Obsession: EOS Lip Balms

One of my greatest pet peeves is chapped lips! I am well known to have some kind of lip balm stashed at every location I can possibly think of, bathroom, car, office, purse, coffee table, bedside table....etc. Unfortunately, my lips are very sensitive and most lip balm, gloss, or lipstick will cause my lips to inflame and chaff. It has been a tedious journey to find a lip balm that would not reactive to my lips and I have found it in EOS' lip balms. They come in a variety of fruity flavors, works wonders at keeping my lips well moisturize, and hold up well in the heat. My only qualm with it is it is quite bulky, which makes its portability a little difficult if I want to head out with just a small clutch or no purse at all. Other than that, I can not live without these lip balms!

 Have you discovered these wonderful beauties and if so, what is your favorite flavor?

~Hong

Obsession: The GAP's Shimmer Cheek Stick

I was out and about one weekend with my husband when he was gracious enough to suffer through some outlet shopping with me! As I prepared to checkout at the Gap Outlet, some good deals on creme shimmer cheek sticks caught my eyes. I am a huge fan of creme blushes simply because my skin is on the drier side pretty much all year round so these types of blushes provide me with a little more hydration than a powder one would.

The color pay off is absolutely beautiful, it blends well, and has nice staying power. To top it off, you cannot beat the sale price of about $5.00 (I'm not sure what the regular price is, but I think it was $9.99) for the amount of product you get. Although the name of this shimmer stick is Bronze Babe, it is actually more of a mauve hue that gives a natural flush to my cheeks. I also purchased a coral one, but I have yet to break into it although I am pretty certain I will love it too!

 So next you guys stop by a GAP Outlet, keep your eyes out for these beauties. If you pick up a stick, let me know what you think!

~Hong

Obsession: Clinque's Take the Day Off

After a long, hard day at work, I must admit that the first thing I want to do when I arrive home is to take it off! My make-up that is ;) I have been searching for a decent make-up remover for quite some time. My ultimate goal was to find one that would take off both my face and eye make-up, especially waterproof eyeliner and mascara. I am not a very patient person, so having to stand there while my eye cleanser soaked then reach for another remover to take off my foundation was just not working for me. Particularly, when I am still left with eye-makeup residue after all that effort. I even reached a point where I stopped wearing any make-up on my eyes just to avoid having to take it off at the end of the day! That was how irritated I felt.

My other issue was finding a cleanser that worked with my eczema prone, sensitive and extremely dry skin. I know this seems like a lot to ask, but I was bound and determine to find it. After countless hours of researching online and talking to beauty and department stores, I stumbled on Clinique's Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm:

I have been using it now for almost five months and I can not live without it! Reasons why I will purchasing this cleansing balm over and over again:

• Takes off both eye and face make-up
• Effect against waterproof make up
• Gentle on the skin
• Non-greasy, non-drying
• Does not irritate or cause me to breakout 
• Starts as a solid and becomes an oil
• Easy to use
• A little goes a long way
• Reasonably priced

Definitely a must try if you are looking for an all in one make-up remover!

~Hong

Winterize My Skin-Part 3

For the last part of my winter skincare series, I will talk about what I reach for to keep my body and lips soft and silky during these winter months. My biggest pet peeve are moisturizers that leave a greasy residue. Not only do they make me feel slick, but also everything I touch. I just can't stand that! One particular ingredient that I tend to gravitate to is shea butter. From my experience, it tends to absorb quickly while leaving my skin nice and hydrated. The best time to apply body lotion is right after you step out of the shower, while your skin is still slightly damp. This helps lock in the moisture. My two favorite body lotions are Gold Bond Ultimate's Softening Skin Therapy Lotion Shea Butter and Bath and Body Works' Triple Moisture Body Cream.

The Gold Bond Ultimate's Shea Butter will take care of ANY dry skin! I usually use it from my neck down, avoiding my face just because I have very sensitive skin. This lotion contains a multitude of vitamins and peptides, penetrates quickly, and is not overwhelmed with a perfume scent. Most importantly, it is not greasy! It will keep my skin soft and hydrated even after my next shower. If I am diligent at using this moisturizer every other day after a shower, I can guarantee to ward off any dry skin during the winter!

The Bath and Body Works Triple Moisture Body Cream is also a great body moisturizer. It is made with conditioning milk proteins, rice bran oil, and acai berry extract. This body cream is suppose to provide deep hydration for a good 24-hours while being non-greasy. I do believe it lives up to its promise and there is an endless array of scents to choose from. My favorites are Twilight Woods, Japanese Cherry Blossom, Country Chic, and P.S. I Love You. The fragrance of these body creams are nice, but also very mild and light. Although the triple moisture body cream is hydrating, for persistent dry skin, I usually reach for my Gold Bond Ultimate.

