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No joke: I've repurchased Maybelline's Full 'N Soft Waterproof Mascara six times and it is the only mascara that I own right now. I think this speaks volumes (no pun intended, I swear), considering that I usually prefer luxury makeup products and I tend to try out multiple products at the same time. After trying out various mascaras from various price ranges and brands, I decided to commit to this one mascara.

So why did this drugstore mascara become my holy grail?

1. This mascara is perfect for my stick-straight lashes; because it's so lightweight, it holds my lash curl all day long.
2. Just as its name suggests, it adds fullness to my lashes with just one coat. My eyelashes lack volume and this makes them look thicker without any clumping.
3. Despite its waterproof formula, it does not make my lashes brittle at all. I think the vitamin E helps my lashes stay hydrated.
4. No panda eyes! It stays put on my lashes all day long without any flakes or smudges.
5. I've received so many compliments about how my lashes look every time I wear this. (Not gonna lie, compliments make me feel pretty damn good about myself.)
6. It's fairly easy to remove when I use my eye makeup remover.  I used to enjoy Japanese mascaras because they were able to do the things that I listed above; however, they are such a bitch to remove.

Bottom line is, I love this mascara. The only thing that some people may not like is that it does not add much length; however, I can live with that. If you are looking for a volumizing mascara that is inexpensive and can hold your lash curl all day, I highly recommend this.

You can purchase it at most drug stores, Ulta, or Amazon (Affiliate Link). More information about it can be found on Maybelline's official website.


So please share: Have you tried this product? What is your absolute favorite mascara?

Till later,

Eva


FTC statement: This is NOT a sponsored post. The link provided for Amazon is an affiliate link. You are not obligated to purchase the items through this link, and you may purchase these products on their official websites or other retailers.

As I've mentioned in a previous post, I'm a firm believer in maintaining great skin from a well-rounded lifestyle. This includes eating healthy and obtaining beauty from within. One of my favorite healthy drinks is matcha.

What is matcha?
Matcha (抹茶) is a powdered type of green tea. You whisk it in a bowl with hot (but not boiling) water and it eventually turns into a thick, frothy drink. Unlike other green teas that need to be steeped through tea bags or a strainer, you consume the tea leaves directly.

Matcha does require a bit of an acquired taste, as it is slightly more bitter than other green teas. I enjoy sipping matcha on its own, though I also like adding a little bit of pure honey sometimes to sweeten it. If you're just beginning to drink matcha and are still a little intimated by the bitter taste, I suggest trying it in a latte (just like the one I photographed above).

 Why drink matcha?
As I mentioned, you ingest the tea leaves directly. This means that you take in more of the health benefits that green tea offers, including vitamins A, B, and C. In addition, one study concluded that matcha has three times the concentration of ECCG--an antioxidant polyphenol that can help to lower risk for cancer and maintain cardiovascular health--compared to many other types of green teas (read Weiss & Anderton, 2003). Matcha can also benefit those who interested in losing and maintaining weight, as ECCG had been found to help suppress appetite and reduce weight in a rat study (Kao, Hiipakka, & Liao, 2000). In addition, matcha contains high concentrations of theanine, an amino acid that can help to calm you down when you're stressed (Kimura, Ozeki, Juneja, & Ohira, 2007), What's there not to like?

How does this relate to beauty and skin health?
Other than the fact that your overall health can be reflected in how your skin looks, matcha is filled with anti-oxidants, which can help to prevent early signs of aging on your skin. Also, anti-oxidants help to protect your skin from inflammation and cancer.

Where to get matcha
When purchasing matcha, make sure to buy it from reputable sellers; higher quality matcha tastes much sweeter and contain more anti-oxidants than lower grade matcha. My personal favorites can be purchased at these sites, though you certainly can buy matcha at many Japanese supermarkets and various tea stores.
Lupicia
THAO <-- They also has a helpful guide for preparing matcha, which can be found here.

Hope you found this post helpful. Feel free to share: Have you tried matcha or any other type of teas?

Till later,

Eva

FTC statement: This is NOT a sponsored post. I just really love matcha =).  None of the links are affiliate links.

Shiseido's Ibuki Eye Correcting Cream is a product that tends to get mixed reviews. I think the effectiveness of the product really depends on the user's skin type and concerns. Fortunately for me, this eye cream worked quite well. In fact, I tried a sample of this product when it first came out, and I enjoyed it so much that I've purchased three tubes of this since then.

If you're thinking of purchasing the Ibuki Eye Correcting Cream and you're still unsure of whether or not it will work for you, read on!

