Misogyny vs Skincare

Skincare is a norm for most people. Period.


This is irregardless of age, ethnicity, culture, and gender. Why wouldn't anyone want nice skin?


Well, recently I've had to go through a little pissy fit because someone within my social circle had always openly criticized guys for avoiding the sun and using skincare. Why? Because these are things that are feminine, and should not extend to what guys should do.


There's the overdone rhetoric - boys/guys should be manly, and by manly meaning unafraid of damage and pain. Show any care to not hurt or unnecessarily physically damage themselves and they shall be deemed feminine, because this is only what girls should do to remain pristine.


Tl;dr: anything that girls are supposed to do, guys aren't supposed to do.


Guys using skincare became normal for me - my dad used it (because where he was for at least 70% of the year had super harsh weather), some of my relatives used it, and so did my peers. Granted, most of them only maybe used a face wash and a sun screen, with the occasional mask. But as the internet further introduced me to the world, more and more things became normal for me where others felt it was too far out of the status quo.


What some people fail to notice is that investing the time and resource into skincare - regardless of gender - is a form of self care. Sun screen and keeping out of the hot sun isn't just to maintain fair skin - excessive exposure UV rays can lead to skin cancer.


And because there's this stupid stigma surrounding men using skincare, said companies are coming up with men's skincare ranges just to make it more acceptable for men to use skincare. And let's be honest, that much fragrance in men's skincare can't be that good.


One of the arguments is that it's "unmanly" to smell like a bed of flowers. Well, the boyfriend uses Melvita's floral water lotion and smells like a bed of, well, roses all day, and he's still the manliest guy I know.


What if I told you that you don't need to be dark, scarred, and smell like a ditch to be considered manly?


Sure, back in the old days, men had to work in the sun because they decided to oppress their women to stay in the house (give and take, gentlemen). But now? There are so many more professions that doesn't require one to be laboring under the hot sun and scarring themselves all the time. Disposable income has increased and thus allowing men (and women) to further take care of themselves any way they see fit. And if Person A's way of taking care of themselves is to prioritize their physical appearance and investing in skincare, then who are we to judge?


I just wished that there's so much less stigma that surrounds gender and gender norms in general. Life's too short to be confined to being one gender.

REVIEW: The Body Shop Tea Tree Face Mask

I would always prefer cream-based masks that you apply on the skin over sheet masks, where you have to constantly remind yourself to not move your face muscles too much, should the sheet mask detach from the skin and hence is less effective.

Definitely cooling, since it contains menthol, and tea tree oil itself gives a slight cooling, tingly feeling as it is.

For anti-acne purposes, the honey cinnamon mask was my go-to mask, until we ran out of honey in the house, and I couldn't find any pure natural honey from the supermarkets (I also blame laziness in general). And recently I went shopping at The Body Shop and picked up this pot of magic.


Paying MYR48 for a 100ml (3.85oz) tub of product is quite economical, given that it might last for quite some time.

Think clay mask + tea tree oil, except this mask isn't supposed to dry on your skin.

The Body Shop says:

Apply generously to face and neck with fingertips. Leave for 10-15 minutes, then rinse off with clean water. Mask doesn't dry. Use weekly. Breakouts are minimized with regular use. With menthol, tamanu oil, lemon tea tree oil and Community Fair Trade organic tea tree oil. Avoid eye and lip area. If contact occurs, rinse with clean water. Stop use if irritation occurs.

I think I'll call this the Hulk mask...

The mask product itself is a pale-ish green cream product, which you're supposed layer quite thickly onto a freshly scrubbed and pat-dried face (I use The Body Shop's seaweed scrub).

Best. Game. Ever.

What I do while waiting for 10-15 minutes? Finish missions on Jetpack Joyride, my current game obsession, because Zombie Tsunami still isn't on Android.

Asian face. LOL. Your skin is left feeling fresh, light, and clean. My skin is originally a little patchy.

Rinse off with warm water, and follow with your remaining skin routine (mine is TBS Seaweed Clarifying Toner, TBS Vitamin E Intense Hydration Face Cream, and TBS Shiso Moisture White UV protection [UV protection is needed even if you stay in the whole day]).


