New Year, New Me

Wow, it's been five years since I last posted anything on here. I don't even know if anyone is going to read this but I have missed talking about my favorite skincare products. I'm not even sure how to do this blogging thing anymore but here's my attempt to get back into the swing of things. Here's a quick life update...my twin boys are in Pre-K part time so I have a little more free time, but not much. We moved out of NYC to a different state in mid 2018 which was the best decision ever. I cannot imagine going through this whole pandemic in a cramped NYC apartment with two crazy, energetic five year old boys and trying to avoid people when outdoors! Our neighbors would have been so upset with all the stomping, yelling, pounding that kids their age do. And then, there have been many changes in my once oily, acne prone skin. Where do I begin?

My skin during pregnancy and in the heyday of nursing was great. I rarely ever broke out. But as my twins started nursing less (I nursed until twenty-six months), my acne started coming back. I finally broke down and saw a dermatologist who recommended going back on birth control. The only issue was that I had to stop nursing in order to start the pill. In the end, getting my face in check was more important to me since my skin scars so easily. My derm also confirmed my suspicions that the pill was what would clear up my hormonal acne in the end with the help of 50mg of spironolactone until I go into full on menopause.  So fast forward to where the skin is now at forty-five, my acne is under control but I'm left with post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), atrophic scars on the lower half of my face, and sunspots which Asian people are prone to having as we age. I've been extremely diligent about sunscreen application since my mid thirties but the damage was already done. I've never been one to spend time in the sun and preferred being indoors but sun exposure is inevitable over decades of one's life. My point, ALWAYS WEAR SUNSCREEN EVERY DAY no matter what the weather or if you're indoors or outdoors!!! I put sunscreen on my boys almost every day. I'll admit there have been a few days where I just forgot because my mind was somewhere else but I make it a point to get them in the habit of daily sunscreen use. Also my once oily skin is now more on the normal side, especially in the winter months. 

The other big change in my skin was due to covid. I was diagnosed with mask induced rosacea. I have it under control now and my skin barrier is much stronger. But, I do notice how easily my face will get red and wearing a mask for a lengthy period of time will still irritate my skin. Now that I know what the issue is, I have some go to skincare products I reach for when the rosacea acts up.

So, the whole point of this post is that I finally decided to be proactive about "fixing" my face as I call it and start off the new year with a new me!  I've been pretty self conscious about walking around with a bare face for a long time now. Yes, I wear a mask everywhere but I'd like to look in a mirror and not fixate on all the spots and divots on my face. With the help of my dermatologist, I started using tretinoin and we decided to do three rounds of microneedling and a few treatments of IPL laser. The microneedling is for treating the acne scars and the IPL is for any pigmentation in the skin like sun spots. I have finished one round of microneedling so far and I hope to post about my initial experience with it soon, fingers crossed. And on that note, thank you for stopping by! 

Don't forget to follow or like me on Facebook for updates. It helps me out a lot!

Jennifer

Postpartum Update

It's been so long since I've posted anything on here and finding time for myself is quite difficult. Currently, I'm 26 weeks postpartum. It's truly amazing what the female body can do and endure. My C-section incision has healed quite well considering the area was numb until fairly recently. Every once in awhile I get some sharp pains and itchiness (not exactly the greatest place to be scratching) around the incision site and some lower back issues possibly related to weak abs and a previous injury from an accident. The babies sometimes kick me in that area or put pressure on it when I'm breastfeeding but, all things considered, the delivery and recovery weren't quite as painful as I thought it would be. The contractions I experienced beforehand were the most painful part of the whole experience. I gave birth to fraternal twin boys shortly after midnight, a little less than 12 hours before my scheduled surgery.

Pregnancy Update (the final one)

This is my second and final pregnancy update. If you want to read the first one, click here. As I write this post, I'm currently 36 weeks and 4 days with fraternal twin boys. My goal, if I have any control over it, is to try to get as close to 38 weeks as possible. (More than half of twins are born between 33-36 weeks and 60% of twins are born by 37 weeks.) I have a scheduled C-section at 39 weeks (the date kept getting pushed back because of hospital unavailability and upcoming religious holidays) but I'm really hoping I go into labor before then. I can feel my body physically breaking down and not sure how much longer I can keep things up. I'm definitely experiencing way more aches and pains since my last update and my stomach has grown considerably.

Sephora Haul

I haven't shopped at Sephora in store or online since December of last year and I fully intend to make up for that as we get closer to the end of the year when there are more sales and promotions. Tomorrow is the last day of Sephora's Beauty Insider Appreciation Week where Beauty Insiders, VIB, and VIB Rouge earn extra points on all purchases. I only picked up a few things because I'm waiting for the VIB discount that happens around November. I'd rather save some money than earn points (I've been hoarding 1500 points since last year) although the new Rewards Bazaar that happens every Tuesday and Thursday does look tempting. Anyway, here's a quick look at what I purchased.

