Fifty Shades of Snail
Finding the best skin care products since 2014. Started with a focus on Korean skincare and grew from there. Skincare tips and beauty tips that work, maybe some hamster butts too
recent posts
- Protected: Fluorescent bulbs and SPF
- How I Grew My Thinning Hair Back Thicker and Stronger Than Ever Before (with no drugs or medical treatments)
- Sponsored: The Best of Skin1004
- How to Ask for Skincare Advice Online, Part Two: What Questions to Ask to Get Helpful Answers
- How to Ask for Skincare Advice Online, Part 1: What Not to Ask
about
Category: Ampoules/Serums
Da real MVPs of the Korean skin care lineup, ampoules and serums deliver high concentrations of actives in formulations made to layer. Unless they work as chemical exfoliants, apply ampoules and serums after any acid, toner, and light essence steps in your routine, then seal in with a moisturizing emulsion and/or cream. Don’t get too hung up on the difference between an ampoule and a serum. Technically, an ampoule is more concentrated and potent than a serum, but in practice, the terms are pretty much interchangeable.
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In the annals of anti-aging skincare products, Sulwhasoo Capsulized Ginseng Fortifying Serum’s effects stand out.
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When it comes to skin brightening and spot fading, a couple of years with Japanese sunscreen and lots of niacinamide, AHA, vitamin C, and tretinoin have gotten my skin to where I originally wanted it to be and then some. But lately I find myself jumping at the opportunity to review products that make serious…
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Sulwhasoo’s First Care Activating Serum EX does things to my skin that no other product can.
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Yesterday was a hideously beautiful SoCal day, so I dragged the family to the beach for a few hours. Lord Fiddy came home with a vibrant sunburn (“Hey look! I got some color!”). Young Master Fiddy and I were, of course, wearing sunscreen and remained Unburnt. I was, however, sandy and desperate for a shower, so I did…
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As a beauty blogger, I make a lot of skincare purchases. Many more, I imagine, than a typical non-blogger beauty consumer would. We’ve talked a bit about blogger shopping habits here and there on the Snailcast, and I’m sure I’ve mentioned mine in passing elsewhere, but I don’t think I’ve ever sat down and walked…
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Part 1 | Part 3 It’s a hard life, beauty blogging. Much like the hunter-gatherers of prehistoric times, we bloggers enjoy periods of plentyof awesome new beauty finds but also suffer through long spells of hungerfor great skincare. And much like those Paleo nomads of ancient days, we record our victories and defeats for posterity. They did…
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This is my skincare basket. It’s the sturdy workhorse that carries everyday essentials chosen out of my much more extensive skincare wardrobe. The contents of my basket change on a fairly regular basis. But I recently realized that some things never get banished from the basket, even for a night. That got me thinking about the ways my…
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In my last post, I talked about how serums are among the few skincare product types that can be expected to deliver real skin improvements, since serums can be formulated to target a single, specific problem, without the limitations that primary functions like cleansing or moisturization would impose. I’m nothing if not good at pretending like…