Pros:

• relatively economical
• actually works ("minimize breakouts" being the operational term here)
• gives a slightly tingly, cooling effect to the skin during and after use
• as with all other The Body Shop products, it's animal cruelty-free
• easy to use
• isn't messy (drips, smears, etc)

Cons:

• comes in a tub (bacteria build-up due to the repeated dipping)
• definitely more expensive than the honey & cinnamon alternative
• might contain colorings (natural or artificial)
• might be too strong for people with sensitive skin

Repurchase? Definitely!

Sunday Fast 6 + mini haul

Fast and Furious 6 was fucking awesome. *pardon the language* American muscle, Vin Diesel, hot girls, Vin Diesel, illegal street racing, Vin Diesel, building explosions and endless ammo... Did I mention Vin Diesel? =D

Look for the day: bare face. Outfit of the day: hand-made Swarovski dangle earring, orange cropped sweater, my old Diesel boot-cut jeans, slippers (yes), and my over-sized, eggplant Longchamp.

I think it's safe to say that most of us grew up with the Fast and Furious film series. From The Fast and the Furious in 2001, till now, waiting for Fast 7 in July 2014 (YES! THERE'S A 7!!!) And it seems Wikipedia has more information, if you're interested. Spoiler: Jason Statham is gonna be in Fast 7.

Source.

I blame this film series, along with The Pacifier, xXx (also contributed to my inclination toward permanent body art), and The Chronicles of Riddick for my teen-till-now crush for Vin Diesel. Seriously, who could resist? Killer biceps and man-boobs; sexy, slightly rough tenor voice; and that American charm... to die for!

15 tickets on total. But only I watched the movie...

*cough cough* Anyway, I did some shopping before and after the movie. The movie was at 13:00, and I got our (my younger sister and her primary school friends) tickets at around 10:00, so I had plenty of time to walk around the mall that I've been to a million times over.

REALLY AH? WAH, WHY SO GENG GOT THIS BOOK ONE?! (I would sooner kill myself than talk like that to non-Malaysians and non-Singaporeans)

There wasn't much of a target shop, but I just browsed, making my way to whichever store that popped into my mind. I found a gem in MPH Bookstores. I was searching for a reasonably-priced Italian language book, and this was wedged between a Vietnamese and Colombian language book, I believe...

Probably one of the most ridiculous make-up accessories I've come across...

Also, I know that there are "eyeliner stickers" in the market now. They're supposed to be like eyelid tape, but in black, so that you don't have to draw on the eye line by hand. I've seen the winged ones before, but I'm just appalled at this one I found in SaSa. Perhaps it works for some, but definitely not mine to use. I have trouble with a full set of false lashes as it is...

Don't discriminate me. I won't be taking these out of the house - a solid book always beats a .pdf.

I'm halfway through the first volume of The Lord of the Rings, but due to my lack of concentration on the words and other factors, I started reading Fifty Shades (a friend sent the .pdf's to me). I got the books so that I don't have to read 3-point Times New Roman on a screen anymore. I used the BB1M vouchers to get this, and I walked in on the day of the "book carnival", so books were 20% off. I got a glue stick and an Italian phrasebook to top it up to RM100. Hmm... This could be a dangerous combination...

10%-50% discounted here. I couldn't resist the vanilla shower gel 'cause it was only RM7 after discount! Total: RM157.

Apart from Laneige and L'Occitane, The Body Shop facial products are my favorite. And they're doing a sale right now, most items discounted up to 70%. I got myself a few essentials and backups.

Day 14 of the 30-day squats challenge, and my legs were cramping up for half the day. I got all the exercise I needed for the day, though. I think I tracked through the whole of Mid Valley Megamall and The Gardens...

Yadah Bubble Deep Cleanser

A facial cleanser was the first thing I was taught to use when I was about 10 years old, when I started breaking out like crazy. Milk, gel, regular, scrubs, etc. I've used the lot. But this foam cleanser is something really on its own.


