September 30, 2015

In Your Face | Preventative Facial Care


 What are some of my preventative facial care products that I use daily?
I'm really trying to branch into more beauty reviews and friendly suggestions these days! I know a lot of questions you guys have emailed me or tweeted me are more focused towards that. (Read up on my 3 step recommendation here). I want to answer as many as I possibly can in the best way possible.

Of course again, this post is not sponsored. I personally use these products on my face, and am giving deets of how they have really worked on me. I can vouch for this easily. If you know me you'll know I'm such a beach person and sun exposure is part of my everyday life now in LA, no longer under the safety of skyscraper shadows in NYC. Of course, if you've got your own preventative care tips, do let me know!! 

If you've got the cash flow to sort of splurge on preventative care, I say do it, no hesitation. You'd rather pay steadily to prevent damage, than pay more lump sum to reverse it later on, financially & logically speaking. I grew up with a super tiger asian mom who always stressed the importance of putting effort every morning and night to take care of your skin. As per norm of a stubborn teenager, I brushed it off. But now that I'm in my mid-20s, the fine lines starting to form and pigmentation speak for themselves. Gravity & the sun ain't your friend, I'll tell ya that.


Antioxidant - SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF $162.00



I know, I know. Look at that imaginary hole in your wallet. But if you're constantly in the sun, YOU NEED THIS. Or some sort of stronger, more potent source of antioxidant & Vitamin C along with your daily sunscreen that actually fights and repairs. I must stress that sunscreen is NOT ENOUGH when you're compromised under UV rays everyday. The damage is obviously not immediately, but pigmentation creeps up on you in your later 20s or sooner. I used to have dark spots below my cheekbones from countless hours of tanning and going to the beach. My dermatologist in Bangkok (who treats only asian skin, she's not racists, it's just a different industry altogether I swear), recommended me this elixir. I have been hooked on it since. It's expensive, but your future self will thank you, I promise. My dark spots are now faint if not even visible. It's a nightly and morning ritual thing, one bottle will last you around seven months if you're moderate with application. It'll smell kind of funky to be honesty. While your boyfriend will complain, your pristine skin will not. 




Where do I begin with this bad boy *jumps from chair* *does a little dance*. That lactic acid serum title is a little serious, but it's actually very hydrating. This is NOT necessary, but a booster / bonus if you have scars or uneven skin tone like I do from hyper-pigmentation and slight acne scars (thank you monthly white heads). Those marketing geniuses from Sephora (think uber flamboyant man with hot pink hair and brows on fleek), gave me a sample because I was complaining how my foundation would never settle and my skin was never supple after make up. I WAS HOOKED on everything Sunday Riley. Lots of reviews will tell you it's a cult brand, but man, I'm down with the bandwagon  if it works. I hesitated for a while because of the price and how tiny this thing was, but you what ... I'm pretty sure we spend more on monthly facials, am I right? This tiny thing will last you a good six months (one pump per night). If you really want fast results it also works as a morning serum as well as an evening one. My skin is not at the point of two applications per day yet. You'll feel the tingle after each application, so you know it's doing its job. The lemon grass quality helps with skin circulation and improves your overall complexion. It's one of those products that you put on before bed, and you wake up seeing results. Instant gratification in a bottle, boom. 

Sunscreen - Clarins UV PLUS HP - Multi-Protection SPF 50 $42

This one here is self-explanatory, but so necessary to mention for all you go-getter ladies who are often in a rush in the morning and sometimes forget the most important step. I know I have many times (but then again, I don't even brush my hair before I walk out the door). A lot of skin care brands out there would go out of business if everyone put on sunscreen starting from the age of 16-17. Seriously, guys. It's a step to which we must all be creatures of habit early on. Nothing can reverse sun damage; it is the root of all evil. Like sure you can get laser treatments and all sorts of peels, but why put your body through that early on when you can just dab a little of this, not to mention the baggage of constantly going to the doctor's office to get stuff done. If I could travel back in time to tell my younger self 5 things, this would be like the third thing. The first being "be less of an asshole and travel more." Anwaysss... I have had trouble finding the right sunscreen that suits my oily skin, and this one is light enough to be immediately soaked into my skin, never leaving a layer of gross oils sitting there ready to rack up dust. It's great, and doesn't give you that ghostface whiteness most sunscreens fail to fix. 

Tweet me, Snap me, Follow me on Insta and let me know what else you guys want me to ramble on about! Much love! 
 Tweet @urbanbetsy / Insta @lizkao / Snapchat: urbanbetsy






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