What It Does: A soothing and hydrating serum to keep skin soft, smooth, and healthy-looking.
Active Ingredients: Niacinamide, Vitamin B5, Hyaluronic Acid, and Zinc.
Verdict: This serum is excellent if you’re looking for a serum that targets the following concerns: pore minimizing, removal of dead skin cells, and hydration. I like that the serum is thick, and not watery, so it makes it easier to apply, and it leaves your skin feeling plump, smooth, and not oily. This serum is suggested to wear at night, and it makes sense when you have such powerful ingredients that would benefit from penetrating in your skin at night when the skin does most of its repair. Zinc, one of the ingredients used in the serum, helps acne-prone skin to remain pimple-free as well as helping with aging skin. For the price point, this serum delivers and I recommend it if you’re looking for a night serum.
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Active Ingredients: Rosehip Oil, Aloe, Coconut Oil, and Hyaluronic Acid.
Verdict: Madelaine Petsch is the queen of selfcare and when I heard that she’d be curating Ipsy’s May glam bag, I knew that I had to nab one for myself. First things first, this clay mask smells phenomenal – and by that I mean, it has a very clean and relaxing scent that prepares you for the indulgent journey you’re about to experience. Having oily skin I love clay masks as they help zap up any extra oil, but what I loved about this clay mask, in particular, is that it leaves your skin feeling hydrated. The directions called for leaving the mask on for ten minutes, however, I was caught watching the finale of Big Little Lies so I kept it on for an hour, and my skin never felt tight or taunt once washed off, but actually very nourished and soft. I recommend this mask if you’re looking for a purifying mask that will help restore radiance and suppleness to your skin.
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As a skincare fanatic, I absolutely LOVE partaking in my nighttime skincare routine. It doesn’t matter how tired or how late sometimes it gets, I absolutely never skip this step before I hit the sack. I’m often swapping out products because I love trying out new skincare products. This is my current skincare routine right now:
CLEANSER
Glossier Milk Jelly – When it comes to cleansers, I’m extremely picky because I love a cleanser to be both gentle and actually strong enough to wash off the day. This is both and I absolutely love it.
TONER
Pyunkang Yul Essence Toner – I’ll be having a review of this product later on in the week so keep your eyes peeled. It’s a very gentle and refreshing toner, and if you have dry, combination, or acne prone skin.
FACE CREAMS
Neutrogena Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne Spot Gel – This is pretty much a staple in my skincare routine. Right after toner, I always apply a thin layer of this all over my face (targeting my forehead, cheeks, and chin) since my skin still thinks it’s a teen.
Avant Collagen Intense Radiance Activator Serum – I’ll be posting a review of this product sometime soon on the blog, so keep an eye for it. I mostly use this serum on my neck and forehead, since my cheeks tend to breakout easier if I use any cream on them.
EYE CREAM
Sunday Riley 5 Stars Eye Serum – This has become my holy grail of eye serums. I love thick serums and this one seriously hits the spot, plus it has retinol so it absolutely works on keeping any fine lines at bay! Read my review of this product here.
Beyou Caffeine Eye Cream – Because using the Sunday Riley Eye Serum alone can cause my eye area to feel dry because of the retinol in it, I tend to layer a generous amount of this eye cream to stop that from happening. This is an efficient eye cream that can be used both day and night. You can read a review of this product here.
LIP BALM
Apto Skincare Orange Blossom Lip Balm – I always finish off my nighttime routine with layers upon layers of lip balm so that I can wake up to soft, pillowy lips. This one is thoroughly hydrating and skin-nourishing, plus it has a nice citrus scent to it.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR SKINCARE FAVORITES?
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Verdict: I’ve always had an affinity towards liquid highlighters as I find them to be much more versatile than stick or powder ones. For example, if you’re looking into creating a lit from within look, I highly recommend to mix your favourite moisturizer with this liquid highlighter before applying foundation or keeping it alone if the moisturizer is tinted. What I really enjoyed about this highlighter is that it’s universally flattering with its rose gold tint and with subtle flakes of shimmer, it’s never too overboard but rather, looks very natural and not overly dramatic.
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Verdict: This eye cream is the wake up call your tired eyes need! The cream is lightweight, not thick, so if you’re more into thicker creams, this isn’t the one. However, if you want a lightweight cream that can also be used underneath makeup and concealer, then this does the trick. I do feel that this cream accomplishes in what it sets out to do, firm and brighten. I recommend this eye cream if you want an efficient one, but also one that won’t break your wallet.
