Some Skincare Products I Use Part 2: Toners, Serums

1. Etude House Wonder Pore:

It claims to be a 10-in-1 product with the following benefits as written on the package:
"balance skin's ideal ph level
refine skin tones
keep the elasticity of pores
remove skin's surface dead skin cells
cleanse pore insides with cooling effect
deep cleanse pores
minimize appearance of pores
control a large amount of sebum
moisturize inside and outside of skin
complete smooth glass-like texture."

It's a liquidy product that is easy to use; you swipe it over your face with a cotton pad. I think it is pretty good though am not sure it performs all those things that it's supposed to. It says it's a freshner, I use it as a toner.
The packaging is plastic, just fyi.

[Mizo: Toner angin hmai phih zawh ah ka hmang a, a chunga ka ziah tlar ang khian a thatna point 10 a kawmah hian a inziak a, a tha thawkhat viau in ka hria. An sawi ang zawng zawng hi a ni vek em tih tak chu ka hre lo. Mahse hmai phih in a a tihfai kim loh hruk leh nan a tha khawp mai. Tui fim angin a langa, lapua a dah a, hmai hruk mai tur a ni].

2. Missha Time Revolution the First Treatment Essence:
 This is a skin repairing essence containing 80% fermented yeast concentrate to nourish skin and enhance cell turnover. It has often been compared to the much more expensive SkII Essence. It is supposed to improve a number of skin conditions, and also pave the way for other products that you will use after it by preparing the skin to absorb them.

Suitable for all skin types, it penetrates deep into the skin and is especially good for dehydrated (dry) skin without making it oily. It is watery and feels very light on the skin. Just pour some onto your palms and press your palms against your face until it is absorbed.

It comes packaged in an elegant glass bottle.

[Mizo: Essence a nih angin toner zawhah hman tur a ni a. Vun chhung ril takah a lut a ngaih a ni. SkII essence to em em mai Japan siam nen an tehkhin fo a, a tlawm zawk daih a ni. Vun problem hrang hrang a siam tha a, mahse a lang nghak kuar kuar lem lo. A tui ril khawp mai, kutphah a tlem bun chhuah a, hmai ah han nem luh mai tur a ni. Vun in siam thatna ah a pui hle an ti bawk. Eng skin type tan pawn a hman thei a, tui angin a awm a, a mawm lo, mahse vun ro tan hian ka fak leh zual bik].

3. Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Lotion:

Made in Japan, Hada Labo is famous for their simple ingredients. This is called a lotion but is as watery and liquid as the other products mentioned above. It contains arbutin which is a natural whitening ingredient. We must remember that when Asian products are labelled whitening, it is not about bleaching the skin to make it white, but more about lightening dark spots, discolorations, and the overall tone of the skin so that it is more luminous and glowy. Application is the same as above.

[Mizo: Japanese brand lar Hada Labo hian an thilsiam ah hian ingredients an pawlh teuh ngailo a, mahse an thil hi a effective em em thung a ni. Chemical hlauhawm hmanglo in arbutin an hmang a, hei hian vun a ti eng a, hmai duk, hmai a spot neuh neuh awm leh hmai bawl na hnu marks vel ti reh tur a siam a ni. A tuiril hle a, lotion a inti naa India a lotion kan tih thin ang hi a ni lemlo, a chhah lova, a mawm lova, a chunga mi ang tho khian kutphah a tlem bun chhuah a, hmai ah han nam kai a, zawi te te a press a, a in hip kim nghah mai tur a ni. Ngo hrim hrim na a ni lemlo a, mahse hmai rawng inang lo te leh hmai thim/ thu hrim hrim tih reh na a nih tlangpui, whitening an tih ho hi.]

4. Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum:

This serum needs no introduction. One of Innisfree's bestsellers, this is how the Innisfree website describes it:

What it is

A moisturizing serum with organic Jeju green tea and green tea seeds that hydrate your skin from deep within! 

