Christopher Walken once said that Winston Churchill once said that “the eyes are the windows of your face,” and I’ve been thinking about that quote a lot lately as I’ve gathered my notes for this review of Amorepacific Intensive Vitalizing Eye Essence.
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)
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Summer is coming, not that it isn’t already sunny enough where I live, and I’m currently testing over a dozen different sunscreens. (Not kidding.) You could say sun damage has been on my mind. But no matter how much I like any of the sunscreens I’m trying, none of them solve one of the most basic problems skincare and anti-aging fanatics face with their UV protection:
AM I USING ENOUGH?!?!?!?!?!
Thing is, the labeled SPF on sunscreen packaging is based on the protection the product provides when applied at 2 mg/cm2, which works out to approximately 1/4 tsp for face alone. (This varies depending on the size of your face, but I don’t see many of us running out to get the exact surface areas of our faces measured and then commissioning custom measuring spoons to provide perfect dosage. Honestly, I think 1/4 tsp is just fine as a guideline.)
Like dis. Below that 1/4 tsp, however, protection drops dramatically.
Whether or not most of us truly need the full labeled SPF of a product on an everyday basis is up for debate, but I think most of us would like to feel we’re getting the protection we paid for. And like I said, that can be hard to judge in the mornings when you’re just trying to slap on your products and get out the door.
That’s why I was so excited to learn that my friend Angela, one of the two hilarious and beautiful bloggers behind Beauty and the Cat, had come up with an idea for a moisturizer/sunscreen combo that would come pre-dosed in single-use pearls–balls, for the uncouth among us–measured out to deliver the protection promised on the label. Ingenious! Not only had Angela envisioned these great balls of SPF, she’d also submitted it to Volition Beauty, a beauty company that sources product ideas from user submissions and public voting.
Angela’s balls need your votes to progress to the prototype stage. So to help spread the word and build some support for her balls, I sat her down (virtually, over email) to discuss how the idea came about and what she hopes will happen next.
Fair warning: Much juvenile humor incoming. Mostly about balls.
FIDDY: Can you tell me more about your balls? How and when did they start growing (from an idea into a project) and when do you expect them to drop?
Angela: The growth of my balls has been explosive and unexpectedly fun. The idea began as a modest challenge to myself when I learned about Volition’s unique business model: turning ideas for beauty solutions from ordinary people into actual, marketable products.
If you’ve read my blog, then you know I’m obsessed with sunscreen. So naturally my mind drifted toward the daily chore of applying sunscreen. Have I applied enough to get the full SPF? Did I pack enough to last for my whole vacation? And then it dawned on me: sunscreen should come pre-measured in the right amount. Because I’m also obsessed with Kbeauty, I pretty quickly thought of portioning sunscreen in capsules similar to what J.One, The Face Shop, and Besolbo have done for creams and sleeping packs.I submitted my idea for sunscreen capsules to Volition in February and by the beginning of March, a voting campaign was up and running on volitionbeauty.com! The campaign runs through mid-June, but the sooner we reach the vote goal, the sooner my balls will be in your hands.
Image source: Volition Beauty You can see my vision represented in the product photo and description on the campaign page, but my balls are yet to be fully formed. Only once we reach the vote goal does Volition proceed with formulating prototypes and samples for me to test. I truly hope my balls will be ready to drop soon after.
FIDDY: I know Volition hasn’t started making prototypes yet, but have you had any conversations about the contents of your balls? That is, the filters and finishes you’re considering?
Angela: Those aspects of my balls haven’t been shaped yet, but I’m eager to get into more detailed discussions with Volition once the campaign ends.
I worry sometimes that my idea is a skincare unicorn. (To its credit, Volition doesn’t think so.)
What I’d like is an all-in-one timesaver that moisturizes, provides strong UVA and UVB protection, and has a soft, smooth, non-shiny finish that’s wearable on its own or under foundation. The finish is very important to me because I’m used to super shiny formulas that require powdering or foundation, so I’d love to render that step optional.FIDDY: Volition’s business model means you can’t keep your balls under wraps during development. People end up seeing your balls at an early stage. Do you worry that a big cosmetics company may spot your balls and decide to make and drop their own balls before you can?
Angela: At this point, thousands of people have seen my balls–or at least a mockup of them. Now that my balls have been exposed, copying is certainly a possibility. While I hope that doesn’t happen, I don’t know what the legal options would be. As a practical matter, I would hope that we work towards completion as fast as we can and create the better product.
Do you think Angela’s balls are worth supporting? Are you as excited as I am to put these balls on your face? If so, please vote for them here. As an added bonus, when you vote, you’ll be automatically entered in a giveaway to win over $200 worth of Volition products!
Looking for a good sunscreen to tide you over until Angela’s sunscreen balls are a reality? Check out my Sunscreens category and check out my Instagram, where I’ll be posting periodic updates on my dozen-plus sunscreen adventures!
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Today I unboxed and arm swatched eleven different sunscreens. Summer is coming to my part of the world, and my part of the world gets serious sun. That means it’s time to get even more serious about sunscreen than before.
This is what people use Snapchat for, right? I’ve been getting tired of my usual sunscreens, so I thought I lucked out when Sulwhasoo US included the brand’s Age-Veil UV Protection Cream in a box of items for me to try. I didn’t, but I’ll save the ranting for the body of my review.
(While we’re on the topic of Sulwhasoo SPF, I’m going to share my thoughts on the Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion Intense as well, but veggies before dessert, so let’s get into this.)
