Skincare: the good, the bad and the fab

What would you expect from an ideal skincare product? Most likely, it’d be that it lives up to its claims. Doesn’t happen too often though, does it?

Even if you end up loving a product enough to repurchase it over and over again, it rarely happens that they actually “transform your skin overnight!” I recently browsed through Sephora’s website and come across a product, which shall remain nameless, that I’ve seen all over Instagram. A fun color seems like something that’d be exciting to use. Then, you take one look at the ingredient list and think “wtf?” When any beneficial ingredients are mixed in with a highly fragranced and potentially irritating formula, I can’t imagine paying 70 bucks for something just because it’s “fun” to use. Of course, I’ve done it in the past. But those days are gone.

Thankfully, I don’t come across a lot of products that I don’t like.

The Good

Pixi + Caroline Hirons Double Cleanse* is definitely one of the most exciting recent releases. I feel like this collaboration was bound to happen at some point and I’m SO glad it finally did! Having much love for both Pixi and Lady Hirons, I couldn’t wait to try this product. Double cleanse is my jam. Love that this solid cleansing oil and cleansing cream come in one jar. The cleansing oil does a good job of removing makeup while the cleansing balm is quite light and doesn’t leave any film or residue on the skin. AND it’s fragrance-free. Love. My only wish is that the jar was a bit easier to close and I think it’d be nice if it came with a little spatula.

Jurlique Herbal Recovery Night Cream*- lightweight and fast-absorbing night cream that feels SO lovely on my skin. I usually prefer night treatments that are a bit more thick and heavy, but the Herbal Recovery is great to use when my skin doesn’t feel extremely dry. I think that anyone with normal/combo skin would love this. It’s not quite rich enough for drier skin types. It does contain fragrance, but it’s from essential oils and it’s very delicate. Sort of an herbal/rosy scent that is very calming and can definitely help you unwind at the and of the day.

I don’t use physical exfoliants too often, but once in awhile, I’ll reach for one (especially on my hands, right before putting on my hand cream). Right now I’m loving the Gentle Purifying Scrub from Jouviance*. It’s gentle, doesn’t contain any artificial fragrance and isn’t harsh on the skin at all.

The “bad”…

So… perhaps I should say that it’s not so much “bad” as it is disappointing. There is so much hype surrounding the Glossier Priming Moisturizer Rich, I knew I had to get my hands on it. Being as dry as I am at the moment, it sounded like something I’d love. Nope. I was only able to use it exactly three times. After using it, I woke up to dry patches on my forehead and cheeks. After giving it the benefit of the doubt, I made the mistake of using it again, and my skin got even drier and patchy. I had my husband (who has dry skin) use it as well, just because I couldn’t believe that it was this product that dried me out so much. He also wasn’t a fan and said he prefers his good old CeraVe.

Now, I don’t know why my skin didn’t end up loving this product as it is packed with great ingredients. I just found that other than the texture, there’s nothing rich about this cream. My skin felt completely matte and dry to touch after using it, but it did feel much smoother. This is why I think that this would work much better for normal skin type and when used as a primer- definitely not something I’d use as a night treatment. Keep in mind that my skin is extremely dry right now, so maybe that had something to do with it. I love Glossier and this is their first product that left me feeling disappointed.

The FAB…

I already talked about both MŪN Aknari Brightening Youth Serum and MŪN Anarose Hydrating Rose Toner in my post about acne/Accutane skincare routine. Both products are incredibly gentle and I love the Aknari Serum more and more with each use. I usually reach for it at night as it brightens and calms my skin (you can use my code “MUN13T” to save 15% off your entire order if you’re interested in trying these). I love that these products are natural, organic and come in beautiful glass packaging.

Another FABULOUS product that I’ve been absolutely loving is The Ordinary 5% Lactic Acid. I usually love using AHA products and can’t really imagine life without them. Since going on accutane I did stop using most of my favorite AHA products,  just because the meds already do a great job at renewing the skin, but also because my skin is very sensitive at the moment. I tried this mild lactic acid and was so happy that it didn’t irritate my skin one bit. I have quite a few acne scars left on my cheeks and I’m already seeing results after introducing it to my routine two weeks ago.

Next: The Body Shop Drops of Youth Liquid Peel.*  It’s a quite unique product that has a really fun consistency; you apply it on your face, massage it in for about 20 seconds until small clumps start to form. I usually then wash the product off with a warm washcloth. It’s such a nice little pick-me-up for the skin and leaves it feeling very soft and smooth and the rest of the products apply and absorb like a dream. I love the packaging and the way this leaves my skin feeling. I wish it didn’t have fragrance, but again, it doesn’t irritate my skin and is very much on the light side.

Unlike the PMR, my skin LOVES Glossier’s Milky Jelly Cleanser. It has a creamy, gel formula that glides on the skin very smoothly, it’s gentle, effective, fragrance-free and doesn’t have a problem removing oils and doesn’t dry out my skin. I haven’t used it to remove my makeup (I usually reach for oils), so I don’t know how well this cleanser would work for that.  This is one of those products that you look forward to using- it just feels SO good when it comes to contact with skin. You can save 20% off your first Glossier order using this link.

I just talked about Confidence in a Cream* right here and I know I’ve mentioned it quite a few times in the past. I think that it’s one of my favorite products from It Cosmetics (and you know I use A LOT of their products). It’s thick, rich, creamy and delivers so much hydration to the skin, without it feeling greasy. It plumps the skin and just makes it look and feel very healthy. I can’t think of a single bad thing to say about this cream. It’s suitable for all skin types so if you’re on a hunt for a new moisturizer that’s on the rich side- you’d love this one.

What are some skincare products you guys are loving at the moment?

 *PR samples/Gifted Items