Soko Glam: The New Skincare Line I'm Loving

If I've been obsessed with anything this year, it's been skincare. This may not be news to you if you're a regular around here, but at the beginning of this year I set out to take the best possible care of my skin in the hopes of keeping it looking fresh and healthy sans injectibles. 

I am blessed with the opportunity to try a wide variety of skincare lines - many of which never make it to my blog, however, in toady's post I'm excited to share a few products I recently tried and had success with from Soko Glam.

My interest in Soko Glam was initially sparked after listening to the Him & Her podcast with Charlotte Cho. They covered hormonal acne in that podcast, which at the time, was something I was really struggling with! I like Soko Glam because they celebrate a skin-first philosophy stemming from Korean practises. Essentially, they encourage finding the root cause of your skin issues, vs covering them up and only provide the highest quality Korean beauty products tested by Charlotte and her team.

My Skin Type

Let me begin by saying I have really dry skin! Dry skin leads to wrinkles, which is where my journey with skincare began. These products are catered to my skin type, and were recommended to me directly by a Soko Glam representative. Part of what's unique about Soko Glam is you have the opportunity to email or text directly with a team member about your skin type after taking a short quiz on their website. Based off your questionnaire answer, Soko Glam will make a recommendation for the best products for your needs. 

My personal recommendation offered a 5 step dry-skin set:

1. Cleansing Balm: The first step in your double cleanse. This oil cleanser breaks down makeup, removes dirt, excess sebum, and pollution from the skins surface. This formula works to build collagen and prevent fine lines. True rose of Jericho and iris extract close the deal promoting smoothness and softness to the skin - leaving my skin feeling like a babies butt!

2. Cleansing Foam: Great for sensitive dry skin that's prone to redness. It foams up into a beautiful lather leaving behind fresh, plump, and soothed skin without drying it out.

3. Beauty Water: Multi-tasking toner and cleansing water. Mildly exfoliates, removing dead skin cells revealing brighter, smoother skin. 

4. Licorice pH Balancing Essence Mist: Perfect for all skin types and the antidote to dryness, dullness, and sensitivity. This mist feels so refreshing! You can use it as a setting spray after makeup, a mid-day pick me up or as a cleansing toner.

5. Rich Moist Soothing Cream: Works to strengthen your skins protective barrier, rescuing dry and irritated skin, while improving its natural cell repairing capabilities. Great for all skin type, especially sensitive.

This set would be an ideal gift for someone looking to get into skincare but maybe doesn't know where to start, a daughter who can't afford a full high quality skincare routine just yet, or anyone interested in beauty! It retails for $95.

Additional Favorites

I opted to add in a couple other products to try after reading countless glowing reviews about them under the best sellers tab on Soko Glam's website, and I can attest to the reviews! They are so worthy of mentioning and actually would be my top picks. If I could only choose ONE item, I'd get the lip sleeping pack first. My second pick would be the Collagen Ampoule, and third favorite would be the Cleansing Balm.

1. Time Stop Collagen Ampoule: Formulated with almost 77% mushroom extract to stimulate collagen production and reduce the appearance of wrinkles intensley hydrates skin and soothes irritation and redness. My skin soaks this up and just loves it's smoothing effects. Highly recommend this one! 

2. Nourishing Care Lip Sleeping Pack: I have tried every chapstick, lip mask, etc on the market and I cannot rave about this one enough! I am blown away by how amazing it made my lips feel! What a perfect stocking stuffer gift too! It has a subtle vanilla flavor and I love that it's free of parabens as well. Kiss your flaky, chapped lips goodbye babes!

If you're interested in giving Soko Glam a try, now is the perfect time to do so as they're currently offering 30% off site wide (excluding sets, gift cards, Then I Met You products, and The Little book of Skincare) with code SGBF19 and free shipping on all orders over $35 in the US. As I previously mentioned, these make a great gift option -- and the lip mask is the perfect stocking stuffer!

SHOP THE POST:

*Thank you to Soko Glam for sponsoring todays post. As always, all opinions are my own.

Fall For Flawless Skin on a Budget

5 months between facials, several vacations, multiple plane rides, and a lot of time in the sun -- my skin was feeling dull, dry, and stressed out! I recently paid another visit to my favorite skincare queen, Toska at Toska European Spa in Charlotte for a much needed skincare revamp. With only two weeks left of summer and an upcoming change in temperatures it was time to reboot my skincare regimen. 

