Hoping for recs on products that aren't too expensive, since I seem to go through a lot. I've been using Carmex overnight, but I still wake up with scaly, chapped lips (and I try not to bite them, but lizard brain chomps lizard lips, I know)

What is your favourite lip balm or mask? Especially for overnight? I'm in Canada, but not where it gets particularly cold in the winters. (Western BC)

I have had chapped lips my entire life

Hey Pickies!
We just had a huge snowstorm in my area, and it reminded me:  if you're going skiing, or even just walking around in the snow, snow reflects a LOT of UV light back upward.

Not only are you getting double the exposure on a sunny day, you are getting it from *below.*

So don't skimp on the sunscreen, and give extra love to your skin pointing downward, like under your chin, earlobes, under your nose, etc!

Have fun out there! :)

If it's snowing, remember this!

I know, fragrance can be a big issue. Irritation, annoying, cloying, and ultimately unnecessary.

But if your skincare is going to smell, what would you like it to smell like?

As is my name, I'm obsessed with the scent of roses, and I know I'll be drawn to a product more if it has a full, peachy-rosy smell. I also like earthy smells like mint or rosemary.

Least favourite is extremely fake, overly sweet vanilla / caramel / candy flavors.

What's your favourite scent in skincare?

Do you have a preferred site that you order from?

I'm looking for
- Good communication / customer service
- Ships to Canada (I don't mind slow shipping, I'm only upset by damaged parcels)
- Secure payment / data
- Safe from counterfeit products / general jankiness

So far I've looked at:
YesStyle
StyleKorean
Stylevana
BeautyNetKorea
Jolse

I see Stylevana and BeautyNetKorea have very cheap prices with deep discounts, so I am suspicious that they might be selling counterfeit goods, or low quality products. It's hard to say, with currency conversions and everything.

I did place an order with StyleKorean for their try me review program, and the transaction went well. It should be shipping out soon.

Have you tried any of these sites? Do you have a favourite or one not listed?

Favourite Asian Beauty Ordering site?

I just received the back to school promo box, and the products look great, but I can't find any of them in the listing? Sorry, still new to the ap. Will it take a while for them to show up so we can review?

Can't find any of the back to school box products here

🌱 It will take time to see significant results from this product, at least 1 month

🌱 In order to get results, you MUST combine this with proper SPF every day

🌱 10% Niacinamide is very strong, beginners may feel some tingling or stinging to start

🌱I received this product from TIAM and Picky in exchange for my honest review🌱

🌱 Brand Story: TIAM aims to provide a younger customer with affordable, effective formulas with minimal unnecessary additives for a bright, fun skincare experience.

🌱 Claims: Alcohol-free, Paraben-free, Silicone-free, Sulfate-free, Allergen-free, Fragrance-free, Non-comedogenic, Oil-free, Fungal Acne-Safe, Eczema-Safe

🌱 10% Niacinamide and 2% Arbutin help fade dark spots and discolouration

🌱 Key Ingredients: Despite the bright yellow packaging, this is not a vitamin C serum! It’s a niacinamide serum, which provides brightening, but in a different format.

🌿Niacinamide (10%) - 10% Niacinamide is strong enough to provide brightening results from consistent use
🌿Arbutin (2%) - This is a strong enough concentration to see visible results
🌿Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate - Another dark-spot fading support star, this will help the other two perform best

🌱 Other ingredients:
🌿Lindera Erythrocarpa (Red-Fruit Spicebush) extract - Humectant, promotes wound healing
🌿Cornus Officinalis (Japanese Cornel) Fruit Extract - Skin conditioning
🌿Geranium Thunbergii (Thunberg's geranium) Extract - Potent antioxidant, may cause skin sensitivity

🌱 Ph: Unknown

🌱 Texture: A runny, clear serum. Tiam notes that as you go through the bottle, you may start to see white flecks in the serum. This is the high concentration of niacinamide returning to a solid state and is fine to use, just rub it with your fingers to disperse it.

🌱 Scent: Very faint, inoffensive cucumber scent.

🌱 Price / Amount: $24CA for 40mL, or $0.60/mL Pretty affordable

🌱 Application: This is a fairly sunny serum that absorbs fairly quickly. It isn’t sticky unless you use way too much. The scent is nice when you apply it, but is gone within minutes.

