How I'm Upping My Skincare Game Now That I'm A Grown-up (or something)

Hello at last! It feels like it's been forever as I've been fighting off jet lag that seems to have hit me pretty hard this week. I'm back in Ireland for the long haul and over the last two days have slept something like thirty hours. It's bizarre but my friends are remarkably understanding and for that I have to thank them.

Traveling, stress, and caffeine are well-known enemies of the perfect complexion and over the last month or so I've been doing battle with all three. While I was home in Seattle last week I stopped in to H-Mart, an Asian megastore, to see what kinds of therapies our lovely Asian friends could recommend. While I was there I stocked up on all my favourite Asian foods, candies, and teas to bring back to Dublin and then popped into Amore, a sort of Korean version of Sephora. I've heard of their luxury line Amore Pacific (available at Sephora and here) but never actually played with any of their products before. The shop was an adorable little place with about a million different girly and colorful products just waiting for me to play with.

I've been wanting to play around with Asian skincare products for awhile, at least since my first order with Kollection K, but didn't know where to start and I wasn't willing to risk ordering something online that could potentially be irritating or just not the best choice for me. Luckily, a lovely skincare consultant in Amore (who, incidentally, had fabulous skin herself) had useful advice. She examined my skin using a strange bit of paper and some blue lights and then fed the results into a computer which spit out my skin analysis. It was bizarre and kind of gimmicky but surprisingly more accurate than the Dermalogica skin mapping analysis that I had last fall. As I suspected my skin is actually very dehydrated, causing it to overproduce sebum in the T-zone. This explains why my skin has always been the obnoxious combination of dry and oily at the same time and why I've had difficulties finding the right balance of products in the past.

The new regimen. Thanks, Laneige!

I left the shop with a few products from a company called Laneige (literally "the snow" in France). See more about the brand and please enjoy the poorly translated story. It very much reminds me of this scene from Zoolander

 and yet I'm still a sucker enough to buy into the marketing. The products from Laneige didn't come cheap (each product was around $30) but the packages are a good size and I expect I won't run out for at least 6 months, maybe even a year for the Yogurt Peeling Mask!

So far I've used the Water Sleeping Pack twice and the Gel Cream almost every day. I haven't had a chance to try the Yogurt Peeling Mask but when I do I'll be sure to report back. The Water Sleeping Pack is a very cool overnight mask that I use on nights when I skip my retinol product. It leaves a weird sticky feeling behind (it is quite a bit heavier than your standard night cream) but I always wake up the next morning with plump, moisturized skin. The Gel Cream is also fabulous and is quite like my old favourite, Chanel Hydramax Gel Creme, but at a fraction of the cost. The only downside is that it lacks SPF. Otherwise it keeps my skin feeling hydrated but never oily and makeup glides on like a dream.

Water Sleeping Pack - ultra fancy night cream, basically

Sidebar: I also left with approximately a zillion sheet masks. They were $1 each!

I look forward to scaring neighborhood children with these

Now that I've got my anti-aging and moisture game on lock I've been exploring a few new avenues for the last of my skin troubles. The most important thing with starting new products is to take them one at a time in case something causes breakouts or rashes. I tend to be a bit impulsive and in my life I don't think I've ever added one product at a time. I'm trying so hard to resist the urge to jumpstart my new skincare obsession NOW, so why don't I share my woes first?

Problem 1: Congestion. I have a few closed comedones on my forehead that bug me. The skin there isn't covered with red cystic acne but it's not exactly smooth. Hours spent on r/skincareaddiction lead me to believe I most likely need an AHA or BHA exfoliating product. I'm a little reluctant to dive in with a chemical exfoliant when I'm using a retinol, though. I've had no adverse effects from my current anti-aging product (La Roche Posay Redermic R) and I don't want to tempt fate by irritating the crap out of my skin. Thoughts? Recommendations? American ladies are partial to Stridex pads in the red box but we can't get those in this part of the world.

Problem 2: Makeup Removal. Ugh. I love Benefit's They're Real mascara (it is my one true ride-or-die eye makeup I think) but it is such a bitch to take off at night. It's not waterproof but seems to be highly resistant to all my efforts to gently remove it. Almost every night I'm convinced I'm pulling out several eyelashes at once plus likely damaging my delicate skin around the eyes. I tried coconut oil but kept getting that in my eyes. I'm tempted to try a micellar water. Bioderma is the makeup industry gold standard but difficult to access in Dublin. I saw several good options at Boots though, including this Garnier one which was on offer and a few by La Roche Posay, Avene, Vichy, and L'Oreal. The number of options is slightly overwhelming and they all seem pretty much the same. Probably by this time tomorrow I'll have purchased the Garnier one.

(Update: I did! It was 6 euros and they had 3 for 2 on skincare. I do what I want. Also I got Avene Cleanance K, an AHA/BHA product, and La Roche Posay's Physiologic Toner)

Can't wait to try these out. Updates to follow

How often do you update your skincare regimen? Do you gradually introduce products or go for it at once like me?

xo Caitlin

Shameless Materialism: Really F*cking Expensive Shampoo

Hello and welcome back to Shameless Materialism! This column is all about products I've finished up and re-purchased. It is an ode to the all-time best ever products that the beauty industry has produced and I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. 

Oh my God, you guys, I know I just wrote a Shameless Materialism post about Kerastase shampoo and gushed about how it's basically the best thing that's ever happened in my sad, dark life. And I know banging on about shampoo is lame and boring or whatever. But here's the thing: I'm in Seattle. And that means I'm in my childhood bathroom, where I re-discovered this intense and fabulous shampoo and I need to tell you everything about it. Ready? 