Price: $18
Where To Buy It: Target and CVS
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Encapsulated Retinol contains a more gentle slow-release retinol that helps reduce visible signs of aging.
Lactic Acid exfoliates to smooth and brighten for immediate results.
Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract provides antioxidant defense against visible sun damage and pollution.
Verdict: For many this is dubbed the holy grail of retinols. I’ve tried various ones in the past and for me, the majority of them have been far too harsh. This one performs well especially under a moisturizer. It zaps away fine lines like you wouldn’t believe and hyperpigmentation is a thing of the past. You can start seeing results by the third week, one of the fastest working retinols there are! I highly recommend this if you’re looking to invest in a retinol that will give you results and dramatically change your skin’s look and texture.
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Probiotics: Help lock in the moisture & calm the look of irritation
Prebiotics (beet root): Helps balance skin
Hyaluronic Acid & Kiwi Fruit Water: Help hydrate & brighten the appearance of skin
Ligonberry: Helps protect from the damaging effects of pollution and blue light.
Verdict: When it comes to face mists, there are only a few that I truly enjoy and think are actually doing something for my skin. This one from Tula is absolutely amazing. First of all, it smells delicious and instantly relaxes you, secondly the fine spray delicately distributes the mist on your face without it feeling like it’s hosing you down or not splattering water on you unevenly (this has happened with various face mists). This face mist can be used before and after makeup. Personally, I love using this after my nightly skincare routine because the scent is so relaxing that it helps me wind down after a very busy day. But I also find that the ingredients in this face mist also help nourish my skin and that’s a win/win.
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What It Is: An age-defying exfoliator that gently polishes, smooths the look of skin, and buffs away dead surface skin cells for a smoother, brighter complexion in minutes.
Active Ingredients: Lactic Acid
Skin Types: Normal, Dry, Combination, and Oily
Skincare Concerns: Dullness and Uneven Texture, Fine Lines and Wrinkles, and Acne and Blemishes
Verdict: This very well might be the holy grail of exfoliators. I’m usually not a huge fan of exfoliating creams/cleansers because many tend to be harsh and create actual lesions/cuts on the skin (I’m looking at you St. Ives), however, these exfoliating beads are so minuscule and so delicate that it manages to rid your skin of dead skin cells AND be gentle enough for sensitive skin. I was pleasantly surprised by this exfoliator because I’m usually not a fan of exfoliators, but this one really does what it promises to do. It leaves your skin feeling smooth like silk and incredibly soft. I recommend this if you’re looking to amp up your skincare routine.
Price: $79
Where To Buy It: Ulta or Sephora
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What It Does: Prevents the forming of fine lines, crow’s feet.
Active Ingredients: Retinoids, Niacinamide, Asiatic Acid, Red Poppy Seed Extract, Daisy Extract, Ceramides, and Olive Oil.
Verdict: First and foremost, I love how this serum feels, it’s hydrating and thick, and I prefer eye creams on the thicker side, especially for night. I wore this for three night straight though before I started noticing that my eye area was getting dry and the skin had a slight sting to it. I think this serum is best applied on top of a moisturizer to serve as a barrier, because the retinoids in the serum seriously dried out my skin where it was applied. Does it work with smoothing fine lines? Yes, it does. That’s why I suggest to use this serum on top of another eye cream because the retinoids in this are seriously powerful and will work but will leave your skin feeling a bit fiery. If your skin is more on the older side, then you’ll probably won’t have this reaction to it.
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What It Does: Helps even out skin tone in areas of hyperpigmentation.
Active Ingredients: Tranexamic Acid, Vitamin C, and Licorice root.
Verdict: This dark spot serum hits just the spot (pun intended)! I love that the packaging is a rollerball, so that you can target specific areas of your face (say where you have acne scars or dark spots) to lighten them up. I’ll admit that I don’t have dark spots from the sun, so I’ve used this serum primarily for the acne dark spots that tend to be left behind after having a very painful hormonal zit (sometimes the marks can last up to a week or longer). So this serum really helps speed things up, so instead of having to deal with a dark spot for a week, it’s only 2-3 days before it’s completely gone. I really do think that the packaging makes this ideal for target areas and hand enough for you to slip in your purse and dab it on the go!
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The Inkblotters 