on skin care.

[quigonejinn]

LISTEN OKAY I'VE READ SOME BOOKS I'LL POST ABOUT THEM SOME OF THEM WERE MINDBENDINGLY GOOD BUT I JUST WANNA TALK ABOUT THE STUFF I'M DOING TO MY FACE NOW. BECAUSE I'M KINDA PROUD ABOUT FINALLY DOING SOMETHING AND GETTING SOMETHING THAT WORKS FOR ME.



Historically, my main issue is massive, hideous, Sahara-like dehydration and dryness with all the redness and flakiness and giant pores that come with it. I also have sun-related hyperpignmetation and GODDAMMIT I DON'T SLEEP ENOUGH hyperpigmentation under the eyes, too, and it's basically been this way since I was like, a teenager. Every winter, my face would get so dry and my pores would get so big that it would, like, kinda hurt? And then three things happened:

1. I started buying nail polish and lipstick at Sephora because OMG COLOR OMG GLITTER OMG SPARKLE

2. Sephora had a Phillip Roth face care set as ~~~ 500 point reward ~~~~ or whatever, so I traded in a bunch of the points that I'd goten from nail polish and lipstick. And some of the products were only so-so for me, but I realized that things! could be different! when I tried this, and on my super-dry, flaky skin it was a revelation. My skin could feel soft and smooth and not flake everywhere! There was something I could do about it.

3. The Sephora started carrying the Ordinary, which is CHEAP AS BALLS. Skin care, for me, had always been the expensive stuff my mom used and tried to get me to use with mixed effects (see the Clarins and the Estee Lauder below), and I always had so much stuff around so I felt guilty spending a lot of money when my mom bought me stuff because she saw how dry my skin is/wanted to give me good things. Like, I'd try a cleanser, and it would be nice, but it made my face feel tight and dry, and nothing I did worked so ???? But the Ordinary had gotten good press, and I had a gift certificate from Christmas, and just random picked stuff from what they had in stock.

The Vitamin C that I got was less than six dollars,

ad I swear to you that the first time I tried it, I saw skincare Jesus.

My cheek became as soft as a toddler's. The redness I thought was a permanent part of my skin disappeared. My pores disappeared. I looked like I was wearing primer AND foundation AND concealer, but no, it was just me, staring at my face in the mirror at 11:30 pm on a work night in between texting people about how good my skin suddenly looked. It's exciting shit.


Morning:

Cleanser: If I'm not showering, Cerave Hydrating Face Wash if I'm feeling dry, and Cerave Salicylic Acid face wash if I'm feeling a little oily. If I'm showering, nothing.
Toner: Clarins Chamomille Toner
Serum: The Ordinary Buffet
Moisturizer: The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Hyaluronic Acid
Sunscreen: Applied 30 minutes later, Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection, SPF50+

Evening:

Cleanser: Same as morning.
Toner: Clarins Chamomille Toner, but if my skin is feeling extra dehydrated and sensitive, Kose Sekkisei Medicated Toner after the Clarins Chamomille Toner.
Active: Alternating nights of the Ordinary Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid, and the Ordinary Granactive Retinol 2%
Mask: On Sunday nights, or when I goddamn FEEL LIKE IT GODDAMMIT. Right now, I'm working my way through a mega-pack of Lululun brightening/moistuirizing masks with Vitamin C and glycerin.
Serum: The Ordinary Buffet, but if my skin is feeling dehydrated, The Ordinary Buffet and Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair
Moisturizer: The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Hyaluronic Acid. If I'm feeling extra dehydated or I goddamn FEEL LIKE IT, I let the Ordinary dry completely, and then come back with a pat-in of a single oil, usually DHC olive oil to let it all soak in.

Next steps: the low-key lactic acid from The Ordinary, the niacinamide from The Ordinary, rose hip oil from The Ordinary

Comments

[deuces]

I also have dark undereyes! D: I recently started using a Vitamin C serum/oil, but I haven't noticed any drastic changes (but also I know I'm not drinking enough water, so that doesn't help). I like it, but once I finish the sample size (I got this one), I might look around for a new one.

Do you find that regularly doing a face mask helps your skin? I just do cleanser + toner + moisturizer, but I feel like I should give my skin some more love. u__u

[quigonejinn]

On the Vitamin C: oh man, yeah, I have a friend who started using the Ordinary's vitamin C it specifically for her dark circles and saw a dramatic improvement after using it morning and night for a couple days. If you do use it, you'll want to start off with a pretty light application, like, maybe a dollop the size of a small pea and then pat it in? Because it stings if you put a lot on, and is also gritty.

