A Quest

May 26, 2012

Summer fun

When was the last time…?

I haven’t been on tumblr in a long time because I had so much to do. In the last few weeks of school I was juggling between 2 jobs, classes, reports, essays and tests (yes tests right before the final). I was on a roll - from one class to another, then one job to another. Right after I finished my finals I had to worry about packing and storage for the summer! What a bummer.. spent over $100 storing my junk. Now I know what NOT to bring to college. After all the mess, I was finally home.

Then it struck me - I had nothing to do this summer. Unlike some friends who found internships or jobs or are attending classes, I was just going to stay home miserably, wasting time and energy. I started panicking like there was no tomorrow. I searched up craigslist, my school’s internship website, company career page; I did everything I could to find something. My family and friends have suggested that I work for tutoring or retail company but I outright rejected those ideas. They weren’t fruitful in one bit - albeit some extra cash. I was so desperate that I stayed up online until 5AM because I was too stressed out to sleep. This happened for a few days, coupling with friends who were successful in finding internships. I was almost on the edge of….

AY.

Stressful life

And I am only a freshman.

WADDAIDO NOW?

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February 17, 2012

Mistakes in College

We live in a fast-paced world; no time to eat, relax, read a book or even sleep. This is especially so for those poor college students (like me). Therefore, it is very hard for busy people to maintain healthy habits that will improve their skins. The following is a list of common skincare mistakes college students make.

1. Relying too much on cafeteria food.

Cafeteria food varies from college. It is a blessing to have good and tasty cafeteria food. However, how many times do you pick a spaghetti or hamburger over a healthy salad? The chance is, more than 50% of the time. Cafeteria food, although under high regulation, often contains too much sodium. The top 5 sodium meals include: chicken dinner, pizza, cold cuts, pasta dishes and soup (extremely salty at my school). Salt is a contractive food, which means you will feel uptight, stressed and thirsty after consuming too much salt. As a result, your body will start to crave for expansive food, such as carbs and sugar. (This is why fries and coke are such a good combination)

According to the 2010 American Heart Association, 1500mg of sodium is recommended for a day. However, many people continue to consume over that amount. Therefore, it is important (and especially so for those in college) to maintain a safe and balance sodium intake. The benefits of a healthy sodium intake are

Promoting cellular maintenance, resulting in vibrant and refreshing skin
Reducing toxin
Lower water retention

2. Drinking too much coffee.

Coffee is deemed as a necessary drink in college, not only because of the need to stay awake for class and homework but also the seemingly increasing trend (see the drastic rise in coffee shops and Starbucks near you). However, drinking too much coffee (that is more than 2 cups a day) can affect your skin negatively! Drinking coffee can dehydrate your skin. Eye bags and zits form easily because one often substitutes water with coffeee. Thus, the increasing consumption of coffee(and or soda) is lowering our daily intake of water! Furthermore, drinking coffee leads to a perpetual cycle of sleep deprivation, which is the worst for your skin! Our skin rejuvenates and rests from 11-2 and most coffee drinkers do not sleep by that time. In the end, drinking coffee indirectly affects your lifestyle.

As an alternative, drink green tea. Not only is green tea full of antioxident, it does not require sugar (which is what makes coffee bad for our health). Green tea with honey is a much healthier, tastier and cheaper pick than a mocha latte at Starbucks.

3. Not doing laundry often enough.

This might seem irrelevant to our skin conditions, but it is actually not. As I have mentioned in a previous post, hygene is very important in keeping our skin at its optimal condition. Not doing laundry often enough (and yes that includes your pillowcase, bedsheet and duvet cover) will result in a bateria filled environment. A dirty bed and clothes will promote P. acne growth on your skin.

4. Sleep without cleansing the face.

This is one biggie! Please remember to cleanse your skin before sleep. Our face has collected debris and dirt throughout the day and it is just unthinkable to sleep before washing the face. Not only does the dirt build up in our pores, we also prevent skin rejuvenation (because a layer of crap is resting on our skin).

These are some mistakes I can think of now. Maybe I will note more later on.

How many have you committed?

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January 22, 2012

Skincare Routine

In the last post, I mentioned how important creating and adhering to a skincare routine is. I didn’t have a set skincare routine untile a year or two ago. In junior high school, I watched my face with water and didn’t bother using moisturizer. It wasn’t until acne hit me hard (11th grade) when I started taking care of my skin. Now I want to share basic protocol so everyone can start taking care of their skin.

The Basic Skincare Routine Consists of Three Parts: CLEANSER, TONER and MOISTURIZER.

Cleanser cleans makeup, oil, debris, excess skincells. It is used to unclog pores. A common cleanser comes in many consistencies: foam, gel, liquid and etc. Cleansers have ph levels ranging from 3.8 to 8 (Soap bars have ph levels from 8-9.) while our skin has a 5.5. That’s why the next step is extremely important.

Toner rebalances the pH of face. It also rids of cleanser debris. Toners usually have some alcohol content ranging from 0% to 60%. The ones with lower alcohol content are suitable for sensitive, dehydrated skin. Astringents with 20%-60% alcohol content are for those with acne-prone or oily skin.

Moisturizer helps skin retain hydration and prevent overproduction from sebaceous glands. When the skin is lacking oil, our sebaceous glands begin overproducing to combat dryness. Thus, moisturizer is extremely important in controlling our glands. For dry skin, it’s best to use a cream/thicker base. For oily, use a lotion/lighter base.

While there are no limits to your skin routine, it is best to start off with these three! From there, you can add in more steps that are suitable. The following is my skinscare routine for the morning and night.

