April Openeds Reviews

This month’s opened products were really about getting ready for warmer weather as Colorado continues to waffle about what season we’re in. But as I think about all of these products the big thing that stands out to me, rather than transitional, is sensorial! For almost all of these products, the texture is possibly the most remarkable thing about it, making my skincare routine a sensorial delight right now. For some of the others, the smell (not always from fragrance) is the most notable, which is frequently less of a sensorial delight.

Cosrx Propolis Light Cream

I got this half-off in the Ulta sale because I’m a sucker for Cosrx and bee products. I’ve been absolutely bombing through it because I’ve been using it both AM and PM.Because the desperate winter dryness is nearly over and because I’ve been layering up with a new facial oil and a sleeping mask (see below!), I’ve actually found this has been working well at night. The texture is actually quite similar to Versed Skin Soak, which I’ve long held would make a great night cream for oily skin and day cream for dry skin.
Price: $32 USD / 50 mL

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow PHA+BHA Pore-Tight Toner

This product has enough hype that I was jazzed to try it, despite the fact that I don’t typically go for BHA. It’s gentle enough that I’m able to use it daily — even on actives nights! It’s got quite a strong smell, and honestly smells more like cactus than watermelon, at least to me. Texture-wise this is surprisingly thick, and I find that I don’t need to dump as much into my palm (that’s right, this is one I feel comfortable doing san cotton pads) as I do hydrating toners. I have noticed some pore minimizing, but nothing dramatic.
Price: $34 USD / 150 mL

Dear, Klairs Fundamental Watery Oil Drop

This product came highly, highly recommended, but so far the verdict still out. Kelly Driscoll claimed it’s a shortcut to glass skin and I figured I might actually start seeing humans in person soon (hooray vaccination) so I better get that official glow-up going. Keeping with our texture theme, I can definitely see why they call this a “watery oil” despite it not having any oil in it — it has a lot of slip to it like an oil would, so I actually do use it as my last water-based serum.
Price: $31 USD / 50 mL

Chiasm Skin Daybreak Prototype A

I’ve been testing this oil for a few weeks in the morning. Yes, this is an oil that can be used in the morning and that’s the point, as it has 5% tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (vitamin c derivative) and .5% ubiquinone (CoQ10). It didn’t seem to break down my sunscreen at all, which was good. It definitely dries down quickly (more of a “dry” oil) and I didn’t notice any sunscreen pilling with it. It’s got quite a strong scent and distinctive color, but neither last on the skin, and in the actual final version the scent is expected to shift. This did seem to keep my skin balanced for longer — sometimes my skin can dry out mid-afternoon, but that never happened when I mixed this into my moisturizer.
Price: TBD — not yet released

Pyunkang Yul Essence Toner

This essence toner is a cult classic, so of course I had to give it a try. I’d characterize the texture as a “full-fat water”, so it definitely falls more on the “essence” side rather than the “toner” side. You probably could layer this, but I certainly wouldn’t go for a full seven skins. I can definitely see myself rebuying this in the larger size! Especially since I have a $100 gift card for Nudie Glow US burning a hole in my digital wallet.
Price: $19 USD / 200 mL, shown in the $4 USD / 30 mL mini size

Cosrx Propolis Light Ampoule

This also came half-off in the Ulta sale, and highly recommended by a close friend. I find that I’m going through it surprisingly fast, as evidenced by how low the bottle is already. That said, I think I can slow down on it — a little really does go a long way with this, because the texture gives it a lot of slip and keeps it from sinking in before I can spread and pat it in everywhere. As for this ampoule’s acne fighting benefits compared to the toner from the line, which I adore, the verdict is still out.
Price: $28 USD / 30 mL

A’pieu Madecassoside Sleeping Mask

This mask was a repurchase for me, as I wanted to continue using a sleep mask through the summer but I found the iUNIK propolis one to be potentially too thick for warmer weather. I love how it immediately calms down my skin if it starts feeling warm and reactive during my routine, without adding a thick layer.
Price: $15 USD / 80 mL

Chiasm Skin Wild Being Desert Oil

This lovely oil is the dry skin-oriented one from Chiasm Skin. It’s definitely not a dry oil like the Daybreak prototype, so I use it in the PM after the Cosrx Propolis Light Cream. I haven’t used it too long just yet but it seems like a nice successor to my custom oil. This one in particular features cold-pressed lightning-struck juniper oil, so that’s pretty magical.
Price: $42 USD / 15 mL

