2017 Best of Skincare

I didn't realize, until I snapped these pictures in one December morning (quiet bright, there were people outside working on the house's canopy, and they probably question why the lady of this room is always taking photos of, of...things), that my skincare drawer has been overrun by Korean skincare. Specifically; INNISFREE. From scale 1 to 10, how big is the possibility that you're only using one brand for skincare? When you're a beauty junkie? Probably around 5, but mine is high on the 8th (because I'm still faithful to KIEHL's MRC and LANEIGE's LIGHT BALANCING EMULSION).

I pondered; what's with Innisfree? and realized i'ts combination of; 1) my Korean trip last January, 2) Innsifree's local store, 3) they're simply AMAZING. None of their products has disappoint me so far. Price-wise, they're cheaper than KIEHL's or LANEIGE (my two favorite brands for skincare), so I'm naturally attracted to try their products.

I have oily skin, enlarged pores, and struggle with whiteheads everyday. It's incredibly important to keep my skin as clear as possible, no matter how lazy I am (22 at night and just wanna face-plant on the bed), I always make it to remove my makeup.

INNISFREE GREEN TEA FRESH MAKE UP REMOVER OIL is k-beauty's cult favorite for makeup remover. This one is targeted for oily skin. My sister have the other for dry skin, and indeed, the texture feels different as this one feels lighter and thinner in consistency. It doesn't clog pores, nor does it break me out (like another oil cleanser I've tried in the past), and I'm already in my second bottle (with the third sitting pretty in my drawer).

Following in is JEJU VOLCANIC PORE CLEANSING FOAM. JEJU VOLCANIC-line is INNSIFREE's stand-out line against black heads and enlarged pores. I purchased it on a whim after I ran out of my beloved SHISEIDO PERFECT WHIP, I might have love this more than SHISEIDO one's (gasp!). It feels super thick, lathers well, and has small granule particles that might act as incredibly gentle exfoliator. It also contains orchid extracts which helps soothes and moisturizes skin. I noticed after using this, I got less and less break out.

Which probably means this is a lot better than SHISEIDO, but I'm still on the fence...

JEJU VOLCANIC 3 IN 1 NOSE PACK is another thing in my arsenal to battle sebums, but I will talk about this hybrid of pack+scrub+cleanser product in later post that specifically address treatment for oily skin (keep your eyes on the blog).

For troubled, sensitive, and blemished skin, INNSIFREE comes up with BIJA-line. Since I'm also battling with acne scarring and prone to acne in general, I picked up the BIJA TROUBE SKIN, a toner, randomly before I went to see THOR:RAGNAROK, alone (is this piece of information important? Yes, it is. Maybe). Bija is korean version of nutmeg, the oil extracted from this seed has great anti-inflammatory effect.

Last but not least is sunscreen, which is the most vital part for any skincare routine and anti-aging effort. I didn't incorporate it as religiously until I find PERFECT UV PROTECTION CREAM FOR OILY SKIN, as I found most sunscreen is too heavy for my skin. It boasts SPF 50+ with PA+++++, which is  perfect in the condition when I'm living in.

That has been my favorite skincare finds in 2017. What's yours?

2017 Best of Beauty

2017 is a pleasant surprise in term of beauty, I didn't expect myself to get so into it. What I thought will be a rather chill year with less money spent on makeup took a 180 degree turn, and, voila, I think I ended up with more new products that I did in 2016?

I ventured a little bit away from high end, in fact, the only high end products I got this year were NARS eyeshadow duo and foundations, which is a major level up from last year when most of things I bought were from high end category. What can I say, I'm that shallow and I do love good, high quality makeup product.

In 2017, rather than going drugstore, I think it's more appropriate to say I fell in love with an old love, being korean beauty. While I do love k-skincare consistently through the years, I stopped trying their makeup products because I used to think they're not pigmented enough for my skin tone. Plus, in the phase when I was all for k-beauty, they never really wow-ed me.

