I am alive!

Hello friends!  I am still alive.  It is already August.  Where have the summer gone?  My parents are still with us and all we do is shop.  It is true.  My mother can shop like no one else.  The girls and I just tag along and hold her bags.  It is fun to be able to walk into stores that I would never have the budget to even window shop.  Now every time someone says I like fine things in life, I can say blame my mother.  One of the things both my mother and I love is skincare.  I think as a culture, Asian women are obsessed with having beautiful skin.  I had my first facial at twelve years old.  I was already doing the three step skin care process before I knew what a bra was.  I was told to wear sunscreen everyday and not use any products with alcohol. 

 My mother always said, "treat your face like silk. You only get one for the rest of your life."  Through out the years, my skin care routine has changed and I have tried pretty much every type of skin care product out there. Because I wanted to understand the science behind skin care, I went to an esthetics school.  I worked as an esthetician for years before I decided to be a stay at home mom for Bella. My skin care ritual is more than just a routine.  It is my time to relax and pamper myself.  We all need a little bit of that, don't you think?  Here are my must have products.  

I don't always wash my face in the morning.  I think most people over cleanse their faces and in term, they are stripping their skin of its natural oils that keep it healthy.  I usually wipe my face with an alcohol free toner to prep my skin.  My first step is to use an antioxidant treatment.  I have been using Skinceuticals C E Ferulic since I was 20.  Nothing in my routine ever stay the same except this.  The serum has 15% L-ascoebic acid which essentially is Vitamin C.  It protects against the free radicals induced by the sun.  All I know is this product keeps the sun spots away.  I don't buy any more shoes or bags because of this serum.  It totally worth every cent.

As long as I have been using C E Ferulic, I have been using this Hydrating B5 serum.  It keeps my skin hydrated and plumped.  It is wonderful during cold harsh winter time.  

Both of these bottles last me for a year.  Now my most important step of the morning routine is my sunscreen.  I have tried every brand of sun screen out there.  This is the BEST mineral sunscreen I have ever used.  It applies like silk and doesn't leave any white residue.  It doesn't leave my skin a greasy mess either. I will use this product forever and ever.  

I used to wear foundation almost everyday.  Since I have been following this routine, I only use foundation on special occasion.  On daily basic, I use Sunday Riley's Tinted Primer.  It is sheer and gives my skin just a bit of color.  A little bit of concealer over the primer and I am good to go.

That is it for my morning routine.  I know this is probably a lot more than most people but I love it!  During the morning, I usually have the girls sitting on the bathroom vanity staring at what I am doing and waiting for their turn.  It actually is a funny sight.  The three of us all lined up in front of the bathroom mirror with our turbans on.   Night time is my time.  The house is quiet and the day is almost over.  I don't have to fight for the counter space.  I start my night ritual with a cleanser.  I don't have a favorite cleanser.  I am always in search of the perfect cleanser.  So far no luck.  Right now I am using Shiseido extra creamy cleanser.  It does the job.  It works really well with my Clarisonic face brush.  Oh if you don't have a Clarisonic brush, please get one.  I promise it will be the best investment.  It is like getting a mini facial everyday.  Imagine that.

I follow that by toner.  I love rose toners.  I just imagine bouquets of roses on my face.  The next step is new for me.  It is called essence.  It is very important step for most women in Asia.  It affects skin on the cellular level and helps speed up your cell turnover rate.  It leaves your skin smooth and glowing.  I used to use SK-II Facial Treatment Essence.  It was ridiculously expensive and dry out my skin.  Now I am using this Korean brand called MISSHA Time Revolution First Treatment Essence.  It is amazing.  

Follow that by the best thing ever made since Annie Sloan chalk paint.  My beloved Sunday Riley Good Genes Serum.  It has even out my skin tone and make it glow like no other.  It smells beautifully fresh. I finish off my routine with Sunday Riley Start Over eye cream and Bionic night cream.  I am not crazy about the eye cream but the night cream is my downfall.  I love it sooo much but I don't know if I can afford it again.  If you ever see me disappear for a month from the blog, it probably is because I run out of one of my skin care products and I can't afford to do any project. : ) Sacrifices.

I realized I use a lot of Sunday Riley products.  This isn't even a sponsor post.  I just love her products so much.  Once or twice a week, I use Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Peel for exfoliation.

  I can't even tell you how many facial masks I own.  That will have to be on a different blog post. Of course how our skin looks and feels is all about what we eat too.  I drink two liters of water a day.  I try the best that I can to keep a peaceful mind.  My skin always look like crap when I am stressed or angry or just plain grumpy.  Our outside appearance is a window to how we feel inside.  How do I feel inside...?  My main man, William Shakespeare, wrote, “With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.”   Well, heck, I am in trouble.


Love,
Victoria