Yes, body lotion can be used to moisturize your hands, but my favorite hand cream is Bath and Body Works' True Blue Spa, Shea Cashmere & Silk Hand Cream. They advertise it has ultra-moisturizing, non-greasy, absorbs quickly with a blend of almond blossom, vanilla and sandalwood. This hand cream literally melts in my hands and as soon as I rub in it, it is absorbed and does not feel greasy at all! It makes my hands unbelievably soft! This is a must for anyone who has to wash their hands frequently as a part of their job or for those living in states that are freezing and dry during the winter months. With this hand cream, there will be no dry, cracked skin for me in the winter!

Dry, cracked, and flaky lips are just plain gross and annoying! It is a particular a problem for me in the winter since we live in a cold, dry state. My secret to soft, smooth lips is Fresh's Sugar Lip Treatment and Eucerin's Aquaphor Lip Repair. The Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment has added SPF 15, moisture preserving sugar, oils, along with antioxidants that are meant to keep your lips hydrated for 6 hours. I also like how it has a twist action to remove the top, allowing you to then twist up the product itself to be used. This prevents it from being accidentally being twisted up in your purse or pocket and destroying your chapstick! It is very hydrating without making my lips feel greasy or sticky and has a refreshing lemon scent. However, it is a little pricey.


The Eucerin's Aquaphor Lip Repair is marketed to provide relief for dry, cracked, irritated lips by sealing in moisture and conditioning the lips. It also has shea butter, vitamins, and chamomile as well as being fragrance, preservative, and dye free! Let's just say, I will not be facing another winter without this lip repair! I can honestly say that my lips have been smooth and soft since I started using it 3 months ago.

Another trick I use to care for my lips is exfoliating them in the shower. I wait till my lips are wet and I use a moist washcloth to gently rub my lips and remove any dry skin. Once I hop out of the shower, I immediately moisturize my lips as I do with my body. I also make a very conscious effort to not lick my lips, which leads to drying and chaffing.

So these are just a few body and lip products I depend on to get me through the winter. I hope they give you a few ideas to help with keeping you moisturized during these cold months!

~Hong

Winterize My Skin-Part 2

In Winterize My Skin-Part 1, I talked about my favorite exfoliators, cleansers, acne treatments, and face mask. In Part 2, I am going to let you in on my favorite moisturizer both face and eyes along with some awesome foundation options that I reach for particularly in the winter.

Keeping my skin hydrated is a difficult task in the winter. My skin can be extremely dry, so flaking is a constant issue. I'm also a firm believer of using anti-aging products even at a young age as a preventive measure for the future, but my sensitive skin can easily get irritated by retinol, peptides, amino acids, vitamins and other anti-aging ingredients. Right before Thanksgiving, I bought Clinique's Repair and Lift Set. It includes Clinique's repairwear laser focus, uplifting cream, and intense eye cream. This is one of the best set of skincare I have ever tried! Every piece in this set is amazing!


The repairwear laser focus is formulated with enzymes to help with wrinkles and correct UV damage. Just 2-3 drops is enough for adequate coverage and is safe to use for both the face and eyes. Thankfully, I don't currently have any wrinkles, but this is not irritating, is great with hydrating my skin and hopefully will discourage wrinkles from creeping up on me. I use the laser focus at night and the uplifting firming cream for my face and the intensive eye cream during the day. The repairwear uplifting firming cream and the intensive eye cream are very thick and once again, hydrating. After only a week of use, I noticed an increase in firmness of my overall skin along with brightening the area around my eyes. This really is an excellent, affordable, skincare set.

Kukui Oil

For really dry patches, I use Kukui Oil. It was given to me by a friend after her return from Maui. It is meant for dry skin, sunburn, eczema, and psoriasis. I usually use it at night since it is quite thick and makes my skin shiny. This oil works great at soothing the redness and dry patches from my eczema without clogging my pores or breaking me out.

Dry skin can make it difficult to achieve an even and flawless skin when applying foundation. The foundation may settle into the crevices created an uneven and patch appearance. For days when my skin is flaky, after using the Clinique repairwear uplifting firming cream, I apply Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer spf 20. Since it is a moisturizer, it hydrates without clinging to the dry skin. Although it is a sheer foundation, it is buildable and does well with covering slight redness.

