My Spring Skincare Routine 2014 for Sensitive Hormonal Combination Skin

Hello Hello!
   When I made my winter skincare routine, I mentioned that I change up my skincare depending on the season. That's based on my belief that your skin need different things in different seasons. For instance, in the winter, my skin need a lot more moisture in than in the summer months since it gets very humid where I live. In light of that, here is my spring morning and nighttime skincare regime.

Morning:

Cleansing-

When I wake up, generally my t-zone is oily, since I generally use a thicker moisturizer when I sleep, and also my room gets very warm. So I start the day of with a pore face wash. The one I like right now is The Saem's Silky Pore Foam Scrub, which i work into a lather with a makeup brush that is thoroughly cleaned and has been my token foamer for the past couple months. I like this face wash because it has little exfoliating beads, but it doesn't aggravate the surface of my face. It leaves the skin completely cleaned and fresh, which is important to me because having a slick face, really isn't my fav.

Essence-

I love my A'Pieu Nonco Essence, because it has tea tree oil, which helps to keep my skin in line. I have sensitive/combination/acne, so I always need something that is going to be good for all of those needs. I appreciate it mostly, because it gives my skin nice hydration without making it feel oily. A+ for the naturally wonderful scent of Tea Tree Oil (: I just apply it with my finger tips over the surface of my face

Moisturize-

My skin needs SPF and soothing during these sunny months. Also I've been trying out this Say Yes to Cucumbers moisturizer that does both of those. It is nice, but it does leave a white cast to the skin, so I like to take probably 1/4 a pump into my palm and pat it into the skin to avoid that ghost look, that comes with SPF moisturizers.


Night:

Makeup Removal-

Generally if I have gone anywhere that day, I'm wearing some form of makeup, so I like to use cleansing oils to get rid of all of it. I'm loving the Innisfree Juicy Green Apple Cleansing Oil, because it's so perfect with removing all your makeup and leaving your pores super happy and your skin feels so soft! I actually got my best friend hooked on the stuff after she slept over my house after Spring Formal. I just massage two pumps of this all over my face.

Cleansing-

At night, I like to be really gentle with my skin and really pamper it, to prepare it for another long day ahead of me, so I've been using the Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser because its so nice to my skin. It cleanses without stripping my skin of it's natural oils. I like to take a pump of this and massage it over my wet face, for lots of moisture intake.

Treatment-

Since I have hormonal acne, I've been prescribed Adapalene, which is a Rx prescription topical treatment that really kicks acne in the you know what. But, it can make your skin really peely and red, so I mix it in with the Nonco essence and apply it all over the surface of my skin.

Moisturize-

I like to use a slightly thicker moisturizer at night, but I can't do cream ones, so I opt for a gel based one instead. I really like the Garnier Dew Over moisturizer, because my skin soaks it up really fast and it leaves my skin feeling nice and not over moisturized. Over moisturization can lead to breakouts and clogged up pores, which I definitely  don't want. So I take a little on one of my finger tips and put a little dot on my cheeks, forehead and chin. I then blend it in my gently massaging it into my skin.


Once in a while:

Scrub-

Every other day, I like to indulge in a facial scrub with the St. Ives Apricot Scrub. I really like this because, I'm very big on that whole apricot kernel feel. It leaves my skin much softer and smoother, so I'm a fan. I generally use it at night time, when I'm in the shower after I've cleansed my face.

Sleeping Pack-

On days that I use a facial scrub, I use a sleeping pack to help nourish the new skin. I've been using the Banila Co. The Black 17 Sleeping Pack, because it helps to soothe, brighten, tighten and perfect the skin. I just apply it the same as I do my moisturizer. Plus it makes me feel like little skincare ninja's are taking care of my skin while I'm sleeping :)

Clay Pack-

Once a week, I like to do a clay mask to draw out the impurities in my skin, and lately I've been liking the Freeman's Super Fruit Skin Clearing mask. It really helps to dry up any spots and leaves my skin soft and detoxed. I go between this one and the Aztec Indian Healing mask.

