New Skin Care Routine :)

I have a new skincare routine! And that’s my new favorite moisturizer that’s pictured. It’s the Cetaphil Rich Hydrating Cream for Dry to Normal Sensitive Skin. Read more about it below. 🙂

Face Wash: La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Facial Wash

I switched facial cleansers! I was using Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Cleansing Gel with Hyaluronic Acid Fragrance-Free. I’m still using it to remove my makeup, but I won’t purchase it again if La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Facial Wash works. So far, it’s been working. Hmmm! It leaves my skin feeling much softer and a bit brighter. The face wash does contain ceramide np and niacinamide. It’s not on the skin for too long, but it feels nice when using it. The face wash gets soft and foamy on the skin. I prefer it over Neutrogena. It feels like a higher-quality face wash. The texture, and the consistency of the product. It just feels so much better on the skin.

Moisturizers: Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream & Cetaphil Rich Hydrating Cream for Dry to Normal Sensitive Skin

I’m still using Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream, but I won’t purchase it again after using Cetaphil Rich Hydrating Cream for Dry to Normal Sensitive Skin. Cetaphil’s product is more moisturizing and helps to repair my skin better compared to Eucerin’s product. It works better as an under-eye moisturizer and a face moisturizer. I just hope this product doesn’t break me out in the long run. I’m on my second tub of the product. Maybe it’s working??!!

Acne Care: Neutrogena Stubborn Acne AM Treatment & Tret

I’m still using benzoyl peroxide as my main acne treatment, but I’ve also included tret. Here’s my 1 week experiece using it right here:

My Attempt At Using Tret Again.

I’m trying to work my way up with tret. I don’t use benzoyl peroxide and tret together. I use it at different times.

Sunscreen: I was using sunscreen only when outdoors, but my skin became severely dry with cracked skin. And oily at the same time. It was an awful mess. So, I decided to use sunscreen every day again. It hasn’t been too bad. I’ve been using Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 most of the time. It’s pretty thick and heavy. Sort of moisturizing. I think it’s good enough for indoors. I use my other sunscreens such as…

• La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-in Milk Face & Body Sunscreen Lotion SPF 100
• Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Face Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50
• Cetaphil Sheer Mineral Face Liquid Sunscreen SPF 50
• Altruist SPF 50

Whenever I feel like it or when I’m outdoors. I mix my sunscreens up (not the products together, but use them on different days) and am trying to use them up still.

This is just a quick update. 🙂

Update: My Skin Care Routine!

Here’s another update on my skincare routine! This photo was one of my previous skincare routines. I’m still using the same face wash and benzoyl peroxide acne treatment. The 2 sunscreens pictured (LRP SPF 100, Altruist SPF 50)…I still have it and use it. Read more about it in this post! Lastly, I finished the Clean & Clear Persa-Gel 10. I stopped purchasing it because I liked the Neutrogena BP product a lot more. It seems to work better on my acne.

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

I’m using the same face wash as before. Same old. It’s the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Cleansing Gel with Hyaluronic Acid Fragrance-Free. This product seems to work for me. It doesn’t help with acne, but it doesn’t break me out. It works to cleanse my skin. It’s fragrance-free. I love the big bottle. It lasts for months. I tend to be very generous with the amount I use also, haha. But at least I’m using it. If it works, why fix it? I guess I’ll stick with it. 😀

Eye Care: Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream

Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream is moisturizing and affordable. It doesn’t do much for wrinkles or fine lines. I like using it because it leaves the skin around my eyes moisturized. It’s perfect for that. Once again, it’s affordable. I don’t feel like spending that much on an eye cream anyway. From my experience, they don’t do much but keep the skin around the eyes moisturized. This is good enough for now.

Acne Care: Neutrogena Stubborn Acne AM Treatment 

I use Neutrogena Stubborn Acne AM Treatment as an all-over acne treatment and a spot treatment. I’m leaning toward a spot treatment. But I use it as an all-over acne treatment when needed. My skin loooveesss benzoyl peroxide. Possibly the only acne product that works on my skin over so many years!

