Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Summer Summer Time, Summer time...SKINCARE? A skincare routine post.

Lately I've had Lana Del Rey's Summertime Sadness song stuck in my head. Like today....-_-

Anyway, so i hope you're all having a good midweek so far. Summer's ending in just a few short weeks and I am sad about it. Fashionally speaking, HAPPY because I like sweater weather but sad because I don't like going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark. I much prefer sunlight and long days. 

My skincare hasn't changed much from the cold weather as opposed to warmer weather except for a slight difference. I tend to stick with the same basic things but I certainly use a lot more facial oils in the winter.



I have been using this face wash for what feels like forever...literally since February or something. It's a Korean brand my mom gave me. It's deep cleansing at its best. I love it. It's simple, smells great although there is a hint of a soap smell that I think is a bit much, but otherwise is very thorough.


This picture doesn't do it justice but it's very very foamy. It emulsifies to a very rich lather using a pea sized amount. No wonder it's lasted me THIS long. I'm only about 3 quarters of the way done.





My toning lotions or, lotions rather, as the cross cultural barrier between Asian and Western skincare.  I switch it up between the Naruko and the Kose because the Kose one is a luxury, truly. I normally don't spend $50+ for a lotion but....I really wanted to try it. The Naruko one is a fabulous alternative. You can't compare them because they both have very different benefits. 

Kose Medicated Sekkisei is a lotion that has a bit of alcohol in it but it dries extremely quickly. I like it a lot but I don't think I'll repurchase because:

1. PRICE - too expensive
2. Alcohol - Although very little, it's still too little too much. 

The Naruko one is much more affordable with all skin nourishing ingredients. All plants and fruit extracts and everything is derived by the earth. It smells wonderful and has a tacky texture much like soggy glue but is very hydrating despite its texture.




I sometimes use these in the morning - both are lotions to varying degrees. The smaller one is the actual hydrating lotion and the taller one is like a toner (clear, alcohol free). Both deliver the same results and both are very good! Definite repurchase FOR SURE. I love that it's also a Japanese drugstore brand and it's found readily available online or at Japanese stores. 

Mandom Beauty Barrier Repair Serum - This serum is really light, watery and scentless. It does one thing good and one thing only: HYDRATES SKIN. This is a very good serum with no gimmicks. I believe it's straight hyaluronic acid. 






The eye cream I'm currently using. I love this eye cream. It's thick, smoothing and smells amazing!


This is currently my go-to, and it's been working well as a routine. It doesn't get very hot in the Bay Area so I can still lather on rich creams and lotions but I like to keep it different from season to season if I can. Of course, I always have SPF in the morning and lots of lip balm at night! Can't get away without those.

What's your current must-have skincare item for the summer? 











10 comments:

Sunny @Mostly Sunny said...

Hey Jen, summer is ALREADY over here! *sad kitty face* My routine didn't change much over the summer though. When it was really really warm I skipped a lotion and used my BB cream instead, but that's about it! Now I'm back on dry oil, lotion, and all that good stuff!

Kathy said...

I'm actually looking forward to a little cooler weather. This summer has been quite hot and humid so I had to change my skin care routine a bit. Love the products that you used.

Huong said...

That eye cream looks like something I must try. I prefer thick creams over liquidy ones.

Summer is officially over for me. It's so cold now and it's been raining quite a bit.

http://lifelivinginlondon.blogspot.co.uk/

TracyBeautyReflections said...

LA PRAIRE! SWOOOOOOOOONS hahaha! Oh, i need to hear about that one before I go to CA in November PRETTY PLEASE!!

Sharlynn said...

Ooo...lovely stuff! I would love to try more from Kose, its pricey but seems to be effective and gentle. I love hada labo cleanser and their moisturizers as they do what they're meant to and my skins been good with them. However I really haven't been paying attention much to my skincare! I need to be more vigilant with my skin!

Eri said...

Does the Mandom serum feel tacky after you put it on your face? Do you usually use it at night?

Rainy Days & Lattes said...

Hi Eri, it's very light. I feel no tackiness at all. It's one of the lightest serums I have ever used.

Eri said...

Ooh I think I'll try it out. Where do you usually purchase this serum?

Nancy said...

I've seen the Hada Lab products at a local Japanese supermarket and I've always been so curious about them. your skin is amazing so I'd think they work well ;)

Shari said...

Been eyeing the Hada Labo Goku for the longest time now. I'm scared about the feedback that it broke them out!! :( I'm glad this worked for you, though! And hearing you'll repurchase makes me feel secure in purchasing it as well!!