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Joined 1 year ago
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Cake day: September 3rd, 2023

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  • Hmm… I guess mine would be niacinamide (as I stare at my Holy Snail’s Whale Shark and have a Geek & Gorgeous B-Bomb on the way 😅). Like, it’s nice, but at the same time I really don’t feel like this ingredient does much for me. I keep using it because it doesn’t hurt me, but I’m not sure if it’s just placebo at this point lol






  • I’m very curious about this Geek & Gorgeous brand. They seem to be fragrance/dye-free and very economical! In particular, I see that their Happier Barrier product isn’t in a jar and am off to purchase it lol. How are you liking their products so far? I feel you on the slowly introducing actives into your routine. When I first started tret, I was using it twice a week and still managed to end up with tret burns! These days I’ve cut it back to once a week at most and sandwiching it in between my other products.


  • Skin type: Dry, Sensitive

    Skin goals: Keeping skin hydrated and moisturized; under eye lines and darkness; improving skin barrier to tackle more frequent tret usage; preventing irritation by sticking with fragrance- and dye-free products with low to no scent

    Season & climate: Hot, humid, and the only season is summer (and maybe one week of fall every now and then)

    AM:

    • Cleanser: Usually just hot water and a face towel or Curel Foaming Daily Face Wash
    • Prep Toner/Mist: Curel Deep Moisturizing Spray
    • Hydrating Toners: Mix of Hada Labo Gokujyn Hyaluronic Acid Lotion Regular and Premium
    • Actives (sometimes I skip this step): Melano CC Vit C or Holy Snails Whale Shark
    • Emulsion: Mix of Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium Hyaluronic Milk and Curel Moisture Facial Milk (Intensive Moisture Care)
    • Eye Cream: CeraVe Skin Renewing Eye Cream
    • Moisturizer: Mix of Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel-Cream with Hyaluronic Acid for Extra-Dry Skin (old formulation) and Curel Intensive Moisture Facial Cream
    • SPF: Skin Aqua UV Super Moisture Gel Gold SPF50+ PA++++

    PM:

    • Oil Cleanser: Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil
    • 2nd Cleanser: Curel Foaming Daily Face Wash or La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Facial Cleanser
    • Prep Toner/Mist: Same as AM
    • Hydrating Toners: Same as AM
    • Emulsion: Same as AM
    • Eye Cream: Curel Moisture Repair Eye Cream or Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Eye Cream
    • Actives (sometimes I also skip this step): Prescription Altreno (at most, once a week) or The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA or same as AM
    • Moisturizer: Same as AM or Aestura Atobarrier 365 Cream
    • Occlusive (when not using tret): Vanicream Moisturizing Ointment

    Other:

    • Quick Cleanser: Albolene Micellar Milk Face Cleanser
    • Moisturizer I’m trying out: Aveeno Calm+Restore Oat Gel Moisturizer

    General thoughts: For the most part I’ve been using the same products for years now and I’m mostly content with my routine.

    I don’t care for foaming cleansers in general so I’m probably not going to repurchase my Curel one after I finish it up. LRP works fine, but I wouldn’t mind trying out other cleansers (I’ve been eyeing the new CeraVe Hydrating Foaming Oil Cleanser).

    The one product I am still struggling to find is a good fragrance/dye-free/low-no scent moisturizer for dry skin that doesn’t come in a jar (I hate jars so much 😭). I usually either decant jar products or use a spatula which is a nuisance but my brain won’t let me dip my fingers into a jar lol. The moisturizers I’m using so far are fine, but a little too light-weight or obnoxiously shiny (looking at you Aestura). So, if any of you know of any good moisturizers for dry skin that don’t come in a jar, please let me know!