Sunscreen: Whatever sunscreen I have. *See the list below*

I’ve been experimenting with sunscreens. Here’s a list of sunscreens I use. I switch it up.

• La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-in Milk Face & Body Sunscreen Lotion SPF 100
• Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Face Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50
• Cetaphil Sheer Mineral Face Liquid Sunscreen SPF 50
• Altruist SPF 50
• Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30

I haven’t used Cetaphil Sheer Mineral Face Liquid Sunscreen SPF 50 on my face in a while, but I thought I would toss it on the list of sunscreens to use. I like that it’s lightweight, a mineral sunscreen, and contains SPF 50. It’s not a full mineral sunscreen, but it’s better than nothing. This sunscreen works great as a makeup primer as well. It tends to dry out the skin a bit and accentuate dry patches though. That is why I’m not purchasing it again after I finish it.

I wish LRP SPF 100 was a mineral sunscreen. Too bad that it’s a chemical-based sunscreen. This sunscreen seems to work some days. On other days, it doesn’t. On the good days, it leaves my skin moisturized, smooth, and protected. I have no issues with it. On the bad days, it gives me really terrible headaches that it’s making me think if I should continue to use it. I haven’t used it since, but it’s there. I most likely won’t stick to this sunscreen when I finish it. Something is off about this sunscreen. The headaches are just so bad. Maybe it’s something else…I don’t know…

I’m only using Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Face Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 only on the skin around my eyes. It doesn’t dry it out or make it look bad. It works. I think I may have found a sunscreen for the eyes. Just not my face because it accentuates skin dryness, makes my skin flake, and just makes it look awful. I tried. It just didn’t work for me. It’s an affordable sunscreen to use around the eyes. Hey! Even my neck. And it’s a 100% mineral-based sunscreen. 🙂

Sometimes I use Altruist SPF 50. It’s a bit heavier on the skin. It leaves my skin greasy when used often. I might as well use it so it won’t go to waste. It’s a lot more moisturizing compared to my mineral sunscreens. It doesn’t give me a headache like the LRP SPF 100 does. Seems to work better during the colder months since it’s dryer.

So I haven’t spent a single dollar on a new sunscreen. I really still don’t feel like it. I think it’s a waste of money, especially when I have a bunch of sunscreens to finish. I’ll try my best to use what I have before I try another new sunscreen. This works for now, I guess.

Sunscreen Update: My Experience with Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Face Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50

I used Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Face Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 this week in place of Cetaphil Sheer Mineral Face Liquid Sunscreen SPF 50. Here’s my experience…

Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Face Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 is a zinc, mineral-based sunscreen. It contains 21.6% zinc oxide. It’s a pure mineral sunscreen. The texture of the sunscreen was sticky and became easier to apply each time. Still, sticky. It doesn’t irritate the skin or dry the skin out. It does accentuate dry patches on the skin if there are any. I noticed that I had some dry patches on the skin along my jawline and forehead. Even with the dry patches of skin, the sunscreen left my skin feeling moisturized. It was the combination of moisturized skin and dry patches of skin coming to light when applied to the skin.

The stickiness of the sunscreen bothered me. My makeup products had a difficult time setting on my skin. It smeared and didn’t look good. The sunscreen made my face appear shiny and weird-looking. I didn’t like it. There was also an obvious white cast that I couldn’t tame. Every makeup product I applied appeared lighter than it was supposed to. That’s something I didn’t like either. But it is a pure mineral sunscreen that I’m willing to put up with.

Fortunately, I didn’t break out when using it. It felt like it could clog my pores, but it didn’t. I didn’t use it every day, but I used it most of the week. All went well when it came to developing breakouts or not. This sunscreen worked for me. I’m still not sure if I can keep using it on my face. The stickiness, and shininess of the product really get to me. If I can’t find anything else, I might just try my best to make it work. It’s a non-chemical sunscreen that’s non-drying. I can’t seem to find any other mineral sunscreen that’s moisturizing and doesn’t cause breakouts. This one should work for now. I’m not sure what the future will hold for it. We’ll have to see, haha. So far, it’s been alright.

