I'm not even exaggerating when I say I get hundreds of comments, emails, messages, etc. about acne and how to fix acne scarring. First off, I apologize that I can't respond back directly.. there's just not enough time in the day to answer all of you guys :( Plus, I can't see your skin in person, so it's hard to tell what's causing your skin concerns if I can't actually see your skin concerns... describing your skin as red and irritated can unfortunately mean a lot of things so I can't narrow down how to help you :/ Apologies but hopefully this will shed some light on some issues you might be having. This is where Banish Acne Scars comes in and Dermarolling. 

Let's get to the breakdown...

What the heck is Dermarolling?!

I know, it sounds insane and the tool you use looks like a little medieval torture device. Trust me when I say, it's much more intimidating looking than it actually is. Demarolling is essentially creating little micro wounds in your skin which encourages your body's natural response to "heal" the area. This promote collagen product to the targeted areas among many other skin benefits. 

Let's talk about Banish Acne Scars...

Even though derma roller is great for your skin, it's extremely important to practice this in a safe way. This includes using reliable rollers that are sharp and won't damage your skin. Because of this, I avoided derma rolling for a while. However, when Daisy contacted me and asked if I wanted to try Banish, I was like "YES, PLEASE!". You can even do a little research yourself and see that Banish uses the best materials and ingredients, so I have peace of mind when I use their products. Plus, I've seen a ton of other you tubers use their products and have great results. 

The Benefits of Dermarolling

Derma rolling, in my opinion, is great for every skin type. That is, unless you have severely sensitive skin. Then, let's face it, you have to be super cautious with everything you do to your skin. But for those of you who want to know why you should be derma rolling, here's why I love it! Like I mentioned in the title of this post, derma rolling is great for acne scars. It's one of the best ways, I believe, to deal with acne scars because it's a natural process your body is already doing. It simply expedites the process. However, for someone like me, I don't have a major issue with acne scars. So for me, I notice a major improvement in the smoothness, pore size, and texture of my skin. I feel that the increased collagen production really helps tighten my skin and helps with the appearance of my skin. It's also great for cellulite and stretch marks. So, yes it's awesome! 

My Before and After

I know it'll be a little difficult to see in my before and afters the improvement, but trust me, I really feel the difference. Also, I just happened to get a mark (on my right cheek, by my nose) from a pimple right at the beginning of my experience with derma rolling, so I feel like that's a good marker to see the progression of my skin. Also, check out my video review and you'll be able to see better in the video than just the picture! 

After First Session

After 2nd Session (10 days after first session) 

After 3rd Session (10 days after 2nd session) 

  Like I said, I know it's hard to tell through pictures, but maybe it'll be more apparent in the video :) Anyways, I hope this helps for those of you guys who are suffering from acne scars or other skin issues. For more dramatic before and afters, be sure to check out Banish's website! You can really see the difference in those :) 

xoxo, 

Morgan 

Visiting the Cat's Attic Cat Cafe in Seoul, Korea |The Travel Breakdown

Welcome to The Travel Breakdown everyone! If you're confused on the concept (what the heck is The Travel Breakdown, is this a new channel, etc) please read this post! I explained the whole concept behind the new series to clarify for everyone what this is! Now that we've got that away, on to my experience visiting Cat's Attic in Gangnam, Seoul, Korea...

Let's get to the travel breakdown....

What in the world is a Cat Cafe?!
Oh, my friends, let me introduce you to the wonderful world of cat cafes. They're magnificent, trust me ;) Cat cafes are literally what they sound like. They're cafes you can go to where you can not only enjoy a lovely drink but also socialize with adorable felines. These are super popular in Korea because having a pet is somewhat impractical in Korea. While that's not to say people don't have pets in Korea, just think about it... why own a cat when you can just to a cat cafe, play with one for a couple hours, and then leave? In Korea, most people live in apartments and don't have the space or time to care for an animal. This is honestly why I think they're so popular. Plus, these type of places are awesome for photo-opts. 

Where We Went
In Seoul, there are several different chains of cat cafes. The particular one we went to is called Cat's Attic. They have several different locations, but the one went to is in Gangnam. Please refer to the map below to see exactly where and you can also go to their official website (or do some Googling) to find other chains and locations! 

