Skincare On A Budget

Skincare On A Budget

Monday, July 16, 2018

If you know me, you know I LOVE skincare! However, if you know me you also know I don't like paying full price for things or spending loads of money on something just because of it's name. I like to find more affordable options for everything from fashion to skincare (usually)!
With that, I thought I would put together a curated list of my favorite products that I use on a weekly basis that won't break the bank:) I am all about following the Korean 10 step skincare method, but I am also not about to spend a fortune on products. Thus, I have created a good routine of products that follow the 10 step Korean skincare method while still being affordable and full of healthy ingredients for your skin (these products are my staples). The even better part is that most all of these products can be found at your local Target. A few of the products like Mario Badescu are only found at Ulta, Anthropologie or Urban Outfitters, but overall if you don't have access to Target or Ulta you can find most all of them on Amazon for affordable prices.

Affordable 10 Step Korean Skincare:

1. Oil Cleanser (aka. your makeup remover) - This step not only removes all of your makeup, but oil cleansers actually cause your skin to produce LESS oil. To use apply to your dry face, massaging it into the skin to melt away makeup (or impurities if you are makeup free), then splash water onto your face to emulsify, rubbing it in more...then rinse off or remove with a makeup remover cloth/washcloth (my preferred method). I LOVE the Trader Joe's oil cleanser, but the Burt's Bee's is basically the same formula for a good price. 
2. Water Based Cleanser (Gel/Foaming Face Wash) - This is what gives us the "double cleanse"! This step removes any access residue or impurities. I have been using this Cerave cleanser off and on for years after it was recommended by a dermatologist. 
3. Toner - Toners help to add moisture back to your skin as well as reset our skins pH levels. This step can be done by either applying it to your face with your hands, spritzing, or using a cotton pad. I love using the Mario Badescu Aloe/Rose spray! It's not as over the top as some toners as it aids more with moisture and refresh, but it feel amazing on skin and is super affordable. 
4. Essence - This is known as the heart of the Korean Skincare routine and this Essence from elf is very affordable, makes your skin feel amazing, has a light scent, and gives your skin a healthy glow. Essence is basically a toner/serum hybrid made for hydration, skin repair, and cell turnover. 
5. Serum - This step is all about targeting specific problems (acne, wrinkles, dry skin, dullness, etc.) with concentrated ingredients! Simply tap them into your skin. I love to use the "Restore" Serum by Valjean Labs because it's a cheap dupe of the Glossier Purity serum (which I do love). 
6. Eye Cream - Eye cream is not something I ever used to consider in my routine but I am so glad it is part of my skincare now. While there are probably cheaper options out there than the eye cream from Bliss, I personally love this one because I LOVE the philosophy and mission behind Bliss and I know it will last me awhile. 
7. Moisturizer (or sunscreen at am) - Hydration is the KEY to getting healthy, dewy, and glowing skin so moisturizers are a definite must! I started using the "ex-glow-sion" moisturizer from Bliss and am already on my second container (that's how much I love it)! It smells so light, a bit like Lavender and makes you skin feel super moisturized and calm once I put it on. I typically use this at night before I go to bed and use a sunscreen (MISSHA's Sun Milk) in the mornings. 
8. Exfoliator - Exfoliating isn't a "have to" (especially if you have more sensitive skin) but it is a key component of polished/clean skin. It is recommended to exfoliate twice a week. I absolutely love the St. Ive's apricot scrub! I have been using it for years and love how affordable it is and how great my skin feels when I use it (some stores even have their own brand of it like Target, and sell it for even cheaper than name brand). 
9. Mask - Okay, so clay mask's aren't actually a step in Korean Skincare but I make them an active part of my routine at least once a week. I love to use clay masks to absorb and draw out impurities and oils.....definitely my first step when I am having a bad breakout. Ever since I discovered the Freeman "Detoxifying" clay mask it has been my favorite because it is gentle and you can actually see it working....not to mention it is a great price. 
10. Sheet Mask - Sheet Masks are probably the backbone of Korean Skincare....that's kind of the whole reason I got started on this new skincare routine to begin with. The amazing part about them is that they provide your skin with maximum treatment properties and moisture that your skin absorbs one or twice a week. When it comes to sheet masks you really can't go wrong, but Leaders masks and Tonyholy masks are some of my favorites (Tip: check your local Ross or Marshalls for sheet masks because they always have packs of them). 
11. EXTRA: Vitamin C Serum - This is kind of an extra step, but has definitely helped brighten my skin. You can use Vitamin C serum as your serum step, along with another serum, or use after a mask once a week. 

