March Empties Reviews

Ahhhh how is it April. Travel and a director-level job has taken a lot of my attention, even from simply doing my routine, which is why I almost certainly should have more empties this month than I do. I find myself shifting away from having a true routine and more towards just using what I have open as the spirit moves me — though on days when I want to “do the most” I still do all 15 or so steps. Nevertheless, stay posted for more openeds next week and (spoiler alert) a Krave Beauty Beet Shield vs Beet the Sun comparison the week after. Hold me to it.

🧼 Farmacy Green Clean Cleansing Balm

Farmacy really brought visibility of cleansing balms to the Western market with Green Clean, and it remains a cult classic. This is a very lightweight cleansing balm that emulsifies easily and rinses well. I’m not a big makeup wearer, but when I do I find that it removes mascara without issue, and after my second cleanser I never find any hidden vestiges of it still on my lashes, which can definitely happen sometimes. I have never had issues with this making my eyes blurry after use, but then I’ve never had that problem with other balms either, so mileage may vary. Farmacy now does this balm in a variety of smells, including essential oil free, so there’s something that should work for everyone. I think it’s a great basic but a bit pricey for the fact that it is a basic.
Opened: November ’22
Rating: 9/10
Price: $36 USD / 100 mL

💜 By Wishtrend Vitamin A-mazing Bakuchiol Night Cream

As someone who was once terrified of retinol, generally, due to skin irritation, I feel I can say confidently that By Wishtrend Vitamin A-mazing Bakuchiol Night Cream is a pretty solid first retinal pick, even for the dry and more sensitive skinned among us. This retinal also uses bakuchiol (what I used for many months, before I got brave enough to do retinol). It says it’s a night cream but given that one is to use a pea-sized amount, I prefer to mix it in with a night cream for optimal slip, as I use this on face, neck and chest. In addition to retinal and bakuchiol, this formula has niacinamide, beta glucan, centella, ceramide NP and palmitoyl tripeptide-8, all of which help offset any possible irritation. While I eased into using it, I now find that I can use it nightly, if I so choose. I was lucky enough to receive a second one from the brand itself, via a giveaway, and you’ll see that in my openeds for the month — while I want to try other products, this could definitely be my forever vitamin A.
Opened: August ’22
Rating: 10/10
Price: $33 USD / 30g

💙 Pyunkang Yul Ato Cream Blue Label

This is not the first time I’ve emptied the Pyunkang Yul Ato Cream Blue Label, and it won’t be the last. This is a midweight cream with all the comfort of a heavy one but mine of the claustrophobic feeling. Pyunkang Yul markets this as a face or body cream, and prices it as such, but I’ll admit I really only use it for my face — it doesn’t have enough slip for body. This is called an Ato Cream because it’s intended for sensitive skin, which is why I love it for a night cream, especially in winter. Acetyl hexapeptide-8 (the “Botox peptide”) promotes healing of the moisture barrier, while ceramide NP and fatty acids from shea butter and macadamia seed oil give it the materials to do so. This will always be my recommendation for someone who wants a barrier repairing cream that feels like a picture product at a drugstore price per ounce.
Opened: November ’22
Rating: 10/10
Price: $19 USD / 120 mL

🛡 The Klog Soft Shield Pimple Patch

I don’t always get pimples, but when I do, I absolutely have to have pimple patches or I’m a picking wreck. If I had had access to pimple patches in my late teens and early twenties, I’m sure that the state of my hyperpigmentation would have been very different. These Soft Shield Pimple Patches from The Klog are an excellent exemplar of how patches can be wonderfully multifunctional, as the two sizes make them work for pimples as well as heat rash, cuts, etc. These seem to be a bit thicker than some other brands, like Cosrx, and to not stick quite as well. It’s definitely one where I recommend wiping off the skincare you applied before putting them on, instead of YOLO-ing them on over top. This is, of course, what you are SUPPOSED to do, but when do I listen to that? Full points, regardless, because I’m not about to ding them for me not using them as directed.
Opened: July ’22
Rating: 10/10
Price: $6 USD / 42 patches

February Openeds Reviews

It’s funny, for such an extensive skincare routine, I tend to empty (and thus open) a lot of products in the same category at the same time. In February, it was serums — though there’s some other goodies in here, too. As a reminder, these are simply first impressions, and more thorough results and ratings will come when these, too, are emptied.

Serums

🍃 Barr Centella Calming Gel Essence

Despite its name, Barr Centella Calming Gel Essence is definitely a serum. The name essence, in this case, most likely comes from how much it uses the essence of centella — the leaf water and extract, as well as compounds madecassoside and asiaticoside. To amplify the calming, this uses panthenol, ceramide NP and heartleaf extract. I suspect that this is intended for acne-prone skin types, as there’s some willow bark extract in there as well, but it’s not stripping. That said, I would say that this is more of an “every day” calming serum, rather than a “break glass in case of emergency” serum — it’ll help calm breakouts and sensitivity with regular usage, rather than immediately tone down angry, inflamed skin.
Price: $18 USD / 60 mL

💧 Vichy Mineral 89 Prebiotic Face Serum

After what feels like months of the Skincare Fanatics modmin team telling me that I need to try Vichy, I’ve finally opened the Vichy Mineral 89 Prebiotic Face Serum. As longtime readers will know, I avoid products whose focus is hyaluronic acid, so didn’t want to go for their classic serum, but I can get down with prebiotics — and postbiotics, which this also has. Basically, give me the things to make my skin barrier’s microbiome happier, because I am here for it. In addition this includes niacinamide and, of course, the mineral water that the Vichy brand is all about. This is a bit milky in appearance, but goes on easily — I’ve been using it AM and PM without issues.
Price: $35 USD / 30 mL

🐝 Skinfood Royal Honey Propolis Enrich Essence

If you want something striking on your skincare shelf, Skinfood Royal Honey Propolis Enrich Essence is a great option. This is my second bottle — the first time I tried it, over a year ago, I had yet to truly dive into my love of propolis, and was just getting started. This essence-that-is-actually-a-serum is a bit different from many of the other propolis serums on the market in that it really is about the bee trifecta, per its name: royal jelly, honey and propolis. This is moisturizing but lightweight, with beta glucan and sodium hyaluronate adding hydration, and lactobacillus and saccharomyces ferment amplifying the serum’s hydrating and moisturizing effects. If you’re looking for propolis more for its moisturizing properties than its acne-fighting and glow-bringing properties (though this will do that, too!), this is a great option.
Price: $39 USD / 50 mL

🔵 SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense

Sometimes, your husband gives you a gift card to your go-to spa for your birthday and tells you to buy skincare with it, so you buy SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense. Unfortunately, I think my spa kept it on their shelf rather than in cold storage for a bit too long, so it’s a bit oxidized, but we’re going for it anyway. The discoloration defense for this comes from three ingredients: niacinamide, tranexamic acid and kojic acid. While I’ve tried niacinamide and tranexamic acid in various formulations, this is my first foray into kojic acid, and I’m hopeful that, despite said oxidization, it might finally beat back my melasma mustache. I tend to use it in the morning, after vitamin C.
Price: $108 USD / 30 mL

Everything Else

🍶 Scinic First Treatment Essence

The Scinic First Treatment Essence closes my bold experiment of trying ALL the big SK-II dupes: Missha, Mizon, Secret Key and, well, Scinic. (If I’m missing one let me know. I will try it for science.) This has 90% galactomyces ferment filtrate, plus a few fun extras in that other 10%: niacinamide, adenosine, licorice root water, purslane extract, Korean black raspberry extract, and sea water. I love galactomyces for its pore reduction effect on my skin, as well as for its hydration and bounce-imbuing properties. This is definitely one of the cheaper options out there, so I’ve been using two layers AM and PM.
Price: $20 USD / 150 mL

🥛 Banobagi Milk Thistle Repair Sunscreen Plus

This is not Banobagi Milk Thistle Repair Sunscreen Plus’s first time in my routine — the joys of BOGO. This is a great sunscreen for winters in Colorado, in part because it’s moisturizing, and in part because it’s SPF 45+ rather than SPF 50+. Wild to think there was a time I thought SPF 45 was a lot, and swore by 15. The skincare world’s really changed. This is a Korean chemical sunscreen, so uses the more modern chemical filters. The moisturizing properties of this come from dimethicone, echium plantagineum seed oil and sunflower seed oil. They slide in a few more skincare benefits with madecassoside, centella extract, sea buckthorn extract, milk thistle extract, burdock extract and four peptides including Copper Tripeptide-1. I’m honestly surprised this sunscreen doesn’t get more play on Skincare Internet, but I suspect it’s the scene’s general “SPF 50+ or bust” attitude.
Price: $18 USD / 50 mL

🍑 Tonymoly Mini Fruit Peach Lip Balm

I like products that secretly look like butts, and I cannot lie — that is why the Tonymoly Mini Fruit Peach Lip Balm has made it into my collection. This is a fairly straightforward lip balm, with petrolatum, shea butter, safflower oil, beeswax, carnauba wax, parrafin and lanolin really hitting all the standard ingredients there. Despite all this, it’s a pretty lightweight lip balm, and includes goodies like ceramide NP, rosehip oil, tea tree leaf oil and peach extract. But most importantly: it’s a peach. I know my priorities, no need to be coy about it.
Price: $10 USD / 7 g

February Empties Reviews

February went by quickly, as it is wont to do. My face largely returned to normal, after January’s upset, but an eczema/psoriasis/I’m-secretly-allergic-to-my-dogs patch on the back of my neck caused problems. My empties tend to come in waves, with some months being all about serums, others about toners — this is a serum one. Here’s what I emptied last month:

Serums

🌊 Pacifica Sea & C Love Vitamin Serum

I bought the Pacifica Sea & C Love Vitamin Serum on the recommendation of a friend, and then it sat forever in my stash, and then I finally opened it late December and forgot to include it in those reviews. Sigh. Sometimes the timing just hits wrong with these, I suppose. This is an interesting vitamin C serum, in that it does indeed have a vitamin C derivative (3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid) but it’s mostly a hydration party, with glycerin, aloe juice, sea kelp extract, black tea ferment, algae extract and the obligatory hyaluronic acid. To amplify the antioxidant benefits of the vitamin C, it also has green tea extract, turmeric extract and cranberry extract. This makes it an incredibly easy serum to fit into any routine, though the brightening benefits might be more subdued. It’s worth noting that this does include a fragrance blend, which is fairly standard for Pacifica.
Opened: December per my spreadsheet, but it seems I failed to include it in those reviews
Price: $18 USD / 29 mL
Rating: 8/10

🍓 Volition Strawberry-C Brightening Serum

I normally wouldn’t try Volition due to the price point, but since I got the Volition Strawberry-C Brightening Serum through a Gift With Purchase (GWP) sampler from Ulta, well, here we are. This is another hydrating vitamin C serum with 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, though the brand leans more into strawberry seed and fruit extracts for its vitamin C claims.Interestingly, this also includes kakadu plum extract, an increasingly popular source of vitamin c. Similar to the Pacifica, it also includes glycerin, hyaluronic acid (in its salt form) and a nod to the sea — sea water, in this case. One might almost consider these to be dupes, in which case I have to say, if only for price, Pacifica comes out on top.
Opened: this month
Price: $44 USD / 30 mL; shown in a sample size
Rating: 7/10

🌱 Dermafirm Bio Correction Ampoule Collagen R4

While I don’t get excited about collagen as an ingredient, I do get excited about free serums, which is why I even have the Dermafirm Bio Correction Ampoule Collagen R4 (thanks, YesStyle gift with purchase!). As we know, collagen, even hydrolyzed, is too large to penetrate the skin barrier, so it instead serves as a humectant — as does the glycerin, aloe powder, hyaluronic acid and beta glucan in this formula. In addition to the hydrolyzed collagen, this includes the specific peptides copper tripeptyde-1, palmitoyl oligopeptide, tripeptide-1 and palmitoyl pentapeptide-4. This was a bit drying, unfortunately, but I imagine with continued use it might be repairing — though at too high a price compared to other great k-beauty serums, in my opinion.
Opened: January
Price: $29 USD / 15 mL
Rating: 5/10

💚 By Wishtrend Cera-barrier Soothing Ampoule

The By Wishtrend Cera-barrier Soothing Ampoule was fairly hyped a few months ago — skin barrier-supporting serums are definitely popular lately, as all of us recover from the over-exfoliation and retinization that the recent years have induced in many of us. This is a lightweight yet creamy serum, with one ceramide and six peptides for barrier repair, centella asiatica extract and panthenol for calming, and squalane and sunflower seed oil for some extra skin-type-agnostic fatty acid love. This serum will definitely soothe your skin barrier, but I’d recommend it for daily upkeep more than emergency repair. I suspect that oilier skin types prone to acne or over-exfoliation might love this.
Opened: November
Price: $28 USD / 30 mL
Rating: 9/10

Everything Else

🫐 Biossance Squalane + Elderberry Jelly Cleanser

I received the Biossance Squalane + Elderberry Jelly Cleanser from a friend who loved it. Well. I can see why. This is ostensibly a gel cleanser, but when you put it on dry skin (which is the way it directs) it breaks down and spreads easily, almost like an oil — most likely due to Biossance’s much-loved squalane. It rinses clean but leaves the skin feeling unstripped, to the point that I can finally do some other chores between cleansing and the rest of my routine without my face hurting. I love the aesthetic of it (bubbly and purple? Yes please). This cleanser is part of why I’ve been double cleansing less, as it works well for light eye makeup, as well as sunscreen, though I can’t speak to how well it works for a full face. It seems out of stock most places, and I’ll be wildly disappointed if so — this is definitely worth a rebuy, as the price and the experience make it hard to beat.
Opened: July
Price: $28 USD / 150 mL
Rating: 10/10

3️⃣ Son Reve Tri Bio Treatment Essence

Color me influenced: I bought the Son Reve Tri-Bio Treatment Essence when it was on sale because Kelly Driscoll, one of my favorite skincare Youtubers, recommended it. I love a first treatment essence, usually full of fermented ingredients, for their incredible lightweight hydration, as well as pore control. This does indeed have 90% fermented ingredients: galactomyces ferment filtrate, bifida ferment lysate and three rice ferment filtrates (aspergillus, lactobacillus and sacccharomyces), with the other 10% including sea buckthorn extract and niacinamide. This is not as lightweight as the first treatment essences I usually go for, though in fairness it doesn’t bill itself as a “first” treatment essence. While I don’t think I’ll rebuy, it would be a good pick for someone hoping to explore ferments in a more minimal routine.
Opened: November
Price: $43 USD / 150 mL
Rating: 8/10

🗓 Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30Days Miracle Toner

I had been waiting to try the Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30Days Miracle Toner basically since I first got into skincare. After all, who can say no to a supposed miracle in 30 days, or an exfoliant that includes all the different types? (Plenty of people, that’s who — if this weren’t such a gentle exfoliant, you would definitely not want to use it daily.) This was indeed gentle enough to use daily, for me, but the peppermint oil in it really put me off. I ended up actually “upgrading it” to my scalp, which enjoyed it significantly more than my face. In fairness, I do love salicylic acid, tea tree leaf water and witch hazel for my scalp, so I guess that would do it.
Opened: January
Price: $22 USD / 150 mL; shown in a 30 mL travel size
Rating: 5/10

🌻 Aromatica Comforting Calendula Decoction Juicy Cream

I received the Aromatica Comforting Calendula Decoction Juicy Cream through the YesStyel Influencer Program in exchange for a review — that review has long since come and gone, since this took me so long to finish. Aromatica recommends this cream for face or body, and I did indeed end up downgrading it to body care. This has 48% calendula extract for skin soothing, as well as aloe extract, shea butter, coconut oil and ceramide NP. It’s not a thick cream, and spreads easily, but it can feel quite heavy and greasy. I found I liked it best on damp skin, right out of the shower or tub.
Opened: August
Price: $37 USD / 150 mL
Rating: 4/10

January Openeds Reviews

Hello skin woes, my old enemies. It’s not nice to see you again. Two Januaries in a row, now, my skin has been on the struggle bus. Last year, it was psoriasis all over my body. This year, it was a resurgence of my seborrheic dermatitis (and a nice little patch of contact dermatitis on the back of my neck).

Toners

💦 Acwell Licorice pH Balancing Essence Mist

I picked up the Acwell Licorice pH Balancing Essence Mist on a whim through the SokoGlam rewards program (which is an excellent one, by the way). This mist, which is incidentally in partnership with SokoGlam itself, really focuses on licorice for its brightening effects, while adding in great hydrators like bamboo extract, oat extract and beta-glucan. Other notable callouts include fermented ingredients like saccharomyces ferment filtrate and yeast extract, as well as centella leaf water, royal jelly extract and prebiotics for calming and moisturizing, It’s worth noting that this does have orange and lemon fruit extracts, as well as bergamot oil, so those avoiding natural fragrance sources may want to avoid it. I haven’t noticed any fragrance, frankly, even though due to the fairly “meh” mister I find myself spraying a fair bit of this at a time for full coverage.
Price: $24 USD / 100 mL

🍄 Chasin’ Rabbits Magic Beauty Shroom

One look at the Chasin’ Rabbits Magic Beauty Shroom marketing and you’ll understand why I had to try it. This “tremella mushroom elixir” is made with 100% tremella mushroom extract, also known as snow fungus. It’s having its moment in skincare lately due to its high amount of beta glucan and polysaccharides, which have hydrating and moisturizing effects, all while providing an antioxidant benefit, as well. This elixir — I use it as a toner, though you could certainly use it as an essence, too — layers well with just a little bit of body to it. This is my first real foray into tremella, so I’m excited to see its effects and whether it really is magical.
Price: $25 USD / 200 mL

🗓 Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30Days Miracle Toner

Despite its name, the current generation of the Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30Days Miracle Toner does not, in fact, have AHA. Unless you consider citric acid an AHA, which it arguably is, though rarely used for that purpose and not merely for adjusting the pH of a formula. This has salicylic acid (BHA), lactobionic acid (PHA) and papaya extract (another gentle exfoliant). This also includes niacinamide, tea tree leaf water and witch hazel extract, making it a pretty great choice for those with more oily, acne-prone skin seeking a bit of a daily de-clog. One big callout here, beyond the lack of AHA itself, is the fairly strong menthol scent due to the peppermint oil. It was that very peppermint oil that made me initially wonder if this was the source of my seborrheic dermatitis flare up, though the two seem to be unrelated, upon further testing. Still: buyer beware.
Price: $22 USD / 150 mL; shown in a 30 mL travel size

Serums

🍑 Peach Slices Redness Relief Azelaic Acid Serum

The Peach Slices Redness Relief Azelaic Acid Serum is officially a staple in our household now, having overthrown the booster from Paula’s Choice due to price considerations alone. Like the Paula’s Choice, this includes 10% azelaic acid. But this nixes the salicylic acid in that formula in favor of calming and antioxidant ingredients like panthenol, mugwort, centella and more. The lightweight texture makes it super easy to use AM or PM.
Price: $20 USD / 30 mL

👁 Hydrafacial Eye Replenishing Serum

I got the Hydrafacial Eye Replenishing Serum after, well, a Hydrafacial (they don’t sell them individually) and thus far I have to say: I understand the hype behind rollerballs for eye skincare now. This has a very liquidy formula, with oat kernel extract, mucor miehei extract (more mushroom!), arnica extract and hyaluronic acid. Notionally, all of these together should plump and brighten the area. This isn’t really an issue that I have, but because of the rollerball I’ve enjoyed using it immensely, even if otherwise the packaging is a bit annoying in my skincare bin because it rolls around.
Price: N/A