But are the cats taken care of? 
The cat cafe we went to seemed very cat friendly. Luckily, the cats had plenty of room to roam and lots of hidden places up and away from people just in case they felt a little overwhelmed. The cats all seemed pretty relaxed with the people and each other, which was pretty evident in all the sleeping kitties. I also noticed that whenever the workers walked around to brush or give the cats treats, they all perked up and seemed to really like the employees. The cats had fresh water and food available at all times and also an adjacent room with a litter box, which was only accessible through a little kitty door. I figured if they were really irritated, the cats could choose to go hang out in that room. 

Rules to make sure the kitties aren't mistreated!

Is it clean? 
One concern I had in general was the cleanliness. Overall, the place was well-maintained and I couldn't really smell the litter box (if you own kitties like I do, you're very familiar with that smell!). Before going, I was a little concerned as to how hygienic it could be to combine drinks and cats, but you just have to watch your drink to make sure no kitties help themselves to a couple sips. I mean, let's face it, you're really going to play with cats, not to enjoy drinks! haha. Also, before you enter, you have to wear slippers they provide and sanitize your hands. I really appreciate that because it shows they make an effort to keep the facility clean and their cats healthy!

Tips and tricks 
Visit more than one
If you're a cat fanatic like I am and you're staying for a while in Seoul, definitely check out more than one cat cafe. I went to about 4 (I know, I'm insane) during my couple weeks in Korea and each one was completely different. So if you have a bad experience at one and you're desperate to find a cat cafe you enjoy, try different ones!
Don't wear black!
You're gonna get furry when you're playing with cats. That's pretty much a no brainer. So try not to wear black because it obviously shows hair a lot more! I do want to note that most cat cafes have lint rollers/hand sanitizer/hand wipes available, so you can freshen up before you leave. I just figure it's always better safe than sorry!
Go on a weekday
These places get packed! I had the best luck going during the week instead of during the afternoon. That way, you can get the most out of your kitty time :D 

So if you do end up going to a cat cafe, I hope you have lots of fun.. and no allergies :) They're a really cool place to visit so definitely check and see if there are some in your area or if there are some where you're planning on traveling too! Cheers :) 

xoxo, 
Morgan

My Official Introduction to The Travel Breakdown

Hi guys! Well, I should've made this post a couple days ago along with trailer I posted on my channel, The Beauty Breakdown, but I'm starting a new series on my channel! I know a lot of you have been anticipating the release of my Korean Travel Vlogs but I wanted to give myself time to create something that I'm really proud to share with you guys. Because of this, I wanted to take a moment to explain my thought process behind this new series and the overall concept of it :) So without further adieu, The Travel Breakdown everyone!

Inspiration

There are many things in life that I love. Animals. Food. Rainy Days. Let's also not forget, of course, beauty and traveling. Because of this, I wanted to be able to channel my creativity through a new venue. This is where The Travel Breakdown comes in. Now I know a lot of people casually film themselves doing things (which isn't bad and I'll probably do the same thing here and there) but I wanted to do something that was fun and exciting and something that would make my viewers feel like they're with me experiencing the same things. That's why I made it a point to take my time with this project so I could really showcase different places, foods, experiences, etc.

Concept

The concept behind this travel series is going to be exploring new places and trying new things together. This means it's not going to just be footage from things I did while I visited Korea (although the first "season" will obviously be a lot of stuff from when I visited Seoul). I want to make this series about even exploring local places around me and really taking in every new experience. I feel like a lot of times, we get caught up in the idea of "traveling". Traveling tends to carry this connotation of being expensive or you have to be 1,000s of miles away from home when I really don't feel like that's the case. When I sit back and think about it, there are a bunch of things I want to experience within a 100 mile radius of where I live! I want to share that idea with you guys though this series also because I want everyone to really take advantage of every single moment of life. You don't have to spend a boat-load of money or go to a different country to travel :)

When Will it Air? 

Officially, the first episode of The Travel Breakdown will go live January 8, 2016. At the moment, I don't have a set schedule of a certain day of the week or how often I'm going to upload episodes. This is because I don't like to limit what I upload/film/edit but it'll be often enough I promise :)

I think that pretty much covers everything! Like I said, I really just wanted to take a moment to further introduce all of you to The Travel Breakdown so we're all on the same page. I hope you enjoy and I can't wait to share with you! Lots to come :)

xoxo,

Morgan

[Review] KICHO and CU Skin Natural and Cruelty-Free Korean Skincare

Hey everyone and welcome back to The Beauty Breakdown! It's a new year, which means experimenting with new products and brands so today I want to introduce you to KICHO. KICHO is a newer brand that is available at your local Whole Food Stores and at Green Alley. Before I get ahead of myself though...

