Beauty Tips For Body Care
I started taking my skincare seriously in August 2017. Prior to that, I was an avid reader of this sub and r/asianbeauty, but I was too lazy/poor to invest in clearing up my skin. Then I got my first real full-time job and suddenly I had money to buy all the crap I wanted. I made the newbie mistake of trying too many things at one time, but I luckily didn’t experience a massive breakout. The products reviewed are ones I’ve finished or nearly finished and feel like I can confidently comment on. Here's a shelfie of the products. Only a few things that were reviewed are missing.Skin type: 23F, oily & acne prone.Climate: I spent half of the time frame in dry ass Colorado and the half in extremely humid VirginiaIssues: texture, acne, redness, hyperpigmentation, closed comedones, and excessive oil production*Current routine:AM:Garnier Micellar WaterPixi Glow TonicThe Ordinary Marine HyaluronicsBliss Ex-Glow-sionPM:Farmacy Green Clean (if I wore makeup)Bliss Makeup MeltPixi Glow TonicThe Ordinary Peeling Solution 1/weekThe Ordinary Marine HyaluronicsBliss Ex-Glow-sionThe Ordinary Seabuckthorn Oil or Acure Seriously Soothing Blue Tansy Night Oil*CleansersBliss Makeup Melt: I liked the sample of the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser but couldn’t bring myself to buy it. Imagine my surprise when I was browsing Target and saw a cleanser that looked like a copycat. The ingredients are very similar, and even the packaging is the same. If you like the Glossier cleanser, this one will do basically the same thing for less money. Although it claims to be able to remove makeup, you’ll have to cleanse twice to really get everything off. Even with double cleansing I never felt like my skin was dried out or irritated. 4/5 will repurchase but looking for alternativesFarmacy Green Clean: This is the only product I’ve tried that is HG status. This is seriously the best makeup remover and I will never use anything else. It melts away my makeup while being super gentle and hydrating. There’s absolutely no redness when using this. It’s a balm, so the product starts out as a solid, then dissolves into an oil as you rub it on your skin. You think it would be greasy, but the texture is smooth and washes off easily, leaving behind no oily residue. It also smells like key lime pie and comes with a little spatula so that you can scoop the product out. 5/5 already repurchasedMissha Super Aqua Oxygen Micro Visible Deep Cleanser: I picked this up from the clearance section of Target for $11; one of many buy-it-just-because purchases. This is a bubble cleanser that claims to penetrate the skin to remove, dirt, grime, and debris (isn’t this what all cleansers do?) while also being gentle. The product pumps out as a clearish white liquid that you then lather on your face. After 30 seconds the product foams up and you can wash it off your face.This product definitely made my skin feel “clean”, but it also made my face feel like dried seaweed. I would try and wash my face as gently as possible and it still left me with ashy, red, and tight skin. This is the second foaming cleanser I’ve tried that produced this reaction, so I think it’s safe to say foaming just isn’t for me…my pores did look nice after each cleanse, but I think that’s because it sucked all that was good out of me. 2/5 will not repurchaseTonersPixi Skintreats Glow Tonic: This was a product I saw mentioned a lot on this sub. I was down to try anything that claimed to reduce hyperpigmentation + I could pick it up at Target. After a month of use I definitely saw a noticeable improvement in the discoloration of my skin. A lot of old scars faded and new pimples didn’t leave any marks. The scent is pleasant without being overpowering. The price is the only reason I didn’t repurchase it initially. If you use cotton pads like I did, you will waste a lot of product and run out within a month or so. Putting a few drops in the palm of your hand and slapping it in on your face works just as well. 4/5 already repurchasedPixi Skintreats Rose Tonic (not pictured): This review will be short because…eh? I’m not sure what this is supposed to do. I grabbed it after I ran out of the Glow Tonic and it literally did nothing for me. It’s just a mediocre toner. I would buy this if you’re looking for an extra step in your routine that smells nice. 2/5 will not repurchaseThayer’s Witch Hazel in Rose Petal (not pictured): I initially liked this product. I felt cleaner after using it. I tried this back when I thought red, tight skin meant the product was working…Yeah. I ran out of the product and it took me a few weeks to realize that it made no difference in my routine, except that my skin felt more hydrated.2/5 will not repurchaseEssence/SerumFresh Black Tea Kombucha Facial Treatment Essence: This was a sample from Sephora.com and I LOVED it. It was extremely hydrating and left my skin feeling plump and bright. This is the only product I’ve tried that I think actually reduced the appearance of fine lines. I appreciated that the description page doesn’t say that it reduces wrinkles; instead it “fights wrinkle-causing pollution.” I also felt like it caused the other products to sink into my skin better. The only reason I haven’t purchased it is because it’s hella bougie and I just don’t have those kind of coins. Maybe I’ll get it as a birthday present to myself. 