1. More moisture and freshness with 100% green tea. 
Rich in amino acids and minerals, green tea from Jeju's own green tea leaves hydrates your skin.

2. Dual Moisture-Rising Technology™ derived from green tea and green tea seed oil 
The fresh green tea deeply hydrates your skin and the green tea seed oil creates a strong moisture barrier to keep your skin moisturized longer. 

It is slightly milky and is great for the dry winter months. PS: It is available in Innisfree shops in India at Delhi

[Mizo: Innisfree brand in a an lar pui em em serum hi chu kan hre fo tawh ang, ka ziak thui lo mai ang. A chunga tarlan ang khian a thatna chu a ni mai. Hmai ro tan a tha leh zual, ti mawm si lovin a ti huh hlep a, thlasik lai phei chuan a tha khawp mai. Hei hi chu Delhi Khan Market ah lei tur ka hmu thin.]

5. It's Skin Power 10 Formula VC Effector with Vitamin C Derivatives:

I just started using this so I can't say for sure, but it feels pretty good. It smells great too, reminds me of pineapples. This is how Amazon.com describes it; 

"A concentrated brightening & pore reducing facial serum-Enriched with Vitamin C & Green Tea derivatives to effectively suppress melanin production-Stimulates collagen synthesis to reduce the appearance of skin discoloration. Refines skin texture & reduces enlarged pores. Unveils a smoother brighter even-toned & healthier looking complexion. Dermatologist-tested."

The packaging is really nice and comes with a medicine-type dropper which is very convenient. I usually use 3-4 drops for my entire face and neck.

Some Skincare Products I Currently Use Part 1: Cleansing and Exfoliation

I thought I would do a Current Skincare Routine post, but I realized it was going to be too lengthy, so I've broken it up into parts in the order in which I would normally use them. I don't always use all of them every single day, but I do use them fairly regularly. I hope you find this helpful.

1. On days that I use makeup, I go in with a makeup cleanser first. My current favorite for makeup removal is Banila Co.'s Clean it Zero, which you might have heard of since it is one of the most popular products in the Asian beauty world.

It looks like a balm, and you massage it onto your dry face. It takes off makeup like magic. Once you're done massaging it, wash it off with lukewarm water and it turns into a watery consistency that washes off easily. As you can see, I've almost finished the tub, and I will definitely try it again later, but I want to try other cleansing oils once I am done with this tub. It also comes with a spatula which I should use, but never do because I always misplace it.

[Mizo: He product hi makeup tih reh nan a tha khawp mai. Chhah deuh tup angin a langa, hmai tih huh hma in hnawih a, massage tur a ni. I nuai na lai apiang chu makeup a reh duak duak mai ang. I duh tawk i nuai tawh hnuah i kut in tui lum pep pep nen han phih la, amah hi a rawn tui (melt) a, awlsam takin a fai leh mai a ni. Ka hmang zo tep a, lei leh pawh ka duh tho naa thildang ka hman chhin chak avangin a zawh chuan ka chawl hrih ang].

2. Makeup Remover Wipes: On very lazy nights when I just do not have the stamina, I clean my face with a wipe, but I don't recommend using this unless as a last resort. It might come in handy while travelling. There are not many makeup wipes in the Indian market, so I am currently using whatever I found in my local supermarket. It's quite drying and not very effective. I used the Sephora one and the Innisfree one, and those were by far, much better.

[Mizo: Thatchhiat zual changin engmah dang ka tih peih thlawt loh chuan wipes hian ka hru thin, mahse a pawnlang tak tak bak a tihfai lem loh avangin hei chu chin fo chi a ni lo. India ah hian Makeup Wipes lei tur a tam lo hle a, ka hmuh hmasak sak ka lei a ka hmang mai. A hma in Sephora leh Innisfree siam ka hmang tawh a, an tih tlak deuh, tuna mi  hi chu a huh tawk lova a fai duh em em hranlo.

