I placed this order just before Christmas but only started using it in January, so I’ve been on this regimen for almost a month now.
Skin type & goals:
I’ve had hormonal acne for like 10 years now, been on accutane and differin gel but it came back when I stopped using them so just trying something new here. I’m 24 (f) and trying to limit/prevent acne breakouts and also heal and fade the acne scars that I have as much as possible without doing laser treatment.
Products:
I haven’t used the retinol mask yet, but the serum has been great so far.
Some By Mi retinol intense: Lightly scented, but not offensive. The texture is light and creamy closer to a very thin lotion than a serum imo but I think that’s common for retinol serums. Started with every other/third day for about two weeks and now I do it every night. Definitely seeing the retinol purge phase right now around my jawline, but my skin is looking smoother in texture and colour everywhere it’s not flaring up. I would probably repurchase this, but when I run out I want to try the Isntree Hyper Retinol EX 1.0 Serum because it’s a bit cheaper and I think the ingredients are quite similar (it’s also 10ml less tho so not sure yet). I use the Skin 1004 centella ampoule before the retinol to help with redness and irritation, and I think it’s been working great. That, plus the MEDIPEEL eye tox cream has been my nightly routine.
The Eye tox cream is fine, I’m impressed with how big the tube is, and the texture is typical for eye lotion. I don’t know if it’s all that effective for anti-wrinkle and I’d probably go with something with retinol in it when I run out of this tube, but it’s still hydrating and feels good so no complaints. I use it daily morning and night.
The MEDIPEEL Melanon X Cream is pretty sweet. I use it daily, first I’ll either use the centella ampoule or BOJ’s ginseng essence water, then Melanon X cream, and finally the Skin 1004 Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum. I love the Melanon X texture, it’s quite thick and does what it claims to do by leaving skin bright and glowy. I was so excited to find a combination of tranexamic acid, ascorbic acid, and niacinamide all in one cream to fade my acne scars. I will definitely be repurchasing this. I’m only a bit sad cuz the tube is smaller than I was expecting. It also has a nice light but not overpowering scent.
Finally, the cosrx good morning cleanser is already a cult fave so I don’t need to say much but I do love the tea tree in it. I also think it’s a thicker texture than other cleansers I’ve used before so it’s good value for money. I saw a skinfluencer say it’s not the best to use it with a retinol because of the AHAs in it, but I find that as long as I rinse it off really well it doesn’t cause me any issues. I would say that I do have sensitive skin in some regard (the cold gives me a red itchy rash), but when it comes to using actives, my skin barrier is intact enough that combining strong actives doesn’t cause crazy flare ups.
by m00o0n