High Tea Sandwiches on my face - SkinFood Premium Lettuce & Cucumber Watery Emulsion

This is an emulsion, which is a step commonly found in AB routines, not so much in Western.  Emulsions are similar to light moisturisers, and some people might find this enough as their final step, but this fits into my routine at step number 4 (or 5 if I do a mask) out of 9.  My routine is based around getting moisture into my skin as I have dry and dehydrated skin.

Full Size, 140ml

I bought this as a sample pack first after doing some research on it, because I'm always hesitant to go full on and buy a full sized item straight off the bat.  I started using the sample when I had finished another set of samples and was waiting for an order to arrive.

Its a very light cream, halfway between a serum and a cream.  The bottle has a small opening and you have to top the bottle onto your hand to get some out.  I use around 1/6th of a tspn.  It would be more convenient in a squeezy tube or if the bottle had a pump.  The bottle itself is a clear minty plastic by the product itself is white.  It has a mild fragrance that really does make you think of cucumber, its not an offensively strong fragrance and it disappears after you tap it in.

I think that this product has helped to fill a "layer" in my moisture sandwich.  I now notice when I don't use this product.  My skin will get drier a little earlier and be more prone to flaking. Its not a precious like my Snail Ampoule, but I am enjoying using it currently.  It is budget friendly and cheaper than the Avene Skin Recovery Cream I was using instead.  I dont know if its any better than the Avene, but being a 1/4 of the price (RRS), I am happy to use this.




If anyone has the ingredient list I would really like the link please!  I cant find the ingredients in English.  So I am hoping that this is full of nice and friendly things.

Snails?! Snails ^_^ Mizon Snail Repair Intensive Ampoule

One of the items I picked up in my first RRS haul was the Mizon Snail Ampoule sample pack.  At first I used it only at night - I test every thing at night so if things go nasty I can re-wash and treat then sleep through the worst of the flare up.  This was the first AB product I fully introduced to my routine.

Full sized bottle (30ml)

Hello darling

Liquid Gold Magic Snail Stuff

I'd tried a snail mask I'd picked up earlier and was VERY impressed by the results I got from the mask and so decided to dip my toe in the sea of snail products.

I've been able to use this on my skin when it's in various stages of irritation.  It helped immensely clear up the most recent reaction.

Ingredients:

Things that do stuff.  SNAILS!!  Also sodium hyaluronate is very high as well as glycerin and pantenol (humectants doing their things).  Copper peptide is interesting because it is shown to help with healing in the skin and is anti-inflammatory.

I used this after my toner which my skin was still damp and was able to use a small amount to cover my face, between 1-2 drops (2 drop is a fullish dropper like below) and pat this onto my skin.  It is a bit "gloopy" and heavier than my Indeed Labs Hyaluron serum, but my skin drinks it all up.  I apply this also before I apply a sheet mask, which seems to help amplify the moisture absorption.

I now have 3 bottles of this precious ampoule and am using it both AM and PM.  It is definitely a game changer for me in terms of improving my skin in terms of "bounce", smoothness, and recovery from flareups. I have noticed that a skin flare up now recovers in a matter of days instead of two weeks.  In my eyes that is simply amazing.  

 I purchased it through RRS for around $14 AUS for a 30ml bottle.  After I had decided to buy the full size, RRS was out of stock for a bit and I was sad.  So when it was back in stock I bought up.  From purchase to receiving the delivery is usually 2 to 2.5 weeks (including weekends), which I am quite happy about.  This is also in the "Free Shipping" category at the moment with RRS which is why I bought multiples - its all about making the most out of your shipping "space" as well.
I have not found an Australian product that does the same for skin at such a price.  Even my Hyaluron serum is normally $30.  And don't forget the Dr LeWinns Diamond serum that is $70 (which does NOT SPARKLE, I was very disappointed when I tested it in Priceline.  No Sparkle.  Oh, didn't really do much either)  So to get something that is budget friendly and works a treat makes me very happy.

Mizon has a range of snail items that I am slowly acquiring.  I have noticed that some brands have "bee and snail" together which are very popular on the AB reddit forum, however I am allergic to bees and would probably need my epi-pen if I tried any of those.

So unless I find something better, I will be sticking (heh) with my Snail Ampoule.  If my skin is happy, then I'm happy.