3. Facewash/ liquid cleanser: Since I like to do a double cleanse, I usually follow up with a cleanser or facewash. Currenty I am using two very simple products which I alternate in the morning and evening. The first is Patanjali Rose facewash, which is an ayurvedic product and is quite okay. To be honest I hardly ever see too much of a difference on my face based on my facewashes, so I am not very particular. The only time I complain is when a facewash leaves my skin feeling dry and stripped of all moisture, or when it has an overpowering scent. The other product I am currently using is a Vitamin E facewash by fabindia, another very natural product with no harsh chemicals.

[Double cleanse ka duh thin avangin hemi zawh ah hian ka hmai ka phih leh thin a, facewash emaw, cleanser phuan thei chi ka hmang thin. Ka hmai phih na a ka hman hi ka khirh vak lo, vun a ti ro emaw a rim a chhe viau a nih loh chuan a huat tur awm lo lo anga ka rin ka hmang tawp zel. Patanjali hi ayurvedic brand a nia, India siam, a tlawm a, a tha ve khawp mai; chu lo leh ah chuan Fabindia siam Vitamin E facewash ka hmang bawk a. An pahnih hian engmah vun han huat tur ang chi a awm lova, a tha ka ti ve reng mai. Zingah leh zanah ka hman chhawk thin].

4. Exfoliation:

               Since we need to get rid of dead skin and other unwanted gunk that has accumulated on our faces, we've been told regular exfoliation is a must. I don't exfoliate everyday, but when I do I am currently using Skinfood's Black Sugar Mask, which is a scrub + mask in one. I love it, and try to use it at least once a week. It's not too harsh. You can adjust the strength of the scrubbing effect by using it either on dry skin (for rougher exfoliation) or wet skin (for a gentler experience). In any case, one should not scrub the skin with too much enthusiasm - gentle, circular motions work best- or the skin will be more damaged than benefitted with these exfoliations. Try exfoliating for a couple of minutes, leave it on the face for at least 5 minutes, and then wash off.

[Mizo: Vun chhia paih nan leh tih mam nan exfoliate thin a ngaih vangin Skinfood hi kar khatah vawi khat tal hman ka tum thin. Nasa deuh hlek duh chuan vun ro ah scrub tur a nia, hmai sensitive deuh leh dim deuh a ti duh tan hmai tih huh hmasak in a nasa lo deuh. Hmai reng reng hi na taka scrub tur a ni lo hrim hrim a, zawi te a scrub loh chuan kan ti chhe zawk thei a ni. Minute hnih vel emaw i nuai hnuah i hmai chiah nan hman zawm nghal a, minute 5 tal dah la, chuan i phih fai leh dawn nia.]

Small Purplle Haul

Hey everyone!

October is puja holiday season and a lot of sites are offering discounts and deals. I bought a few things off the Purplle website and thought I'd share them with you.

The packaging was sturdy and came like this:

And I only got a few items this time:

Here they are after being properly unboxed:

I was surprised to see the Mentholatum Acnes Sealing gel on the Purplle website and at a reasonable price, so I grabbed it for Mr. Hubby, who has problems in that area. Let's see how effect it is. He's asleep now and I am tempted to dab it on his problem areas just to see how it works :)

The next product I got was this UV Aqua Essence from Loreal. It was smaller than I expected it to be (30 mls) but I don't have anyone to blame - I just didn't pay close attention to the description while ordering it. I am a huge advocate of sunscreen and am forever on the lookout for the perfect sunscreen that does not clog pores or feel heavy and oily under makeup. Hopefully this will work out well:

The last item I got is my holy grail hair conditioner from Loreal. Nothing else works quite as well for my poor, abused, over-processed hair. It was on sale and so I grabbed it:

And then I got this Stay Quirky nail polish top coat as a free gift, but I haven't tried it yet so can't say much about it:

Visit the Purplle site by clicking here for details of products mentioned.  And stay tuned for product reviews!

xoxo.

