January Skin Care Empties!

Here are my January 2023 skin care empties! 🎉

Mizon Peptide Ampoule Cream:

I finished Mizon Peptide Ampoule Cream! This cream did nothing for my skin. I’m glad I’m done with it. This cream contains ingredients, such as (to name a few) cocoa extract, sodium hyaluronate, copper tripeptide-1 (20 ppm), centella asiatica extract, beta-glucan, cranberry fruit extract. The ingredients are nice, but I didn’t see any changes in my skin. It’s just another moisturizer. I didn’t think it kept my skin that moisturized either. It’s a very lightweight cream. I used almost all of it on my neck and chest area. As mentioned in my previous review, the product irritated my eyes. I couldn’t continue to use it on my face. It contains lavender oil, which I thought was very irritating. I really don’t like products that contain lavender oil. It gives me mad migraines. This is possibly one of the worse products I have encountered and tried. I won’t ever purchase it again. Once again, it’s a waste of money. No results.

Purito Centella Green Level Eye Cream:

I finished my last tube of Purito Centella Green Level Eye Cream. I’m so happy that I’m done with it. I have no intentions in purchasing it again. I didn’t see any results while using it. I’ve gone through so many tubes of this eye cream too. The ingredients looked soooo good! It contains centella asiatica extract, shea butter, peptides, madecassic acid, and so much more! But, it didn’t do anything for fine lines and wrinkles. It didn’t feel moisturizing either. I prefer eye creams that are thick, rich, and moisturizing. The skin around my eyes become dehydrated quick. This eye cream didn’t do it for me.

Cosrx Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap):

I’m finally on my last bottle of Cosrx Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap). I finished a bottle this month. Yay! I’m not a fan of this moisturizer. It feels lightweight and lightly moisturizes the skin. It doesn’t do much for my skin. I didn’t see improvements in the texture or moisture in my skin. It smells very nice though. It smells citrus-y and contains tea tree oil in it. I’m just not impressed with this moisturizer to use it daily on my face. The bottle/packaging of this product is very annoying. Product gets stuck inside the bottle and there’s no way to get it out. Seems like a waste of product. I can’t wait to finish my last bottle. Another product that I won’t be purchasing again. I’ve been using it as a body moisturizer. It’s not doing a great job moisturizing the skin on my body either. At least it’s not breaking me out or causing any other skin issues.

Benton Fermentation Essence:

I’ve been waiting to finish Benton Fermentation Essence for ages. This essence contains beneficial skin care ingredients like galactomyces ferment filtrate, bifida ferment lysate, ceramide np, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, panthenol, sodium hyaluronate, and so many more. The product is lightweight and sinks into the skin quickly. It leaves the skin feeling soft and silky after application. I didn’t see results using it though. I’ve gone through bottles of this essence with little results. It feels like I’m applying water to my skin. When I was using it, I noticed that it had shimmering sparkles in it. Just an observation. I won’t purchase this essence again. It was nice to try it out for a while. It’s officially done. Moving on..

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG:

I still have a bunch of The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG left. Another bottle of this caffeine eye solution down (more like a gel eye care product). So I didn’t use this product for the eye area. I used the rest of it on my body. I find that this eye product dries out my eye area and didn’t do anything for the skin around my eyes. I didn’t see any changes in dark circles or fine lines/wrinkles. It just didn’t do anything that I stopped using it. Also, it was very drying even with moisturizer and pilled with other skin care products. I didn’t think it was worth it. I’m still using what I have left on my body. What else to use it for? I can’t wait to finish this product. Let’s see how long it takes, lol.

iUNIK Beta-Glucan Power Moisture Serum:

I finished my last bottle of iUNIK Beta-Glucan Power Mositure Serum! Yessssssss!!! This serum never worked on my skin. It dried my skin out rather than moisturize it. I’m glad I’m done with it. Being a product that contains very few ingredients, it contains only 6 ingredients in it (Water, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Beta-Glucan, Sodium PCA), I thought it wouldn’t do my skin any harm. Nope, it made my skin feel soooo dry! I would wake up the next morning with red, dry, irritated skin. Ugh! I thought it was doing my skin some good at first. No, not at all. I’m not going to purchase it again. There’s nothing really special about this product. It didn’t work for me.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream:

I finished one of my bottles of First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Creams. It took me about almost 2 months to finish it. I didn’t hold back using this cream. I made sure I used it every night and whenever my skin was dry. After finishing my first bottle, my thoughts on this product is the same as before. It’s a creamy, thick, moisturizing cream, but I can’t use it on my facial skin. I used all of it on my body after realizing that it clogs my pores and gives me blackheads. It worked great on my legs. Left my skin feeling moisturized and protected. It absorbs fast too and doesn’t leave a sticky residue behind. It worked great on my body. It’s just not meant for my face. Would I purchase it again? It’s still a no, but I have one more tube of this cream left to try. Let’s see if it changes my mind!

Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV SPF 50+ PA++++:

I’m so close to finishing the rest of my Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel UV SPF 50+ PA++++ sunscreens! I have 3 left (including the new one I recently just opened!). I’m not currently using this sunscreen on my face right now. I was trying it out again on my face, but that didn’t work out. My skin dried out once again. Even when I used a mositurizer underneath, my skin didn’t like it at all. I love how it’s lightweight, absorbs quick, and doesn’t leave the skin feeling sticky and tacky. It feels like I don’t even have sunscreen on compared to the other sunscreens I use. But, from my experience using it so far, it doesn’t agree with my skin. It’s so drying and makes my skin feel terrible. It doesn’t provide good protection either. My skin tanned while using it. I reapplied consistently throughout the day too. That didn’t help with the dryness either, LOL. My skin looked so flaky and chapped. I’ll finish what I have. Most likely as a body sunscreen.

For more skin care empties…

August Skin Care Empties! 

September Skin Care Empties 

November Skin Care Empties 

December Skin Care Empties 

More December Skin Care Empties!

Another Update on My Moisturizers. What I’m Using Now.

Here’s an update on what moisturizing skin care products I use on my face. I think the list has gotten longer!! But, oh well. I like my moisturizers. They keep my skin soft, supple, and hydrated. Gets rid of the flakes or at least help them come off easier when I need to exfoliate my skin. Here’s my list of moisturizers that I use, which includes serums and essences too. I hope this is helpful. Enjoy!

⭐ Cosrx Hyaluronic Acid Hydra Power Essence

Cosrx Hyaluronic Acid Hydra Power Essence is a staple in my routine by now. It doesn’t leave my skin super hydrated, but it’s good at prepping my skin before layering on other skin care products. When my skin is feeling more irritated than usual, I apply this essence first to calm my skin down. I use the Cosrx Hyaluronic Acid Hydra Power Essence along with… *read about the next product on the list*

⭐ Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

Yep! The Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence. The Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence is more moisturizing than the Hyaluronic Acid Hydra Power Essence. The last time I talked about this essence, I said that I’m not able to use it every day. That has changed since. I can use the Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence every day now. I’ve been using it every day to add a little bit more moisture to my skin. I actually prefer the Snail over the Hyaluronic Acid. It’s more moisturizing on the skin and helps with skin texture. It’s the perfect moisturizing essence. It leaves the skin feeling hydrated but feels lightweight on the skin at the same time. Funny how things changed so sudden. 😊

⭐ Benton Aloe Propolis Soothing Gel

I’ve been using Benton Aloe Propolis Gel for a while now. From my experience, it’s a lightweight moisturizer that sinks into the skin really quick. Great for oily skin and skin that’s prone to breakouts. It hasn’t clogged my pores. It’s not the most moisturizing moisturizer out there. I don’t rely on it to keep my skin moisturized. That’s why I have other moisturizers in my routine. The only downside to this product (besides it not moisturizing the skin enough) is that it stings the skin sometimes, especially when the moisture barrier is damaged. It’s called a soothing gel, but I don’t recommend using it to soothe the skin when it’s irritated.

⭐ Purito Centella Green Level Buffet Serum

I remember when I started using Purito Centella Green Level Buffet Serum, my moisture barrier was damaged. This serum contains centella asiatica extract and ceramide to reduce irritation in the skin and to keep the skin moisturized. It helps to protect the skin’s natural barrier. My face was so red and irritated that I needed something to calm my skin down. This serum did what it’s supposed to do. It worked to heal my skin. It’s one of my favorite serums that’s lightweight and provides other beneficial skin care ingredients (in addition to what I mentioned earlier) for the skin, such as niacinamide, panthenol, and sodium hyaluronate. It’s not the most moisturizing serum, but it worked very well on my oily skin. I didn’t get any breakouts from it.