Bonus Round: Body Skincare

Amlactin Daily Moisturizing Lotion

This lotion came highly recommended because it’s gently exfoliating, but I … am not loving it. And honestly the reason for that is the smell. The problem with fragrance-free products is that it doesn’t mean they don’t HAVE a fragrance, it just means there aren’t added fragrant compounds. But this smells super strongly of that lactic acid tang, which I don’t love smelling like and, unfortunately, brings my puppy running to lick it all off my legs. Texture-wise I do enjoy it, but I find the need to put on clothes after to lock the smell away, or promptly put on perfume to mask it.
Price: $13 USD / 255 g

Bioderma Atoderm Shower Oil

This mega bottle of shower oil was my hope for a worthy successor to the Neutrogena Fragrance-Free Body Oil which is my go-to oil for keeping bath from stripping the heck out of my skin. After all, since it’s a liter and in a pump, it’s ostensibly a really great option. That said, I find that I need over 5 pumps to make my 50 gallon bathtub sufficiently moisturizing. And unlike the Neutrogena, this is fragranced with a baby powder smell. It’s a very light smell, though, and quickly disappears.
Price: $20 USD / 1 L

April Empties Review

Sometimes I worry about how much skincare I buy, then I see how much skincare I go through and I think “nope, seems fine.” Here’s what I emptied in April!

Cosrx Cica Serum

I won this serum (and the rest of Cosrx’s cica line) back in late November/early December. This serum isn’t as immediately calming and hydrating as the toner from the line, which is a holy grail, but it is really wonderful. If you’re looking for a simple, calming, hydrating serum I definitely recommend it. I enjoyed cocktailing it with ceramide serums, which can otherwise be difficult to spread. That said, if you’re looking to just try something from the line, go for the toner instead.
Rating: 9/10
Price: $28 USD / 30 mL

Skinfood Royal Honey Propolis Enrich Essence

This essence came highly recommended, but I don’t know that it entirely lived up to the hype, given the price. I did legitimately enjoy using it. I do think a fair bit of my enjoyment was just due to how bougie the bottle is. If you’re specifically hoping for an essence, maybe look into a different option, as both the packaging (dropper bottle) and texture (not watery) is not conducive to using it as an essence. But in terms of a good moisturizing, soothing serum, this is a fantastic choice because it has the bee trifecta of royal jelly, honey and propolis. I would definitely consider repurchasing next winter.
Rating: 9/10
Price: $39 USD / 30 mL

Isntree Cica Relief Cream

This cream was an instant holy grail. I loved it for reducing irritation — both generalized redness and specific itchy patches. I used it as an AM moisturizer, for which it was a good weight. The light green tint really helped visibly neutralize skin tone. I’m slightly devastated that I didn’t rebuy when it was still $16 at Yesstyle, since at its full price it’s a bit pricier than what I like to spend for 30 mL, but I’ve got it on my droplist! Definitely would recommend for those needing redness reduction due to sensitivity.
Rating: 10/10
Price: $34 USD / 30 mL

Primera Miracle Seed Essence

Having heard many things about this essence before I was really aware of kbeauty (Primera, an Amorepacific brand, is one of the few kbeauty brands available at Sephora), I was very curious about this essence. Its hero ingredient is lotus seed extract, though it also has some saccharomyces extract and other nice ingredients. I noticed that it was hydrating, but didn’t see any other benefits. Perhaps I’m doomed to not notice much of a difference with essences? Who knows. Definitely doesn’t seem like it would be worth the price to get the full-size version.
Rating: 7/10
Price: $58 USD / 150 mL, shown here in the travel size from their bestsellers kit

Chiasm Skin Custom Oil

I ordered this oil on a whim when the brand launched in December, and it’s been a lot of fun to have something made just for me. It’s absolutely a splurge, but then as a rule I feel like facial oils are splurgey things. I always used this as one of my final steps in the evening, though whether it went before or after moisturizer depended on the moisturizer. The smell and the slip of it was wonderful. I would say most of the benefits I got from it were just from the occlusivity and emollience of all of the oils, rather than any specific skin brightening, but that’s largely a function of how long I used it for.
Rating: 9/10
Price: $165 USD / 30 mL