Review: Elizavecca Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask

Hello my dears.

This time I'm doing a quick review of the popular Bubble Clay Mask from Elizavecca.

It has  a cute little pig on the cover. This is what the packaging looks like:

Since all the words on the packaging is in Korean (? I assume), I went to another website and this is what the description reads:

"This bubble clay mask is both a deep-cleansing makeup remover and pore cleanser in one! With its special formulation of charcoal powder, it deeply penetrates the pores to thoroughly get rid of deep-seated dirt while supplying proper nutrients to keep the skin healthy and supple. It not only cleanses, refines and tightens pores but it also helps control excessive sebum which usually causes the pores to be clogged."
[source: pinterest]

I find this description quite accurate. Also, it's important to note that despite the word "piggy" there really isn't any connection with pigs. It's just one of those unexplained and inexplicably mystifying names that some Asian products have.

Inside, this is what it looks like:

It's a super fun mask to use. When you apply it on the face, it bubbles and foams up after a while. Once that happens, you are supposed to press it on to your face and the bubbles dissipate, leaving behind a normal-looking clay mask. Like other masks, you leave it on for about 15 minutes and wash it off. I thought of putting my picture here but then decided to spare you. The first couple of times we used it, we had a good laugh.

Tip: I find that the best way to wash it off is to wet the face as well as your palms, and use circular, massaging motions. This turns the mask into a cleanser-like consistency, and it becomes almost soapy. 

Thoughts:

I like the mask. Apart from the fact that it is so much fun (you look like a bubble-faced monster), it is super refreshing and cleansing. The first time we used it, hubby and I felt our faces were noticeably cleaner and brighter.

I think this would be especially well-suited for those with normal to oily skin. I have dry skin and I do feel it might be a little drying if I used it too often, so I limit myself to once a week. Also following it up with toners, serums, moisturizers, etc takes care of the problem of slight tautness. Hubby who practically has an oil well on his face, loves it. 

Would I buy it again? Yes! In fact, we have already ordered another one, and it's on the way.

Check it out by clicking here!

[Mizo]

Elizavecca Bubble Mask hi tunlai chuan an theh lar khawp mai. A hman a nuam ve hranpa hrim hrim, hmai ah hian a rawn phuan chiam a, a phuan kha kut in kan han nam a, clay mask pangai angin a awm ve leh mai a. Makeup leh bal a tifai pah a, cleanser leh mask a ni kawp anga ngaih a ni. 

Tha ka ti khawp mai, hmai a fai vuk zel. Vun ro tan chuan hman zin chi chu a ni kherlo anga, tlemin hman zawh ah chuan hmai chu a mar deuh emawni tih theih ania, mahse thil dang ka hnawih leh hnu ah chuan engtin mah a hrehawm phah lemlo. Kan pa hmai mawm tak mai hian chuan a fak khawp mai, nuam a ti, hmang leh tawh ila a ti deuh reng mai a ni.

Phih fai pup tum chuan a fai har a, hmai tih huh a, kut tih huh bawk khan, hmanhmawh lovin kut huh khan massage delh delh ila, facewash ang deuhin a rawn phuan a, awlsam takin a tih fai theih a ni. 

Ka recommend viau mai. 

Quick Yesstyle Haul!

Hi loves!

I thought I'd share a quick Yesstyle haul with you today. Yesstyle is an online site that curates and sells a wide selection of Korean and Japanese brands, and it is my favorite site for Asian beauty products. They do sell clothes and other accessories too, but I usually zone in on the skincare and makeup section. They offer free international shipping when you order above 2500 INR, and although delivery is a long process (usually 20-30 days), it's free, so it's worth the wait. I also got most of these when the site had a sale going on, so the prices were quite reasonable.

Update: Since this question has been asked, please note that you can see the prices of products in Indian currency by choosing INR in the currency drop-down menu at the top of the Yesstyle website's homepage.

