...... (uh actually recently I made a page for all of my ~routines~ but yeah, in short:)

 

- I only really go out on the daily wearing foundation (bc it actually works! Blemishes be gone! Brand: whatever I get as a gift/buy to test/isn't rotten ...... ) and lipstick/lip tint (bc it actually makes me look less like a zombie. Yes I could try wearing specific makeup under my eyebags but c'mon.) but on some days when I'm feeling ~particularly adventurous~ I'll wear some glittery eyeshadow too lol

 

- I only really wear makeup properly when I go out (which means I haven't worn any of it in months now, thanks COVID-19) and then I stick to:

- Eyeliner and mascara - my favorites, because I can't wear lens and fake lashes are a bother so I tend to stick to it. For mascara I wear T&G which has a similar effect to the Maybelline's the Colossal, still looking for vegan alternatives. For eyeliner tested over 20 but can't let go of Japanese brands ever since I first tried Dolly Wink a good 7 years ago ... It remains as my favorite for some reason though Heroine Make is easier to find so I've been using that.

- Eyeshadow - I use a regular palette, as I find that there's not much of a difference between local palettes and ~international brand~ palettes IMO. I own a couple of Etude House and Kose palettes and then some Chinese and local ones and it's all... OK. (There IS one local brand which I love for their cheap fully matte colorful palette called Mia Make which is my go-to cosplay brand lol ; ; ) I happen to use Crystal Lovely Eyes from Tonymoly in white to do larmeish makeup/aegyo sag/whatever as it's more comfy than pressing a brush (shimmery white eyeshadow) under my eyes, and I also make them ~ sparklyy ~ by using pink glitter from a local supposedly vegan brand called Cat Make which is wonderful.
- Blush - Whenever I do bother (as I often don't bc local brands suck.) I like Candy Doll ... or just do that blushing-with-liptint technique as I own too many kr tints ; ; ;

- Contouring - I like contouring sticks actually. Also use from local brand (but I only really use that for cosplaying lol.)

- Lipstick - Literally the only thing I care for on the daily. Maybe because my lips are small and undead-pale it definitely makes a difference. I LOVE glittery glossy lipsticks (blame it on gyaruish endeavors.) so I tested a few, but I really like Etude House's Cherry Moisture Lip Glow as its shimmer is pretty cute and exotic. I sometimes let the tint dry and apply it on top. 

 

- Skin routine: none haha 🤧 I did try but nothing ever seems to have a substantial, long-lasting effect. (should I blame it on the hot, humid weather??) Don't wanna try out a lot of products on my skin either (bc who knows maybe it will get worse?) and I have a lifelong history of being traumatized by dermatologists, so even though I *should* have a routine at least to get rid of escoriation marks I don't. On the upside, the cute facemasks and unicorn handcreams look good on my desk. Sadly, they're gonna get past the expiration date soon.

[plastic_rainbow 2162]

Been a long time since I wrote in this topic! Here are some stuff I've been trying. Btw @platy sorry to hear that the Soonjung toner didn't work out for you! I went back to it some time ago and I think it's better suited for the evening if you want extra moisture/hydration. Otherwise, you can also use it for the rest of your body if you're just trying to use it up, haha.

 

Cosrx Aloe Soothing Sun Cream -  Not currently using this but I loved it during the colder winter months. It's moisturizing enough that I can just skip my moisturizer and apply this on! (drier skin types may differ tho)

 

Klairs Supple Preparation Unscented Toner - Received this from my friend who isn't using it anymore and I'm in LOVE with the serum-y texture. It makes me face feel so plump. I've been using it for a while and don't know if it's actually doing anything anymore though lol. I think I want to try other kinds of serums/essences after I finish this. Otherwise it's still a good basic toner and I may consider repurchasing it because I do like to keep my routine minimal and simple. The downside is that it's a bit more pricey than I thought.

 

Hanskin PHA Cleansing Oil - I've been alternating this one with my Kose deep cleansing oil and I like how light it feels. It's also very easy to wash off and works well as a light exfoliator with PHA in it (a much gentler form of chemical exfoliant compared to AHA and BHA). Even though it's rather gentle I still avoid using it daily because my skin gets angry fast, haha.

 

The Ordinary Niacinamide + Zinc - Finally got around to trying one of their products! I thought I'd try this one out to control my oil/sebum production but sadly I don't think it's working. My skin is just that oily....especially during the summer months. Only thing I've noticed with this so far is that it has made me face feel really smooth~ I'm not applying a lot of it though so that may be hindering some of the results, but I like to be cautious whenever I'm trying a new product so I apply very little at first. I'm actually mixing this one with the Klairs supple toner, which I mentioned above, and I like how that's been working out.

 

Make p:rem Safe me. Relief Moisture Cleansing Foam - My friend received a sample version of this foaming cleanser from a haul and decided to give it to me. I've been using it once a week only because foaming cleansers tend to dry out my skin fast, but they're still great for a deeper cleanse after a long week. This one's the type where you have to foam it up yourselves with your hands or a foaming net, which is rather annoying. It also has a slight shampoo/soapy scent but nothing too overpowering. Once I foam it up I apply it on my face for only about 3-5 seconds and rinse it off quick. Any longer and I feel like I might be overdoing it. Overall, it's just an okay cleanser, I would like something gentler. The only good thing about it is that it does seem to make my face feel pretty smooth.

 

Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV - Okay, I'll be honest, I bought this sunscreen for the cute packaging (I have a thing for mermaids too) and was hoping that it would work out for me, but it didn't lol. It made me feel greasy and just felt a bit heavy. I think I'll try it again in the colder winter months and see if that'll work better for me. Also, there are two types for this sunscreen, one is a white type for brightening your face, in Japan they call it 'tone up' which kinda works like foundation to cover blemishes, the other type is a clear type, which basically means without the foundation properties. I bought the clear type.

 

Now for some shampoo~

 

Shiseido Tsubaki Smooth Anti-Frizz (pink) - I bought this a while ago and loved how smooth it made my hair feel! Only downside is that the fragrance is too flowery and overpowering so I decided try something else after emptying it. I bought the trial set version btw, which was a good enough amount for my short hair to last maybe half a year. I hate how shampoos always come in large bottles....

 

HMENZ Shampoo and Conditioner - Thought I'd try a mens shampoo this time around to avoid the strong flowery scent, but I do not like this one at all. It feels like the cheap drug store shampoos I've used in the past that never made my hair feel good and always caused my hair to frizz. It's a Japanese brand too so I thought the quality would still be good (japanese shampoos have always worked well for me), but it is not. I'm currently trying to use as much of it as I can before throwing it out so it's a good thing that it comes in small bottle, but it was also pretty damn expensive. I think I will just go back to the flowery scented Japanese shampoos I've tried in the past....

 

I wanted to mention a bit about some fashion/clothing but this post has gotten long enough. 😓

Edited August 25, 2020 by plastic_rainbow