Breastfeeding: 3 weeks into our journey with Maverick

Breast is best. That’s what I’ve always learned as a nurse, and that’s what I’ve always believed. There is so much science to support why breast milk has a step up on formula since it’s pretty much an individualized recipe formulated just for your baby and their needs. When I’d give my breastfeeding patients education, everything I was saying seemed so easy to do. I wasn’t naive. I knew before having Maverick that breastfeeding was challenging for any mom, whether it was their first kid or their fifth kid. And after three weeks, I can see why my thoughts on Breast is Best changed to Fed is Best.

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

In the first week of Maverick’s life, we were still supplementing with formula because of him being jaundiced and my milk not coming in. There were nights where I told Sean to feed the baby formula if I was too tired to get up and breastfeed. Breastfeeding is taxing on your body. Every time I feed I have to eat something or I get dizzy. After feeds, I’m hit with such a hard headache that I have to take a gram of Tylenol every 8 hours just to be able to function or even sleep. And it seems like no matter how much water I drink (almost 96 ounces) a day I still feel dehydrated.

Week two came, and my milk finally came in (it sounds like it’s a package you’re anxiously waiting for from Amazon Prime…) I go back to working 12-hour shifts after maternity leave and I’m nervous about what it’s going to do to my supply especially when I’m more tired, more stressed, and more active. I’ve heard many women say that when they go back to work and when they start working out again that they notice a major drop in their supply. I’ve made it a priority to try and pump at least twice a day now. So far, I’ve been pretty lucky to stash 1-2 pouches in the freezer for my lil’ stash but I’ve noticed that my sleep takes a toll on my supply. Then there was a few days where I was taking antihistamines for PUPPPs and my supply dipped. Thankfully it came back when I stopped taking the meds.

Museum of Agriculture, El Paso, Texas during the poppy season

It’s been a rocky road

This journey has brought on many sleepless nights. Maverick likes to feed every 2-3 hours. It becomes tiring when 30 minutes of that is spent feeding him and another 20 minutes trying to put him down to sleep. It’s been hard on Sean and I because I become very frustrated at night when it’s hard to console Maverick after feeding. I’ve read so many stories from women who say trying to breastfeed made them feel so bad that it lead to PPD (postpartum depression). This worries me a lot since I already receive mental health treatment. And last night, my son broke me. For the past three weeks we’ve been running low on energy and last night I hit a wall. At 3 AM when my son wouldn’t fall asleep, I gave in and gave him to Sean. I didn’t ask for help, I gave up and made Sean take over. I cried myself to sleep because I didn’t know what else to do and I could feel my patience slipping. The last thing I want to do is let it get too far where I start to resent breastfeeding Maverick.

I’m really hoping that we can find our groove together as a unit so we can avoid that. It’s still a learning process for all of us, so if you have any recommendations or suggestions, we’re very open to them. We’re new to all of this. No matter how many babies I’ve taken care of at work, I definitely was not prepared to be a mom.

Hyperbilirubinemia: My baby is yellow and it's not because he's Asian!

You should’ve seen the unease in our pediatrician’s face when they told us Maverick’s bilirubin levels went down, and we said, “oh so he’s just yellow because he’s Asian then.” We never fail to make people feel uneasy with our Asian jokes. But with all of that aside, the word hyperbilirubinemia can already be scary to someone who can barely break it down to pronounce it correctly. So I’ll try to do a quick breakdown on what it is.

Disclaimer: The content on my website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

A tough time trying to be the mom and not the nurse of Maverick

Maverick had to be under the phototherapy lights for 2 nights. The first night we had him back in our room was extremely difficult on me and Sean. We were up every 2 hours to go to the NICU and feed Maverick on the first night and we were up the entire first day after delivery. We were extremely excited to have him in the room with us, but he was not excited about the phototherapy lights. I thought I would do okay with this since I’ve helped treat so many “bili-babies” as a nurse, but I was so wrong. The emotional attachment that I had as a mother was hard to overcome. Every time Maverick started crying, my first instinct was to take him out. It was extremely hard to not soothe my baby. When I would breastfeed him, I’d still hold the bili-blanket underneath him, but even that irritated him.