It's no secret that the sun takes a lot out of your skin - so, fall is the perfect time to correct sun spots, pigmentation issues, and focus on brightening and lifting (my favorite). However, today I want to highlight how you can do this on a budget because let's be honest, good skin comes at a price. Investing time and money into a good skincare routine can be a pain, but as I've mentioned before it's worth the hassle in the long run. Skin is the bodies largest organ, and it has the least protection. Everything we do in our daily lives affects our skin, right down to the air we live in. Ignoring these factors can lead to things like sun spots, wrinkles, loss of elasticity, acne etc. and I don't know about you but -- ain't nobody got time for that!! So, here are a few budget friendly things you can do to keep your skin looking flawless this fall season.

Skin Instant Lab

Skin Instant Lab is a skin analysis test system offered at Toska's spa that gives you an in-depth snapshot of the current state of your skin. This is a great starting point if you aren't sure what facial is right for you, and it allows you to monitor the changes in your skin over time. Your skin constantly changes, especially with season changes, so to optimize your results I highly recommend starting with this. For example, over the 5 months between my facials, my skin declined significantly in elasticity, however my pigmentation became better with the use of P50 PIGM400. This gave the Esthetician a perfect snapshot of what type of facial would be most beneficial for me that day. A SIL test runs $50. 

Mini Facials 

The perfect option for an on-the-go mama, working woman, or anyone who desires to take care of their skin but doesn't have $350 for a full facial monthly. A mini facial combines some of Toska's most popular services in one 30 minute treatment. So yes, you can do this over your lunch break! My favorite facial at Toska European Spa is the Brightening and Lifting Bespoke facial which is on the pricier end of the facial spectrum, however, you can opt for a mini treatment for less than half the price and still receive the microcurrent, mask, and oxygen therapy parts of that facial! That's a win, win situation if you ask me! 

Rotate your P50

If there is one skincare product I love most, it's the P50 in all forms. Trust me when I say, it is life changing and worth every penny the bottle costs. Switching up your P50 to Lotion P50 PIGM 400 is a great idea after the summer season as it balances the skin's pH and illuminates while treating pigment issues. Every one's skin needs are different, which is why I recommend taking the skin analysis test mentioned above, so I am actually rotating from the PIGM 400 to P50 1970 but I can vouch for the PIGM400 as my test results significantly increased in pigmentation levels after using it for 5 months. If you're not ready to commit to the goddess of all exfoliators, grab a sample bottle for a fraction of the price and test it out until you have an accurate read on it's worthiness. 

Brighten with Masque VIP 02

Insert infamous Kim K IG story screenshot with this mask layered over her face perfectly! We used this along with Masque Vivant during my last facial to hydrate my skin, lighten pigmentation spots, and reduce dark circles. The results are incredible!

Moisturize 

Probably the easiest tip to follow, but one of the most important! Just like the P50, I switch out my moisturizer each season too. Opt to layer SPF over top of your moisturizer, and watch the hydration from the moisturizer help skin cells repair themselves while replenishing the oils stripped away from cleansing. This fall I will be using Creme Echinoderm au Complexe Biomarin.

For those who are curious what the results of a facial at Toska European Spa look like -- here are my before, and after photos from my most recent visit! For additional skincare tips & tricks click the skincare tab at the top of this page.

Transitioning Your Moisturizer From Winter To Spring

FAB BarriAIR cream // FAB Exfoliating Facial Pads // FAB Coconut Water Primer Moisturizer // FAB Bendy Avocado Concealer

Did you know, with every season change - you're skincare regimen should change too? No? Don't worry, you're not alone! I didn't realize this either until a recent visit to my local aesthetician. So today, I'm here to share with you the importance of making those changes, and a new product I've recently begun trying out. 

After months of lathering every serum, oil, balm, and moisturizer on my face during winter to combat the dry air - the increase in humidity combined with warmer days are about to send my skin into a confused state. With that said, the first change I made to my routine was my moisturizer. Being that I live in the South where the humidity reaches 100% daily, I swapped my winter moisturizer out for First Aid Beauty's BarriAIR cream. This is a lighter weight Hyaluronic acid formula that helps strengthen the skin barrier. As the weather warms up, I tend to increase my fruit and vegetable consumption which are known to be great for hydration. Anyone else crave fruit like crazy during the summer heat?! Outside of that, the warmer temps also cause our skin to naturally hold more water, meaning you don't need as heavy of a moisturizer during these months.The BarriAIR cream uses an adaptive hydration technology to replenish internal moisture reserves as needed, while also protecting your skin barrier - keeping the good things like hydration in, and the bad things like pollutants out. Your skin barrier is a protective outer layer that fights against pollutants, bacteria (important if you touch your face a lot), irritants and allergens. It can be compromised by over cleansing, using harsh products, or by the use of an aggressive exfoliator. If I had to describe this cream, it most closely resembles a whipped mousse. It's super lightweight to touch, and feels silky soft over the skin. BarriAIR is also safe for all skin types, including sensitive skin - and it is paraben free (something I find really important). 

