Saturday, August 11, 2018

BHA Skin Returning A-Sol from Cosrx Mini Review

Here's my post on Instagram!

To add to my post on instagram, I want to say that the product does not dry out the skin (as mentioned on the bottle). However, since this is a strong, acidic product, it does sting if you have an opened acne scar. After the product fully absorbs, then it starts to dry out slightly.

I believe this is normal with all acne treating products, so there really isn't much of a concern. It is important to moisturize the skin well after your spot has fully closed so that it can continue to heal. I never really put cream on top of my acne, as my skin is picky and will treat everything as bacteria.

I bought the product on http://bbcosmetic.com/ as it was cheaper than Jolse or other sites. The cool thing about bbcosmetic is that you get store credit if you post a review of their products on a blog or something similar. The difference is that I contacted the site, not the other way around! So this is not a sponsored post.

I hope you enjoy this product as much as I do! I'm almost finished with it, but there is still enough to last a while (since my skin has been pretty clear lately :))

Friday, June 22, 2018

Buying glasses from Firmoo.com for the first time

I am as blind as a bat, so I need new glasses. I am trying to live frugally, so /r/frugal helped me out and gave me a few options on where to buy cheap glasses (frames+lenses).

I wrote on my experience with Warby Parker's 5 day trial pairs. This helped me decide what size and shape frames I wanted. 


I decided on Firmoo because their selections are very wide. They have various styles in sizes that I want. I never thought I particularly had a large face, but I have come to the conclusion that it is indeed round. So I need some wide glasses. This is exactly what pushed me away from the other sites. None of them have frame widths larger than 140 (which is the total width, unfortunately Firmoo's rules for measuring are different than the other sites--I have a post on finding your frame size).


Based on weeks of research, I've also learned that many cheap, glasses sites are cheap because they're not part of the monopoly. However, I know that if they make lenses and you do not like what you get (or if you/they make a mistake on the prescription), there's a high chance that they go in the bin or go to recycling, so choose well.


I took that risk, and here was my experience. Also, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE COUPON CODES! Cyber Monday is especially nice. The email promos also included many beautiful promotions and discounts.


Purchase date: November 28, 2017
Processing: November 28, 2017
Checking package: December 2, 2017
Shipping confirmation email: December 2, 2017
Shipping confirmation #2 with tracking number: December 7, 2017 (when they actually sent it out)
Package delivered: December 9, 2017.

Actual processing time: 5 days
Shipping: 2 days

You may notice that there are 2 emails for the shipping confirmation. They both contain the same content, except the 2nd one actually has a tracking number. I would assume they finished creating the glasses by the first email, and they were preparing to ship it/actually shipped it by the second.


Since I want to live frugal and wasn't in a hurry to get the glasses, I bought the cheaper/slower shipping for $5.95 (estimated time: 2-3 weeks). The more expensive one was $12.95 (estimated time: 2-5 days). I bought the glasses only a few days after CyberMonday (so the coupon code was still valid). For that, the processing and shipping times were both amazing for me! 


My total price: $40.85

I didn't know if Firmoo was big or not, but they give Youtubers free glasses in return for reviews. I didn't contact Firmoo or anything; I just bought the glasses. Anyhoots, I expected the glasses to be packed in a box; how else would you prevent them from getting damaged in transit? Well, it came inside a glasses case, which was wrapped inside a bubble mailer. The glasses case doesn't close properly, but it protected the glasses.


Unfortunately, the frames looked horrible on me when they sit perfectly on my nose (because they covered my eye brows). The size and shape, on the other hand, were perfect. Due to my high prescription, the lenses were not working for me, so I received a refund.

Customer service experience: very prompt responses, almost every night back-and-forth! Apparently, Firmoo is a Chinese company, so the replies at night are due to the time difference.

My total return: $34.90 Shipping is not returned.