Laura Mercier's Tinited Moisturizer in Sand

For areas of hyperpigmentation or extreme redness, I use Kat Von D's Tattoo Concealer. A little goes a long. It stays put all day and will cover anything! Also, like the tinted moisturizer, it does not enhance my dry skin, blends well and can be worn on its own on days when I am in a hurry. Best concealer ever!

The theme for all these products is they work with my dry, combination, sensitive, acne, and eczema prone skin. They are great at hydrating my skin as well as disguising the redness associated with my eczema. I hope you give some of these products a try and let me know how they work for you!

~Hong

Winterize My Skin-Part 1

This will be a series of how I care for my skin during the winter season. I initially started off thinking it will be one post, but quickly realized it will be way to long. So Part 1, will focus on my favorite exfoliators, cleansers, acne treatment, and face mask.

For my entire life, I have dealt with sensitive, dry, acne and eczema prone skin. Unfortunately, my eczema has only become worse with age to the point where steroids are warranted during periods of severe exacerbation. So I tend to be very hesitant about trying new skincare because there is no middle ground. My skin either reacts really well or in extreme protest that will literally last for months without relief! The winter months are particularly hard on my skin. The low pressure, and the dry cold air can be very difficult for my skin to adapt to. Although my tempermental skin has been a challenge, there are a few products that have been a life saver as we struggle through these winter months.

Exfoliators

Being meticulous about exfoliating my skin has been the key to controlling the flakiness of my dry skin. My two favorite exfoliators are St Ives' Blemish Control Green Tea Scrub, and Clinique's 7 Day Scrub Cream.

I absolutely love the St. Ives' Blemish Control Green Tea Scrub! I use it about 2-3 times a week in the shower. Not only is it an excellent exfoliator, it is also meant to clear up acne and help with redness. It is oil-free and contains salicylic acid, which is a gentle acne treatment ingredient. The exfoliating beads are large, but not too coarse or rough. To top it off, it smells amazing! I believe it has kept me skin fairly clear and soothe d some of the redness created by my eczema.  After using it to exfoliate my face, I take what is left in my hands and quickly exfoliate my hands as well. I always look forward to freshening up my skin in the shower with this scrub.

On days where I just need a gentle exfoliator, I use Clinique's 7 Day Scrub Cream. It's very creamy and the exfoliating beads are not as large, coarse or as abundant as the St Ive's. I use it when I feel like my skin needs a pick me up, but not a deep exfoliation. Hence, it is effective without being harsh on my skin. Clinque is also known for being hypoallergenic and 100% fragrance free so there is no overwhelming perfume scent. 

Cleansers/Acne

My current favorite cleanser is Clinique's Liquid Facial Soap Mild. It is made for dry combination skin and is extremely gentle. It is wonderful at removing my face as well as eye makeup without making my skin feel tight and dry afterwards. I tend to switch back and forth from this cleanser and Clinique's Acne Solutions Cleansing Foam. Particularly during that time of the month when my skin is more acne prone, I will use the acne solutions cleansing foam to ward off any breakouts. Similar to the liquid facial soap, the acne solution cleansing foam does not dry out my skin, is gentle and does help to control my acne. I wouldn't say it has kept my skin completely acne-free, but it definitely has kept my breakouts to a minimum. 

For those pesky cystic or persistent acne, Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion is my life-saver. I apply it directly to my acne and let it dry before I head to bed. This is literally a miracle lotion! I usually see a significant difference in the size and redness of the pimple when I wake up in the morning. I will also apply it when I feel the beginning of a pimple erupting which most of the time will take care of the pimple altogether. Not only is it good for acne treatment, but also to fade blemishes and dark spots. However, as the name indicates, it is very drying! So I use it sparingly in the winter.

Face Mask

In this category, there is no competition. I solely use Queen Helene's Mint Julep Masque. I use it about once a week and it is meant to dry up acne, eliminate blackheads, and shrink your pores. The mint gives my skin a nice cool and tingling sensation, which I love. I don't think I use it enough to see a difference in my acne or blackheads, but my skin definitely feels soft and smooth after using it. I don't use it too often because just using it once a week, I can tell it would really dry out my skin if I used it more frequently. Still, it is an awesome face mask!

These are a few products that have made a difference in my skin. Keep in mind, I am not a dermatologist and what works for me, may not work for you. I hope these recommendations give you a few things to think about trying that may help you like they've helped me. Stay tuned for Part 2, where I'll talk about products I use to keep my skin nice and moisturize.

~Hong