Skincare Confessions: A No-BS Guide to What’s Worth Your Money

Hello fellow skincare enthusiasts! I’m a 25-year-old navigating the tricky world of sensitive, acne-prone, combination skin. Fragrance, citrus, and floral essential oils are my skin’s worst enemies, which has turned me into an obsessive ingredient list reader. I’m sharing my brutally honest reviews of products I’ve tried, hoping it’ll save you some money and skin irritation.

Cleansers: The Good, The Bad, and The Stripping

• La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer 30 SPF (3/10): Moisturizing and fragrance-free, but sadly broke me out and burned my eyes. Best for dry skin types that aren’t sensitive.
• Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser (0/10): A complete miss for me. Unpleasant smell, caused breakouts, and failed to remove makeup effectively.
• Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser (6/10): Clean ingredient list is a plus, but ultimately too stripping and drying for my skin, especially considering the price. Ideal for oily skin or those who love that squeaky-clean feeling.
• The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser (5/10): Affordable and unscented, but unfortunately made my skin itch and left an unpleasant residue.
• Glow Recipe Papaya Sorbet Enzyme Cleansing Balm (8/10): A surprising hit! Creamy texture, delightful scent, and effective makeup removal. The only downside is the slight greasy film it leaves around the eyes.

Sunscreens: Finding the Holy Grail (and Avoiding the Breakouts)

• La Roche-Posay Anthelios Sunscreen 60 SPF (American) (3/10): No white cast, which is great, but the greasiness and breakouts weren’t worth it. Plus, it stung my eyes.
• La Roche-Posay Anthelios Sunscreen 50+ SPF (European) (9/10): A winner! No white cast, reasonably priced, and effective sun protection. My only gripe is the slightly runny texture. Bonus points for LRP’s commitment to skin cancer research.
• Innisfree Daily UV Defense Sunscreen 36 SPF (5/10): Good value, but broke me out and felt too oily.
  Note: The formula has since been updated.
• Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen 40 SPF (5/10): Doesn’t leave a white cast but is expensive and broke me out. Felt very silicone-heavy, like my skin was suffocating. Sensitive acne-prone skin beware.

Serums & Oils: From Redness to Radiance

• Jordan Samuel Hydrate Facial Serum (0/10): Immediate burning sensation and redness.
  Note: The formula has been updated, so my experience might not be relevant.
• Versed Sunday Morning Antioxidant Oil-Serum (1/10): Inexpensive, but ultimately ineffective. The two phases separate and look unappealing over time.
• Murmure Bisou Clarifying Dry Oil (10/10): A game-changer for clearing blackheads and reducing redness. Sinks into the skin quickly.
  Caution: Contains hazelnut oil. I use it twice a week, alternating with retinol.
• SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic Serum (8/10): Brightened and evened my skin tone effectively. However, the high price tag and oxidation after a few months are major drawbacks. Keep away from light and close the bottle tightly.

Moisturizers: Hydration Heroes and Fragrance Fails

• Tata Harper Water-Lock Moisturizer (2/10): Loved the organic farm story and gel-cream texture, but the strong fragrance and irritants (alcohol, limonene, etc.) make it a no-go for sensitive skin. Contains AHAs with sunburn warning!
• Saturday Skin Carrot + Niacinamide Moisturizing Cream (6/10): Hydrating, thick gel-cream. However, the strong silicone smell was off-putting (especially in the US version, compared to the European version).
• The Outset Nourishing Squalane Daily Moisturizer (7/10): Clean ingredients and a lightweight texture, but not hydrating enough for my skin. Worth a try if you have sensitive skin and prefer a light moisturizer.
• Skinfix Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream (10/10): A holy grail moisturizer! Super hydrating, nourishing, and perfect for sensitive skin.
• Youth to the People Superfood Air-Whip Moisture Cream (3/10): Light, airy texture, but contains fragrance and limonene. Didn’t provide significant benefits.
  Note: The formula may have changed.
• Youth to the People Polypeptide-121 Future Cream (7/10): Hydrating and plumping. However, it developed a strange smell halfway through the jar.

Treatments: Retinol Miracles and Glycolic Acid Mishaps

• A313 Vitamin A Pommade (10/10): A retinol superstar! Reduced acne and improved skin texture after just two weeks. The thick, Vaseline-like texture locks in the vitamin A. Slight metallic smell is the only con. I use it 2x a week max, alternating with salicylic acid.
• Typology Glycolic Acid 10% (3/10): Affordable, but too strong for my sensitive skin, leading to breakouts.
• Pillow Talk Derm Major Fade Flash Mask (0/10): Immediate burning sensation and redness due to the high (15%) glycolic acid content. Always patch test new products!
• Typology Niacinamide 12% (5/10): Inexpensive, but too concentrated. Studies suggest 4% is ideal. I dilute it by adding it to my moisturizer.

Mists & Elixirs: Hydration or Hype?

• Mario Badescu Rose Facial Spray (0/10): Cheap, but the strong mist, unpleasant scent, and irritating ingredients (fragrance, citronellol, etc.) make it a pass.
• Caudalie Beauty Elixir Face Mist (0/10): An outdated product, in my opinion. Unpleasant smell, ineffective, and contains alcohol and fragrance.
• Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Ultra-fine Mist (1/10): Cute packaging, but broke me out, had an overpowering candy fragrance, and didn’t hydrate.

Lip Care: From Disappointment to Delight

• Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask (3/10): Delicious scent (but contains fragrance), but ultimately made my lips drier. I also dislike scooping products from a jar. I don’t understand the hype. According to feedback, some find it effective, suggesting results may vary from person to person.
• U Beauty The Plasma Lip Compound (Rose) (0/10): Repulsive chemical smell. Very disappointing, especially considering the price.
• Clarins Lip Comfort Oil (9/10): My favorite lip product! Not sticky, long-lasting, and incredibly shiny. I wish it had more color payoff and wasn’t so expensive.

Body Oil

• Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil (9/10): Nice dry oil that soaks in quickly, I love the smell (I only use this on my body so the fragrance doesn’t bother me). Wish it had a dropper or pump to make application less messy. I put this all over my body after my shower and my skin feels baby soft.

The Cult Classics

• Aquaphor Healing Ointment Advanced Therapy (10/10): A cult classic for a reason! Heals and seals in moisture effectively. I’m team Aquaphor over Vaseline every day.

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