Have you used any of these products?

What is your go to skincare products on a budget?

-Madison

My Skincare Journey Pt. 2: 7 Myths of Skincare

My Skincare Journey Pt. 2: 7 Myths of Skincare

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

When it comes to skincare, many of us go through life hearing so many different opinions, solutions, products, and tricks that it can start to seem overwhelming. Sometimes we hear from someone that something worked really well for them and then when we think it will solve all of our problems it doesn't. Skin can be a tricky thing to master, especially for those of us who have acne prone skin, but it isn't without hope for a solution and cure! 

However, when it comes to the topic of curing our skin or getting it to a manageable state, we come face to face with so many opinions and ideas that we often become defeated and feel as if there is no hope. We try one route and hear that there is no way it will work, or we avoid other routes because we think there is no hope in trying it for ourselves. With so many different opinions and myths surrounding skincare, I thought I would share some myths that I have discovered the truth in and that have changed my outlook on skincare and my skincare journey forever! Obviously there are way longer lists of myths that you will find if you google it, but this list of 7 are myths that have been factors in my skincare journey. I do want to point out however, that while these 7 myths might be true for me, everyone is different as is their skin, so something that was true for me or worked might not necessarily be the cure all of someone else (everyone has to understand their own skin): 

• Your Makeup Is The Problem - I can't tell you the number of times I have heard people say that your makeup is what causes acne! I have had people tell me that and constantly read it on websites. Here's the thing....makeup doesn't cause acne....not completely at least. No studies have actually shown that acne is caused by your makeup, however our skin is a delicate and a very special organ and we have to treat it with care, which starts with what goes on and comes off of our face. The main problem with acne prone skin and makeup is when it isn't removed properly as this leads to clogged pores which generally cause our acne. So the next time you think your makeup is the problem it might only be the #6 problem when other things are the true cause. Thus, simple make sure you are okay with what you put on your skin and make sure you take it all off before you go to bed (I will talk more later on about removing makeup). 
• Scars Are Forever - This was a HUGE myth for me! In fact it was one of the myths that really got me down a lot about my skin because I felt hopeless that after years of struggling with acne, once I finally got it under control my skin wouldn't look "flawless" anymore. While my acne prone skin will never be the same as it used to be, my scars are not there forever! If you do research there are ways to fade, reduce, and get rid of acne scars, and I have seen many of those methods begin to change my skin already. We will still have the remnants of what used to be, but our scars can be faded and diminished by the products we use, treatments we try, and amount of liquids we drink (I will share more about this in another post) so THERE IS HOPE! 
• Oil Is Bad For Your Skin - Okay, so you might be reading this and be a bit confused:) Here's the thing, eating foods cooked in oil or that have a lot of oil on them are definitely not good for your skin, we all know that (goodbye french fried, and fried food), but putting oil on our skin is actually one of the best things for us! If you are at all familiar with skincare trends you would have probably seen the trend with "oil cleansers"! Oil Cleansers are the best thing you can use in your skincare routine because applying an oil cleanser not only removes makeup and clears your pores, but actually tricks your skin into thinking it is overly oily and halts oil production. Apart from oil cleansers there are a TON of face oils that not only have benefits because of their ingredients, but also for the reaction that happens when we apply oil to our skin (like above). Thus, for those of you who have oil skin (like me) and have heard for YEARS that you shouldn't be using oil on your face, we actually need to used oil cleansers and face oils more to help our skin balance out (I would suggest doing more research if you are are interested in this)! 
• Moisturizers Are Your Problem, Especially If You Have Oily Skin - Have you believed this one? I know I have! For so many years I would avoid using heavy moisturizers, or stop moisturizing all together because I thought it wasn't good for my oily skin. I thought it would make my skin more oily and I didn't want that. What I didn't know however, is that when I didn't moisturize and keep my skin at a good balance, my skin would actually produce more oils. Our skin NEEDS moisturizer in our skincare routine because our skin needs the nourishment it provides! I recently added in a new extreme moisturizer to my skincare routine and it has been a game changer (I will share more about that in another post)! For those of you who have oily skin or combination (like me) I would suggest you do research and find a moisturizer that works for you, your skin will thank you and you might see a difference in your complexion! 
• Only Topical Medication and Pills Will Help - For years I thought that my only option and choice to have clear skin would be to get a highly medicated topical medication or prescription pill. This could have been from knowing people who had taken this option and seeing a difference in their skin. However, the problem with this is that you take the easy way out, you don't actually deal with the problem, you just try to solve it and often times it doesn't do you any favors in the long run (everyone's skin is different so for some this might be their only option...but I personally would only use this as a last resort). For example: many girls/women go on birth control simply to help their acne, but the problem with this (besides what birth control does to your bodies hormones) is that when they choose to stop taking it their acne will most likely be back. Acne is caused by so many factors in our life (some of us even have acne prone skin in our DNA) so choosing topical treatments and prescription pills only helps for a short time and doesn't allow us to understand the underlying problems of our breakouts or treat the overall health of our skin (which is vital in the skincare process). 
• Wash Your Face In Hot Water - Okay, so I am soooo guilty of this myth! When I was younger I thought that the hotter the water was the better is was for my skin! I would scrub my face in hot water, soak a wash cloth in hot water and let it sit on my face just willing the heat to solve all my problems.....but it doesn't! Hot water is actually the worse thing we can use on our skin because it strips our skin of any natural oils (which our skin actually needs) and severely dehydrate it. So when you think the popular thing is steaming your face will help, it actually doesn't. You might even think that cold water would be better, but there is no solution there in tightening our pores either. The best thing we can do is wash our face in lukewarm water. 
• Your Acne Is Caused By What You Put On Your Face - This one is a double edged sword because sometimes what we put on our face could possibly be the problem, but like I have said before our acne is often caused by internal and lifestyle factors! Thus, it truly is key that you understand your own skin, what doesn't irritate my skin could irritate yours? As someone who loves skincare and makeup I am constantly trying new products and my sister has always made the comment that maybe what I was using was the cause of my breakouts. However, even if I had a bad breakout after using a new product, I could usually attribute it to being caused by something else like the food I ate, the high amount of sugar in my diet, my period starting, or being really stressed out! Now that I understand my skin more, I know that my breakouts are not caused by the products I use (though I try to be conscious of them) but rather by other things. 