🌱 Dermafirm Bio Correction Ampoule Collagen R4

I received the Dermafirm Bio Correction Ampoule Collagen R4 as a gift with purchase through YesStyle and I’m glad I did because it’s about double what I like to pay per mL on serums. Per its name, this includes hydrolyzed collagen, a great humectant. The humectant nature of this serum is amplified by glycerin, aloe powder hyaluronic acid and beta glucan, while they added copper tripeptyde-1, palmitoyl oligopeptide, tripeptide-1 and palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 to enhance the notional healing and collagen stimulating benefits of the hydrolyzed collagen. That said, this is a surprisingly un-hydrating serum — frankly rather goopy — so I find myself spritzing the Acwell mist with aplomb before applying.
Price: $29 USD / 15 mL

Last Steps

🛢 Kinship Ceramide Barrier Repair Oil

I don’t stand by facial oils in my routine, but I do stand by ceramides and I do enjoy facial oils in winter, so of course I had to pick up the Kinship Ceramide Barrier Repair Oil. This is a blended oil, with sesame seed oil, squalane, jojoba oil, olive oil, oat oil, moringa seed oil, borage oil, sea buckthorn oil and avocado oil. It also includes a variety of fruit extracts and a vitamin C derivative. Notably, you won’t see any of the usual ceramide NP/AP/EOP/etcs in here — these ceramides are derived from the oat kernel oil. This is a nice, lightweight facial oil that smells nice — though if you’re interested in a fragranced oil blend with a lot of ceramides, I highly recommend the Derma B Intensive Barrier Multi Oil.
Price: $38 USD / 30 mL

🔵 Village 11 Factory Ultra Facial Cream

I received the Village 11 Factory Ultra Facial Cream through the YesStyle Influencer Program in exchange for a review. This is not that review. This is intended to be a lightweight cream, and I suppose it is that — but you have to use a very small amount it, basically a finger tip’s dab, in order for it to not feel greasy on the skin. When using a small amount, however, it leaves the skin feeling very smooth, and I imagine this would be great for makeup wearers who like a dimethicone base. The hero ingredient of this is the laminaria japonica extract, a type of brown algae known for its antioxidant, anti-aging and moisturizing benefits. Interestingly, this also includes tranexamic acid, green tea extract, licorice root extract, cica extract, heartleaf extract and milk thistle extract, so they’re going for a daytime antioxidant cream with this, in my opinion. My main issue is simply the packaging, as it can be tough to keep tubs this size free of debris (in my house, mostly poodlemix fluff).
Price: $16 USD / 100 mL

🍉 Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask

I’ve been holding onto the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask for so long that it’s actually been reformulated and renamed to Watermelon Glow AHA Night Treatment since I acquired it. The rename is probably for the best. This includes glycolic and lactic acid, both AHAs, and are definitely the sort of ingredients you want to know when you’re using, because while for me this is gentle enough to use daily and with retinal, you wouldn’t want to just blithely apply it. I also support the rename to “Night Treatment”, as I’ve seen some folks use sleeping masks in lieu of moisturizers and I would not recommend that with this — a thin layer is all you need or want to apply. As it is, I do recommend rinsing this off in the morning purely because that film really sticks around.
Price: $40 USD / 60 mL; shown in a 30 mL travel size

January Empties Reviews

After a relatively slow empties month in December, January was back to the old me in a big way — though I’m trying to NOT “one in, one out” this month, so expect fewer openeds reviews next week. My seborrheic dermatitis came back this month, in part, I suspect, due to one of the products I opened, so I went through some of my more hydrating, soothing products faster than I might have otherwise.

Toners & Mists

🍄 d’Alba White Truffle First Spray Serum Mist

Mushroom is having its moment in skincare, and the d’Alba White Truffle First Spray Serum Mist is very much part of that moment — I wouldn’t say it’s gone viral YET, but it’s definitely getting talked about a lot. This is a biphase mist, with a thin layer of yellow oil resting on top of a toner (well, a serum, according to them). The oil layer is comprised of avocado and sunflower oils, lightweight but moisturizing enough to play well in a mist, and the rest of the formula highlights white truffle extract, niacinamide and chia seed extract. I liked this as a mid-routine mist, but much of this product’s popularity seems to actually come from how well it works as a setting spray or mid-day mist.
Opened: November
Price: $35 USD / 100 mL
Rating: 9/10

🌾 I’m From Rice Toner

On the other hand, the I’m From Rice Toner has long since gone to cult classic status. As one might expect from the name, this has 77.8% rice extract, which is a great antioxidant, humectant, brightener and, per some research, collagen stimulator. It also includes skin soothers and strengtheners like adenosine, niacinamide, japanese elm bark extract and amaranthus caudatus seed extract. While frequently compared to Laneige Cream Skin, they don’t have much in common beyond appearance. This layers nicely, though even after a few months of using it the brightening benefits still aren’t vary apparent — definitely better as a hydrator than something that will give long-term benefits, in my opinion.
Opened: October
Price: $25 USD / 150 mL
Rating: 8/10

Treatments

🥜 Stratia Soft Touch AHA

This bottle of Stratia Soft Touch AHA is nearly unrecognizable after being in my skincare bin for a few months — a common problem with the brand’s packaging. This has 10% mandelic acid (typically derived from almonds, which this does smell a bit like), a very gentle alpha hydroxy acid, meaning it works on the surface level of the skin to exfoliate. This also includes allantoin and chamomile for calming, so it really focuses on gentleness. This had the unexpected benefit of making it possible for me to use it in every evening routine, even in the ones with retinal. And I’m not going to lie, the rapid deterioration of the packaging did make me want to use it up as quickly as possible, because it’s a bit of a bummer. That said, I didn’t notice much of an effect from this — it’s possible it was simply too gentle for me, or that it couldn’t provide anything my routine wasn’t already.
Opened: October
Price: $16 USD / 50 mL
Rating: 7/10

🟢 Peach Slices Redness Relief Azelaic Acid Serum

I didn’t review the Peach Slices Redness Relief Azelaic Acid Serum when I first opened it, since it was intended for my husband’s routine, but considering I’m the one who finished the tube, a review here seems only fair. He’s been an avid (well, as avid as he is with any skincare) user of azelaic acid for his rosacea, and so I picked this up when it launched as an alternative to the more expensive (but same percentage) Paula’s Choice option. This is a much more lightweight texture, though they feel similar on the skin, and lacks the salicylic acid that helps make that formulation so effective. Instead, it leans into that redness reduction with centella and algea extracts, as well as panthenol. It’s a bit less effective than Paula’s Choice, but given the price difference that hardly seems like a problem — I, for one, am excited to see a drugstore-priced azelaic acid on the market. I certainly felt less guilty using it up on my seborrheic dermatitis spots, which it helped calm down in a few days. We already have a few more tubes stashed!
Opened: August
Price: $20 USD / 30 mL
Rating: 10/10

🍑 Peach & Lily Transparen-C Pro Spot Treatment

The Peach & Lily Transparen-C Pro Spot Treatment got a lot of hype when it was released, so I snatched it when it was 50% off. I’m glad I did — get it at that price, that is. This is ostensibly all about brightening, with an ascorbic acid derivative, licorice root extract, tocopherol, ferulic acid, tranexamic acid and a kojic acid derivative. This is intended to just be applied to dark spots, but that was not conducive to how I like to do my skincare, so I ended up just treating this like a facial oil, taking three drops and patting it all over, since the base of sunflower, macadamia, meadowfoam and jojoba oils are the sort of thing I look for in facial oils anyway. I must admit, I would have hoped for a greater reduction in the appearance of sun damage or melasma, but no such luck, though at least between this and the Beauty of Joseon serum below, much of my PIE has vanished.
Opened: June
Price: $43 USD / 20 mL
Rating: 6/10

👀 Mizon Snail Repair Intensive Gold Eye Gel Patches

Some might not think of under-eye patches as a treatment, but let me just say that the way I used the Mizon Snail Repair Intensive Gold Eye Gel Patches definitely qualifies. During the work day, when I start feeling eye strain, I put these on. I’ve also (pro tip bonus!) begun putting them on my nasolabial folds in hopes to make them less extreme some day. I don’t know how well it’ll work for the latter, but it works really well for the former, and perk me right up. These eye patches are pretty goopy, which makes them fine for mid-day use but terrible for mid-routine use, as it balls up. Unfortunately, it can make sunscreen pill, too. If you want Mizon snail eye products, I say try their eye cream (below).
Opened: June
Price: $18 USD / 30 pairs
Rating: 5/10

Serums

🥂 Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum

Peach & Lily single-handedly got folks in the US thinking of “glass skin”, and so of course I tried their Glass Skin Refining Serum. Glass skin, notionally, is incredibly clear, smooth, bright and hydrated, such that it appears to have a glass-like finish. Will this give you glass skin? No. But it will get you partway there: it has niacinamide for brightening, centella for calming, beta glucan and hyaluronic acid for hydration, and peach extract and dioscorea japonica for that extra bit of antioxidant boost so common in k-beauty formulations. That said — this feels like a classic k-beauty serum, so I think most of its popularity is due to its accessibility and hype-drriven name, rather than its effects, which seemed pretty temporary.
Opened: October
Price: $39 USD / 40 mL
Rating: 8/10

🍶 Neogen Real Ferment Micro Serum

Bifida ferment lysate is having its moment lately, and the Neogen Real Ferment Micro line is definitely partially to blame. Their essence, which I’ve also tried, is sometimes considered a dupe for galactomyces-based first essences, which it is not, but the serum can certainly go head-to-head with other popular bifida serums like the ones from Missha, Isntree and, most notably, Estee Lauder. This relies on 61% fermented ingredients: bifida ferment lysate, saccharomyces ferment filtrate, rice ferment filtrate and aspergillus ferment, all of which help support a healthy skin barrier. It also includes brightening and calming ingredient, like birch juice, panthenol, green tea leaf extract, centella extract, resveratrol, ascorbic acid and ubiquinone. It’s a gel-like formula that layers well, and I used two pumps AM and PM. I always feel like my skin barrier’s a bit stronger with bifida in the mix, and this serum did not buck that trend.
Opened: December
Price: $38 USD / 30 mL
Rating: 8/10