Let’s talk about what you can expect for results. 

While niacinamide is a superstar on its own, the addition of a hefty 2% arbutin really kicks this serum into high gear. Both are proven by research to inhibit the production of melanin.

Now, this is not the same as bleaching your skin. It does not remove existing melanin. These compounds prevent *new* melanin from forming. And so, as time goes on, your skin will turn over, producing less melanin and shedding melanated skin.

That said, if you have naturally darker skin, you probably won’t see a dramatic shift in your skin tone. A product like this is intended for dark spots, post acne marks and summer freckles. It targets skin evenness, not overall skin tone.

🌱 Every day: Can be used morning or night. 10% niacinamide is quite strong if you have never used it before. You may feel some tingling or stinging when you first try it. If you are new to niacinamide, try every second or third day and work your way up. Arbutin can also sometimes cause skin tenderness in high concentrations. Just be aware and see if your skin feels more sensitive, you may want to reduce your everyday usage.

🌱 Notes: This formula contains a strong enough concentration of 3 effective pigment-fading ingredients, but in order for it to work, you must combine it with proper SPF every day so that new pigmentation does not form from UV exposure.

The one thing this product cannot really help fade is post acne redness, also known as erythema. This is when your skin is healing from the inflammation of acne, and capillary blood flow has changed, which causes pink, red or purple colouration.

This is not melanin and cannot be faded by brightening products. However, this redness will go away on its own, and it can heal a little faster with general skin health ingredients like niacinamide.

🌿Products with Arbutin are not recommended for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding

🌱 Packaging: Opaque glass bottle with a rubber dropper provides 100% UV protection. Which is good, even though niacinamide and arbutin are both fairly sturdy photostable ingredients. It’s best to protect your formula so it doesn’t expire early.

🌱 Accessibility: This product comes in a glass jar with a rubber dropper. The dropper has texture bumps to help with grip. I love the subtle embossing on the outer box that helps visually impaired users identify the product by feel.

🌱 Sustainability: The bottle and dropper are recyclable if washed.

🌱 Overall: If you are struggling with melanin spots from acne marks or freckles, this formula contains enough of the correct active ingredients to provide results. I cannot guarantee your results, but based on the scientific research, this is one of the best formulas you could choose right before prescription-only strength.

🌱 The overnight patches are thicker and not as invisible for daytime use

🌱 Patches may not stick to skin that has skincare products on it, make sure skin is clean and dry

🌱 Brand Story: TIAM is a clean beauty brand aimed at teens and young adults, providing affordable and effective formulas.

🌱 Claims: Hydrocolloid patches are designed to be placed overtop of blemishes to provide a physical cover that prevents further infection, while also drawing out impurities (gunk!). 

Some hydrocolloid patches also contain medicated ingredients, while these do not.

Alcohol-free, Paraben-free, Silicone-free, Sulfate-free, Allergen-free, Fragrance-free, Pregnancy-friendly, Non-comedogenic, Oil-free, Eczema-Safe

🌱 Key Ingredients: Since there is only one ingredient, what are hydrocolloid patches?

Hydrocolloid is a type of material that forms a gel when mixed with water. It’s absorbent and sticks to skin on its own. Once applied, it helps keep the blemish area moist and hygienic, to help reduce scarring.

Now, if your skin is prone to scarring, this cannot guarantee scar prevention, but keeping the wound area clean from secondary infections is very important to quick healing.

🌱 Texture: This pack comes with patches in two different thicknesses. An ultra-thin daytime patch (Surprise B) that’s transparent and sits closely to skin. It’s not 100% invisible if you’re up close, but from a few meters away it’s totally unnoticeable.

Then there’s the night time patches (Surprise H) which are thicker, and intended for overnight use. Hopefully you can wake up to your blemishes having surfaced all on their own and you can just peel them away.

🌱 Scent: Unscented, thankfully

🌱 Price / Amount: 
🌿Surprise B is $5.50CA for 1 pack of 24, which includes some different sizes. TIAM also has a deal for 4 packs (96 patches) for $11.22CA, which is a pretty good deal!

