Did anyone else win the Medicube Collagen Boosting Kit giveaway?I could not be more pleased with the results.  I received the Zero Pore Foam Cleanser, and the Zero Pore Pads, plus the Triple Collagen Toner, Serum, and The Erasing Cream.  I'm hooked on these products now.  They have become a real game changer in my routine.

My Recent Experience w/Medicube

I wanted to share something that has worked for me.  I started using an AHA/BHA about three months ago.  I learned that I needed to tailor my number of nights I used it to my skins' needs.  I have mature, acne prone, sensitive skin.

I started using the Medicube Collagen Boosting System from a Picky giveaway in I believe early March.  Thank you Picky!  At any rate, I have struggled with acne most of my life.  Now that I am fifty years old, I still can get acne.  I also am working to insure my skin is well moisturized, and that I take care of the skin barrier, and of course SPF daily. Nothing is more frustrating than developing the perfect routine, you think, following your regimen, and still having acne pop up.  I still can even get cystic acne.  

So, when I received my kit, I was careful to start the AHA/BHA, the Medicube Zero Pore Pads, with caution.  Ive been down the overexfoliated path before.  I had never used an AHA/BHA before.  I used it twice a week.  My skin did not have one breakout the entire month.  

Even so, into the sixth week, I started to notice the bumps returning.  And, the amount was increasing.  And yes, finally, to remind me of my teen years, a nice spot of cystic acne reared its red determined head.

So, I asked the group I enjoy for KBeauty information and fun sharing products, about increasing the number of days I use it.  I increased it to every other day a little over a week ago.  I'm clear of acne once again. 

So, I have learned how carefully adjusting one 's regimen can make a tremendous difference.  It takes time, hopefully not until you are fifty, but the small adjustments make a difference.  

I double cleanse nightly, and use a cleansing water in the AM just before sunscreen.  I'm in love with the KBeauty layers of moisture and awesome skin care.  Makes my nights more relaxing, and my mornings so much easier.

AHA/BHA Find Your Balance

If I wear a silicone based primer, then I can count on acne, super quickly too. My skin can tolerate some amount of silicones, but not when it's the main most abundant ingredient.  

So, my question is this.  How does one gently remove silicones from their skin?  

Thank you.

Best Way to Remove Silicones

I was a loyal user of Purito's Centella Green Level.  I want to find a sunblock that leaves no white cast, is not loaded with silicones, but a few are okay.  I want it to be able to be applied daily fairly liberally without breaking the bank.

Best Sunblock

There is absolutely nothing bad to say about this product.

This product is the only retinol product I will use on my sensitive skin.  The product is made in the USA, by an esthetician who offers free advice and support for your skin care routine, Alana Mitchell.  This product is the closest thing to a miracle product on the market. I am one of those who uses a 10 step routine daily, and this replaces three of my steps, and helps the other steps on that night and every other night of the week work more effectively.  How she was able to harness the power of retinol without the harshness or peeling is so surprising.  With that being said, every promise this product makes, it delivers and well.  I noticed significant changes in my problem areas of redness and bumps, or even potentially new acne, and my minimizing of lines is profoundly noticeable the next morning.  I had absolutely no irritation, and I break out extremely easily.  It keeps my 50 year old skin looking 30, not 40.  I am right now only using it once a week.  

They are cruelty free, a company which is transparent and even accessible for support, and Alana is a mom.  She even has beauty tools her son invented on her page that are amazing.  One can not visit her Facebook page without feeling inspired by her stories of her son, and her interest in autism awareness.  He is autistic, and her company contributes to autism awareness.  I bought one of the tools, it&#39;s brilliant.  I&#39;ll review it another time.  But, it&#39;s jewelry and skin care coming together!  

So, in short, Alana Mitchell&#39;s retinol serum is off the chain!  All natural ingredients and gentle on the skin with fabulous results at a reasonable price, for how effective it is, and how long it will last too, I highly recommend this product!  Yes!  I would give it more than 5 stars if I could.

My only negative is that the company makes quality Korean products, but their company web site is difficult to navigate or understand for me.  I do believe you can buy from them wholesale directly and sell it using that web site.  Amazon lists the ingredients, and they are on the box.  But, Picky may have done the best job getting their ingredients than I have been able to.  That part was frustrating.  I hope the ingredients are safe.  Two were flagged as potentially hazardous by Picky.  So, I&#39;ll need to research.  I hope it stays on the market now that I&#39;ve said how it&#39;s my favorite.  I have to make sure I&#39;m using a reputable seller, which has worked out well for me thus far.  But, that is a downside, not being able to buy it from any of my familiar KBeauty sources.