Ingredients: Opuntia ficus-indica (Prickly Pear) Seed Oil,* Rosa Mosqueta (Rose Hip) Seed Oil, Rubus Chamaemorus (Cloudberry) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Helianthus Annus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Squalane (Sugarcane-Derived), Supercritical Chia Extract [Salvia Hispanica (Chia) Seed Extract & Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Extract],* Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (Vitamin C), Lactobacillus/Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Ferment Filtrate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract,* Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana (Kakadu Plum) Extract, Lupinus Albus (White Lupine) Seed Extract, Sambucus Nigra (Elderberry) Fruit Extract, Bisabolol, Helichrysum Italicum (Immortelle) Oil,** Michelia Alba (Magnolia) Oil,** Rosa Damascena (Damask Rose) Extract, Tocopherol (Vitamin E). * Organic. ** Wildcrafted

Trilipiderm Protective Day Crème – Broad Spectrum SPF 30

I’ve repurchased this chemical sunscreen a few times because it’s a really good standby to have around for those days when I just don’t have the time or the want to skincare in the morning. I can use just this, maybe a serum or toner underneath, and call it a morning. Unfortunately, that also tends to be how it works best, as if I use too much product underneath it can really pill as the day goes on. I have to give this sunscreen a lot of credit for improving my skin tone, though, and it’s the reason I discovered I love meadowfoam seed oil.
Rating: 9/10
Price: $40 USD / 50 mL

The Inkey List Bakuchiol Moisturizer

30 milliliters goes fast when you have thirsty, hungry skin. This little moisturizer is usable as an actual moisturizer for more oily folks, but I slide it into my routine most anywhere I can fit it, since bakuchiol is usable day and night. Small but lovely, and I do notice a fine line reduction from it! This was my fourth bottle, I think, and I have another in my stash.
Rating: 9/10
Price: $10 USD / 30 mL

Versed Doctor’s Visit

I had been hoping that this would be a cheaper dupe for the Peach & Lily Super Reboot Resurfacing Mask … but it is not. Well, it is cheaper. I found this mask to be quite stripping, however. Even leaving it on for the shortest time (the suggestions are 2-3 minutes), I found that my skin would feel dry for the rest of the time unless I followed it up with a hydrating mask. I will say that it did everything you would hope an exfoliating mask with glycolic acid and salicylic acid would do, however, so if you want something nicer to use than The Ordinary’s peel, this might be a good option.
Rating: 3/10
Price: $18 USD / 50 mL

iUNIK Propolis Vitamin Sleeping Mask

This sleeping mask did not last long (about two months), but it was enjoyable and I give it a fair amount of credit for getting me through an unusually long Colorado winter. This is definitely a more moisturizing sleeping mask than some, so oilier skin types could probably just use this without a moisturizer or oil underneath. I can’t say that I really appreciated any brightening effects from this product in particular, but I do love me some propolis and sea buckthorn. I’ll definitely be buying another tube for the depth of next winter.
Rating: 9/10
Price: $16 USD / 60 mL

Must Love Bees: The Buzz on Bee Products

Bees are the best — for the environment and for your skin. They make honey, propolis and royal jelly, all three of which are great for any skin type (unless you’re vegan or allergic to bees, in which case skip them), and a particular secret weapon for dry, sensitive skin types that are prone to acne flares. Personally, I like to think of bees as having tiny jobs, but maybe Bee Movie made too big an impression.

Bee Byproducts

Honey

Not just for your toast anymore, honey is the most common bee product in skincare. Honey mask are one of the most common DIYs, and it’s easy to see why. Honey’s a natural anti-septic and antibacterial, so it’s a great go-to ingredient for skin that’s not behaving (begone, monthly breakouts!). It’s also moisturizing and promotes wound healing, so it’s great for dry sensitive skin, too. There’s so many great brands with a focus on honey now that there’s no reason to squeeze the cute honey bear out over your hands and face, so read below for more recommendations.

Propolis

Propolis is another bee product you’re apt to see in skincare, but it’s not honey. (We’re looking at you, old version of the COSRX Ultimate Moisturizing Honey Overnight Mask with no honey but ample propolis.) Propolis is a resin used to make beehives, but you wouldn’t know it to look at most propolis products, in which it tends to be a nice thickish liquid. Even more so than honey, propolis is great for quietly but masterfully diminishing breakouts due to its wound healing and redness fighting abilities.