My Skin Type and Skin Concerns
First, it's worth noting what my skin is like. I have combination skin and the area around my eyes is usually not that dry. In the winter, however, my eye area tends to get slightly drier; sometimes, I get dehydration lines if I don't keep it moisturized enough. Aside from occasional dryness, I also am prone to getting puffy eyelids and dark circles, especially when I don't sleep well.

Shiseido Ibuki Eye Correcting Cream's Promises
According to the packaging, has ingredients to help protect the skin's surface from "environmental stressors." It contains vitamin E and Houttuynia Cordata Extract (a type of detoxifying plant) to de-puff the eye area and support "natural cellular metabolism" (whatever the hell that means).  It also promises to lighten up dark circles with its Lempuyang Extract (a type of ginger, which is known to help inhibit the growth of melanoma cells) and a light-enhancing powder. Evidently, Shiseido's claims matched my own interests.

Packaging
This comes in a plastic tube, which is great if you're worried about dipping your hands into a jar. The tube is also really easy to cut open so that I can get every last drop of this.

Texture and Appearance
The cream is not too thick, though I wouldn't say it's runny either. It's fairly light compared to Shiseido's other eye creams. The cream itself has a subtle peach tint to help brighten up the eye area.

Benefits of the Product
The eye cream was effective in de-puffing my eye area and making my dark circles a lot less noticeable, though I think the brightening under my eyes was more of a superficial effect. But I was very happy about how well it minimized my puffy lids. I think it is a great product to use in the morning after a long night. It also wears fantastically well under concealer, as it does not leave a greasy film around the eyes. I also did not have any adverse reactions (e.g., milia, itchiness, burning) to this at all. In terms of its moisturizing properties, I thought this was sufficient during the day, even in the winter. I've found that this prevents dehydration lines from forming.

Drawbacks of the Product
This is not hydrating enough for me during cold winter nights; usually, I use heavier eye creams before I sleep. I highly doubt this would be effective for someone with dry under-eyes. Also, Shiseido's claims about this protecting against "environmental stressors" is so vague. What does this even mean? There's no way I can test out its effectiveness against such stressors because I feel like this benefit was so poorly defined by the company.

Verdict: 4 out of 5
When I ran out of my first bottle of this eye cream, I really felt like I was missing it badly. It's such a fabulous daytime eye cream for younger people who don't have extremely dry eye areas. If you want an eye cream for the day with some brightening and de-puffing effects, you might enjoy this. But while it wears well under concealer, this won't be hydrating enough for people with extremely dry under-eyes, however. I also do not think this would be effective at all for people looking for something to correct deep-set wrinkles and sagging. I also don't appreciate the lack of clarity in Shiseido's claims about this product. Overall though, it satisfies my needs.

You can purchase Shiseido's Ibuki Eye Correcting Cream from Amazon [Affiliate Link], their official website, Sephora, and at department stores with Shiseido counters.

Hope you found this post helpful. Do share: What is your favorite eye cream and why?

Till later,

Eva


FTC statement: This is NOT a sponsored post. The link provided for Amazon is an affiliate link. You are not obligated to purchase the items through this link, and you may purchase these products on their official websites or other retailers.

Due to my Asian heritage, I am highly prone to getting hyperpigmentation, which occurs when my skin overproduces melanin. When I used to get lots of blemishes, they would always leave really ugly dark spots on my skin that took ages to disappear. Nowadays, I worry about getting hyperpigmentation from photosensitivity.

For me, the best way to avoid dark spots is prevention. Here are some of the ways I prevent hyperpigmentation from forming.

1. I protect my skin from sun exposure.  Based on my observations on my own skin, sun exposure elicits sun spots to form and darken my acne scars. Thus, I always use a broad-spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVB and UVA rays, rain or shine. It is important to apply it even when it is cloudy because clouds do not protect you from UV rays.  Some of my favorite sunscreens include Shiseido's Urban Environment UV Protection Cream, and Kiehl's Super Fluid UV Defense 50+ . Regardless of what sunscreen you use, make sure to reapply it throughout the day, especially if you are exposed to the sun for long periods of time. Unfortunately, using sunscreen does prevent you from getting Vitamin D; however, I get my daily dosage of vitamin D from my diet (specifically from salmon, fortified cereal, and eggs) and supplemental pills.

