It’s true, there’s no denying I love skincare. I was able to test out 33 products in the last six months and I wanted to share a thorough review of products I personally liked and disliked.
It’s important to note that skincare products should be tested over a 30 period as it takes the skin 30 days to run it’s cycle and shed new skin. That’s when you’ll be able to really see a difference in your skin. And just because it didn’t work for me doesn’t mean it won’t work for you and visa versa!
Cleansers
Tatcha Camellia Oil Cleanser: http://bit.ly/31B5bfo
- This did a good job of getting off all my makeup and skincare residue.
- This cleanser is good for all skin types and does not contain mineral oil, so it leaves no residue on your skin.
Dermalogica PreCleanse Cleansing Oil: http://bit.ly/378N2GB
- This is definitely my holy grail.
- I’ve been using this for two years now. I always have a bottle of this in my bathroom counter, always!
- This oil contains Vitamin E and Rosemary to protect the skin from damage.
Holifrog Acid Wash: http://bit.ly/2SnKn6T
- This is a brand new product to me.
- I absolutely love this and would repurchase it.
- It’s a milky formula and you need to really massage the cleanser into your skin for a few minutes. Get that AHA into your skin and then rinse off. Left my skin feeling soft and clean but not stripped.
- Also felt this helped tighten my pore.
- This wash includes Australian Caviar Lime Extract to brighten and smooth skin. It’s a skin clearing serum in cleanser form.
Dermalogica Daily Exfoliator: http://bit.ly/2VQozW1
- I use this 2-3x a week. I can’t live without this stuff. Also been using this for over two years.
- It’s great to clean out pores and dead skin.
- This activates upon contact with water, and contains colloidal oatmeal to lock in moisture to the skin.
Tatcha Rice Polish Enzyme Powder: http://bit.ly/2Oydrap
- This was a new product I tried out.
- I felt it was too gentle for me.
- I prefer the Dermalogica one since or just a traditional cleanser than this one. It wasn’t really polishing enough or cleansing for me.
Essence / Toners
Caudalie Brightening Essence http://bit.ly/2ZalrWt
- This is very similar to SKII in my opinion. Great alternative and more affordable as well.
- This is powered by glycolic acid to remove dead skin. It also has grape water for added hydration.
SK-II Facial Treatment Essence http://bit.ly/2VQQvZI
- I used almost half the bottle and liked the way my skin looked whenever I used it.
- I like to wear multiple layers of this sometimes to make my skin extra plump.
- This essence combats dullness and hydrates the face.
Alpha-H Liquid Gold Exfoliator http://bit.ly/2UsqcaH
- My holy grail AHA. This one is quite strong and powerful. I use this 1-2x a week esp. on the days I feel my skin is dull or about to break out.
- This treatment uses a low PH delivery system to diminish the look of wrinkles, pigmentation, and sun damage.
Kate Somerville Liquid Exfolikate http://bit.ly/3bh2mV8
- New AHA that I tried out. Pretty potent and powerful.
- Did a great job keeping my skin tight and pores clean.
- I wouldn’t recommend this for someone who is new to AHA exfoliators.
- This product is sulfate-free and includes a 10 percent triple acid blend to exfoliate dead skin and even out your complexion.
Indie Lee Daily Peel http://bit.ly/2OyyrOC
- This is great for when I want to scrub a bit more residue off of my skin.
- This is nice to have, but it isn’t absolutely necessary.
- Allows skin to shed by using Natural Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) and Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) to dissolve excess sebum.
Vitamin C / Serums
Drunk Elephant Vitamin C http://bit.ly/32huiUD
- I like this during the winter time because it is more of a heavier formula.
- This is great for combatting dark spots on my skin.
- I like to use this during the day, every day.
Very Cherry Bright Vitamin C – Farmacy http://bit.ly/2SLpnID
- This didn’t really work for me. It wasn’t strong enough.
- This is more suited for someone who is more sensitive or new to Vitamin C.
Summer Fridays Vitamin C Serum http://bit.ly/2S57p3u
- When I first tried this out, I wasn’t sure if it was actually going to work. But on lazy days, I do prefer this one a lot more.