Royal Jelly

Royal jelly is the fancy honey-adjacent product used to feed the Queen Bee. You won’t usually see royal jelly in its own product (it’s typically tag teaming with propolis and honey), but it has great humectant and moisturizing abilities, in addition to being full of antioxidants.

Buy These Bee Products

Sold on bees? I’ve grouped some of the products that I’ve tried or am interested in below

Cosrx Propolis Line

This is the line that made me fall in love with propolis in particular. I used the Cosrx Propolis Toner nonstop for a month last September, and behold! no breakouts due to PMS for the first time since my early 20s. I’ve yet to try the Cosrx Propolis Cream and the Cosrx Propolis Ampoule (both pictured), but I’m starting the cream (which also contains royal jelly and honey) as an AM moisturizer very soon, and the ampoule came highly recommended so I couldn’t resist picking up the whole line at the Ulta 21 Days of Beauty sale.

I’m From Honey Line

The I’m From Honey Mask (pictured) is a cult favorite in the k-beauty world and deserves all of its hype. The price seems a bit steep, but wow it lasts a long time. It’s incredibly moisturizing and hydrating, so if you’ve been wondering what a good wash-off mask for dry skin is, look no further. This one is definitely going to be a rebuy for me! The line also includes the less popular I’m From Honey Serum and I’m From Honey Glow Cream.

iUNIK Propolis Vitamin Line

iUNIK’s Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum (not pictured) was my other intro to propolis besides the Cosrx toner. I’ve since moved on to their iUNIK Propolis Vitamin Sleeping Mask (pictured), which has been quite moisturizing and great for winter. Their line also includes an eye cream. The “vitamin” in their name comes from the inclusion of sea buckthorn, which is considered a natural source of vitamin c. iUNIK is great about value sets and minis, so if you want to try propolis without truly committing, give them a whirl.

Skinfood Royal Honey Propolis Enrich Line

The Skinfood Royal Honey Propolis Enrich Essence (pictured) is spoken of in nearly hallowed terms by kbeauty-loving influencers (cough cough Kelly Driscoll made me do it), so I had to give it a try this winter. As the name suggests, this line includes royal jelly, honey AND propolis. This essence, despite its name, is arguably more of a serum, but that has not diminished my enjoyment of it, though it does mean I’ve gone through it faster than I might like. It’s been a lovely way to diminish sensitivity while feeling incredibly bougie. Skinfood can be hard to find, but it is available (online) at Ulta and at SokoGlam within the US.

Farmacy Honey Line

I’ve yet to try anything from Farmacy’s honey line, but it’s not for lack of interest. The Farmacy Honey Halo, a moisturizer with ceramides, is by far one of the most recommended products within the Skincare Junkies Facebook group for night creams for dry skin. But regardless of what type of product you’re looking for, Farmacy probably has it in their honey line — cleanser, serum, exfoliant, mask, moisturizer (one for dry, one for oily!) or lip balm. Plus, of this entire list they’re the only available at Sephora.

Honorable Mentions

An honorable mention goes to the Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum (pictured), which is the only propolis product in their line as far as I’m aware, but is a nice pick for folks who are also looking for a good amount of niacinamide to go with their acne-fighting propolis. There’s also two products from By Wishtrend, their Quad Active Boosting Essence and Polyphenols in Propolis 15% Ampoule, which include propolis.

What’s your favorite bee ingredient, and favorite bee-focused product? Let me know so I can put it on my face someday!

March Openeds Reviews

I evidently broke all my rules about how often one should start new products this month — I usually say no more frequent than once per week. But this month saw a lot of old favorites for me (Krave Beauty, Versed, Inkey List, Good Skin Days) and my skin has been really thirsty and more resilient lately, so it’s mostly all been fine except for the week when I decided to also use up a bunch of moisturizer samples (I have several blemish-shaped regrets about that).

iUNIK Propolis Vitamin Sleeping Mask

This sleeping mask came highly recommended, and so far it’s living up to the hype. This is definitely a slightly thicker sleeping mask, so some skin types might find that it works as a stand-alone moisturizer. For my dry skin it’s been working well to protect against the cold, dry Colorado night air, even as I experiment with moisturizers and layering underneath.
Price: $16 USD / 60 mL