5/5 would buy if I wasn’t a dumb pore.The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%: I did not appreciate this as much as I should have. I believe this is the main product that faded a lot of my hyperpigmentation and reduced the frequency of my acne. The reason I didn’t appreciate it at first was because the product pilled badly and was difficult to spread. Towards the end of the bottle I started using it as a sport treatment and it’s a godsend. I got the biggest pimple of my life smack in the middle of my cheek and a few dabs of Niacinamide every day for a week made it vanish with no scarring. If I did repurchase this, I would probably continue using it as a spot treatment or try mixing it in with a moisturizer. 4/5 will repurchase.AcidsThe Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%: Apparently, I didn’t do my research on this product, and I was surprised when I realized it was a cream and not a liquid like the lactic acid. I have a huge ass head so it took a lot of product to cover it. I tried to not be wasteful but I still went through this product in two months. The product has a mattifying effect and oddly enough a greyish-white cast on my skin. I’m a Fenty 430, so if you’re light-skinned this might not bother you. People raved that this improved the texture of their skin, but I didn’t notice any difference. 2/5 will not repurchaseThe Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA (not pictured): This was my first foray into acids and chemical exfoliation. I wanted to start off with something gentle in case my skin freaked out. I would recommend this product if you’re new to acids and don’t want something too harsh. It’s very easy to apply and spreads evenly on the skin. Unfortunately, this didn’t do much for me. I did use this when I was using a lot of products that claimed to do the same things (brightening, fading PIE, reducing acne), so I stopped using it for a month and nothing changed in my skin. 2/5 will not repurchaseMoisturizersBliss Drench & Quench Cream-to-Water Hydration: I think this is a perfectly decent moisturizer for anyone who just needs something to get you through the day. Again, use less than you need because it really does turn into water when you start rubbing it in and spreads far; the fact that it comes in a jar does make it hard to use less lol. I am dinging this product for two reasons: the smell is obnoxious. I can’t even pinpoint the specific scent, like a weird combination of thirty flowers. Second, the lettering on the package just disintegrated after a week of use???? I don’t need fancy packaging, but maybe something that doesn’t fall apart? 3/5 will not repurchase.Bliss Ex-Glow-sion: The feedback for this product is exactly the same as the Drench & Quench. The scent for this is lavender and not quite as obnoxious as the other one. The product also separates after a few uses and you can see the oils gathering in the jar. I just want to clarify one thing, because many of the reviews claim that it helped give them glowy skin after a month or so of use (as in it improved the overall state of their skin), and that is a damn lie. Yes, this moisturizer will make you look glowy and dewy, but that’s because there’s actual shimmer in the product…like literal sparkles. Without the shimmer it is the same as Drench & Quench. Your skin will not change states. 3/5 will not repurchase.Farmacy Honey Drop Moisturizer (not pictured): Another skincare product with a description page I can’t fully understand. To their credit, I think Farmacy does the best at trying to explain what the ingredients do. What I was interested in were the claims that it was lightweight, non-greasy, and played well under makeup. I can safely say that those claims are true for me. When you spread this on your skin, it has a room-temperature-butter texture and then sinks in quickly. It leaves your skin with a nice semi-matte finish while also looking plump and bright. My primer and foundation went on well afterwards without any pilling or slippage. This is the only moisturizer I’ve tried that takes zero work to rub in, but also keeps the skin hydrated throughout the day. It doesn’t add to my naturally oily appearance, and I’ve learned that’s the best I can hope for from any moisturizer. I only tried this during the summer, so I can’t say whether or not it’s good for the winter. Given that it’s so lightweight, probably not. 5/5 will repurchase when it’s warmer.Farmacy Sleep Tight Firming Night Balm: This is the only night balm I tried, so I don’t have anything to compare it to, but I think it’s an alright product. The texture is greasy and unpleasant. It’s another moisturizer that claims to reduce wrinkles and fine lines; again, not true. When applied, it sort of just sits on top of your skin like a face mask. It didn’t matter how early I tried to apply it, it would just sit on the skin, then rub off on my pillow. To its credit, I did start waking up with a less puffy appearance. I just don’t think there’s anything special about it for the price. 