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By Amy Zhang December 31, 2019 in Beauty, Lifestyle No Comments

Why Custom Skincare is the Way to Go – Introducing Skinsei

Everyone’s skin is different. On top of genetics though, did you know that where you live and what lifestyle choices you make play just as much of a role in how your skin looks and feels, and should influence what kind of skincare products you use? This is why although I’m obsessed with skincare, I try not to be too prescriptive on my blog about it. I fully know that what works for me might not work for someone else – and that’s ok! Finding skincare products you love is a journey, and that’s why I’m excited to be partnering today with Skinsei.

Skinsei provides a personalized skincare regimen that takes into account your unique skin problems and goals, as well as the lifestyle factors that make a difference in your skin. They approach skincare holistically and personalize the product regimens they send to you – aka they know that your skin is unique, and your products should be too!

HOW SKINSEI WORKS

First, you take a diagnostic quiz where you input all of the various lifestyle factors that impact your skin – from how much time you’re in the sun, all the way to what you eat. Then, they’ll recommend a regimen of 3 to 5 products that are best suited for you. Yes, you read that correctly. You might be thinking, “wait, what about the whole 10 step skincare system? Don’t we need to use tons of products to get maximum results?” The truth is, less is usually more – and from my visits to the dermatologist, I’ve come to appreciate a simpler and more sustainable skincare routine.

Then, Skinsei will share your customized skincare routine – what the products are and why you should use them – along with the results of your diagnostic. These results will share the areas you should focus on to improve your skin. Think of it like a prescription for your skin.

Finally, you can go ahead and purchase your customized skincare routine. Use my code AMY20 for 20% off your first purchase.

HOW YOUR LIFESTYLE INFLUENCES YOUR SKIN

You might not realize it, but the choices you make on a daily basis impact your skin. Not only how much you sleep or what you eat, but also where you live. Yes, your environment plays a huge role in your skin! Living in Los Angeles, I’ve become so much more in tune with skincare products (yes it’s true, we really are skincare junkies and skincare obsessed!) and keeping on top of a consistent skincare regimen (and wearing sunscreen everyday!). It also helps that the city has an air of zen, it really is the most relaxed place I’ve ever lived! With that said, there are some negative environmental factors that will also impact your skin.

For one thing – the pollution. Living in a big city (and spending so much time in traffic!) you’re exposed to way more pollution. Unfortunately, the air quality in Los Angeles is not the best and this will have a negative impact on your skin in the long run.

Sun exposure is another factor to keep in mind. Angelenos love a good beach day (with lots of SPF, of course!), but it’s known that too much time in the sun can lead to wrinkles – no bueno.

Other important skincare factors include exercise, diet, and your stress levels. All of these play a role in how your skin looks and feels! Skinsei not only provides product recommendations, they will also educate you on why they matter. The areas I need to focus on are getting more sleep and keeping my skin hydrated.

HERE ARE THE PRODUCTS I’VE BEEN USING

Clear History No 456
Dew Your Thing No 812
Throwing Shade No 360
Rock the Boat No 489
Thirsty Face No 615

I love the simple 5 step system and have been bringing Skinsei along with me to the gym every morning. When it comes to skincare I am super results driven and so far I am not only enjoying the products, but I feel like I am more aware of the choices I make every day and how they might impact my skin in the long run. For example, I am really trying to cut down on caffeine – too much can dehydrate your skin – and sleep more, which will allow my cells to turnover and rejuvenate, and also eliminate my desire for too much espresso. So really, it’s a win win.

If you’re interested in learning more about your skin and what products are right for you, head over to Skinsei and take their free diagnostic. If you’re curious about trying out their products, you can get 20% off your first month by using my code AMY20.

By Amy Zhang December 12, 2019 in Beauty 3 Comments

The Best Moisturizers for Dry Skin

Hello winter, and hello dry skin! Even if your skin is not usually dry, the winter months can be particularly dehydrating for your skin. Using different products throughout the year when seasons change can be key to maintaining healthy skin throughout the year. As someone who always has incredibly dry skin, I’ve tried what seems like every kind of deeply hydrating moisturizers and creams. After many, many years of testing and trialing, these are my favorite moisturizers.

Best Moisturizers for Dry Skin

Under $50

Glossier Priming Moisturizer Rich – I love this product for the price, it’s one of my favorite Glossier products. It is SO much better than the original priming moisturizer (IMO) and a little goes a long way. I actually use it for its named purpose, which is as a priming moisturizer underneath foundation. Overall, a huge fan of this moisturizer and how accessible it is.

