My Winter Skincare Regime

GENIE IS BACK!!!

It's been SOOO long since I've blogged - I did become a little put off by the fact that one of my blogposts was suddenly deleted without my consent, and RSS Feeds stopped working anymore. Since then, I've been really busy with my life with the two kids, trying to find a job, my severe back pain, and MaskGenie. Most importantly, I just lacked the motivation to blog, especially not being able to find something that I really wanted to blog about and something that was worth blogging about.

In this blogpost, I'd like to talk about the products that I'm using now, after having switched to products suitable for the super dry winter climate.

Since November, I've been slowly incorporating richer products into my skincare regime. I've been using products from CNP Laboratory since summer, and it has really helped to boost the water level in my skin. During the home care facial that I had at Shiseido's as a part of the birthday special they offer for VIPs, they used a special device to check my skin, and they found that my face was highly hydrated (all thanks to the CNP Laboratory products I had been using), but my skin slightly lacked collagen.

When winter was approaching, I realised that CNP products were not moisturising enough for my skin (even after switching to a heavier face cream), so since then, I have been incorporating Shiseido products into my regime, though the first night I started using them all (I was too excited to try them all), I broke out on my forehead. This didn't stop me from continuing with Shiseido products though, but I did stop for a few days before slowly adding them back in. During the days that I broke out, I used these products:

CNP Laboratory Hydro Intensive Toner

LJH Tea Tree 90 Essence

CNP Laboratory Dual-Balance Waterlock T/U Serum

CNP Dortoray Intensive Hydrating Cream

I also used a few Dr. Morita masks to help calm my skin and soothe the breakouts.

After recovering from the breakouts, I slowly added the products into my regime, sometimes adding the emulsion, sometimes adding the toner, until my face felt stable and okay with adding them in.

I'm currently using up a random cleanser from Memebox - Awesome Aqua Whip Hug Foam Cleanser. Nothing special, doesn't clean very well and quite drying for the face especially in this weather. Will not repurchase.

 Currently using up another Memebox toner - Tosowoong Timeshift Skin Toner. It's more like a gel rather than a watery type of toner, not so moisturising, but it cleans very well and makes the cotton pad brown after swiping it on my face and neck. Will not repurchase. During the days after my Lipodermis treatment, I use the CNP Laboratory Hydro Intensive Toner instead, as my skin is very delicate then. Will consider repurchasing since this is very moisturising and gentle.

I don't always use an essence anymore (I used to use the IOPE Bio Essence Intensive Conditioning religiously, but stopped during summer), but when I remember to, or when my face reminds me that it's extra dry, I'll use the DM Intensive Hydrating Essence. The essence itself is great, leaves a slight sticky feeling, but the pump sucks. My sister-in-law gave this to me, but I don't know if I'll repurchase since it is kind of pricey. When my face is super dry, I'll apply the IOPE Essence before applying the DM one. This is my second bottle of IOPE Essence, but I'm not sure whether I would purchase a third one, since I don't use it as often anymore.

When I know I'll be putting on makeup the next day or when my face really needs that extra water boost, I'll use the Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate before using my usual serum, followed by the Ultimune Eye for the eyes. I realised that my makeup does adhere better, and my face is less dry after using the Ultimune line, but they are kind of pricey, so I'm not sure whether I would repurchase. I don't use these everyday, so I'm hoping they'll last me for a while before my next repurchase.

As for the serum, I have the most expensive serum that I've ever purchased - Shiseido's Vital-Perfection White Circulator Serum. I started with a deluxe sample, but finished that, and opened up the full size. I use two pumps of this on hubby's face, and his face reacts very well to it (did I mention that he breaks out using most products but not this one?), but I did break out on the first two times of use. I use 1.5 pumps on my face, massage it into my face, and a few times more on my cheekbones (where the hyperpigmentations are). May consider repurchasing but I'll need to save up for it.

I admit I've been lazy with eye creams lately, I think it's because CNP Laboratory products can all be applied around the eyes, so I've been too lazy to apply other things, but seeing it's winter, that's when lines start to appear, so I decided to do something about my dark eye circles and fine lines. I was looking for Christmas presents at Fresh when I decided I want something for myself too, so I got a Christmas Set that came with a Black Tea Eye Cream, a Black Tea Cream, and a Black Tea Sleeping Mask. Despite it being an eye cream, it's very light and easy to blend. It doesn't cause milia. The full-size product is really expensive, so I'm not sure whether I'll repurchase, but if it does do something for my dark eye circles and lines, I will consider saving up for it. Before I started using the eye cream from Fresh, I tried a sample of an eye cream from Shiseido that was really rich, but felt nice and smooth after blending, and really did seem to do something for fine lines, but I bet it's really expensive just by looking at the packaging.

 

As for the night cream, first off there's the one from Shiseido - Vital-Perfection Sculpting Lift Cream. It is rich and moisturising, not oily, but its perfumey scent is really strong. After realising that my face was okay with using such rich creams, I decided to take out my long lost favourite, the IOPE Super Vital Extra Moist Cream. I used to love this cream, but there was a time after I gave birth to my second child, that I couldn't use anything heavy on my face, otherwise I would breakout. I tried it again, and my face loves it again. The only problem with this cream is that if you take too much of it, it does feel a bit oily. I now use the little spatula I got from CNP Laboratory to scrape the top layer of the cream a few times to get what I need, and this ensures I don't get too much, because you really don't need a lot! Out of the two creams, I think I prefer the IOPE one, as it's actually more moisturising, and the scent is more acceptable. As for the price, Shiseido is more than double the price of IOPE! Plus, I still have two more deluxe tubs of the IOPE, so I won't need to repurchase in a while!