🌿Surprise H is $5.50CA for 1 pack of 18 overnight patches, or $8.77CA for 4 packs (72 patches)

🌱 Application: Clean the skin area, then just peel and stick!

🌱 Other uses: My worst acne is hormonal acne that refuses to come to the surface, so these patches won’t help with absorption. 

However, I still use them as a physical reminder not to pick at my skin. In the past I’ve been really bad for skin picking, and having a little physical helper keeps my fingers away, even if it’s not directly curing my blemish.

🌱 Every day: It’s recommended to change the patches at the beginning / end of the day, but if your skin is disturbed, it’s better to leave them in place and let them heal a bit longer before swapping.

Packaging: These come attached to a clear plastic backing, hygienically sealed in a slim resealable envelope. Easy to store in your medicine cabinet as needed.

🌱 Accessibility: You might need a pair of tweezers to pull the patches off the backing, they can be quite attached. 

🌱 Sustainability: Hydrocolloid patches are biodegradable, but it is not recommended to flush them. Just put them in the garbage and they will dissolve on their own.

🌱 Overall: If you’re struggling with large individual blemishes I highly recommend giving these a try to see if they help. They are not for everyone, but in the journey of acne, you need to really experiment to find what products and routines work for you and these patches are certainly a tool in the toolbox


🌱 Contains multiple unnecessary synthetic fragrance ingredients

🌱 L'Oreal Paris is not a cruelty-free brand, and being a mega-corporation, has been involved in ethical controversies

🌱 Extremely oily or Extremely dry skin types may find this product does not suit their needs

🌱 Brand Story: L’oreal Paris is quite literally the world’s largest cosmetics mega-company. Many of the cosmetics you own are probably owned by a sub-brand of L’oreal. I am more critical of large companies who have the capability of making better products.

🌱 Claims: Alcohol-free, Paraben-free, Sulfate-free, Fragrance-free**, Oil-free, Fungal Acne-Safe

“Full matte coverage that lasts up to 24 hours. Waterproof, sweat-resistant, heat-resistant, and transfer-proof”

🌱 Shade: #20 Ivory

🌱 Key Ingredients: This formula contains talc and silicone in the form of dimethicone. There is one skin enhancing ingredient, Alaria Esculenta Extract which comes from algae, but it’s so low on the ingredients list you could easily ignore it.

This product contains many unnecessary fragrance additives, including Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone, and Citronellol, all of which are considered skin irritants. I really wish companies would stop putting fragrance in skincare and cosmetics. We already wear perfume, which probably smells better than the cheap synthetic ingredients added to our makeup.

🌱 Notes: For the claims?

🌱 Waterproof: Eh, kinda. If it starts to rain your face won’t be ruined, but you can’t swim in this.

🌱 Sweat-resistant: YES! This is the foundation I use when I am on my bike exercising. When I layer it over top of sunscreen, it stays put and does not budge or smear or melt. 

🌱 Heat-resistant: I’m honestly not sure what they mean by this. It doesn’t oxidise. Are you going near any volcanoes in your makeup? I live in Canada where heat isn't really an issue.

🌱 Transfer-proof: Mostly. Depending on where you are in the day and how oily your skin gets this powder can soften up a bit, but for the most part it remains in place quite well. I would not wear a pure white collar around it, but you can safely go about your day.

🌱 Combination foundation and setting powder: YES! This is how I prefer to use it, brushed on top of sunscreen. It really does set itself down like a finishing powder. Keep in mind, I do have dry skin, so those with oily skin, YMMV.

🌱 Texture: This is a very finely milled powder, easily picked up by a brush or sponge. It doesn’t sink into lines or pores.

🌱 Price: $23CA for 9g or $2.5/gram. About average price, You won’t be going through a ton of this unless you are going for thick matte coverage every day.

🌱 Application: This product behaves very differently depending on how you apply it. If you directly layer it on with a sponge, you will get a matte, full-coverage look. It’s quite velvety, but does look like makeup. Too much will get cakey, as all powder foundations do.

Personally, I prefer to apply my sunscreen, and then with a brush, use this as a combination foundation and setting powder. I can get a lovely light-medium airbrushed finish that remains satin-matte even when I am on my bike and sweating. This powder is great for active people since it doesn’t smear or drip.

