New Skincare to Crush on

Funny thing… now that I have clear skin (for the first time in my life, from what I can remember) I enjoy testing new skincare products even more. Only few months ago, every single time I tried a new product the same thing went through my mind “am I going to break out?” I’m sure some of you can relate.

Well, I do lean towards very gentle and hydrating products and stay away from intense treatments at the moment. BUT the fact that I can actually pat and rub and massage my skin without touching painful bumps also means that I love indulging in my little skincare routine.  I mean, you can probably tell that I’ve been very much into skincare lately. Or… perhaps it has something to do with my makeup-spending ban so instead, I turn to skincare?’

Paula’s Choice Resist Omega + Complex* is one of the new products I’ve been using for the last couple of weeks. I’ve always been a huge fan of Paula’s Choice skincare products and they were actually a first major beauty brand I ever collaborated with. I can’t live without my Omega 3 supplements (it’s what helped me get rid of cystic acne) so I was excited to try a skincare product containing Omega 3,6 and 9 oils. It’s only been about a week and half, so I can talk only about the changes that I’ve noticed in this short time. It is not an extremely hydrating serum, but it smoothes and softens skin unlike any other product I’ve tried recently. It also makes my tired and slightly sunken skin very plump and bouncy, which I could definitely use at the moment. I can’t wait to see the results I’ll get with continued use- will keep you updated. You can get your hands on this gem in about a week.

Since I’m all about hydrating my skin these days, I also picked up two other products from The Ordinary: HA 2% Serum and Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA. I love using these as a combo. The serum works well under moisturizers and both of these products make my skin feel “normal” again. As in, it’s not peeling or itching or feeling uncomfortable. I know that one of the main reasons why everyone loves The Ordinary is because of the ingredients and an awesome price point, BUT I do have to say that the tubes their products come in, feel half-empty (unlike the serum bottles). I actually held the NMF + HA to light the day I got it and it was only about half full. It’s still a great product, at an amazing price but I’d rather pay a little more and get more product. But maybe that’s just me?

KHUS + KHUS Blossom Face Serum*– you probably saw me mention this serum briefly on Instagram. It’s packed with antioxidants; ingredients include Moroccan neroli, petitgrain, red mandarin, wild carrot, marula, argan, rose hip seed oil, sea buckthorn, and feels amazing on skin. I love the packaging and the fact that the ingredients are organic and  that this serum helps with my redness while also hydrating the skin. I usually use this at night while doing a little face massage and follow up with a moisturizer. I apply two-three drops to my clean hands, rub them together and then gently press the serum on my forehead, cheeks, chin and neck. I follow up with upward strokes on my neck and cheeks and circular movements around the eyes. This stuff makes my skin g-l-o-w and is suitable for sensitive, dry, acne-prone and/or mature skin. Love.

I was so excited when IT Cosmetics released Confidence in an Eye Cream*, because I LOVE their Confidence in a Cream. Not a huge fan of the jar packaging (but you already knew that, eh?) but I’m a huge fan of this formula. It’s thick, creamy, but absorbs very quickly. Unlike a lot of eye products, this does not irritate my skin. I’ve probably mentioned that since going on Accutane I’ve been battling extreme fatigue. I can’t wait to go off the treatment because I honestly feel like I just want to go back to my old, active self (but it’s all worth it, have you seen my results so far?!?). Anyway, the reason why I mention this, is because I have bags under my eyes. Something I NEVER had a problem with. This eye cream definitely doesn’t make them magically disappear, but it does illuminate my the skin around my eyes and helps to soothe that morning puffiness.

You saw me rave about Avène’s Cicalfate in this post, and all I want to say is that this stuff is saving my skin right now. This stuff is great for dry or extremely dry skin. It’s almost like a diaper rash cream, very thick, very greasy, but once you massage it into skin it just melts and absorbs very nicely. It soothes those dry patches, irritated skin and leaves it feeling so comfortable. I’m on my 5th month of Accutane, still dealing with extremely dry skin and if I had to keep only two skincare products, it’d be MUN Akwi Cleanser (use MUN13T to save some $$$) and this cream.

In my previous post I mentioned that I did have a small issue with this cream. I originally wanted to order a tube on Amazon (I got my first one from my Dr’s office) and came across reviews saying that the product came “separated” and that upon breaking the seal, nothing but water came out of a tube, some reviewers were concerned about using the product after seeing that. I ended up ordering one from Dermstore and …… as soon as I broke the seal, water poured out (the product was not expired, btw). I contacted Dermstore and they shipped me a new one the same day and it was fine. But… it was also about 20 degrees warmer. I suspected that the separation occurred due to low temperature while sitting on the delivery truck (product can’t be exposed to temperatures below 32°F). I contacted Avène and sure enough, I was told that the water in the formula freezes, and then thaws, when product is exposed to change in temperatures (Avène also offered to send me a new product and said that the cream is still completely okay to use). Just thought I’d mention this because I saw a lot of people complaining about it but couldn’t find an answer anywhere. If you want to try Cicalfate, I’d suggest you either buy it in store, or don’t order it online during winter :) . The product itself is amazing like I’ve said, so it kind of broke my heart to see a few negative reviews based solely on the fact that the formula separated.  All you need to do is read the info on the back and put two and two together. It’s definitely an inconvenience, but through all the years I’ve been blogging and testing products, I never came across a brand or a retailer that was not willing to send a replacement or offer a refund for a faulty product.

Moving on…. another product I mentioned in March What’s in My Makeup Bag, is the Coola Mineral Sunscreen*. Sunscreen is SO important to me but I also have a hard time finding one that doesn’t irritate my skin. This one doesn’t and is pretty amazing. Delicate, gentle, works well under makeup and the formula feels almost as a lighter version of another favorite of mine.

Are you crushing on any new skincare products right now? Please, do tell! :)

*PR/Gifted products