Update: Cetaphil Sheer Mineral Face Liquid Sunscreen SPF 50 + Switching to Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Face Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50

Here’s my update on Cetaphil Sheer Mineral Face Liquid Sunscreen SPF 50!

I’ve been using Cetaphil Sheer Mineral Face Liquid Sunscreen SPF 50 as my main sunscreen. Sometimes I used La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-in Milk Face & Body Sunscreen Lotion SPF 100. Just to finish it up. I have a few bottles that I need to knock out. But I’m going to focus on Cetaphil Sheer Mineral Face Liquid Sunscreen SPF 50 in this post. 🙂

The texture of the sunscreen is very nice. It’s very silicone-like, which I love. I love the smooth, soft, silky texture of this sunscreen. It glides and melts over my skin like no other sunscreen I’ve used before. Well, besides Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40. I miss that sunscreen. I never went back to purchase another one, ha! Maybe next time. So Cetaphil Sheer Mineral Face Liquid Sunscreen SPF 50 didn’t clog my pores (yay!) and worked well underneath makeup. Also, it’s a hybrid sunscreen. Yes, it left somewhat of a white cast on my skin. That didn’t bother me much. All I did was use a bb cream to blend the white cast away. It helped a little bit. The sunscreen + bb cream leaves my skin looking more even-toned and more awake. Less dull. Not too bad.

Since it’s not entirely a mineral-based sunscreen, my skin burns a little bit after I use a chemical exfoliant. I would also have to opt for a sunscreen that was more moisturizing when Cetaphil dries my skin out. It makes the appearance of my skin look even drier. Ugh, I can see dry patches of dead skin hanging on my face. I tried using a physical exfoliant to remove the dead skin, but that didn’t work. The sunscreen just clings onto dry patches and makes my skin look DRY. Not a good look. So, I’m thinking about switching out for another mineral sunscreen since this one just isn’t working. I’m thinking about trying Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Face Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 again. I know I’ve tried this sunscreen out plenty of times. I still have some product left of this sunscreen. Since I don’t use sunscreen every day anymore, we’ll see if it works when I use it only when I’m outdoors or exposed to UV. That may make a difference.

May & June Skin Care Empties

I’ve gone through a bunch of skin care products. Let’s get started!

Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream:

I was able to finish one jar of Eucerin Q10 Anti-Wrinkle Face Cream. I have one more and am trying to finish that one too. So my thoughts on this product are not so good. I thought it was working out for me in the beginning, but it was making my skin worse. It didn’t leave my skin feeling moisturized either. Just greasy and oily. It made me break out as well. I tried using it only as an eye/neck cream. I didn’t like it as an eye cream. As a neck cream, it works, but it’s not the best, moisturizing neck cream I have used. The ingredients in this product are nice. It contains shea butter, beta-carotene, ubiquinone, and vitamin E, to name a few. It just didn’t live up to what it claims to do. I didn’t get any results from it but clogged pores and greasy skin.

The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10%:

This serum has a watery texture that easily absorbs into the skin. It’s supposed to help with dynamic lines on the forehead and smile lines. I didn’t see any results using it. I loved how fast it absorbs and isn’t sticky on the skin, but it did nothing for me. I have one more bottle of the serum that I’m still trying to use up.

Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Face Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50:

I was so happy when I finished a bottle of this sunscreen. It’s taking me forever to finish it up for many reasons. Honestly, I really don’t like this sunscreen. It smells awful, feels greasy and heavy on the skin, leaves an obvious white cast, clogs my pores, and is difficult to spread on the skin. I love that it’s 21.6% Zinc Oxide and is SPF 50, but I stopped using it on my face for the reasons mentioned. It feels very uncomfortable on the skin. I have one more bottle of this sunscreen and won’t repurchase it when I finish it. I don’t even know how I’m going to use the last bottle. Wish me luck!

