Sheet masks are one of my favorite souvenirs to buy when I’m traveling, since they don’t count as liquids—and they’re easy to stuff into my already-too-full carryon luggage. I bought quite a few sheet masks during my trip to Japan last fall. I can’t read Japanese, so while I was there, I looked for products that displayed a “No. 1” symbol, since I assumed that they indicated that the product was popular. One such product was a 5-pack of Kose Clear Turn White…

Lately I’ve come to realize that salicylic acid is an underrated over-the-counter ingredient. For a long time, I only associated salicylic acid with acne face washes, spot treatments, and the like. But it’s actually a very versatile skin care ingredient that helps people who have psoriasis and keratosis pilaris (“rough and bumpy” skin). And it’s classified as a beta hydroxy acid, aka a chemical exfoliant that helps improve the texture of skin and fine lines, without…

My local Ricky’s NYC recently shut down (RIP), so I guess I’ll need to find another neighborhood joint to satisfy my skin care fix. Ricky’s NYC always carried a great mix of luxury and affordable skin care and hair care products there, as well as international imports, including the Japanese sheet mask I’m going to review today. I bought this Pure Smile Pearl Sheet Mask because I was intrigued by the name. At first, I thought it was just a brightening/whitening mask…