What has been you skincare game-changer?

Product Review: The Face Shop Aloe Mask

I read somewhere in the past week that sebum decreases in the skin during winter.  Which might partly explain why dry skin flare ups can happen more frequently in winter. Also external factors like heating etc.
I have epic dry skin right now.  It is ridiculous.

Today's mask (which I have just had on my face) is The Face Shop's Real Nature Aloe Mask.
I purchased three of these from RRS in my April haul, this is my second use of this "flavour".  It's a very soothing mask and provides great hydration.
Side note - I'm going to start masking every day I think because of how dry my skin is <sigh>

I took about 14 photos.  Only one worked,  I really need to start taking photos earlier in the day with better light and when I am more awake.  My poor little camera tries it best, I'm just impatient.

Ingredients:Water, glycerin, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, butylene glycol, alcohol denat, betaine, sodium hyaluronate, xanthan gum, hydrogenated lecithin, dimethicone, phaseolus radiatus extract, betula platyphylla japonica bark extract, rumex crispus root extract, carbomer, PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil, triethanolamine, methyl paraben, propyl paraben, fragrance

phaseolus radiatus : Mung Bean.  Listed as being good for cooling the skin, helping irritations and removing toxins.  Slightly anti-septic as well.
betula platyphylla japonica bark : Japanese White Birch.  Various studies (1) show that this helps reduce flare-ups of atopic dermatitis (maybe I need a vat of this alone!)
rumex crispus root : Curly Dock (I admit, I read this first as Curly Dork and laughed for a bit - I am in post-exams and post-report exhaustion) Also used to treat skin inflamamtions (like psoriasis and dermatitis)

Again there was around 10 ml of essence left over in the packet.  I'll use that in my routine tomorrow morning.

The scent is mild aloe, very inoffensive.  Soothing, easy to fall asleep with this on.
I left this mask on for 30mins tonight and was just beginning to dry out along the edges, but was still quite damp and I wiped the extra essence on my arms (sharing the love).

Unless I find another Aloe Mask that is better than this one, I will always keep a few of these in my stash.  Lovely times guaranteed!

How do you keep your skin hydrated in winter?

Sheet Mask Review : Skin Food Hydro Fitting Snail Mask Sheet

It's the time of year for a teacher in Australia where there are mid-year exams and report writing happening AT THE SAME TIME.

Life just stalls for the month of June and then we have July holidays to recover.  I hauled hard and sensibly in May because I knew grown-up decision making would not happen with shopping in June.

Anyway, since jumping on the AB Train I have well and truly fallen in love with wearing sheet-masks (look there might just be an uber-order of masks coming from Sasa).  And snails.  

Snails get on mah face!

So today I'm reviewing a mask I got in an order a month or so ago (mixed order for myself and my brother whose skin a opposite to mine - that was a challenge).

Box of Happiness (snail angels singing)

Oh hi me in the shiny reflection

Comes with 5 in total.  I am rationing these delights of my life.

Ingredients 

Water, glycerin, dipropylene glycol, butylene glycol, alcohol, snail secretion filtrate, PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil, hydroxyethylcellulose, xanthan gum, cellulose gum, disodium EDTA, methylparaben, phenoxyethanol, parfum

(I am too brain dead to analyse the above apart from SNAILS - and no plant allergens wooooo).

There is around 15mls of excess essence! I decanted it into a handy-dandy Daiso bottle and have been using since my Mizon Snail Ampoule samples ran out and I am waiting for my new bottles to arrive from RRS (lets just say my AM and PM routines are now longer, better, happier).

I always apply a hyaluronic serum before a mask (cleanse, tone, serum, mask) because I am trying to shove as much moisture into my skin as possible.

This type fitted very nicely (so far the best fit of the sheet masks I've been using) and the hydration was amazing.  I always have a tingle at the beginning of a mask - due to very sensitive skin - but my skin was glowy and bouncy after this.  I kept poking it and going "bouncy".  Bouncy skin was very rare before the AB routine.  

Heh - "bouncy".

If you like snails and you have skin prone to dryness and redness I would definitely recommend this.  I will buy more of these once I work through a portion of my mask stash. 

I will be posting some hauls soon when my RRS order and Sasa order comes in!  And I will posting about my updated routine later on in the month.

Let me know what your favourite sheet mask is in the comments!