Autumn has come late to northern Colorado this year, but it’s finally here. September oversaw the transition, with highs still in the 90s many days but lows getting into the 40s. (Yes, 50 F degree temperature swings are not unheard of here, though 30 F degree ones are more common). Much of what I opened in September was informed by our anniversary trip to Belize, however, which is the reason for the proliferation of minis. I’ve mixed up the format this time, organizing products into sections: wash-off products, toners & essences, and creams & gels.

Wash-Off Products

🍏 Farmacy Green Clean Cleansing Balm

The Farmacy Green Clean Cleansing Balm is a very-hyped classic, so I was excited to take this sample size on my Belize trip — if ever I was going to need a powerhouse to remove sunscreen and oil, that would be it. This balm includes a variety of nourishing oils (as well as essential oils and fragrance, though in a wash-off product that doesn’t bother me) and turns into an oil very quickly once it’s on the skin. I could definitely feel it balling up and taking away all of the jungle and sunscreen yucks!
Price: $34 USD / 100 mL; shown in a 12 mL sample size

🍵 I Dew Care Matcha Mood

Going on an international vacation during a pancetta is a bit extra, so I decided to be a bit extra and bring this mini I Dew Care Matcha Mood wash-off mask with me. I actually really loved having it along for the trip! We took quite a few showers while we were in the jungle in Belize (climbing a 350 foot cliff in a 260 million year-old cave will really make you need a rinse) but I didn’t want to wreck my skin, so I popped this on before hopping in and it worked a treat. It definitely smells like matcha — specifically like matcha mochi, in my opinion.
Price: $25 USD / 100g; shown in the 10g size in the Mini Scoops set

🚿 Derma: B – Creamy Touch Body Wash

I first came across Derma: B for their lotions, and I love them so much that I decided to give the Derma: B – Creamy Touch Body Wash a try. I have always struggled to find a body cleanser that didn’t dry out my skin — I gave up on soaps ages ago, and can only really use lotions or oils generally. This is more of a traditional body wash but is so creamy that my skin isn’t itchy and tight when I come out of the shower.
Price: $25 USD / 400 mL

Toners & Essences

🍶 Missha Time Revolution First Treatment Essence

The Missha Time Revolution First Treatment Essence was my first galactomyces love, and I’ve had this travel size stashed for a rainy (or sunny, in this case) day. I find that galactomyces does wonder for my pore size and redness, so I had to take it with me on our trip to Belize. I use this AM and PM and while it doesn’t make my skin perfect, I can really tell when I don’t use it.
Price: $25-$54 / 150 mL depending upon retailer; shown in a 30 mL travel size

💧 elmt Skin Activating Solution

I don’t typically shop at Wishtrend, but during their end-of-summer sale I had to pick up their elmt Skin Activating Solution because it had been recommended by a friend. It’s now also being recommended by Youtuber James Welsh, and I am here for that recommendation. While other green tea toners (cough Isntree) have been a bit drying for my skin, this is surprisingly hydrating, and I’ve been using two or three layer of it AM and PM for an extra boost of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory power.
Price: $20 USD / 150 mL

🍃 COSRX Pure Fit Cica Toner

The COSRX Pure Fit Cica Toner is a holy grail for me, so I had to bring this travel size with me to Belize — not knowing what I might face in term of airport/airplane air, mask wearing and sun exposure, it felt worthwhile to have it in my arsenal. This is a wonderfully hydrating, watery toner that I’ll turn to again and again, and I’d recommend for any skin type or concern thanks to the seven different cica compounds that can tackle concern from inflammation to sensitivity to aging.
Price: $22 USD/150 mL; shown in a 30 mL travel size

🌸 Hanskin Real Complexion Hyaluron Skin Essence

I got this sample for free when buying the larger Hanskin Real Complexion Hyaluron Skin Essence during the Ulta 21 Days of Beauty sale this spring. I bought that because, while I avoid hyaluronic acid, it’s really well-reviewed; and while I didn’t like using the big version in arid Colorado, using this mini version in humid Belize was pretty great. I found that I could mostly skip moisturizer in the morning, and that it completely revived my hair after the hard water in the jungle dried it out.
Price: $25 USD / 150 mL; shown in a 30 mL sample size

Creams & Gels

🐝 Benton Aloe Propolis Soothing Gel

I picked up the Benton Aloe Propolis Soothing Gel after winning a Nudie Glow US gift card, and I’m not mad about it. I originally opened this up when I got a freak second-degree burn from tea water, but even if I hadn’t needed some remedial skin soothing for that I would have opened it this month for our trip to Belize, most likely. We lucked out with only one sunburn (my husband, across his shoulders, whilst snorkeling), but it did help with the healing there — this truly looks and feels like an aloe gel. Beyond just using this for burns, I’ve also been using it as a moisturizer (AM) and a retinol buffer (PM).
Price: $12 USD / 100 mL

👁 Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Time Reverse Eye Cream

Thus far it feels like Pyunkang Yul can do no wrong, so I was excited to pick up the mini Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Time Reverse Eye Cream. In my experience a mini eye cream lasts me for months. I’m not actually a big believer in eye cream itself — it really is just a thinner, more hydrating moisturizer — but I do enjoy the increased hydration on my lips. That’s right: towards the end of my routine I apply eye cream and then lip balm, and it works wonderfully. I also use eye cream for its intended purpose before retinol. This eye cream is absolutely lovely, like I was hoping from the brand. It’s easy to dispense just the right amount, and it has a lovely buttery texture.
Price: $29 USD / 25 mL; shown in the $7 / 9 mL mini

😇 e.l.f. Cosmetics Fragrance-Free Holy Hydration Face Cream

I originally got the e.l.f. Cosmetics Fragrance-Free Holy Hydration Face Cream for my mom, who wanted a peptide moisturizer but ended up hating this, so it’s strictly been open for a couple months but it’s new to me. This is a very basic moisturizer, but I can imagine this works decently under makeup for those dry-skinned folks that wear it regularly. I had been using it just as a night cream, but then as the weather has changed I’ve been using it as a day cream as well, and find that it really doesn’t offer enough protection against the autumnal Colorado evenings.
Price: $12 USD / 50 mL

💦 Laneige Water Sleeping Mask

I picked this mini Laneige Water Sleeping Mask from the very brief period YesStyle was selling Laneige in the US as an unauthorized retailer (oops?). They’re famous for their lip mask, of course, but I wanted something smaller to take to Belize in case I needed it. This is definitely a hydrating sleeping mask more so than a protective, occlusive one, which made it really nice in Belize but less ideal now that I’m back in Colorado. It’s a fun experience, though — a blue gel cream with a strong but yummy perfume to it.
Price: $25 USD / 70 mL; shown in the 15 mL sample size

☀️ OMI Verdio UV Moisture Gel SPF 50+ PA++++

I’ve been interested in trying the OMI Verdio UV Moisture Gel since trying their essence, so I decided to bring this with us on our trip to Belize. This is a much less moisturizing texture — very thin and serumy-like — which was nice for our “use the face sunscreen all over your body” use case. It does still leave a fairly dewy finish, though not “my glasses are sliding down my nose” dewy like the essence did for me. It held up well against prolonged sun exposure (provided proper reapplication, of course!) though not so well against salt water.
Price: $11 USD / 80 g