It could be for their aesthetic, and as I sit down here, contemplating, maybe; yes, they didn't wow me because of their aesthetic. I wasn't that into the whole shimmer/glitter on the lids, wasn't that big on brows either, not even reds on the eyes! But they're definitely what k-beauty is all about, and now, they fit me to the t!

Prior to UD Naked Heat, it was sooooo difficult to find warm-toned eyeshadow, can you believe it? Not the neutral-warm with good selection of reddish brown, but the warm-warm with tasteful picks of red, pink, and orange. Thankfully, k-beauty is all about them, and after the initial purchase of red matte eyeshadow, I'm hooked! Now, I have enough warm-warm toned eyeshadow to last me a lifetime (I talked about my collection here).

2017 was also the year when I finally embraced eyebrows. I'm still far from the instagram-worthy on the fleek! brows, but at least they're no longer looking like a sad, overgrown, caterpillars. INNISFREE AUTO EYEBROW PENCIL is a very beginner friendly product, it comes with spoolie  and a waxy, yet soft pencil on the other. Mine is in darker brow color, it isn't highly pigmented which is perfect as I'm still learning.

Another love that I rekindle is for eyeliner. Since I have hooded eyelids on top of small lid space, I have to choose between my eyeliner of eyeshadow. In the end, because I have too many eyeshadow to even finish, I always forego eyeliner. THE SAEM POWERPROOF SUPER SLIM EYELINER changed it! This pencil liner is very soft without being smudge-party (which I find often happen with soft pencil liner). The fine, yet blunt end allows me to tight-end easily. Usually, I just fill the outer corner of  my eyes to give appearance of fuller eyes. I'm not in the epic-liner level yet, but, just watch!

Still on the topic of eyes, out of the many eyeshadow purchases I did this year, ultimately, my choices fall on these three. NARS DUO IN ISOLDE was something I've always wanted ever since I started blogging. It's your perfect duo for quick, fuss-free eyes; swipe the gold all over the lid, smudge the darker bronze on the outer and some on lash lines.

For a cream eyeshadow with bright, reddish-orange color and sparkling glitters, ETUDE HOUSE ENAMEL EYES sounds like a recipe for disaster, especially put on my oily lids. The truth is, it's nothing like! I can pack them all on the lids for bright red eyes with a hint of golds, or swipe them with light hand for more understated look. It doesn't transfer throughout the day either, which is always my problem with cream eyeshadow.

To finish everything, I love to pat ARITAUM MONO EYES in CORAL MOD on the center of my lids. It gives such a nice sparkles and breathe of coral. No matter what color I wear underneath, pat, pat, and my eyes look instantly better!!

Of course I must no forget mentioning NARS SMUDGE ROOF EYESHADOW BASE. It's been favorite of many, especially for people with oily lids and I can see why. This is the first time a base managed to stop my eyeshadow from becoming a horrid smush of color by the end of the day.

On the cheek, I got SLEEK CONTOUR KIT for birthday present, and it's the only thing I've been putting on my face ever since? It's like, I mean, I forgot I even have something called blush?? It might not be as pigmented as NARS' contour kit, plus, it's more on neutral shade and has no ounce of redness on it. Strangely, my cheeks always look polished? as in I do not need blusher to top it, just the contour shade and dusting of highlighter on the cheek bones, and I'm done?? It's, well, strange, magical I'd say. Whatever it is; I love it!

I talked about my base products and routine (in this post), but the stand out definitely belong to THE SAEM PERFECT PORE POWDER, UD ONE AND DONE HYBRID SKIN, PAUL & JOE PROTECTING FOUNDATION PRIMER, and UD ALL NIGHTER to seal everything and promising me a flawless face throughout the day.

Lazier day will find me smoothing PAUL & JOE all over my face, dust loose powder with big, fluffy brush, and be done with it. Productive morning, or on weekend before a day out, I'd take time to make sure my base is perfectly done, committing to full face routine from primer-concealer-foundation-powder-setting spray.