His level at initial testing was 11.4, and after one night of therapy it went down to 11.3. Not much progress was made and that was probably due to the fact that breastfeeding was new to us both, and because we kept pulling him out from the lights. We opted to put him back in the NICU for phototherapy hoping that a more controlled environment would help him get better. His levels did go up to 15 the second day, but since he was getting older, the threshold for therapy went up as well. It wasn’t enough to keep him admitted for phototherapy, so we changed the treatment to breastfeeding with formula supplementation and was seen the next day as an outpatient. When we came back, his level dropped a little bit, and we decided to treat his tongue tie by having the pediatrician do a frenulectomy. After a few days of great breastfeeding sessions, formula, and sunbathing, we noticed his jaundice start to go down. At his first well-child check up, they drew labs and said the would call us if his levels were abnormal. It’s been a week since the lab was drawn and we’ve heard nothing back, so it looks like we’re in the clear!

What is hyperbilirubinemia, and is it normal in babies?

So let’s just break down the word: Hyper as in excess of; bilirubin as in the compound that is made due to the breakdown of RBCs (red blood cells); and -emia as in the suffix that refers to something to do with blood. So basically, there is an excess of the remnants of broken down blood cells circulating in babe’s blood. It isn’t uncommon that a baby will be slightly jaundiced after birth. The reason that babies appear yellow when jaundiced is because bilirubin is pigmented yellow!

When a baby is in utero, the placenta works hard at removing bilirubin from the baby’s bloodstream. After delivery, the baby’s liver takes over and sometimes needs a little time to catch up. Don’t be surprised if your baby is more jaundiced after a more traumatic delivery that causes bruising or a hematoma. There is a certain level that babies have to reach to receive phototherapy, so not all jaundiced babies need to be put under lights.

How is hyperbilirubinemia tested and treated?

So this is where nursing comes in! Aside from physical assessment of the skin every shift, at the 24-hour mark, every newborn is screened. This screening includes things like hearing screen, congenital heart disease test, PKU (phenylketonuria) screening, and a TcB test. TcB stands for Transcutaneous Bilirubin. This is done with a device that is pressed against the newborn’s forehead and takes a reading of how much bilirubin is detected through the skin. If the levels are above the facility's recommended threshold level, that’s when the nurse will draw a TSB, or Total Serum Bilirubin. This is done with w a heel stick and drawn in a pediatric blood tube.

American Academy of Pediatrics

The American Academy of Pediatrics has a chart showing the serum level vs neonatal age and what the risk zones for treatment are. If the TSB levels are high enough then phototherapy will be started. If they are considered low-risk, encouragement of breastfeeding with supplementation of formula may be recommended. This is because bilirubin is excreted in stool and urine. This could be another reason why it is more common for exclusively breastfed babies to become jaundiced after birth. It can be the learning curve that momma and baby have as they begin their breastfeeding journey and waiting for mommy’s milk to come in. So if your baby does require more than just frequent breastfeeding sessions and supplementation, your pediatrician will go over what phototherapy is.

What is phototherapy? Can it be dangerous?

The risk of putting your baby under phototherapy lights is pretty low. Proper precautions are taken to monitor the baby’s well-being under the lights, such as an eyemask, continuous temperature monitoring, and a new one I’ve seen, continuous pulse ox. Phototherapy lights are blue spectrum lights that mimic what the sun would do for Baby. It helps breakdown the bilirubin through the skin, which will come out in Baby’s diaper as soiled diapers. Most facilities have triple light therapy which just means in addition to the two lights that are placed above Baby, a special blue light fiber-optic blanket will be placed under Baby. Baby will only be wearing a diaper while receiving light therapy to maximize skin exposure. This is why it is important to monitor Baby’s temperature to make sure that it isn’t too hot or too cold under the lights. I hadn’t seen continuous pulse ox monitoring until Maverick received phototherapy. They told me it was because they wanted to make sure they could see his oxygenation was normal since the blue lights could cause him to be mistaken for cyanosis. I didn’t think it made any sense, so I just appreciated the continuous pulse ox since he had been admitted to the NICU for oxygen therapy. Good thing I’m a nurse, right?

So if it’s so common, why should we be worried about jaundice in a newborn?

Though most of the time jaundice in newborns an be harmless, the reason to treat aggressively is to prevent any brain damage. When severe jaundice is left untreated, the excess bilirubin can cause seizures and brain damage. Kernicterus is the name of the disease when bilirubin levels reach too high of a limit and cause this brain damage. Signs and symptoms of kernicterus include drowsiness, fatigue, fever, uncontrollable or high-pitched crying, trouble feeding, fever, abnormal muscle tone/spasms, and abnormal eye movement.

