About Me

I started this blog because I really wanted to see a more ingredients-focused approach to skincare.  I saw blogs like Kerry's Skin & Tonics and Cat's Snow White & the Asian Pear, and they absolutely blew my mind.  Skincare shouldn't be boring, but it's also not purely emotion-driven and we shouldn't be so willing to be manipulated based on marketing and hype.  So here's my blog, trying to challenge the system.

Me?  I'm Vietnamese-American, living out the last days of my 20s embracing the rickety joints and dusty coughs of my 30s.  I like Asian cosmetics, mostly Korean, although I'm trying to branch out more into Japanese and Taiwanese cosmetics as well.  I won't automatically turn my nose up at Western products either, but for the most part, I find them pretty lacking in the skincare department.

My skin is around the NC-25 range - I'm not really sure these days, because I don't really wear makeup aside from the occasional weekend lipstick.  I have normal/combination skin, and my concerns are hyperpigmentation, enlarged pores, flaking, and aging.  My skincare philosophy is to use scientifically proven actives and balance them with fun, experimental products.  My goal is to have flawless, glowing skin without having to get surgery or fancy spa treatments - I don't do spa days, mani/pedis, brow bars...any of it.  I like looking at ingredients, and don't mind luxury items so long as they're actually worth it - but I love a good budget-friendly product.  My blog is mainly reviews of products in all price ranges, and also do some unboxings of subscription boxes, hauls, and product comparisons.  All products are purchased by myself unless otherwise clearly noted, and all are my own honest opinions.

If you follow me on Instagram (holysnailsblog), you'll notice another very obvious hobby of mine:  succulents!  I try to keep it out of my blog, but you'll see some popping up in the background of pictures.  I'm a hobby junkie actually, and a nerdy geek.  I knit, I crochet, I sew, and I build furniture.  I bake, I breed competition-ready Pokémon, I read DC comics.  I run a blog about ingredients in skincare...

I love DIY, and am a strong believer of it.  Our family tries to DIY wherever we can, and I definitely think skincare is not only DIY-able, but DIY-worthy.  You can find DIY recipes (and hauls...) on here, and if you want live updates when I'm in my little dining room lab, you can follow me on Snapchat (theonetruesnail).