Hey everyone!
You may or may not have seen me around. I’m still a bit new here!
I felt like I hit the jackpot with some recent finds at TJ Maxx! This trip was the first time (out of 3 or 4 recent visits) I was actually impressed by what I found. I felt like I hit the jackpot with some of these items!
The first photo, of course, is the five-item haul that came home with me. Ive had a chance to test all of these products, so I’m going to share a mini review!
Disclaimer that I (31 F) live in Louisiana where it is hot and humid all year round, and my skin leans toward oily-dehydrated most of the time, but can also sway toward dry or normal, due to various factors. I tend to prefer the mochi-skin finish of Japanese skincare, but I’m open to Korean products as well, obviously, if I find something that catches my interest!
In order from left to right:
• SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Moisture Cream – I love the texture of lightweight moisturizers, so the gel-cream texture of this Hyalu-Cica Moisture Cream is right up my alley! It feels very light and soothing when applying to the skin, and has a VERY subtle scent that I could only describe as light and fresh. While I do enjoy the texture and the scent, it leaves me far dewier than I’d like, even when I tried applying the bare minimum amount of product. I think it could be layered under something more occlusive as it’s not very heavy by itself, but I, personally, wouldn’t layer it with a lot of other products because I think it could become too heavy if it’s one of many steps in your routine. This product’s a bit hard for me to describe because it feels so lightweight, at least at first, but it also felt a bit greasy and didn’t seem to dry down fully on me. The humidity outside seemed to reactivate some of this product, particularly on my upper lip, and I found myself having to dab my face and wipe away product that hadn’t sunken into my skin hours after applying the thinnest possible layer. If you have oily skin, I don’t think this is the moisturizer for you. Dry skin may have better results. 2/5 stars. Would not repurchase.
• SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule Foam – This is actually a product I’d had in my cart on Stylevana, so I was super excited to see it in TJ Maxx! This cleanser is definitely a bit of a heavier-textured foaming cleanser. It does get VERY foamy! It seems to clean well, and I’ve mainly been using it at night, because if I remember correctly, it has a bit of citric acid for some mild exfoliation. If your skin is dry, I think this cleanser could be too stripping for you, as there was a night or two where my skin felt a bit tight after using it. It’s fine overall, but based on the rave reviews, I expected to be more impressed with it. 3/5 stars. Might repurchase.
• Beauty of Joseon Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser – This cleanser was another product I’ve been debating about getting alongside the SKIN1004 Ampoule Foam, but when I was building my online order, I opted for the Ampoule Foam instead. When I saw it in TJ Maxx, it felt like a sign from the skincare gods that I had to get it. I actually really like this cleanser—a lot more than I thought I would, honestly. I expected just a run of the mill cleanser, but it feels really nice with its lightweight gel texture, it cleans well and feels like it refreshes my skin. It’s not a super foamy cleanser, but it doesn’t need to be. It does the job, rinses away well, and is a light, hydrating, very mildly foaming gel cleanser that hasn’t ever made my skin feel stripped, dry, or tight. My skin just feels clean, renewed, soft, and ready for the day. I’ve used some non-AB gel cleansers, so I really wasn’t expecting anything different when I used this one, but this cleanser is just superior. 5/5 stars. Will definitely repurchase!
• Purito Seoul Mighty Bamboo Panthenol Cream – I was excited to see this product on the shelves, too, because I’ve seen it mentioned on this subreddit so many times, and it seemed like a nice, lightweight barrier cream. It’s a gel cream, so of course I love the texture, and it does have a very slight…. Maybe herbal scent, but it, like the Hyalu-Cica Cream, smells fresh in its own way, and the scent is barely noticeable. For me, I think this product works better on its own than in layers. It can be layered with other products, but the more you layer, the shinier you look as a result—or at least that was my experience. I looked the least dewy when I used this by itself. It did stay put better in the humidity than the Hyalu-Cica Cream, and I would say I prefer it for that reason, but I’m just not in love with it. It’s okay, and I may use it again if I’m desperate enough for a lightweight barrier cream (you can hardly tell this is on your skin), but it’s just not a holy grail for me. 3.5/5 stars. Might repurchase.
• Naturie Hatomugi Skin Conditioner – This was a super exciting find for me because I’ve heard so much about it! I don’t think I would’ve gone out of my way to order it online, but seeing it in front of me in the store, I was convinced I had to try it! This is a product that I probably need to experiment with some more before I really get a good feel for it, but I do like it! Being such a fan of lightweight products that don’t weigh me down or make me feel greasy, I appreciate the lightweight moisture that this product offers. It’s watery and easy to pour into your hand. I pour some in my palm over the sink, rub my hands together, and then pat the product into my face. It layers extremely well because it IS so thin, so you can definitely apply multiple layers of this product without it pilling off. It also dried down really quickly and completely, and I didn’t have any issues with it reactivating in the heat and humidity. I put it on and it stayed on. I’ve layered it with my other two moisturizing products as well, though those particular combinations left me with a dewier finish than I would like on an everyday basis. I think in winter, especially, when my skin’s a bit drier and needing extra moisture, this is going to be a great addition to my routine to help boost the moisture content of my skin! 4/5 stars. More investigation needed, but likely to repurchase.
I hope you enjoyed my mini review and seeing my haul, and the store shelfies at my local TJ Maxx. I know the selection at my store isn’t the most impressive ever posted, but considering where I live, I thought it was pretty good!
Thanks for reading!
by the_sweetest_peach