- This leaves your face feeling nice and plump.
- This is great for someone who wants an all-in-one serum.
- This serum is packed with two forms of Vitamin C and squalane to deliver instant brightness.
Peter Thomas Roth Vitamin C Spot Brightener http://bit.ly/3bhKDwU
- This isn’t for all over your face, but I find that this really helps with my dark spots that I get from breakouts.
- This works on fresh dark spots. I’d put this on a new spot immediately for a few weeks.
- It doesn’t really work on older dark spots. This has saved me because my spots are so new.
- This dark spot treatment is powered by Vitamin C, Vitamin E, ferulic acid, and advanced skin brightening actives.
SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier http://bit.ly/31yIiJa
- This has been a staple in my routine for years now.
- It is a bit pricey – I go through three bottles a year.
- This reduces the look of crow’s feet and other wrinkles and is proven to amplify skin’s hyaluronic acid levels by 30%.
Maelove Glow Maker http://bit.ly/3739HnR
- This is very comparable to the SkinCeuticals formula, and it’s much more affordable!
- It’s a great alternative if you feel like your skin is starting to sag in certain areas and you want that amplification.
- This antioxidant serum leaves your skin feeling hydrated and bright throughout the entire day.
Herbivore Bakuchiol Serum http://bit.ly/2Z7b2ee
- This is my absolute favorite serum and has been for the past 6 months.
- This is supposed to be a retinol alternative, but I don’t think it does what a retinol does. It holds the moisture to your skin so it’s more comparable to a hyaluronic acid.
- I would highly recommend this, and I may feature it on my holy grails.
- It’s super watery and soaks into your skin well. I find myself reaching for this one the most.
- This is 100% natural and uses polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) to enhance absorption while strengthening skin.
TaTa Harper Brightening Serum http://bit.ly/2vWtfxq
- I really like how hydrating this is. It’s a bit of a thicker consistency and creamier, so it’s great for the days I want a lot more brightening and hydration.
- A high performance serum with encapsulated plankton to help preserve natural skin tone appearance while removing dark spots.
Ole Henriksen Night Treatment http://bit.ly/2S83OBL
- I like to use this one at night and I’m really happy with it.
- This is a lightweight face gel that supports natural cell turnover, which helps transform your skin towards a more youthful-looking complexion.
Tatcha Serum Stick http://bit.ly/2Uyc7rR
- This feels a bit silicon-ey, but this is more squalene based.
- It’s nice to have, but I feel like it’s absolutely not necessary. It just hydrates your skin in the moment.
- I’d rather invest in a serum that will actually do something for your skin rather than just sit on it.
- This balm is packed with 80% squalane, hyaluronic acid, and Japanese lemon balm to target signs of aging and dryness.
oils
Herbivore Lapis Oil http://bit.ly/3c4qyum
- I didn’t like the consistency of this. It really didn’t do much for me and I felt like it wasn’t very effective.
True Botanicals Pure Radiance Oil – Renew http://bit.ly/2OzfHyc
- This is my absolute favorite oil in the world and I will always have this at all times.
- It is a very thin oil so it penetrates into your skin well and leaves it nice and fresh.
- It’s worth the price and it lasts a long time! Would highly recommend it.
- Oil is the key to youthfulness.
- This face oil contains Chia seed and kiwi extract, along with two Omega-3 powerhouses to help shield the skin from environmental toxins.
Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil http://bit.ly/2H36nOV
- I have a love/hate relationship with this oil.
- I found myself continuing to try to find ways to use it and like it. When I use this alone, it makes my skincare peel. I’d recommend using this at the end of your skincare routine.
- When I pair this with another Biossance moisturizer, then it doesn’t peel and it feels amazing on my skin.
- It really does brighten, especially during the wintertime.
- This face oil contains Chios Crystal Oil to help nurture skin and improve the look of firmness.
moisturizers
Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Cream http://bit.ly/2v9u59K
- This is one of my favorite moisturizers that I’ve used in these past 6 months.
- It’s lightweight and almost feels like a gel once you rub it in.
- It smells like Cheetos, but the scent does go away pretty fast. It’s very interesting but this one is probably one of my favorites.
