squalane

The best minimalist skincare routine: The Ordinary + CeraVe + Australian Gold + Differin

My skin started flaring up after introducing too many products at once—so I pared down my routine to just a handful of basics.

Remember the Stanford marshmallow experiment, tested kids' ability to delay gratification? I might be able to delay eating a marshmallow, but I’m definitely terrible when it comes to delaying the gratification of trying out new skincare products. Why should I patch test when I could be one day closer to glowier, smoother skin? This, of course, has backfired more than a few times. The skin along my jawline started to break out more than usual shortly after I introduced three new products…

AmorePacific Resort Collection Sun Protection Mist Sunscreen Review

This chemical sunscreen spray includes antioxidant-rich ingredients, but also features a strong floral fragrance.

I still remember the first time I heard about AmorePacific. I was at Sephora with my sister, and a store representative was gushing about a new brand that was centered on natural ingredients, particularly bamboo sap. I remember making a joke in my head about pandas, but I never actually tried anything from the brand because it was pretty expensive. I don’t normally buy premium skincare products because I can’t seem to justify the expense on something that may or may not work. But I…

Why I hated Laneige Water Bank Moisture Cream

Here's why I ended up returning this moisturizer to Sephora. Plus, some lessons learned from this experience.

I don’t really like to return things—probably the result of a mixture of laziness and fear of being shamed at the store. My dad, on the other hand, has no qualms about standing in line at Costco to return a bunch of things every week. He has also mastered the art of reattaching price tags to clothing items with Scotch tape. I’d rather live with a disappointing product than bring it back to the store to ask for a refund, unless the product was inaccurately advertised, defective, or…