The Skincare Edit | December + January PR on Rotation
I’ve told myself for years that I need to find a better way to test and feature all the products I am so fortunate to find myself in possession of. I can never express how grateful I am to those that follow along for helping me gain opportunities to work with so many brands and be gifted so many products to try.
While there are so many wonderful aspects, I am extremely hyper aware of the waste that this can create as I am just one person with one face (and so many limbs). I am pretty strict with myself on not opening products unless I feel I am missing a gap for that product in my routine + open stash. Now this means I may not be able to try a lot, but it’s the only thing that makes sense to not have a ton of open and quickly expired products.
I am also very strict on passing on things I feel “meh” about pretty quickly so that a friend or family member can give it a try. During the peak of COVID this was super difficult as we were distancing ourselves and not seeing anyone. I tried to donate what I could to Project Beauty Share, but they had a lot of limitations on what I could pass on. I also tend not to give away partially used jars of products since I just feel like there’s zero control for sanitation.
I thought I would challenge myself this year to share a quick shot (either medicine cabinet shelfie or vanity roundup) with a quick feature of some new(er) products that I’ve tried and don’t think that I’ve spoken about before.
SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Hydrating + Calming Mask | As someone that struggles a lot with overall skin redness, I was very excited to give this one a try. It has a blend of cucumber, thyme, and olive extracts to soothe and comfort skin, but also has hyaluronic acid to deeply hydrate your skin. With the cold air of Winter hitting my skin during our daily dog walks, my skin has quickly gone from normal skin to dry, chapped, and painful. I have been regularly working this into my routine either once or twice a week and it has left my skin super soft. My husband’s skin has gotten extremely sensitive during COVID but I do notice that he has been cracking into this every so often as well. Price wise this one isn’t awful and a little goes a long way!
Tatcha Indigo Overnight Repair | As soon as I saw others receiving this in PR I was intrigued since I don’t think I’ve seen another product marketed like this? This is a serum in cream treatment form which has a thick and cushiony texture. I appreciate that this one is fragrance free and has been my go-to, in conjunction with the above, to help give extra TLC to my face during this harsh Winter weather. I’ve been testing out some skincare acids and I definitely over-exfoliated my skin at one point and I quickly jumped to this to help repair my skin barrier. When I reach for this I apply a pretty minimal routine and I always wake up with super soft and plump skin. This is on the pricier side but I think it is fully worth it! If you’re on the fence, they do have a mini version which you can give a try first.
HoliFrog Sunnyside C Glow Serum | I am not going to lie, I am extremely picky when it comes to Vitamin C serums. Of all the ones I have used, there has really only been 1 standout product for me and unfortunately it’s not this one. It’s not bad, but Vitamin C serums tend to feel a bit tacky + have a rather unpleasant scent. While this one is not my *favorite*, I cannot deny that my complexion always looks brighter after using it. I assume that the ingredient list combining Vitamin C, Niacinamide, and Tranexamic Acid is what helps boost the effectiveness of this stuff. I will say that I love the packaging of this where it comes with a pump (and not a dropper). The only con is that the packaging is completely opaque so it’s harder to know when you’re nearing the end. I will say that the formula of this product is on the runnier/thinner side and is one of the better serums out there that I’ve tried. Cost wise I’d say this one is up there as well, but HoliFrog is often running deals on their site so keep your eyes open for that!
YTTP Triple Peptide + Cactus Oasis Serum | I love a good hydrating serum and this one did not disappoint. It’s a thin texture which easily sinks into my skin. It’s unscented, does not leave a tacky film, and works well with other products in my routine (both AM/PM). Price wise it’s on the higher side, but it isn’t awful! TBH I don’t really have anything negative to say about this product.
Versed Baby Cheeks (All-In-One Hydrating Milk) | Ok this one actually isn’t PR, I purchased this myself after seeing so many people rave about it. Again, my skin was going through it and feeling dry, parched, and almost painfully stretched. I was desperate and decided to crack this out. I’m surprisingly going through this quickly and I do feel like this has helped my skin bounce back to be softer and feeling like it’s older self. This has also helped me with controlling some oiliness in my T-Zone as well so that’s an added plus!
Grown Alchemist Balancing Toner | They describe this one online as an invigorating toner and wow were they correct. As soon as I swiped this across my face I could feel some small tingles. I definitely think this one contributed to my cheeks drying out once the temperatures dropped, but I could see myself liking this a lot come warmer weather. I’m not signing this one off but I am dropping this back into my stash to bring back out in the warmer months.
AmorePacific Vintage Single Extract Essence | I’ve heard rave things about this essence and was so excited to finally try this. I turned 30 last year and idk if it’s just staying home these last 2 years but I feel like I’ve aged forward in a lot of ways. While I will admit I think I still look youthful, sometimes if I stare a little too close to the mirror I start to notice those signs of aging (fine lines, wrinkles, etc.). I’m sure my years of skincare obsession has helped, but I’m still doing my best! I know people go back and forth on essences, but I truly find that including an essence in your skincare step is really something that helps and you really notice a difference after you stop using it. I was happy to find that this did not have any scent as some other AmorePacific products I tried were heavily fragranced. I’ll shake a few drops of this into my palm and then press this in all around my face. I haven’t used this enough to report back but will definitely be finishing this to the last drop!
YTTP Mandelic Acid + Superfood Unity Exfoliant | I learned my lesson after the Grown Alchemist toner so I decided to be very intentional with where I swiped this. I’ve used this across my T-Zone and cheeks where I was hoping to clear out some of my pores and even out some texture. I will say that this one is relatively gentle but effective - I will always stan chemical exfoliant products. I was also breaking out a lot around my chin area from wearing masks so frequently and regularly swiping this there has helped bring my skin back to normal as well.
Kat Burki Rose Hip Intense Recovery Eye Serum | I’ll admit that I’ve slacked with eye products over the last 2 years, but I’m doing my best to get back in the habit of using eye products. Sometimes I get annoyed with eye creams if I apply and rub my eyes bc it stings a lot. When this eye serum showed up on my doors I was very intrigued - it’s a thinner texture which means it’s easier to gently pat in and quicker to sink in. I do feel like my eye area will look a touch brighter with regular use, and also the harsh redness from my cheeks to my eyes softens a bit. I know Kat Burki can be a pricier line but I have genuinely loved so many of the products I’ve tried from them! (If you look closely, you can also spot their face oil + vitamin c cream in rotation as well!)
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Almost all products featured in this post are PR, but all thoughts remain my own.
This post contains affiliate links. Feel free to read more on my disclaimer.