Morning

1. Philosphy Purity Cleanser (CLEANSER)

2. Naruko Apple Seed & Tranexamic Acid Soothing White Hydra Essence (TONER)

3. Naruko Apple Seed & Tranexamic Acid Soothing White Hydra Milk (TONER)

4. The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil (Spot Treatment)

5. Philosphy Hope In a Jar (MOISTURIZER)

6. Aloe Vera Gel (Spot Treatment)

7. Philosphy Hope In a Tube (Eye Cream)

8. Neutrogena Senstive Skin SFP 30 Sunblock

Night

1a. The Body Shop Tea Tree Cleanser (CLEANSER)

1b. Biore Pore Perfect Unclogging Scrub (Exfoliator)

2. The Body Shop Tea Tree Toner (TONER)

3. Acne Topical Medication

4. Philosphy Hope In a Jar (MOISTURIZER)

5. Aloe Vera Gel

6. Dermalogica Intensive Eye Repair

7. Neutrogena Senstive Skin SFP 30 Sunblock

8. Naruko Tea Tree Oil Out Night Gelly

This might be a lot more than usual but it’s what I am comfortable with… Hope you had fun reading.

Until Next Time, Sophia

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Skincare Tips

I have been experiencing acne since junior high school. However, it really was not a big deal until junior year of high school. And since then, I have really been trying to take care of my skin!! I have been to the western doctors, Chinese doctors, dermatologists… received topical and oral medication: Solodyn (antiobiotics for a month) and Chinese herbal medication. The oral medication worked while I was taking it….the effects were definitely not long lasting.

After a period of self-denial and rejection, I found YouTube! I have learned so much from and been inspired by gurus online. That was when I really started taking care of my skin…

My Skin

1. Acne prone on cheeks and chin

2. Oily (especially on T Zone)

3. Scarring/Blemishes

4. Dried in winter

5. Semi-sensitive ( I can’t take benzoyl peroxide)

I want to share with whoever reads this post my experience with acne and how I deal with it!

Here are some tips

1. Have a healthy diet - What you eat shows on your face. My skin reacts to oil and spicy food very quickly. Although I enjoy eating fast food, it doesn’t trade well with my face. I expect a new breakout if I eat too much of those. Find out what your skin is intolerant to (one of my friends can’t take ketchup! can you believe that?). Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables (tomatoes, bananas, apples and etc). Even drinking some apple cider vinegar (diluted of course) helps flush out the toxins!

2.1 Be hygenic - Wash your face twice a day ( in the morning and at night) but be sure to follow up your skincare routine as well. Girls, remember to take off your makeup! Don’t be lazy. Clean your phone, glasses, and whatever touches your face DAILY (wipe them clean)! Change your pillow case and sheets often. Pull up your hair at home (the grease can add on the oil on your face). Lastly, don’t touch your face or pop that zit. I know it’s easier said than done, but you really have to refrain! If you do touch your face, wash those hands first.

2.2. Create a skincare routine and stick to it! - Many people say that Asian women look younger than they are. While some of that might be due to genetics, a lot of it comes from a great skincare routine. Clinique created the 3 step skincare routine - cleanser, toner and moisturizer. Although that might seem sufficient to an average American, Asian skincare routine can involve as many as 10 products! Great skin can be inherited, but keeping it great requires maintenance and persistence! Instead of investing all your money on makeup and clothes (they don’t last forever!), use your money wisely on your face. A bare beautiful face is what you want to show when you take all your embellishments off. Have a daytime and nighttime routine that suits your skin. This is a great way to start taking care of your skin.

3. SLEEP SLEEP SLEEP - My uncle (who also suffered from acne) told me: If you sleep after 11, you’re losing your face. If you sleep after 12, you’re losing your body (health). Although it might be hard for college students to maintain this schedule, you can’t forgo good skin and a healthy body for partyin’! ( C’mon, if I can sleep before midnight with 18credits and a job, you can as well).

4. Be happy - Afterall, what matters the most is always the innerself. If you are confident, your beauty will be glowing from the inside. In addition, your skin will also thank you! Less stress means less hormonal outrage. When we can stabilize our hormones, at least we can keep our skin in control.

Until next time, Sophia

P.S. Is posting about skincare a silly thing to do? Should I keep going? Hehe.

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December 9, 2011

It kinda sucks when you expect so much and is let down. Was the effort worth it?

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I saw Ryan three times yesterday. I didn’t know if it were a tumblr worthy event.. First at Leos during lunch.. then at ICC stairs when going to dinner… lastly passing Harbin on the way to Lau…

I saw this other person for three times in a day too.. even though I didnt know his name.. once at Alum square, then at carbarn.. then in ICC when stepping out of the elevator.

WEIRD STUFF

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December 8, 2011

Facebook

Today at work, I was approached by a UPS man, the same one I have seen for a few times. The first time I met him was about 1 or 2 months ago when he suddenly popped into the office after his deliver next door to the govt department. He said I was very pretty… As a civilized person, I thanked him politely.. Afterwards, he would always wave to me when he comes by. I didn’t find it disturbing. He’s just a nice guy. However, today, he popped in again… reiterating the same thing: “I still think you’re the most beautiful asian woman I’ve met.” He took out his dark hand, “My name is Devon.” I reciprocated and said, “Sophia.” Then he proceeded to ask me if I have facebook. After acknowledging that, he wanted to get on my laptop to search me up. I was a little intimidated and asked him to write it down. He put his email on a post-it, laughed, assured my name as Sophia, not Sophia, and left. I don’t know how to take this occurrence.. Should I judge his approach because he was African American… or because he is a man in general?

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