Belif The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb – one of my first forays into Korean beauty led me to this moisturizing cream. This is a very solid option for dry skin types and didn’t irritate my skin. It’s also paraben and sulfate free, which is always a win in my book.

Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Moisturizer – I’ve written about my love for this moisturizer before. I love the mild rose scent (and I’m not usually a rose person). I use it for day or night, but if your skin doesn’t need as much hydration it makes a wonderful night cream.

Dr. Jart Ceramidin Cream – I don’t know how to describe this cream, other than it made my skin… better? My skin feels firm, supple, and moisturized for hours after using it. If I were to go without any makeup for the day, it’s usually after using this cream.

Under $100

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream – this feels like an old Hollywood kind of night cream, in the best way possible. I like to think of it as the grown up version of the Glossier cream above. I’ve been using it as a priming moisturizer lately and I’ve noticed my makeup appears much smoother and my skin seems to glow from within.

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Moisturizer – this didn’t feel quite heavy enough for nighttime, but it remains one of my favorite daytime moisturizers to date. My one complaint is the packaging – I really wish Drunk Elephant would make more sustainable packaging – but otherwise, this is my go-to, do it all moisturizer.

Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cream – packs a surprising moisturizing punch, despite how thin the consistency is. This is another great daytime cream if you don’t like the feeling of “heavier” creams.

Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream – a recent favorite. This cream feels so much more luxurious than the price tag and leaves your skin unbelievably soft and smooth – like a pillow, or a baby’s bottom. I use it during the day and at night although it may be too heavy for some skin types. One of my favorites out of everything listed here.

Kiehl’s Rosa Artica Youth Regenerating Cream – this is a heavy duty cream, in my opinion. I used it religiously when I lived in Chicago during the winter. It will solve all wind burn and cold related irritations. Now that I live in Southern California, I haven’t felt as much of a need to use such a thick cream, but my love for it remains.

$100+

Eve Lom Moisture Cream – great for sensitive skin (I swear there is virtually no scent) and layers nicely with all of your serums and other products. Highly recommend if you have the budget for it (at $150 a jar, it ain’t cheap).

La Mer Crème de la Mer – all right, the elephant in the room – is La Mer worth it? I’ve shared my thoughts before – it’s super luxurious and rich, and if your skin needs the extra moisture, it’ll feel like your skin is absorbing all of it in. Truthfully, I’m not sure if I can justify the price tag, and word on the street is there are cheaper drugstore dupes that are practically identical. Do I still love La Mer? Yes. But I would recommend trying a sample before committing to the full jar.

By Amy Zhang October 22, 2019 in Beauty 4 Comments

Joanna Vargas Triple Crown Facial Review

The concept of a “skin gym” had never crossed my mind until I visited Joanna Vargas recently for one of her signature treatments, the Triple Crown Facial. You might have heard of Joanna Vargas before. She’s an esthetician known for her celebrity roster (hello Julianne Moore, Naomi Watts, and Rachel Weisz!) and holistic approach to skincare. That’s right, she’s responsible for some of Hollywood’s most glowing complexions. AND, she believes in a more natural, non-invasive approach to skincare. Her signature Triple Crown facial is known to contour, lift, and sculpt your face – aka, a gym session for your face. When I was invited to try out the Triple Crown Facial, you bet I booked my appointment immediately!

Triple Crown Facial Review

With home bases in New York and Los Angeles, Joanna’s LA salon is located inside the oh so chic Sunset Tower hotel in West Hollywood. If you haven’t been here for dinner, drinks, or a day by the pool, it’s a must-do in the area! Known for celebrity sightings, the hotel is very private and discreet – perfect for a date or catch up session with girlfriends.

The space was clean, minimalist, and relaxing.

I’ve been using Joanna Vargas’s Super Nova Serum (which I’ve raved about before) for almost a year, so I knew her products were natural and of the highest quality. The spa experience also did not disappointment. Before my facial treatment, I first spent 20 minutes in the LED light bed. It looks like a tanning bed, but doesn’t have any of the harmless UV lights a tanning bed does. Joanna swears by LED light therapy. Some of the purported benefits include lowering your blood pressure, improving burns and acne, and minimizing fine lines. The technology is still new and treatments are expensive, but the sessions have already built a cult following.

