Gone are the days where I used to do single skincare product reviews! I personally have found round-ups a bit more helpful unless it's a single amazing product that can truly stand on its own because of the price, ingredients or mode of operation. I also like seeing how people are using various types of products together and now that I am older and more proactive about my skin and health in general, I am hoping some of you might find my skincare routine interesting too!
PR samples marked with *. All other products purchased by me.
Kosmea Clarifying Facial Wash*
The moment I see the word "clarifying", I usually pass the product along to someone with combination or oily skin. Clarifying products are often too stripping for my normal/dry skin, but knowing Kosmea's reputation for gentle and plant-based products made with certified organic rosehip oil, I gave it a try and it was EPIC. Firstly, you have the scent of rosehip oil which is lovely and then when I finally put this cleanser on my skin, as my second cleanse, I was so surprised at how plush and cushiony the texture was! Not only did it cleanse my skin, but it made it feel so soft! Kosmea can be found at Whole Foods so now that I am almost finished this cleanser after using it for 2 months, I will most certainly be repurchasing!
Dr. Wu Intensive Renewal Serum with 18% Mandelic Acid
Now, with all of my sheet masking, using an acid exfoliator is very important as the essence from sheet masks can be very rich and even though I was using a serum with AHA, every 2-3 days, I would apply a few drops of this mandelic acid serum on areas of my skin where I would experience potential breakouts (chin and forehead). What's nice about mandelic acid, like lactic acid, is that because it is a larger molecule than glycolic acid, takes a longer time to sink into the skin and is a good option for those with sensitive skin. Generally, I like using a blend of different types of AHAs as they tend to compliment each other well.
Tata Harper Concentrated Brightening Essence
Some of you may have seen me squirting this essence into a spray bottle the other day on Instagram, but I wish I didn't like Tata Harper's brightening products as much as I do because damn they are pricey! Now, I used to work for Tata Harper so I did get the Brightening Serum for gratis, but this essence was released after I had stopped working for them and at the time it was about $150. Now, it's $269 at Sephora which makes me so sad so I am saving every last drop by pouring it into a spray bottle! This essence has both AHA and BHAs in the form of willow bark extract and PHA gluconolactone (also great for sensitive skin). The other VERY interesting ingredient that emerged about 10 years ago is summer snowflake bulb which has been shown to inhibit muscle contractions giving skin a smoothed appearance. Cool, right? It's like nature's own Botox! My skin seems to feel tighter after applying this essence and though my skin tends to behave anyway, I feel like I can go a lot longer without a breakout when using this consistently.
Alumier MD AHA Renewal Serum*
I know you must be thinking I'm over exfoliating, but with my skin type, I can handle it! I pay close attention to my skin that I know when to make changes or push through. This Alumier MD exfoliating serum is 8% lactic acid based with PHA gluconolactone (note that I have no glycolic acid in my routine this summer since I'm using multiple forms of more gentle acids) and is formulated for all skin types. It also contains arnica extract to combat irritation and sodium hyaluronate for hydration all of which are before the halfway point of the ingredients list! This is a serum that is intended for use 2x/day, BUT after pushing my skin to do so, I realized that my skin only liked this serum 1x/day so I only use it in the mornings. I was already getting enough exfoliation with the essence and mandelic acid so I noticed that my cheeks were getting red when I was using it 2x/day. No pain or sensitivity, but just more redness which disappeared within 24 hours of me changing application to once a day. I was using this serum for longer than the other two acid products and this alone kept my skin quite clear and while the other two helped more with brightness.
Alumier MD AluminEye Brightening Eye Cream*
I am really the worst with eye creams, but they all seem to feel the same to me. I have noticed that I do get dry undereyes now so while I like hydration, I tend to opt for oil-free options as I am terrified of milia forming as it is near impossible to get rid of quickly! When I went for an Alumier MD facial in May, I had voiced this concern and the esthetician recommended this award-winning eye cream. This eye cream is filled with peptides and skin brightening agents like glutathione and light reflecting ingredients to immediately brighten the eye. This does have cyclopentasiloxane in it making it apply very smoothly and feel lightweight. I use this solely in the mornings as that's when I want to look perky and it has done a great job working underneath makeup AND most importantly, keeping my undereye area hydrated and milia-free!
Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Moisturizer*
My husband and I are both using this so I have actually had to move this moisturizer from MY side of the bathroom counter to the exact middle so that he will know where to find it. Not only is the product hydrating, but there are a number of oils like linseed, chia seed, olive fruit, passionfruit, borage seed and olive oil that should make this moisturizer feel heavy, but that is not the case at all! I thought because of the lightness of the texture that this moisturizer would have silicones in it, but it is silicone-free! I don't know how they got this texture, but this is now one of my favourite moisturizers and I only have, I kid you not, probably two that I truly love (Tata Harper and Odacite).
Now, that we are moving into Fall I will be changing things up, but one thing that will remain is my commitment to acids as I will be continuing my #100DaysofSheetMasks challenge well into November! So far, I have swapped out my moisturizer for one that is Vitamin C focused and I have yet to decide on a serum as I am also doing #Sample September and trying different foil packet serums.
What was your summer skincare routine like?
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