alright boys… time for a skincare/makeup/beauty update

[permutative]

(wrote this post while setting up gpu access on google cloud and uploading a 1gb dataset to my virtual machine. i hate my life)

why have i just become girl who is hella into skincare/makeup T__T i’m not actually doing anything crazy by any means but it’s just a big difference compared to what i was doing before. i attribute most of this to 1) actually clearing up the majority of my acne and 2) ???? watching instagram reels of people doing makeup??? idk 3) befriending people who i could place joint yesstyle orders with every quarter… why do we always end up going so crazy that we qualify for free express shipping T__T anyways let’s get into this.

formatting inspired by stoplight’s perfect skincare posting ofc <333

CURRENT ROUTINE:

• OIL CLEANSER: beauty of joseon radiance cleansing balm 🌃 — kind of reiterate what crys said about the packaging the combination of both the flip top and screw top lid are a little boggling to me. in terms of the actual cleansing it’s mostly fine i just need to be more thorough around the eye area than my previous oil cleanser. IDK it works but i still haven’t found an oil cleanser that i’m super in love with? WNRP
• WATER-BASED CLEANSER: duuude i’m literally using cetaphil gentle skin cleanser 🌃 rn. i hate it here. it’s very gentle and i have to wash my face like twice when i’m wearing makeup to double check i got everything off of my eyes… this is what happens when yesstyle fucks up and doesn’t include BLAB MATCHA HYDRATING FOAM CLEANSER in my package. WNRP as fuck
• ACTIVE: cos de baha azelaic acid 10% with niacinamide 🌃 -- love this active tbh it’s super gentle and definitely works wrt clearing up the small breakouts on my skin. i try to use it every other day and it works really well, if i go more than 2-3 days without it i notice a difference in my skin WRP!!!
• ESSENCE: cosrx advanced snail 96 mucin power essence 🌇🌃 — you already know… i’m never dropping this from my routine if i can help it WRP always
• SERUM: beauty of joseon glow serum 🌇🌃 — ngl i feel like i cannot really tell what this does for my skin but it is… hydrating and stuff… allegedly has good properties due to propolis + niacinamide but i can’t tell… WNRP
• MOISTURIZER: soon jung 10 free moist emulsion 🌇 — me when the centella version of this product is sold out so i get an even blander moisturizer… it’s like fine i guess. WNRP
• SUNSCREEN: beauty of joseon relief sun cream 🌇 -- still SUCH a fan of this sunscreen but also not sure how much my opinion is worth given that i haven’t tried any of the other sunscreens with recent hype (roundlab, skin1004 or whatever)… it’s just that the BOJ sunscreen is usually way cheaper than either of those options and the one time i tried to deviate from BOJ i got hit with WHITECAST!!!… see more thonks below. WRP
• SUNSCREEN STICK: abib quick sunstick protection bar 🌇 — lowkey this shit is a little greasy but it does the job… i’m not dude who is incessantly reapplying sunscreen but when i feel like i’ve been outside for too long i’ll just whip this out and it’s somewhat reassuring. makes me look hella shiny though
• SLEEPING PACK: cosrx full fit propolis honey overnight mask 🌃 — wow this is so different in vibes from the cosrx rice sleeping mask… i really like it and think that the gel texture is perfect for the summer! occlusive without being too heavy yk…. maybe RP i’m not sure
• SLEEPING PACK: lmao i know it’s crazy that i have multiple sleeping packs but i purchased a $7 sample of the sulwhasoo overnight vitalizing mask 🌃 from yesstyle cuz like why not… yeah i kind of get why it’s so hyped because it definitely gives you that overnight glow JHDSAKJHGK i wouldn’t use it every day just because it feels too heavy for my skin but it’s cool to put on once in a while! WNRP (it’s just too expensive)

empties from earlier in the year:

• beauty of joseon glow deep serum 🌇🌃 -- don't have super clear thoughts about this but i did notice some brightening properties
• beauty of joseon sunscreen 🌇-- see above
• cosrx rice sleeping mask 🌃 -- i really liked this/have gone through two bottles of this, it's perfect for the winter and i'll prob go back to it after i finish the cosrx propolis mask
• softymo white cleansing oil 🌃 -- it's literally just cleansing oil. i don't think i've ever had an oil-based cleanser that i've whole-heartedly loved so would appreciate recs in that vein. from my understanding this cleanser was inbetween thickness of the deep cleansing oil/speedy cleansing oil? i think it was fine for getting off makeup and stuff... idk
• cosrx snail mucin power essence 🌇🌃 -- ...yeah
• cerave foaming facial cleanser 🌃 -- i'm just guy who uses boring cleansers i guess

stuff that i bought and didn’t work for me/am not currently using rn:

• missha soft finish sun milk: bought this cuz crys recommended it, it does have a nice matte finish (which i currently do not get from BOJ sunscreen lol) but unfortunately it leaves a bit of a whitecast ://// i ended up giving it away to someone in my dorm oops
• hada labo shirojyun premium whitening emulsion: for some reason i did not compute the fact that this was an emulsion and not a toner and now i’m really confused as to how to put this in my routine. it feels a little heavy along with my moisturizer but on its own it’s almost too light??? maybe i’ll get back to it during the fall idk…

UP NEXT:

• iunik centella calming gel cream -- just a slightly less basic moisturizer for the summer idk? tbh i never have crazy opinions about moisturizer it's just like... a step in my routine...
• blab matcha hydrating foam cleanser -- so excited to get my hands on this once i visit home during juneteenth weekend, got because miss stoplight was hyping up the smell :DD also cetaphil is ruining my life
• also requested some stuff from van for when she goes to korea but yeah… we’ll see… (manyo products/round lab sunscreen lmao u already know)

fyi just to clarify the thing that cleared up my acne was prescription spironolactone. skincare is a scam and even being on prescription tretinoin / clinamyacin for years didn’t really do much T__T struggles of hormonal acne or wtvr

MAKEUP:
looking back at my old pre-2023 makeup stuff is actually crazy because i feel like i went through such a concealer revolution over the past 6 months T__T (girl who has purchased 3 different concealers) i also started using a new highlighter and rediscovered a powder blush and acquired even more lip products for no reason. because yeah. wait all of this is so funny to read…

i need to get a new concealer!!! currently considering nars radiant creamy concealer or the hourglass vanish airbrush concealer.

—> the way i tried out both of these.

i don't get my eyebrows done/threaded but also adding that instant yearly +$300 surcharge to my life for maintenance of eyebrows makes me want to die.

—> ok getting my eyebrows done does not make me wanna die anymore especially since i realized i can mostly get away with tweezing at stuff when they go back… i think i’ve gotten them done around 3 times since the year has started which isn’t actually that much of an added expense in the scheme of things. so yay?

anyways, run-down of what a full face of makeup is for me!

1. nars soft matte concealer in toffee — GUYS WHY IS POT CONCEALER SO SERIOUS!!! like i knew that pot concealer was How People Spot Conceal but it’s actually crazy the extent to which pot concealer helps like…. smooth out/blur even things like texture… it’s not like to a crazy extent but for someone like me who doesn’t ever wear foundation or other base makeup it really makes a difference. really glad i bought this and i feel like it’ll last a long time… def worth the $$
2. hourglass vanish airbrush concealer in beech — really enjoy applying this to my undereyes. i use a beauty blender to blend everything out and i think the shade match works really well here where it’s brightening but doesn’t look like i tried to put fair&lovely on or anything like that n__n i'm starting to almost empty the travel-sized bottle i got and i'm probably going to repurchase this concealer!!! :D
3. milani baked blush in luminoso — rediscovered this POWDER BLUSH that i bought from amazon like last year and IT’S TRULY SO GOOD!!!! it truly converted me from being liquid blush glossier cloud paint enthusiast… and it’s so affordable too… and i prob wont hit pan until like 2027… i love this. i think one of the craziest discoveries of this year was realizing that coral actually looks quite good on me like there’s something about seeing an orangey-pink color in the pan that looks insane but on my skin… it isn’t too bad
4. rare beauty highlighter in enlighten — my colorpop highlighter finally disintegrated in transit so i caved and bought a tiktok product LMAO. it’s quite good and heavily pigmented, a little goes a long way, etc. i feel like this product is already talked about so often lol
5. essence lash princess mascara — ikyk
6. nyx tinted brow mascara in espresso — nothing has really changed here either… sometimes i consider changing my brow routine but if it ain’t broke don’t fix it i guess… 
7. nyx dewy setting spray — i love this setting spray because it’s affordable and melts everything together and has a fine enough mist to not be like, idk, water droplets on my face. i repurchased this and will continue to use this i think