I first came to know Yadah when I saw a few of my blogger friends write about their experience at an event that involved Yadah products. And I took a stroll of their Facebook page, and became interested in their line of products. Coincidentally, my current cleanser (L'Occitane's Angelica cleanser) has run out, so it was time for a new one!

Made in Korea. One of the best cleansers I've used.

I introduce you to Yadah's Bubble Deep Cleanser. Available at Stage, Stage Asia, and SaSa outlets, for RM49 (150ml bottle with a foaming pump). Click into their Facebook page for more info~ The thing about Yadah products is that they contain natural ingredients from plants and herbs, the key ingredient being opuntia ficus (something), which is a rare type of cactus with beautifying properties.

Mine came free with two tiny bottles of Vitamin Emulsion and Vitamin Toner respectively! I've yet to try them out, though...

The Bubble Deep Cleanser says:

Amino-acid surfactant originated from plants makes an abundance of bubbles, cleanses the skin effectively without irritation. The extracts of Pountia Ficus, Purslane, Magnolia keep the skin clean and moisturized, control the pores, blackheads and excess sebum.

I find that the keyword here is "help". It doesn't say that it will eliminate blackheads and clogged pores, but will help control them. And I have to agree with that: ever since I've used the Yadah Bubble Deep Cleanser, my problem with clogged pores have not become even more serious like it usually does over a few days.


What I mean to say is, my blackheads grow day by day, until there's an unsightly bump where the blackhead is, and it doesn't disappear until my fingertips get tingly and I pop it out. But using the Bubble Deep Cleanser, they don't grow any more - like the product says, it controls the blackheads and clogged pores.

Super-dense foam. This amount is enough to wash the entire face and neck!

On to the product itself: the bottle comes with a foaming pump, which turns the liquid in the bottle into foam as you pump it out. And these aren't the quickly-disappearing, sparse bubbles that you get from some other foaming cleansers, but it's thick, dense, and fine, which is excellent to get into the pores to get rid of the clogged sebum, oil, and whiteheads!


It's also lightly scented - a light, somewhat citrus-y scent to the foam, which makes cleansing your face with the foam feel like a complete luxury! And no, I'm not exaggerating. I bought the product myself, and I'm writing this because I actually do feel that this is a rather inexpensive, yet somewhat luxurious facial wash!


So down to the pros and cons:

Pros:

• quite inexpensive, compared to products from L'Occitane and The Body Shop
• cute packaging - basic white bottles and tubes, with cute cartoon characters
• easy-to-open, hygienic pump
• small amount of foam is enough to cleanse the entire face
• "durable" foam bubbles that don't disappear after a few seconds of massaging
• pleasant, but somewhat strong scent
• actually does as it promises

Cons:

• relatively limited
• is quite expensive if you're on a limited budget
• most information on the bottle is in Korean

All in all, I do find that this is a good product worth investing in, and when used in conjunction with substantial other products (toner, moisturizer, serums), and regular scrubs and masks, near-perfect, clear skin is achievable!!!

Black Sesame Ice Cream

Japanese is my way to go most of the time - food, culture, music, etc. Even ice cream. Despite my favorites being cookies and cream, or a non-caramel, non-super-nutty creamy flavor, I tend to love matcha and black sesame ice cream.


Matcha flavor is starting to get very popular, because of the antioxidant properties that green tea possesses. But what about black sesame? I've tried it only once, and I've even forgotten when and where, but it left an imprint on my mind.

I placed the custard into a metal container and into the freezer, then mixed it around with a fork every few hours (hence the fork marks). The texture is creamy enough, and is thoroughly DELICIOUS!!!

I had a sudden craving for the seed-speckled gray ice cream a few months ago, and it took me a very long time (due to procrastination) to get the ingredients and equipment that I needed. Black sesame seeds are a no-brainer, but finding the special pestle and mortar for the sesame seeds was a bit challenging.