Next, we moved to the facial treatment itself.

The treated started with microdermabrasion – a painless process of gently exfoliating your skin with a wand that reduces the appearance of fine lines, sun damage, and light acne scars. Essentially it is next level exfoliating that leaves your skin feeling incredible. It’ll feel noticeably smoother which results in better absorption of your skincare products. What’s the point in buying expensive products if they just sit on the top of your skin? After, they cleansed with Joanna Vargas’s Vitamin C Face Wash, which is now at the top of my to buy list. My esthetician Laura (highly recommend!) then used a series of mask – I loved that they used organic Eminence products in addition to Joanna Vargas products – and then began the microcurrent component of the treatment.

I was a little worried about the term microcurrent facial and wasn’t sure if I would be able to feel electricity pulsing through my face. For the most part, I didn’t feel anything more than light buzzing as Laura sculpted areas of my face with her wand. We finished with an oxygen blast and then I was out the door! The entire facial took a little under an hour.

Afterwards, my skin was so unbelievably glowy and soft, and I could have sworn my cheekbones were more pronounced. I wouldn’t say the results were similar to more invasive treatments. If you are looking for a natural boost before an event or a treatment to incorporate into your skin routine, this would be the facial I recommend. I didn’t have to wear any makeup and my skin just glowed. The results lasted over a week, and I’m already planning my next treatment before an event.

I also went home with several of Joanna’s best products.

My favorite Super Nova Serum, the Glow to Go Mask Set, and the Bright Eye Hydration Mask.

Joanna Vargas is known for her masks and known for traveling with them everywhere. Next on my list to buy are her Vitamin C face wash and her Rescue Face Serum. I love Vitamin C in my skincare products. It’s an active ingredient that will actually make a difference on your skin.

The treatments at Joanna Vargas are expensive, but they do offer discounts if you buy them in packages (think of buying packages of gym sessions as opposed to individual sessions – you’re incentivized to come regularly and consistently to see the best results!). As someone who is super results-oriented, I would rather pay more for a facial that gives me results I can’t get at home. As opposed to paying to have someone wash and moisturize my face. If I’m planning on splurging on a facial, it will definitely be on the Triple Crown Facial. I’m looking forward to incorporating it more regularly into my beauty regimen before the wedding.

By Amy Zhang October 11, 2019 in Beauty 4 Comments

New Beauty Products I Love

It’s been a while since I did a beauty roundup! I am constantly testing new products and lines (sometimes my skin loves this, other times it freaks out – all for the sake of research, am I right?) and have to filter out a lot of mediocre or downright bad products to get to the good stuff. Authenticity and transparency are key when you’re giving product recommendations, and I take this very seriously!

With that said, I totally understand skincare is such a personal thing and varies from person to person. But every now and then you come across products that really do work and are worth the price. So today, I wanted to share the ones that are new to me that I absolutely LOVE. See my favorite new beauty products from the past few months below. If you’ve come across anything lately that has been a game-changer, please share! I’m all about helping each other out here.

New Beauty Products I Love

Cle Cosmetics CCC Cream

Although I generally avoid wearing too much makeup during the week (my skin behaves much more when it’s clean), I have found myself reaching for this CCC cream more often lately when I want to even out my skin tone or give the appearance of a slightly more natural glow. I wear the shade “warm medium” and find this formula to be smoothing and hydrating, while providing medium coverage. It also has added SPF, which is a must for me. I think the finish is very natural, but you can definitely layer on if you want more coverage.

Eve Lom Radiance Antioxidant Eye Cream

My love for eye cream is a recent development (thank you, late 20s). I never understood the purpose of eye cream until I met this one by Eve Lom (which is probably my favorite new skin care brand of the year!!). It’s so luxurious and thick, a little really does go a long way. My fine lines and puffiness are dramatically reduced after I use this. This will definitely be a repeat purchase for me.

Innis Free Orchid Youth-Enriched Cream

I love how lightweight yet moisturizing this cream is. It has almost a jelly like consistency that makes it feel incredibly light and fluffy, but doesn’t just sit on top of your skin. I learned that Innis Free is the top selling skincare brand in South Korea (part of the AmorePacific family) and I can see why – their products are geared towards younger women who may not be able to afford a high end 10 step skincare routine, but still want quality products they can use daily to maintain their skin.