⭐ Cosrx Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)

Cosrx Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap) is one of my favorite moisturizers. It’s lightweight, moisturizing, and hasn’t clogged my pores. Yup, no breakouts from it! My skin just loves this lotion! The lotion is easy to apply to the skin and sinks into the skin quick. It doesn’t leave any sticky residue behind. This lotion worked very well on my oily, acne-prone skin! Love the smell of the product too! It smells like candy and it has tea tree oil in it. It’s been amazing so far!

⭐ iUNIK Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum

I didn’t think I would have iUNIK Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum in my routine again, but I’m falling in love with it all over again. It hasn’t brighten my skin, but it leaves my skin feeling hydrated. I just love the way it feels on my skin. I only need one single drop of the product to get that moisturizing effect on my skin! Also… *read about the next product on the list*

⭐ iUNIK Black Snail Restore Serum

I’m using iUNIK Black Snail Restore Serum. I didn’t know I had a new bottle of this serum sitting around. I was going to discontinue using it, but I guess I’ll keep using it since I have it. As I keep using it, I’m falling in love with it too. So I use a mixture of the Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum and Black Snail Restore Serum to create a super duper moisturizing serum. I know, cheesy, but it works like charm for extra hydration! I love it!

⭐ Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium Lotion

Here’s another moisturizing product that I REALLY LOVE! It’s Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion. I’m glad I brought this product back! The difference it has made in my skin under less than a week has been astonishing! The lotion feels sticky when dispensed from the bottle, but it goes on the skin so nicely. It feels lightweight on the skin, leaves my skin feeling really moisturized (love using it!), and I haven’t noticed any breakouts from it. That’s just awesome! This lotion is quickly becoming one of my favorites. I think it’s more moisturizing than Cosrx Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)!

⭐ Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream

Here’s a new moisturizer that’s in my skin care routine. It’s Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream. Alright, it’s the most moisturizing moisturizer/face cream in my routine. It’s rich, creamy, and buttery. It’s very different compared to what I’m used to using — lightweight, gel, something that’s better for oily skin, a moisturizer that absorbs quickly into the skin. This moisturizer or face cream did feel a bit heavy on my face when I first used it. That worried me because I was afraid of breaking out from it. It’s just so creamy and super moisturizing. My skin hasn’t experienced this type of moisture in so long. But, fortunately, it’s been good. I can’t say great because I’m still testing it out. So far, I haven’t experienced breakouts and it has helped alleviate dry patches on my face and made my skin look soooo good! I really hope it works out in the end. A new update coming up soon!

That’s all for now, haha. I’ll be sure to update my list of favorite moisturizers! ✨

What’s your favorite moisturizer or moisturizers? Be sure to leave a comment and share! 😊

1 Month on Tret. My Results!

It’s been 1 month on tret! I honestly can’t believe I just finished up one month! Time sure flies by quick! So did my skin clear up? Did it not work? What’s going on? So many questions, but I do have some answers for ya, hehe! During the first month, I didn’t expect to add some new and some previous skin care products into my routine. But, my skin was asking for moisture, and I had trouble with some new acne popping up out of nowhere (not from tret), so that’s what I did. Here are the products that made its way back into my routine….

Adding New Products

Read more about them below…

• Cosrx Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)

This is a new addition to my moisturizing routine. I really like this moisturizer compared to the others. It really does help moisturize my skin while not leaving my skin looking more oily than it is. It feels very lightweight on the skin too. I love it so far. I hope all goes well in a few more weeks!

• Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid

I didn’t expect to use a 2% bha liquid again. Surprise! I’m able to use it every day, morning and night without drying my skin out. I think it’s because I have a good set of moisturizers now.

• iUNIK Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum

Another product I didn’t expect to use it again. I use it a few times a week at night. I still haven’t tried it in the morning. I don’t think I’m going to yet. Using it at night, a few times a week is more than enough right now. I don’t want to overdo it and cause problems.

I also tested out…

• CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion with Sunscreen

I loved how this sunscreen is moisturizing, smoothed out my skin, and brightened it up a little bit, but the application is just terrible. It doesn’t absorb and blend into the skin well. It leaves white marks on my face. Pills badly. Not my cup of tea. Another CeraVe product down, lol. I don’t know why so many recommend this product. It sucks.