🐝 Some by Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Serum

If you’re a long time reader, you will already know that I love the Some by Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Serum. Why do I love it? It’s big. It has a pump. It smells like honey (Some By Mi does like a masking fragrance). It has the bee trifecta (propolis, honey, royal jelly) which is great for moisturizing, brightening and healing. It has calming ingredients like panthenol and multiple centella extracts. And it’s inexpensive. Propolis is a go-to in my routine for passive acne fighting while giving a bit of a glow boost.
Opened: October
Price: $23 USD / 50 mL
Rating: 10/10

🍚 Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum

Beauty of Joseon is finally getting its due, and its inexpensive serums like the Glow Deep Serum are part of the reason why. This uses 68.6% rice bran water with niacinamide and 2% alpha-arbutin for brightening, and is extremely lightweight. My skin is definitely looking bright, and pretty much all of my PIE has faded, but my melasma and other sun damage, unfortunately, seems to be too stubborn for the likes of this and the Peach & Lily oil.
Opened: November
Price: $17 USD / 30 mL
Rating: 8/10

Creams

🐌 Mizon Snail Repair Eye Cream

I’m not a big proponent of eye cream, though I use them on principle, but given that I got the Mizon Snail Repair Eye Cream for my mom a couple years ago and she saw surprisingly decent results with it, I had to give it a go. Mizon’s snail repair is one of their most popular lines, and this combines snail secretion filtrate with Matrixyl, meadowfoam seed oil, niacinamide, beeswax and dimethicone for a nicely wearing, light eye cream with potential long-term anti-aging benefits. To me, it was as relatively uninspiring as all eye creams, though I’m thankfully as-yet not burdened with the eye bags that plague my mom. It DID work well under lip balm on my lips, though, which is my big chapped lips pro tip.
Opened: July
Price: $15 USD / 25 mL; shown in the 15 mL travel size
Rating: 9/10

🍃 Isntree Cica Relief Cream

The Isntree Cica Relief Cream, according to YesStyle, is no longer available — and I sure hope that that’s just because they’re giving it the packaging glow-up they gave the rest of their line. This has been a holy grail for almost two years now. This is all about calming down redness (it even has a green tint), and wow does it do it well. It’s lightweight but incredibly buttery. It’s a cica cream so brings the calming with centella asiatica extract, but also brings in multiple plant extracts, various peptides, as well as panthenol and allantoin to bring the calming. This was my go-to day cream when my skin is feeling irritated.
Opened: November
Price: $26 USD / 50 mL
Rating: 10/10

🛌 Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Overnight Rehydrating Mask

I honestly didn’t expect to like, let alone deeply appreciate, the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Overnight Rehydrating Mask, but here we are. At first I thought the sample I had gotten had gone bad, because it appears bizarrely thick. But a little goes a long way, and it melts down almost immediately to be incredibly spreadable. It’s a fairly simple formula, with the big claim to fame being 10.5% squalane. For my part, I would consider this to be much more occlusive than hydrating — but that’s part of what makes it a great sleeping mask. For those looking for a slugging option that’s more cosmetically elegant solution than Vaseline or Aquaphor, more accessible than k-beauty sleeping masks, and less “beware, there are actives here” than most other overnight masks in the western market, this is a great option.
Opened: October
Price: $45 USD / 100 mL; shown in a 14 mL sample size
Rating: 10/10

Lisa’s List: Top-Rated Skincare of 2022 Part 2: Serums, Moisturizers and Eye & Lip Care

Welcome to Part 2 of my top-rated (10/10) skincare from 2022. The previous post was Lisa’s List: Top-Rated Skincare of 2022 Part 1: Cleansers, Masks, Toners & Sunscreen, and this post will cover everything else: aka serums and moisturizers, as well as eye and lip care. There are some duplicates across years, as I did open and empty some of the same products, but I have noted top-rated this year vs last year below, before deep-diving on this year’s products.

💧 Serums

Serums are the real star of the show in a skincare routine, as it’s a great step to really treat any skin concerns. I’m a skincare maximalist, so there are always at least four in rotation, usually focusing on vitamin c, propolis and ceramides, which explains why there are So Many More this year than last.
Serums this year: Pestlo Pantherecipe Nonicica Soothing Serum; Rohto Mentholatum Melano CC Vitamin C Essence; Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster; Hanskin Seven Layer Ceramide Serum; Toun28 Propolis + Vitamin C, B3, B5, B6 Serum; Good Skin Days C’s the Day Serum (repeat); Glow Recipe Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum; Glow Recipe Avocado Ceramide Recovery Serum
Serums last year: Some By Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Serum, AMPLE:N Ceramide Shot Ampoule, RNW Der. Ceramide Concentrate Serum

🌱 Pestlo Pantherecipe Nonicica Soothing Serum

I never would have picked up the Pestlo Pantherecipe Nonicica Soothing Serum if it weren’t featured through the YesStyle Influencer program, but they did, so I did, and here we are. This is a prime example of how kbeauty serums can really try to do The Most. You can tell just from the name: a portmanteau of panthenol, as well as noni and cica. Indeed, it is a great antioxidant serum that focuses on skin soothing and barrier support: 80% noni and centella extracts, as well as panthenol, five types of ceramides, niacinamide, allantoin, and the bioactive compounds from centella. This is a light green serum (from the plant extracts noni and cica, as well as parsley and green tea) with a light weight that is great for layering AM and PM. The price is remarkably good for how luxe this seems.
Opened: September
Emptied: November
Price: $20 USD / 30 mL

7️⃣ Hanskin Seven Layer Ceramide Serum

I am obsessed with ceramide serums (ergo why half of these serums get a ceramide call-out), so I couldn’t not try a serum whose whole gimmick is using seven types of ceramides: Ceramide NP, Ceramide NG, Ceramide NS, Ceramide AP, Ceramide AS, Ceramide EOP and Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide MEA (a synthetic ceramide). It also has phytosphingosine (a ceramide precursor), cholesterol, panthenol and beta glucan. This basically makes it into a hydrating emulsion that’s a one-stop shop for skin barrier support. It’s also at a remarkable price per mL (my usual rule of thumb is $1 per mL), so I suppose it’s unsurprising that it’s been sold out at SokoGlam for a while — I hope they bring it back!
Opened: June
Emptied: August
Price: $28 USD / 50 mL

🟢 Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster

Azelaic acid has become a staple in our house, and the Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster is to blame. This is actually from my husband’s routine, though I dipped into it as-needed. A little goes a long way, and the texture makes it incredibly usable in an AM or PM routine. My husband uses it to treat his rosacea and beard flakeys, and it works a treat — even overnight. I like it for taming my dermatitis when it gets uppity, as well as any occasional psoriasis plaques. Unlike other azelaic acid serums, this also includes salicylic acid, so it’s one of my favorites to recommend for hormonal acne, as well. Unfortunately, the supply chain woes affecting all businesses are also affecting Paula’s Choice, so the price of this keeps creeping up, and for that reason I’ve started recommending the Peach Slices azelaic acid instead (still waiting on an empty of that, or it would be in this post too).
Opened: July ’21
Emptied: August
Price: $39 USD / 30 mL

🐝 Toun28 Propolis + Vitamin C, B3, B5, B6 Serum

I’m also obsessed with propolis serums, and I’m pretty keen on sustainability, so I was quite jazzed to try the Toun28 Propolis + Vitamin C, B3, B5, B6 Serum, and even more jazzed to use it. Toun28 focuses on low-waste packaging (their moisturizers come in biodegradable paper, while their serums come in glass with rip-off labeling). Propolis is my go-to for increasing glow and reducing breakouts, and this is a beautiful, well-rounded serum that ups the ante with ascorbyl glucoside (a vitamin C derivative), niacinamide (vitamin B3), panthenol (vitamin B5) and pyridoxine HCl (vitamin B6). This has an incredibly pleasant fragrance to it which comes from the various plant extracts in it (which coincidentally also give it an antioxidant boost). This is a very lightweight, non-sticky propolis serum that I find to be quite elegant, and makes me excited to try more from the brand.
Opened: April
Emptied: June
Price: $35 USD / 30 mL

🍊 Rohto Mentholatum Melano CC Vitamin C Essence

If you want an inexpensive, stable ascorbic acid, you’re likely going to be one of the many lovers of Rohto Mentholatum Melano CC Vitamin C Essence. Despite its name, this is actually a serum from Japan. It’s only 20 mL, but the drop-by-drop dispenser makes it last forever, and the light-proof packaging (plus the vitamin E) keeps the ascorbic acid from oxidizing. Unfortunately they don’t disclose the amount of ascorbic acid in this product, so best guesses place it anywhere from 5 to 20%. There is a bit of an added citrus fragrance to this, but that’s pretty common in the Vitamin C serum space, as ascorbic acid naturally has a “hot dog water” smell to it. If you’re looking for a pure ascorbic acid serum that is inexpensive and won’t oxidize on you, this is a great option.
Opened: May
Emptied: October
Price: $14 USD / 20 mL

🍒 Good Skin Days C’s the Day Serum

I’m basically C’s the Day Serum’s primary hype person, and I sure hope I love the new, reformulated Good Days For All version as much as the original Good Skin Days version. The original had 10% ascorbic acid, while the new iteration has 12%. It also includes niacinamide, licorice root, camu camu extract for extra brightening, as well as ginseng and mushroom extracts for extra glow. The new iteration also adds a vitamin c derivative and arbutin, so it’s probably an even more fantastic brightener (I’ve already purchased two bottles, so we shall soon find out). The leading problem with this old formulation was how quickly it oxidized — usually within two months, with expiry being in four. Hopefully the new formulation keeps what’s great and fixes that core concern.
Opened: March
Emptied: May
Price: $26 USD / 30 mL

