(Part 3) Top products from r/AsianBeautyAdvice

Hoo, boy, this is a tricky one. Also, if you've looked at my Instagram lately, you'd probably know that I just had an epiphany -- a legit I-have-now-seen-the-light, movie-worthy moment -- about my own moisture barrier: namely that it had been suffering quietly for decades under the tyranny of unsuitable cleansers. So pardon me if my confidence in giving advice about moisture barrier health is at an all-time low.

Regarding product breakouts, may I know which Dr. Ci Labo product that you have tried? I know that Rosette Ceramide Gel has macadamia nut oil in it, which is why I can't use it (mild allergy; it gives me the itch). I would be more worried of things like nut oil than squalene, since the latter is also produced by our skin cells, making a reaction to it less likely.

Personally, the thing that has made the most difference to me in terms of moisture barrier health is the switch from a foaming to non-foaming cleanser, but I remember you saying that the Naturepeau really agrees with you, so perhaps that's not the problem. (Come to think of it, I think I have samples of the Naturepeau cleanser....) In terms of things that I own that has had a positive impact on my moisture barrier, in one way or another and in varying degrees, are:

• Mochitto Mochi Mochi Face Wash,
  
  
• Mochitto Mochi Mochi Face Lotion: just like the cleanser, except it stays on my face instead of getting rinsed off,
  
  
• Tunemakers Ceramide 200 booster: I mix this with the Liquorice Extract, Aloe Vera, and Honey to get a soothing and barrier-repairing mixture,
  
  
• shiro Oatmeal Lotion: the skin becomes slightly but perceptibly bouncier and more supple, but this thing is pretty expensive for what is basically oatmeal extract (Edit: This is also the only oat-based product I've seen in Japan, so if you're hell-bent on getting oats locally, this might be your best bet.),
  
  
• Plaskin Essence: various types of ceramides sitting pretty high up on the ingredient list, but this is expensive and contains placenta extract and some fruit extracts. (Edit: Oh, and it contains guaiazulene, if you're curious about that ingredient! It's moderately soothing.)
  
  Since I found out that I had been abusing my moisture barrier, I, too, have been researching about ceramide-rich products to try out. These are the stuff sitting in my Amazon Wish List. You might want to check them out, both the products and the brands (no affiliate links):
  
  
• Kanazawa Cosmetics
  
  
• Kiso
  
  
• Derizum, but this one has plant extracts,
  
  
• Edit: Duplair -- this one looks especially promising, but it does contain various plant extracts (supposedly soothing).
  
  Curel also has a ceramide-heavy face cream, but something in Curel's formulation turn me into a literal tomato, so I can't comment on the efficacy of that.
  
  Ceramide is classified as simple sphingolipids, so if you see products claiming that they contain rice-derived sphingolipids, they probably have some barrier-protecting ability. (As a bonus, I find rice soothing.) My personal rec would be Kuramoto Bijin Hakumai Hakkou Milk, but I have also been curious about Keana Nadeshiko rice line.
  
  Also, calling the other Japan residents, since this is the type of question that will benefit from having more people sharing their experiences: /u/2catsinjapan /u/urbanflora /u/itzmizzy /u/StrangerClegane
  

haha! I guess I can tell you a little....>.< It's a paranormal romance (again, never thought I would say that xD). I haven't written/worked on the synopsis, so bare with me ...

Mara, daughter to the Iron Peaks Alpha, is kidnapped after discovering two unknown werewolves on her father's territory. Unable to escape, she soon finds herself face to face with the most dangerous Alpha alive - Trever Axton. A ruthless and volatile wolf who also happens to be sexy as hell. Seeing the Black Valley Alpha in person should make Mara cower in fear - but it doesn't. Instead, she feels a powerful pull towards Trever like nothing she has ever felt.

But Mara is Unfated - a werewolf born without a mate. What does this mean?

Trever has long accepted he was never meant to find a mate and only wants to do what's best for his pack - until he sees a gorgeous female werewolf snarling in his kitchen. At first he's determined to make things right, but then it dawns on him that he can use Mara to his advantage. However, time is running out and the fate of the Iron Peaks Pack might rest in his hands. On top of it though, strange feelings are brewing inside Trever, hinting at something he never thought possible.