• SOME BY MI Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream

I used this product for 2 days, and it ruined my skin. I had red, irritated pimples popping up the next day. It only got worse. I stopped using it immediately. For a thorough review, click the link! 🙂

1 Month Results

During the first 3 weeks, I had to sandwich tret, so I ended up moisturizing a lot. My skin broke out and peeled on and off throughout the first 3 weeks. But it looked like my skin was at least improving. I had a ton of clogged pores emerging from underneath the surface. Also, some new breakouts that I never knew existed. I think adding Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid helped my skin clear up too. So it wasn’t just tret alone. Tret didn’t do anything for blackheads that I was experiencing out of the blue. It could’ve been from using heavier, moisturizing products. Moisturizing is good for the skin, but there is such a thing as too much, especially if one has oily, acne-prone skin (like me).

After 3 weeks, I had to change how I used tret. I started applying tret directly onto my skin first. I wasn’t seeing results sandwiching. I broke out again and peeled within a few days in. My skin started to clear up by the end of the week. But then I noticed the newly formed blackheads not budging. I suspected Cosrx Ultimate Nourishing Rice Overnight Spa Mask causing the blackheads. I stopped using it for a while. And wow, the blackheads disappeared, but I’m left with breakouts due to the moisturizer clogging my skin the whole time. So, it looks like my skin can’t handle the rice mask every day. I’m thinking about using it only a few times a week, since my skin feels very dry without it. Even when I’m using a bunch of other moisturizers. Cosrx rice mask is the most moisturizing. It’s effective. Since it clogs my pores, I had to switch over to Cosrx Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap). It’s not as moisturizing as Cosrx rice mask, but it’s something to prevent my skin from drying out. I hope it works!

By the end of the month, I had to go back to sandwiching tret. Applying tret directly to my skin was too much. It dried my skin out so badly, especially when I don’t have a good moisturizer anymore (besides Cosrx birch sap). It’s just not as moisturizing as the Cosrx rice mask. My skin is still peeling and purging after a month. I’m not quite there yet, but it does look better compared to when I started. Next month, hopefully no new breakouts from moisturizers. And once again, CeraVe Healing Ointment saved my skin when it felt red and raw. Unfortunately, I can’t use it too often. It feels too greasy and sticky on my skin.

That’s my 1 month update on tret! See everyone next month! 🙌🏻

⭐ If you missed out on my previous experience with tret, check them out!! ~

My experience with tret the first week…

After 1 Month on Tret + Skin Care Routine. Here are My Results.

2 Months on Tret. My results. 🙂

Taking a break from tret…

Back to tret! 1 Week Results & My Skin Care Routine. Did it work? 🤔

My thoughts on Cosrx Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap). Does it work?

I have a new moisturizer! Kind of, lol. Here’s a moisturizer that I’ve used before. It’s Cosrx Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap). I’m always on the search for a good moisturizer for oily, acne-prone skin. Moisturizing my skin has transformed my skin and made using acne treatments so much easier. My skin isn’t as dry, flaky, and looking wrinkly anymore. It helps to ease the negative symptoms considerably. I really like the way my skin looks now. 🙂 So this moisturizer is formulated with 70.8% Birch Sap (Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice). It’s supposedly a weightless subtle lotion that keeps the skin hydrated and calm. It contains natural ingredients, which are full of vitamins and antioxidants. Good for irritated skin. I was excited for this moisturizer, since I don’t recall it breaking me out. I was just using so many products during that time that I had to drop it. I’ve been using it for a week. Here are my thoughts on it! I hope this is helpful! Enjoy!

My experience

This moisturizer comes in a 100 mL pump bottle. The product is a gel-lotion. It has a sweet lemon scent to it. Very citrusy. It reminds me of a carbonated drink. It smells pretty good. I like it. When applied to the skin, the texture of the lotion is lightweight, soft, and moisturizing. It feels more moisturizing compared to a gel moisturizer (since this one has a lotion feel to it). It glides on the skin smoothly and blends into the skin well. I really like the way it sinks into the skin. It doesn’t leave any sticky residue behind. My skin just drinks up the product. It leaves my skin feeling moisturized without feeling heavy on the skin. Not a lot of moisturizers are like that. This one is different. I haven’t broken out from it either (yet). I hope I don’t! So far, no clogged pores. The product just smooths over my skin and does what it’s supposed to do. And that is, leave my skin moisturized without feeling greasy or sticky.

