My Current Obsession - Doctor D. Schwab Controlling Cream

 I previously struggled with bad acne, scars and much more! My skin just wouldn't stop breaking out for the past two years and thankfully, returning to New York has helped with that. In addition to having a great dermatologist who provided immediate treatment, she suggested Doctor D. Schwab's Controlling Cream which really helps me in terms of breakouts. In the beginning, I would use it everyday to control the skin, which reduced to once every two days and now I don't even need to use it. The best part is I still have remaining cream which helps with my wallet! With application, there is a bit of a cooling sensation so be gentle with the eye area.

For anyone who is struggling with oily skin and breakouts, this is one thing that will help to control those blemishes! It's very light on the skin which is great for anyone who is like me, struggling with extremely sensitive skin and even psoriasis! The cream is enriched with vitamins, botanical ingredients and has oil-control which helps to clear the blemishes without clogging your pores. This is one product product I recommend and will purchase again, if needed.

Product Review - CNP Laboratory Anti-Blemish Spot Pads

This tear dropped anti-blemish spot pads is a pad with injected medication used to treat troubled skin. For those with acne and pimples in the bigger cheek area, it is suggested to be placed on clean skin for 5-10 minutes. The medication will soak into the skin and work its magic to reduce the number of pimples and the visibility of actual pimples on the face. After 5-10 minutes, the soaked pads can be used to swipe across the face to prevent and minimize breakouts all over the face. It worked extremely well overnight and reduced the pimples on my face, but I don't suggest using it for more than 5 minutes if you have sensitive skin like myself. 

My Current Obsession - Face Shop Deep Care Gel

This gentle deep care gel is able to penetrate into the skin overnight, fighting acne and leaving you with clearer in the morning. I am happy that it only takes one night to see the difference on my face. More importantly, it is compatible with extremely sensitive skins. This clear gel can be used on dry patches such as eczema and psoriasis, helping to reduce the visible marks, providing a duo for the skin. It is less harsh than topical creams and is great for all skin types, even soft enough for babies. I am a big fan of this product and suggest it to all!

Being that the product is "good for babies" it is actually soft enough to put on the skin. Be sure to use it at night away from the sun because it can leave the skin red when under the sun. It is a product that I will buy again, especially for over the counter product that you do not need a prescription for. It works especially well with my sensitive skin and psoriasis which is a big surprise because it helps to reduce the marks on my face.

Beauty Pick Me Up - Face Shop Vitamin Power Essential C

Packaging is one thing that automatically catches my eyes and makes me interested in the product. This Vitamin Water resemblance toner comes in three different forms with the selection of Vitamin B, C, and E. Extremely easy to use, simply pat on clean skin to moisturize, soften and increase elasticity. Each is formulated with a concentration of different types of vitamins, depending on your skin type. For those who have troubled skin with random breakouts, go for Vitamin C. For those who have more oily skin, Vitamin E is your choice and Vitamin B for those who have dry skin. It is one product that works extremely well with my skin and I will purchase again. There is an amazing smell that I love to throw on my face everyday and I absolutely love the packaging. It is the perfect gift to give to others!

Food Goods - Strawberry

Recently, I've hopped on Beach Body Insanity and started a new diet which includes a great amount of strawberry. Being in Korea, strawberries are extremely fresh and a lot sweeter than those in America. Although it is a lot more expensive than those back in America, the taste definitely overrides the price. In addition to the great test, the variety of beauty uses for strawberries support why strawberries are my favorite fruit!

For starters, strawberries have an extremely high concentration of Vitamin C which helps to also act as a carbohydrate, protein and even fat. With just one cup of strawberries, you are receiving a great amount of vitamins, water, and even your daily fiber. In regards to skin, strawberries are a great anti oxidant which helps to clean your body from waste. It also helps to boost the immune system and help your skin glow. Therefore, it should be incorporated in your daily diet, even with these few simple ways to help your skin.

• Smooth skin in just a few minutes! There are two ways to do this, one is to cut a strawberry in half and rub it all over your face, just the same as you would with a kiwi. Another is to mash it up and scrub in circular motions all over your face and let it sit for a few minutes. This quick strawberry scrub will leave your  glowing after rubbing off those dead skin cells. 
• Acne remedy with 1/2 of sliced strawberries and 1 tablespoon of sour cream. Mash, combine and apply on the face for 10 minutes. Rinse and repeat every few days. 
• Reduce puffy eyes by placing a few slices of strawberry under your eyes for 10 minutes and relax in bed, just that easy. Remember to moisturize after!
• Pedicure scrub with just a handful of strawberries, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt to give that scrub texture. Simply mix all the ingredients in a bowl, massage into the feet and rinse. 
• Hair shine can be achieved with just a handful of strawberries and a tablespoon of mayonnaise. Sounds disgusting almost to put mayonnaise in your hair, but it acts as a hydrating oil just like extra virgin olive oil. Mash to combine, apply into damp hair so that it glides easily, cover with a shower cap and warm towel. Rinse after a minimum of ten minutes and you will see a healthy head of shine. Remember to wash your hair as your normally would!
• Tooth whitener like the lemon, but all you have to do is mash up some strawberry and brush away. Your new toothpaste will even taste delicious! 