I made the ice cream on 3rd March based on a recipe I found on JustOneCookbook.com.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp black sesame seeds
• 400ml whole milk (I used fresh, if there's any difference)
• 70g sugar (I used 100g of castor, adjust to suit your taste)
• 3 egg yolks (used 4, because the third egg gave me a double-yolk)
• 2 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp black sesame paste (homemade, also a recipe from JustOneCookbook.com)
• 1 tsp vanilla (I just remembered that I forgot to put this in...)
• 200ml heavy cream (I used European dairy whipping cream)
• pinch of salt

This is step 5. You could grind your black sesame seeds as finely as you desire, but don't grind for too long, if not they'll start secreting their own oils and become pasty, unless that's what you're going for.

Method:

1. Roast the sesame seeds if they're not roasted yet. Just put it into a pan over heat, then gently roast until they start popping, and releases a nutty aroma.
2. Grind them, using the pestle and mortar or a food processor, very finely.
3. Heat the milk in a pot over low heat, until it reaches just a simmer. DO NOT BOIL.
4. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and creamy.
5. Add the honey, ground sesame seeds, and sesame paste (store-bought or homemade), and mix until well combined.
6. While mixing, add the milk in a slow stream. The hot milk could easily just scramble the egg yolks, hence the slow stream.
7. Pour the mixture back into the pot, and cook very gently until the custard thickens. Heat the mixture to around 80-83'C. DO NOT EXCEED. (Though I didn't have a thermometer)
8. Remove from the heat, then place the pot into a bowl of iced water to cool down. Add vanilla.
9. You could do this ahead of time: whip the cream with the salt until peaks form. If you live in a crazy humid place like I do, whip until foamy, chill in the fridge for a while, before taking it out again to continue whipping. This will make sure that it doesn't split.
10. Add the whipped cream to the custard mixture.
11. Fold it in gently, and do not over-mix.
12. Chill the mixture until completely cold, then process as ice cream.
13. You could put it into an ice cream maker, or transfer the mixture into a metal container like I did, stick it in the freezer, then mix it around with a fork every few hours, until the entire mixture is no longer liquid-y. 

I would gladly get down and dirty to make the food that I like, but this is one of the foods that I'll not be making in the near future. The grinding, the mixing, the timing, the washing, and the SHEER AMOUNT OF EQUIPMENT that I used. I'd rather make a tiramisu cake from scratch (baking my own savoiardi, etc). Recipe here. (I've gotta update this...)

Home-made black sesame paste. Pretty easy to do, but be sure NOT to put it into a jar like I did, if you're going to use it immediately.

For the black sesame paste, sufficient for the recipe above:

Roast 3 tbsp of black sesame seeds (it will release a nice, nutty aroma), then transfer into a suribachi mortar, and grind with the surikogi pestle, until the seeds secrete their oils, and the ground seeds become moist. You could also use a food processor for this. Transfer into another container, add 3 tbsp of honey (ratio of ground seeds to honey is 1 : 1), mix, then set aside.

Recent events

Alright I promised that I'd blog about the recent events that happened at work. For some particular reason my boss was telling the Myanmar guy the difference between the guy's and girl's toilet. We use Malay with him, so essentially 'perempuan' means girl and 'lelaki' means boy, but he didn't know these two words, so we thought of all kinds of ways to explain to him the difference between 'lelaki' and 'perempuan'. We even got to the point where we were pointing at boobs and penises, but in the end he had to go home and ask his friends. =_=


I've been seeing a lot of topless Ramesh these days. Not on purpose, but he has a habit of undressing before going into the bathroom. And on one particular day Vinh was running out from the kitchen topless to the toilet for I-dunno-what. Ramesh is more of muscle + baby fat, Vinh is lean muscle.


Anyway, I thought I'd update my skin-care regimen here. The last time I posted about my skin-care regimen was the time I was using nothing but warm and cold water to wash my face, exfoliating every now and then. I got this tip from Ushishi's post. Supposedly all the cleansers, toners, moisturizers, etc are chemicals and they mess with the pH balance of your skin. So using warm water first to soften the pores (not open) and clean out the dirt etc, then rinse with cold so that the pores harden up again. I'd then use tea tree oil for blemishes.