Here's what arrived for me in the mail today:

The package arrived like this:

And inside were: 

 Let me try and capture the products one by one: 

Babyface BB cream in No.2 by the brand  It's Skin. Details here. 

Next I got this sunscreen. It's by a Japanese brand called Kose. See details here.

I also got this Etude House Face Blur. I have heard great things about this, and since it was on sale, I grabbed two :) This is used as a face primer. Click here to see details of the product.

Next I got this Peeling Gel since I've heard that it's good. Peeling gels in general are a good addition to your skincare routine. Click here for details.

Then I also got this BB cream by Missha in No.21 that everyone raves about.  For details click here: 

I got these free gifts  too! Two makeup samples, a sample of BB cream and a free pair of boyshorts. 

Oh happy day! :)  Do come back for product reviews and swatches!

xoxo.

10-Step Asian Skincare Routine

Hey beautiful people!

Have you noticed the beautiful and clear skin of Asian superstars? Well, here's how you can achieve a similar flawless look. Read on...

A lot of us can barely manage to wash our faces twice a day, but our sisters (and brothers) in other Asian countries - especially Korea, take their skin care VERY seriously. So seriously that sometimes they have ten, yes, TEN steps and sometimes even more, in their skincare regimen. The key here is to layer products one by one, addressing specific concerns and needs.

Before we start off with the actual steps, we should also remember that HOW we apply the products is as important as WHAT we apply. It is very important to wash your hands thoroughly before you start your skincare routine. Asian skincare specialists recommend putting product in your hand and then patting it onto your face in gentle, but firm motions. once the product has started to sink into your skin, you can also use your fingers to pat in the product further. Try to imagine that you are playing a piano and drum your fingers on different parts of your face until the product seems to be fully absorbed into your skin. This is important because when you apply product on your face very quickly without helping it to sink in, most of the product does not penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin, but dries or evaporates on the surface when in contact with air.

Also, while TEN steps may seem excessive, we must remember that Korean and Japanese products are very lightweight and are designed to sink into the skin easily, and are rarely heavy or oily while being extremely moisturizing.

NOTE: All links are click-able. Click on the links for details of products mentioned!!

Here's a simple breakdown of the Ten Step Routine.

STEP 1. Makeup Remover and Oil Cleanser: This can be one or two products, depending on the type of product you use. This is to remove surface dirt and makeup. A product such as Banila Clean it Zero is popular. DHC Deep Cleansing Oil is another popular product.

STEP 2. Water-based Cleanser/ Foaming Cleanser: This is the second step in the double cleansing routine. To clean any leftover oil, dirt, and makeup, the face is washed again with a water-based cleanser (facewash). Foaming products (Mizo: a phuan chi) are considered more gentle and less harmful on the skin. The product is first made to foam on the palm of the hands or on a sponge, and then applied to the skin. Massage it gently and wash off with lukewarm water. Here are some examples of foaming cleansers.

STEP 3. Exfoliation: We had talked about the importance of exfoliation in an earlier post here so I won't go into too many details. Basically, this step is to get rid of old, dry, and flaky skin so that (a) new, smooth skin can resurface and (b) the skin is prepared to absorb all the other good stuff you are going to apply on it. Exfoliators are either chemical or physical, or a combination of both. Chemical exfoliators often contain AHAs or BHAs (google the terms!) and use gentle acids to slough away dead skin and make way for new skin. Peels come under this category.
Physical exfoliators are those that contain micro beads and granules, are grainy, and you have to physically use your hands to exfoliate the dead skin from your face, and are commonly known as face scrubs. Just be gentle with the rubbing! Here are some popular exfoliators. Skinfood's Black Sugar Mask is a particularly well-loved physical exfoliator, and doubles up as a mask too.