🥭 Glow Recipe Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum

While I like having a designated ascorbic acid serum (e.g. the two above), I enjoy also including vitamin C derivative serums like the Glow Recipe Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum to try to solve for brightness, PIE (post-inflammatory erythema) and melasma concerns. This serum includes five different derivatives of vitamin c — and because they’re derivatives, it’s basically fair game in AM and PM routines. I was more excited, however, by the inclusion of tranexamic acid, which basically helps wrangle wayward melanocytes as they produce more melanin than they should, and is one of the best ingredients for melasma. I did see a substantial reduction in my stubborn PIE by the time I finished the bottle, though the melasma was still present.
Opened: January
Emptied: March
Price: $45 USD / 30 mL

🥑 Glow Recipe Avocado Ceramide Recovery Serum

Even those who aren’t ceramide obsessed were hyping the Glow Recipe Avocado Ceramide Recovery Serum, and I am not above hype. Because of the price, I was afraid to like it (my preferred price point for serums is $1 / 1 mL) … but I do. This pairs ceramides with cholesterol and fatty acids to really rebuild the skin (I even talked about it in Face Off of the Ceramide+Cholesterol+Fatty Acid Serums: Glow Recipe vs RNW vs Stratia). In keeping with its name, it also include avocado oil and extract. The green color and the inclusion of rice extracts also help eliminate redness, and niacinamide and palmitoyl tripeptide-8 help cut down irritation. The pump for this works really well, and the texture is such that a pump and a half can cover face, neck and chest.
Opened: December
Emptied: March
Price: $42 USD / 30 mL

🧴 Moisturizers

Moisturizers are essential in any skincare routine, but particularly dry skin. Indeed, in the evenings I sometimes use as many as three, if you count sleeping balms as moisturizers. This year’s top picks are lighter weight than last year’s, but still lovely.
Moisturizers this year: Stratia Liquid Gold (repeat); Etude House Soon Jung Centella 10-Free Moist Emulsion; Isntree Cica Relief Cream (repeat); Zeroid Intensive Cream; Benton Aloe Propolis Soothing Gel
Moisturizers last year: Isntree Cica Relief Cream; Cosrx Full Fit Propolis Light Cream; Stratia Liquid Gold; Pyunkang Yul Ato Cream Blue Label; A’pieu Madecassoside Sleeping Mask

🏅 Stratia Liquid Gold

If you haven’t heard of Stratia Liquid Gold, you’re probably not particularly active on Skincare Internet. It’s been a staple in my house for almost two years — it’s my husband’s holy grail. This is lightweight enough to use as a serum, though it’s intended as a moisturizer. The color comes from sea buckthorn oil, but the stars of this show are the skin barrier trifecta of ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids. It also has additional skin barrier strengthening benefits from the rosehip oil and niacinamide. It comes in an airless pump, which is great unless that breaks (which happened this year, booooo), because it turns out airless pumps don’t work when there’s air involved. This is a great product to keep on hand for any skin type, because you never know when your skin might take a turn for bamboozlement.
Opened: December ’21
Emptied: October
Price: $27 USD / 60 mL or $49 USD / 120 mL

🥛 Etude House Soon Jung Centella 10-Free Moist Emulsion

The Etude House Soon Jung Centella 10-Free Moist Emulsion was an unexpected delight. Their Soon Jung line is quite popular for its toner and general lack of inclusion of hyaluronic acid, and the centella sub-line is fairly new. This is a lightweight lotion which focus on centella, predictably: it includes the bioactive components of centella (madecassoside, asiaticoside, madecassic acid and asiatic acid), as well as extracts of the flower, leaf and stem. Much like the non-Centella line, this includes panthenol, and also has squalane, glycerin and green tea extract. This made a great AM moisturizer, as well as a retinol buffer, anti-itch cream and general “I don’t know I just need something right now” product. I slipped it into basically every routine, and even so it lasted me for months, making it basically the best skincare deal out there.
Opened: November ’21
Emptied: July
Price: $20 USD / 130 mL

🍃 Isntree Cica Relief Cream

I’ve gone through a few tubes of the Isntree Cica Relief Cream, and it’s been a holy grail since the first tube I ever got (I hope future tubes are as good — rumor on the street is that it may have been reformulated). This has a green tint and a buttery, emollient feel, and I love it as an AM moisturizer to cut down redness and keep my sensitive cheeks comfortable throughout the day, which can sometimes be a problem. This is, of course, a cica cream, so it includes centella asiatica extract and asiaticoside, but it’s also chock-full of peptides and other antioxidant extracts, making it a good calming cream that also has additional hydration and anti-aging benefits.
Opened: February
Emptied: May
Price: $34 USD / 50 mL

🔵 Zeroid Intensive Cream

I didn’t expect to enjoy this wee Zeroid Intensive Cream sample as much as I did, but here we are. Looks like orders direct from Atopalm are in my future, as that seems to be the best way to get it — they are the same brand that does Derma B, dermArtology and Real Barrier, and their big claim to fame is their MLE (multi-lamellar emulsion) technology which functionally reinforces the skin barrier. This particular product also includes their patented Defensamide, which according to their research can facilitate the synthesis of peptides and ceramides in the skin. It’s not as emollient as some of Atopalm’s other creams, but wow does it make the skin feel soothed and comforted.
Opened & Emptied: April
Price: $32 USD / 80 mL; shown in a sample size

🏜 Benton Aloe Propolis Soothing Gel

There was a time when I wouldn’t have expected to rate an aloe gel 10/10, but that was before I met Benton Aloe Propolis Soothing Gel. And, of course, it’s not just an aloe gel — it’s got propolis, too. I initially used this for sunburn care, because aloe is a classic for that and propolis is great to promote healing, but I also used it as a gel for my NuFace. This is super lightweight, so it doesn’t add any thickness when doing it as part of an AM or PM routine, and of course it doesn’t make subsequent skincare pill like the actual NuFace primer is notorious for. Those who hate moisturizers may really like this, and get some nice glow benefits from the propolis.
Opened: September ’21
Emptied: January
Price: $12 USD / 100 mL

Eye & Lip Care

Do you NEED an eye cream and a lip balm? Probably not. Are they nice to have? You bet.
Eye & lip care this year: Aquaphor Lip Repair; Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Time Reverse Eye Cream
Eye & lip care last year: Rohto Mentholatum Water Lip Color Balm SPF 20 PA++;

👄 Aquaphor Lip Repair

Aquaphor is missing out: if they slapped their Lip Repair in a fancy tub and doubled the size, they could probably charge $40 for it instead of $4. When my lips feel wrecked from the weather, from red wine, or whatever other abuse I’ve heaped upon them, this gets them back to feeling not-painful in record time. I pretty much can’t live without a tube on my bedside table — that way I’m never tempted to enter the awful cycle of licking my lips to make them less dry, only to have that dry them out.
Opened: who knows, it’s a win to have emptied it without losing it
Emptied: April
Price: $4 USD / 10 mL

👁 Pyunkang Yul Black Tea Time Reverse Eye Cream

Pyunkang Yul is one of the most interesting k-beauty brands out there, in my opinion, and so of course their Black Tea Time Reverse Eye Cream turned my head. The whole Black Tea line has a great aesthetic, and this eye cream uses fermented black tea and mulberry extract for their antioxidant and brightening benefits, while hydrating with beta glucan and hyaluronic acid. It’s got a really nice light texture, with the shea butter and macadamia seed oil keeping it buttery. And in classic k-beauty fashion, there are peptides and ceramides in this as well. I enjoyed using this around my eyes and on my lips under a more occlusive balm.
Opened: September ’21
Emptied: March
Price: $29 USD / 25 mL; shown in the $7 / 9 mL mini

Lisa’s List: Top-Rated Skincare of 2022 Part 1: Cleansers, Masks, Toners & Sunscreen

It’s that time of year again — when I round up my top-rated (10/10) skincare from the previous year. Last year, this took two posts (Lisa’s List: Top-Rated Skincare of 2021 Part 1 — Toners, Essences, Serums, Creams & Oils and Lisa’s List: Top-Rated Skincare of 2021 Part 2 — Wash-Off Products, Actives, Sunscreen & Other Skincare), and it will take two this year as well, though split up along different product categories. (The next post will be serums and moisturizers, as well as lip and eye care.) There are some duplicates across years, as I did open and empty some of the same products, but I have noted top-rated this year vs last year below, before deep-diving on this year’s products.

