The "Skin" Breakdown

Since I have new beliefs and thoughts in terms of living ethically, I am on the lookout for an ethical skin care line that matches my skin and face.

I am going to write up some simple reviews on the products I try out for reference, but before I do I thought it might best to note down what my skin is like.

Current Facial Problems

• dry to very dry skin
• slight dullness
• occasional redness
• slight bags under the eyes
• very occasional spots and pimples
• some blackheads and pores

My biggest problems of the above are most definitely dryness, so I really look into the moisture factor when I try out products.

Skin Colour and Genetics

Being half Japanese and half Caucasian, my mum being a little more tan and my father being super white, I think I inherited mostly my father's skin genes. Looking at pictures back when I was a baby I was pasty white with rosy cheeks. But as I got older and discovered the sun, my mum's genes kicked in and I would tan without burning red like my dad. Because I never really bothered much with sun protection, my arms naturally got darker and still a little tan, but my face and other parts of the body that I keep hidden away are still very pale.

From a Western point of view I may seem more "yellow", but from a Japanese point of view I may seem more "white".

In terms of what I aim for, it's rather confusing. Back home tan is all the rage, whereas in Japan the paler the more beautiful. Being stuck in the middle I have been back and forth with what I want, but in the end, I have settled with gaining healthy skin, and trying to enjoy both aspects; I don't mind tanning a little in the summer, and I tend to go back to being paler in the winter anyway. As a result, all that "whitening" shizzle that Japanese skin products are obsessively hyped up about, or any Western skin products that give your skin a "bronze" look doesn't do a lot for me!

Skin History

Up until I was 22, I could boast about my skin. I never had acne when I was a teenager, and although at one point in my late teens I used to slap the foundation on, I realised I didn't need it and would only wear a bit of concealer, blusher and eye make up almost every day.

However, in my second year of Japan when I was 22, with no explanation whatsoever, my face broke out in spots. The horrible thing was, the same pimples would stay and never go away, and more pimples would appear and add to it. I went to a number of dermatologists, tried to eat super healthy, looked into acne face products and the lot but it stayed for at least 6 months. When I stopped caring, it suddenly and in a short amount of time disappeared. I didn't feel any stress if it was related to that, but I am assuming there was some sort of unbalance in my hormones at the time.

Due to that saga, my skin has never really been the same. Luckily I have not had a break out since, and I only get the occasional one or two pimples, but my skin just doesn't seem to be as clear as it used to be. I know it'll be difficult to get back the skin that I used to have, as my skin has naturally aged in my late 20's, but I would like to be as close as I can to it.