I followed that regimen for around a month before going for a facial treat. Compared to when I was 14, my skin has improved tremendously. When I was 14, the extraction process took up a lot of time as my pores were packed with crap; that particular facial around a year ago made me realize that taking care of your skin does pay off - the extraction process was under 5 minutes, and there weren't many 'things' to get out of my skin.


So then I was put on this regimen - cleanse, tone, serum, moisturize, eye cream. Supposedly tea tree oil works well with blemishes, but it dries out the skin (according to my mum's friend anyway). She introduced some Bioelements products from USA and I really love the moisturizer. *forgot the name*


A few days ago I watched one of Petrilude's videos on skincare. After that I've revamped my skincare routine. Previously I'd do the bare basics - cleanse, tone, moisturize, eye cream. I'd swap the cleanser for a tea tree blackhead exfoliate (TheBodyShop) every alternate day.


Now I double cleanse, tone and moisturize every morning and night, adding eye gel to the night part. And just before I sleep a touch of tea tree oil to the blemishes~ Here's exactly what I use:

• L'Occitane Foaming Rice Cleanser for first cleanse
• Swap between L'Occitane Foaming Rice Cleanser and TheBodyShop Tea Tree Blackhead Exfoliating Wash on alternate days on the second wash
• Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner
• TheBodyShop Vitamin E Moisture Cream
• SK-II Advanced Eye Treatment Film
• TheBodyShop Tea Tree Oil
• Vaseline Petroleum Jelly as lip care before sleep

On days that I wear makeup in the day or just have to walk under the sun, I slab on some sunscreen (Biotherm something something =P) and some fine powder (Pigeon Pressed Powder in Beige) to mattify the post-sunscreen, oily-looking skin.

I'm totally obsessed with TheBodyShop and tea tree products right now. TheBodyShop does not export to China as products that go into China must go through animal testing. And I find that their products are very ... nature-friendly in a way, and it's more economical than brands like SK-II, Laneige, etc. My mum went through 'brand stages' - first Dermalogica, then Biotherm, then L'Occitane. Right now she's still in the L'Occitane stage, but she still purchases from Dermalogica every now and then. Visits to the Biotherm counter in Jusco Mid Valley was a must every time we went there, but we rarely go near the place now.

I'm still in search of a really good concealer and a proper foundation, preferably liquid. I can't do dramatic dark looks without ending up looking like a zombie. =P


*  *  *


If you're an active YouTuber and/or Xiaxue/Ray William Johnson/Michelle Phan follower, then you'd know the whole Peter Coffin-Kimi Kobayashi thing which is all the rage on the net. Peter Coffin is a YouTuber who does mostly parodies and was recently slamming Xiaxue on Twitter. Xiaxue did research on both Peter Coffin and Kimi Kobayashi (supposedly Peter's Japanese girlfriend) and found suspicious stuff. After posting about Peter Coffin stealing pictures from a Korean ulzzang's website and using it as Kimi Kobayashi and creating this Kimi character as his girlfriend, Peter supposedly wrote a legal email to Xiaxue, but real lawyers have proven this email to be suspicious as well.


I would think that if a guy were to quit his permanent job (whatever it is) to be a full-time YouTuber, then he ought to be spending time making videos instead of making up a fake girlfriend. Oh, and slamming on intelligent and significantly more popular people (women) like Xiaxue. I'd actually aspire to become Xiaxue, though sans the Barbie-like style. I love her self-confidence, talent and courage. Self-confidence by not taking much of others' criticism to mind and doing her thing. She's a meffing talented blogger. And her courage to speak her mind. Every girl should be Xiaxue in some aspect. She's an amazing girl. XD


Next time I go to Singapore I gotta keep my eyes peeled so I could get a photo with her if I ever see her on the street (if I have the guts by then =X).

TIPS = FLAWLESS FACE MAKEUP

Most women (and some men) use makeup on a daily basis, whether heavy or light. The biggest concern for makeup users (and non-makeup users all over the world) are skin problems and other imperfections on the face. The most common problems are eyebags, blemishes and redness. Most women just cake on lots of concealer, or if they don't have concealer, powders. That's the biggest mistake anyone can make, unless the imperfection is super mega ultra supremely subtle. Caking on concealers or powders doesn't help correct the imperfection, but otherwise makes the imperfection more pronounced and obvious.

