Trying Vitamin C for the Millionth Time + Skin Care Updates

I took a break from tret for my skin to heal (see my 1 week experience right here). In the meantime, I thought I would give a vitamin c product a try once again. I thought about purchasing a different product, but I decided against it. I wasn’t sure if it’ll be worth the splurge. Instead of shelling out on a new product, I remembered that I still have Melano CC Vitamin C Essence. Why not try this product?!!

I started using Melano CC Vitamin C Essence for the first time in the morning. The product felt nice on the skin. It absorbed quickly and didn’t feel sticky. I enjoyed applying it to my skin. I really miss this product now. 🥲 I’m excited about the results (if there’s any). Well, not much to say about the first day. On the second day, I also used it in the morning. The product was way too strong for my skin’s current state. I stopped using it after the second day. I waited for 4 days for my skin to become less sensitive. On the last day of the first week, I started using it again. This time, with a moisturizer. Let’s see how this goes!

Some other things I have been doing:

• Restarted tret. Only nights. When my skin is able to tolerate it.
• Moisturizing my skin daily, morning and night.
• Wearing sunscreen every morning. I’ve been using Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30. It’s not too bad for my skin at this moment. I’m leaning towards mineral sunscreens as well.

I do have a new skin care routine. I’ll post it up when I have a minute. 🙂

March & April Skin Care Empties!

I know I’m a little late, but here are my skincare empties for the month of March & April! 🌈

Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser:

I finally finished the Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser. I used it for a week on my face then I stopped. This facial cleanser is exactly what it is. It’s gentle. I mean, very gentle. I didn’t think it cleaned my skin well. It’s not the type of product for me. The face wash also has some speckles of glitter in it too. Just an observation. I most likely won’t purchase this product again. It’s too gentle on my skin. I love gentle skin care products, but this was just way too gentle. I need a product that removes the excessive amount of grease that I have on my face, lol.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Cleansing Gel with Hyaluronic Acid Fragrance-Free:

I finished my first bottle of the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Cleansing Gel. This is a gentle facial cleanser that’s somewhat moisturizing. It definitely cleans my skin well. It’s a gel. It does what it’s supposed to do. It doesn’t leave any residue behind. It cleanses and doesn’t irritate my skin. I’m on my last bottle. Who knows if I’m going to stick to this face wash or move on to another face wash.

CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser:

I thought this face wash was working for me in the beginning, but it started to do weird things to my skin such as skin tightness and breakouts. That’s all I remember about it after I stopped using it. My skin went back to normal, and I started using another face wash. I really don’t think my skin likes CeraVe products. None has worked for me so far. This is one of them.

Purito Centella Green Level Buffet Serum:

I still have several bottles of the Purito Centella Green Level Buffet Serum left. I just finished another bottle. I’ve been using it on my body to get rid of it. I can’t use it on my facial skin because it clogs my pores and causes my skin to flare up. Something in this serum just doesn’t work well with my skin. I just wished I had known sooner.

The Ordinary Matrixyl 10% + HA:

I finished my last bottle of The Ordinary Matrixyl 10% + HA. I’m over this serum. I can’t use it on my facial skin, so I used the rest on my body. I haven’t noticed any changes in my skin. The texture of the serum is thick and tacky. I’m not sure how I even put up with the texture of this serum for such a long time. It’s finally done. I threw the bottle out!

Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40:

I was able to finish one of the two Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40 that I have. At first, I was hesitant on using it daily because I noticed clogged pores while using it. But, everything has been going well since I increased my use of my acne treatment. I’m using the sunscreen almost daily now. Just almost. I’m loving the soft, silky texture of this sunscreen. I hope it keeps on working and doesn’t cause any breakouts! The sunscreen is very easy to use. One of the easiest and fastest sunscreens to use in the morning before I start my day. It works great as well if I miss any spots.

Dr Jart+ Rejuvenating BB Beauty Balm Silver Label SPF 35 PA++:

I’m done with Dr Jart+ Rejuvenating BB Beauty Balm Silver Label SPF 35 PA++. I’m glad I’m done with this bb cream. It’s been a good run, but I won’t repurchase any time soon. I think it’s time to move on to something else after using it for goodness how many years. It’s not as good as it used to be anymore. Also, I wish the SPF was a little higher. I just think I’m over this product. I wasn’t satisfied with the results this time.

Melano CC Vitamin C Essence:

I still have several tubes of the Melano CC Vitamin C Essence left. I haven’t been using this product on my facial skin either. It breaks me out, and I’m not going to take another risk using it on my face. The texture of the product is oily and sits on my skin greasy. Just another product I’m also trying to finish up and throw out. I’m not sure why it’s so raved about. It hasn’t done much for my skin over the years. Too bad I still have plenty of tubes left.

Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin:

One more product that I’m done with is the Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin. I’m so happy to be done with this moisturizer. I stopped using it on my face also. It’s supposed to be a lightweight and moisturizing product. But, it just didn’t work out for me. It moisturized my skin, but I noticed breakouts after using it. My skin dislikes moisturizers. I stopped using moisturizers on my face, to be honest. It seems like my skin doesn’t need it. Here’s to another product that I won’t purchase again. It’s been a long run. 👋

Those are some of the products that I was able to get rid of. In the next few months…more to come! Stay tuned!

More December Skin Care Empties! 🥳

I didn’t expect to finish more skin care items after posting my December Skin Care Empties. Here’s more!

RoC Multi Correxion Hydrate + Plump Eye Cream:

I have 2 tubes of the RoC Multi Correxion Hydrate + Plump Eye Cream left. I finished one this month. I stopped using it on my eyes a while ago due to skin irritation and burning. It made my eyes look super swollen. Since I’m trying to use it up, I’ve been using it on my body. I haven’t had any issues with using it on my body. It’s such a waste using this product like this. This is supposed to be an eye cream. Who wants to use a 0.5 fl. oz. (15 mL) product on their body? Definitely not a product I would purchase again. Don’t waste your money.

Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40:

I really liked the texture and consistency of this sunscreen. It’s soft, soothing, and moisturizing on the skin. It’s full of silicones, lol. Yeah, the silicone texture was way too much for my skin. But, the sunscreen was super easy to apply and blend into the skin. It smooths over the skin and vanishes nicely. It’s clear and doesn’t leave any cast behind. It works great as a makeup primer too. It makes the skin appear softer and blurs a few imperfections here and there. Also, it’s broad spectrum and SPF 40. I finished my last bottle of the Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40. Will I purchase it again? With this sunscreen, sometimes it breaks me out, sometimes it doesn’t. I’m not sure if I’ll buy it again. Maybe if I’m at Trader Joe’s and shopping for groceries. It’s not a bad sunscreen product, to be honest.

Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream:

I finished a jar of Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream this month. I stopped using this face cream on my face so long ago that I don’t remember when. So this is a heavier cream made for the facial skin. I used this face cream for quite some time. I eventually stopped using it due to it clogging my pores. It’s just too heavy for my facial skin and didn’t do much for my skin. My skin never felt truly moisturized. It felt heavy and cakey on the skin. I didn’t see improvements in my skin while using it. I just stuck to it for so long because I needed a moisturizer and couldn’t find one that’ suitable for my skin type. Many times, I thought it worked on my skin. It just didn’t after plenty attempts. I have 2 jars of this face cream left and am trying to finish it up. I know for sure that I won’t repurchase again. Out it goes!

Melano CC Vitamin C Essence:

Finally, another tube of Melano CC Vitamin C Essence down! I think I have 4 more left! 😭 I’ve tried using this essence on my face so many times that I gave up. It just doesn’t work for my skin type. It doesn’t brighten my skin like I thought it did. I used it then stopped using it. There was no difference in my skin before and after. I haven’t noticed a reduction in acne marks or evening of the skin tone when using it. I never liked the oily, grimy texture that it leaves behind either. It leaves a matte finish, but there’s some odd residue texture thing going on after application. I need to find a new vitamin c product. This one isn’t working for me.

For more skin care empties…

August Skin Care Empties! 🧴

September Skin Care Empties 😎

November Skin Care Empties 🦃

December Skin Care Empties 🎄

My Acne Journey: 7 MONTHS!!!

I took a whole week off of tret. I just wanted to take a break from it for a little bit and restart maybe next week?? I’m not sure yet. So this week, I focused on using an antioxidant. I chose vitamin c. Yes, it’s back, hah!

Vitamin C 🍊

I started using vitamin c again. Not the powder version. The essence or serum version. I started off with whatever vitamin c product that I had (Melano CC Vitamin C Essence). I used Melano for two days. Melano has a lightweight, oily, greasy texture to it. It absorbs into the skin fast and leaves a matte finish. It slightly moisturizes the skin but not by much. I’m not a fan of the texture of the product. The essence stung my skin upon application. It irritated my skin just a little bit. After a few seconds, the stinging sensation disappeared. So, what are the results from this product? The essence brightened my skin instantly after a day of use. I noticed a brighter, more glowy complexion. But, I stopped using it after 2 days because I wanted to try another vitamin c product. I’ve been using Melano on and off over the years. I think it’s time to let it go if it hasn’t worked for me for this long. The vitamin c product I’m using now is L’Oreal Revitalift 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum. I picked this product up this week. This vitamin c product contains 10% ascorbic acid. It also comes in a metal tube. One of the reasons why I chose to purchase this one. I’ve only used this serum for…I’m nearing a week soon. I started off using it at night at first then moved up to twice a day, morning and night. So far, the texture of the serum is soft and moisturizing. It has a silicone feel to it, but I’m not bothered by it. It smooths over my skin nicely and effortlessly. It feels nice, and it’s very easy to apply to the skin. I only use a pea-size amount for the whole face. I’m liking this serum a lot more compared to the Melano (texture-wise). As for results, I can’t say it. I haven’t been using it for too long. I’ll make an update on my new vitamin c serum soon.