🌱 Other uses: Even if you have the perfect liquid product, a powder foundation that truly matches your skin is a great thing to have just for detail work. It helps to clean up eye makeup, to soften and blend out looks, or to fix your hairline. 

🌱 Overall: If you’ve never tried a powder foundation before because you’re afraid of it being cakey or pore-clogging, give this one a shot, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.


🌱 Application can be a little finicky/ streaky if you try to apply too much at once

🌱 Takes time to fully absorb

🌱 the formula contains hydrating and soothing ingredients, without actives, so you won't see dramatic change.

I received this from Skin1004, StyleKorean and Picky as part of a giveaway in exchange for my honest review.

🌱 Brand Story: I hardly need to introduce Skin1004; the brand is everywhere. They’re a relatively new clean beauty brand that focuses on minimalist ingredients and they have a love affair with Centella Asiatica in all its forms.

🌱 Claims: Alcohol-free, Paraben-free, Silicone-free, Sulfate-free, Allergen-free, Cruelty-free, Fragrance-free, Pregnancy-friendly, Vegan, Cruelty-Free

Skin1004’s Pro-bio Cica line introduces fermentation, specifically, fermented Centella Asiatica as its defining feature

🌱 Key Ingredients in order of concentration:

🌱 Centella Asiatica extract is the first ingredient. This toner is Cica up-and-down!
🌱 Glycerin - humectant
🌱 Trehalose - hydration / humectant
🌱 Panthenol (Pro-vitamin B5) - humectant
🌱 Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate - antioxidant, pigment fading
🌱 Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer - hydration
🌱 Madecassic Acid - antioxidant, active component in Cica
🌱 Asiaticoside - one of the other four active components in Cica
🌱 Lauric Acid - strengthens skin biome
🌱 Macadamia Nut Oil - moisturising 
🌱 Phytosphingosine - anti-aging, emollient
🌱 Ceramide NP - hydration, emollient

🌱 Texture: With a few forms of HA and other emollient ingredients, this toner has a bit of body to it. It’s runny, but not water. You can pour it into your bare hands and apply it without it all escaping through your fingers.

🌱 Scent: The ingredients list includes Raspberry Ketone, which is considered a fragrance, but I can’t smell anything in this formula. Just smells like water.

🌱 Price: $32CA for 210mL or $0.15/mL

🌱 Application: Because it contains hyaluronic acid and other emollient ingredients, it can be a little “streaky”. This just means I find it easier to apply small amounts in separate layers and let them absorb than go in with a big splosh. You can basically layer this infinitely on skin with a bit of patience.

I do the pat-absorb method, and while this formula can take a while to absorb if you do too much at a time, it doesn’t become sticky. Just do it in small layers. Speaking from experience.

🌱 Other uses: This toner can be soaked into a cotton pad or re-usable flannel cloth as a hydration mask.

🌱 Every day: I have been using this every day and have not had any negative effects. My skin has enjoyed the hydration and soothing aspects of this product, especially on resting days from active ingredients.

🌱 Notes: Those with nut allergies please be cautious, this contains a small amount of Macadamia oil.

🌱 My other concern, and I am a bit out of my depth in terms of research so please take this with a grain of salt, is that the listing of fermented ingredients is dead last. That means that it is less than 1% concentration. 

Now, not all ingredients need to be in high concentration to be effective, retinol is best at 1% or below, but seeing how this is touted as a fermented product, I am curious why that aspect is not higher on the list.

🌱 Packaging: The product comes in a dark-tinted, matte frosted plastic bottle, with a large twist-off cap and a flow-reducing inner cap.

🌱 Accessibility: I like how large the cap is, making it easy to grip for those with mobility issues. I would love it if the cap had texture or bumps on it to help with slippery hands.

🌱 Sustainability: This product cannot be refilled unless the flow-reducing cap is removed. Not impossible, but would require some extra steps. I would love it if refills were sold. The series uses matte paper labels that can be easily removed.

