THE RED EYE LINER

Haven't done one of these in a while wew! It's been pretty busy the last few months, but I've finally gotten around to this. February was pretty stressful for me and it was really showing on my skin. I thought it would be best to cut down on the foundation and treatments. Plus truth be told, I've been very lazy this month in terms of makeup. That said, I've made it a point to be much more consistent with my skincare. The results have been promising so far and I have the products below to thank for it. Aside from that I also have a few items for those days when I felt I really wanted to have a bit of make up on which helped brighten my day as well.

Innisfree Apple Juicy Deep Cleansing Foam

I use this every morning because I figured that the apple juice scent would help wake me up a bit more. It's chock full of natural ingredients and Apple extract has AHA's which are good for reducing sebum (a fairly new skin issue for me). It gives a good cleanse and is pretty gentle. My skin feels soft and moisturized after use. It was also an absolute steal at KRW 10,000! 

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate

I switch to something slightly stronger at night and use the Innisfree Green Tea Pure Cleansing Foam. Afterwards, I put this on freshly washed skin. This was yet another great recommendation from Pauline of Catpacking. I put 3-4 drops on my palm and warm it up in my hands before patting it on. I love love love how it makes my skin feel and look healthier. The scent also helps me get in the mood to sleep.

Clinique Moisture Surge Intense

Finally got my hands on a full-sized pot last January and I'm already a fourth of the way into it. I have to contain myself every time I talk about this product because I love it so much. It's a great gel moisturizer that also helps calm and smoothen my skin. Most of what I really like about it is in a review which you can read here. I use it at night to lock in the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate and in the mornings after I wash my face. 

Innisfree Skinny Microcara

I've been keeping my makeup fairly minimal out of general laziness, but one of the things I find easiest to do is to put on mascara. This mascara has the slimmest brush I have ever seen and it is great for getting into the roots and is very defining. The finish is matte and it looks pretty natural even when you layer it on. For days when I go bigger on the lashes and use fibrewig mascaras, I swipe this on the lower lashes to keep them from looking clumpy. I have to thank Danie of That Nugu for this lovely present and for getting me the cleansing foam as well!

Eyeko Eye Do Liquid Eyeliner

Really been loving this eyeliner. My friend Kara had one (as well as a stunning collection of pictures on Instagram) and I immediately wanted one. I've always been a big fan of a brush tip for consistent precision when drawing wings, but a sponge tip is fantastic for pressing into the roots and one-swipe application. Alexa Chung, who designed this pen, designed it to be easy and quick and I've found that to be true. I also cannot get over how this is able to replicate the matte look of a gel eyeliner. It also has great staying power, but is never difficult to remove at the end of the day.

Too Cool For School Roll Lip Pop in #01 Pop Red

I did not expect to like this lip balm at first as I didn't think it was anything special. That was until I noticed that unlike a lot of others, this did not make the dry bits flake off the moisturized lip. My lips felt moisturized and smooth for hours. The tint it leaves is a raspberry color which also stays and it builds up with reapplication. It is very similar to my VDL Tint Bar Triple Shot, but the consistency is thinner, more gel-like than a solid balm. I've finished mine up and I'm planning to repurchase this soon.

VDL Expert Color Lip Cube EX SPF 10 in #502 Hello Stranger

Despite it being a minimal makeup month for me, I couldn't resist a red lip when I went out. I did use quite a few other reds this month especially around Valentines. My favorite of the bunch is this incredibly gorgeous one from VDL. It's got it all: it's a pretty shade of burgundy red, it has great pigmentation and color pay-off, it has moisturizing formula and SPF 10, it really stays on when applied properly, it has classy packaging and an amazing rose scent. Really, what't not to love?

Marcia Shiny Nail Colour

I think this may be the first time I've mentioned a nail polish on this blog. It's really good quality for such a cheap polish (HK$3 for 1, HK$5 for 2 at Sasa). It doesn't chip easily and the color is very vibrant even with just one coat. Most nail polishes go bad before I can even get halfway through them, but this tiny bottle has just the right amount for me. This cutie is a vivid tangerine color with very small specks of gold and pink glitter. I really like this color and how bright it is. Perfect for spring!

Keeping things simple has done my skin a lot of good. I have a lot of fun putting on a good base, blush, eyeshadow, the whole shebang, however, I've learned that I really cannot have a full face of makeup on all day every day. These products are a few of the ones that helped improve my the condition of my skin or just my mood that day. It really is amazing how just a bit of mascara or a hint of color can make you feel a bit better when you think you look less-than-your-best. I don't know if I'm alone in thinking this, but I find that when a day isn't going so well, I take comfort in knowing that at the very least I look okay haha. Hope you had a good month!