September Empties
- milehighmolly
- Sep 29, 2020
- 5 min read
Here are some skincare products I've finished over the past month and my thoughts on whether I would repurchase them. I like to try new skincare products (who doesn't?!) and finish them to develop a full opinion on whether or not I like it. However, if a product is making my skin break out or react badly, I won't continue to use that product. The fact that I've been able to finish all of these means at least 1 good thing about them! Please bear in mind, though, that this is just what my experience is and doesn't mean you'll necessarily like or dislike the same products as me. We all have different skin types and it's important to keep that in mind when you're deciding to buy skincare products. Don't take my word for it- do your own research and make the best decision for YOUR needs.
EltaMd UV Physical Broad-Spectrum SPF 41 - tinted
Overall I think this is a good sunscreen for people who don't wear any makeup. I noticed that when I wore mascara and eye makeup, it transferred a lot more onto my eyelids and creased under my eyes, even with setting powder. If there's a better way to get this to stay put, please let me know in the comments below!
It also is a little too dewy for my liking- I have combination skin (oily in the T-zone) and it tends to make me look a little too shiny in those areas. However, even though this wasn't my #1 sunscreen in a cosmetic view, it is still a solid sunscreen and worth trying to see if it works for your skin type. It applied really smoothly, blended into the hairline well, lasted me about 3 months with daily use, and didn't irritate my sensitive skin because it's mineral-only. All that said, it just wasn't my favorite formula with my skin type. After using this up, I realize am much more of a matte sunscreen person!
Would I repurchase? NO
(I don't have a picture of this one so I've linked it above)
This serum was just OK, I didn't see a huge difference in my skin (other than hydration) and I wasn't overly impressed with the formula either. The consistency is a thick gel, which applies like a moisturizer. I actually never applied moisturizer for the entire 2-3 months I used this because it was so hydrating. It dried kind of tacky, so I wasn't a big fan of that, but it did leave my skin feeling really luminous. Sunscreen applied pretty smoothly over this, though I did experience a little bit of pilling after it dried.
Another downside was the dropper- it didn't perform well and I never felt like it had much suction at all. Or maybe it was the jelly consistency of the product? The good thing about this was that it didn't oxidize- the vitamin C is encapsulated in other ingredients which keeps it from going bad quickly, which Vitamin C is kind of notorious for. It also has a high percentage of Vitamin C which is difficult to do without causing irritation- this was actually really gentle on my skin which was surprising. Final thoughts: this is a decent product if you want a boost of hydration, but I don't enjoy that consistency in my serums personally.
Would I repurchase? NO
Missha Time Revolution Essence Intensive
I had been wanting to add an essence into my routine for a while, and found this product as a more cost-effective alternative for SK-II essence, which is wildly expensive. It has a yeast ferment extract that is supposed to make your skin really supple, hydrated, and has anti-aging benefits. Plus it's fragrance-free! The consistency of this is really watery and absorbs quickly into the skin, delivering a punch of hydration without feeling greasy, which I LOVE, having combo skin.
I found that all my other skincare products just penetrated into my skin so much better when I was using this essence. It's definitely not a must-have in your routine, but if you want to add a little something extra I would definitely recommend this product. It lasted me a good few months which is an amazing value for what I paid, especially because I used it morning and night. They actually just updated their formula since this one, so it's their new and improved Pro Ferment extract which delivers more of those same benefits. I did purchase their Artemisia essence to try next, which features a calming Mugwort extract as its main ingredient. They also gave me a few samples of the new Time Revolution essence Pro Ferment formula so I'm excited to try that too.
Would I repurchase? YES
Differin Gel Adapalene 0.1%
This is my second tube of Differin pictured above, and I just repurchased another. This is my holy grail product that not only treats my acne, but smooths my skin tone and has anti-aging benefits as well. I wrote an article all about retinoids if you're curious to learn more about these types of products. The three tubes that I've purchased will end up lasting me an entire year (4 months per tube)- that's because I only have to use a pea-sized amount every night and that's all it takes for it to work. It's really affordable too, so it's a great value. It has taken me a long time to be able to apply it directly to my skin without diluting with moisturizer, because it's so strong. But the results I've seen with this have been undeniable (go check out my before&after) and I'll probably always use some type of retinoid throughout my life. Maybe in the next few years I'll switch to Retin-A.
Would I repurchase? YES (and I already have)
Pond's Fragrance-Free Cold Cream
This is another holy grail product for me, which is why I go through it so much! This is my all-time favorite makeup remover. I do tend to go through this product more often (probably repurchase every 1.5 months) because I need a good amount of this to dissolve everything. I'll probably always have a jar of this on my counter no matter what new oil cleanser I try... though I do wish there were refill packs to cut down on packaging waste. It removes my makeup 100% every time, with no effort or scrubbing needed. If you have never tried an oil cleanser before to take off your makeup, please visit my article on oil cleansing so you can learn about it. This is a game-changer, and is awesome for both oily and dry skin types.
Would I repurchase? YES, and I have!
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