I've only been using this product for a couple weeks now and have been interchanging it with another moisturizer based off the needs of my skin (I travel constantly, and my skincare regimen changes based off my stress levels, sleep patterns, and eating habits to best accommodate the overall health of my skin). So far, so good! My skin looks and feels great, and I didn't experience any break outs from introducing this into my regimen. I'm going to keep trying it out -- and will report back with any changes! 

SHOP THE POST:

*Thank you to First Aid Beauty for sponsoring todays post. As always, all opinions are my own.

7 Steps To Revamp Your Skincare Routine After The Holidays

Faux Fur Teddy Jacket (currently 40% off) // Skinny Jeans //  Turtleneck Sweater (comes in two colors) // Gucci Crossbody // Raye Booties

Let's face it, the holidays are full of travel, eating out of the ordinary, alcohol and all the fun things! But, what does that mean for our skin? For me, it generally means dried out skin from dehydration and flying. It means breakouts from eating foods I don't typically eat, and it means I need to show my skin extra love and care post holiday season. So today, I want to share 7 things you can do to revamp your skincare routine after the holidays!

About a month ago, I made my first appointment at Toska European Spa for a facial. After several consecutive months of random breakouts, I was fed up with whatever the heck was going on with my skin and decided it was time to splurge on the best facialist in town, and boy was that the right thing to do! First off, if you aren't familiar with Toska Husted - do yourself a favor and become familiar with her. She is the fairy god mother of skin! I would say she's probably most well known for having Jennifer Anniston as one of her clients, but aside from her laundry list long of accolades, she's just extremely knowledgeable and wants the best for each of her clients. My first facial with her was the brightening and lifting bespoke facial, Jennifer's personal favorite according to Toska! My second facial with her is Kim K's personal favorite, the Supreme Oxylight facial. So now you're probably thinking - that's great Vanessa, but what are they exactly?

Facial #1 // Brightening and Lifting Bespoke Facial

This facial combines four types of electric currents to tone and sculpt facial muscles, which improves muscle memory and revitalizes the epidermis. I really liked this facial! My skin felt so tight, clean, plump, super hydrated and lifted afterwards, and it had a glow I've never seen before! The currents were not uncomfortable at all, I felt no pain (this is a question a few of my friends had for me), and overall it simply feels like something is vibrating on your muscles.

Facial #2 // Supreme Oxylight 

The Supreme Oxylight facial adds Oxygen Therapy in the form of a pure oxygen infusion spray, as well as full spectrum LED to provide the ultimate combination of treatments for optimal non-invasive skin rejuvenation. This is a facial Kim Kardashian raves about so I was super excited to try it out! My mom actually had it done out in Seattle, and that's where my curiosity with this one was sparked. The oxygen on your skin is extremely refreshing and cooling, perfect for de-puffing after the holidays! Overall my skin felt much cleaner (loved the microdermabrasion at the beginning) tighter, and lifted post facial. I actually had the opportunity to record this facial via Instagram Stories so I could show you guys how it works step by step, so be sure to watch the behind the scenes there if you're curious! 

Naturally, when you splurge on anything you want it to last... am I right?! So I took Toska up on her skincare regimen recommendations and made a change to the products I was using. Toska European Spa is one of the only spa's in Charlotte that carries highly acclaimed French Skincare brand - Biologique Recherche. You may be familiar with their product "P50" which is the holy grail of toners and talked about constantly amongst celebrities, beauty experts, and magazines. Each person is unique in their skincare needs, so if you're interested in seeing what's right for you skin, I recommend filling out their consultation request form here. However, I will be doing an updated skincare regimen post in the near future! I like to test things out for a couple months so that I have an accurate description of what it's done for me long term, but I'll go ahead and say it has changed the game with my skin thus far!

So, with all of that being said: here are seven things you can do today to work towards healthier looking skin! PS: some of these are tips from Toska herself!

1. Implement your skincare regimen twice a day // Yes! Not once, but twice a day! I was only cleansing and taking care of my skin once a day prior to my facials with Toska. She recommended I move towards a twice a day regimen - morning, and night and I believe this has made a significant difference in my skin!