The Ordinary Amino Acids + B5:

I’m done with The Ordinary Amino Acids + B5! This is my last bottle and I’m over it! It did NOTHING for my skin. It feels like I’m applying expensive water to my face. I will not repurchase. What a waste of money!

The Ordinary Resveratrol 3% Ferulic Acid 3%:

I finished another bottle of The Ordinary Resveratrol 3% Ferulic Acid 3%. I don’t really hate this serum. It just didn’t work on my face. It’s too greasy and oily. It made me break out. I didn’t know I was breaking out from using it until I stopped using it. It was one of the many causes of my breakouts. But, I started using it on my body consistently instead. I really like it as a body serum. Not too bad. So I stopped using it on my face and kept using it on my body instead. I might keep using it for that reason. I have a few bottles left to test it out and see if I like it.

Skin79 Super+ Beblesh Balm Orange:

I’ve been using this bb cream for years and finally finished my last bottle of the product. I noticed that I stopped getting breakouts from it after I started using my acne cream. This isn’t a bad bb cream. It’s one of my favorites, but it’s not like what it used to be. I love how it controls oil on my skin. I have very oily skin and this bb cream seems to work for my skin type. But, the one I received was much different. I have a sample of this bb cream and it seems to have a different texture compared to the full-size bottle that I just finished up. Maybe I received a fake? Maybe they changed the formula? I don’t know. I think it’s time to move on to something new…

Andalou Naturals Clear Skin Kombucha Enzyme Exfoliating Mask:

I haven’t talked about this product yet. I was going to, but I got really busy. So this is an exfoliating mask. I’ve been using it to just use it up, lol. It contains argan stem cells, grapefruit kombucha, pineapple, and papaya enzymes to exfoliate and dissolve dull, dry surface cells. It’s supposed to help unclog pores and help with breakouts. I didn’t see any results from this exfoliating mask. It was fun to use, but that’s about it. I wouldn’t waste my money on it again.

CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Face Sheer Tint:

Another product that I wished I didn’t stock up on, lol. It’s the CeraVe Hydrating Face Sheer Tint. This sunscreen product is awful on my skin. I was a dedicated user. In the end, it caused me to break out without realizing that it was one of the main causes of my breakouts. I even tried it again and noticed breakouts. What is it with CeraVe that causes my skin to dislike it so much? Since it causes acne, I’ve been trying to use it up, but it’s been a pain in the butt. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone with acne-prone skin. Do a patch test first to see if you have any reactions to it. I wished I did.

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

No more leftovers of this sunscreen! I finished them all!!!! It didn’t work for me at all. It dries out my skin, leaves my skin looking like plastic, and sun protection is poor (didn’t work for me). I noticed it making my skin look very aged. It must be the dryness or something. I tried using it with a moisturizer underneath. That didn’t work either. This sunscreen product is just not for me. Very overhyped for the price. Not worth it, in my opinion.

Purito Centella Green Level Buffet Serum:

I shouldn’t have bought so many of the Purito Centella Green Level Buffet Serum. It is a calming and soothing serum, but it didn’t do much for my facial skin. I’ve been using the rest of what I have. I’ve been very generous with it too. This serum sucks. I’m over it and just in the process of finishing them up and tossing them out, haha.

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG:

I was going to keep The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG in my routine, but I never saw any true results with this eye serum. I just wanted it to work and kept using it. It feels pretty drying too even with moisturizer. I gave up on it. Here’s to another product that I’m trying to finish up. I think I have at least 1 more bottle of this serum left…

Eucerin Advanced Hydration SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray with Hyaluronic Acid + Humectants:

I’m not big on spray sunscreens but gave this one a shot. I thought it could work on my face. The sunscreen sprayed out nicely and was very easy to use, but it felt and looked greasy on my skin. It burned my eyes. It has a strong sunscreen smell to it. This would work better as a body sunscreen than a sunscreen for the face. Since it’s alcohol-free, it feels greasy as mentioned. I was hoping that it would work on my facial skin. Oh well. Moving on…

Banana Boat Ultra Sport Sunscreen Stick Broad Spectrum SPF 50+:

I finally finished my last tube of this sunscreen stick. It’s not for me. It’s greasy and oily. It gets everywhere. It feels sticky on the skin. I just didn’t like it. I can’t imagine using this on a daily basis. Maybe if I’m at the beach but there are so many options out there that I’m not even thinking about purchasing this sunscreen again.