2. I use a brightening essence or serum. Every night, I use a brightening essence religiously. I'm currently using Mizon's Mela Defense White Capsule Essence (pictured above), which has worked so well for me. This product is the reason why I rarely get any sunspots and my blemishes don't leave nasty marks anymore. I didn't see any lightening effects until 4 weeks of using this product, but I definitely think this is much better as a preventative measure, rather than as something you use when you have a severely dark spot. I also think this is perfect for my sensitive skin because it relies on gentle ingredients like cherry blossom extract to brighten dark spots.I have not gotten any adverse reactions from this. In addition to the brightening benefits, this makes my skin glow and feel soft to the touch. One note I must add is that when selecting brightening treatments, avoid harsh chemicals like hydroquinone and other bleaching agents; though they do work to lighten dark spots, I personally would stay away from these because they are extremely harsh on skin, particularly on sensitive skin.

3. I eat fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamin C.  I've been eating food rich in vitamin C such as tangerines, kiwis, bell peppers, and spinach. Intaking vitamin C is great for preventing hyperpigmentation because it inhibits your skin from producing too much melanin. Also, Vitamin C in general is just good to have for your overall health (duh!), regardless of whether or not you are prone to getting dark spots.


So tell me: Is hyperpigmentation something that you worry about like I do? Do share!

Till later,

Eva


FTC statement: This is not a sponsored post. Links provided above are not affiliate links.  Item pictured above was purchased by me.
From left to right: 1. Origins Ginger Body Scrub Smoothing Body Buffer; 2. L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil; 3. Lush Snowcake Soap; 4. Korres Butter Butter in Guava; 5. Nivea Soft Moisturizing Creme
I love the holidays, but one of the worst things about winter is how dry my body gets. Here are some of the things that I use during the colder months to keep my elbows, knees, feet, and everywhere else on my body hydrated!

1. Origins Ginger Body Scrub Smoothing Body Buffer ($37.00 for 21.2 oz). Sometimes, my body just needs a little bit of a scrub to get rid of those unsightly flakes. About two times a week, I use this Body Buffer. The sea salts are really great at buffing my skin. In addition, it's filled with macadamia, kukui, soybean, and sweet almond oil to keep my skin from drying up. Did I mention is smells really good?

2. L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil [Affiliate Link] ($25 for 8.4 fl. oz).  This oil is great to use when I want a little bit of moisture, especially when I shave my legs. It emulsifies with water into a luxurious cream. It's really effective at hydrating my skin when I shower, but I can't say that I feel really clean after using it. Though I enjoy its moisturizing properties and I like how it smells, I don't think I'll be purchasing this again.

3. Lush Snowcake Soap ($7.95 for 3.5 oz). I will admit that I think most of Lush's bath products are overrated; however, I enjoyed using this soap.  The scent is quite good, just like sweet almonds, marzipan, and a little bit of Play-doh (?). Though not as luxurious and hydrating as L'Occitane's shower oil, this doesn't strip my skin of moisture (despite the fact that SLS is one of its ingredients). It also does a better job at cleaning (and taking off my deodorant...). Keep in mind that Snowcake is only released during the winter, so you might want to grab your piece of it before it runs out.

4. Korres Body Butter in Guava ($29.00 for 7.95 oz). As I mentioned in a past post, I have a skin condition called keratosis pilaris (or KP), which looks like dry patches of chicken skin (sexy, right?). This body butter is excellent at minimizing  this problem! I love how a little goes a long way. It's quite thick and spreading it might be a little difficult, but I think it's totally worth it considering how effective it is. Though it is highly moisturizing, it doesn't leave a disgusting greasy film. I like it! FYI, this body butter has shea butter, sunflower oil, almond oil, and avocado oil.

5. NIVEA Soft Refreshingly Soft Moisturizing Creme, 6.8 Oz [Affiliate Link] (~$5.32 for 6.8 oz). My feet are the saddest part of my body in terms of moisture. (I feel so bad for the pedicurists at the nail salons who have to deal with this pair of crusty crusts). So far, I've been quite happy with this moisturizing cream. Every night, after I shower, I take a huge dollop of this cream, smack it onto my feet, and put socks on. The next morning, my feet are in a much better state!

So there you have it: my favorite body products for this winter! I would love to hear about your favorite products that keep your body moisturized during this cold season.

Till later,

Eva

FTC statement: This is NOT a sponsored post, but the links provided for the L'Occitane and Nivea products are affiliate links. You are not obligated to purchase the items through those links, and you may purchase these products on their official websites or other retailers.

When I was in high school and college, my skin suffered from moderate to severe acne. My lower cheeks, neck, and forehead were speckled with red, inflamed spots that left unsightly post-acne marks. I was frustrated and couldn't understand how to make the hot mess on my face just go away!