2. Add each product to your skin in a gentle upward motion // During my facial, I learned I was applying my skincare regimen incorrectly. You want to pat the product gently into your skin rather than rubbing it in, and you want to apply it in an upward motion to prevent from pulling downwards on your skin (which creates wrinkles - no thanks). 

3. Apply all products to your face, neck, and decollete // It's pretty common to apply your skincare regimen to your face and neck, but what I had not heard (and maybe you have), was to also apply it to your decollete. The skin on your decollete is very thin and will show signs of aging earlier on - to prevent that, you should be applying your regimen to that area as well! 

4. Get a facial once a month // Before meeting Toska, I wasn't really sure how often someone my age (28) should be getting facials, and I knew I wasn't doing enough in terms of skincare. Anyway, she recommended coming in once a month. Obviously getting facials can be a splurge, but this is one of those "invest in yourself" things that are extremely important long term. Skip the night out, new clothes, or happy hour with your girlfriends a few times and repurpose that money for something that gets you long term value (Toska's facials start at $120 - not a bad deal for what you get). When I'm 60, I know I'll be thanking my 28 year old self for that sacrifice. 

5. Invest in skincare products that make a difference // If your current skincare regimen isn't causing you to see a difference, chances are it's not doing a whole lot. Seek an expert and follow their advice for a month, if you notice a difference than it's worth continuing! Biologique Recherche isn't the most expensive brand on the market, but it definitely isn't cheap either. However, it has made a major impact on my skin in just one months time! I would spend my money on this brand ten times over to not have to see those fine lines and wrinkles, and without splurging on Botox which is even more expensive (I've never had Botox, and my goal is to take care of my skin in a way that I don't ever feel like I have to get it). 

6. Apply your skincare from thinnest product to thickest product // I didn't know this until about six months ago, so maybe I'm naive, but I was applying it all wrong! Knowing how to apply your products makes a big difference in how they work. Start with your cleanser, then move to your toner, serums, creams, and moisturizers last. 

7. Don't workout with makeup on, and take care of your skin post workout // Both newly learned lessons for me! I used to workout right after work, so I always had a full face of makeup on. According to beauty experts, this is only clogging your pores and allowing the makeup to seep in (makes sense). Furthermore, once you've sweat you should be applying your skincare routine immediately after. Sweat, dirt, and bacteria from being in the gym lead to breakouts. Grab a few travel sized skincare products if you don't have time to run home immediately afterwards and apply your cleanser, toner, and any serums you may use. 

Alright friends, that's a wrap on skincare for today! Another long post, but I hope you find it helpful! Don't forget to check out my Instagram Stories to see the behind the scenes of my most recent facial. If you're in the Charlotte area, take me up on my recommendation and reach out to Toska. I promise, you will not be sorry. In the meantime, you can read up on her skincare tips and tricks on her blog here. Let me know if you have any questions! 

SHOP THE POST:

Skincare: 7 Steps to Healthier, More Beautiful Skin

Josie Beachcomber PJ Set

Confession: I never truly cared about skincare until about a year ago. Sure, I washed my face daily and always used moisturizer, but that was really the extent of my "skincare" routine. I was always more of a makeup girl if you know what I mean (love a good eye shadow palette). Thankfully I'm blessed with clear skin. However, now that I'm in my late 20's I'm noticing fine lines, wrinkles, pores, and blemishes more than ever. Insert immediate panic mode. Wrinkles?! Say it aint so! Unfortunately that's life sister! So it was time to jump on the skincare train, and I was on the hunt for the best possible products. Like most people, I tried out various brands that people recommended but nothing really caught my attention until I was introduced to Beauty Counter. I was on a trip in Mexico with a group of bloggers, and one of the girls brought up the topic of parabens and toxins in skincare. I named off a few things I was using regularly, and she basically told me what I was putting on my skin everyday was awful for me. Well, that was alarming! I've always been somewhat of a health junky, and the fact that I was putting toxins and parabens all over my face daily was terrifying.  I mean that sounds just as bad as smoking doesn't it?! Both sides of my family have cancer and diseases that run deep, so I am at risk for those myself and always try to be health conscious for that reason. I eat mostly organic foods, workout 5+ times a week, have never smoked, and overall I just try to be mindful of what type of life I'm living. Now, it's easy to say "okay, I'll make the switch to safer products for that reason." But what if the products don't work or aren't that great? Then ultimately you'd probably end up going back to what works right? At least that's what I would do. I decided to give Beauty Counter products a try and to my surprise they do actually work! And they work really well. The beauty behind this (see what I did there?), is that I have the luxury of having a platform like this to spread the word! So, that's what I'm doing today. I'm not here to tell you to immediately change all of your products to safer products, or to tell you that I use all BC products (because I don't), but more of less to educate you on some of my favorites! The way I see it, every step you take in removing something that isn't good for you from your life, is one step in the right direction. It's not realistic to say throw everything away immediately and never look back, because let's be honest, I love my eye shadows and I'm not ready to give those up haha. However, the simple fact that I made some significant changes in skincare and makeup products feels really good! Plus, I'm obsessed with them so that's an added bonus. Let's get started! 

