August Favourites

Bioré UV Aqua Rich Rose Scented Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++
If you still haven't found a cosmetically elegant sunscreen then I implore you to try an Asian sun protection product. Honestly they're well worth the faff of ordering one off eBay. Their refreshing, lightweight & easily absorbed formula will change the way you think about sunscreen. My favourite one is the Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel but many people prefer their Watery Essence as the texture is slightly more creamy & hydrating. Neither of them are a gel or an essence so the names are quite confusing. They're both just straight up sunscreens. They normally have a citrus smell to them but Biore recently came out with a rose scented version of the Watery Essence. It's such a gorgeous scent & adds an even nicer fragrance to an already fabulous product.

Pixi Hydrating Milky Mist
Surely everyone has heard of Pixi's Glow Tonic by now but their other skincare products often get overlooked. I've become a big fan of their facial mists & their Hydrating Milky Mist is such a beautiful hydrating toner. It features hyaluronic acid & black oat which help to trap moisture & plump up the skin. Despite being such a lightweight liquid, it deeply moisturises the skin & makes any serums or face creams go on even better. I love using this in my skincare routine, the only downside is that I've worked my way through this bottle rather quickly!

Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay
This face mask is absolutely incredible! I'm always up for trying new face masks but since I bought this stuff, I haven't touched anything else. It's just so effective & so affordable. In this pot you get a green powder which is 100% natural calcium bentonite clay. To make it into a face mask you need to mix it with apple cider vinegar. The instructions say that you can use water but bentonite clay has a highly alkaline pH level which can irritate the skin. By mixing it with acidic vinegar the pH is lowered to a more skin-friendly level. I normally do about two tablespoons of clay with two tablespoons of vinegar. When you apply a thick layer of this mask you can actually feel your skin pulsate as all the impurities are dragged out from inside your pores. The feeling is really unique & very satisfying. My skin always looks quite red when I rinse it off but this soon fades & I'm left with a much clearer looking complexion. It's also great for balancing oil production. I would highly recommend this if you're in need of some deep pore cleansing.

CosRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid
I'm currently in the process of switching out some of my skincare products for Asian beauty alternatives. One product that has completely overhauled the texture of my skin is the CosRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid. CosRX are definitely my favourite Korean skincare brand. Their products have been working really well for me & this chemical exfoliant is the crème de la crème. I am very prone to getting closed comedones & this product has really helped to smooth out my skin. My post-blemish scarring has also been greatly reduced. The AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid features apple water which is a natural AHA along with glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid & niacinamide. It has a bit of a weird fishy smell but after using it for a few weeks I became noseblind to it & the odour doesn't bother me at all anymore. I purged a lot when I first started using it even though my skin is accustomed to AHAs but that shows the potency of this liquid. It is such a wonderful product & easily the best AHA chemical exfoliant I have tried.

Mizon Snail Recovery Gel Cream
Slugs & snails really gross me out so the idea of rubbing snail slime all over my face was slightly terrifying. However the skincare benefits are real & once I worked up the courage to actually try this product out I was amazed by how baby soft it made my skin feel. Snail slime is renowned for it's magical healing properties as it can smooth the skin, fade acne scars & give you a clearer complexion. There are many snail products out there in the Asian beauty world but I would consider the Mizon Snail Recovery Gel Cream to be a great place to start. It's very inexpensive & fairly easy to get ahold of. It doesn't smell or feel weird at all, it's just like a very hydrating gel serum. Depending on your skin type you can use it before, after or instead of your regular moisturiser. Once you get over the idea that you're putting snail slime on your face, you'll never go back.

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May Favourites

Innisfree Ampoule Intense Cushion SPF 34
Asian beauty products are becoming increasingly popular over here. I've been testing out quite a few different items recently & have completely fallen in love with cushion foundations. Brands like L'Oreal & Lancome have helped them to become more accessible in the UK. I really like the L'Oreal one but it still pales in comparison to a proper Korean cushion foundation. The main difference is that the Korean ones are refillable & it costs much less to refill a cushion than to buy a new one. They also aren't just a foundation, they have many different skincare benefits too. My current favourite is the Innisfree Ampoule Intense Cushion. This foundation is incredibly moisturising & really gives you that dewy skin look that is so popular in Korea. This cushion would be ideal for those with dry or dehydrated acne-prone skin. I have it in shade #13 & it's a perfect match for my skin colour. It provides light to medium coverage that still covers blemishes & scarring. It looks so natural on the skin whilst giving a poreless, flawless finish. The sponge blends everything out really well & application takes no time at all. This would be such a good base for the summertime as it feels so light on the skin & the compact is ideal for touching up throughout the day.

Su:m37 Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick
I always end up calling this brand Sum 41 for some reason but Su:m37 is actually a premium beauty brand from Korea that specialises in naturally fermented skincare. I am obsessed with their Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick! The name reminds me of a Sailor Moon weapon but this is one of the best cleansers I've ever tried. This cleanser is unique in that it's a twist up coconut oil-based stick infused with many essential oils & fermented damask rose extract. It also contains real rose petals which has to be to most luxurious way to gently exfoliate your skin. You just rub the stick over damp skin & it will delicately lather up before melting away any impurities. I use it by itself in the morning & as a second cleanser at night after removing my makeup. It is so hydrating, so gentle & would be ideal for all skin types.

Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence
The last Korean beauty product that I've been loving this month is Missha's First Treatment Essence. This hydrating water is legendary amongst Asian beauty fanatics as it is essentially a dupe for SK-II's Facial Treatment Essence. The SK-II version will set you back £115 whereas you can get the Missha FTE on eBay for about 20 quid! The main purpose of essences is to prep your face for other products. I normally use it after my chemical exfoliant & hydrating toner but before any serums or moisturisers. This helps anything I put on my skin afterwards to be more effective. I usually put about four drops on my hands & then gently pat it into my face. It feels just like water & is very refreshing. What makes this essence special is that it is enriched with 80% fermented yeast concentrate & niacinamide along with lots of other great skincare actives. The ingredients have many soothing, moisturising, brightening & anti-ageing properties. Since I started using this product my skin has felt better hydrated & looks a lot brighter. It works really well on redness & gives me a much more even looking complexion. Definitely check this out if glowing, softer, clearer skin is something you desire.

Bioderma Hydrabio Eau De Soin Moisturising Anti-UV Mist SPF 30
Facial sun protection is something that I use every single day, come rain or shine. However I am slightly guilty of not applying it correctly. I always slather the stuff on in the morning but I never reapply it during the day. There's just no easy way to do it without removing all of your makeup at the same time. That was until Bioderma came out with this amazing sun protection spray. You simply mist it on your face & your skin will be fully protected from the sun without ruining your makeup. It just feels like a hydrating facial water & it doesn't sting my eyes or disturb my makeup in any way. You still need to apply a normal sunscreen in the morning but this spray will allow you to keep topping up with SPF 30 whilst still looking fully glam.

OPI Original Nail Envy
My nails always grow really long without any effort on my part. However they also always break off or split so I finally decided to do something about it. I have put off buying OPI Nail Envy for years! I'd heard so many good things about it but the £18 price tag always put me off. I ended up buying it off eBay in a set with OPI Avoplex cuticle oil for just £15.99 & I'm so glad I did! My nails feel so much stronger now & I love how shiny it makes them look without proper nail polish. I do sometimes forget to apply it every other day but my nails are still reaping the benefits so it's clearly working for me. Avoplex is also pretty awesome & it has replaced my beloved Essie Apricot Oil as my cuticle treatment of choice. I love massaging it into my fingertips as it keeps everything looking smooth & healthy.

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Matcha & Ginger Baked Oats

Matcha tea is something that I simply can't get enough of. I tried my first matcha latte about three years ago & I've been hooked ever since. Matcha is basically a powdered version of green tea leaves. It has 137 times the antioxidants of regular green tea & a much smoother flavour. It can also be used in food, not just drinks. So far I've tried matcha oreos, pocky, ice cream, kit kats & swiss roll. The oreos were my favourite, I just picked them up from my local Chinese supermarket. Anyway I've been keen to try out some more baking recipes using matcha instead of just drinking it every morning. EatCleanTea are currently running a #SummerOfMatcha competition & asked me to come up with a recipe using one of their matcha powders. I'm still following the Slimming World diet so I decided to make something SW-friendly in the form of these delicious matcha & ginger baked oats.




EatCleanTea use the highest quality green tea leaves from Japan to make their matcha powders. Something I've never come across before is flavoured matcha so I was eager to try one of theirs out. I chose the Matcha & Ginger tea. They also do plain & mint matcha. The ginger variety tastes incredible & features many health benefits. The matcha increases your energy levels, boosts your metabolism & detoxifies your body. The ginger boosts your immune system, lowers your blood sugar & helps to relieve muscle soreness. It's also great if you suffer from frequent indigestion or nausea. This tea has the same mellow flavour of plain matcha but with a sweet & spicy kick from the ginger. It smells really strong & tastes a bit like fresh gingerbread.





I normally eat a bowl of porridge every day for breakfast as it's the only thing that actually fills me up & it fits into the Slimming World plan. 35g of oats counts as one healthy extra B. My consultant recently posted a recipe for baked oats on our Facebook group & it tasted just like cake! Everyone in my group is totally addicted to eating them. They make a nice change to having porridge every morning but are just as filling & even more scrumptious. As I have already tried mixing matcha into my porridge, I knew that the flavours would go well together. I figured that I could put my own spin on the recipe by using the tea to create matcha & ginger baked oats.

Here is the recipe that I used for my baked oats:
You will need
2 eggs
35g porridge oats (1 hexB or 6 syns)
2 tbsp sweetener
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 vanilla Muller Light yoghurt
1 tsp EatCleanTea Matcha & Ginger powder
2 tsp ginger preserve (1 syn)

Method
Put all the ingredients except the ginger preserve in a bowl & whisk together.
Pour the mixture into a small oven-proof dish.
Drizzle the ginger preserve down the middle of the mixture in the dish.
Bake at 180°C/350°F for 25-30 minutes.
Enjoy!




I'm really pleased with how the baked oats came out. They don't taste oaty or like a flapjack at all. The texture is like a very dense cake which is always fun to eat at breakfast time. It feels very indulgent yet is still completely on plan. The ginger matcha & ginger perserve both add a really fiery kick to the dish. This amount of matcha powder is sure to get you buzzing all day long. Let me know if you try it out!

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