Beauty Splurge - Korean Beauty Products

First off, HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEARS! For those of you who celebrate this special day, I wish you and your family the best of health and a prosperous new year. Because it is the week of the new year, I have been busy prepping and planning for the year. Best of all, there's been a lot of shopping included.

I haven't be sharing my beauty splurges in Korea which is a constant thing. Therefore, I decided to share this week's shopping splurge! For starters, I had to pick up a lemon scented bar soap from Lush along with their bar conditioner for the hair. I thought it would be great to finally experiment with the bar conditioner that I have been dying to try. 

For the more Korean brands, The Face Shop is one of my favorite stores back at home with my constant splurges. Finally visiting the Korean Face Shop, I picked off where I left in America with the blemish treatment. Four items to help my random break out here in Korea: the Blemish Zero Bubble Foam Cleanser, Anti Trouble Healing Spot, Anti Trouble Blemish Patch, and the Pomegranate face mask.

Next, I made a stop at Skin Food, an extremely popular organic store that uses a bunch of food goods to develop beauty products from head to toe, literally. Just to experiment, I picked up the Green Tea Boots Fresh Spray, Lychee Essence Mist and Cherry Tomato Wax.

Last stop for this weekend is Holika Holika where I picked up a few of their top sellers which includes the Honey Canola Overnight Mask, the White Wine Therapy Sleeping Pack, the Baby Silky Foot Treatment packs, and a face mask with one of the cutest boys ever. Talk about a great marketing tactic!

Stay tuned for the many beauty reviews on these products! I am definitely excited to try them all out and share my hones opinion. Be sure to subscribe to the blog to win the New Year Giveaway which will include a few of these products as well!

Makeup Review - Clinique Acne Solutions Liquid Makeup

I recently blogged about how I was not a fan of Clinique, associating the brand with middle aged women, but I've learned to love the brand. I just picked up the Acne Solutions Foundation Makeup not too long ago and it is great! It helps to control my acne and clear up my face while providing coverage for dark spots that I already have. I am in love with the product and just wanted to share it with you!

It might be a stereotype to associate Clinique with Asian women, but I do see a lot of Asians checking out Clinique in the Sephora stores. Please do not be like me and associate a stereotype with a brand because you'll just be missing out! The one thing that I have a problem with is that it's a little difficult to find my undertone since I'm a bit of peach and yellow mixed in. You can definitely tell when I have makeup on when I take a picture with flash so that's the no no, but overall I am in love with this foundation for day makeup.

Problematic Foods for the Skin

For those of you who have skin problems, which include psoriasis, eczema, acne, rashes and such, it is important to watch what you eat. It is best if you can cut out such foods from your entire diet but I admit, it is difficult to cut these foods from your life. It has a proven record to help your skin out in the long term which takes a lot of determination. I suggest cutting down the amount that normally consume, that’ll help control your skin a bit.

It’s one of those cause and effect games. Because you’re consuming these foods, the effect shows on your skin. From the outside in, the foods get absorbed into your system which plays an effect as to how it comes out.

• Shellfish – Any seafood with shell exterior is known to irritate your skin, which includes, but not limited to shrimp, crab, lobster, mussels, clams, crawfish. After consuming shellfish, many people will start to itch. A lot of people believe they are allergic to shellfish, but that's not the case, its a general reaction for all, stronger for some than others. If you have a skin problem, this will only cause you to be more irritated which leads to you scratching. Any type of scratch is not good for the skin because you are transferring the germs from your fingernails to your skin which can cause it to infect.
• Beef – Red meat is not good for open cuts because it will end up leaving scars all over your body. Anytime you get an open cut, from falling or from scratching, refrain from eating beef. The rarer it is, the darker and less likely your scar will fade away. Another major problem of consuming beef is the breakouts that many people have. Beef is one of those tasty but deadly foods.
• Duck – Duck is known to be "poisonous" for the skin, it falls under the category of shellfish. Duck causes a lot of irritations so do avoid duck when you have an open wound because it will take longer to heal. Eating duck will make you itchy, but not as itchy as shellfish.
• Chocolate – This sweet thing made from oil causes many breakouts and of course the more you eat, the worse your skin gets. When I say chocolate, I mean chocolate everything—chocolate candy, chocolate cake, hot chocolate.
• Spicy Foods – Consuming spicy foods will cause your internal body to be “flamed.” What I mean by flamed is having internal heat in your system. When there is internal heat, your body will start to feel more uncomfortable and find ways to release this heat. Ever feel a few extra break outs or canker sore is developing when you eat spice? Or maybe even having trouble with a bowel movement? That’s the cause and effect chain of spicy foods.
• Sour Foods – Having an irregular balance to your body’s ph level by eating too much sour foods will cause your stomach to cringe. I haven’t quite figured out how sour food has an effect on the body, but it’s one of those things that you just need to balance out.

Moral of the story is to balance out what you eat, everything has it harms and benefits for the body. Try not to eat too much of one thing—at least not all at once. If you’re able to control your diet and eat a healthy meal 24/7, you will see a change in your skin. The better you treat your body, the more it will reflect on your skin.