What happened when I took a break from tret??

As mentioned earlier, I took a week off of tret. I’m glad I did. My skin needed it. I still don’t know when I’m going to restart it or if I am. My skin looks pretty decent right now. When using tret, my skin looked so thin. I lost so much fullness from my face. It’s been a week off of tret, and my skin looks normal again. My skin thickness is back! It looks more youthful and more natural-looking now. It’s not shiny and plastic-like. Tret gave me this weird, odd look to my skin. It makes my skin look smoother, but how it makes my skin look overall is a bit too much for my liking. It just doesn’t look natural or even normal. It made my skin appear more aged. Hmmmm, that’s something to think about. 🤔

At the beginning of the break, my skin was so dry. I stopped using a moisturizer because the moisturizer I was using was breaking me out (Vanicream Daily Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin). I didn’t have any other moisturizer to use. All I had was CeraVe Healing Ointment. I used it. Applied a whole bunch of it to my face. I know slugging isn’t for me, but my skin was too dry to do nothing. I love the CeraVe Healing Ointment too. It’s a versatile product and contains ingredients that I love like ceramides and hyaluronic acid. It helped to prevent my skin from drying out, but I won’t be doing this (slugging) again. It was a once in a while type of thing. It feels too sticky. It gets in my hair and makes it difficult for me to get a good night’s rest. It’s difficult to wash off in the morning too. It is oily after all.

During this break, I started a new acne product. I needed a product to treat my acne. I picked up the CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser. I’ve been meaning to try this product out. What put me off from trying it out were the negative reviews on it. But, everyone’s skin is different. It could work. I’m currently using it. Stay tuned for my 1 week experience on this product soon! It’s coming up real soon! The other cleanser I was using was from Neutrogena. I stopped using it for now just to try out CeraVe. Neutrogena cleaned my skin and didn’t dry out my skin, but I needed a product that would help with acne. In particular, those close f*cking comedones. They’ve been hanging out on my skin for far too long! Also, it’s time to try a new acne product when I’m not using any harsh acne products.

Product Updates

Remember that eye cream I stopped using? The RoC Multi Correxion Hydrate + Plump Eye Cream. I stopped using it on my eye area weeks ago, but I started using it on my neck for a week. After a week of using it on my neck and chest area (to finish it up, need to use it somewhere), I developed a rash on my neck! It was red, swollen, and itchy. WTF. I don’t know what they did to the formula of this eye cream, but it sucks. It used to be soft, smooth, and moisturizing. Now it just burns and makes the skin itch. It’s not cheap either. 😡

Happy 7 months! 🥳 This is my last update on my acne journey. It’s time to move on to new things. I feel like this journey has run its course. I need something new. A new adventure. A fresh start. Look forward to a new update on my experience with the CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser!

Here’s the rest of my Acne Journey if you missed out!! 👇🏻

My Acne Journey: 1 Week In…

My Acne Journey: 2 WEEKS!! 

My Acne Journey: 3 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 4 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 5 WEEKS IN!

My Acne Journey: 6 Weeks Results…

My Acne Journey: 7 Weeks Results

My Acne Journey: 2 MONTHS!! 

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 1 Week Results!

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 2 Weeks!

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 3 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 3 MONTHS!! 😃

My Acne Journey: 3 Months + 1 Week Results

My Acne Journey: 3 Months + 2 Weeks Results

My Acne Journey: 3 Months + 3 Week Results

My Acne Journey: 4 MONTHS!!

My Acne Journey: 4 Months + 1 Week Results.

My Acne Journey: 4.5 Months + Clear Skin!!

My Acne Journey: 4 Months + 3 Weeks! What I’m Doing to Maintain My Clear Skin. 🙂

My Acne Journey: 5 MONTHS!!

My Acne Journey: 5 Months + 1 Week Results

My Acne Journey: 5.5 Months Results!

My Acne Journey: 5 Months + 3 Weeks

My Acne Journey: 6 MONTHS!!! 🎉

My Acne Journey: 6 Months + 1 Week!

My Acne Journey: 6.5 Months

My Acne Journey: 6 Months + 3 Weeks!