August 2016 Favorites

It's officially September and I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to cooler temperatures. August felt brutally long, partly because of the extreme heat and humidity. I've included some food and pregnancy favorites (guess they kind of go hand in hand) along with some rediscovered beauty favorites for the month of August.

Drugstore Haul

Can you believe it's been SIX MONTHS since I bought any sort of beauty related item??? That includes personal care items like body wash, hair care, and body lotion. It also goes to show you how much I tend to stock up on products. When you have twins on the way and live in a two bedroom apartment where a grand piano takes up more than half of the second bedroom, reality starts to kick in and you realize buying more products would not help the lack of space situation. Anyway, I happened to walk into Harmon's on my way to Trader Joe's and I couldn't resist picking up a few things.

July 2016 Favorites

July has come and almost gone. Is anyone looking forward to the end of summer and cooler temperatures because I sure am! Waiting for trains underground in a NYC subway and then unluckily stepping on to a crowded train car with no air conditioning is the worst. I could go on a rant for hours about NYC public transit issues but we're not here for that. So, here are a few of my favorite makeup and skincare products for the month of July.

The Saem Mojito Powder Mist in Green Grape ($5.67 at Korea Depart)

This claims to be an oil balancing mist that regulate the skin's hydration levels to avoid too much sebum production and keep the skin looking fresh all day. It contains corn powder that absorbs excessive oil for a mattified look. It's also available in a Jelly Mist Grapefruit and Water Mist Lemon. I can't say I notice a decrease in oil production but I love the scent of the mist and how refreshing it feels on the face. You can also use this to set your makeup since the spray mechanism pumps out a very fine mist.

Laura Gellar Baked Balance-n-Brighten Foundation in Fair ($33 at Ulta)

I cashed out most of my points at Birchbox to purchase this and it was a good decision. I've been interested in Laura Gellar products for awhile and now I'm dying to try the brand's baked blushes and highlighters. The other shades available for the powder foundation are Porcelain, Light, Medium, Golden Medium, Tan, Sand and Deep. Fair is a good shade for me right now but it might be a bit too dark for me in the winter. The shades run a little darker than the descriptions so keep that in mind if you're interested in purchasing this. I've been using a concealer, no foundation, and setting it with the Balance-n-Brighten. It offers good coverage and gives a demi-matte finish while brightening the face.

Cover FX Custom Infusion Drops in C + Lemongrass ($48 at Sephora)

This came as a complete surprise in the mail from an Allure freebie I entered. I've been mixing the drops in with the Pro YouS Wrinkle SC Renewal Ampoule. You can use it alone or mix it with moisturizers, serums, primers, foundation, or any other way you'd like. I love the citrus scent and how it brightens the complexion. A little goes a long way on my combo-oily skin so this will last forever. I like the drops so much I'm considering purchasing the E + Chamomile (calming) one. The other two varieties are F + Neroli (hydration) and A + Jasmine (anti-aging).

Burt's Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter ($10.38 at Amazon)

I've been using this product every day, morning and night, since I was 8 or 9 weeks pregnant. It's a little too thick for the summer but it does a good job with relieving any itching I'm experiencing as my stomach stretches out. You can also use this even if you aren't pregnant. It does have a very slight scent that's neither pleasant nor unpleasant, just smells natural. I don't see any stretch marks yet but they're partly genetic and dependent on the amount of weight one gains in pregnancy.

NYX Powder Blush in Summer Peach ($5 on sale for $2.50 at NYX Cosmetics)

This has been my go to blush that I've been constantly reaching for. It's pigmented so a light hand is necessary and has some shimmer in it which gives the cheek a glowy finish perfect for the summer. It lasts all day on the cheeks so you don't have to worry about any fading.

I'm Meme I'm Lip Tint in Las Vegas Orchid PK652 ($14 at Memebox)

I wrote a short and quick overview about the I'm Meme Lip Tint in Russia Purple and a few other Memebox lip products which you can read here if you're interested. I've been loving this shade, which doesn't pick up as much of the purple undertones on camera, and the pretty stain it leaves behind on the lips well after the product has worn off. It's plenty pigmented so I often just dot the tint on my lips in a few places and spread with my finger. I'm not sure if Memebox is phasing the product out since half of the shades are no longer sold on the site. If you see a shade you like, grab one now in case they don't come back in stock.

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Thanks for stopping by,
Jennifer