Skincare Empties – Tried, tested… but trusted?

A retrospective analysis of skincare products I used up over the past few months: some staples, some discontinued treasures, and a few bad choices. And whether or not I will/can repurchase.

Skincare Empties
Plumped and moist. Yep, I just wrote that.

The Ordinary “Buffet” Multi-Technology Peptide Serum: I liked this. If not for the myriad of serums I have lined up to use up, I would have repurchased it already. This does have a tendency to ball up into those nasty-looking, silicone-feeling bits of product when I apply too much, but it did take care of the dry patches on my skin, so I forgive it. You know, not all your kids are perfect. And at 14 euros this won’t leave you bankrupt. Repurchase? Yes.

SkinCeauticals C E Ferulic Serum: this thing though, at 100+ euros a bottle, should have turned me into Kylie Jenner. It didn’t. As I mentioned before, I feel like my skin isn’t the ideal candidate for this serum since vitamin C is great at reversing sun damage and I’ve been protecting my skin from the sun since 1893 – this would be good for people with hyper pigmentation, sun spots or trust funds. Repurchase? No. If my vampiresque face starts acting differently or missing this product, and no other vitamin C product can replace it, and I get a huge inheritance, I might.

Clinique Superdefense SPF20 Moisturizer: Clinique did this travel friendly packaging for they Superdefense daily moisturizer: 15 ml in a squirt tube. I jumped on it because I like Clinique but hate jars for face moisturizers – not only are they less hygienic, but the product gets more exposure to air and light which renders some active ingredients useless. I bought about 8 of these tubes. I love it: it’s light on the skin, moisturises properly, and has SPF 20. Repurchase? I wish. I only have two left :(.

To cleanse and to polish.

Bioderma Sébium Exfoliating Gel: I got this after looking for positive reviews on physical exfoliants on beautypedia’s website. This was actually very liquid-y, and prone to waste. It does what’s supposed to for a physical exfoliant, I just don’t know what I expected. That’s how I know I’m getting old: I used to love these, now I question what the hell is wrong with me that I would voluntarily rub sand on my face. The more I’m into skincare the more I realise chemical exfoliants (AHA/BHA) is where it’s at. This is unnecessarily aggressive. Repurchase? No.

SkinCeauticals Gentle Cleanser Cream: like mentioned in the review, it’s nice, but not worth the price. I’ve since discovered better cleansers that are just as gentle and a lot cheaper. Repurchase? No.

Bioderma Hydrabio H2O Micellar Water: I typically buy the huge bottles of the Bioderma Sensibio micellar water (with the pink cap, talked about here) but the Hydrabio was on sale and I decided to try it. Honestly, I don’t notice a difference between the two. I think they market this as more geared towards dehydrated skin, but the Sensibio is not drying at all. And they’re both great for sensitive skin. Regardless of colour or claim, these micellar waters are amazing. Repurchase? Sure, the blue one, the pink one, whatever is cheaper or looks better in my bathroom.

To refresh and to tighten.

MAC Lightful C Marine-Bright Formula Softening Lotion: this was a toner. A very well formulated toner, at that. I know toner is not technically a necessary step on a skincare routine, but I like to have one. Toners help remove the very last bit of makeup after cleansing the face – and before anyone says that I’m not cleansing properly, I say they’re not used to using long-lasting makeup. There is always a little bit left behind. Always. Hm’kay? Kay. This was so soothing for the skin, so nice to use, and they went ahead and discontinued it. Jerks. Repurchase? I would if I could.

 Gulsha Ultimate Rosewater: I got this on my trip to Turkey. Rosewater has been used in beauty products for centuries there – and although it does have some benefits (antioxidant, antibacterial) it also is a potential irritant for the skin, which I did not know at the time. I enjoyed using it but I will return to my soothing toners. I’m frequently irritated as it is, I don’t want my face to be as well. Repurchase? No.

Too gimmicky.

Sephora Aloe Vera Hand Mask: honestly this is just a bit of hand cream stuck inside a pair of disposable gloves that you wear for 15 minutes, and then rub the remaining on your hands. It’s not even a thick hand cream. It’s not unpleasant but this won’t be the saving grace for dry, flaky winter hands – you’re better off with Nivea’s blue tin cream. This wasn’t expensive though, I think they were having a deal and it ended up costing me 1,50 euros. Repurchase? Only if I need to reach a minimum for free shipping on my online orders.

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