    That's all! I hope that you enjoyed this, if you did make sure to +1 this and follow me. Hopefully soon I'll begin filming again, but for now, I'm blogging. If you have any questions or comments, leave it in the comment section, and I'll see ya'll next time!!
xoxo,
Gracie ^.^

Song Of This Post-
Memory ft. Chris Brown- Asher Monroe

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Innisfree Eco Green Tea BB Cream Review

Hi!
     I know the rest of the world is on a CC cream kick, but I love my BB creams. I think that they are better fitted for my skin type. And since it's summer where I live, I'm too dark for my CC creams right now. I'm not into the pale trend. I'd much rather be tanned. That being said, I've been trying out new BB creams lately, and I stumbled across this Innisfree one. Okay, TBH I had been looking at this for 3 months on my Amazon wishlist.So I went ahead and purchased it, and have been using it for about a month now. I like to give myself sometime to try stuff out before I give it my final seal of approval.

Price:
     I got mine for about $10, but the priced has increased since then to $12.67. If you are using an Amazon seller, then I totally recommend A-Poly or Emunah for the best service  and samples!! Although the initial price might look different, when you add in the shipping and handling, their is barely any difference. I prefer A-Poly to Emunah just because I really like their service, but both are equally good.

Packaging:
     Okay they did change the packaging from a pump container to a squeeze container, which I don't mind because you can get more product out of a squeeze bottle. Although, the pump is more hygienic, it does have the same amount of product, so don't feel copped out of product. I prefer the squeeze type, but I do like the look of pumps. Storage is a lot easier without the pump which is a bonus. I like the feel of the product as well. It has that Nars soft matte packaging feel, and it's very simple and sleek.

Product:
     This is a thicker type BB cream, especially good for dry skin, although it is suitable for all skin types. When I just apply it with a brush, it feels kind of thick on my skin, but then again, I generally apply it with my fingers or with a damp beauty blender. At first it feels thicker, but then it sits really nicely on the surface of your skin afterwards. And yes it is very moisturizing, and since I have combination skin, that can be a good and a bad thing. It is a natural finish, but if you live in a more humid climate, it becomes dewy after awhile. It might just be because of my skin type though.

Scent:
    It smells like a musky version of Green Tea, like you had steeped it for too long. I actually like scents like this because they seem more natural to me, which is a big deal to me. I hate it when I feel like I'm caking chemicals on my face. So I find this scent very refreshing.

Claims:

•  100% natural origin ingredients giving your skin a firmer feel, without heaviness, even after the makeup is gone.
• Pure Jeju Green Tea fills the skin with a clean air moisture to give the skin a natural radiance.
• Conceals dark spots and problem areas, with smooth natural powder, giving the skin a brightened finish without darkness.

Ingredients:
     Purified water, titanium dioxide, dicaprylyl ether, dicaprylyl triglyceride, propanediol, polyglyceryl-2 dipolyhydroxy-stearate, zinc oxide (CI 77947), sorbitan isostearate, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, trihydroxydtearin, silica, camellia sinensis seed oil, oryza sativa (rice) powder, lauroyl lysine, sodium chloride, polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate, alumina, stearic acid, coco-caprylate/caprate, glyceryl caprylate, iron oxides (CI 77419), iron oxides (CI 77491), iron oxides (CI 77492), fragrance

Ingredients I like:
Coconut Oil: Is full of antioxidants and vitamins. It works as an emollient, softening and soothing the skin and helps acne or acne scars fade faster. It also provides long lasting hydration to the skin.

Rice Powder: Rice contains a high PABA which is a natural sunscreen as well as Ferulic Acid, which is high in antioxidants and vitamin C and E.  It has Allotin in it which has anti inflammatory properties, which is great for acne and sunburns. Rice Powder also helps to brighten and lighten the skin.

Camellia Seed Oil: Is great for sun protection for your skin. It is a transdermal carrier of cell rebuilding nutrients as well as collagen and biotin compounds into the skin which repairs the damage done by the sun, aging and dryness.

What I like:
    I'm a big fan of the flawless, natural coverage of this product. The smell is simple and clean, which as you know I appreciate. I also really like that it's organically based  ingredients from Jeju island. It's nice to know that I'm not coating my face with a huge amount of chemicals and parabens, which is refreshing for a change. Also, the box it comes in is made out of recycled material and is printed with soy ink. Overall I like this BB cream, it goes on very nice with the finger tips, which is great because if you travel, you won't have to carry a million brushes with you. 

What I don't Like:
    When you don't apply this with your fingers, it can be rather difficult to blend. I like the consistency, but it can feel a little thick when you first apply it, but it goes away after a couple minutes once it oxidizes into my skin. I also wish that there was a bit broader of a color range, but I generally look best in the first shade with a darker powder over top to get my perfect skin tone.