Up & Up Sport Sunscreen Lip: Balm Broad Spectrum SPF 50:

This is my current lip balm with SPF 50. It’s cheap. lol, that’s the reason why I use it. I would love to switch over to a mineral-based sunscreen, but I haven’t found one that works for me. It is what it is. It’s a lip balm with SPF.

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

I ran out of Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 40! I’m not sure if I’m going to pick up some more. My current SPF product is working for me, and I just don’t feel like going to the store to get more, haha. But, this sunscreen is pretty decent. I wish the SPF was a little higher.

Altruist Sunscreen SPF 50:

I finished my second bottle of Altruist Sunscreen SPF 50. I don’t use this sunscreen on my facial skin. I use it around my eyes. It’s greasy on my face but works on the skin around my eyes and neck, so that’s what I use it for. I’m not even sure I’m going to stick with it. I have 2 more bottles left and just using it because it’s supposed to be a high UVA sunscreen. We’ll see if it works or not!

GUERISSON 9 Complex Cream:

I’m glad to be done with this cream. It didn’t do much for my skin. It’s a pretty heavy product. I honestly don’t care much for it. I almost forgot about it and decided to slather my body with it for weeks until the jar was empty. Wouldn’t purchase it again, to be honest.

Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc 50:

Another sunscreen that I finished. Coppertone Defend & Care Clear Zinc 50 smells like plastic and left a white cast on my skin. I used most of it on my body since my face hated it. It’s not a sunscreen that I would purchase again. It’s affordable, but I can’t stand using it. It wasn’t an enjoyable experience.

PanOxyl Acne Creamy Wash (4%):

I was hoping that a benzoyl peroxide-based face wash would work instead of my current face wash. It didn’t work. PanOxyl did nothing for my skin. It didn’t even clean it well. I’m better off sticking to benzoyl peroxide topical treatments to target my acne-prone skin. This face wash may work for others, but it didn’t for me.

Neutrogena Stubborn Acne AM Treatment:

Love this product. It cleared my skin after months of using it. I noticed results very early on (a few weeks). It sinks into the skin nicely and doesn’t leave residue behind. I love it. I’m currently using it in the morning to control sebum and prevent breakouts while using SPF. My sunscreens tend to be greasier and the acne treatment helps to decrease the grease on my face, haha. I finished one bottle of the acne treatment. Now I’m on to my second bottle! Wow, this stuff is amazing at fighting acne. I’m going to keep using it.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Body & Face Mineral Sunscreen Gentle Lotion SPF 50:

I thought this would be my HG sunscreen, but I’m so over it. It’s a mineral sunscreen and I really wanted it to work. The texture of the sunscreen is very soft, smooth, and elegant. It’s easy to blend into the skin. It does leave a white cast on the skin, which I didn’t like. It’s a very noticeable white cast. I prefer a more moisturizing sunscreen that doesn’t leave my skin looking extremely white. This was just too much and noticeable. It’s quite embarrassing. I can’t go anywhere using this sunscreen. It’s hilarious, haha.

Aussie Total Miracle Conditioner with Apricot For Damage Hair:

I was able to finish the Aussie Conditioner (Apricot). Another brand that I’m over with. The conditioner didn’t do much for my hair. It feels like it’s moisturizing when I’m using it, but it left my hair looking frizzy and gross afterward. I didn’t like the results of it. I guess it’s affordable for a reason. Next…

Catch up on my skin care empties right here!

August Skin Care Empties! 

September Skin Care Empties 

November Skin Care Empties 

December Skin Care Empties 

More December Skin Care Empties!

January Skin Care Empties!

February Skin Care Empties

March & April Skin Care Empties!