I am still kinda evangelical about it because you get used to the sting, it isn't bad if you don't put a lot on, and oh my GOD, it's done incredible things for my skin. I've been using it less for hyperpigmentation (though either it or the retinol I've been using is making serious inroads on not just my dark eyes, but also my sunspots), and more for general skin texture improvement. The first time I used it, I may have sat in the bathroom for 45 minutes after my first use of it and just stared at my skin in between texting/e-mailing all of my Internet friends about it. Here's a comparison of the Ordinary's Vitamin C offerings.

On the sheet masks: it definitely makes things much, much better for me for a day or two? My skin's main problem is holding onto moisture/dullness, and those are things that the masks I use are great short-term remedies for. I stick one on at night, leave it on for about twice the recommended time because I'm using ones that are moisturize-y and pretty gentle, and my face is a glowy delight the next morning and for a day or two.

[deuces]

I don't mind stinging as long as it helps my skin, haha. I'll definitely check it out once I finish my other sample!

When I've used masks, they've helped, but I'm not in the habit of using them regularly. My mom got me a few from the Face Shop, so I'm making my way through those and looking to get some more.

Ahh, thanks for your recommendation! I'll let you know how it goes~

[bell]

I just wanted to let you know that I tried the Ordinary, AND NOW I USE IT TWICE A DAY. And this post got me to try out Sephora, and they're nice there, so I'm happy! I got generous free samples! MAYBE THERE IS HOPE FOR MY DRY/OILY/WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU SKIN AFTER ALL.

A question for you-- how did you find these? Did you do research (where)? Did you buy the bits, and if you didn't like them, did you throw them out??

[quigonejinn]

I am so fucking late on this reply, but I just sort of poked around the Internet? Once in a while, I dip into the SkincareAddiction subreddit for new brands or products, but the focus on acne makes it less useful to me. And yeah, I buy the bits, and just write it off if it doesn't work for me, like the rando sunscreen my mother-in-law brought me from New Zealand or the Ordinary's caffeine thingy.


HOW ARE YOU DOING

[robot_iconography]

I am rolling into this post ten months late but I don't even care because I am ready to come to skincare Jesus. The cold weather here makes me feel like my face is made of parchment. Picture that dude who drinks from the wrong cup in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and then crumbles to dust. That's me for at least half the year. Dust Man.

Dust Man is gonna get himself some Vitamin C.

[quigonejinn]

DO IT, DUST MAN

Although the pedant in me says that vitamin C will help with renewing your skin and all that jazz, but if you're seriously dry like me, you may want to dip your toes into two things:

1. Ceramides and niacinamides to strengthen your skin barrier, because if it's like mine, it was fucking WRECKED by month after month every year of cold, dry windy weather

2. Hyaluronic acid and other humectants, which help draw water into your skin.

Cerave has a very reasonably priced thing with both of these. I also still like the Ordinary's face moisturizer with hyaluronic acid. And now that it's full winter where I am, at night, I slather my face with the Ordinary's rose hip oil. Also, if your skin was chronically dry like mine, a low-key chemical exfoliant like the Ordinary's lactic acid once or twice a week helped me get to new skin that hadn't been wrecked yet by Endless Wind.

TELL ME HOW IT GOES

[robot_iconography]

This is so helpful! I tend to avoid putting anything at all on my face because I am allergic to so many things, but I’m really into this alternate future where my skin is fresh and soft and my crops are watered.

[quigonejinn]

Oof, allergies make things tough! Cerave gets recommended a lot for people who have allergies or sensitive skin, because it's fragrance-free and super cheap so you can buy without risking too much money? And like test it on a wrist, and then the side of the neck, and then the face if nothing happens? But even then, some people do run into issues.

Perennially dry skin is such a pain in the butt. :/ If you feel like getting a little spendier, another dust person with sensitivities I know swears by a combination of Stratia's Liquid Gold (review here), followed by Fortify before bed every night. They're both on my list once I work through my current products.

SCUSE ME WHILE I VOMIT WORDS AND OPINIONS ON YOU

[robot_iconography]

Thank you! Come Boxing Day I am going to treat myself to the gift of new skin! Look out, world.