Have you believed any of these myths?

What are other Myths you have believed?

-Madison

My Skincare Journey Pt. 1

My Skincare Journey Pt. 1

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

I have shared skincare posts on the blog before and lightly touched on how I started using more of a Korean skincare routine, but I decided you all deserved a post dedicated to the "WHY" behind my skincare routine and the journey I have been on to understand and clear my skin!

Recently I was talking to a girl on Instagram about skincare/my struggle with acne and she said "Partly the reason I started following you was because I was like 'hey, shes a blogger and she doesn't have perfect skin either!' I've struggled with acne for years and it was refreshing to stumble upon your page." I can't tell you how encouraging that comment was to me! I always try to be authentic, and sharing my skin struggles is one of the ways that I show my imperfections and insecurities. 

I think sometimes there is a mindset developed around bloggers that they are perfect....they have a perfect life, perfect hair, perfect makeup, perfect teeth, skin. etc (I know I can tend to think that about other bloggers I follow). However, in reality is that isn't always the case, I have my rough patches, I drink to much coffee and tea and don't have pearly white teeth, my makeup is hardly flawless, I can't go days without washing my hair and only using dry shampoo (like some people), and my skin is a whole other story (hence this post). 

Since I have talked a bit about my skincare change before, I am going to do more of an overview in this post on my recent skincare journey. I am 22 and have been struggling with acne since I was about 13 years old, so if you do the math that means I have had imperfect/breakout prone skin for 10 years. Furthermore, I feel like every time I read a post about someones problematic acne prone skin, I always find out that what they mean is they get 2-3 pimples when their diet or hormones are off.....that is not the case for me! When I hear people complaining about the pimple on their cheek I always think to myself "you have no clue what I would give for just one pimple" (anyone else with me on this)? Acne is no joke, but there is a difference between a few pimples here and there and full breakouts on your cheeks and chin! So when I say I struggle with imperfect/breakout prone skin it means that I have scaring, redness, and get 2-5 pimples (or more) in a typical breakout (including blackheads, whiteheads, and cystic acne)....