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So I was looking at Instagram today when a DM came in from my longtime beautyfriend Rachel at Naruko US, letting me know that she’d created a coupon code for my readers for a few items she knows I like a lot. At first I was like, “Ooh, that’s so nice!” And then I realized I should tell you guys about it and link you to the products, so here we go. (more…)
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Among online beauty communities, the international community of Asian cosmetics enthusiasts located in, or originally from, the Western hemisphere–commonly known as the Asian Beauty or AB community–is considered one of the friendliest and most drama-free. But there are dark currents of controversy hidden beneath the placid surface of the AB ocean.
Some of those controversies are practical. Are Asian (particularly Korean) skincare products inherently superior to Western ones, to the point where a “real” AB fan should chuck their non-Asian products altogether? And some of those controversies are political and philosophical. Where does appreciation end and appropriation begin? How much does AB owe its cult status in the West to hype that’s fueled by fetishization of “exotic” Asian people and practices?
These are serious topics that deserve serious examination. Today’s guest blogger is Elizabeth Tweed, who blogs thoughtfully about beauty topics (and tea, and more) at Tea Leaves and Tweed. Let’s see what Elizabeth has to say about Asian vs. Western skincare and the challenges of mindfully enjoying AB. (more…)
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September 30, 2019 update: Unfortunately, Beautibi is no longer carrying this box and is in the process of closing down. However, 23.5N products can now be found at GlowieCo, and I’ve updated my links to reflect that.
In the past couple of years, Asian Beauty e-boutiques have popped up across the US and Canada like adorable mushrooms after a hydratingtoner rain. Which is awesome, if you can’t get enough of mushrooms. But I’ve started to notice that most of these mushrooms are painfully similar. Really special mushrooms are rare.
It’s understandable. Originality is difficult and risky. To be first to market with fresh discoveries, a super special mushroom uses up enormous amounts of time, effort, and creative energy. (And money.) The special mushroom grows tall and vibrant, which then attracts parasitic mushrooms that cannibalize it, absorbing the special mushroom’s most popular items and ideas (and sometimes branding and content) instead of developing their own identities. That’s not great. Because of this tendency to cannibalism, the number of really exceptional AB products launching in the US hasn’t grown proportionally to the number of new AB shops.
As you see brands grow in fame and popularity, it’s fun to try to trace them back to the first spore to land on our shores. It’s not a big deal to me from the customer perspective–more shopping options is almost always a good thing, especially for trendy (easily sold out) or classic items–but it is a huge deal to me as a blogger and industry enthusiast. The way I see it, the mainstream growth and success of Asian skincare in the West will require a steady stream of novel product discoveries. YMMV means that the current small pool of AB classics won’t work for everyone. The wider the variety of compelling products to try, the better the chances that people will find products they love. I want lots of people to find lots of Asian skincare they love.
All of that is why I’m a passionate supporter of magical mushrooms like Beautibi. I’ve been a huge fan of Jen’s taste in T-beauty (and also a fan of her personal awesomeness) since way back when, before we had any kind of shop-and-blogger relationship. She’s one of the few who consistently bring exceptional and unknown AB products to US shores.
Today I have a look at Beautibi’s aNEW beauty box, which we’re also giving away to one lucky winner! (more…)
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Just a quickie for any US-based Laneige fans out there: as of April 1, the brand will be selling directly from Laneige’s new official US site. Currently, they’re offering a coupon code for a Water Sleeping Mask gift with pre-launch signups for the brand’s newsletter, so click here if you’d like to stay informed about Laneige US happenings.
(Disclosure: I’ve given this post the press samples tag due to my existing sponsor relationship with sister brands Sulwhasoo and Amorepacific and agreement to consider PR samples from Laneige US.)
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When you’ve lived as long as I have, you realize that anything can change in a flash. Nothing is permanent. Not even cleansing oil dry spells.
After my failures with Ciracle Deep Cleansing Oil and Nature Republic Forest Garden Chamomile Cleansing Oil, my horrifying encounter with Missha Perfect BB Deep Cleansing Oil, and a couple other unpleasant run-ins that I haven’t written up yet, I was starting to think I would never find a cleansing oil I loved again. Then I had a wonderful fling with Amorepacific Treatment Cleansing Oil and got my hands on Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Oil, the subject of today’s review. Now those dark days of cleansing oil dissatisfaction feel like a particularly smelly but distant dream. (more…)
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After blogging for a couple of years and using Asian beauty products for a couple more before that, the vast majority of products I’ve tried have become a big shiny blur. Generally only the really great and really dreadful products stand out. But sometimes, a product sticks in my mind even when I didn’t love it the first time around. It’s kind of like that one person you sat next to in that one class in college, whom you never really got to know but always wondered about years later, imagining that they had hidden depths you’d missed out on exploring (or maybe got arrested in some spectacularly popcorny fashion).
For me, one of those products was Missha’s Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Borabit Ampoulesigh. So when Missha’s US PR team contacted me about trying some of the Missha products now available at Target, I figured it was time to give the Longer Name Ampoule another shot. (more…)
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There’s a fine, fine line between effective exfoliation and too much exfoliation. (Finer than the fine lines that we’re trying to minimize here.) Finding that line can be a challenge, since it’s so fine and its location varies so much from person to person.
Some people do best with little to no exfoliation. Others like to use multiple acids, use them often, and see a lot of success. My friends Tracy from Fanserviced-B and Kerry from Skin and Tonics come to mind. Yet others can’t handle that but want a bit more than the minimum. (Me.) If you’re looking for a milder alternative to common chemical exfoliants, polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) might be right up your alley. Let’s check out my personal introduction to these so-called next-gen AHAs: Swanicoco PHA 10% Coco Peeling Cream!
Fifty Shades of Snail 