Overall:
Site experience: 5/5
Price: 5/5 (with or without coupons)
Shipping: 5/5
Customer service: 5/5 (note: their English is not perfect, but understandable and professional)

I had to resort to my local glasses store due to my extreme myopia, but I definitely recommend Firmoo. The frame selection is excellent, the quality is quite good for what I got, and the process of everything is very quick. I honestly will go back to just buy frames because of how nice they are!

Finding Your Glasses Frame Size

Due for new glasses? Or are your current ones not as crisp as before? And wanting to buy frames online?

After you get an eye exam, remember to:
  • Ask for your prescription (I never got mine when I bought glasses in-store, I had to ask)
  • Ask for your pupillary distance - PD size (distance from middle of one eye to the other, also ask!)
  • Ask for anything else you want to know about your current (or new) glasses:
    • lens thickness
    • single or bifocal lenses
    • prescription meaning
    • etc. 
I wrote a review on Warby Parker's 5 Day Home Try-On, where you try 5 frames for 5 days (free!!!). It was a pretty cool experience and I got to find out what frame shapes I liked!

Figuring out frame sizes in-store: 
After getting an eye exam, the normal routine is to pick frames. You can tell them that you don't want to buy yet, and that you just want to try some frames on. Or you can tell them you want to buy glasses online. Some might be nice and help you. Others might just give you a dirty look from afar. Either way, you're there to try on some glasses and get a feel for what suits you.

REMEMBER: take pictures of the frames you like! Especially from various angles. There will be 3 numbers on the glasses arms (i.e. 53 17 145)--definitely take a snap of that. This number could also be on the nose pads.

The numbers are:
53 - eye, length of the lenses (individually)
17 - bridge, the gap for your nose
145 - the length of the arm--the part that sits on your ear

High quality, I know

The most important number for me is the bridge. If it's too big or small, the glasses will either stab me in the eyes or slide down my nose. Then, I look at the first number--the length of the lenses. If it's too small, your face may peek out from the sides. It depends on the look you're going for.

If you don't want to go into the store blindly, you can do some research online. Check out a few pairs of glasses you like and note their sizes (the 3 numbers). Then, go in the store and see how they look and fit. Note: even if some numbers are the same, if the frames are thicker/thinner, then they may look different. The key here is to get one that fits comfortably. Of course, also check out the shapes that you like and note down what you think about them!

Picture method: so you have the 3 numbers, but just in case, take a picture of the glasses up to your hand or arm. If you have a pen, mark the glasses from top to bottom (end to end, the part you touch when you put on glasses). Then, take a picture of the lens part, length and width.

When you're home:
Look at your current glasses. Take all measurements (lengths + widths) in millimeters. For the total length, measure it from end to end. Make sure you note this. Then find the screws on the temples/arms, and measure from screw to screw. Note this as well. Finally, have the in-store frame measurements in hand. For the picture method, measure your hand according to where the glasses were in the picture. If you used a pen, just measure between the lines.

Read up on how each site does their measurements, and use the ones you have accordingly. For example, Zenni and a lot of popular sites measure the total length from "screw to screw". If you did the picture method and don't have the "screw to screw" measurement, you will have to subtract 2-3mm depending on how thick the frames are. There is no exact science, so be cautious and know that it will not be perfect. On the other hand, Firmoo measures from "end to end". So it is useful to have both types of measurements ready.

Tiny details:
My face shape is strange, so a lot of frames do not suite me. Here are some things that I took note of when I tried on various frames (as well as after I sealed the deal and ended up with not-so-good-looking glasses!)

Frame
  • length too big/small (too wide or too narrow on my face)
  • width too large/small (covered my cheeks or didn't cover enough)
  • thick/thin (durability?)
  • square/rectangular/pointed/rounded/straight/curved/sharp
    • edges are too round/pointed/sharp
    • top/bottom of frames is too straight or curved (some glasses have a "dip" above the nose bridge, others are straight across)
  • covers eyebrows, sits too low, blocks eye (I prefer having eyebrows)
  • bottom part touches face, sits too close to the eyes/face (think about makeup -- a line of missing foundation or mascara rubbing against the lens)
Nose pads
  • too close/far from eyes (either sits on top of my nose or stabs my eyes)
  • too high/low on nose (can I properly see through them without adjusting)
  • slides easily (then it's too wide or narrow)
Browsing for frames online:
Have your measurements ready, and have an idea of what sort of sizes will be in the "safe region". For example, 17 is a perfect bridge size for me. Many sites have the option to pick that. But I feel like 16-17 would be just fine as well.