Oh my goodness, I&#39;m so excited that my new favorite sunscreen is on Picky.  I&#39;ve gone through so many sunscreens.  Every time I fall in love with one, it ends up being pulled.  So, maybe we&#39;ll call this one my semi-favorite.  I don&#39;t want to jinx it!  I&#39;m on my third tube of it. 

I love that it disappears into my skin, and leaves no white cast.  I love the price.  I love that it keeps acne away, as it actually seems to help.  I love that it does the job, and I think it&#39;s great for my sensitive skin.  My package says in the ingredients it has snail.  I did not realize this, and I thought my skin had trouble with snail.  But, my skin loves this sunblock.  There is a mild scent.  I like it.

I also love that I can get it off Amazon Prime, and I receive it so quickly.  Oh, and I love the packaging with it&#39;s flowers and earth tone look.  It makes me feel hippie.

Yes, there is a whole lot that is good about this product.  But, I&#39;m not certain if I will purchase it again. I believe the peptides are responsible for the lines reducing, which I can get in many other KBeauty products.  Plus, my skin really misses using a thicker consistency.  My other cream runs about $20, and this one is $42.  My other cream also is loaded with Ceramides and seems to provide the same benefits.  I&#39;ve noticed one pays a little more for peptides, and I always have one product in my routine with them.  I&#39;m just not sure this will be the one.  I think this would be awesome for travel!  It&#39;s so cute and little.   But, it&#39;s not my every day.  I did not have a bad experience with this product at all.  I simply like some other options more.

This product contains 1.69 oz of some of the best ingredients to offer sensitive and&#47;or aging skin.  It includes peptides and ceramides, which I love.  I love the little blue egg shaped container, and it&#39;s very cute on my shelf.  The consistency is less thick than I am used to, but has a nourishing creamy consistency, of which one only needs a drop.  The consistency allows it to be easily and liberally applied to skin, especially following serums and essences.  I have noticed my skin glowing this month, and have enjoyed a change in my routine.  I treated myself to this cream, because it was Christmas.  Plus, I really wanted to try something from Charlotte Cho&#39;s line of Soko Glam.  This product is one she formulated, which is just fascinating to me.  I got started with KBeauty products using her site and her advice .  My skin was left moisturized and my fine lines practically disappeared.  This product works amazingly well on forehead lines.  Mine are practically gone, which is what I want.  I don&#39;t want a flat forehead at 50.  I like to see the lines, but I want them minimized, and healthy.  To me, that&#39;s just right.

Nothing.  It&#39;s gorgeous packaging, and it works incredibly well.  I purchased it on a sale.  I&#39;ve now decided I would pay full price.  It&#39;s that good.

I purchased this lip balm, because of two reasons.  It was on sale for 1&#47;2 off at Christmas, and it has Hyaluronic Acid in it.  I have had amazing results with Hyaluronic Acid on my lips.  I apply it at bedtime, and use a different less expensive lip balm during the day.  But, I wake to well moisturized lips.  I like the plumping effect from the hyaluronic acid.  I used to use the Ordinary&#39;s hyaluronic acid serum on my lips at bedtime.  That worked great too.  I decided to try the Biossance at $10 during the holidays.  I really like it.  I will be back for more.  I&#39;m thinking that it&#39;s actually worth the price tag if I use it once daily.  I use regular lip balms during the day, but this is my last step in my routine.  I really do not need a lot of reapplying after finding this balm.  I love the rose damascena in it.  The faint rose scent is great to smell while going to sleep and allowing all my serums to do their work.  It&#39;s not greatly noticeable, but just enough.  I do drink some water right after using it.  I drink a lot of water.  Perhaps that is why it lasts so long with me?  If the main benefit from it is hyaluronic acid, maybe drinking water right after application helps the hyaluronic acid really work?

At first my enthusiasm for the cute packaging and the smell encourage me to carefully use the little paddle which is included inside the lid, to scoop out a perfect amount. I wipe off the paddle and avoid contaminating the open tub. But, over time, I get tired of doing that. My only complaint is that I don&#39;t like dipping my hands in there after touching my face.  But, with that being said, I will still be back for another tub.  I wish there was a way to keep the paddle clean, but it touches my face too.  So, that&#39;s my one complaint.  But, perhaps washing my hands beforehand is enough and keeping the paddle clean too.  It does keep me from using too much and running out too soon.

This product is pleasant to the senses to use, with it&#39;s clean scent and luxurious texture, I really enjoy massaging it into my pores.  I love the packaging, as it is super cute on my shelfie.  I like the little paddle for lifting product out of the container.  My skin feels truly nourished as the name suggests, and it&#39;s effective in it&#39;s cleansing power.  I use it before a water cleanser, and I love the results.

ShellBelle