So if you are concerned that your newborn could be developing jaundice after you have been discharged from the hospital, make sure that you bring it up at the first well-child check up, or sooner if you’ve got a few days before.

Holy Sh*t Labor Day: Maverick's Arrival

That was probably the hardest shit I’d ever had to do in my entire life, but it gave me the best blessing I could ever imagine. After 23 hours of trying to labor down, my son Maverick James was born on 28 February 2020, at 1255. He weighs in as a light featherweight champion of 6.4 lbs, measuring 20 inches long. The adrenaline was surging when they placed him in front of me as I stared down at him while I was still on all fours.

26 February 2020 @1500

Sean and I had a 39-week appointment this day, but I was already having contractions. Mild as they were, the clinic still thought it was best to send me up to be checked in case I was going into labor. While I was triaged, I found out I was 3 cm and 75% effaced. The OBGYN that saw me asked if I wanted her to strip my membranes, and I said yes! Little did I know this was going to kick start the process fairly quickly. I went home that night and was cramping and contracting throughout the night.

27 February 2020

I woke up to slower contractions, not as intense, and all of a sudden felt a little disappointed. The contractions had been fairly strong throughout the night, but the fact that I was able to fall asleep through them to have them completely fade away? Rough. Sean and I still stayed home though because even though they were irregular, they were still there. The OBGYN told me to wait 24 hours, so that’s what we did. I called LND asking what admission criteria was, and she said that she would bet I still had 48 hours or so before I came in. So Sean and I went on a few walks, to include a very short 10-minute hike on the Franklin Mountains. This was barely a hike, it was a slightly elevated gravel trail, some kind of joke to a PNW’er. We ate lunch at an overpriced crab boil restaurant, and then walked to Wal-Mart to get milk, and that’s when it hit me.

I told Sean I needed to go home because I started having intense cramping. When we got home, I laid on my birth ball while Sean started a warm bath for me to relax in. I sat in the bath for about 15 minutes when I thought I felt a trickle come out, we thought nothing of it. Then a gush of fluid came out and formed a cloud in the bath, “HOLY SHIT” both of us exclaimed. I stood up, “THIS IS IT!” Fluids kept leaking out like they do in the movies!

“YOU’RE STILL GUSHING!”

“GET ME PADS AND MY CLOTHES.”

“HOLY SHIT IT’S HAPPENING!”

“I’LL CALL LND AND FLORA AND WE GOTTA GO!”

The adrenaline was rushing, but we honestly could have moved a little slower. But with every gush that came out, we became more and more excited. We were going to meet our little boy soon and we couldn’t wait! Sean drove us to the hospital in record time (safely of course), and I was still in the backseat trying to gather all the mental courage I was going to need for the big push.

Disclaimer: Graphic images included in this blog. Photography by Kai Lanzi Photography - El Paso Birth Photographer

We got to the hospital, and I barely progressed. I was at 4 cm and 80% effaced. I came in with a birth plan but God decided that he wanted to switch things up on us. I wasn’t contracting. I wasn’t in labor. My water was broken. My risk of infection would grow with every hour that passed by. So the question of, “do you want to start Pitocin” came up and it was the one thing I wanted to avoid. I’ve always heard that laboring on Pitocin was a different kind of hell. I ended up giving in after a couple of hours. I was going to feel the pain either way, so we might as well kick start it. I labored unmedicated (without epidural) on Pitocin for almost 8 hours. My night nurse, Maria, was the most soothing nurse ever. Every time she came in and massaged me through a contraction, I fell asleep. Then as soon as she left and Sean took over, I was screaming. There was something so calming about her that really helped me through those first 8 hours of labor.

28 February 2020

At 0430, I tapped out and asked for an epidural when they got the Pitocin up to 14 milliunits per second. They missed twice on my epidural, but gave me a hefty dose when they finally got it in. I slept until 9 AM. By then I was a complete 10 cm and 100% effaced and baby was at station 0. I was feeling mighty fine after hearing this, thinking that my labor was going to be sunshine and rainbows, but this was more like the PNW where a sunny day can turn into a rainstorm real quick.