🌱 Overall: If you’re looking for long-lasting hydration that sticks, this toner has been an excellent addition to my routine. It doesn’t contain active ingredients that will irritate skin, and instead focuses on strengthening and repairing skin. If your skin is tired, dry or irritated from too many actives, give this a try.


🌱 Rich formula is not recommended for daytime use or for oily skin

🌱 The major downside is the packaging. The formula is very good, but placing it in a bulky jar makes it not portable for travel, wasteful for shipping and a wide lid exposes the product to bacteria and oxygen.

🌱 I received this from Skin1004, StyleKorean and Picky as part of a giveaway in exchange for my honest review 🌱

🌱 Claims: Alcohol-free, Paraben-free, Silicone-free, Sulfate-free, Allergen-free, Cruelty-free, Fragrance-free, Pregnancy-friendly, Non-comedogenic, Eczema-Safe

🌱 Key Ingredients: This formula contains 8 ingredients total

🌱 Centella Asiatica Extract - Skin-soothing, powerful antioxidant
🌱 Asiaticoside - Active ingredient in Cica, Soothing and anti-aging
🌱 Madecassic Acid - Active ingredient in Cica, Soothing and anti-aging
🌱 Asiatic Acid - potent antioxidant found in Cica
🌱 Macadamia Nut Oil - Emollient moisture
🌱 Lactobacillus/Centella Asiatica extract ferment filtrate - fermenting Cica breaks down the components to be more easily absorbed by skin. It can also convert ingredients into lactic acid, an AHA
🌱 Ceramide NP - Waxy skin-similar components that seal in moisture in skins barrier
🌱 Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil - A hydrating oil with high antioxidant content

🌱 Texture: A *very* thick, opaque off-white cream. You can stir it up into stiff peaks and it will stay that way. Because of its thickness, it can be a little “stringy” to apply. 

🌱 Scent: None that I can detect. Doesn’t contain any Raspberry Ketones

🌱 Price: $36CA for 50ml or $0.72/mL The jar is a bit of an illusion; once you open the lid, the actual container for the cream is much smaller than the jar itself. I wouldn’t call it deceptive, as the 50mL label is right there on the front label.

🌱 Application: Like the toner, this very rich cream can have some issues “streaking” if you apply it before it gets warmed up by your skin. It likes to gel to itself and if your skin is very wet, it will slide over top of it before settling in.
It does eventually behave, it’s just that the thickness requires a bit of handling and massaging. Once you get that down, you are rewarded with moisture that lasts and protects all night long.

I love the fact that this is unscented, and thick enough that it will absorb without smearing all over my pillow case. It’s rough doing a full face of skincare and then needing to stay completely still so you don’t grease up your sheets.

As you may have already noted from words like “rich” and “hydrating” this is not a formula I would recommend for oily skin. Normal to dry will get good use.

🌱 Other uses: I’ve used this as a lip mask, it works great and has no odd taste.

🌱 Every day: Yes, but I would recommend this only as a night cream. It is incredibly rich and has a lot of body on the skin. It wouldn’t provide a good base for sunscreen or makeup. At night, it is a lovely final step that provides thick, rich moisture.

🌱 Notes: Please be cautious if you have a nut allergy, this contains Macadamia nut oil.

🌱 Packaging / accessibility / sustainability: I’ve mentioned before with the Commonlabs moisturizer and the Laneige lip mask, I am very much not a fan of wide-open jar packaging. The design exposes a huge amount of the product to oxidation, bacteria and mold, UV rays and anything else that happens to blow by, like pet hair. It may look aesthetic in a jar, it’s just not practical. 

The other practical issue is that storing a product in a larger package than it needs adds bulk and makes it not very portable. I travel frequently, and despite the lovely formula, this would be last on my list to pack into my travel bag.

Anything that requires an extra scoop means you’re adding more plastic waste, and adding small moving parts makes the experience less accessible for disabled users. 

I would much rather this be packaged in a squeeze tube, or if it needs to be fancy, a bottle with a metal-free pump. 

🌱 Overall: This is one of those “Good formula, bad packaging” stories. As it is, this cream will have a rather short life, much shorter than the listed 12 month PAO. If Skin1004 were to repackage this into a pump bottle, I would give it an excellent rating for dry, damaged skin.


Robynrose