one big change is that i no longer try to wear eyeliner on the regular lol it just stresses me out! still use the lakme eyeconic eyeliner felt tip for whenever i wanna be fancy though. and the peach c champagne eye glitter from yesstyle on my eyes… maybe i’ll master the art of eyeshadow one day but rn i am not one of god’s eyeshadow wearers

i also tried the nars radiant creamy concealer in custard and use it under my undereyes sometimes. unfortunately i feel like the shade-matching isn’t perfect/i got more tan over time so it’s a Little pale for my skin but i can blend it out and call it “brightening” or whatever. it’s a thinner and more liquidy formula so i feel like it doesn’t work as well with a beauty blender. i like applying it with my fingers but applying stuff to my undereye with my finger stresses me out (i have bad fine motor skills idk??) so i don’t end up using it that much.

not gonna go over every lip product i own because that would be crazy! but i will talk about the new ones i acquired over the past 5-6 months.

• peripera ink mood glowy tint in brown heaven — ngl the shade i got is kind of an L it’s “nude” but darkens my lips..?? the actual formula is good for reapplication and very moisturizing and smells super yum though
• etude house fixing tint in mellow peach — my friend gave this to me because she realized she wasn’t warm toned… it’s like kind of orange and insane but sometimes when i want to look like a coral baddie i will put this on and it kind of slays… not much to say about the actual fixing tint properties i mean it definitely stains my lips! it's also kind of drying though
• tower28 milky lip jelly in pistachio — gifted to me from the man who fked up my life - kiehl's lip balm #1 in mango — gifted to me from my sister because i told her about how the mango flavor wasn’t available online and when she went to nyc she pulled up to a kiehl’s and??? got one for me?? i love her. tbh the formula is like a little on the greasy side but i’m kind of into it/carry it around in my backpack to reapply before putting on a lip tint/gloss… also it’s the type of product that melts into liquid when it’s hot just fyi
• laniege lip mask in berry — bought this on sale from jolse for like $8 don’t @ me. anyways i think it does have really good overnight properties, i’m not sure if i would buy this for $20 though. also it smells super good but i’m also hella intrigued by all of the other flavors they have but i also own too many lip products and don’t want to drop $$ on fucking overnight lip masks. so yeah
• rohto mentholatum melty cream lip balm in milk vanilla — i think i have two of these now because they’re actually really good!! bought this due to epistolarymoon’s rec and i’m glad i have them in my arsenal, i often will apply this to my lips right before putting on a colored lip product. my one complaint is that the tube is smaller in size than a normal chapstick/burt’s bees/western chapstick container so it doesn’t fit in my chapstick holder in my keychain… otherwise this would be my Everyday Use lip balm

one last thing… soliciting recommendations for setting powder or whatever product it is that people use to like.. idk powder their face… after they put on makeup… yeah… i’ve been using innisfree no sebum powder but i hate the applicator and the fact that it’s a loose powder that will often randomly spill on my clothes

HAIRCARE:
guys i did not realize i had wavy hair. will continue to report more about this as I discover things but ummm trying curl cream for the first time last month was kind of life-changing. unfortunately i did not keep with my goals of growing my hair out though, i am just Dude Who Cannot Have Long Hair T___T but i’m excited to continue my ~wavy hair~ journey

• currently use the redken all soft shampoo & conditioner
• i’m proud owner of momori peach hair cream it’s just nice to put in my ends when they get a little dry… and it smells so good… and it makes my hair soft… etc
• the curl cream i use is hella random because my friend gifted it to me so i would appreciate any recs… unsure of anyone on my dreamwidth page who is a curly/wavy haired baddie but still

RANDOM:
i am not girl who likes scents and smells That much but i randomly bought sol de janeiro cheirosa 71 body spray during the sephora sale. sorry for having the taste of a middle schooler but i actually love how it smells and how it doesn’t really last that long @&(*&#*% it’s like… super nutty and buttery and yum… anyways i would appreciate budget perfume recs though!! i love smelling SWEET AND SUGARY!!