🧼 Cleansers

Cleansers are traditionally not my favorite category (though I do enjoy cleansing balms), but this year two second cleanses made my list, while no first cleanses did.
Cleansers this year: Tatcha The Rice Wash; SkinRX Lab MadeCera Cream Mild Whipped Cleanser (not pictured)
Cleansers last year: Banila Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm

💜 Tatcha The Rice Wash

Tatcha’s aesthetic is endlessly covetable, and it would figure that their cleanser, The Rice Wash, is a banger. It also lasts reasonably long, as the 50 mL sample took me roughly five months to finish. Admittedly, I only cleanse in the PM and am generally reluctant to do so, but part of why this cleanser rates is because IT MADE ME WANT TO WASH MY FACE. This starts out a bit grainy, but by the time it is rubbed between the hands and applied to the face, all of the grit has broken down and it’s just a soft, creamy lather. This cream texture makes it exceptionally good for dry skin, and it doesn’t leave any residue, as is sometimes the case with cream cleansers. It also comes with the characteristic Tatcha fragrance, though much like the cleanser itself, this washes away cleanly.
Opened: March
Emptied: July
Price: $36 USD / 120 mL; shown in the $16 USD / 50 mL travel size

💖 SkinRX Lab MadeCera Cream Mild Whipped Cleanser

Cream cleansers were definitely my discovery of the year, and SkinRX Lab MadeCera Cream Mild Whipped Cleanser (not pictured due to overzealous decluttering and my assumption I would have purchased a refill by now) was another excellent one. Skin RX Lab’s MadeCera line is generally a lovely one for dry skinned folks who don’t mind fragrance, which this definitely has — a more citrusy, less delicious one than their toner or cream, unfortunately. The MadeCera line all uses a combination of madecassoside (a bioavailable compound in centella asiatica) and ceramide NP (found naturally in the skin barrier), ergo the name, but this includes a bunch of other lovely ingredients, too: sea water, hydrolyzed collagen, other centella asiatica compounds, shea butter and cholesterol. If it sounds like a moisturizer, you could argue that it is — but it also cleanses nicely without stripping the skin or leaving any residue. I went through this a bit faster than the Tatcha, but I was also using a smaller sample size, so the three-ish months to finish aren’t truly representative.
Opened: January
Emptied: March
Price: $15 USD / 100 mL; not shown in the sample size used due to personal failure

🎭 Masks

I’ve been a huge fan of masks for longer than I’ve been a huge fan of skincare itself, and my pathological bathing habit is to blame. I’m a big believer in using an exfoliating mask followed by a moisturizing mask, which this year’s favorites exemplify.
Masks this year: Some By Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Mask; Peach & Lily Super Reboot Resurfacing Mask; I’m From Honey Mask (repeat)
Masks last year: Peach Slices Snail Rescue Intensive Wash-Off Mask; I’m From Honey Mask

🐝 Some By Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Mask

Put most of the things I like into one product, and you get the Some By Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Mask: it’s got the bee trifecta, it’s inexpensive, and it calms my skin down. That bee trifecta is propolis extract at 56%, honey extract and royal jelly extract, though they take that a few steps further by adding pollen extract, honey and beeswax themselves (it should go without saying that if you’re allergic to bees, this may not be your jam). To help with the calming and barrier support it also includes panthenol (the vitamin B5 in the name), mugwort extract, ceramide NP, and boatloads of cica: centella leaf extract, madecassoside, madecassic acid, asiaticoside, and asiatic acid. This has a jelly texture that makes it feel fun and less precious to apply, which I did with alacrity, either on its own or after an exfoliating mask, and it never dried down uncomfortably.
Opened: August
Emptied: November
Price: $23 USD / 100 g

💻 Peach & Lily Super Reboot Resurfacing Mask

There are many alternatives to the infamous The Ordinary’s AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution, but the Peach & Lily Super Reboot Resurfacing Mask was the first and, in my estimation, the best. This uses 10% glycolic acid and .5% salicylic acid, so it has AHA and BHA at much lower, but still effective, percentages, while making it generally minimally irritating by including agave, aloe, green tea and centella asiatica. This is a jelly mask and can indeed be a bit hard to rinse, so I recommend using a corner of a damp baby wash cloth to ensure you get it all off, or to hop in the shower to power rinse it. I do tend to follow this up with a moisturizing mask, mostly for the sake of my sensitive cheeks, but it keeps the dermatitis around my nose marvelously under control.
Opened: February
Emptied: July
Price: $43 USD / 80 mL

🍯 I’m From Honey Mask

If you haven’t yet tried the I’m From Honey Mask, you are missing out and apparently the resident of the underside of a rock, from the skincare internet perspective, because this is basically the most universally beloved product I’m aware of, especially among k-beauty. This is a great mask for any skin type, thanks to honey’s myriad benefits, but especially for my fellow dry skin types it’s lovely because you can literally fall asleep with this on (and I know folks who have) without any deleterious effects from this. I love it for when I’m having breakouts or sensitivity, as well as basically any other time. I only wish it were more available, as this does have to be shipped by kbeauty retailers.
Opened: October ’21
Emptied: February
Price: $38 USD / 210 g

💦 Toners

Perhaps because I’m a Person of a Certain Age (did you know some consider middle age to start at 35?), perhaps because I live in a high desert, and perhaps just because it’s awesome, I’ve found layering toner to be a game changer for my dry skin. This year’s three toners layer beautifully, and notably two of them are repeats!
Toners this year: Cosrx Full Fit Propolis Synergy Toner (repeat); Cosrx Pure Fit Cica Toner (repeat); elmt Advanced Calming Solution
Toners last year: Missha Time Revolution First Treatment Essence; MIZON Skin Power Original First Essence; Cosrx Pure Fit Cica Toner; Cosrx Full Fit Propolis Synergy Toner; Peach Slices Snail Rescue Blemish Busting Toner; Pyunkang Yul Essence Toner

🐝 Cosrx Full Fit Propolis Synergy Toner

I wish I got kickbacks from Cosrx for hyping their Full Fit Propolis Synergy Toner, because heaven knows I do and have for years. Cosrx’s entire propolis line is fantastic. Propolis is a great ingredient for glow, moisturization and passive acne-fighting, and this toner makes it easy to fit in any routine — AM or PM, with actives or without. I personally layer this twice on top of a more lightweight toner, as it does have some body to it, but it never feels heavy or tacky.
Opened: July
Emptied: October
Price: $22 USD / 150 mL

🍃 Cosrx Pure Fit Cica Toner

I’ve been a fan of the Cosrx Pure Fit Cica Toner since I won it in a brand giveaway, so I guess I’m living proof that giveaways can be worth the marketing expense, because I have repurchased and recommended this many times. Someday when I stop being quite so skincare obsessed, this will be in my forever routine. This has three different centella extracts, as well as its bioavailable compounds (asiaticoside, asiatic acid, madecassic acid, madecassoside), plus pyccnogenol and panthenol, making it a calming, antioxidant powerhouse. This is deeply hydrating, and my top pick for the seven skins method.
Opened: November ’21
Emptied: January
Rating: 10/10

🖼 elmt Advanced Calming Solution

The elmt line from Wishtrend is all about toners (though they now have a vitamin C serum!), and their Advanced Calming Solution has been there since the beginning. The line is all about synergies between primary ingredients, in this case
centella and tremella fuciformis polysaccharide. Centella is well-known for its calming and soothing benefits, and this includes centella leaf water, centella leaf/stem extract and centella root extract at 59%. Tremella fuciformis, or snow mushroom, is increasingly popular due to its anti-oxidant and anti-irritation benefits. The bottle looks small and the thickness of the bottom is definitely a fake out so you’ll think you have more than you do, but it’s a legit 150 mL. This isn’t as deeply hydrating as other centella toners I love (cough Cosrx cough), but with its added panthenol and allantoin, it is very soothing.
Opened: January
Emptied: March
Rating: 10/10

☀️ Sunscreen

Sunscreen is one of the most important steps of a skincare routine, and it can be darn hard to find a good one due to US sunscreen filter regulations, which is why I pretty much exclusively buy mine overseas from k-beauty retailers (though one of these is available in the US from US retailers), and why all of these top-rated sunscreens are, indeed, kbeauty, and why many of them went viral.
Sunscreen this year: Mary & May CICA Soothing Sun Cream SPF50+ PA++++, Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Airy Sun Stick, Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun : Rice + Probiotics, Thank You Farmer Sun Project Water Sun Cream (not pictured), Hyggee Vegan Sun Cream (repeat)
Sunscreen last year: Hyggee Vegan Sun Cream; Isntree Watery Sun Gel

🍃 Mary & May CICA Soothing Sun Cream SPF50+ PA++++

Mary & May is a newer kbeauty brand on the market, and their CICA Soothing Sun Cream SPF50+ PA++++ is one of the latest k-beauty sunscreen releases to be go viral. It uses the new generation chemical filters, and is lightweight while feeling moisturizing. True to its name, it has seven forms of centella asiatica: three extracts, plus asiaticoside, madecassoside, madecassic acid and asiatic acid. Those concerned with fermented ingredients or fragrance should be aware that this does include both, which I’m personally fine with. This has a lightweight texture that still feels moisturizing.
Opened: August
Emptied: October
Price: $20 USD / 50 mL

🏒 Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Airy Sun Stick

Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Airy Sun Stick is the product that made me fall in love with a whole skincare format. As a lover of their Watery Sun Gel (a winner last year), it seemed an obvious choice to buy it for reapplication during the Colorado summers. My initial plan had been to use it while mountain biking, since dust, sweat and bike gloves make for less-than-easy sunscreen usage. It turns out I love it for that, plus any outdoor occasion, plus traveling. It’s great for being on-the-go: doesn’t need to go in the liquid bag; slips easily into a pocket or small bag; makes reapplication with dirty hands a non-issue. Unlike a normal sunscreen, which can feel a bit greasy or moisturizing, this almost feels like a deodorant, but that’s a good thing because it also really seems to stay put.
Opened: June
Emptied: September
Price: $21 USD / 22 g

🌾 Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun : Rice + Probiotics

Even my coworkers are hopping on the Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun : Rice + Probiotics train, and why not? It’s a “come for the sunscreen filters, stay for the rest of the inci list” situation. It uses the newer generation filters to get its SPF 50+ PA++++ rating while being non-irritating and white-cast-free. In addition it has rice bran water at 30%, which is a great brightening ingredient, plus niacinamide to brighten and a variety of ferments to support the skin barrier. This is the sort of sunscreen that even the dry skin types might be able to skip moisturizer for, because it just feels nourishing.
Opened: June
Emptied: July
Price: $18 USD / 50 mL

👩‍🌾 Thank You Farmer Sun Project Water Sun Cream

The only sunscreen on this list available in the US, Thank You Farmer Sun Project Water Sun Cream is a lovely Korean sunscreen that achieves cosmetic elegance even with the older chemical sunscreen filters. This feels moisturizing without adding any heaviness — it even passed the husband test, though it does leave a dewy finish. This is fragranced with a bit of an apricot scent that I personally enjoy. You can purchase it at Soko Glam as well as Costco. I loved this so much that I gave away my last tube, which is why it is not pictured here.
Opened: February
Emptied: May
Price: $23 USD / 50 mL; get two tubes for $32 at Costco

🧺 Hyggee Vegan Sun Cream

I initially tried the Hyggee Vegan Sun Cream because it was ostensibly a dupe for Krave Beauty’s Beet Shield (it is and it isn’t), but it has stuck around on its own merits. Much like Krave, it uses the new sunscreen filters and beet root extracts — really going for antioxidants to amplify its protection from oxidative stress. Unlike Krave Beauty, it did meet its stated SPFF 50+ PA++++ in external testing. It also feels more moisturizing, which seems to be a general theme of the popular sunscreens this year (fun fact: they are almost all manufactured by the same company). This is a great sunscreen, particularly in the winter.
Opened: November ’21
Emptied: February
Price: $24 USD / 50 mL

December Empties and Openeds Reviews

I usually break empties and openeds into separate posts, but there were fairly few products going into and coming out of my routine in December — the focus of the month was definitely on my Sheet Mask Skincare Challenge, wherein I did a sheet mask, well, every day. Grouping these posts together will also help me get out my Top Skincare of 2022 quicker. Last year it took two posts (Lisa’s List: Top-Rated Skincare of 2021 Part 1 — Toners, Essences, Serums, Creams & Oils and Lisa’s List: Top-Rated Skincare of 2021 Part 2 — Wash-Off Products, Actives, Sunscreen & Other Skincare), we’ll see how many it does this year. As a reminder, I wait to rate products until I empty them.