Pyunkang Yul Mist Toner

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this mist, beyond that it shouldn’t be irritating because it’s from Pyunkang Yul. So far I’m really liking it. The mister puts out a LOT of product, so it really requires one, maybe two, spritzes to cover face and neck. It feels incredibly refreshing, and if you like a damp skincare routine it’s really great for ensuring that your skin stays that way throughout. One caveat: the pump occasionally gets finicky.
Price: $19 USD / 200 mL

Then I Met You The Giving Essence

I’ve been interested in trying this for ages based on the inci list alone, but the price per mL always stopped me. So when I had a chance to try it not new, but new to me, I went for it. It’s so pretty — the pink at the bottom of the bottle is the product itself showing through. I’ve been using it as a first essence due to its light texture, and while so far I haven’t noticed any differences in my skin, it does make me feel fancy.
Price: $50 USD / 100 mL

Versed Doctor’s Visit

I’ve become quite a fan of exfoliating wash-off masks lately, as it was a great way to fill long, dark evenings. This particular mask touts glycolic and salicylic acids, as well as fruit enzymes for exfoliation. They recommend just keeping it on your skin for 2-3 minutes, and I agree with that assessment — not because it feels tingly and strong, but because it’s actually quite stripping. I find that I have to use a hydrating mask afterwards, or my face feels pretty dried out throughout the rest of my routine. It does seem to be helping with my PIE, though.
Price: $18 USD / 50 mL

Versed Press Restart

This is my second time using this retinol, and it’s definitely a good one. At least on my skin, it’s gentle enough for nightly use, even on the more delicate skin of my eyes and neck. Highly recommend as a starter retinol, or for the sort of person who, like me, finds keeping track of a rotating schedule of actives to be a royal pain.
Price: $22 USD / 30 mL

Good (Skin) Days C’s the Day

My second bottle! So glad I had this in my backstock, because I opened this as soon as I emptied my old bottle. I find this serum to be truly wonderful, and a great motivator to do my AM routine (beyond sunscreen itself, of course). At 10% ascorbic acid plus other brighteners, it makes a great starter vitamin c for someone wanting to make the move away from derivatives.
Price: $26 USD / 30 mL

The Inkey List Bakuchiol Moisturizer

Opening up this moisturizer felt like coming home, and not just because of its earthy bakuchiol smell. This lightweight lotion was my go-to AM moisturizer last summer. Bakuchiol’s fantastic because it has some of the benefits of retinol without the sensitivity, so you can use it day or night. I’ve been using other AM moisturizers lately because winter, but when I ran out of my PM moisturizer I decided to bust this out and layer with a variety of moisturizer samples I had.
Price: $10 USD / 30 mL

Krave Beauty The Beet Shield

This sunscreen needs no introduction, and is yet another case of me being thankful for my backstock — I bought ten of these during Black Friday lest I run out, since it’s known for being out of stock. Truly a fantastic daily sunscreen (SPF 50, PA++++).
Price: $20 USD / 50 mL

Naturium Niacinamide Cleansing Gelée 3%

I’d been planning to end this to France for a friend, and then my husband spotted the bubbles and got excited about a cleanser for the first time in his life. I am pleased to announce that he’s now used it quite a few times, mostly in the shower. I am slightly ashamed to announce that I’ve stolen a fair few pumps to use as a quick face mask, as they recommend. Really nice texture and super convenient that it comes in a pump.
Price: $18 USD / 210 mL

Etude House Soon Jung pH 5.5 Relief Toner

This is a hugely popular toner for the seven skins method, so I’m pleased to finally try it. It’s watery but slightly moisturizing, making it a good one to use for this in colder months. I don’t feel like it’s as deeply hydrating as the Cosrx Cica Toner — that one really feels like it penetrates deeply — but it’s still truly lovely.
Price: $16 USD / 180 mL

RNW Der. Concentrate Ceramide Plus Serum

I’m a sucker for ceramides, and I’ve really been enjoying ceramide serums as a way to give myself that extra bonus. Like collagen, the number of ceramides in the skin start decreasing with age, so I figure it can’t hurt even if they’re not as effective as the ceramides the body naturally makes. RNW specializes in ceramide products and this inci list looked particularly promising (it’s got niacinamide, peptides, oils and plant extracts) so I was excited to try. It definitely has that gloopy ceramide texture so it’s nice to cocktail with a hydrating serum.
Price: $30 USD / 30 mL

Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm

While I love the Banila Clean it Zero Cleansing Balm, I felt it was time to try another kbeauty cleansing balm. Compared to Banila, this one seems to have a smoother, more milky texture, which you can tell when it emulsifies — it’s even less stripping. It comes with an internal lid and a very small spatula, but because of that texture it still scrapes up product easily. Unlike Banila this does have added fragrance and it’s a bit of an dd scent — really reminds me of a French laundromat I once hung out in for a couple hours. Seems to work really well, though! Once I contextualized the smell as laundromat I started liking the whole experience much better.
Price: $27 USD / 80 g

Primera Clean Berry Lip Mask

This is a pretty popular lip mask but so far I’m not really seeing the appeal. It’s quite waxy, so having long nails has been handy for getting it out of the container. We’ll see if I come around to it, but so far it doesn’t have the hydration and emollience I look for in a lip product.
Price: $20 USD / 17g for the full size; shown in the travel size that comes in their sampler kit

I’m From Ginseng Serum

I’ve been interested in trying ginseng for a while, and the Beauty of Joseon one was going to take 21 days to ship on Yesstyle, so I thought I would give this a try first. Buyer beware if you don’t do fragrance, because this serum is fragranced and smells delicious — has a warm sweet smell a bit like holiday cookies. I haven’t been using it long enough to see any effects, but I figure well-aging products are a more long-term play.
Price: $29 USD / 30 mL

BONUS ROUND: Haircare, Body Skincare & Single-Use Skincare

Some By Mi Cica Peptide Hair Loss Treatment

Like many of us this past year, I’ve lost a fair bit of hair due to stress. Occasionally after bathing, there would be a whole ring of hair around the tub, which is relatively hard to achieve when your hair is as short as mine. So I bought this on a whim, and it seems to be working — there was less hair in the tub after two uses. This has quite a strong fragrance to it, but I actually enjoy fragrance in my hair products and find this one to be pleasant.
Price: $8 USD / 50 mL

BATHCLIN Onsen Bath Salts

I’m an avid bather, and I’m also obsessed with hot springs, so when I discovered that there were onsen-themed bath salts I was sold and had to try them all. Shown here is the “Nyuto” onsen, which of the eight it’s my favorite fragrance and the nicest on the skin, though let’s be real there’s a good chance I’ll repurchase every version I can get my hands on. Each box contains five packets of bath salts.
Price: $12 USD / 30 g

Derma B Mild Moisture Body Lotion

I’ve been wanting to try Derma B ever since Kelly Driscoll recommended it in a video. This lotion spreads well and leaves the skin feeling nice and buttery. Seems to work well regardless of if my skin is wet or dry, which is always tricky. I love it so far!
Price: $19 USD / 400 mL

Pixi DetoxifEYE Caffeine & Cucumber Depuffing Eye Patches

A lack of sleep got to me this past month, so I decided to finally invest in some eye patches to see if I could beat back some eye bags. That said, I’ve honestly found these difficult to use. I don’t want to use them mid-routine because the rest of my skin may dry out. I don’t want to use them at the end of my routine because then the product doesn’t sink in. So I’ve occasionally just been using them before I start my routine, or mid-day and they’re … fine? I’m sure I’ll get through all 30 uses, but I need to experiment more.
Price: $24 USD / 60 eye patches

March Empties Review

Another month down, another bin full of empties. I don’t know how I keep ending up with so many — I think this month is an official record. 17 empties in total? Granted, two are body skincare and five were minis and one was also in use by my husband but now I’m just rationalizing. Nevertheless, I blame it on dry skin and the tail-end of this dry Colorado winter. Products are listed in the order photographed, or roughly in order of where they go in a routine.

Continue reading “March Empties Review”

March Mask Madness

This winter I’ve gotten really into masking. Like, really really. I did two wash-off masks and one sheet mask on Friday night. It’s been a nice way to fill dark evenings and cold weekend days.

I think of wash-off masks in three categories:

  • clay/charcoal/drying masks. These were really the only type available when I was growing up, and still tend to be the most readily available. These tend to be popular among more oily skin types because of that drying effect, but can have a satisfying but problematic tightening effect if left on too long
  • exfoliating masks. Not scrubs (though some, like the one from Biossance, may have a scrubby effect), these have some combination of AHA, BHA, PHA, LHA or fruit enzymes for chemical exfoliation. Many are labelled or referred to as peels.
  • hydrating/soothing masks. I’m guilty of leaving these on for a long as an hour, but have never had ill effects.

