Finding a product that helps with black- and whiteheads while being gentle sounds counterintuitive. Everything that targets those issues on the market is meant to either physically rip the clogged pores clear or chemically melt the oilies—no matter how effective both could be, they can still be harsh in their own ways.
23 Years Old's Black Paint Rubar claims to be just that with what is essentially their charcoal cleansing stick. The product promises to help with many common skin concerns but I have come to like it for reasons almost unrelated.
WishTrend & 23Year Old's Description:
Made with an innovative, eco-friendly charcoal formula, the Black Paint Rubar is designed to eliminate blackheads and whiteheads by clearing dirt, oil, & impurities from the pores in just 30 seconds!
The Black Paint Rubar is a multi-stick designed with an eco-friendly gentle formula, effective in deep cleansing with a pore treatment to top it all off. Safe and gentle enough to use every day for a daily exfoliation and deep cleanse in just 30 seconds.
Good for
Blackhead & whitehead removal, dead skin removal, sebum control, & improving skin texture and bumpiness
Directions
1. Open the lid and twist the bottom to the right.
2. Apply the Black Paint Rubar directly onto wet skin and gently massage in a rolling motion.
*Tip: Massage with the cleansing stick. Leave on for 30 seconds.
3. Rinse well with lukewarm water.
4. After using, rinse off the excess serum on the stick with running water.
Ingredients
SODIUM MYRISTATE, SODIUM LAURATE, SODIUM PALMITATE, SODIUM STEARATE, GLYCERIN, DIPROPYLENE GLYCOL, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, CHARCOAL POWDER, LEMON FRAGRANCE OIL
*Some English infographics by 23 Years Old says the product has 2% charcoal content.
Cleanser 45 g
23pack (Brand's Korean e-commerce): ₩19,500
Wishtrend: USD $19.90
StyleKorean: USD $14.57
Sasa: USD $13.50-16.50 (price varies)
RoseRoseShop: USD $17.57
Packaging
There isn't much to it. The charcoal stick comes in a twist-up plastic tube, which is housed in a (not very securely stuck on) sticker-sealed cardboard box.
Solid type cleansers (i.e. bars) have gained a little popularity recently but their lack of packaging often is the reason that keeps me from trying them. Thought 1: I need to free up a separate soap dish to hold and dry it. Thought 2: I have to remember to keep it well protected since it will most likely sit in the bathroom.
With stick type soaps though, the product is already protected in its own tube so the whole soap isn't wet until revealed. The included cap keeps the bad bacteria and germs that fly around the bathroom away from the exposed areas. It is also good for traveling since it isn't liquidy.
Color, Texture, & Scent
For those used to charcoal products, the Black Paint Rubar is no different in the sense that it swatches and lathers very gray and dark. Messy face washers may have to be more careful or else black soapy marks will be very often be all over the sink, counter, floor, and light-colored clothing.
Even though 23 Years Old describes it as an exfoliator of sorts, there are no abrasive particles in the stick. It is a smooth solid soap. The smell of the product took some time to adjust to; it smells very much like a bathroom cleaner/dishwashing liquid because of the lemony scent.
How I Apply
Wet face with water. Swipe the Black Paint Rubar all over my face. (Sometimes leave it on for 30 seconds as recommended.) Lather and massage with hands to cleanse. Rinse with water.
Thoughts & Recommendations
To be honest, I was confused when I first discovered this product. The infographics describe it as an exfoliator/mask—apply, leave on, and rinse off to rid blackheads, whiteheads, sebum, and dead skin. Yet it looks so similar in packaging to cleansing sticks that are on the market (i.e. su:m37 and Neogen). It is even applied the same way—wet skin is necessary to spread the product around, plus it lathers.
Even the ingredients list suggests it is very much a bar soap with some charcoal mixed in. The list is short: just 9 ingredients; but 7 of the 9 are all bases found in typical soaps. CosDNA doesn't flag any of the product's components but I still prefer not use the Black Paint Rubar as a "mask" very often since soapy products tend to veer toward the drying side.
With that said...as a cleanser, I cannot believe how gentle and non-drying it is. I love to use this in the mornings particularly because my skin feels clean without being overly tight afterward. As an exfoliator (in the sense that it is supposed to be deep cleaning), I can't say if this is the item alone that gave me clearer skin. I have seen an improved skin texture and less black- and whiteheads, but I have also started using my Clarisonic regularly again. The cleanser doesn't physically feel as deep cleansing because of how gentle it is. I don't prefer to use this at night (especially if I wore makeup that day) because it doesn't remove cleansing oil residue and stray makeup too well.
pH levels in cleansers are a huge thing at the moment. I haven't found any info for this product nor do I have litmus paper to test it myself. Just from my own observations, I will just assume the Black Paint Rubar has a low pH since it isn't drying and I have never gotten the squeaky clean feeling from using this product.
Finding a cleanser that doesn't leave my skin parched but is still foamy is difficult. Now that I have found one, I am tempted to say I can't live without it. But knowing me it just makes me more curious to try other cleansing sticks. The gentleness of the cleanser would probably work even better as my skin adapts to the cooler and drier weather in New York. All skin types could benefit from a non-drying cleanser, but normal, oily, and combo skin types may like this more. Drier skin folks might need something with more hydrating ingredients (this has none). Then again cleanser is only on the face for a few minutes so that doesn't really matter too much. If the Black Paint Rubar did really help with my skin imperfections, wonderful and hallelujah!...It is just that my fondness for it right now isn't directly correlated to it.
Here's something unusual for a haul post coming from me; it is not beauty related! Instead of the typical skincare and makeup items, I saved my money this month to purchase these pricey hairpin legs instead. I read a few blogs and compared a bunch of prices but ultimately decided to go with DIY Hairpin Legs purely for their customer service, speedy delivery record, and available promotional code.
Putting together a simple DIY desk has been on my wishlist for over a year, and still counting. It looks more promising now that I have the table legs on hand. I am a home DIY newbie and my dad isn't a great with wood, so the desk needs to be simple and easy to put together. What could be easier than attaching pre-made ready to use table legs to some plywood?
Once I really sat down to think about how I would use this desk and where it would sit in my room, I had a long list of questions that needed answering: leg strength, table top strength, table top warping, raw steel or painted, 2-rod or 3-rod legs, 3/8" or 1/2", etc. This is where DIY Hairpin Legs' customer service came in. I love e-commerce sites with Live Chat functions. When the representative was available, I received responses immediately. My concerns were all addressed and I received a lot of advice in return. Plus, they didn't try to upsell me at all. They do sell pricier, powder coated (pre-painted) hairpin legs yet I was consulting them on the best practice for DIY painting via spray can.
Finding out that past customers received their orders quickly and discovering a 10% off blog referral code were just icing on the cake with a cherry on top for the quality service. Sure, I may have been able to get cheaper legs off eBay or Amazon but I wouldn't have anyone to consult my possible project with. Once my questions were well answered, I felt a slight obligation/commitment to buy from them.
After a few days of thinking, I finalized on the 3-Rod hairpin legs at 28" tall and 1/2" rod width 4 piece set in the raw steel (un)finish. It was the cheapest choice for the sturdiest option since I plan to use it for a slightly larger than an average desk. It cost me $89.95 + shipping + 10% discount for the set of 4 legs.
True to the reviews, the box of hairpin legs arrived before the week was over. It was only in transit for about 2 business days where it traveled from Florida to New York. I am not sure where it went wrong but my box came completely battered and corners ripped. The legs burst their way through the tape like it was non-existent after I placed the box down inside. The steel rods must have been too heavy for the flimsy cardboard to handle. Luckily the small box of screws, wax, and Scotch-Brite pad wasn't lost and it wasn't raining much on the East coast the days the package traveled. Otherwise, premature rust could have been a real issue.
I haven't gotten to building the desk yet, as of today. I got verbal confirmation from my uncle (the actual handyman in my family) saying he would help me or do most of the work when his schedule frees up. Hopefully, that is sometime soon. I will try to photograph as much of the process as possible but it might not be very interesting since I only plan to place the legs on a piece of plywood.
One area of food that I lack the most knowledge in is with fruits. Yes, the sweet and juicy, vitamin packed produce that mostly grows on trees. Why? Because I grew up eating a very limited variety of them all-year round. Thanks, uncommon allergies! Fruit seasons might as well not exist for me; otherwise, I would miss out on the chance to fill my daily sugar allowance with preferably natural ones.
This doesn't mean that the opportunity to go fruit picking doesn't still excite me. As long as it isn't pollination season and not departing for the farm at 6:30 AM on a hot summery day, I am far more willing to be outside in nature and farmland than just a few years earlier. I might not be able to consume the fresh fruits but my allergies aren't so bad so I could still touch them and be fine.
Mid to late summer is, apparently, the perfect time for peaches and nectarines. I saw them more often in our fruit basket throughout July and August but didn't know if my mom had sudden cravings or sales were too good to resist, usually meaning it's their season and time to shine. It only clicked after the parentals said we were going on a peach picking day-trip. We joined a bus tour that brought everyone from New York City to Lyman Orchards in Middlefield, Connecticut.
The orchard must be doing something right since they are celebrating their 276th year anniversary this year, 2017. Even though we went with a tour group, there were many families who drove to enjoy the day outdoors as well. It seems to be quite popular amongst the local state residents nearby.
Seeing the rows and rows, acres upon acres of the orchard is just breathtaking. Our bus only allotted enough time for peach picking, but the orchard had PYO peach, apple, and pears the day we went. Lyman's also has a nearby marketplace that sells fruits, baked goods, pantry items as well as BBQ sandwiches. For those looking for activities, the orchard has a golf course and sunflower/corn maze nearby. The maze seemed fun but the day we visited was a little too cloudless to bear the thought of potentially getting lost inside.
The director said that all picked fruit should be paid for first but I would say a majority of visitors had very generous samplings as they went on their picking frenzy. Staff weighs everyone's loot by the entrance/exit and the bags are paid per pound. I believe all peaches were ~$1.50/lb. (give or take) when we visited.
Lyman's has both white- and yellow-flesh peaches (furry) and the same for nectarines (smooth). Since I couldn't eat them, the differences between the variations that I knew were all superficial. Wiki does say the white ones are less acidic and sweeter. My mom recommended us to only pick and purchase firmer ones since these fruits ripen and soften even after picking. It is also wise to keep the peaches and nectarines well protected in the car ride home as any sudden thrashes will surely cause it to bruise.
My biggest regret is not purchasing one of their apple pies and peach crisps/cobblers. It is supposedly an award winning recipe. I got to taste their peach crisp a la mode at the marketplace and it was delish! If only I didn't buy it at the last minute and the bus wasn't on a schedule to leave. Bummer... Perhaps next time?