As for fantasy books, I loved A Song of Ice and Fire Series - George RR Martin needs to get that 6th book out though >:/

I also liked The Wretched of Muirwood by Jeff Wheeler. I have not read any other books in this series, but it I plan to!

I think my favorite book would be Abarat! omg, it's soo good and the author draws all of the art in the books/covers. Seriously they are amazing. I have not read the 3rd book T-T It's on my need-to-read list!

What books do you like? Do you have any suggestions? Also, what have you been reading lately?:D

WHAT I (both) BOUGHT AND TRIED THIS WEEK

Seller: Amazon US Prime overnight

Experience: Arrived as promised, overnight in well-wrapped packaging.

Product: Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Moisture Watery Cream for Dry Skin (Pink jar). Reasonably priced at $14 USD for 80g.

Reasons why product was bought: I'm on the search for a summer, low/no sticky moisturizer and this had no glycerin (which is odd, for the "dry skin" one in their line). Testing against my CeraVe Baby Lotion, my best (so far) non-sticky am moisturizer for summer.

Purpose: To lightly moisturize, and Hopefully be silky and not sticky on warm/hot days.

Place in Routine: After Kiku toner and right before sunscreen, to be used in am only on humid/wet days.

Testing schedule: Did 24 hour patch on arm etc. Used 2 mornings on forehead only and will continue this for 2 weeks. There's this preservative (MI) that can cause allergic reactions in some, and while I have very tolerant skin and have used products with MI in it, I'm putting it on the most tolerant part of my face for 2 weeks first.

1st Impressions: Lovely package even though it's a jar. Thick cream looking but a gel application. VERY flowery scent that does not really go away, just on my forehead it really lingered (and I like scents, but jeez). What covered it up was the scent of another heavy-scented product, Cosrx Soothing Sun Cream. The NR applies very smooth and elegantly, and after drying, does not leave a sticky cast as I'd hoped it wouldn't, even over my sticky Kiku toner.

This is the first time a scent of an otherwise (so far) fine product has made me probably not want to repurchase it. I don't need to enter a room smelling like my grandmother's lingerie drawer. Regardless, tomorrow I'm going to put CeraVe Baby on the rest of my face (was testing against my usual CeraVe PM, which is too sticky for this time of year.) to feel the comparison.

Location: California, USA

Skin Type: Normal

Skin Concerns and goals Moisturize, glow, anti-aging

Allergies/irritants to avoid: High fragrance

Morning:

• Cleanse: Amore Pacific Illi cleansing oil and Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser
  
  
• Treat:
  
  • If I have pimples: Shiseido Anti-Shine Refreshing Lotion
    
  • Normal day: Hadalabo Shirojyun Arbutin Lotion
    
  • If I'm going to use BHA: Cosrx ABA/BHA Clarifying Treatment toner
    
    
• Moisturise:
  
  • Mizon Snail Recovery Gel or Nutrogena Hydra Boost Water Gel or Shiseido Pureness moisturizing gel-cream
    
    
• SPF:
  
  • Kao Biore UV PERFECT Milk SPF50+ PA++++
    
  • Skin79 Super+ Beblesh Balm Bb Cream VIP Gold
    
    Evening:
    
    
• First Cleanse: Amore Pacific Illi cleansing oil
  
  
• Second Cleanse: Shiseido Fitit Perfect Whip Cleansing Foam
  
  
• Moisturise: Mizon Snail Recovery Gel or Nutrogena Hydra Boost Water Gel or Shiseido Pureness moisturizing gel-cream
  
  
• Treat:
  
  • If I have pimples: Shiseido Anti-Shine Refreshing Lotion
    
  • Normal day: Hadalabo Shirojyun Arbutin Lotion
    
  • If I'm going to use BHA: Cosrx ABA/BHA Clarifying Treatment toner
    
    Comments:
    This isn't really my core 4, it's just what I'm using right now... I have a backlog of products that I need to use. This also doesn't include my serums, sheet masks, exfoliants, etc either. I don't think I'm following the core 4 at all... LOL
    
    

So I got really spoiled because my stepmother worked for Evian for several years, and she always had several of those for me when I went to visit. Now that she's working elsewhere, I tried just making due with a spray bottle, but it felt more like I was being shot in the face than a luxurious part of my routine. I'm sure there are good bottles out there, but I'm lazy and I just buy either the Evian or Vichy water mists when they go on sale at my drugstore now. It's such a ridiculous splurge. That being said, I just watched a bunch of videos for Flairosol, and those look pretty good compared to your standard pump sprayer.