3/5 will not repurchase.The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA: This is a decent moisturizer for the price and it lasts a really long time. I started using this in November of 2017 and it lasted until December 2018. It takes a bit of work to rub in because the product comes out thick and chunky, but a little goes a long way. Unless you have incredibly dry skin, use less than you think you need. My main issue with this moisturizer is that it claims to “offers non-greasy hydration.” It was so greasy to me and I could never get it to absorb all the way. Sometimes the product just sat on my face if I didn’t rub it in viciously. This gave me an even oilier appearance, which I was trying to avoid. 3/5 will not repurchase.Youth to the People Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream: Another bougie sample from Sephora. For $58/2 oz, this moisturizer claims that it is the “solutions for: - Dryness - Fine lines and wrinkles- Redness,” (taken from the product description on Sephora). I’m instantly weary of anything that claims it’s the solution for wrinkles because 10/10 times it’s complete bullshit. It also mentions that it contains “adaptogenic herbs and mushrooms: ashwagandha, rhodiola, reishi, and holy basil” and “Adaptogenic herbs and mushrooms calm the skin when faced with daily stressors like UV rays and environmental pollutants. Pentapeptide calms the stress reaction in sensitive and irritated skin.” If you’re science illiterate like me, that just sounds like a bunch of fancy words that mean nothing. So it just…like…moisturizes??? There’s nothing inherently wrong with this product. It does provide moisture and sinks in easily so there’s no oily residue. I didn’t see an improvement in fine lines, but I didn’t expect to. My redness stayed the same. However, calling this a deep moisturizer is a complete joke. It’s good if you want to use during the day in a warm climate but will not protect you during the winter or if you want a super hydrating night moisturizer. I’m not going to put down expensive products or silly descriptions, but I would only recommend this product if you just like aesthetic skincare or you have the funds. 3/5 will not purchaseOilsAcure Seriously Soothing Blue Tansy Night Oil: This was the first oil I tried and it’s so nice! It has a pleasant scent and instantly improves any lightweight moisturizer I tried. The best combo I found was with TO Natural Moisturizing Factor. Just one pump of this made the moisturizer easy to spread. Even though it’s an oil, it does absorb into your skin if you apply it an hour or so before bedtime. If you do it right before bed you will just rub it all over your pillow. I noticed a reduction in my redness and soft skin when I woke up. As a bonus, if you get too overzealous plucking your eyebrows, applying some of the oil with take the sting out.I purchased the version of this that’s supposedly a dupe for the Herbivore Botanicals Lapis Facial Oil at Target June 2018. This version of the product had this ingredient list: “Amaranthus Squalane Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Capric Triglycerides (Fractionated Coconut Oil), Aleurites Moluccana (Kukui) Nut Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Tanacetum annuum (Blue Tansy) Leaf Oil, Jasminum Sambac (Jasmine) Absolute, Rosa Damascena (Moroccan Rose) Absolute.” Apparently, there’s a lot of confusion over the ingredients as it appears Acure reformulated it and made the coconut oil the first ingredient, but some people are still finding the dupe. When I found it at Target, the back of the box had the old ingredients, but when scanned with the target app, the online ingredients were the new formulation. This seems very sketchy, so I’m unsure if I will repurchase, even though it’s amazing. 4/5 will repurchase if I can find the same formulation but I appreciate recs for an alternativeBonus: Here’s a B&A album. As you can see, there’s some reduction in the hyperpigmentation, but overall my skin looks exactly the same. My acne has not chilled at all. I’m trying not to fall into a pit of despair, but I feel like I spent a lot of money in a year for little improvement.Anyway, I hope this post was useful for someone! My goal this year is to get more into the science side of skincare so I can fully understand what I'm putting on my skin.
Girls Blog 2015
Submitted by Mirvelt520
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