Beauty Lessons I've Learned in My Late 20's (Part I)

Hello friends, Happy Tuesday! :)

Anyone else feeling like staying in bed all day in this drizzling rain? I sure wish I could!

This week, we are chatting all about beauty lessons I've learned in my late 20's. I had originally planned for this to be one post with 8 - 10 points, but once I started writing, the list just kept growing. So instead, I'm splitting it up into two parts. Today, we are focusing on skincare and on Friday, we'll talk about makeup, hair, and body. So without further ado, here are 6 skincare lessons I've learned in my late 20's.


Getting a facial felt like such a splurge in my early 20's. I could only afford to get them a few times a year, but I LOVED how clean my pores were, how smooth and glowy my skin looked after. I promised myself that I would get them reguarly once I started working - Except I cringed every time I wanted to go in; I could buy a new dress or another pair of shoes with that money! (Can't you tell I love shopping?) So I only got them when my skin desperately needed a deep clean. A few weeks later, it would end up looking the same, even though I exfoliate and apply masks regularly.

Two years ago, I got to know this older Taiwanese lady in the lunchroom who always brings and eats so many fruits. She is always so happy and friendly and offering fruits to others. We chatted a few times in Mandarin and I started to sit with her and others from her department. One day, she was telling the group that she's thinking about retiring next year. Retire?! She literally looks like my mom's age! She winked at me and whispered, "I don't spend much nowadays, but I get a facial and a massage every week!"

So that's the secret? I shared the story with my mom that night. She was not surprised at all and said, "What's the point of buying another dress or shoes (clearly knowing what I spend money on...), if you are going to look wrinkled in it?" Ever since then, I try to get a facial every 4 - 6 weeks and it's worth every penny! I definitely notice a difference when I go in regularly versus occasionally.

PS: So many places have introductory offers and packages, which makes it a little more affordable!



My skin has changed so much in the last few years! I used to be oily with acne. Now, I'm combination, but a little more dry. Although I don't break out as much now, I still get them during that time of the month. In addition to hormonal changes, my skin also reacts more to other internal and environmental factors compared to when I was younger. If I'm pulling a late night, I'll probably wake up with dark under-eye circles the day after. While applying an eye mask (like this one from Shisedo, 50% off at ULTA today only!) or a good-coverage concealer (I use this one from RMS Beauty) does the trick, nothing beats a quick mid-day nap or sleeping an extra hour or two the day after to repay the debt. It's even worse when I travel, adjusting to the time difference and not eating as clean as I should. I truly believe that beauty comes from the inside out. Now, I make more effort to stay hydrated (especially on the plane!) and eat my fruits and veggies every day as well as remember to moisturize (especially my hands) throughout the day.


Four years ago, I made the switch to more natural and clean skincare products and it has opened my eyes to how many things I can use straight from the kitchen! For example, you can use coconut oil for so many things - as a lash conditioner, a deep hair treatment, and an all-over body moisturizer, just to name a few. Certain natural products are more affordable, while others are just as, if not more expensive than the non-clean version. But at least I know I'm paying for better ingredients, rather than the brand name and marketing. While I do enjoy luxury makeup (especially the packaging!), I try to find a balance between what's good for my skin and what to indulge.

If you want to go more natrual this year, I think Goop Clean Beauty is a good place to start, which is full of basic and helpful information. Here are some of my favorite natural/clean beauty brands that are widely available:

• Juice Beauty (available at ULTA, Anthropologie)
• REN (available at Sephora, Nordstrom)
• Andalou Naturals (available at ULTA, Target)
• Derma E (available at ULTA, Target)
• Burt's Bees (available at ULTA, Target)
• Pacifica (available at ULTA, Target)
• Yes to (available at ULTA, Target)
• RMS Beauty (available at Sephora, Anthropologie, Nordstrom)

PS: TJ Maxx also carries a good selection of natural/clean skincare products, including brands mentioned above!

It's totally a personal choice whether or not you want to get certain treatment and what treatment (like Botox or laser hair removal). All I'm saying is, if you are open or somewhat serious to get anything done, it doesn't hurt to start thinking about it. Beauty treatments are expensive and take time to save up for. Depending on what you are interested in, it can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars and usually requires multiple sessions. Getting a consultation will give you a better idea of is this something you really want, costs, number of sessions and timeline etc. so that you can plan for it. Again, just like facials, ask about introductory offers and packages!

I've been intrigued by this Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) facial (aka vampire facial) ever since watching this video. In a nutshell, it uses your own PRP (separated from your blood sample) to apply to your skin during microneedling (creating tiny punctures on the skin to promote collagen production). For someone with acne scarring and large pores, I think this is worth looking into and I certainly plan on getting a consultation this year.

Just keep in mind that surgery is not a magic fix and definitely cannot replace a good skincare routine!

Anyone else remembers those YouTube video back in the day where all the beauty guru were saying you need to spot clean with the MAC brush cleaner and deep clean with baby shampoo? Yup, that's how I learned to clean my brushes! Many bottles of MAC and Johnson & Johnson later and discovering interesting gadgets such as this Sigma Brush Cleaning Mat and brush tree along the way, I've simplified this routine to just cleaning with a natural soap weekly (I do have quite a few brushes).

Credit: Nordstrom (left), Amazon (right)

What did take me a while to realize, however, is face towel and pillowcase also touch your face and can cause breakouts if they are not clean! Now I throw them in the wash every week too. Lastly, if you wear an eye mask to sleep like I do, don't forget to wash that too!


I like to double cleanse - removing my makeup with a cleansing oil, then following up with a face wash. Sure, using makeup wipes is better than going to sleep with makeup, but it should really be your last resort. For me, makeup wipes don't remove makeup that well. I constantly have to go over the same area multiple times to get that makeup off, which can be rough on the skin. Secondly, it doesn't save you that much time, either. It probably takes me the same amount of time to rub all the makeup off versus taking it off correctly. Lastly, it leaves your skin so dry after, because most people just hit the sack immediately without putting on any moisturizer. If you are just too tired or too lazy to wash your face, I still think you should use a cleansing oil and moisturize, before reaching for those makeup wipes.

So that wraps up the skincare lessons I've learned in my late 20's and I hope you can learn from my experience! Come back on Friday for Part II on makeup, hair, and body.

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a nice day! :)