It all goes down to how you take care of yourself - eating right, sleeping enough, and keeping your skin clean and healthy.

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Šκιή Ĉαяε

STEP 1:
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Get enough sleep. We all know that the average person needs at least 8 hours of sleep per day, but due to our hectic lifestyles or just plain bad habits, we sleep much less than that. Sleeping is the process in which your body and brain gets a rest. It's also the time when your dead cells regenerate and the nutrients from the food you ate to thoroughly be processed and absorbs by your body.

STEP 2:

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Eat balanced meals. Every doctor, teacher, parent, etc tells us to do it. I know it's pretty difficult especially with the fast food chains and vast selection of delicacies, but you'll just have to focus. What we eat nowadays are as fast as the lives we lead now. You go up to the counter, place your order and within seconds your meal is ready on a tray. No, you can't do that anymore. Look out for RESTAURANTS with a menu, preferably one with descriptions of the food and one on a stand at the entrance so you get a rough idea of what you want before you order. Go for broiled, steamed, baked (not in tons of cheese!) and/or stir-fried stuff. Ditch the stuff with cheese (though small amounts are alright, indulge yourself once in a VERY LONG WHILE), cream, coconut milk, lots of oil (deep fried or just fried stuff), breaded stuff (the breadcrumbs pack the calories, unless it's panko, and a very small amount at that), glazed stuff, extra sweet stuff and the really fatty stuff (look out for lean, lean, lean and LEAN!!!).

If you can afford the time (sleep earlier then you could wake up earlier =]), make your home-made lunch-boxes. Make a rough menu for your lunchbox, for example lean beef and mustard sauce with primavera spaghetti for Monday and baked chicken casserole (remember, ditch the cream and cheese!) for Tuesday and so on. If you really have no other choice than fast food, opt for NON-BREADED, MINIMUM CHEESE and LEAN MEATS. Try to go for the juice rather than the soft drinks.

Do your homework and learn more about Chinese eating. Chinese culture involves yin and yang, the balance of the world. Same with eating. According to the Chinese, there are 'cool' foods and 'hot' foods. I don't mean this by the temperature, but rather the chemicals or something else in the food. For example you eat something really heaty (as the Chinese say), usually something of it's counterpart ('cool' foods) will be served to balance things out. What we usually eat are the heaty things - fried, fatty, etc. Too much yang results in becoming heaty - nosebleeds, and MAJOR BREAKOUTS and PEELING.

STEP 3:

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Hydrate yourself! I don't mean soak yourself in a tub of water the whole day, but the universally known thing - drinking water. We all drink water at some point of the day, but it's not enough to hydrate ourselves daily. The thing we drink most everyday - coffee and carbonated drinks, because we need the caffeine and sugar. Two reason why these are no-nos: one, caffeine is bad for the body and stains the teeth and sugar-loaded carbonated drinks are bad for your teeth and makes you fat; two, they dehydrate you even more, although there is water in the concoction. The safest way is to bring 1.5L of water to any almost-whole-day activities like school and work and make sure you finish it before you go home. That way you're sure that you've got enough water for the next 24 hours.

STEP 4:

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Keeping your skin clean throughout the day. No matter how you take care of your skin and how many supplements you take, it's no use if you touch your face everyday with dirty hands. Our hands are in contact with germs and bacteria all the time, and they're especially concentrated with dirt and grime. Always have a packet of tissue/wet tissue and/or hand sanitizer/disinfectant wherever you go, and in the event that you need to touch your face, use a clean tissue to cover up the surface of your hands before you touch your skin to minimize bacteria transmission. After touching anything at all, sanitize/disinfect you hands before touching your skin in case you don't have tissues with you. Avoid using handkerchiefs on your face, 'cause it's loaded with accumulated germs.