Has anybody tried the Hada Labo 'Extreme Alpha' line? The line with retinol that comes in pink bottles.

I've never tried Hada Labo before, but based on what I've read, I understood that:

• Gokujyun Line - White bottles - for extreme hydration
  
• Gokujyun Premium - Whitish yellow bottles - like the super high moist version of the first one
  
• Shirojyun Line - Blue bottles - for brightening
  
• Alpha Series - Red bottles - Anti aging, used to contain retinol (based on old COSDNA listings and few reviews), but I think now it only contains collagen and elastin
  
• Extreme Alpha Line - Pink bottles - seems new, never seen discussed on here before, contains retinol. Actually just the weaker retinyl palmitate.
  
  
  I was all set to order the red line but I noticed it doesn't contain retinol anymore. I don't think the cosdna listings are updated with this pink line as well. The alpha products (red bottles) listed on Cosdna are still said to have retinol.
  
  Am I understanding their product lines correctly? Has anyone tried these pink babies?

These ones? They don't peel into layers really at all – if you try to break them apart they break apart similarly to a cotton ball. They are incredibly soft though and great for removing eye makeup and nail polish.

I have this UV umbrella -- it's (somewhat) compact and works really well but honestly I find it a pain to not have both hands free. If I'm going to be out all day, I usually wear this hat (although I cut off the bow because I thought it was dumb) and/or UV cut clothes from uniqlo.

Sorry there two: Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Perfect (Japanese) that has urea high up.

https://www.amazon.com/Hada-Labo-Rohto-Gokujun-Perfect/dp/B00BQV0LT2/ref=sr_1_5_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1539882908&sr=8-5&keywords=hada+labo++perfect+gel+cream

They list the ingredients as : Water, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Squalane, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Triethylhexanoin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Agar, Arginine, Dextrin, Dimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Disodium Succinate, Glucosyl Ceramide, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Succinic Acid, Triethyl Citrate

The US version:

Hada Labo of Tokyo (US verson) has 5% according to this . Check bottom of page (also confirms that Japanese Premium toner has 3%)

(https://simpleskincarescience.com/urea-for-skin/

Actually the urea in the lotion was too much for me when I used it with BHA. This article mentions some other options.

These tube squeezers are a life saver and really help with getting as much product out as possible!

I'm confused by all the variations of "perfect gel" listed for Hada Labo on Cosdna, but as far as Hada Labo's "skin plumping gel cream," I've resisted trying it despite glowing reviews because it contains methylisothiazolinone.

Where are you? It's on Amazon US for 22 USD (Prime even - link). It's also on Rakuten and eBay.

Skin type: Dry, with relatively frequent fluctuations into dehydration. Prone to flushing and redness.

Occlusives: I've tried Vaseline, Aquaphor, Cerave Healing Ointment, and TCFS Pumpkin Sleeping pack. Unfortunately, every single one of them has caused a bad reaction (flushing and itching with the first three, hives with the TCFS).

Unfortunately, it seems that my skin reacts poorly to many common ingredients in occlusives, including petroleum jelly, honey, olive oil/squalane, and phenoxyethanol.

I'm going to buy this beeswax, castor and coconut oil-based jelly and the Gekka Sleeping Pack on my next Amazon haul purchase, and hope that my skin likes them better.

For me, when I use an occlusive (stick it out through the itching) I wake up with significantly more hydrated, soft and smooth skin. My moisture barrier becomes stronger and my skin unlikely to become dehydrated from cleansing or actives. Any acne or wounds become less likely to scab, and heal faster and without as much resulting PIH.

Unfortunately, I've decided that the increased irritation and redness on my cheeks isn't worth it, so I am not using occlusives right now until I purchase some new ones to try. In the future, I also want to try a variety of oils such as jojoba, argan, and tsubaki added to my final moisturizing step to give a bit of additional occlusive property to both my daytime and nighttime routine.