To be honest, it's rather difficult to find a morning when I could summon enough will power to properly apply my makeup like my whole life depends on whether I have them on or not. But on the days I do, I pampered myself by using the extra time to either apply blusher again on top of contoured-cheeks, or swipe highlighter on top of my cupid bow.

On the lips, I've been loving everyone and their mother's favorite NYX SOFT MATTE LIP CREAMS. At first, I only have one in PRAGUE. My lisptick stash was in dire need of variety, I only had dark berry colors and nothing else! This one came swooping to save the day, and followed by its sister in BUDAPEST, a darker brown color with hint of red. My definition of MLBB?

They're what I always wear for the latter half of the year, and I'm not seeing myself stopping, unless one of them come to end of course (I think PRAGUE is getting there! How exciting!). I'm tempted to try another color, but I'm hanging on until I finish one of this. Have any color suggestion?

That rounded up my 2017 beauty favorites. Do you spot any of yours?

On to 2018

It's 2018! To say I can't wait for 2017 to end is an understatement; I cannot wait to get over this year. It's been a long, long arduous year for me. There were good things, of course, but the bad over-weighs it, I think? I think I definitely spend more than 2/3 times of the year in bad place, I just want to leave, occasionally looking back just to remind myself what not to do, and move on.

I started 2017 on good note, good footing. I was ball of positive ions, you might have remembered if you were there reading y blog post. I went to Korea, finally! What not to love about it, really?

But good thing doesn't last long, they said, which I hope goes the same for bad thing as well. Everything rolled downhill somewhere in March, and I was never the same anymore. I struggled just to fall, and struggled again to get back up. It's just struggle all year along, both mentally and physically. I always see myself as durable? person who doesn't get down easily, but this year has been a slap on the face, that, no, you're not that able.

I won't go into details but I'm stuck in a certain place that I'd die to get out but I can't. No choice. Nothing, but to shoulder and suck it up.  I'm still there, trekking the path, and I sincerely wish 2018 will be a lot kinder to me in my way.

My blog, my photography, and my health had to suffer the consequences. I went into hiatus since March-April, my posts around then were all auto-scheduled since late February. I didn't touch my camera for so long, and the moment I picked it up again, although I marvel at the nostalgic weight on my palms, I'm just lost.

I didn't know what kind of photo I want to take. Why did I even take it in the first place? The same went for my blog as I've previously mentioned in my post last month. I just didn't have a freaking clue about what I wanna do. With my life. With this blog. With myself in general.

Later half is spent with me trying to rediscover myself. Cannot say I find it yet, but at least now back in my new home (my house went under renovation, and having to live temporarily somewhere else after living here for almost the entire 25 years of my life, it's incredibly stressful), I have retrieved even a little of what I've lost.

Right now, instead of thinking about what and why, I'd rather just do first. Think later. I realized my bad habit of overthinking is what led me to where I am, along with my selfishness and my ignorance. And my fear of being in public or any social event in general.

A true introvert who never try to deal and cope with it, I think I have fallen into this bad comfort-zone, and I need to break free from that. Little by little is fine. I always tell myself that everyone have their own pace and maybe, maybe mine is just incredibly long.

Of course not everything was bad. I gained many new friends, people I can open up to regarding myself. A new best friend who struggle along with me up and down. Meeting new people, and familiarize myself with socializing in general. I'm incredibly chatty online, but face to face, I'm quiet as a mouse!

Altho I, basically, ditched this blog, my other creative writing outlet flourished! I have always loved to write, anything, but I love to write story. Spin a tale. Describe emotions like painting with paint called words. I think I wrote more than 150.000 words this year alone, and I still have unfinished which had reached 25.000 words mark.

In 2018 I just want to get better in general; better person, better writer, better writer, better speaker. I'm not expecting a drastic change for myself knowing how I love to take everything easy. I just hope by the end of 2018, I'm a little bit proud of myself despite the bads that will surely follow me again next year. Still, everything happen for a reason, and bearing that in mind, I do wish my 2018 will be on better note.

Have a happy new year!