You should always layer your skincare products from thinnest to thickest for maximum results, so you'll see this is the order I go in when applying my routine. 

1. Makeup wipes // If you're a makeup wipe fan, these are amazing! I've been using the Neutrogena makeup wipes my whole life and still love those (especially when traveling or on the run), but if you're looking for a safer option these are fantastic and get the job done equally. I like to use one of these before washing my face to help get all of my makeup off, however, if you're using the cleanser (next step), you really don't have to use these as that helps remove makeup in one swoop. If I'm in a hurry and don't have time to do the whole routine (aka I'm rushing to the gym) I'll just run one of these over my face and complete the rest of the routine later!

2. Cleanser // This is hands down the best cleanser I have ever used and I've tried tons, y'all! I recommend this to everyone. It comes in both a cream cleanser and an exfoliator and I use both. I typically use the cream cleanser daily, and the exfoliator once a week. As I mentioned above, both of these take your makeup off completely so it also serves as a makeup remover while cleansing your face. It doesn't leave my skin dried out, and the exfoliator isn't too rough to where it agitates my skin. Everybody who has ordered this, has raved about it 

3. Toner // I use these rejuvenating toner pads next. They have a mixed fruit acid complex and vitamin C in them to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and they also tighten my pores nicely. I swipe these over my skin after the cleanser and you can cut them in half if you're using both sides for longevity. 

4. Mist // Again, this is another favorite product of mine! I use the No. 3 Balancing Facial Mist and it is life changing! I actually let a friend borrow it recently and I truly missed it. I use this to prep my skin before makeup and to help restore moisture. However, it can also be used to set makeup! It is formulated with charcoal powder and clay so it helps reduce any redness, absorbs excess oil, and refines skin texture. They make several different kinds of mist depending on your skin needs which you can find here. 

5. Serum // I layer this anti-aging rejuvenating serum under my moisturizer to help with hydration, skin tone, and wrinkles. It's not greasy at all, lightweight, and has proven significant increases in firmness of my skin! I love this stuff. 

6. Moisturizer // Okay, so while I didn't have an actual routine until about a year ago - I did always moisturize! Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! It's hands down the best thing you can do for your skin. I actually don't use a Beauty Counter moisturizer. I have super dry skin, and haven't been able to find one for my face that I like a lot. So I just use Jergens Natural Glow daily. I do however, love the body butter and body lotion from Beauty Counter.

7. Oil // Another product I love! Prior to trying Beauty Counters oil, I always used Kiehls Midnight Recovery, which I still really like but Beauty Counters oil is extremely comparable, provides the same results, and it's toxin and paraben free. So I made the switch here! When I first thought of putting oil on my face, I thought it was crazy. Surely it would make me oily, no? Nope! It doesn't. It actually has a reverse effect, and is one of the best things for my skin! I put a few drops of the number 3 balancing oil on my face at night, however, you can use it during the day too! Since I do this at night, I put it on alone - I don't need a moisturizer for this because this actually makes my skin feel silky smooth and like a babies butt. So I don't need it! If you are using it during the day though, I would recommend layering it under your moisturizer for maximum results! Your skin will feel nourished like you've never experienced before, trust me. 

That's it! I know it seems like a lot, but it honestly takes less than 5 minutes and it will make your skin glow beautifully in addition to slowing down the aging process! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me, and if you're feeling extra adventurous - give this mask a try, it's life changing! I also wanted to add that if you're planning on spending over $100 I recommend signing up for the Band of Beauty Membership. It's $29/year, you get a free full size body scrub (which is to die for), free shipping on orders over $100 and a 15% product credit on every purchase, so the benefits far outweigh the $29 cost! PS: Any of these items also make a great Mothers Day gift! 

SHOP THE POST: