Beauty Tips For Body Care
I used to be the kind of person who tried a ton of new skincare stuff because it was fun or smelled nice or came in pretty packaging until I realized that was causing the majority of my acne. So for the past several years I haven't really tried much new in my routine because my skin is sensitive and fairly reactive. I don't enjoy running around with acne or the feeling of covering itchy/irritated skin with foundation. With the stay-at-home order, I had the benefits of trying a lot of new stuff since no one was going to see my face besides my family and my zoom buddies. So that's what I did, and I love reading reviews, so I figured it was a good time to write some.I tried all the products separately from one another. If a product irritated my skin or caused a break out I gave myself a week for my skin to calm down before trying a new product. I have tried to list the prices from places that I know are common across the states (sorry out of the US, I'm not sure what stores you guys have) like Walmart, Target, Ulta, Sephora etc. I will be rating out of 5 stars.I tend to prefer cheaper, drugstore options to more expensive ones, but I can sometimes justify it for things with pretty packaging or that make me feel fancy.Skin info: 28F, very pale/easily sunburn, dry, sensitive/reactive skin, prone to hormonal acne and clogged poresSkin concerns: aging, hydration, whiteheads, papules/pustules, a fair amount of PIH and PIEFair warning: My vendetta against fragrance is righteous and unrestrained. I don't mind so much if products have ingredients that are there solely for the purpose of fragrance but they need to TELL ME what it is so I know if it's what's causing me an issue instead of just listing "fragrance" on the label.SunscreenNeutrogena Clear Face Liquid Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 ($10.99 for 3oz at Target) - 1 star. I hate this sunscreen. It was what I always used as a teen when I went to the beach, because it was the only face-specific drugstore option available to me. I repurchased because I haven't been using a sunscreen regularly and know how important it is, and I knew I had used it before. And wow, it reminded me why I hated putting sunscreen on my face so much. It smells so strongly with that chemical sunscreen scent, and it's right by your nose, so it is offensive and lasts a while. I suffer from chronic migraines, and scent is a common irritant and/or trigger for me, so this was extra awful. It’s thick. It’s sticky. It doesn’t wear well under makeup. It burns my face and eyes when I put it on, and then when I take it off it burns even more! It didn’t cause any breakouts to my knowledge, but I didn’t try it very long, so that is really left to be seen. I will not be repurchasing.Sun Bum Mineral Face Stick SPF 50 ($11.99 for 0.45oz at Target) - 1 star. I picked this up to try a mineral face sunscreen. I was hoping that a mineral sunscreen would be better smell-wise. I also thought the stick idea was genius, because it fits in my purse so easily, and I knew it would not accidentally open up and squirt everywhere (am I the only one this happens to?). Unfortunately, the stick formula is hard to work with, and I found dragging it across my skin was way too harsh. So I used it by rubbing it on my hands and then into my face, but in general it was thick, difficult to work with, and did not want to rub in. It left a visible white cast on my face, despite me being one of the palest people I know. It also caused me some breakouts. It does wear well under makeup, but that may be the only positive I found. I will not be repurchasing this.Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF50+ PA++++ ($14.90 for 3oz on Amazon) - 4.5 stars. I love this sunscreen! It feels like a thick face lotion instead of being kind of goopy the way sunscreen typically does. It also lacks that typical sunscreen smell. It has a bit of an alcohol scent when it first comes out, but the smell dissipates very quickly. It doesn’t cause any issues under my makeup, and it hasn’t broken me out so far. I don’t notice a white cast, but I’m extremely pale, so take that with a grain of salt. It does have fragrance listed under ingredients, which I’m not super excited about, but otherwise is absolutely perfect. This is the first sunscreen that I've actually used every morning since trying instead of making excuses about why I don’t need it. I will most definitely be repurchasing.I wanted to try some of the options from La Roche Posay, but considering Biore works so well for me and is considerably more affordable, I don't see myself purchasing them. I do, however, really want to try Supergoop Glowscreen because I love a good glow, and I could see myself using that on it's own in the summer for a light look, but it's also quite pricey, so it may be something I save for or ask for birthday/Christmas.Cleansing BalmsPonds Makeup Remover Cleansing Balm ($9.99 for 3.38oz at Walmart) 3.5 stars. I had high hopes for this as a cheap cleansing balm that wasn't based off coconut oil (breaks me out real bad). It did the job just fine, but it took more rubbing than I'm used to from a cleansing balm. It just felt... lackluster? I'm not sure. It also had fragrance listed as an ingredient, which is annoying. I'm not planning on repurchasing.Banila Co Clean it Zero Original Cleansing Balm ($26 for 6oz on Amazon or $19 for 3.3oz at Ulta) 4 stars. I like this product, but I’m not married to it. It’s got that typical cleansing balm texture, where it sort of turns to an oil on your face as you rub it into water. It took all of my makeup and sunscreen off quickly and easily without stinging my eyes. The smell is, in my opinion, offensive, and is labeled “fragrance” on the ingredients so no idea what it is. It’s a very perfume-y scent. I’m interested in trying some of the other versions to see if they smell better/different. I really love the packaging. It’s a matte pink and comes with a little spatula AND spatula holder. Genius. Every tub based product needs to have this. I haven’t experienced any breakouts from this, but I also use it as part of a double cleanse, so it isn’t left on my face for much time. I will be repurchasing this unless I see/hear of a better but still cheap alternative.I have tried and loved Clinique Take the Day off but can't really justify spending that kind of money when it's not any better than the Banila Co. I am interested in trying other stuff, but almost all of the cheap options include fracking coconut oil, and I just can't justify the more expensive options when it's just a makeup remover.MoisturizersVanicream Moisturizing Cream ($13.49 for 16oz at Target) - 3 stars. I liked this in theory because there were so few ingredients. I figured nothing in this could possibly break out or irritate my skin, since it’s basically petroleum and water. And I was right! Unfortunately, it just wasn’t nearly moisturizing enough for my skin. It also has a kind of sour, unpleasant smell (I recognize my hypocrisy after complaining about fragrance in everything else, but like... it smells like spoiled milk, ew). I will continue using this on my body over other moisturizers to help seal in the moisture until it runs out, but I will not be repurchasing.CeraVe Moisturizing Cream ($18.49 for 16oz at Target) - 3.5 stars. I wanted to like this, based on so many positive skincareaddiction reviews. I switched to this from the CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion (which I’ve been using almost 10 years now) because I needed extra moisture during the winter. For reasons I’m still trying to sort out, this broke me out, but the daily moisturizing lotion does not. I did an in depth look at the ingredients and found them to be almost exactly identical except for the cream having different ceramides and including petroleum and tocopherol where the lotion did not. Now the ceramides I’m not too worried about, and I already know that petroleum isn’t a problem for me, and tocopherol is in TO Azelaic Acid which I love and adore. I don’t entirely understand it, but I don’t make the rules, my skin does. I will continue using this on my body and will repurchase when it goes on sale because it’s so hard to find unscented products for my migraine days, and this is an excellent body moisturizer.Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel ($7.99 for 0.5oz trial size or $16.99 for 1.7oz at Target)- 3 stars. Glad I got the trial size, though it lasted barely a week. Another skincareaddiction favorite that just didn’t work for me. I was so hopeful for this. While I didn’t see any breakouts in the few days I tried it, it just wasn’t hydrating enough for me. I kept adding more and more throughout the day. My skin is very, very dry, and I felt it getting tighter and rougher very quickly. I didn’t push it further, because my skin was so desperate for moisture. I also didn’t love that there was fragrance in the mini tub I got, but I read online that there is a fragrance-free option, so I'm not too mad. I used up my mini tub and will not be repurchasing, though I do still recommend it to my friends with more combination or oily skin.CeraVe Healing Ointment tube version ($9.99 for 3oz at Target) - 5 stars. I used to use vaseline or aquaphor on my easily chapped lips at night, and I didn't really think there was anything out there that was better. But wow this is SO much better. My chapped lips LOVE this stuff. It’s still got that petroleum feel where it’s kind of slimy/goopy but honestly by morning it has sunk in unlike vaseline/aquaphor which are still there feeling filmy and gross in the morning. I feel like this may also be a game changer come cold and flu season to use around my nose, because I get the worse chapped skin around my nose when I’m sick. I will be repurchasing this and am currently seeking out the mini versions for my purse.Acne SolutionsAdult Acnomel ($11.99 for 1.3oz at Walmart)- 2 stars. I was intrigued by this because it was an acne medication without benzoyl peroxide, which tends to dry out my skin, even as a spot treatment. It has resorcinol and sulfur as its active ingredients, along with bentonite clay. It did help slightly when used as a spot treatment, but it also irritated my skin and left little red, irritation circles. I’m not surprised, as when I checked, I saw it has alcohol listed as the first inactive ingredient. Another star off for listing fragrance, because why would a spot treatment require fragrance?! I will not be repurchasing this.Stridex Sensitive with Aloe 0.5% Salicylic Acid pads ($3.97 for a box of 90 at Walmart) - 4 stars. I appreciate that they have a low salicylic acid version and especially that these are alcohol free. In high school I was a huge user of alcohol based acne pads and was pretty badly turned off to acne pads, but these are definitely changing my mind. I still had to start by using them every other day to avoid the initial drying period, and I’m hoping to eventually graduate to using the regular strength. It has made a difference in clogged pores, especially on my chin. I would give this 5 stars but they have FRAGRANCE listed on their ingredients. In a SENSITIVE skin version. So frustrating, honestly. I will still be repurchasing, though.The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% ($7.90 for 1oz at Ulta) - 4 stars - This is a product I will probably never stop using. Nothing has made more of a difference in my inflammatory acne than this product. I ran out and didn't repurchase sometime before the pandemic and was seeing a lot of papules and pustules. I got some more of this with the rest of my skincare order, and maybe a week after I reintroduced it was seeing a huge reduction in acne. I can’t give it 5 stars because it honestly pills something FIERCE under makeup or if other products are layered. The only other azelaic acid product on the market I’ve seen is the Paula’s Choice version, and I just can’t justify spending 3x what I spend on this, even if it doesn't have the pilling issue. If there are any other suggestions for better Azelaic Acid products that are affordable, let me know. Otherwise, I will be repurchasing this until the end of time.Other stuffThe Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane ($9.60 for 1oz at TO website) - 4 stars. This is another product that I’m not particularly married to. I can’t really tell if it’s doing anything, but I’m going to continue using it because I’m terrified of aging. I have pretty deep wrinkles in my forehead, but they’ve been there literally since I was 20. I have very expressive eyebrows, and that’s just not gonna change. I’ve heard that these newer retinoids aren’t as well studied as other types of retinol, but honestly this gave me no irritation, and that’s so important to me. If, in the future, evidence comes out that these don't work or work less than other types of retinol, I may make the switch. Until then, catch me rocking some irritation-free and hypothetically less-aged skin. I’ve actually already repurchased this for when it runs out, but in the 5% version because more has to be better, right?Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask ($42 for 0.5oz at Sephora) - 3 stars. I got this as a free sample. I don’t normally do eye creams, because I think they’re kind of over-priced moisturizers, but I figured a retinol one might be useful because obviously I don’t put my regular retinol near my eyes. I haven’t really noticed a difference in my eye area from this product, though obviously as an anti-aging mask it would be more preventative. The packaging I saw online is super cute, and I do feel kind of boujee putting it on, so I thought it might be a cute self-care purchase even if it isn’t doing all that much. And then I saw the price tag. Hot damn $42 for 0.5oz? For that much money I better wake up looking like a model in a coffee commercial. AND I found out there is fragrance listed as one of the ingredients. I do not need fragrance near my eyes, thank you, next. I will not be repurchasing. But let a girl know if there's a decent (and cheap) retinol/anti-aging eye cream.Glow Recipe Watermelon + AHA Glow Sleeping Mask ($45 for 2.7oz at Sephora) - 4 stars. I bought this in a travel size to try, and I hoped I would see some results from the AHA. It didn’t list the percentage, so I assume it’s fairly low. My skin feels so soft and smooth and hydrated and honestly just wonderful in the morning after using this, and it hasn’t caused any breakouts or irritation. I also feel like the whiteheads on my forehead have lessened as a result of this. It doesn’t exactly sink in the way it claims, and definitely needs to be rinsed off in the morning or it will pill under other products/makeup/sunscreen. It unfortunately has fragrance listed as an ingredient, and smells like watermelon candy. Whenever I put it on, I am transported to being 11 years old and using those roller-ball lip glosses from lipsmacker. The packaging is absolutely adorable, and I just really love the way it looks on my shelf. I will not be repurchasing at this time, though I may ask for it for my birthday or Christmas or save it for a special self-care-gift-to-myself, because it's so pretty and makes me feel fancy and actually does something for me.Thanks for reading til the end. I hope this was useful to someone. I've got some more products on the way, and am currently still testing some, so if this review was helpful at all, let me know, and I'll make another post for those products when my testing is finished. Testing all these new products has been a really fun pandemic activity for me to keep me from going insane while trapped in the house.
Girls Blog 2015
Submitted by patcave91
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