Overall Rating: 4/5

    I hope you all enjoyed this review. I know that I haven't been doing as many lately, but I have a bunch of new products I'm going to be sharing my thoughts on soon. If you have any request of products you'd like to have reviewed, leave it to me in the comment section. I'll see ya'll next time!
Gracie ^.^

Song of this Post-
Fallingforyou- The 1975

→EMAIL ME @←✉BUSINESS INQUIRIES ONLY PLEASE!✉graceashipley@gmail.com

4Minute Jihyun Whatcha Doin' Today Makeup Tutorial

Hi!
    Okay, I wanted to get in one more tutorial this week since, I feel like a should make up for my month long absence. Today I went to the Cleveland Asian Festival, and got to practice my Korean, and eat amazing Kimchi and Bulgolgi. Also they had this really good coconut and cranberry pastry that was soooo good and flaky. Do you know what it's called? Anyway, if you couldn't already tell, this is a makeup tutorial for the look Jihyun was sporting in 4minute's new music video. It's fresh and pink, which as you might already know, I love the color pink. So without any super long intro, here it is everyone!

1. The first step is to apply a base. I like to use a pink toned base to make my skin paler. Over top of that I applied a BB cream that is more like a foundation, with my finger tips.

2. Next Fill in your eyebrows with your choice brow powder.
3. Apply an eye primer over your lid to make the colors pop, and to create a barrier between your eyelid and the color.

4. Take a cream colored eye shadow to your eyelid with a fluffy brush to create a base.

5. Apply a shimmery light pink cream or stick shadow over your lower eyelid extending it on the sides in a round edge to the lower lash line.

6. Apply a similar pink shade over top of the pink cream/ stick shadow to set it and give it a more matte appearance.

7. Apply a hot pink eyeliner over your lower and upper lash line to give your eyes a pop of color.

8. Apply a thin line of black liquid liner to your upper lash line.

9. Curl your eyelashes and apply a thin coat of your favorite volumizing mascara.

10. Take a light pink shimmery blush and apply it lightly on the apples of the cheeks, sweeping to the outer portion of your face. Make sure its not too intense so that the focus remains on the eyes.

11. Put two dots of sparkly eye liner on your cheekbones. The glitter eyeliner should have some pink tones to it.

12. Take that hot pink liner from earlier and apply over your lips.
13. And lastly apply a light purple y pink over top of the hot pink, to give your lips a sweeter look.

    That's all for today! I hope you all enjoyed this tutorial, if you have any requests for tutorials you'd like to see, then leave me a message in the comments and I will see ya'll next time!
Gracie ^.^

Song of This Post:
Whatcha Doin' Today- 4Minute

D.I.Y Skin Clearing Facial Scrub

Hiya Kids,
    As the title clearly states (haha I'm so punny...), this is another D.I.Y. for ya'll. The summer time is coming and I know that everyone wants clearer skin and to be relieved of that post school stress. I know that for me, with school ending in a week and the crazy study sessions I've been going through at 1:30 AM for my Korean studies, this scrub is the perfect pick me up after a stressful day. Whether your stressed about school, acne, boys ( i know, it's tough), work, really anything can get you down honestly, this will help you have a little more peace of mind. 맑은 피부는 이제 시작!

What you'll need:

Why?

Green Tea- Green Tea is great for sun protection because it helps block free radicals that come from the sun. These free radicals can hyper pigmentation and dark pigmentation on the skin. If you have Psoriasis, green tea helps by soothing the skin and reducing redness and also helps slow down the placebo. Green Tea also helps for anti-aging because of all the wonderful antioxidants. In the summer I love adding green tea into things. It helps to purify the skin and keep your skin from the aging that happens when you sit in the sun. Plus if you get sunburned , it soothes it and reduces the appearance of any redness. Need I say more?

Jasmine- Jasmine is one of those flowers that can really help to reduce stress, by releasing a chemical reaction that boosts your energy and also reduce stress and anxiety. Also, when applied to the skin can help to clarify and soothe the skin because it is a natural antiseptic and antibiotic. Jasmine also helps protect the skin from the environment and harmful pollutants. Jasmine helps to restore the skins natural elasticity and balance out the skin and provide moisture back into the skin. Perfect for in the summer time when we tend to get more oily and can confuse that with moisture.

