Skin type: combination, dry cheeks and oily t-zone
concerns: hyperpigmentation and texture
Climate: Central Mexico, mild weather with rather rainy summers and dryer winters.
I really wanted to participate since i joined, I took care to keep my empties and photograph them but I had been procrastinating the writing part. I haven’t been using skincare for a very long time but hopefully my reviews can be useful for someone.
WRP = would repurchase
WNR = would not repurchase
MRP = might repurchase
HG = Holy Grail
Toners and Essences
Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence: great for my dry cheeks, I started using it during winter and did notice an improvement on the hydration of my skin. A very enjoyable experience and I wish this one bottle had lasted me longer.
4/5 WRP
Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA Miracle Toner: my first exfoliating toner and frankly my favorite after trying other toners. Love how fresh my skin feels after using it and although the “miracle” part might be overselling it, I did notice how my skin became less and less congested. Particularly my nose area. I didn’t experience purging.
5/5 Holy Grail
Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner: I got this because it had a great discount at Marshall’s and it was such a beautiful introduction to toners, the consistency is light and yet it has such a great texture it leaves a very hydrating, smooth and silky finish on the skin. The fragrance is very pleasant and might have even tasted a bit by accident (I usually decant my toners into spray bottles for easier usage) and even the flavor was nice lol. No problems during usage and it made the rest of my routine sink in great.
4/5 WRP
Flaskin Rice Enzyme Protein Toner: not very pleasant to use, I didn’t experience that quenching sensation that I look for in toners. Through extended usage and in combination with the Illiyoon Lotion, it did help reduce the flakiness I started experiencing from tretinoin usage. I wouldn’t repurchase based on strictly sensorial criteria. It smells lightly of rice.
Cleansers
3/5 WNR
Dokdo Cleanser: beautiful cleanser, that creates a light non-stripping foam with a very light fragrance. I really had such a great time using this as my main cleanser. I do notice that you need a little more product to get a good lather compared to other cleansers. I never felt that my skin was stripped or tight after usage.
5/5 Holy Grail
Abib Acne Foam Cleanser: great cleanser that’s similar to the Dokdo cleanser when it comes to its light foam and gentle smell. I experienced no problems during usages
4/5 MRP because the Dokdo has a slight edge on this one
IUNIK Calendula Complete Cleansing Oil: at first I experienced a bit of breaking out but I think that might have been a result of a poor usage of the product, since this was my first cleansing oil. I did not enjoy the smell of this product at all, it smells sorta fishy. It does spread well, a little product goes a long way and it rinses well. I would not repurchase simply based on the smell.
2/5 WNR
Numbuzin Glutathione C Facial Spa Cleanser: such a great cleaning oil, the rosemary and orange fragrance is still embedded in my brain, so pleasant and luxurious. The consistency is quite a bit thicker than the IUNIK one but it doesn’t leave any residue after rinsing. It worked great to remove sebum from the nose area and it left my skin feeling slightly hydrated. I cannot attest to its alleged brightening benefits but just based on the experience of usage this is one cleanser I would repurchase in a heartbeat.
5/5 Holy Grail kinda sad that it’s a bit expensive compared to other oil cleansers
Sunscreens
Goodal Calming Moisture Sun Cream: a bit difficult to apply, it does take a fair bit of massaging it in as to not leave a white cast on my latino complexion. I have been enjoying my recent sunscreen purchases (the roundlab and house of hur ones) considerably more and that’s definitely impacted my rating of this product. Not bad for the price but I think there are much better options.
3/5 MRP for the right price
Skin 1004 Hyalu-Cica Water Fit Sun Serum: pleasant to use although in combination with the non-asian moisturizer that I was using it did leave me a bit too shiny for my liking. It’s a reliable product and as my first Asian sunscreen, it helped erase all the awful experiences I had with western sunscreens!
Serums
4/5 WRP
Skin 1004 Madagascar Centella Poremizing Fresh Ampoule: this product didn’t feel like much when I started using, but I did miss the refreshing sensation it left on my skin and the pleasant glossiness it gave me after application once I emptied this bottle. I would not repurchase because there are many other serums I want to try and that I think would be more effective for my skin concerns BUT I would pass on it if I were to find it in sale.
3/5 WNR
VT Reedle Shot 100: very strange sensation when I first started using it, like getting pricked with glass fiber but less unpleasant…with time you get so used to it that it no longer registers as anything out of the ordinary. I definitely experienced a dramatic improvement on texture and although my skin can be reactive (to physical exfoliants and anything that involves rubbing) the redness it left subsided after a half an hour. I would repurchase and I did, got myself the 700 version.
4/5 WRP
Moisturizers
Purito Oat-In Calming Gel Cream: this is the best moisturizer you can get if you hate stickiness and heaviness on your skin…sadly it was much too light for me since it coincided with me starting to use tretinoin and I experienced lots of peeling. But before I started with the tret, it was more than enough hydration for my skin type and I loved the light natural fragrance that it has and the slight cooling sensation you experience as you rub it in. Great, I would definitely try it again now that I stopped using tret.
4/5 WRP without tret and 1/5 WNR on tret
Illiyoon Ato Concentrate Lotion: great moisturizer, it solved the issue I had with peeling but I do think it ended up creating some congestion on and around my nose…too bad because it’s such a loved product but I would not repurchase because I’ve found a non-Asian alternative that isn’t clogging and feels just as hydrating…AND is much easier to apply and it absorbs like a dream.
3/5 WNR
by AutechreBitch