Friday, July 31, 2015

RECENT BEAUTY PURCHASES | JULY 2015

recent beauty purchases | july 2015

Hey guys! I thought it would be nice to share with you the beauty items that I bought in July. I hope you enjoy! Let me know if you are interested in hearing a review about any of these products.

1. BARE MINERALS FLAWLESS COMPLEXION ESSENTIALS KIT
You are able to choose most of what comes in the kit. I got the Original Foundation SPF 15 in the color light, Blush in the color vintage peach, Original Mineral Veil, Correcting Concealer SPF 20 in the color Light 2,  a mini size of the Original Prime Time Foundation Primer, the Flawless Face Brush, the Tapered Face Brush, and the Max Coverage Concealer Brush

2. FIRST AID BEAUTY SKIN RESCUE DAILY FACE CREAM

3. MINI M.A.C. CLEANSE OFF OIL

4. THE ORIGINAL BEAUTY BLENDER

5. ST. IVES FRESH HYDRATION SPRAY LOTION - OATMEAL & SHEA BUTTER
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Thursday, July 23, 2015

HOW TO ENJOY READING

I discovered a love for reading at the end of last year during an English class. The teacher I had gave us a deadline to finish a book by; it didn't matter how fast or slow I read it. I just had to finish it. I absolutely loved this technique. 

Other teachers would give me a couple chapters to read for the next class. My problem was that I didn't have enough time every single night to read. So, my new teacher's technique worked perfectly. I read when I could and when I was in the mood to. That semester, I read every single English book I was assigned. I don't think that has ever happened to me. Ever. I think I just hate being forced to read even when I don't have the time.

If you want to start leisurely reading books, then here are my top tips and tricks.

1. FIND YOUR NICHE
Find out what you like to read. Is it blogs? Is it short stories? Is it thrillers? Whatever it is, find it. Experiment with different books. Read through some at the bookstore or read samples of e-books before you purchase them. Before I purchase an e-book, I ALWAYS buy the sample first so I can "test" out the book to see if I like it. This way, I'm not going to be reading something I absolutely hate.

2. READ ON A PLANE
Reading on a plane to me is the easiest because there isn't much else you can do. You can watch TV but what if there's nothing entertaining on? I recommend putting your light on (if it's dark) and reading a book. You can even put your earphones in and play some low lyric-less music. I find that is the perfect thing to cancel out the noise of that loud baby or the guy snoring next to you. Whenever I am on a plane, I read a book so quickly and end up finishing it during that flight (if it's more than 3 hours).

3. READ BEFORE BED
Reading before bed will ease you into it without overwhelming you. Before you go to sleep, take a half hour or so and just read a book. It will clear your mind and relax you before you sleep. If you seem to really like the book you're reading, maybe increase your reading time to 45 minutes the next night. 

4. READ E-BOOKS
I definitely prefer e-books as apposed to hard copies for many reasons. One of the reasons is that I can't see how much of the book I have left. I know for e-books you have the thing at the bottom notifying you of your page number or your percentage, but I just take that away. To me, seeing that I've only read 1/10 of the book is daunting. For some reason, I just want to quit. I just prefer reading on an e-book and not focusing on where I am in the book. When I finish it, I'll be so surprised. Like, "Wait, what?!"

I hope you found at least one of these tips helpful. If you are curious about the books I have been reading this summer, follow me on Bloglovin'; I will be posting that in a few weeks.

Monday, July 13, 2015

SKINCARE ROUTINE | JULY 2015

Hey guys! I decided to share with my skincare routine with you in the hopes that it will be helpful for some of you. I have battled with acne for as long as I can remember. At the start of this year, my acne worsened on the lower half of my face. I have been to the dermatologist and have been trying almost everything to try to keep my acne at bay. I hope this post helps you in some way! 

Cleansers
I know what you're wondering! Casey, why do you need 3 cleansers? Well, they all have different purposes to me. I am thinking of narrowing it down soon, though.

1. POND'S Cold Cream Cleanser - I absolutely love this to take off my makeup. You put it on dry skin and the oil in the cleanser just dissolves your makeup. It's amazing. The only problem I have with this is that you have to use a wet washcloth to take it off and it gets really messy and inconvenient. Currently, I am looking for an alternative oil cleanser that takes off makeup easily. Let me know if you have any recommendations!

2. PanOxyl - This was prescribed to me by my dermatologist to help my acne. I use this about once a day in the shower, sometimes with my Clarisonic. Honestly, I notice a huge difference in my skin when I don't have it. I try to keep a backup at all times just in case that happens. 

3. Bioré Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser - If I am not taking a shower and I need to wash my face, I use this cleanser. I haven't noticed a big difference in my skin since using this so I may discontinue.


Toner
I think I have always used a Toner. I used to use a Clean&Clear one but it was way too strong for my skin. It made my skin irritated and dry. I really love this LUSH Tea Tree Water Toner Water. This toner is targeted toward acne-prone skin. I honestly noticed a huge difference in my skin when I started using this. I highly recommend it even though it is a little more on the pricy side.


Moisturizers
When I was younger, my parents used to tell me not to moisturize my skin if it was already oily because it will just make it more oily. I believed them for a while until I was introduced to YouTube and everyone says to moisturize even if you have oily skin. I cannot believe how much a difference moisturizing made to my skin. It was so much less oily. I highly recommend moisturizing, even if it just at night. 

1. Kiss My Face Sunscreen for Face&Neck SPF 50 - I started using this after I was constantly getting sunburned on my face due to the acne medication I was taking. (which I'm not taking anymore!) I needed something that was going to protect my skin and it did. I highly recommend using a sunscreen everyday!

2. Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin - I don't really see a difference in my skin when using this moisturizer. Some other moisturizers I have liked are the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Face Moisturizer and the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+. If you're looking for a moisturizer, I recommend any of these. 

3. Sweet Almond Oil - I heard almond oil is amazing for your skin so I have started integrating into my routine. Sometimes I will add a drop or two to the Neutrogena moisturizer or into my foundation to make it look more natural.


Acne Treatments
Since going to a dermatologist, I have been prescribed 2 topical medications to treat my acne. I use Aczone in the morning; it targets my breakouts. I use Adapalene at night; it targets acne scarring. These 2 products do seem to help a bit but I am going back to the dermatologist soon so she may switch up my medications.


Masks
I really enjoy doing masks. I probably do either one or two during the week. I have never used this Feeling Beautiful Avocado & Oatmeal Clay Mask but I am excited to try it. This was just the only one I have at the moment. I think my favorite mask is the BiorĂ© Self Heating One Minute Mask. When you add water to this mask, it becomes warm. I really love this mask because I feel like the heat from the mask really opens up my pores and cleans them out. Some other masks I like are the Origins Clear Improvement Mask (when I am having breakouts) and the Origins Drink Up Intensive Mask (for when my face becomes too dry/I'm on an airplane).


I hope you guys enjoyed this post! Let me know if you are interested in more skincare posts! 

Friday, July 10, 2015

WELCOME TO CASEY SHAN!

Hi everyone! My name is Casey! I've created this blog to display my love for all things fashion, beauty, health, and travel. I will be posting sources of inspiration, photo diaries, and whatever else I feel like sharing. I hope this blog becomes a place for you to find inspiration from.

I hope you enjoy Casey Shan! 

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