Sugar- Sugar is the "It" ingredient for a good scrub, and also my personal favorite way to exfoliate. It doesn't clog the pores, and it helps to balance out the skins oil levels. What is so great about sugar is that it is gentle enough for sensitive skin as well, since the grains are so small and soft. Which is great for if your have a sunburn on your face, or your skin tend to breakout easily.

Honey- The best natural antibacterial ingredient EVER. Honey is amazing for treating acne, because of its antibacterial properties and cam also help prevent it. It helps with anti-ageing because like green tea, it's chalk full of antioxidants. Honey also helps boost the complexion, giving the skin a glowing look, and it clarifies the pores and helping to make them easier to clean up. Yeah, I love honey.

Directions:

1. The first step is simple. Make a cup of tea, and allow it to steep for a couple minutes. Of course you should drink the tea ASAP because it's amazing. I'm using the Healing Teas of the World in China Green Tea Jasmine flavor. It's magical.

2. Next take the tea bag out and squeeze out the remaining tea into a small plastic container. This will help make the scrub easier to mix, later on.

3. Take the tea bag and cut it open.

4. Pour the tea grinds from the bag into the small container. Try to get as much of it out as possible, the more, the merrier.

5. Pour the sugar over the tea grinds

6. Mix the tea grinds and sugar until it looks somewhat blended. There shouldn't be any spots where there just sugar or tea.

7. Pour in the honey and blend it all together into a thick paste.

8. Yay!! All done


Before/After

    I hope you all enjoyed this D.I.Y. It is so simple and so effective. I hope that this helps you in some way. If you make it, share your experience with me in the comments. Also, if you have any questions leave it in the comment section as well (; Okay, that's it for today! I know it's a shorter post, but hey, sometimes shorter is better (my height is proof of that lol). I'll see you next time!!
Gracie ^.^

Song of this post:
Elevate- St. Lucia

2ne1Dara Come Back Home Makeup Tutorial

Hello!
    I know, I know. I've been gone for such a long time ya'll probably forgot all about me :( But, I'm back and with my school wrapping up for the year, Over the summer I should have a lot more time to blog. For the past few weeks, I've had play practice everyday and I've also been participating in the
TIU Bikini Series this year, and between working out, drama, and catching up on some anime's (I'm currently loving Nagi No Asukara or a Lull in the Sea), I haven't had time to blog. I have so many K-Pop tutorials I want to do, so be prepared for an overdose of K-Pop for the next upcoming posts. Anyway, today, I'm finally getting to do Dara's makeup look from the Come Back Home teaser. If you haven't heard the song yet..... who are you? lol . The music video is really intricate and well thought out. Of course the vocals are phenomenal. Cl's wrapping is right on the T and Minzy's dancing is of course ah-mazing! Dara is definitely my favorite though, and not just because she's Thunder from MBLAQ's sister. So without further ado, here it is:

Face:

Eyes:

Lips:

    That's it! I hope ya'll enjoyed this tutorial. Tell me what you think of this new setup, if you like it or not, ya know how it works (; I'll see you guys soon with some colorful tutorials like Charming Purple Point Makeup and Fresh Pink Point Makeup. Get excited! Laters!
Gracie ^.^

Finished Look:

Song of this Post:
Come Back Home- 2ne1

Go Ara Makeup Tutorial ~ 고아라 메이크업 자습서 (eng.)

Hi!
     Okay in my opinion, one of the prettiest actresses in Korea is Go Ara. She is in one of my unnie Seulah's favorite drama, Reply 1994. With that in mind, the weather here is getting warmer, which means that I don't wear tons of makeup, because I really don't like my skin to feel heavy at all. So that means that this tutorial is going to be lighter than normal, since that's the way Go Ara's makeup is anyway. Since the weather is getting warmer, I've been running outside and getting some glorious sunshine! So in my next post I might be a little darker, but since its still early, don't expect anything too amazing ^.^

Face-

Step 1~ Prime

     Go Ara has perfect looking skin and her pores are invisible. To get the same effect of a poreless finish, I'm using the Maybelline Baby Skin Primer. I'm really excited that I was able to get this in America, since it is originally from the Thai Maybelline, so I was really excited to see this at Walmart last week (a haul will be uploaded soon to my youtube). I patted the primer into the areas where my pores are the largest and then massaged it into the rest of my face. For me, my pores are largest along my T-Zone.

Step 2~ Powder

     I know what you're thinking, why am I applying powder before my foundation? I'm using this method to give me a natural finish for my foundation and give my skin a gorgeous glow, with oil control. I swept the Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder all over my face and then again over my T-Zone to give me better coverage for that area.