Empties

🔵 Tia’m Vita B5 Toner

I bombed through the Tia’m Vita B5 Toner. This is what some folks might consider to be a “full fat water” — it is definitely a watery toner that layers up well for Seven Skins, but it has a thickness to it that gives it a ton of slip. The inci list is a who’s who of hydrating, soothing ingredients, with panthenol, hydrolyzed collagen, glycerin, three peptides, two types of saccharomycess ferment extract, and lactobacillus extract. This wasn’t as deeply hydrating as I would have liked, however, which is probably why I went through it so quickly, as I layered it up a lot. I think this could make a great toner in a simple routine focused predominantly on soothing, however.
Opened: October
Price: $14 USD / 180 mL
Rating: 9/10

🍒 Good Skin Days C’s The Day Serum

I loved the Good Skin Days C’s The Day Serum before it was reformulated as the Good Days For All C’s the Day Serum. This is a vitamin c serum with 10% (12% in the new formula) ascorbic acid, plus licorice root, niacinamide and vitamin c rich plant extracts to up the brightening power. I usually give this a 10/10 due to its price and performance, but it does oxidize something fierce — expect it to oxidize after a month and a half when open, and to even oxidize when not. This particular bottle lived a few months in the back of my fridge’s cheese drawer, and it still went. I know this is one of the things they’re hoping to adjust with the reformulation, which I have now in my stash, so we’ll see how it goes.
Opened: October
Price: N/A (formula discontinued)
Rating: 9/10

✨ PSA Liquid Panacea Centella & Kombucha Firming Recovery Booster

The PSA Liquid Panacea Centella & Kombucha Firming Recovery Booster seems to be one of the most-loved products from Allies of Skin’s sister line. I used this as my “skin barrier supportive” serum throughout November and part of December: it being 15 mL means it really doesn’t last long, which is my only complaint, but if you’re the sort of person who only rotates products in as they’re absolutely necessary, and tends to have unproblematic skin, the price per use might be more your speed. This uses fermented white tea (kombucha) to support the microbiome, with centella and madecassoside to soothe. This is a creamy formula for which a little really does go a long way, and it layers nicely. It wasn’t the most powerful skin soother in my arsenal, though.
Opened: November
Price: $30 USD / 15 mL
Rating: 9/10

Openeds

🐌 COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence is a cult classic, for good reason. Snail is one of the best skin healers and soothers out there (if you’re not allergic to it), with benefits for anti-aging as well. The price on this is great (even better if you can get it at 50% off, which you can frequently at Ulta — it will be on 1/7/23), and since it only takes about 3 pumps to cover face, neck and chest, it’s apt to last a good while. This does have some of the characteristic snail stringiness, though less than the cream from the same line. This is definitely more like a serum than most essences, however.
Price: $25 USD / 100 mL

🌱 Pyunkang Yul Essence Toner

I’m a sucker for Pyunkang Yul, so it was inevitable I’d get a full-size of the Essence Toner after using up a mini. Pyunkang Yul exists in a very enviable spot in the market: inexpensive, looks fancy, actually works. The Essence Toner is one of their most iconic products, using astragalus membranaceus root extract, a traditional Chinese medicine ingredient, known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Among skincare circles, it might be better known for its glass-skin-giving properties, as a few layers of this more viscous toner really makes the skin look and feel hydrated — oilier skin types might not love the slightly heavy feeling, though.
Price: $18 USD / 200 mL

🍶 Neogen Real Ferment Micro Serum

I’ve tried the Neogen Real Ferment Micro Essence and been disappointed that it, understandably, didn’t have the same effect as a First Treatment Essence, but I’m excited to see what the Neogen Real Ferment Micro Serum and my modified expectations can achieve. In line with the essence, this relies on 61% fermented ingredients: bifida ferment lysate, saccharomyces ferment filtrate, rice ferment filtrate and aspergillus ferment, all of which help support a healthy skin barrier. Unlike the essence, this adds a lot of other goodies, like birch juice, panthenol, green tea leaf extract, centella extract, resveratrol, ascorbic acid and ubiquinone, making it a great antioxidant option as well. It’s a gel-like formula that layers well, and I’ve been using two pumps AM and PM.
Price: $38 USD / 30 mL

End of 2022 Routine Review: Overview of my Current Routine

By popular request, here’s my current routine. As my Empties and Openeds Reviews can attest, I go through a lot of products and have a routine more than ten steps long, but by thinking in product categories I’m able to navigate a constantly shifting routine with relatively good outcomes. I think of skincare in terms of modules: different phases with different slots within them, and products that come and go accordingly. This lets me work through my enormous stash (pictures to come in subsequent posts) in a coherent way, with my skin generally being none the worse for it.

This post is not trying to say that your routine should look anything like my routine — but if you’re wondering what or how to add to your skincare practice, hopefully some of this is helpful. It’s certainly been helpful for my dry, dehydrated, sometimes irritated skin. Your mileage may vary based on skin type, skin concerns, budget, location and more.

Cleansers

Because I have dry skin and am lazy, I don’t cleanse in the morning. I do, generally, cleanse in the evening, but let’s be real — cleansing is the least fun part of a routine. I do believe in a double cleanse, however, especially if I’ve been out and about.

For a first cleanse, I prefer cleansing balms for two reasons: they seem to emulsify better, and I enjoy the sensorial experience. This Farmacy Green Clean Cleansing Balm is a classic, but I’m pretty equal-opportunity. For my second cleanse, I need something non-stripping for my dry skin, which means that milk or gel cleansers are my go-to. This Biossance Squalane + Elderberry Gel Cleanser has been serving me well, and has the added bonus of being able to serve as the only cleanse, if applied to dry skin.

Masks

I don’t mask every day, and tend to reserve it for long baths mostly because that makes life easier. I really enjoy doing an exfoliating mask followed by a nourishing mask. I also typically apply a mask before showering, to help protect my skin from the hot water — for this I tend to prefer masks with a shorter wear time, since they start coming off pretty readily.

The Then I Met You Rosé Resurfacing Facial Mask is a gentle but effective exfoliant, while the Korres Greek Yoghurt Probiotic SuperDose Face Mask makes an excellent soothing follow-up. The PSA Light Up Vitamin C & E Flash Brightening Mask is my current shower mask, but I’ve found that even with my dry skin I can sometimes justify a clay mask, since it doesn’t stay on very long.

Toners and Essences

Hydrating toners and essences have been a real game changer for me. There are five in my routine and I use 1-2 layers of each every routine (unless I’m dashing out the door, in which case toning gets reduced to a couple mists).

I like starting with a “First Treatment Essence” — a galactomyces-centric one. I’m currently using the Son Reve Tri-Bio Treatment Essence, but have tried SK-II, Missha, Mizon and more. I then add two layers of a toner purely intended for hydration and calming like the Pyunkang Yul Essence Toner. After that I go for a few layers of what I consider to be a treatment toner — not an exfoliant (when I do an exfoliating toner I do it before my first essence), but something gentle that helps treat my skin concerns, like the subtle brightening from the I’m From Rice toner.

I round out this phase of my routine with an essence. Realistically the lines between toner and essence have become quite blurred (exhibit A: the PKY essence toner), but it gives me a nice excuse to add an additional product with a lightweight texture that’s focused on an ingredient. I’m currently using the Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence and use three pumps, but with lighter weight essences I tend to do two layers.

Not forgetting the mist, I like to mist throughout my routine to keep my skin damp — it really does seem to help with product absorption. This d’Alba White Truffle First Spray Serum Mist is nice because it has some oil content to it, making it help with dryness as well as dehydration.

Serums

Serums are where things start to get wild. (“Start?” asks the incredulous reader. “This has been excessive for at least a paragraph already.”) At any given point, I have the following in rotation: a vitamin C serum, a ceramide serum, a propolis serum, a brightening/antioxidant serum without ascorbic acid, a skin barrier supportive serum which may contain ceramides but for whom it’s not the central focus, and a peptide or hydrating serum. I also frequently use an exfoliating serum. This gives me a stable of serums to trot out when needed or when I’m feeling a long routine, but also gives me things to cut if I’m running out the door or feeling more sensitive.

For vitamin C I like a middling percentage ascorbic acid, like the Good Skin Days C’s the Day Serum (was at 10%, newer formulations at 12%), which I use every morning immediately after toning. My first serum in the evening tends to be a light exfoliant like Stratia’s Soft Touch AHA — I like something gentle enough for daily use or use under a retinol, because skin cycling is annoying.