While for my skin type (dry) I should arguably be avoiding clay masks, I’ve found that if I immediately do another hydrating mask after, all is well and my pores still look smaller. I’m currently using the one from Sephora, but also have the one from Peter Thomas Roth and Isntree.

Alternately, if you’re maybe experimenting with a stronger or new exfoliating mask, following it up with a soothing mask immediately after really helps. In previous empties reviews I’ve talked about my love for the exfoliating mask from Peach & Lily, and my “meh” for the mask from Biossance. I’m now (spoiler alert) using the one from Versed, and so far so good!

Truly, the fact that there are now hydrating/soothing wash-off masks on the market has been a game changer for me. A year ago, when folks would ask for hydrating mask recommendations, I never really knew what to recommend — Peter Thomas Roth seemed like the only brand with any options, with one random mask from First Aid Beauty ass well. But now I love to recommend the I’m From Honey and Peach Slices Snail Rescue masks to basically everyone who asks — I truly think that they’re great for all skin types, as long as you’re not going for vegan skincare.

February Openeds Review

February brought new products focused on soothing winter skin. Colorado doesn’t do dry skin any favors in the best of times, and even a winter spent indoors can do numbers on the skin. So I searched my stash for things that could help me get by, plus add a little fun to boot.

Skinfood Royal Honey Propolis Enrich Essence

I’ve been wanting to try this essence for soooo looong thanks to Youtuber Kelly Driscoll’s rave reviews of it. While it’s called an essence, it does come in a dropper bottle, so some folks think of it as a serum. I use it after all my toners and before any serums so … we’re going to call it an essence. This has more bee products than you can shake a stick at, and I love it — royal jelly, honey and propolis (all right there in the name)! I’ve been finding it wonderfully moisturizing and nourishing so far, and it makes me feel super fancy.
Price: $39 USD / 50 mL

Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer

This product has a lot of hype around it and after using it for a few weeks, I think the hype is deserved. Though I’m not sure if the oft-touted white tea leaf water or the meadowfoam seed oil is doing more work. Known as the Cream Skin Refiner in Korea, this seems to bill itself as an emulsion (a watery moisturizer, basically) but it’s definitely too light for that. However, it’s too thick to layer up a la seven skins. I’ve been using it twice in my routine — once as my last toner, and again after my serums. It makes a bit of a nice hydration sandwich, and helps keep my skin damp before doing my final steps. My initial impression was that it feels like a hug for your face, and I stand by that.
Price: $33 USD / 150 mL

Cosrx Cica Serum

I opened up this serum once I finished the Cosrx Cica Toner (RIP I miss you already). It definitely soothes any active redness, even from puppy paw-ing. It’s a bit of a gel-type texture, which was unexpected but feels nice as it spreads. Definitely probably a nice choice for those with reactive skin — would help calm the redness that springs up mid-routine.
Price: $28 USD / 30 mL

Peach Slices Peach Pudding Makeup Cleanser

I’m not entirely sure what I was expecting this texture to be, but I suppose the “pudding” should have been a tip-off. This reminds me of yogurt — definitely a cold cream type texture, and the smell of it definitely is like a lightly flavored peach yogurt. I find that I’m missing cleaning balms just because I love that balm-to-oil moment, but this is still nice so far! I’ll be curious to see how it does taking off layers of spf and dirt once mountain biking season start.
Price: $10 USD / 100 mL

Isntree Cica Relief Cream

Love at first try holy grail status? Maybe. The first time I used it, I had a bit of an itchy irritation. But the moment I put this on? Not only did it not itch, but the redness pretty much instantly faded. Now, granted, some of this redness reduction is attributable to its green tint, but a fair portion of it is also attributed to the cica (centella asiatica). On top of that, this makes my skin incredibly soft. Such a big fan, already. I’ve been loving it as an AM moisturizer.
Price: $34 USD / 50 mL

BONUS ROUND! Hair Care and Single Use Skincare

Dr. Althea Natural Brightening Velvet Mask

Usually I don’t cover sheet masks, but these came in a box and are interesting enough to merit it. After all, how often do you hear about velvet sheet masks? The texture of the mask itself is very plush, though it’s not velvet in the way you might think about velvet fabric. The ampoule itself is very milky and doesn’t dry down sticky. There’s enough left in the package for another use or two, afterwards too. Yum!
Price: $18 for six masks

Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Repair Rituals Hair Care Kit

For all that I don’t have a lot of hair, I really enjoy hair masks. I’d tried the Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! mask before in a small size, so I was excited to get my hands on a slightly bigger size. I find that my hair seems quite a bit thicker after using it. This kit also includes Briogeo’s oil. I haven’t used a hair oil before, but I’m pretty sold. It doesn’t leave my hair oily or heavy — in fact, it seems like my hair gets a bit bouncier with it on!
Price: $20 for 2 ounce mask and .25 ounce oil

Hot Skincare Tips for Cold Weather

The temperatures in Colorado right now are downright upsetting — highs in the teens, low in the negatives (in Fahrenheit, of course). While I work from home and have mostly been blessed with not going outside, winter still takes its toll. Knowing that many folks are currently facing the same issues, I wanted to share what’s been saving my skin this winter.

Moisturize early and often within your routine

During winter everyone — even those who AREN’T skincare fanatics — start thinking about moisturizer. But what you might not be thinking about is moisturizing more generally. After all, why leave that to one of your final steps when you could bring it in earlier?

For me, I was excited to finally bust out the Skinfood Royal Honey Propolis Enrich Essence this month after hearing so much about it for months and lusting after anything and everything propolis for months. The royal jelly, propolis and honey make it a wonderfully healing and moisturizing essence. And yet it doesn’t feel like a moisturizer, given that it’s an essence/serum type texture, so everything else in your routine still layers well.

This month I also opened the Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer. After all, if you can’t open that up in the depth of winter, when can you? The most-touted ingredient in this is the white tea, but higher up in the inci list and an absolutely fabulous ingredient is meadowfoam seed oil. It’s one of my favorite oils, and the inclusion of it in there makes this toner/moisturizer feel like a hug for your face. Just know that it’s not really a moisturizer — just the heaviest of the toners you’re apt to use in your routine.

Layer at bedtime — on your bed and your face

I’ve been sleeping under five blankets at night, and my skin’s been sleeping under three layers of occlusion (if we’re talking actual layers/steps, I think I’m up to 15? Send help). If you’re just using a moisturizer (I love the Pyunkang Yul Ato Cream Blue Label) the last step of your PM routine, it might be time to up the ante.

Some people like using a full-on petrolatum-based product after their moisturizer to “slug”. The idea is that petrolatum truly locks everything in. But hey, petrolatum can be boring and not everyone likes it, so let’s talk other options.

Consider a sleeping mask. Originally out of k-beauty, these are essentially super lightweight moisturizers that pack a yummy punch of ingredients while giving a good bit of occlusivity. I’ve been loving the A’pieu Madecassoside Sleeping Mask. It almost feels cooling at first, but it really soothes.

You might also like a facial oil. I started using an oil after my moisturizer during the summer, when I wound up with a night cream that wasn’t quite enough for my skin. I’ve stuck with it ever since because it makes me feel fancy. Lately I’ve been using my custom oil from Chiasm Skin, which helps tackle my skin concerns while giving me some moisturization and occlusivity.

And hey, if you’re still struggling? Do all three! I find that everything sinks in nicely, and I wake up in the morning with just enough of a film on my skin that I know it kept everything protected.

Don’t forget your lips

Winter is also when lips seem to chap the most. It might be tempting to go out and buy ALL THE CHAPSTICK, but you really don’t need to. Make sure to take all of your skincare onto your lips (well, hydrating/moisturizing products anyway — probably keep the retinol away). Be sure to rinse your lips after toothbrushing (this was a gamechanger for me). If you’ve got a hydrating eye cream, pop it on your lips, too. Keep a nice occlusive on hand to seal it all in — I’ve been enjoying the Biossance Squalane + Rose Vegan Lip Balm because it does the job but doesn’t melt off and cause blackheads, like the Glossier Balm Dotcom did for me.

And, as always, don’t forget sunscreen! Important regardless of the time of year.

What are your hot tips for cold weather?

January Openeds Review

This month should have been a pretty wild one for opening products, since Santa brought so many goodies. Instead, it seemed like half of what I opened had been on hand for a while, another was a splurge I made in November that just arrived, and only ONE THING came from Santa. In poor Santa’s defense, I opened some of the products I got in December right away. These are listed in no particular order.

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