Drunk Elephant C-Firma Vitamin C Serum

If you aren’t using a vitamin C serum yet you really need to be. Vitamin C is an active ingredient (meaning it will actually do something to your skin) that hydrates and brightens the skin. This particular product is fairly concentrated and does oxidize after 6 months or so. I don’t usually use up full size products this quickly so a small tip: I actually buy the smaller travel size to ensure I use up all of the product before it oxidizes.

Eve Lom Cleansing Oil Capsules

A lot of people have issues with cleansing oil. I traditionally have in the past despite having the driest, most dehydrated skin ever. However, this Eve Lom cleansing oil is gold (consistently shows up in “Best of Beauty” lists) and the capsules are perfect for traveling or if you don’t know how much to use.

Joanna Vargas Supernova Serum

Yes, this is pricey, but if you’re looking for a quality retinol product, I really can’t recommend it enough. The nice thing about high-end serums is they actually last forever. If you’re going to spend on one thing, I would start with your face. If you’re new to retinol, you won’t even need to use it every night, which will further help extend its shelf life. Start with once a week and work your way up to every other night if you aren’t sure how your skin will react to retinol. I see a noticeable difference in my skin when I use this consistently.

Hum Nutrition Red Carpet Supplement

Not a skincare product per se, but vitamins are technically part of a beauty regimen! I am really terrible at taking vitamins but have noticed a difference in my hair and nails when I actively take these. Being a very results driven person, that is enough motivation to keep going!

By Amy Zhang August 18, 2019 in Beauty 2 Comments

Worth the Hype? An Honest Hydrafacial Review

An Honest Hydrafacial Review | by The Luxi Look

There’s nothing like wedding planning to motivate you to get your sh*t in gear. Now that the clock is ticking, I’ve found myself more conscious and willing to invest more time and money on my appearance (namely – skin) than any other occasion in my life. To be honest, I’ve wanted to try a hydrafacial for some time but have historically been terrible about maintenance (the last facial I received was over a year ago, yikes!). As I’m approaching the age of 30 and have my upcoming nuptials as an excuse to try new skincare treatments, I made the decision to finally get a hydrafacial. I went to Avant Aesthetics in Beverly Hills and loved my experience so much I had to share (and am ready to book my next appointment in a month!). If you’re like me and doing tons of research on the best skincare treatments for natural glowing skin, want to know WTF a hydrafacial is, and if it’s worth the price, keep on reading for my honest review.

What is a hydrafacial?

It’s not your average facial – a hydrafacial is actually a treatment performed by a special device that is actually medical grade. The treatment is patented and consists of three parts – cleansing, exfoliating, and injecting your skin with serums and moisture. Only certified machines and technicians can perform hydrafacials – but don’t worry, you can find this treatment almost anywhere, and it’s for almost anyone!

It’s honestly amazing for all skin types. Whatever your skin type is, you can benefit from a hydrafacial. It is not just for dry skin only. There are benefits to regular facials in general. For example, exfoliating dead skin and clearing out your pores so your skin can absorb product better. Hydrafacials take these benefits to the next level through their special equipment and technology. Their cleansing and exfoliating tool gently cleans your skin. And it eliminates all of the dead skin cells on the surface. Their serum infusing tool is like a surge of moisture to your face. You get all of the benefits of manual extractions, but it’s virtually painless! You can also add on various boosters to address an array of problems – from dark spots to acne.

Now for the cost of a hydrafacial – because it’s a standard treatment that can be done across the country, the pricing and experience is fairly consistent. It will vary a bit by region and practice. You can expect a hydrafacial to cost between $150-$300 depending on where you go. I looked around online and the average price is around $200. The best part of a hydrafacial, in my opinion, is it is an instant gratification treatment. Lasers and peels require a lot of downtime. But the results from a hydrafacial are instant (and they last!).

My Honest Hydrafacial Review

I wasn’t sure what to expect and if the hydrafacial would be worth the price. My verdict? I absolutely loved it. My skin felt incredible after my facial – plump, soft, and smooth. As someone who has chronically dry and sensitive skin, it felt like a much-needed drink of water. The photo below is of my skin after my hydrafacial. I didn’t need to wear any makeup at all, and all of my fine lines were gone. Whether you’re looking for routine maintenance or have a red carpet event in a day, a hydrafacial is a great treatment. Do it on its own or combined with others to give your skin a natural glow that will last for a week. I will definitely be doing this treatment consistently. About once every month or two. I look forward to updating this post with more information and reviews!