Comments

[lackingdaze]

HIIII <3 fully support your yesstyle group orders, what is friendship if strategically coordinating free shipping.... i feel like i got a preview of this post driving you back to the bay but still so happy to read it!!

i admire ur concealer exploration and omg. i tried the nars soft matte pot concealer at sephora and the texture was amazingggg. i was actually less impressed with the bobbi brown under eye corrector one that i was eyeing when i swatched it in stores (a bit too thick, might cling to under eye texture without primer), so i think i'm actually leaning towards the nars because i like how blendable it is. will update you if i rip off the bandaid and buy it (post-june)...

MILANI BLUSH IS SO SERIOUS. it will fs last to 2027 i had mine since middle school and i never hit pan...was so sad when it recently got k.o.'ed by checked bag manhandling

wait i'm doing this out of order let me backtrack onto SKINCARE. i think u should try the man:yo cleansing oil tbh.....i'm a big fan (maybe i can source a small bottle to bring back to you if they do some kind of multi-package deal at olive young). am intrigued by the cos de baha one you mentioned i'm always on the lookout for niacin amide stuff and the ordinary one kind of sucks. and good to know that you don't like the abib sun stick bc i was considering adding that to my buy list but i heard a lot of people say it's too greasy TT-TT some of us just want a sun stick we can put over makeup is that tew much to ask.....also surprised u don't like the missha sunscreen! it's an**'s holy grail sunscreen and i was contemplating on getting it, the texture seems nice but ya white cast....

as for perfume ummmm. i think you might like dedcool's taunt (bergamot + vanilla + amber) if u wanted to try out an indie perfume, i actually like it as well, it's very sweet and gourmand but mellows out nicely on the skin. also i smelled lust by lush recently and idk if u like the smell of jasmine tea but it was sooo nice. kind of sweet. feel like i don't have great recs bc we are on the opposite spectrum of perfume preferences but i support u.

excited to see ur on ur curly hair journey!!!! have a great slay summer <333

[strayion]

you have a chapstick holder in your keychain??? this is incredible. so fun reading this thank you for posting <333

[goaltender]

what i'm getting from this is that you love beauty of joseon should i invest... also i love the smell of laneige gummy bear so much but i already own too many glossier lip balms LOL

[stoplight]

hiiiii getting to this kind of late but excited nonetheless!!! sorry to hear that the missha sunscreen didn't work for you and impressed that the boj serum did? unfortunately i really didn't notice anything on my end. i hope im not overhyping the blab cleanser up too much but also i think almost anything will be better than your cetaphil one atm... fingers crossed <3

super impressed by ur makeup exploits btw i still use the too faced concealer i got way back when lmfaooo and then in terms of setting powder... since u already use the innisfree no sebum powder u know that it also comes in pact form too right? which makes the powder thing a non-issue. i'm personally eyeing the skinfood/eglips/wakemake ones but tbh i don't think you can really go wrong with any

[hwarium]

hi!! thank you for this I love reading makeup/skincare posts and this was really fun. I'm definitely going to look into suncreen sticks now.

Re oil cleanser I swear by DHC. I love how soft it leaves my skin while still getting rid of my strongest mascara (I've also tried the muji oil cleanser while travelling but its weakk). ash // rhodochrosite felt like it wasn't effective for them and prefers banila clean it zero cleansing balm. ymmv! (I do think DHC is the no.1 oil cleanser in Japan though if you have any history with locality)

Re setting powder: laura mercier translucent powder is the current darling in my circles (I'm sorry all of ones I know are in powder form - if you commute you can leave one at home and one at work/school?). Maybe you can try a setting spray + touch up with blotting paper throughout the day? Urban Decay All-Nighter has cult status but I haven't used it personally! I use the chinese brand Perfect Diary translucent powder + setting spray combo and it works really well.

all the best!!