It's by Philip B and called the Russian Imperial Amber Shampoo (available here, here, and I think I saw it at Barney's once). It costs $140 for 12 oz. ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY DOLLARS for a product that literally gets washed down the drain (Pro tip: it's cheaper on Amazon. But there is a theoretical risk that it could be a fake. I dunno, make your choices and let me know what happens). Anyway, yeah it is easily the most decadent product I own and someday I will look back on my twenties and feel ashamed of my wanton spending. I really don't even know if I can tell you that this shampoo is worth the price, because "worth it" is a relative term depending on your own needs/wants/abilities/priorities whatever. I will tell you, though, that a 12 oz bottle lasts me well over a year because it is so goddamn expensive that I use it sparingly and treat it like it's made of gold. I've had strong words with my little brother, who shares my bathroom, about how he is never to touch it. I wouldn't hesitate to remove one of his hands for stealing my Philip B shampoo. 

The second ingredient in Russian Imperial Amber Shampoo is sodium laureth sulfate, a detergent agent that creates the satisfying lather, which some people find irritating or drying. In my experience the high SLS content actually leaves my hair satisfyingly squeaky-clean and is excellent for clearing product buildup. It's never drying and I actually don't ever follow it with conditioner because it's so moisturizing. My hair is left clean and voluminous (product buildup is the natural enemy of volume) and incredibly shiny. The shampoo is a little weird at first, it's a thick paste texture that has to be massaged and warmed in your hands before you can work it into your hair. If I'm honest though, the thing that draws me back year after year is the scent. According to Philip B's website: "the tantalizing botanical scent channels the opulence of the Romanov dynasty, when the healing and calming properties of Amber Oil were treasured by a privileged few." To me it smells decadent and rich. My hair literally looks and smells like a million (okay, a hundred) bucks. Unlike other hair products I've used this scent actually hangs around for nearly two days! Ka-ching! 

Today I was in a really weird mood. I went for my run and then was sitting reading a really strange book (Petals in the Wind by V.C. Andrews, if you're curious) but I just couldn't shake this weird, anxious, blues-y feeling. I blame the random cloudy weather we had in Seattle today. So naturally I solved my problems by taking a Xanax. Kidding, kind of. I couldn't find any Xanax in the house. Instead I took a really long bath and washed my hair with my ridiculously expensive shampoo. I couldn't work up the energy to shave my legs (sorry) or hunt down bubble bath or whatever, but the ritual was meditative and left me smelling like a frickin' Grand Duchess so I obviously felt a good bit better afterwards. Now my weird mood swing seems to have settled and I'd like to thank my Past Self for investing so wisely in my mental health. 

Yes, I can justify just about any purchase you need me to. I'm officially declaring Philip B Russian Imperial Amber Shampoo better than benzodiazepines. 

image source

What's the most decadent thing you've ever purchased? How did you justify it? Did you have to hide the receipts or dine on ramen after? 

Do svidanya i spokoynoy nochi, 
xo Caitlin

Back by (moderately) popular demand

Hello again! Long time no blog. The last three weeks have flown by in a blur of too many white wine spritzers, American Horror Story marathons, and occasional jaunts to faraway locales.

Behold the briefest of updates...

1. Running: huzzah! I've been battling plantar fasciitis since Christmastime and this week made my very gradual return to running. Before I was injured I was routinely running about 4-5 times per week, with the requisite Saturday long run to prepare for a marathon. Sadly I had to back out of the race but I'm hoping to try again next May! I'm using the Couch to 5K app to help get me back in it and I highly recommend it for beginning runners and the previously-injured. 
2. Turkey: remember my previous post about my quest to be the glammest bitch on the beach? Well I don't know if I pulled it off, but I do know I wore an overlarge sunhat and drank cocktails poolside for a week. So there's that. I'll do a full post next week (probably) because I need to relive the best holiday of my life.
3. Seattle: I'm home! I booked an impromptu trip to Seattle early this week to catch some sun, stare at the ocean, and bemoan my decision to stay in Ireland another year. Seattle is seriously the most beautiful place on earth, but let's not tell anyone because I want it to remain pristine and uncharted. 
4. American SHOPPING: You knew I was going to say this, right? I've been home two days and already been to Target, Sephora, and MAC. Unless my dad wants a Revlon Balm Stain for Father's Day I'm afraid he might be slightly disappointed this Sunday when he realizes none of my shopping has been for him. Stay tuned for an obnoxious post about all the shizz I spent my not-yet-earned money on. 
5. Employment: Sweet baby Jane I have a job! I'm starting work on July 3rd in a hospital in Ireland. To any of my Irish readers...don't get sick or injured in July. Please.

I'm so sorry to leave you with only a sad little update for now but I promise good posts will be forthcoming. Today it was only about 65 F outside so I had plenty of time to play around with my new purchases and get ideas for a post. 

In the meantime please enjoy two photos from my holiday in Turkey! My friends and I did a hot dog legs contest (whatever that is) so here is my submission: 

and naturally I am nothing without a good beach tote. I chose this one from Kate Spade which was rather appropriate for a holiday that was an excuse to get White Girl Wasted every single night. 

Till next time! I promise I'll write you a better post soon. Today's forecast is for rain (harrumph) so I'll probably churn out some questionable beauty writing. 

xo Caitlin