After having the hardest time trying to push with an epidural, we ended up taking it off after 4 hours to let my body feel the contractions and the pushing. My legs were so heavy and I could not for the life of me focus my pushing to my butt. I also wasn’t having strong enough contractions to help me push baby out, so they had to start the Pitocin again. This was enough to put me through three hours of hell. My birthing team was the most encouraging team of nurses though. My midwife, Regina, didn’t give up on me at all and was pulling out every trick in the hat to get me to deliver. My nurse, Pat, didn’t give up on me at all and was so encouraging throughout the entire process. My husband was a trooper in supporting me. And my birth photographer, Kai, was doing way more than just taking photos. She was holding my hand, my legs, wiping the sweat off my face. My team was strong, and they believed in me; so I had to believe in me.

We tried EVERY position possible to push in. My son was NOT wanting to evacuate his hot tub of 9 months. We started in the traditional on the back push. I moved to both sides. I was squatting with the bar. My midwife put me in a weird rag doll position called Walcher’s position to try and get baby to drop. I went back to my back. I went back to my side. I felt EVERYTHING. The epidural was GONE. By the time 2.5 hours hit, I was hysterical and exhausted. I wanted to give up so bad and throw the towel in and opt for a c-section. I was losing my focus, but my team kept me on track. I started to lose hope after being started on antibiotics for a 102 degree fever I broke during labor. Everything seemed to be stacking up against me and my ideal of how my labor would go. Our last resort was on all fours. I don’t know if it was because my midwife said, “I’ll give it two more contractions and we’ll talk options on what to do next.” All I thought of was forceps, vacuums, episiotomies, and c-section. ALL things that I wanted to avoid.

If I thought I dug deep for the Athens Marathon, you’d be surprised at how deep I had to dig to get this baby out. The entire 2.5 hours before that I was screaming and crying. The last 30 minutes, I pulled focused, stayed quiet, did my breathing, and pushed that motherfxcker out. As soon as I felt his head pop out, it was just a burst of adrenaline to get the rest of him out.

At 12:55 PM, my baby boy was born. Would I do that again? Right now, no. I’m thinking “one and done.” I know in a few months, I’ll forget it was like and I’ll want to give my boy a sibling. Until then, I will cherish my cone-headed baby. I am overjoyed with how beautiful my son is. I am SO grateful for the support I had at the bedside. I couldn’t have done it without them. If there’s anything I aspire to be, it’s to be like the nurses and midwives I’ve had work with me during my labor.

Skin Series: The basic on Chemical Exfoliants (EEP!)

We must have some serious chemistry because you’re here again for our THIRD Skin Series Blog! Lovin’ the support that we have gotten from you if you’ve stuck with us this far. So we’re going to go more in-depth with what these mysterious chemical peels are and why it’s such a great step to incorporate into your skincare routine. You’ve probably heard of some of the more popular ones like salicylic acid for blemishes or citric acids for brightening. So chances are you’ve already been using them in your routine just embedded in your cleansers.

So there are 3 main types of chemical exfoliants that skincare products use: PHA, AHA, and BHA. All have similarities in what they do for your skin, but can definitely make a difference depending on what skin type you have. Chemical exfoliants mainly help shed that dead-skin layer that lies on top or penetrates through sebum that sits within your pores. So without further ado, let’s get to it. “Sanding it down and stripping it” and then repainting it with new stuff.

AHA, or Alpha-hydroxy Acids

You’ve probably already used products with AHAs blended in with them. AHAs are naturally derived from things like fruits, sugar cane, or milk. They’re gentle water-soluble acids that work on the epidermis (top layer). They work by breaking down the bonds of the dead skin that lies on the surface. Without these bonds, it’s easier for the dead and dull skin to fall off, or be “exfoliated”. With this process, it is only natural to have brighter skin because new bebe skin is exposed. AHAs are great for all skin types, including dry skin to help with texturing. A few of the most commonly used AHAs are listed below:

Glycolic acid

• It’s pretty much the holy grail of the AHAs due to it’s small molecular size

• It comes from sugar cane

• Helps with texture to smooth out the skin

• Can be used 2-3 times per week

Lactic acid

• Slightly larger than glycolic acid, making it more gentle

• It comes from sour milk, but doesn’t smell gross!

• Helps with moisturizing as well as texture

Malic acid

• Milder than glycolic and lactic acid, often used in combination with other AHAs

• It comes from apples

• Helps with brightening

Mandelic acid

• It comes from bitter almonds

• Helps with anti-bacterial properties and exfoliation without the brightening

• Very gentle on your skin!