After that, I start with the lightweight, watery serums and go to creamier, heavier ones, making sure to wait a few layers before adding any peptides so the pH of the vitamin C or exfoliating acid doesn’t immediately denature them. Right now, that tends to mean the Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum (my brightening/antioxidant serum), then the Some by Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Serum for propolis, then the Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum (peptides/hydration). My skin barrier supportive serum at the moment is the Neogen Real Ferment Micro Serum — I figure it doesn’t hurt to give my barrier some more microbiome love. Lastly is my ceramide serum, currently the By Wishtrend Cera-Barrier Soothing Ampoule.

Oils and Creams

After the serums come the moisturizing products. The first step is usually eye cream (MIZON Snail Repair Eye Cream) on eyes, fine lines and lips, followed by lip balm (I Dew Care Plush Party Buttery Vitamin C Lip Mask).

In the morning, I then go for a midweight moisturizer like my holy grail Isntree Cica Relief Cream. After that I like a lightweight sunscreen of at least SPF 30, and I swear by k-beauty and j-beauty SPF, like the inexpensive Verdio UV Moisture Essence SPF 50+ PA++++. When I remember, I then put on my Rohto Mentholatum Water Lip Balm SPF 20 PA++, though because it lives in my purse with my sunstick (currently Innisfree Intensive Leisure Sun Stick), I often don’t. 10/10 would recommend keeping an SPF lip balm and sunstick in your bag, however, for reapplication on the go.

Evening is more complex, for reasons. After eye cream and lip balm, I apply facial oil — I find that a dedicated oil step helps with dryness, and I’ve been using the Peach & Lily Transparen-C Vitamin C Pro Spot Treatment before moisturizer because it’s not occlusive, it helps buffering my retinal, it uses a vitamin C derivative to help with brightening and frankly it does not make sense as the spot treatment it’s billed as. I then cocktail Vitamin A-mazing Bakuchiol Night Cream with the Isntree cream, mixing them together in my palm before applying — used in this way, I find that using daily in a routine with an exfoliant is no issue. After that is my holy grail Pyunkang Yul Ato Cream Blue Label, then a sleeping mask (I’m currently using a sample of Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Face Mask) and, finally another layer of lip balm. Before I hop in bed, I tend to top off with the Aquaphor Lip Repair Ointment, since being a mouth breather can be a real trial.

Does your routine look anything like this? Do you think I’m bonkers? Feel free to drag me in the comments. Also, if you have any hot tips for dry, dehydrated skin prone to redness and seborrheic dermatitis, you know my 2023 skincare budget is just waiting to get used, so let me know.

November Openeds Reviews

Is it halfway through December? Yes. Was I delayed in posting due to birthday and work shenanigans? Also yes. My seborrheic dermatitis flared up again in a big way last month, so I brought some old favorites come back into my routine while busting out some new heavy hitters. About two weeks out from when I would normally be posting these reviews, I can definitively say they’ve helped.

Wash-Off Products

🧼 Farmacy Green Clean Cleansing Balm

The Farmacy Green Clean Cleansing Balm has cult classic status for good reason. This is a very lightweight cleansing balm, melting from balm to oil easily. It also breaks down eye makeup pretty readily. While this emulsifies and rinses easily, without leaving a film, it doesn’t necessarily take dark eye makeup away with it as easily as one would like, so a double cleanse is definitely necessary. This does include essential oils, but they also carry a fragrance free version, as well as versions in different fragrances.
Price: $36 USD / 100 mL; frequently available for less through their website

💡 PSA Light Up Vitamin C & E Flash Brightening Mask

I’m a sucker for wash-off masks, so I was excited to pick up the PSA Light Up Vitamin C & E Flash Brightening Mask during their BOGO sale in November. The packaging on this looks lovely but is absurdly hard to use — it’s a pump on a tube, and they really should have picked either a pump bottle or a tube, not both. I like using this as my shower mask, to protect my skin from the hot water, when showering before events. This does seem to have a transient brightening effect, with 11% ascorbic acid and 2% tocopherol, and since it only stays on for a few minutes, it’s quite gentle.
Price: $42 USD / 50 mL

🥀 Then I Met You Rosé Resurfacing Facial Mask

I’ve been eyeing the Then I Met You Rosé Resurfacing Facial Mask for a hot minute, and finally snatched it during the Soko Glam Friends & Family sale. I find exfoliating masks to be an excellent pick-me-up, and this definitely served me well as my seborrheic dermatitis continued to flare this month: a few uses of this, plus the next mask in this post, knocked it right back down to a manageable situation. This is far gentler than The Ordinary’s infamous red mask, and even gentler than the Peach & Lily reboot mask which is an old favorite. It has 6% AHA (glycolic and lactic acid) and .5% BHA (salicylic acid), as well as resveratrol, an antioxidant from grapes, and rose petals. It’s pricey, but if you’ve been looking for a gentle wash-off exfoliant, consider this one.
Price: $56 USD / 50g

🇬🇷 Korres Greek Yoghurt Probiotic SuperDose Face Mask

Those who are caught up on my posts will know I went to Crete in September, where I picked up the Korres Greek Yoghurt Probiotic SuperDose Face Mask (and the sheet mask from the line!) for a whopping 38 euros. Now I’m not saying to go to Greece just to buy this, as it is available from Sephora for about $20 more, but I’m also not not saying that. This was an instant holy grail for me. I tried it for the first time on a day my seborrheic dermatitis was feeling itchy, inflamed, and nearly painful. Within moments, it calmed that feeling right down, and upon rinsing, the redness was impressively reduced. This is a beautiful formula with a lot more going on it than just yoghurt, and though there is some masking fragrance in it (otherwise it could smell pretty gross), this is rapidly becoming a must-have for me.
Price: $52 USD / 100 mL

Mists & Essences

🍄 d’Alba White Truffle First Spray Serum Mist

You’ve tried truffle fries, now try the d’Alba White Truffle First Spray Serum! Mushrooms are having their moment in skincare, and evidently that includes the truffles. This a biphase mist, with an oil layer and a “serum” layer. The oil layer is thin, and made of avocado and sunflower oils, two lightweight but moisturizing oils, and the serum layer has white truffle extract from Piedmont, Italy, as well as niacinamide and chia seed extract. I use this as a mist throughout my routine, but if you’re into setting sprays or mid-day mists, this would probably work well for that, as well.
Price: $35 USD / 100 mL

3️⃣ Son Reve Tri-Bio Treatment Essence

I’ve been eyeing the Son Reve Tri-Bio Treatment Essence since Kelly Driscoll referenced it in a video, and I finally picked it up during Soko Glam’s November sale. In proper treatment essence style, this is 90% fermented ingredients: galactomyces ferment filtrate, bifida ferment lysate and three rice ferment filtrates (aspergillus, lactobacillus and sacccharomyces). The other 10% includes goodies like glycerin, niacinamide, adenosine and sea buckthorn extract. This does feel heavier than the usual galactomyces-only First Treatment Essences that I usually go for, but not so much that I can’t still use it as my first post-cleanse step.
Price: $43 USD / 150 mL

Serums

🌾 Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum

Not to be confused with their Glow Serum, the Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum is a relatively new entry to their affordable serum lineup. The Glow Deep Serum uses 68.6% rice bran water with niacinamide and 2% alpha-arbutin for brightening. This is a fairly lightweight serum, and I’ve been using it as part of my much longer routine in hopes of adding some additional brightening and reducing old post-inflammatory erythema.
Price: $17 USD / 30 mL

✨ PSA Liquid Panacea Centella & Kombucha Firming Recovery Booster

Also acquired during PSA’s BOGO sale, I couldn’t not try their Liquid Panacea Centella & Kombucha Firming Recovery Booster — after all, if it’s a panacea it must be pretty magical, right? The main heroes are fermented black tea as well as various centella compounds, as the name suggests. With radish root ferment, green tea extract and safflower oil rounding this out, it feels a lot like a k-beauty calming serum. Texture-wise it is a lightweight but creamy serum with a lot of slip so it only takes one pump to cover face, neck and chest. Considering this serum’s small size, coming in at only 15 mL, that’s a good thing. Whether it is firming remains to be seen.
Price: $20 USD / 15 mL

💚 By Wishtrend Cera-barrier Soothing Ampoule

Given all the hype that the By Wishtrend Cera-barrier Soothing Ampoule has received, I was very excited to pick it up as part of the YesStyle Influencer Program in exchange for a review (this is not that review). This is a creamy serum, though lighter than the PSA. This only includes one type of ceramide (Ceramide NP) but as the name claims it’s definitely all about barrier support and soothing: centella asiatica extract and panthenol calm, while squalane, sunflower seed oil and six types of peptides bring the barrier repair. It’s not the most immediately soothing of products I’ve used (that honor definitively goes to the Korres mask above or the Isntree cream below), I’m hopeful that with prolonged use my skin barrier will start to feel stronger again.
Price: $28 USD / 30 mL

Creams

🍃 Isntree Cica Relief Cream

I have a bad feeling that the Isntree Cica Relief Cream is being discontinued, and if it is I will be distraught and probably have to throw myself at eBay’s mercy. This cream has been a holy grail for over a year now. It’s lightweight but incredibly buttery. The green tint helps reduce redness. And the formula! It’s a cica cream so brings the calming with centella asiatica extract, but also brings in multiple plant extracts, various peptides, as well as panthenol and allantoin to bring the calming. This is my go-to day cream when my skin is feeling irritated, and I also cocktail it with my retinal from By Wishtrend in the PM.
Price: $26 USD / 50 mL

💙 Pyunkang Yul Ato Cream Blue Label

Pyunkang Yul Ato Cream Blue Label is another long-time holy grail that came out this month to help my irritated skin. This is a ridiculously cost-effective medium-weight cream that I enjoy in the evening, or occasionally as a day cream if I’m doing a slapdash skincare routine before heading out the door. The formula includes Ceramide NP and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, but the real stars here are the macademia seed oil and the shea butter that make the texture so lovely while making it so nourishing. PKY’s special spin on this cream is the inclusion of honeysuckle extract, which is anti-inflammatory.
Price: $19 USD / 120 mL