I also have another cream sample that I use - A-True Darjeeling Black Tea First Anti-Wrinkle Cream, but because it is actually quite light, so I use it in the mornings instead. Light in the day, heavy at night. The A-True cream actually smells like black tea which is really nice and relaxing. Probably won't repurchase though, since Memebox products are quite hard to source.

Every night, I apply the Fresh Sugar Lip Serum Advanced Therapy followed by the L'erbolario Shea Butter Lip Balm. I absolutely cannot live without this lip balm - this is my second one! I used to have serious flaking lips, and nothing would help except this lip balm! They recently ran out at the shop, so I got their Natural Glossy Lip Balm as a spare, but it's nothing like a lip gloss that you normally think of, nothing in the cosmetic sense, instead it's like a tube filled with different essential oils, and is super moisturising to the lips! It has a slight flowery-herbal scent, but nothing synthetic.

In the mornings, I keep it simple. I wash my face with cold water. That's it, no cleansers or anything, just plain water. Then, I follow with my Tosowoong toner, CNP Laboratory Waterlock T/U Serum, Shiseido Vital-Perfection Emulsion, and CNP Doctoray Intensive Hydrating Cream or A-True Black Tea Cream. The CNP Laboratory Dual-Balance line is my absolute "go-to" for summer - I used the toner, serum, and cream from the same line during summer, whilst hubby uses the A-Clean line!

Next, I apply my CNP Doctoray Real Perfect Sunblock which has a UVA PA+++ and UVB SPF 50+, AND it has a slight tint to it (I blogged about the summer edition before, but that's the post that got deleted), but I really can't tell you enough by words how much I love this! My face is matte and oil-free all day long!

If, for some reason, my skin feels dry during the day, then I'll use a mist spray - I swear by the Recipe By Nature Spray Essence Water, but if I'm wearing makeup, I'll use the Recipe By Nature to prep my skin before applying makeup, and the CNP Laboratory Quick Soothing S.O.S. Mist over makeup. I've lost count of how many Recipe By Nature mists I've used, but it's definitely a lot, and the great thing is that it's free from mineral oil, synthetic fragrance, synthetic dye, triethanolamine, and parabens! The S.O.S mist is great as not many mists can be used over makeup, and this one can because the particles are very small, and won't leave droplets over your face after spraying. The S.O.S mist also smells of rose, but it's not overwhelming or annoying.

Other products that I use every now and then:

Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner
I actually like its predecessor more (I blogged about it here), but this one is still pretty good and convenient to use. Not suitable for sensitive skin.
CNP Laboratory Deep Enzyme Powder Wash (click here for the review)
Absolutely love this powder wash - it's very gentle, yet it cleanses and minimises pores.

CNP Laboratory Anti-Pore Black Head Clear Kit (click here for the review)
I absolutely swear by this blackhead set, and would definitely recommend it to others! After using the first mask, all the impurities really float to the top, and it doesn't require much effort to squeeze out the blackheads using a blackhead extractor!

Fresh Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask
Started using this recently. There's no need to apply night cream before using this mask, only requires a thin layer, and leaves face feeling super moisturised - probably will not repurchase due to the high price tag.

I also use lots of different masks - sheet masks, sleeping masks, and wash-off masks.

That's a lot of CNP Laboratory products as well as the newly added Shiseido into the family! I must say that my face really does look flawless and has a glow after incorporating Shiseido products into my daily skincare regime! I also have a Lipodermis treatment done every 3-4 weeks, and I've noticed that my skin is back to being flawless, as well as my pores being slightly minimised. The only downside to these treatments is how painful they can be - it's like a facial scrub, but much more intense, and much more painful! Will talk more about them later in another post.

I used to be reluctant to use and eat products made in Japan, especially after the radiation leak, and having heard several stories from friends and families about the side effects and things that happened to their close friends after visiting Japan and everything, but nonetheless, one day I decided to try some of their makeup products since I've heard many good things about their products, and that's when I received some of their skincare samples to try, and I absolutely fell in love with the results! By the way, I love their makeup products too, but those will have to wait for another post.

As you can see, the Shiseido products that I have are mainly in sample sizes. Shiseido gives out many samples to try, and I have yet finished them all, so I haven't purchased anything in full size other than the serum. The only thing I don't really like about Shiseido's products is probably the perfumey smell and the high price tag to them, but other than that, Shiseido is awesome and I'd definitely recommend this brand to friends and family! Shiseido always comes out with these trial packs, and they're a great way to be able to try everything! Shiseido HK also has a VIP programme, so that's even more samples to try, as well as having birthday treats and discounts! What's more is that they even have samples for loose powder and other makeup items! Look below at the photo where the tub on the left is the loose powder in its full size, and the one in the middle is the deluxe size, and the deluxe also comes with a small puff inside the container! This loose powder is the best I've used, like seriously!

Okay, so that's a fairly long post with lots of products and lots of photos. I hope to see you guys soon in my next post, which hopefully won't take another 6 months to write.

Thank you for reading, and have a nice day!

If you guys have any questions about the products, please comment below :)