I've noticed after watching makeup tutorials that I have very little space between my eyes and eyebrows. Knowing this would have saved me from losing $6 and having a pair of useless glasses (firmoo.com review here) that look bad. But thankfully the customer service was prompt and refunded me immediately!

Firmoo, for example, will just show you the 3 measurements while you browse the styles. For others, you'll have to dig for them. Scroll through the different angles as you find frames you like, and check the description boxes. Some sites have the option to upload an image of yourself and try on glasses that way, but to guarantee the size actually fits like the image, check the numbers.

Other notes:
It took me a while, but I finally found a pair of glasses I liked. My measurements are 51-19-150. When I did my research, I wanted the eye part to be at least 55 or more so the glasses actually cover my entire face. However, the shape was perfect, so I settled on the smaller lens.

Plastic frames: the arms/temples will bend. So if the frames feel tight at first, they will loosen up over time. You can go to an eye doc to get them bent/adjusted to stop the glasses from sliding too much.

Nose measurement: if an eye doc is willing to adjust your glasses, then getting a larger bridge is ok. It can be changed. If the bridge is too small, then it will be harder to adjust.

Metal frames: these are a lot easier to adjust the temples/arms and the bridge. You can do this at home or ask an eye doc. However, know that these frames usually are very thin and do not hide thick lenses that well.

Warby Parker's 5 Frames for 5 Days

Since the first grade, I've had glasses. Walmart was our cheapest and only option, and I never had a problem with them. But now I need newer ones. A friend told me about Zenni. Lo-and-behold the online market for glasses + extremely cheap lenses.

With only recently experimenting with what frame shapes suite my face (before, I only had tiny frames), I want to try out larger ones. But which? I went to a specialty eyeglass store to get my prescription, and asked to try on a few pairs.

I wrote a post on how to determine your frame size + compare it to the sizes online.

Online sites have a wider range of styles than in-store. To find out what tiny details I liked, I tried Warby Parker's 5 day home try-on. It's free; you pick 5 frames from a selection, and it ships in a few days. (Completely free!!!) If you have a physical store near you, it might be better and easier to just go there to try on more than 5 frames.


Each frame has 3 measurements printed on them: eye-bridge-temple. Since the bridge size isn't the easiest (in my opinion) to measure, I experimented with it (ranging from 17-20) to see which was the most comfortable. When the frames arrived, I took note of the fit and feel of each frame.

Yes, high quality photo right there

Shipping was quick.
Returning was so easy. They include a return label, and you just use the same box to ship out. I spent nada on all of this.

5 days to thoroughly examine eyeglass frames might be too much or too little, but I was able meet up with friends and ask around for opinions.

After summing up all of my findings, I used a cheaper site to purchase my glasses (firmoo.com). I wrote a post on my experience of that site here.

Here are some examples of my findings after trying on a few frames:
  • frames were big, I liked the recent big-glasses trend
    • I realized since my prescription is so high, these frames will not suit me because I end up with alien eyes when they add the prescription
  • they actually fit my face and did not look too small
    • doesn't actually matter because after the prescription lenses are in, my face will still get distorted lol
  • did not cover my eyebrows (except the light brown one)
    • important for me, my eyes look even more alien without eyebrows
  • got a feel for whether I liked more square/rectangular/round frames
    • I realized for my face shape, more rectangular and sharped-edged frames suited me best
  • found a good frame fit for my face
    • check out the post on that, but I found out 54-17-any was best for me! The arm lengths were long and short, but I didn't really care if they poked through my hair
  • the most important part of the frames (as mentioned above) is the bridge. It took all 5 frames to find that size 17 for the bridge was probably my best bet. 
    • turns out an eye doc can extend the nose parts a bit if the bridge is too big. For plastic frames, the extension is a few millimeters, but metal frames have the most flexibility in my opinion
Perks about this 5 Day Try-On:
  • freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
  • you get to experiment with frame shapes+sizes
  • get a feel for what frames suit you
  • honestly, if your prescription is low (or you've bought glasses online before), you can just buy the frames+get prescription from Warby Parker!
  • get to try on frames without having sales associates staring at your back
  • arrives quickly, and easy to ship out without any hassle
Overall:
Would I recommend Warby Parker's service though? Yes! The service was lovely, and I had absolutely no problems while using it. 

