Wedding Blog

I’m pretty cheap when it comes to most items, but the three things I splurge on are gadgets, handbags, and beauty products. And as a natural researcher by heart (and trade), I research and test items from all three categories to death before making any purchases, especially if a lot of money is involved. While I can go on and on about all three topics, I decided to share my favorite beauty products.

(Before I start, I want to say that I have an extreme case of combination skin. My t-zone is a natural oil well, but my cheeks and chin can become so dry to the point of flakiness. So while some of these products may work well for other people with combination skin, it may not with others.)

First up….my skincare routine……

My favorite lotions and creams:

Clarins, I believe, has one of the best skincare lines out there. I’ve tried almost all major skincare lines in pharmacies and department stores (aside from the uber-expensive ones) and Clarins beats them all. I alternate lines depending on season, and I usually use one lotion/cream for night and another with SPF in the morning. Clarins also has a great men’s line. Both my father and Mr. Peony attest that it’s the best they’ve used also.

My favorite exfoliator:

The Korean ddae soo gun (exfoliating rag). These are relatively cheap and you can buy them for less than $1 at almost any Korean market. I use this to exfoliate my entire body once a month and my face daily. Since new ones can be rough, I usually rub it across rough surfaces before using to break them in a little. This is not recommended for anyone who has sensitive skin. And although I use it on my face every day, I do it VERY gently with a light hand.

My favorite cleanser:

The Prescriptives All Clean Fresh Foaming Cleanser For Normal Skin, $21 for a 6.7oz tube which lasts about 3 months with twice-daily use. I’ve tried soooooo many cleansers out there (practically everything at CVS as well as Sephora) before finding this one, and I’ve stuck with it for the past 5 years. It has everything I look for in a cleanser: some foaming action but not too much, unscented, and leaves my face squeaky clean without it being too dry.

And that’s it for my skincare routine! Now, on to makeup.

I wear makeup every day for two reasons: (1) I have the worst under-eye circles. They hardly get puffy, but are dark enough that people mistake it for smudged eye makeup. (2) I already look pretty young for my age, but I look like an 8-year-old when I don’t wear makeup. And I need to look older and more mature for my job.

My favorite foundation:

The La Prairie Skin Caviar Concealer-Foundation. It’s very pricey at $165, but honestly, it’s worth it (I bought my latest bottle in May and I’m only halfway through). The lid flips up to reveal a matching concealer, so there’s no need to buy a concealer separately. And as you can see it comes with a stand and a concealer brush. It has the medium coverage that I require, and it actually made my skin better after I started using it (after I used it for a week, Mr. Peony commented, “Your skin looks so smooth!”). It stays put throughout the day, even in the sweaty summer months. Not convinced? Read this review.

My favorite eyeshadow primer:

The MAC Paint, $16.50 for a 6.5g tube. Okay so it’s not meant to be an eyeshadow primer. But it still works great as one! I use it in Bare Canvas, which matches my skintone perfectly. My eye makeup stays put for 18 hours straight with no creasing whatsoever. And although it’s a tiny tube, mine has lasted more than 8 months with daily use.

My favorite eyeshadows:
There are so many great eyeshadows out there but MAC has one of the best varieties in shades and textures. I bought myself a 15 eyeshadow palette shown here ($12, also comes in 4):

And I filled it with the eyeshadow pots which I remove from their individual cases (instructions can be found here).

My favorite eyeliner:

The MAC Liquidlast Liner, $16.50 for a 2.5ml tube. I swear up and down that this is the best long-lasting eyeliner out there. It even stays put after you wash your face! I’ve tried all other long-lasting eyeliners, even the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner that my friends love so much, but even that smudged at the end of the day. The only bad thing about this liquid liner is that the brush that is part of the packaging kinda sucks - it’s too long and flimsy. So I use the MAC 266 Small Angle Brush to appy it. And, as with all liquid liners, you need a very steady hand.

That’s it for my favorites. I’m not too picky about lips and cheeks so I don’t have a favorite list. But the items above are the ones I use regularly and highly recommend.

What are your favorite beauty products? Also, I still haven’t found THE mascara yet….what do you recommend?