- This cream includes all the good fats your skin needs to thoroughly moisturize, without leaving a greasy residue feeling afterwards.
Peter Thomas Roth Age Defense Cream http://bit.ly/31uUc6W
- This is not heavy at all. It’s a super lightweight moisturizer that almost disappears once you put it into your skin.
- I do wish this contained cleaner ingredients, but that’s the only downfall.
- This cream is good for normal and dry skin. It uses Gamma E Antioxidant technology to help prevent the look of dullness and wrinkles from environmental damage.
Venn Age Reversing Concentrate http://bit.ly/3bbWtZn
- This is one of my holy grails.
- This is one of my favorites because I will always reach for this one and travel with this one.
- It’s an all-in-one, so I don’t feel like I need to pair this with other products.
- It’s definitely an investment but I would still recommend it.
- This product uses naturally-derived antioxidants and high-performance peptides to deeply hydrate and improve complexion in one easy step.
Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream http://bit.ly/2S51Imc
- This was a bit too heavy for me. I’d wake up with oil in between my nose so I didn’t think it matched well with my skin type.
- It’s better for dry skin.
- This cream uses TFC8 technology to restore the skin’s youthful appearance and deeply hydrate, transforming the skin’s complexion.
Curology Cream http://curolo.gy/ellenor
- I use this every single night. I don’t use retinol anymore but they’ve changed the formula so that it still works with me during pregnancy.
- I have an entire video dedicated to Curology if you want to learn more about it.
eye creams
Biossance Squalane + Marine Algae Eye Cream http://bit.ly/3bfAEIh
- This is really good for every day. It’s good for lightweight formulas, but I wanted something a little more concentrated, so I moved on after using about half the jar.
- This cream includes paracress extract to help reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles in as little as seven days.
Peter Thomas Roth Age Defense Eye Cream http://bit.ly/2H0UKbp
- I like to use this during the daytime. I found that this really worked for my eyes.
- It’s my go-to for when I want something a little less heavy.
- This anti-aging eye cream is also anti-pollution and anti-blue light to help support your skin’s natural microbiome.
Erno Laszlo Eye Gel Cream http://bit.ly/2vRaZW1
- I love this because it’s hydrating and light at the same time.
- I’ve reached for this a lot.
- This serves as both an eye cream and a multi-tasking hybrid eye serum.
Perricone MD Smoothing and Brightening Under-Eye Cream http://bit.ly/373fdHg
- This is my favorite under-eye cream overall!
- This is heavy enough to stay on but not so heavy that it irritates my eyes.
- Both sulfate and paraben-free, this eye cream helps with dark circles, deep wrinkles, and sagging.
sunscreens
Tatcha Sunscreen SPF 35+ http://bit.ly/2FUxwDH
- This is the sunscreen that I gravitate towards the absolute most.
- It feels like a very nice moisturizer on your skin and the scent is not overwhelming.
- This sunscreen is non-irritating and doesn’t leave a chalky feeling on the skin. It can also be worn under makeup.
EltaMD UV Daily SPF 40 http://bit.ly/2SrwQLh
- This is slightly lighter than the Tatcha Sunscreen. This has always been one of my holy grails.
- This helps protect against UVA and UVB rays to help combat the visible signs of aging.
EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46 http://bit.ly/2Uye87A
- I like this one but I do prefer the tinted on one my skin.
- This sunscreen is good for sensitive or acne prone skin. It is a mineral-based sunscreen, leaving the texture light and silky.
SkinMedica Total Defense + Repair http://bit.ly/2ShUEBe
- This is really good if you want to find a higher-end skincare/SPF sunscreen. I like the powerful ingredients in it.
- Uses antioxidants to combat the skin’s free radicals and boost the sunscreen’s availability to protect your skin from damage.
Maelove Sun Protector SPF 30 http://bit.ly/2S5nbet
- I like this one a lot, and it’s the newest one I’ve tried.
- It leaves the skin feeling a little bit matte, which I like.
- This SPF30 sunscreen is fortified with Vitamins C and E and is paraben-free. It also doubles up as a makeup primer.