Rating: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Convenience: 5/5

My main reason for trying Warby Parker out was to experiment with frames. If I wasn't as blind as I am, I would have bought one of them. However, my prescription is just too high to get frames thin enough to not look like bottle caps (my current glasses are already halfway there though). 

Combo Skin Summer Skincare Routine

Writer's note: I apologize for the lack of images! I currently do not have the devices/tools to properly add my own images, but I will update in the future! I hope this post is helpful.

Summer is nearly (basically already) here, and the humidity levels are skyrocketing due to rain and whatnot. I've found a routine that helped me survive the winter, and a slight adjustment made it great for the rainy spring/hot summer!

My skin type:
First off, I have combination skin. I have an oily t-zone (nose, forehead, cheeks, even eyes!) and normal skin elsewhere (the perimeter of my face lol). Usually, I can last around 5-7 hours before I have to wash my face or at least wipe it due to the oil.

According to all the Youtube video's I've watched, the reason for oil is too much cleansing and dehydrated skin. 

Too much cleansing: you're stripping the oils too often or too much of it, thus, your skin overproduces to compensate.
Dehydrated skin: you're not properly moisturizing or drinking water, so your skin produces oil like a shield to protect the inner layer of your skin. However, unless you do something about it, that inner layer stays dry.

Step 1: Cleansing (once or twice a day)
My secret is to wash my face with water. I only use oil + foam cleansers when I wear makeup or once a week to get a really good cleanse. As long as you cleanse once or twice a day, this is fine. Any more than that (especially with cleansers) is overkill.

Oil cleansers break down makeup, dirt, etc. from your face.
Foam cleansers removes the oil cleanser, excess oil, and any other makeup/dirt, etc.

Step 1.5: Exfoliating
Oily skin usually means blackheads, pores, and acne due to dead skin, dirt, oil, etc. that clog your pores. To combat that, gently exfoliating your skin is key.

Monday, April 30, 2018

How Do You Make Your Tea?

I read a blogpost recently, and a comment came up that raised this question.

How do you make your tea? Hot water over the tea (leaves or bag) or tea over the hot water?

I personally have only seen and poured hot water over my tea. I am not an avid tea drinker though, so I may be wrong in my ways. I do enjoy adding cream and sugar though.

Let me know how you make your tea!

-orangelilac

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Innisfree Green Tea Seed Oil and Seed Serum Review

Update from 2019: I love both of the products. I tested various other serums and popular products (that were also quite cheap on beautynetkorea!), but nothing worked for me unfortunately. Hopefully my skin will never change and render the serum and oil useless, but after using 2-3 bottles of the serum and many samples of the oil, I proclaim it as my holy grail of all time!

(end of update)

I wrote a review on BeautyNetKorea's new shipping policy + changed prices! Check it out!

This post will be about 2 sample products I bought during that haul. Their prices have gone up since I wrote that post, but I will update them here.

INNISFREE The Green Tea Seed Oil 10pcs [Sample](Weight : 21g) SAMPLE
  • Beautynetkorea: 1.55 1.63
INNISFREE The Green Tea Seed Serum 10pcs [Sample] (Weight : 17g) SAMPLE
  • Beautynetkorea: 1.09 1.14

Innisfree The Green Tea Seed Oil
For anyone (possibly) wondering, it is cheaper to buy the samples. Yes, I did the math. Plus, the oil is an oil, so your hands will be nicely greased after using it. So I prefer sample packets so you get the perfect amount, and it's more sanitary than touching a bottle (maybe lol)!

