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Hey Babes! Stacy and I wanted to start sharing some of our favorites for the Holidays! Whether you are looking for a gift for a friend, girlfriend, wife, mom, sister we wanted to round up some of the products that we use on a daily or weekly basis! I am also going to share my new nighttime beauty routine. One of my best friends had been snap chatting me every week new Korean Skin Care products she had purchased, the more she sent, the more intrigued I was and the more research I started doing. I am so happy with the results so far!

Beauty Picks- 2017:

1. Oribe Wave Texturizing Spray- The reason that I wanted to start with this item was that it’s the best wave spray I’ve ever used. My hair has always been in between wavy and curly. Curlier when I was younger and I didn’t straighten or die my hair. This wave spray is the best product I have used in years where I feel like my hair has its natural wave/ curl look so good and shiny/ not frizzy! If you are looking for year-round beach waves this should be your go-to product!
2. Pureology Shampoo and Conditioner– Another hair favorite. In the last two months, my mom and roommate used my Pureology Shampoo and Conditioner and immediately went out and bought it! Not only does my hair feel silky smooth, but there are Zero Sulfates in their products and its 100% Vegan!
3. Ouai Dry Shampoo– This dry shampoo is a little different from your mainstream spray, its a foam. Not only do I love to use this on my non-hair washing days, but to give my roots a little more volume. Use it just like you would Shampoo, lather and massage into sections. Make sure not to go overboard, but keep massaging until dry and then style your hair! This is great for dark hair especially because sometimes spray dry shampoo makes my hair look dull or grey.
4. Living Proof Dry Shampoo– If you aren’t a fan of lathering dry shampoo in your hair, this living proof dry shampoo is another great alternative! Great scent!
5. Ouai Wave Spray– Another Ouai favorite.Not only do I love this for when I am running late and need to air dry my hair, but I also like to use this wave spray after I have styled my hair to get that more undone look. I have also noticed that it gives my hair a little more volume which I need!
6. Bumble and Bumble Hairdressers Oil– I kid you not I have had this same bottle for three years. A little goes a LONG way, I like to rub this on the bottom half of my hair after I have curled or straightened it so I get some of that shine back and to help tame my frizz! You can also use on damp hair before styling.
7. Boscia Charcoal Mask– BEWARE this is a peel-off mask if you haven’t had luck with these in the past or you are scarred from the youtube videos that have been surfacing this is not for you haha. This helps to detoxify, purify and brighten the skin. One of my favorite at home masks and my skin feels so smooth after its peeled off!
8. Patchology Lip Gels– With the cold temperatures there is nothing more I hate then when I have chapped lips especially when they are so dry they hurt. These lip gels are great to give a boost of hydration back to your lips. I especially like using them before I go out and put on lipstick!
9. Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment-I typically use this mask all over my face, but its also great for spot treatments! I definitely notice a difference in my pores after I use this product and the texture of my skin is so smooth! I like to use this once sometimes twice a week, usually on Sundays when I am relaxing at home and my skin just needs to breathe.
10. NARS Powermate Lip Pigment– Super lightweight, long-lasting and nondrying, unlike some matte lipsticks. I love a good matte lip and this product is at the top of the list!
11. NARS Velvet Matte lip pencil– This was the first NARS product I ever bought and was immediately hooked on the brand. Super creamy and easy to wear! Another long-lasting matte product by NARS that doesn’t leave your lips dry. If you are like me and you don’t wear a lot of lipstick this is a great product for beginners especially for applying!
12. MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lip Color- Are you noticing a pattern here? Yes, I love nondrying, long-lasting matte lips! I love to wear my ‘Topped with Brandy’ over a lipstick from MAC and I just bought the ‘Uniformly fabulous color’ I can’t wait to wear this winter!
13. Stila All day waterproof liquid liner– I am liquid eyeliner challenged, but this liner from Stila is super easy to apply!
14. L’occitane Hand Cream– Another beauty saver in the harsh winter months! A very small amount goes a long way and great to keep in your purse!

Korean Skin Care Ten Step Beauty Routine:

**Before I start I usually use a makeup wipe to get a good majority of my makeup off.

1. Oil Cleanser- The first time I ever used oil on my skin prior to this I thought I already have oily skin how will this ever work, but I have used Rose Hip Oil, Maracuja oil, Tea Tree oil and Aragon oil and have nothing but great results. I still thought it was kind of odd to use oil to get my makeup on, but boy was I wrong this immediately cuts through all the grime on your face and easily removes your makeup.
2. Water Based Cleanser- This helps to get rid of any remaining residue that your oil cleanser didn’t get rid of.
3. Exfoliator- Everything that I read said you should exfoliate twice a week, but since I am using a Retinol (read more about it below) I can’t exfoliate that often, so I maybe do this part once a week or every other week.
4. Toner- Even before starting this routine I have heard from makeup artists, dermatologists, estheticians, beauty bloggers that toners are an essential part of your skincare routine that you should not skip.
5. Essence- This helps with renewing your skin and cell turnover, make sure to pat dry before you move onto the next step.
6. Treatments- I typically use a serum at this stage!
7. Sheet Masks- There are an endless amount of sheet masks on the market and so many you can find for so cheap! You can do this step every day or once a week! I tend to do this once a week when I have a little more time since it adds about 15-20 minutes to your ten step routine.
8. Eye Cream- As I approach 30 I realize now more than ever how important it is to have eye cream in my daily routine!
9. Moisturizer- The key to glowing skin is to always keep it hydrated! Don’t forget about your neck too!
10. Sunscreen- Elta MD is my favorite Sunscreen and great for acne-prone skin. Apply every single morning, do not skip! I think this is one of the most important parts of the routine. I had pictures of my skin taken at the dermatologist at 95% of my skin was full of UV rays. For my entire life even when I was a little kid I did NOT let my face get a tan, I always wore a hat to protect it from the sun and always wore sunscreen but that was only when I was laying out or in the sun for long periods of time. So I was shocked when I got these results back, but you don’t think about the every day wear your skin endures from the sun, or driving when the sun is hitting your face. I can’t wait to go back to the dermatologist and see the progress my skin has made!

Wow! I know that’s a lot to take in and a lot of steps, but I promise once you do it for a week it becomes so routine. My skin definitely appreciates all my hard work! You can find great recommendations for products just by googling or visiting Soko Glam, this site really breaks down the routine and what products to by!

Tips on how I have saved a little money for my 10 step routine:

• Use products that you already have:
  • I already had a Toner, Serum, Eye Cream, Moisturizer, and sunscreen While they may not be exactly Korean Skincare brands, I am not going to waste product that I have, but I figure that I am getting used to the ten steps!
• You can purchase a lot of these products from Amazon!

On top of implementing this routine, I was prescribed a Retinol by my dermatologist. I have been using it for about two weeks now and have noticed a significant change in the discoloration of my skin and the texture. One caveat is the Retinol makes everything that is congested under the skin come out first, so I have had a lot of breakouts lately, but I am hopeful! Everything I have read says that your skin gets worse before it gets better, so right now on top of being dry from the winter, I am really dry from this cream so I have to stay on top of moisturizing!

Thank you for reading, this was so fun to put together! I can’t believe how many products I use on a daily or weekly basis, why do guys have it so easy? Ask me any questions about the products and I am happy to give my honest reviews, but really these are my favorite so I wouldn’t recommend if I didn’t like them! Stay tuned for Stacy’s Beauty Picks, Can’t wait to see what she picks!