STEP 4. Toners, Skin Softeners, Refreshers: These products smooth, refresh, calm, and soften the skin, and they also clean up whatever might still be remaining on the skin after your double cleanse. They also balance the ph level of the skin for better absorption of skincare products. When you wash your face, much of the moisture is stripped away. These toners replenish the lost moisture at an immediate level. These are some examples of products in this category. These are typically applied with cotton and swiped on the face.

STEP 5. Essence: Essences are watery lotions that are neither toner nor serum, but a hybrid of both. They deliver active ingredients deep into the skin and often contain hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and other natural extracts for an immediately hydrated and comfortable feel. 

Sk II makes a very popular but expensive essence, but other alternatives are the Missha Time Revolution First Treatment Essence, Innisfree Green Tea Essence, Etude House Moistfull Collagen Essence, Hado Labo (Japanese) Hyaluronic Essence and so on. Here are more choices. Pour some essence into the palms of your hands and gently press it into your skin; you do not need to use cotton.

STEP 6. Serums, Boosters, Ampoules: These treat specific skin concerns and are in highly concentrated forms. They are usually packaged in small bottles, but you do not need big amounts; a little goes a long way. Choose your serum with your personal skin needs in mind. These are some examples. Innisfree's Green Tea Seed Serum is a super popular one for general use.

STEP 7. Sheet Masks: What would Korean/ Asian skincare be without sheet masks? There are so many choices for any type of skin concern, and are usually made of either paper, tissue, or gel-like masks with holes for the eyes, nose, and mouths. You've probably seen them. Put it on your face, relax, wait for 15-20 minutes, and then pat in the excess moisture on your face. These masks are infused with serums and other good things and saturate your face. Tip: Put your masks in the fridge and use them for a super cooling effect during hot summer months! Check them out here.

STEP 8. Eye Cream: The skin around the eyes is sensitive and easily wrinkled. This is where fine lines, wrinkles, and dark circles are easily formed. Take a small amount of eye cream on your ring finger (because it is the weakest and therefore most gentle), rub it between both your ring fingers and dab on eye area in gentle motions, massaging it gently. Some eye creams here.

STEP 9. Moisturizers: Like the name implies, these moisturize the skin. Korean moisturizers are not typically heavy or oily. There are multiple choices geared towards different skin types and skin concerns.

STEP 10. Sun Protection/ Sleeping Masks or Night Creams: Depending on the time your last step is an SPF product that will protect your skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays during the daytime. The sun is the cause of a huge percentage of skin damage, so sun protection is a must. Everything you have worked so hard for may be useless if you do not protect your skin against the sun. At night, as your last step, you can use a sleeping mask or a night cream to seal in everything you have applied on your face. During the night, while we sleep, the skin is hard at work regenerating itself. These night creams help in the process so that you wake up with fresh, beautiful, dewy skin! Click here, here, and here for some examples of popular sunblocks.

It is IMPORTANT to remember that after every step you should wait for the product to sink in, and you can help by patting your face with clean fingers softly to help each product sink in. This is a process that may take up some of your time, but if you consider it a long-term investment, it is so worth it!

Until next time.... Stay beautiful!

[Mizo]

Tun tum chu a vaiin kan let lovang. A sei dawn lutuk, ka peih lo :) Korean leh Japanese ho vun nalh em em chhan hi an vun enkawl hi an ngaihpawimah em em vang ania, hna takah an nei a, an uluk a, hun leh tha pawh an seng taima. I duh ve chuan han chhiar zel teh le. A chunga steps zawng zawng khi a indawtin tih vek tur a nia. Blog la chhiar thang lo tan, thumal a sen (red) anga awm khi han click ula, link dangah a hruai che u anga, product ka sawi ho hi in hmu thei ang.

Taihmak ve angai a, hun pawh a duh ve deuh a, mahse tih hram hram peih chuan a manhla em em a ni. Rei lo te ah i vun ah danglamna i hmu nghal ang. A step zawng zawng khi tih peihloh pawhin a then tal khi tih theih chuan a la zia tho.

A hnawih dan hi a pawimawh em em a, hnawih tawk tawk te, hnawih thuak te hian a thawh tur angin a thawk lo thin. I hnawih thuak a i duh tawk chuan i vun a in hip lut lo khan, boruak ah tamtak chu a ro mai mai dawn a, a chhunga lut tur chuan i kut silfai sar hnu khan na vak si lovin han nam deuh la, emaw i kutzungtang khan piano tum ang deuhin i hmai ah khan han ti la, product a lut kim tha tih ah chauh a step dawt leh ah i kal dawn nia.

SPF awm, sun protection nei products hi a pawimawh bon top! Eng ang pawhin in uluk la, ni zung lakah i inven loh chuan a ti chhe tho tho ang. Khawchhiat ni pawhin UVA rays hi engmah in a dang lova, chuvangin chhun a nih hrim2 chuan inchhung ah pawh sunscreen hman reng a tha. Korean leh Japanese sunscreens hi an mawm ve hmuk vak lo a, makeup hnuaiah pawh hman an hrehawm lemlo tlangpui.

Tih hram hramna hi a pawimawh. Thatchhiat chuan  vun a nalh theilo a, vun a nalh loh chuan incheina dang engmah a nalh tak tak theilo bawk! :)

Some places to shop for Korean and Japanese products:
Yesstyle
Wishtrend
Instagram
Strawberrynet

All About Simple Cleansing

Hello beautiful people, and welcome to my brand new blog! Before we go into our topic, first, a little introduction. I am by no means a medical doctor or a professional aesthetician, but am simply a skincare and makeup junkie. I do it for the love of it, and do NOT claim to be an expert. Much of what I will share here is from my own personal experience, and what works for me.

For reference, I have skin that is on the dry side which turns into combination (oily in some areas) once in a while. My skin is also sensitive, and my major area of concern is hyperpigmentation caused by sun exposure, bad genes, and most recently, pregnancy! I rarely have breakouts and acne unless I have been stressing or not sleeping well, or it's that time of the month. So let's get started!

PS: The blog will be bilingual (Mizo and English) for now as far as possible so that I can reach out to more readers who might be more comfortable in either language. Let's see how it goes.

So, I thought the first post should be on cleansing routines. Now, most of us might already be aware of this, but to put it simply, our skin needs to be thoroughly cleaned before anything else. No matter how many wonderful products you use, you need to cleanse first for the products to work effectively. Makeup also looks much better on a clean and refreshed canvas, which is your face. Again, makeup by itself does not often cause skin problems (unless you are allergic to some ingredients, which we will talk about in later posts), but makeup that is left on the skin due to improper cleaning is often the culprit. Cleansing does not only refer to cleaning off the surface dirt or makeup, but actually cleaning deep into the skin so that your pores are not clogged. Clogged pores, of course, cause acne, dullness, and myriad other problems, not to mention the fact that minute amounts of makeup and dirt trapped in your pores cause them to enlarge in the long run, thus causing large and unsightly open pores which, experts sadly say cannot be minimized once they are enlarged.


I don't want the post to be too long, so let's jump right into our basic skin cleansing routine, which may comprise of:
1. Taking off makeup with a makeup remover. (For example: Neutrogena Eye makeup remover, available in India)
2. Washing the face with a facewash or cleansing foam suited to your skin type, using lukewarm water.
3. Toning: This is an important step because washing your face does not remove all impurities, and some toners also help to close the pores that have opened up whilst washing. Alcohol-free toners are usually recommended since they are more gentle on the skin. Toners may be applied with a cotton pad (to wipe off leftover dirt) or with your open palms, patting the product in gently.

Cleansing must be done at least two times a day, once in the morning and once at night.

Additionally, you might want to deep cleanse your face once or twice a week, using facemasks that have ingredients like clay, charcoal, mud, etc.

Again, for the more committed person, exfoliation is an important part of the cleansing routine, which you might want to incorporate. There are chemical and physical exfoliants, but in India physical ones (such as scrubs) are more easily available. Exfoliation gets rid of dead skin and encourage fast cell turnover (read 'new skin') so must be done at least once or twice a week. Try to find gentle scrubs with smaller granules, so that you do not damage your sensitive facial skin!

Have special face towels reserved ONLY for your face since using the same towel for your hair, body, and face may cause breakouts. For instance, hair product residues such as shampoo and conditioner may be left on the towel, and if you dry your face with this, those residues could be bad for your skin. Try to have at least two or three face towels so that you can wash them after every two days or so. It is important to PAT your face dry rather than rubbing the skin vigorously.

This is applicable to all you handsome men too, not just the ladies! :)

Lastly, it is important to know your skin type and skin concerns so that you can use products specifically geared towards your needs. There are so many products in the market for dry, oily, normal, combination, acne, sensitive, etc skin types.

[Mizo]
Vun hrim hrim leh hmai tihfai tluka vun enkawlnaah hian step pawimawh hmasa a awm lo awm e. Eng anga product tha pawh i hmai ah hnawih la, i hnawihna vun a fai that loh chuan a thawh tur ang ka thawk tha thei tak tak dawn lo a ni. Hmai tihfai tih hian a pawnlang bal leh makeup lang thei phih fai ringawt hi a tawk lo a, mit in a a hmuh theih si loh kan vun kua (pores) a tang tam tak a awm thei a. Hei hian pores lian te, hmaibawl te, hmai thim leh nung lo te leh thildang harsatna tamtak a siam thei a ni. Tin, makeup hnawih dawn pawhin lemziaktu in a lehkhapuan fai leh var sar a thiam taka a ziak ang hian, i hmai kha fai taka i lo dah kha a pawimawh a, chuan makeup hnawih pawh a mawi duh bik bawk a ni.

Hmai tihfai dan awlsam thei ang ber chu a chunga step 3 ang khi a ni a. Hetiang hian ni khatah zing leh zan mut hma in tih hram hram a tha.

Duh chuan facemask hmai tifai tura siam bik (a tlangpuiin mud, charcoal, clay tihvel a siam) hi kar khatah vawi 2 emaw tih tel a tha.

Vun thi leh a chung langa vun hlui tawh tih tlak hi a pawimawh a vangin exfoliate peih tan chuan kar khatah vawi hnih khat tal tih a tha. Chemical leh physical a awm a, physical hi kan hre lar zawk maithei a, scrub kan tih ang chi ho hi an ni a, vun hlui tih tlak nan leh vun thar insiam nan a pawimawh a ni. Hmai i scrub reng reng in a scrub a mu awm kha a hraw leh thap lutuk hman loh a tha, chulo chu i hmai vun kha i ti chhe zawk ve thei a ni. Na taka scrub tawk tawk loh tur a ni bawk.

Towel hi hmai hrukna hran neih hram hram tur, duhthusam chuan pahnih- pathum tal neih a, suk zung zung a tha. Sam leh taksa hrukna nen a hmanpawlh loh a him. Sam hrukna phei chu towel ah khan shampoo leh conditioner bang nawi  a lo kai chuan vun hi a bawl duh lutuk. Tin hmai hi dep (deh) hul tur a ni, hruk hul tawk tawk loh tur.

A tawp berah chuan i vun in a mamawh product i thlan fuh a ngai a, vun mawm, ro, bawl, sensitive, normal leh a dang tamtak tana siam hman tur a to ber atang a tlawm ber te pawh a awm a, miin a tha an tih ang lei ngawt lova i vun nen a inmil i hman hram hram khan i ngeih bik dawn a ni.

There is so much more to say, about cleansing routines, but let's stop here for now. Next post: Korean skincare routine! Until then, stay beautiful :)

Below are some recommendations for cleansing:
some products available in India