My thoughts on the product:

Monday, January 29, 2018

BeautyNetKorea Haul 2 after the new shipping + gift policy

So I did not know they changed the gift policy.

I am very disappointed; of course, the new shipping policy + prices is very good (and still extremely cheap) compared to other websites. But I always looked forward to getting samples to try out and to take with me on vacation trips.

Innisfree released a green tea set for $25 with a full size green tea serum which goes for about $18. On BeautyNetKorea, the set was only $19!

I happened to run out of my face cream, so this was perfect for me. I added a few more other (on sale) items, and this was my grand total:

Innisfree green tea set $19.05
Innisfree green tea serum samples 10pcs $1.14
Etude House 0.2 Therapy Air Mask $0.36 x2
Purederm Deep Purifying Black O2 Bubble Mask Volcanic and Charcoal $0.51 x2
Prreti Ban Ban Salmon Elastic Moisture Cream $1.45
Dr. Jart+ Dermask Water Jet Soothing Hydra Solution $1.87 x3
Dr. Jart+ Dermask Water Jet Vital Hydra Solution $1.87 x3

Shipping: $10.21 to the USA

= 44.79

Order date: 14 January 2018
Date received: 26 January 2018 So the shipping is a bit faster than before. I know it would usually take 3-4 weeks to arrive.

The thing is, I did not qualify to receive a free gift. The first bracket to get a gift is a purchase between $50-100.

$10 shipping is very good in my opinion. I even tried to see how much just the Innisfree green tea set cost, and the total was only ~$23 including shipping. So it is definitely worth it to buy on BeautyNetKorea if the initial cost (without shipping) is cheaper than other websites.

When I received my order, there were a few things I felt was not right. My Innisfree serum was not completely full, and the cream looked like someone put the product in, not a machine.

I also thought the Dr. Jart+ masks were expired.

However, the BeautyNetKorea customer service is really good. They assured me my Innisfree set was new, and that the Dr. Jart+ masks were not expired. I only saw 200610, and misunderstood it as being expired in 2006.

I know it seems a bit too simple to feel relief that my products were "assured" to be new and not opened, but in my opinion, Korean regulations are high and I never had problems with BeautyNetKorea before. The products were not dirty, but instead looked really clean.

Overall
Good customer service, responded quickly to my questions and concerns! They were also the ones that informed me about the changed gift policy. 

Shipping: 2 weeks
Cost: 5 stars!
Total experience: 5 stars

Disappointment: no more free samples :( however, getting the cheapest prices online makes up for that!

If you have any comments, please ask me! 

Suggestion for BeautyNetKorea: add more samples to the Sample Zone! I would love to try more products because there is simply no publicity for them abroad besides other people's reviews! 

(Sorry for the lack of photos; I will update later on)


Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Cannot find ingredients for Tonymoly Geolution Shark's Fin Collagen Cream?

Someone please send me ingredients for Tonymoly Geolution Shark's Fin Collagen Cream!

I know this product supposedly contains "shark". A Reddit post said that it may or may not actually contain it. But based on a sample I got, the product is amazing. 

Which explains its high price. But I tried it out one night; my skin needed some care and attention. It is a thick cream and left my skin shiny the next day (I do have an oily T-zone). However, my skin was super soft and smooth for the next 2 days, even right after a quick face wash (with water). 

Before actually spending $30 on this cream, I want to make sure it does not have any fishy (lol) ingredients, not cruelty-free, and no other harmful ingredients for people (PEGs, or alcohol--an ingredient I try to steer away from). 

Can anyone find them? Or send a picture of the box that it comes in? I've only found 1 review on Jolse, but it doesn't say much besides that this product is "luxury". After that one use, indeed it is.

Thanks! My skin is in dire need of help; my current cream seems to be failing me especially during the winter, and this product is my only hope that I've tried and actually works (without breakouts!)