The main ingredient in this moisturizer is Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice. It’s the first ingredient on the list. It also contains other beneficial ingredients, such as sodium hyaluronate, allantion, panthenol, lemon peel, and tea tree oil. Hmm, I did notice a slight tingling sensation when using this product. Lemon peel and tea tree oil explains it all. I love tea tree oil. Even though it’s at the end of the ingredient list, it’s one of the top natural ingredients that helps my acne. So I’ve been using this moisturizer in the morning and at night without any issues. It has helped decrease skin dryness (along with my other moisturizers, of course!!). But, I noticed a huge change in my skin once I started using it. Just a an observation. 🙂 It’s been a great addition to my moisturizing routine. Definitely a game changer. Good for oily skin? Yep! Good for acne-prone skin that’s dry and flaky? Yes!! It’s working on my skin type.

Pros & Cons

✅ Pros

• Provides lightweight moisture but leaves the skin feeling moisturized
• Gentle on the skin
• Absorbs well
• Doesn’t leave the skin feeling oily
• No breakouts
• Smells good (citrus)

❌ Cons

• Stings a little bit (at the beginning)
• Annoying plastic bottle with pump

Conclusion

After using this moisturizer for a week, I’m falling in love with it! I look forward to using it, since it moisturizes my skin without breaking me out. I’m currently just trying to find all of the moisturizers that I can that doesn’t break me out. This one’s been great so far. My skin is lightly moisturized throughout the day, the product smells good, absorbs into the skin nicely without feeling greasy, and I haven’t had any problems with it yet. Oh, except for the annoying packaging! It’s in a plastic pump bottle just like Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence and Cosrx Hyaluronic Acid Hydra Power Essence. 👎🏻 Otherwise, the moisturizer works…

Review: CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion for Normal to Dry Skin

I picked up a bottle of CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion when I was trying to find a good moisturizer for the cold, winter months. This seemed like a good choice. Everyone seems to like CeraVe, right? lol. So the purpose of this lotion is to moisturize and restore skin’s natural protective barrier. It’s lightweight, non-greasy, and provides 24-hour hydration. Contains ceramides and hyaluronic acid. It’s non-comedogenic, oil-free, and fragrance-free. I’m on my second bottle of this lotion. Here’s my experience with this moisturizer!

My experience

This lotion feels lightweight on the skin. It absorbs into the skin easily and doesn’t leave a greasy feeling behind. It moisturizes, but it’s not super moisturizing. If you’re searching for a lotion that is extremely moisturizing, this isn’t it. It’s a pretty basic lotion. I love that it contains ceramides and hyaluronic acid, but I didn’t see much of a difference in the texture or condition of my skin using this lotion. I was dealing with very dry skin. I had to use another moisturizer to fix that dry, itchy skin I was experiencing. CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion didn’t help much. I find CeraVe very average at best. It didn’t live up to the glowing reviews. Yeah, it contains ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and is fragrance-free, but I wasn’t impressed. My skin didn’t feel moisturized using it. I needed something more moisturizing. The moisture in this lotion didn’t last on my skin either.

So I didn’t use this lotion on my face. It contains caprylic/capric triglyceride, cetearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, cetearth-20. Looks pretty pore-clogging to me. I’ve used CeraVe products on my face before in the past. It claims to be non-comedogenic, but from my experience, it clogged my pores. I can’t use CeraVe products on my face. If you missed out on my review on their sunscreen, check it out! 👉🏻 CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion with Sunscreen That sunscreen didn’t work out for me either. For the full review, click on the link! 🙂

Overall, this lotion isn’t too bad as a daily moisturizer. At least it doesn’t leave a weird film behind and doesn’t feel oily on the skin. It sits pretty comfortably on the skin. Also, it didn’t irritate my skin. It’s gentle and doesn’t make my skin feel itchy. If you’re able to use it on your face, you’re pretty lucky because I wish I could. It’s not too expensive considering the ingredients and quality of the product. But, I think it’s more of a body lotion for me. But will I continue to use it after finishing the second bottle? Probably not. It’s not moisturizing enough for my body.

Pros & Cons

✅ Pros

• Feels lightweight on the skin
• Gentle on the skin
• Good for daily use
• Contains ceramides and hyaluronic acid
• Fragrance-free
• Doesn’t irritate the skin
• Doesn’t make the skin itchy
• Not irritating

❌ Cons

• Not moisturizing enough

Conclusion

Even though I like the ingredients in this lotion, I don’t think I’m going to purchase it again. It just felt like any other moisturizing lotion to me. I might have to experiment with other body lotions first to see what I like. This one was OK. But, it’s not standing out to me, especially when it costs more compared to other body lotions. Also, the skin on my body isn’t too picky. Well, I’ll keep this lotion as an option if nothing else works.

For more reviews on CeraVe skin care products go here