Update on Benton Fermentation Essence & The Ordinary Matrixyl 10% + HA & Melano CC Vitamin C Essence

It took me a while to stop using these products. I’ve been using them for a while and didn’t want to give them up out of familiarity. But, I think it’s time to pull the plug. Even though I love skin care products, I wondered if any of them are even working on my skin. I feel like I’m just flushing money down the drain sometimes. I decided to stop using these products. Read on to find out why. I stopped using these products the other day too. 👈🏻

Benton Fermentation Essence:

I’ve been using this product for over a year now. I really liked this essence. It’s lightweight, easily absorbed into the skin, and feels silky smooth on the skin. The only thing I really liked about this essence is how it feels on my skin. Other than that, it hasn’t done much for my skin. It contains Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Ceramide NP, Aloe Extract, Betaine, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, and other skin care ingredients that are good for the skin. The ingredients look very nice, but I didn’t see much of a difference in my skin using it. It didn’t help boost skin’s elasticity and moisture levels (as it claims to do). It gives the the skin lightweight hydration, but that hydration doesn’t last long. Only when applied to the skin. This essence just vanishes into the skin and didn’t improve my skin over time. It just felt like putting expensive water on my face. It actually feels like I’m applying just water to my face. This essence when dispensed, shoots out straight liquid. Make sure to dispense it into the palm or it’ll get everywhere. This was one of my favorite essences for some time, but I didn’t see any good results with continued use. As I mentioned earlier, I just like the way it feels on my skin. But, I don’t think it’s worth it to keep it around for that reason.

The Ordinary Matrixyl 10%:

Here goes another The Ordinary product that I’m removing from my skin care routine! Here are some others that I removed recently:

The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10%  

The Ordinary Ascorbic Acid 8% Alpha Arbutin 2%

The Ordinary Resveratrol 3% Ferulic Acid 3%

Now it’s The Ordinary Matrixyl 10%. So this is a thicker serum. The texture of the serum is gel-like. When applied to the skin, I don’t like how it feels on my skin, but the serum absorbs into the skin pretty well. It doesn’t leave any sticky residue behind once it sinks into the skin. I was able to use it twice a day without any issues like pilling or stickiness. The serum is supposed to help with signs of aging, such as fine lines. It contains Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, and Sodium Hyaluronate. This is another skin care product with beneficial skin care ingredients, but from my experience using this product, I didn’t notice any changes in fine lines including other wrinkles (as it claims). I don’t think it did anything for my skin. I’ve gone through several bottles of this serum. I kept using it because I was just hoping for the best. I really liked the ingredients in this serum too. It seems so promising. But, I think it’s time to remove it from my routine and see what happens. I don’t want to keep using a product that does absolutely nothing just because. I just haven’t seen any results using it.

Melano CC Vitamin C Essence:

I was going to keep Melano CC Vitamin C Essence in my routine, but I decided to remove it. This essence did help to brighten the overall complexion of my skin (subtly, nothing major), but it didn’t help with acne marks or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. I still noticed acne marks on my face while using this vitamin c essence, and I’ve been using it for years too. It should’ve done something by now, but I have seen zero changes in my acne marks. With the Melano CC Vitamin C Essence, I wasn’t impressed with the overall results. It’s OK. Nothing amazing. What’s great about this product is the packaging. It’s sealed and easy to travel with. I can bring it with me wherever I go easily without spilling the contents. But, since this essence hasn’t done much for my skin over the years, I’m just using it because I have it, and it’s much better compared to other vitamin c serums that I’ve tried in terms of texture. It’s lightweight, oily but not too oily, and absorbs into the skin decently. After seeing very little benefits from this product, I think it’s time to move on from it. It’s time to let go, lol. Instead of keeping the Melano CC Vitamin C Essence around, I decided to swap it out with another vitamin c product. It’s the vitamin c powder. A vitamin c powder contains only one ingredient while the Melano CC Vitamin C Essence has a lot more ingredients (compared to a vitamin c powder). I wanted to keep things simple. Also, vitamin c powder is more affordable too. I’ve been using vitamin c powder, and it’s been working just fine.

For my update on Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream:

Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream & Breakouts

For my acne journey…

My Acne Journey: 1 Week In…

My Acne Journey: 2 WEEKS!! 

My Acne Journey: 3 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 4 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 5 WEEKS IN!

My Acne Journey: 6 Weeks Results…

My Acne Journey: 7 Weeks Results

My Acne Journey: 2 MONTHS!! 

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 1 Week Results!

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 2 Weeks!

My Acne Journey: 2 Months + 3 Weeks Results!

My Acne Journey: 3 MONTHS!! 😃

My Acne Journey: 3 Months + 1 Week Results