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BEAUTY GIVEAWAY 2020

I’m going to be teaming up with Susanna to host a giveaway in celebration of Okami & Company’s one year anniversary! To enter, participants must do the following:

1. Follow us on IG @lynnnnsane and @SusannaTheSkinSlayer

2. Tag a friend on the respective Instagram post for the giveaway

3. Comment on each blog post on the website with your favorite products and why

Each individual tag on Instagram is an additional entry to the giveaway. This giveaway will feature trial size and full size products that we will be recommending throughout the skin series!

GIVEAWAY ENDS FEBRUARY 23 :)

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BHA, or Beta-hydroxy Acids

The infamous salicylic acid that all of us have known as tried and true during our pubescent years. Chances are your parents bought you your first face wash containing a dose of salicylic acid when your teenage face was first starting to break out. You know that it is gentle enough to use every day. The first time I used salicylic acid was when I was started on Proactiv and it made a world of difference. Salicylic acid is a fat-soluble acid that is able to penetrate deeper into the pores and those stubborn oil glands allowing them to be cleared. Unclogging those pores are so important before applying other products, especially ones that are not fat-soluble. With that being said, BHAs work great for those with oilier skin types!

PHA, or Poly-hydroxy Acids

It’s not that this is a new one, but it is becoming more popularly used. Think of PHAs as the baby sister of AHAs. They’re very similar, but the biggest difference is the larger molecular size of a PHA. If you’ve ever taken the time to look at your products, anything with glucose lactose, galactose, or lactobionic acid is a PHA. Who does this product work best for? Those with sensitive skin. Sometimes our skin doesn’t tolerate products because, let’s face it, some products are just too strong for our skin. A big plus for PHAs are most PHAs are great for hydration because they’re a humectant. There’s also less of a chance for photoaging, aka, you’re less sensitive to the harsh rays of the sun after application. That doesn’t mean to skip out on the sunscreen though.

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Things to remember about chemical exfoliants

1. Can be found in some of your main products already or are found as their own product

2. Tingling versus burning? Tingling is normal and subsides a few minutes after application; burning does not subside and you may see redness afterward - this could be a sign that you’re using it too often or the concentration is too high for your skin right now

3. Try to use them at night to not expose skin to immediately the sun because your skin may become irritated with increased sun exposure - USE SUNSCREEN THE MORNING AFTER (if you aren’t a normal wearer of sunscreen, cause it should be used daily)

4. Hydrate and moisturize after application of chemical peels

5. Check the concentration of the peels that you use, start low and work your way up

6. Don’t over-exfoliate with physical or chemical exfoliants - if you plan on using a chemical exfoliant, maybe skip out on your Clarisonic for the night, the last thing you want is to cause micro-tears in your skin

7. Don’t use on sensitive skin (already broken skin, inflamed skin, or bad blemishes) Not even PHA! Let your skin heal first before you start to slough it off

Skin Series: Serums and masks, big benefits in small products

It wasn’t until after moving to South Korea did I decide to add these little extras into my beauty routine. I was already excited about having access to so many beauty products but I was extremely overwhelmed. There are beauty stores all over South Korea, even in their train stations. You couldn’t walk more than a few blocks without running into an Olive Young, LaLaLove, Innisfree, Etude House, or some other store. There’s way too many to name, so I won’t even bother going into it. But if you’re a big beauty fanatic, South Korea has to be one of your top destinations to visit.

After finally getting my skin to clear up and figure itself out with a good skincare regiment, I decided to look into other forms of skincare. Sheet masks, serums, and ampoules are so popular in Korea that you can find them in almost any convenience store. So I’ve decided to briefly go over a few of my favorites and why I decided to add it to my regiment.

If you haven’t already read the first part of my essentials routine, check it out before delving into this one!

For this blog, I have my best friend, Susanna, joining us again with very helpful input on what the professionals recommend. You can find her social media feed at @SusannaTheSkinSlayer on IG.

Serums

I only recently started incorporating serums into my skincare routine and I have absolutely no regrets. Luckily for me, my skin has actually gotten much better through pregnancy, so I want to make sure it stays that way even after the baby is here. Serums are basically super packed with active ingredients that you may need for your skin. For example, hyaluronic acid in serum is great for hydration or retinol for those who are being greeted into their older years. Serums typically are made up of smaller molecules that can penetrate deeper than the epidermis. They’re used after cleansing and toning but before moisturizers. Unless you happen to find a face oil (that is sometimes marketed as a serum), and it goes on after your moisturizer, to help create that barrier for all of your products.

