[Cleansers and serum samples](https://imgur.com/YejtsgE)
* CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser (will probably repurchase but open to something cheaper)
* First Aide Beauty Face Cleanser and La Roche Posay Toleraine Hydrating Facial Cleanser (samples received as gifts with purchase; completely fine but not superior in price to my cheaper fave)
* NOT PICTURED: At least 1x CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar and 1x Daily Use Gentle Face and Body Cleansing Bar, which are fine to use in the shower but too tough to lather at the sink. The Cetaphil is a strong 2nd place due to an obnoxious perfumey scent.
* Uninspiring samples:
\-Lancome Renergie Lift Multi-Action Ultra, Keys Soulcare Truly Becoming Serum, and Clinique Smart Clinical Repair serums (samples received as gifts with purchase; absolutely nothing interesting about them and a full size of the Lancome is more than EIGHTY AMERICAN DOLLARS)
\-First Aide Beauty Hydrating Eye Cream (samples received as gifts with purchase; doesn’t seem more hydrating than their ultra repair cream, which I love).
[Actually a few cosmetics!](https://imgur.com/c2NoPO1) Though some panned through user error.
* L’oreal Paris True Match Hyaluronic Tinted Serum Foundation and Infallible Full Wear Concealer- Hard to find fault with these, just didn’t repurchase so I could try other things!
Mascaras- Not true pans because I use for three months. Tarte Maneater, Maybelline Lash Sensational, and Milani Anti-Gravity Mascara samples were all perfectly fine with no flaking or issues.
* NYX Micro Point Brow Pencil- Used almost beyond the lifespan of the packaging. I see no reason to pay more for brow pencils than NYX, they more than do the trick.
* Revlon Colorstay Matte Lite Crayon in Lift Off- Panned through user error (the product fell out of the tube!) but loved during its short life. A really gorgeous matte opaque hot pink.
* NYX glitter glue- Panned through user error (I lost the cap and it dried up) and already repurchased. Would struggle to try another product with how good this is for $6.
[Miscellany](https://imgur.com/NiJRJRm)
* Hair products:
\-OGX coconut miracle oil conditioner and Raw Sugar Moisture Smoothie Shampoo- Completely fine (but I’m not a haircare person)
\-Kitsch Castor Oil solid shampoo bar and (not pictured) conditioner bar- Both were way too hard to use, but the conditioner bar was at least workable (and repurchased once) when I had large portions of my head shaved or very short. Now that it’s no longer the case, it takes 5+ minutes just to apply the product. The shampoo bar also dried up and broke into a million pieces long before it should have been finished.
* Mineral/baby oil- My go to first cleanser for makeup days until someone convinces me paying tons more would really be better.
* Heliocare- I may have actually finished a couple of these. Not sure if I’ll keep this up during the summer but I have stopped for the winter.
* Moon Midnight Enamel Care- I like these! They dissolve at night and made a difference. I think I’ll keep it up every six months.
[Retinoids and lip moisturizers](https://imgur.com/iYpF6dN)
* \-Tretinoin (no further comment)
* NOT PICTURED- La Roche Posay Redermic R Retinol Cream (purchased for containing a higher % of retinol to start building up my neck’s tolerance; absolutely horrendous smell made it a challenge to use)
* Peach & Lilly Retinal For All Renewing Serum (purchased as the next level for my neck; absolutely fine and unscented but have moved onto cheaper retinal-containing products).
* 3x Lanolips (one light pink/unscented not pictured) (always repurchase to keep perioral eczema at bay)
* 6x Jack Black SPF 25 lip balm (my favorite for daytime use; managed to make it through one peppermint but found it too irritating, the other ones cause no issues).
* A sneaky hair product that got captured in the wrong group! Living Proof Perfect Hair Day dry shampoo sample’s bizarre and obnoxious scent made it a chore to use.
[Sunscreen 1](https://imgur.com/NyAXaG2) (Body sunscreens)
* Banana Boat Light as Air (will always repurchase and use on face as well for exercise)
* Kroger Sunscreen Invisible Gel (aka the Supergoop dupe; probably used this up on my hands/neck; this was my preferred facial sunscreen in 2022 but now have things I like better)
* Neutrogena Beach Defense (great product, even decent on the face, and would repurchase for full-body application if my fave was not available)
* Sun Bum SPF 50 (fine but too sticky/greasy if there are other options).
[Sunscreen 2](https://imgur.com/vtrJU2C) (Asian and one Australian sunscreen I did not like)
* MISSHA All-around Safe Block Essense Sun Milk EX (not enough PA protection, RIDICULOUS heavy packaging, and reapplied weird; used up on hands/neck)
* Soon Jung Director’s Moisture Sun Cream (used up on hands/neck; reapplied weird)
* Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Natural Sun Cream (really surprised about the following for this one! Stickier, greasier, and harder to rub in than any random American sunscreen)
* Naked Sundays Clear Glow Radiant Sun Serum (just didnt like… blend in? Even though it was clear? My friend who graciously brought this back for me from the homeland said it worked for her much better with more humidity over there. Used up on face/hands).
[Sunscreen 3](https://imgur.com/pbto9v5) (Asian sunscreens I liked)
* P. Calm Water Barrier Sun Cream
* Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics
* SKIN1004 Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum
* Purito Daily Soft Touch Sunscreen
* (honorary pan- expected in <2 weeks) Jumiso Awe-Sun Airy-Fit Daily Moisturizer with sunscreen
All these absorbed into the skin and added moisture with a natural flat to slightly glowing level of shine, with good wear under makeup and reasonable reapply over makeup. BoJ and SKIN1004 are on the thinner side, and the others are a bit thicker (by AB standards) but I enjoy it because my preferred sensation from moisturizer is “leaves me feeling encased in plastic to trap all the moisture inside.”
[Toner and vitamin C](https://imgur.com/rw3Ge54)
* Toners:
\-Ultra Repair Wild Oat Hydrating Toner- Loved it but ventured elsewhere due to the price
\-CeraVe Hydrating Toner- Has dethroned FAB for half the price. Works well as a first layer under your moisturizer (or retinoid) to significantly increase overall hydration.
* Vitamin C:
\-Timeless Vitamin C, E, and Ferulic Acid in 10% and 20% (now using the 20% everywhere but my neck and very happy with it)
\-First Aid Beauty 10% Vitamin C Brightening Serum (completely fine for use on my neck with no irritation, just $$)
\-NOT PICTURED- Roc Vitamin C Brightening Serum (completely fine and not irritating, though the dropper did just like… break off? Wanted something even less $$)
\- PROVENCE Beauty Glow Up Luminescent Facial Serum (the cheapest so far, doesn’t require a dropper, and non-irritating; will use this on my neck until I can fully switch to the somewhat irritating Timeless).
[Moisturizers](https://imgur.com/mbtY2oC)
* Will continually repurchase CeraVe moisturizing cream (as my light moisturizer) and First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream, unscented (as my heavy moisturizers).
* Eucerin Eczema Relief was great as a thick body moisturizer, would definitely repurchase on a sale.
* Four completely meh samples:
\-The least meh: Eczema Honey Oatmeal Body Lotion was unusably thick in this sample bottle and indistinguishable from any other thick moisturizer.
\-Avene Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Cream: Seemed fine but too thin. I got no extra soothing out of it than any of my oatmeal-containing lotions.
\-La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer: Too thin!
\-The most meh: Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream: I was really looking forward to this one since the overall vibe was rich and thick enough to seal the moisture in for ages. It smelled awful and didn’t absorb. This is over 5x the (regular) price of my FAB moisturizer. Ridiculous.
​
by una_pava_nomas