Let's get to the breakdown...

Brand Background

I think this is why I'm most excited about this brand in particular. If you're just starting off in skincare or if you're a skincare aficionado, you might have an issue finding a variety of brands that offer natural ingredients, that are paraben-free, and animal cruelty-free. We all want what's best for our skin and obviously natural tends to be the way to go. It's extremely important to find products that prioritize the quality of their ingredients. This is where KICHO and CU Skin comes in. KICHO uses botanical ingredients derived from Mother Nature herself.

KICHO Natural Mineral Foaming Cleanser

Proper cleansing is extremely important because it removes all the dirt, leftover makeup, and oil from your skin. Without a proper cleanser, your skin will look dull, will feel heavy, and will not be at its best overall. Because of this, I'm a little picky when it comes to cleansers, especially foam cleansers since they're my favorite form of cleanser! I've been testing this out for a couple weeks and I have to say, I have to say that this is a pretty nice cleanser. It's formulated for all skin types and can even be used on children! There are no harmful additives in this cleanser, so you can rest assured you're not stripping your skin. It's also made with 7 types of sprout extracts (which sprout extracts.. I'm not sure. haha) which are supposed to help with purifying the skin and soothing your face. My only complaint with this cleanser is I find it's a little too drying on my skin. I do feel that it's excellent at cleansing my skin and removing all the gunk, but since I have dry, sensitive skin, I've found that I can't use this everyday or my skin does feel a little more dry. This would most likely be excellent for oily skin types though! And I'd like to add that the foam is super soft :) 

CU Skin Vitamin U Cellbio Hydro Gel Mask 

 I LOVE hydro gel masks. They're my favorite form of sheet masks because I feel that they hold moisture longer, fit my face better, and are better quality overall. Because of this, I was looking forward to trying this. This mask is also supposed to have EGF (Epidermal Growth Factor) and ceramide to help tighten and improve the overall appearance of the skin. How great does that sound? When I applied this mask, I immediately noticed how nice and thick the mask itself was. As you can see in the picture below, the quality of the mask is really great and it also stretches a good amount so it really does feel like a "second skin". I wore this mask for about an hour (because heck, the longer the better right?!) and then removed it. I did feel like it really plumped up and nourished my skin. I love how smooth and wonderful my skin felt the next day and I definitely feel like I noticed a difference after using this mask. 

KICHO Foundation Brush 

This foundation brush is composed of synthetic fibers so again, you can rest assured that there were no cute little animals harmed to create this brush. I also like synthetic fiber brushes because they wash clean, don't absorb makeup like natural fiber brushes do, and they feel so soft. This one is exactly that. This brush is so soft and smooth and doesn't fray at all. I've also noticed NO shedding whatsoever (and trust me, I put my makeup brushes through the wringer!). I like the shape of this, as well, because it's very versatile so I can use it for different purposes. I've used this to blend my cream contour, apply foundation, and to flawlessly conceal my dark under eye circles. On top of all the things I love about this brush, I also like how sleek and pretty it looks :) 

Well there you guys go! For the new year, I'd like to research and find more natural skincare so I thought this was the perfect post to kick off 2016 :) Let me know if you've also tried any products from this brand or any other natural skincare lines that you've been into :)

xoxo,
Morgan

Etude House Snowy Dessert Collection Haul and Review (Pink Bird Ambassador Box)

Boy, do I have an exciting post for you guys today! You might've seen my review and demo of these products already on my channel, The Beauty Breakdown, for the 12 HoliDAYS of Beauty, but I wanted to make a post so you guys could get close-ups of the packaging and products themselves!

So let's get to the breakdown...

First off let me tell you now that there will be no swatches in this post! I swatched and demo-ed all the products in my video review, so check that out if you want to see what the shades are like! 

Etude House Play 101 Pencils

I received two Play 101 Pencils in my Pink Bird Ambassador box this month and they're AMAZING! I don't know what I was expecting, but these shades are even prettier than I thought they were going to be! I got shade 71 and 73. Shade 71 is a beautiful bright pink with gold shimmer. I love that this is a duo chrome color and I think it'll look really pretty on the lids! I also got shade 73, which is a nude, shimmery beige. This is the perfect pencil for the inner tear-duct because it doesn't look too "aegyosal" but at the same time it brightens the eye area beautifully! 