Step 3~ Foundation

     This is probably one of my new favorite base products. It's a really nice watery type foundation that feels weightless on your skin, while giving you the prettiest look to your skin, so I'm pretty addicted to it right now. I put some of the Shiseido Sheer and Perfect Foundation onto the back of my hand, and then with my fingertips, pat it on the skin. This will help the foundation to blend into your skin better.

Step 4~ Conceal

     The first concealer I'm using is for blemishes. This stuff is no joke, and a little goes a long way, and it covers really nicely. Since I was on my monthly during this tutorial, I had some acne along my chin and jaw line, so I used the Hard Candy Glamoflauge Heavy Duty Concealer on any areas that were irritating me, since Go Ara has perfect skin.

Eyes-

Step 1~ Brows

      Go Ara has gorgeous eyebrows, so I'm just going to fill mine in with the Etude House Perfect Brow Kit and an angled brush for precision. Ara's brows are really nice and full, and unfortunately I hadn't plucked when I took these pictures, please no judging :P so I used a darker brow powder on them this time.

Step 2~ Primer

    Okay, priming is super important! Especially to make the colors stand out and last longer. My favorite, go-to primer right now is the Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer, because it makes my lids nice and silky, ready for the color.

Step 3~ Shade

     I'm going to start off this eye look with a matte light brown from the Sleek Au Naturel I-Divine Palette called Cappuccino over my eyelid, going no further than the crease.

      Then in the crease, I'm applying this medium brown shade from the L'Oreal Cupa Joe Eyeshadow Quad. This will give the look some definition.

     In the inner corners, I applied this color called Nougat, to give the eyes a subtle wide awake look. This shade is also from the Au Naturel palette.

     The last shade, is called Bark and is from the Au Naturel palette. I'm applying this to the outer corners of my eye line and extending it outwards to give my eyes a similar look to the wing that Ara is sporting in the picture.

Step 4~ Line

     I'm using the L'Oreal Lacquer Liner, to accentuate my eyes and create a slight wing along the outside and also tight line with this, to make my lashes appear fuller.

Step 5~ Lash

     For my lashes, I applied a thin coat of the Nature Republic So Big Curling Mascara evenly along my lashed. Since this mascara has a tendency to clump, I also ran a lash comb through the mascarad lashes.

Cheeks-

Step 1~ Bronzer

     I'm just going to apply this to the hollows of my cheeks and on my temples for some contouring since Go Ara has a really nice V line, this will help me to achieve this look. Here I'm using the Physicians Formula Bronze Booster for Light to Medium skin tones.

Step 2~ Blusher

     I'm then going to apply a little bit of the Innisfree Romantic Pink blush on the outer portion of my cheeks, right above where I contoured to add some warmth to the face. I applied this with a really light hand to make it very subtle. I applied it more to the apple's of my cheeks to give this look a fresh faced appearance.

Lips-

Step 1~ Conceal

    I have really pigmented lips, so before applying my lip butter, I'm just concealing my lips with the Aritaum Wannabe Cushion Lip Concealer in Clair. This really helps me when I need to do a nude like, because it really helps to get rid of pigmentation really well.

Step 2~ Glaze

     Lastly, I'm going to apply the Korres Lip Butter Glaze in Laurel over top of the concealer, to give the lips a plump, moisturized look that Go Ara wears in this look.

Finished Look-

     Okay!! That's it! I have been putting off this post for way to long, but now, I decided that I would show you my interpretation of this look. I love it because it's very natural and wearable. I actually sport this look a lot right now since it's phazing me into my summer look. I hope you guys enjoyed oh and really quick update! I finally finished Heirs! I know it took me almost four month's to get to the end. It was really good and I mostly enjoyed the beginning and the end of it. I started watching My Love from the Star (별에서 온 그대 ) and I am already addicted it! I love it so much!! I adore Jeon Ji Hyeon and her makeup during the show. Expect a tutorial for her soon! Have a great day!
Gracie ^.^

                                                              How About You?

    Okay, so this is a picture I took for this tutorial, but since it was blurry, I couldn't use it. But for some reason, I really like it because I think it's kind of artistic in its blurriness. What do you think? 

Song of this post:

Growing Pains 2- Cold Cherry

  →EMAIL ME @←

✉BUSINESS INQUIRIES ONLY PLEASE!✉graceashipley@gmail.com