”Serums are lightweight moisturizers that penetrate deeper to deliver active ingredients into your skin.” - Susanna

Mamonde Floral Essential Serum | This serum makes me face feel so silky after application. This is a vegan certified product, that’s made up of almost 82% honeysuckle complex. The antioxidants in this serum are so strong because they are fermented for an entire year before being made into this product. Honeysuckle is known for helping with inflammation, dullness, and uneven skin tone. It’s more gel-like than my other serum, so the application is a little less messy.

Clarins Hydra-Essential Bi-Phase Serum | If there’s any kind of serum that you need for a dry face, it’s definitely this one. My skin started out so rough this winter. I normally get dry patches along my temples and my nose gets pretty dry as well, but this serum does wonders. It includes the leaf of life (Kalanchoe Leaves) and beautyberry in it’s ingredients. Kalanchoe leaves have been known to help with eczema, inflammation, and infections. Beautyberries have so many benefits to their use that include antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, mosquito repellant, and skin lightening. To apply this serum, I pump a few drops and rub them between my palms to warm it up and press it into my face, making sure to focus on my drier spots.

Sleep Masks

We can thank SoKo skincare for this step in our beauty regiment. Typically on the western side, you’ll hear more about night creams than you will sleep masks. Night creams are pretty similar to a normal moisturizer, but normally contain something that’s too heavy to wear throughout the day. Sleep masks are similar in that sense. They’re thicker creams that can contain ingredients that help target your skin’s needs. They help seal in all those lovely serums and essences that you put on beforehand.

Kiehls Cilantro & Orange Extract Pollutant Defending Masque | For as thick as this cream looks, it’s actually pretty light on my face. I don’t apply masks with a heavy hand, just because I don’t think it takes too much product to get the results you want, and the texture is what I imagine day old Nickelodeon slime would feel like. I do this mask at least once a week after my routine. I normally just wipe off the excess and sleep with a super thin layer on at night. It does smell more like cilantro than it does orange, so keep that in mind if you’re a weirdo and don’t like cilantro. But I do feel like my face is a little more plump in the morning after use!

Clarins SOS Hydra Refreshing Hydration Mask | I use this every other day, especially since it’s been fairly dry here in Texas during the winter season. It has a much better consistency than the previously mentioned mask, so it spreads pretty easily onto my face. You leave it on for 10-minutes, wipe of the excess areas and try to press the rest into your skin for it to work overnight. It’s great for hydration because it does contain hyaluronic acid. Plus the scent is pleasing and subtle. I usually finish up with applying the Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Cream.

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BEAUTY GIVEAWAY 2020

I’m going to be teaming up with Susanna to host a giveaway in celebration of Okami & Company’s one year anniversary! To enter, participants must do the following:

1. Follow us on IG @lynnnnsane and @SusannaTheSkinSlayer

2. Tag a friend on the respective Instagram post for the giveaway

3. Comment on each blog post on the website with your favorite products and why

Each individual tag on Instagram is an additional entry to the giveaway. This giveaway will feature trial size and full size products that we will be recommending throughout the skin series!

GIVEAWAY ENDS FEBRUARY 23 :)

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Sheet Masks

If you think it’s overwhelming walking into an Ulta or even Target and finding a lot of sheet masks, you can only imagine what it’s like walking down the STREET of Myeongdong where everyone is out there trying to give you a sheet mask. Sheet masks have become so popular thanks to SoKo glam, and I think it’s the best thing for skin routines. I don’t think there’s not one mask you can’t find for you skin type in Korea. Dry skin? Oily skin? Flaky skin? Skin that’s breaking out? Have wrinkles? Sunburnt? There’s a mask for that. Sheet masks are packed with SO much nourishment for whatever you need. It’s a great way to relax at the end of the a busy day. You use this after your toner, whether you want to do it before or after your other serums. I always take the extra from the packaging and apply it to my neck and hands (especially if it’s for hydration). I’ve listed a few of my favorite brands below!

Etude House Dr. Ampoule Dual Sheet Masks (any of them!) | Any Dr. Jart mask | Innisfree My Real Squeeze masks | Innisfree Aloe masks

Tune in next week for when we go over chemical exfoliants!

Related: Skin Series Part I: The Essentials