STEP 5:

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Sticking to a regular skin care regimen. The moment you put down your briefcase or school bag, go straight to the bathroom, take your bath and WASH YOUR FACE. Being out in the world makes dust and ash particles stick to your skin with the help of facial oils and sweat. Don't just wash your face with water, use a facial cleanser that suites your skin type (preferably mousse or foam kinds then you don't need to drag your skin too much). You don't have to get the really expensive ones just because a magazine recommended it, though brands like Biotherm, and Dermalogica are very good investments. Follow up with at least toner and moisturizer, then apply serums or other creams. Eye creams are important.

Go to a skin care counter or consult a skin therapist (I think they call it that) and have them 'interpret' your skin and recommend some products that you could use. If you're on a tight budget, inquire about the ingredients of the product recommended, then go to a drugstore to get the product - cheaper, but you still have the same effect. =) Do a mask, any mask, at least once a week. Don't put the mask on while you're still in the bath (some people do that), put on the mask AFTER your bath and keep your hair out of your face.

Brands/products recommended:

-Dermalogica (cleanser, toner, moisturizer, mask)

-Biotherm (cleanser, toner, moisurizer, serums, mask)

-L'Occitane (cleanser)

-TheFaceShop (cleanser)

-Estee Lauder (eye cream)

-Clean'n'Clear (cleanser, toner, moisturizer)

STEP 6:

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Relax. Stress contributes to breakouts, wrinkles and other skin problems. In the event of stress, find some way to channel away the stress healthily - do yoga, punch a punch bag, listen to music, read a book, do something rather than just let the stress take over you.

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Μαкєΰρ

STEP 1:

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Cleanse your face using a cleanser that suits your skin type. If you are acne prone or have oily skin, use foam or mousse cleansers which are really foamy so that you don't have to rub your pimples so much and the foam bubbles will help cleanse even deeper into the pores. Wet your face, massage the cleanser to cleanse, concentrating on the more acne prone or oily areas, then rinse off with WARM WATER for best results. Warm water will help open the pores and cleanse the skin even more thoroughly, but avoid using hot water as not to scald your face. Pat dry (DO NOT RUB OR DRAG) with a clean towel, particularly around the nose and other creases on your face to make sure your face is completely dry. If you plan on using a mask later on, use a scrub/exfoliant.

Products recommended:

-TheFaceShop Migamsu Cleansing Foam

-L'Occitane Immortelle Cleansing Foam

-L'Occitane Foaming Rice Cleanser

-Dermalogica Essential Cleansing Solution

-SK-II Facial Treatment Cleanser

STEP 2:

(OPTIONAL)

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I would recommend doing a mask before putting on any makeup. Secure your hair out of your face, then apply the mask (sheet or cream). For cream masks, opt for wash-offs rather than peel-offs as the peel-off masks pull on your skin, making them loose faster than natural. Peel/rinse off thoroughly and pat dry with clean towel.

Product recommendations:
-Biotherm Biopur Purifying Balancing Masque

-Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Masque

-Daiso Japan Charcoal Mask

STEP 3:

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Tone your skin. Some toners will have 'lotion' printed on the tube. If you're unsure, ask the shop assisstant. Always use a cotton pad to apply your toner, never your fingers. The handle of the cupboard and the bottle of the toner isn't all that clean, so using your fingers will just slab the bacteria back onto your face. Shake or spray the toner onto the cotton pad and apply evenly over the face.

STEP 4:

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Moisturizer is essential as it helps keep the skin's moisture balanced and keeps your skin from peeling in the middle of the day. You could wash your hands and dry with a clean towel to apply the moisture if you like, or you could just use another cotton pad to apply your moisturizer. First apply on the cheeks, then on the nose, forehead and chin. Always apply products onto your face with light, upward strokes as not to pull the skin down.

Product recommendations:

-Biotherm Aquasource Ultra-cool Hydrating Water Gel

-Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream

STEP 5:

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Apply sunblock. Use a strong SPF product if you will be in constant sunlight. Apply a VERY THIN LAYER of sunblock, spreading evenly and applying more on the areas where the sun hits first - the nose, cheekbones and eyes. Also apply some to the neck so that you won't look like you're wearing a geisha mask later.