There is no doubt that stress and the harsh skincare products I was using at the time may have aggravated my skin condition. But I later realized that poor digestive health was a possible contributor to my acne. A dermatologist I saw actually suggested that I re-examine my dietary habits and make sure that I was taking care of my gut. This makes sense to me now; in fact,  some evidence suggests that "gut microbes," along with other factors (like stress, low fiber, and a high fat diet) may have implications for the development of acne (Bowe & Logan, 2011; Katzman & Logan, 2007). When we get stressed and or fail to eat a healthy diet, the good bacteria in our stomach change and decrease, and more unhealthy bacteria form. This eventually releases toxins into the bloodstream, which leads to inflammation.  This whole process may lead to breakouts on the skin, mainly for people who are predisposed for getting acne.

For five years now, I've been doing everything I could to make my skin look and feel better. I've been exercising to decrease stress levels, using higher quality products on my skin, avoiding processed food, and increasing my intake of fiber. But I believe the most significant change that I made to my lifestyle was eating yogurt regularly and taking probiotic supplements. Based on my own observations, I believe this made such a big difference not only to my skin (as I rarely get pimples now), but to my overall health and well-being. My stomach has been feeling very happy and my skin has never looked better! 

If you're experiencing acne and or digestive health issues, talk to your doctor and see if taking probiotics is the right thing for you. I'm happy to say that it worked for me, and I hope it will work for you, too!

Till later,

Eva


FTC statement: This is not a sponsored post. Links provided above are not affiliate links.  Item pictured above was purchased by me.


Double-cleansing is one of those habits that I've been doing for about 7 years. It's a step in my skincare regimen that I cannot skip, especially when I wear makeup and sunscreen. I can confidently say that it has been one of the factors that has greatly reduced my acne and the appearance of my pores.

When I double-cleanse every night, I always use an oil cleanser as my first step, like Mizon's No. 1 King's Berry Cleansing Oil.  Prior to purchasing this product, I've been using DHC's Deep Cleansing Oil religiously. Though it has worked for me in the past when my skin used to be oily, I found that DHC's cleanser stripped too much of my moisture during recent uses. I knew I couldn't use this now, especially because I live in such harsh and dry winter climate. So I decided to turn to No. 1 King's Berry Cleansing Oil.

So, how did Mizon's No. 1 King's Berry Cleansing Oil perform on my skin?

Pricing and Size
Right off the bat, one advantage of this over DHC's is that you get more bang for your buck. Though $38 sounds like a lot, this bottle is HUGE  (about 410 mL) and will surely last me a long time. I paid $28 for DHC's Deep Cleansing Oil, but that was only 198 mL.

Texture and Moisture
Compared to heavier cleansing oils (like DHC's and Kose's Softymo Deep Cleansing Oil), the texture is slightly more lightweight; however, I found this to be much more moisturizing. It did not strip away too much of my natural oils, so my skin didn't feel taught after using it. As always, I follow up with a gentle foaming cleanser, so I don't really worry about this being too oily.

Scent and Reactions
Though not fragranced, it does have a slight berry scent that I'm not entirely fond of; however, I am happy to say that my skin did not react negatively to it.

Performance
So, was it good at taking off my makeup and sunscreen? YES. Definitely.  I was already happy with how DHC was able to clean my skin, and I can say that this product performed just as well with respect to taking off all the makeup. I take 1-2 pumps of this, spread it on my face, and gently massage my skin to take everything off. When I do this, the oil emulsifies into a milky texture and I can easily feel all the disgusting gunk in my pores (especially around my nose) start to loosen up and come off.

Ingredients
This product contains the following ingredients:

Black chokeberry, bamboo leaf, papaya fruit, gypsophila paniculata root, portaluca, lavender oil, Japanese plum, lemon, orange, sunflower seed, sugar cane, A. saccharum, olive oil, shiitake mushroom, jojoba seed, natural vegetable oil (Sunflower seed, meadow foam seed, jojoba seed, camellia, lavender, lavender, olive, evening primrose)

 As you can see, the first ingredients listed are from fruit. I appreciate that Mizon did not include artificial colors, alcohol, added fragrances, or parabens and decided to use high-quality ingredients instead.

Verdict: 5 out of 5
Without a doubt, I will repurchase this. I am very happy with how well it took off my makeup and waterproof sunscreen without drying out my skin. In fact, my skin feels so soft and supple after using this. If you're a cleansing oil fanatic, I recommend you to try this out. 

Mizon No. 1 King's Berry Cleansing Oil retails for $38.00 (on Peach and Lily) for 410 mL.

Share your thoughts! Have you tried this product or any other cleansing oils?

Till later,

Eva ;)


FTC statement: This is not a sponsored post. Links provided above are not affiliate links.  I purchased the reviewed product with my own money.