You may be reading this and thinking "But if you just tried __________ " or if you would just do " _______" your skin would get better....... I've heard every version of people's suggestions, I've tried a lot of them, and some I have avoided because I didn't feel they were right for me. However, I have come to realize that every person's skin is different, as are their breakouts (as is the case for me)! For some, topical creams work miracles, or others (like me) they only help for a short time. Thus, I have had to learn not to judge other's skin in the basis of my own and hope that others would have the same courteousness towards me:)

While there have been highs and low in my breakouts over the years, I have come to a point where enough is enough! This doesn't mean that I have reverted to getting over the counter prescriptions and medication for my acne, because in the long run I won't want to be on those forever and when you stop your skin usually freaks out (plus I hate putting chemicals into my body)! I have done the topical medication route (when I was in high school), and I have to say that while it helped in some regards, I was always left feeling worse about my skin because my skin just didn't feel healthy (anyone else feel that way)! My skin was often dry, flaky, red, and irritated, talk about trying to wear makeup on uber dry skin (it doesn't work well), but also not wanting to go out with your skin red and dry (the struggles). Thus, over the last couple of years I have taken a different approach, one that focuses on making my skin feel healthy and happy, and while I am still working through acne, my skin has never felt this good. 

My Skincare Journey:

If you remember This Post, I talked about how I had started using a Korean skincare method with multiple steps, gentle cleansers, essence, serums, and face oil. While my routine and the products I use have changed slightly since that post, the idea is still the same. I want my skin to be happy, feel healthy, moisturized, bouncy, and glowy, despite my breakouts, and it is finally getting there! 

However, since the beginning of this year I realized that healthy and happy skin doesn't just happen from the outside, it starts from the inside out. Deep down over the years, I think I have always known that I needed to change things in my lifestyle and my diet to help my skin, but I didn't want to give up all the foods I like.......let's be honest, all the foods I LOVE are the worst foods for my skin!!! Topically taking care of my skin just isn't enough, and I have been on a journey to really understand my skin, figure out what things really cause my face to break out, learn what the different breakout areas on my face mean, and fight the acne battle from inside, as well as topically. 

I will say, learning about my skin and coming to understand it has been enlightening. My breakouts make more since now! In the past I would always wonder "Why am I getting a breakout on my chin?" and now I know it is due to hormones (sometimes cause by an imbalance due to diet or due to my period). Or "Why am I getting a breakout on my cheek?" well now I know it is probably because of the pint of ice cream I ate......so yeah, it's not fun, but it isn't a mystery anymore. If you are curious as to what I mean, I have put a diagram below to illustrate what different breakout regions of the face mean:


This Diagram is helpful too because it tells you what you need to change:



When I started doing more research to learn about my skin and breakouts I came to realize my breakouts were caused by 3 major things (as noted by the diagrams):
My breakouts were caused by stress, my diet, lack of water, sometimes (possibly) lack of sleep, and hormones (oddly enough though hormonal acne can actually be triggered by diet, because fatty foods elevate the levels of testosterone in your body which causes your hormones to be off, causing a hormonal breakout due to your diet....so diet is a huge part of healthy skin). Basically A LOT of factors contribute to my acne, so trying to manage breakouts means managing many aspects of my life and it can get overwhelming.

When I started understanding my breakouts and my skin, everything that was happening made more since. However, understanding your skin might take a bit of scientific study and experimentation of avoiding things to see if your skin gets better and then adding them back in to see if they trigger breakouts. I actually started to learn more about my skin over Lent because my sister and I gave up sweets and started avoiding dairy (drinking almond milk instead). Throughout those weeks my skin started to clear up and I wasn't seeing nearly as many breakouts (hardly any). It felt great to see my skin improve and not worry that I would wake up with a breakout in the morning. However, after lent ended I didn't really stay on the "no sugar" plan and after easter candy, sweets, and a week of an unbalanced diet I saw my skin go back to what it used to be. I then realized that I knew what I needed to change and actually needed to make improvements to change it for real this time!
With that I made a "Skincare Resolution" (noted in the chart below) and over the next few weeks will be sharing more of the details on every aspect of this journey (this means unflattering pictures, facts, struggles, you name it) !

 

Do you struggle with acne?
Can you relate to my skincare story? 
What causes your breakouts?
Is there anything specific you would like to see me talk about in this series? 

-Madison