Product recommendations:

-Biotherm Sun SPF50 Sensitive Skin Sun Cream Multi-Protection

STEP 6:

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Apply a face primer or foundation. This helps even out the skin tone, block out scars/birthmarks and prep the face for any other product application. Use a foundation one or two shades lighter than your skin tone to get that nice, clean look. Pour some foundation onto your palm or the back of your hand, then use a sponge or a foundation brush to apply your foundation, if you're using liquid. Try not to use fingers as you might leave finger prints/marks on your face if you're not careful. Blend the foundation well using your sponge or brush.

STEP 7:

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Apply concealer on your under eye circles, your eyelids, on blemishes, obvious scars, and darkened or red areas on your face. It would be better to use a colour corrector concealer palette, which comes in a few colours to neutralise the redness/darkness on your skin. Apply using a brush, then blend with fingers or a slightly larger brush. For blemishes, simply dot a VERY SMALL AMOUNT of concealer onto the blemish then gently rub to blend. Set the foundation and concealer with loose powder. Blend well with a soft bristled brush.

STEP 8:

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Draw/fill in and/or define your brows using a brow pencil. For a softer, more natural effect, use an angled brush with two tones of eyeshadow colours that match your eyebrows. Try not to overdo the filling in. Blend with a clean mascara wand/eyebrow colour blender (both look the same, just different names).

STEP 9:

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Prime your lids with an eyelid primer/cream eyeshadow/shadestick, etc. This will help the eye shadow stay on longer and help intensify the colour of the eyeshadow. Apply it from the lashline all the way up to the bottom of the brow, if you're using a light coloured, very slightly shimmery primer. If using a dark base apply right up to where it's needed. Highlight browbones with a white or beige colour before or after applying eyeshadow colours of your choice.

Product recommendations:

-Shu Uemura Cream Eyeshadow

STEP 10:

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Line your eyes using eyeliner or black eyeshadow with an angled brush. Before doing any lining, do some practice strokes on the back of your hand to get used to the brush/pencil for better results later. If using eyeliner pencils, ensure that the tip of the pencil is sharp enough to draw hugh precision lines. If using liquid liner, make sure your hand is steady before starting to line your eyes. If using gel eyeliners, make sure your brush (gel eyeliner/angled) is clean before you dip it into the pot. For a sharp-eyed look, line your waterline as well. Try to avoid lining your lower lashline as it is sometimes a bit too dramatic for day wear.

Product recommendations:

-Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner

STEP 11:

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If using fake lashes, apply them, curl your lashes then apply a MILD, preferably non-volumizing mascara as to blend your natural lashes with the fake ones. If not using fake lashes, curl your lashes, then apply mascara according to the event - more subtle for wet and sweaty days, and more dramatic for parties, cosplay, etc. For big doll eyes, apply mascara on the lower lashes as well, holding the mascara wand vertically and slowly covering each lash with mascara.

Product recommendations:

-Revlon Double Twist

-Majolica Majorca Lash Gorgeous Wing

-Opera Volume Control

-Maybelline Volum' Express Cat Eyes Hypercurl Waterproof

STEP 12:

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Do your contouring using a bronzer, neutral brown eyeshadow or a contouring palette. Use an appropriate brush for this and always start subtle. Only layer on more product if you do not achieve the contouring results desired. Blend the contouring product well at the edges to avoid harsh lines. After contouring, apply blush. Use a large fluffy brush and get some blusher powder, tap off excess then gently dab onto the apples of the cheeks. A better alternative would be to use a lip and cheek tint if you're not doing much contouring on the cheek area.

Product recommendation:

-Bobbi Brown blush

STEP 13:

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Apply a thin layer of Vaseline or lipbalm on your lips before applying lip colour to help prevent cracking and peeling lips. Line lips with a lip pencil then apply your lip colour using a lip brush or your fingers to save on lipstick. Alternatively, use a lip tint or lip gloss. Be careful not to get any product onto your teeth, or you'll look like the pic above.

STEP 14:

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Touch up anything that needs touching up, using a small brush where necessary. Set the applied makeup with a sealing mist or similar. Now go strut your stuff~!!