Snowy Dessert Ginger Cookie Blusher

 Not gonna lie... I was thinking this product was going to be a bust when I first saw it. It looks super orange in the pan, but when I applied it, it is actually a very gorgeous bronze shimmer. This might look a little too orange for those of you with a lighter skin tone, so I would definitely recommend this product to those of you who have a little bit of a tan/darker skin tone. 

Snowy Dessert Pudding Tint in Grapefruit Pudding

Now this is where I was disappointed. *sigh* The packaging of this, like everything else in this collection, is amazingly cute. It even comes with a little spoon to apply your "pudding" with. The texture is very unique and interesting and is actually jelly-like. However, on my dry lips, this product really emphasizes the cracks. I really need my lip products to be super moisturizing, and this just doesn't cut it unfortunately. So I wouldn't recommend this for people with dry lips like me. It is a beautiful color and awesome texture, just not a good fit for my dry lips!

Yuck! Look at those cracks :(

 BONUS: Etude House Honey Cera Skincare Samples

In my Pink Bird Ambassador box, I also received a little box of the new Etude House Honey Cera line. It comes with a cream, eye seem, toner and emulsion. Honey has several beneficial qualities so I'm thrilled that I get to try this set. Also, these are great for traveling :) 

And that's it! That's everything I received in my Pink Bird Ambassador box for the month of December. I wanted to share with you guys because I knew a lot of you would be interested in seeing the new holiday line. Check out my video (above) for more in-depth reviews, swatches, and demos of the products :) Thanks for reading!

xoxo,

Morgan 

[Review] Memebox I'm Stick Shadow Swatches and Review

I promised this to you guys last week (I think!) but I got so busy I didn't have the chance to post about these! But now, here they are! The Memebox I'm Stick Shadow swatches and review! Right now they're $5 on sale! So check them out while you can :) 

Let's get to the breakdown...

Packaging 

These are packaged very simply and I love that. Plus, I like that the colors are at the bottom of the tubes so you know which shades you're picking up when it's been thrown in the midst of your makeup collection!

Last Ability/Pigmentation

These colors last all day and they look nice on the eyelids. The only thing that I find a little disappointing about them are the lighter colors (Milky Way, Falling Star). Unfortunately, they don't apply as smooth on the eyelids. It's hard to explain, but for some reason, they don't look as nice on the eyes as they do swatches. But I do love the darker colors (Spinal, Moonrise, Ash Stone).   

Colors

Like I mentioned above, I really like the darker colors. Especially Spinal and Ash Stone. I think they look very nice and love that they have a bit of duo chrome to them.. nice and unique :) 

 I'm Stick Shadow in Spinel

Do I know what they mean by spinel? No. But I do like this color! It has a beautiful, slight duo chrome to it. The base is a plum purple and the duo chrome is an indigo color. You can see this a bit in the swatch! This is probably one of my favorites out of the five shades I have!

 I'm Stick Shadow in Moonrise

This is a nice, toned-down copper color. The reason why I say that it's copper colored is because it's not spectacularly vivid, but that doesn't mean it's not a nice color. It would be great for those of you who are looking for a more natural bronze :) 

I'm Stick Shadow in Milky Way

Like I mentioned above, this is one of the colors that I'm a little disappointed in. Don't get me wrong.. it's still a really nice color and applies fairly smooth, but it's just not as pretty on the eyes as it swatches. As you can see in the swatch, it has a bit of a pink under tone, which I wish more apparent on the lids. Like I said though, still not a terrible stick shadow.. I'm just picky ;)

I'm Stick Shadow in Ash Stone

This color is my other fave from the stick shadows I have. I like this because it makes a nice smokey base for darker looks, but it's not overwhelmingly hard to work with. I'm going to try to explain this, so I hope you know what I'm talking about. You know when you put a dark base on your eyelids and it gets messy/looks too dark? Well this is a happy medium. This color adds a nice smokey slate shade to your look, but isn't too black. Plus, look at that taupe under tone! 

I'm Stick Shadow in Falling Star

I pretty much have the same thoughts about this shade as I do with the Milky Way shade. It's still a nice stick shadow, but I wish it looked as pretty on the eyes as it does in the swatch. When you apply it to your lids, you can't quite see that beautiful pink/peach under tone. 

Well, there you go! Sorry it took a little longer than I was anticipating, but better late than never right!? Don't forget to check out my youtube channel, The Beauty Breakdown, where I do more video reviews and talk about other beauty-related topics :) Hope you're all doing well!

xoxo,
Morgan