How do you exfoliate? Serum or Toner?

Skins problems: I tend to get mild Rosacea on my lower cheeks and develop tons of blockheads in the creases of my nose, chin and between eyebrows. Other than that I have combination skin with an oily t-zone and normal to dry everywhere else. Where I’m at... So I kinda feel down the rabbit hole into skincare the other month and have tried using a morning routine as follows: GARNIER - Micellar Water Facial Cleanser Sensitive Skin The Ordinary - Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% (Made my skin so smooth really quickly, love this one) CLINIQUE - Dramatically Different Oil-Free Gel Neutrogena - Sheer Zinc Face Lotion SPF 50 (leaves a really bad white tint which I can’t seem to get rid of)  And a nighttime routine as follows: CLINIQUE - CLINIQUE Liquid Facial Soap (leaves my skin a bit tight-feeling) PAULA'S CHOICE - Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliator (I think it’s working I just can’t really tell) CLINIQUE - Clarifying Lotion 2 For Dry Combination Skin (a bit drying but I don’t want to waste the product) The Ordinary - Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% (Made my skin so smooth really quickly, love this one)  CLINIQUE - Dramatically Different Oil-Free Gel Outcomes so far: My skin is overall more hydrated and smoother but I still find black dots in my problem areas. Plea for help I have seen improvements but I feel like I don’t quite know what I’m doing and could use some external input. Plz feel free to add any (and I mean any) tips or critique. Thank youuuuuuu

I’m in love with my latest find the Body Shop’s Camomile Cleansing Butter. It feels absolutely amazing on my sensitive skin, although I am thinking of moving this to become my pm cleanser as I’d have more time to enjoy it! The Pixi Glow Tonic is cult for a reason. It would be on my skincare version of Desert Island Disks. Finally, the Clinique Smart Custom-Repair Serum is perfect for days you’re running late. I love taking the time to layer my serums properly but it isn’t always possible - that’s where this product comes in. It’s too expensive for me to use every day but you can pick up a travel size version for only a few dollars.

To take a page from my friend @Mallorywho does #samplesaturday - sharing mine a day late 🤗 To purchase list (TPL)- YES or NO? alpyn beauty - PlantGenius Melt Moisturizer While I only got two 2 of this in 1 day, am & pm, I was able to determine it’s not for me. The scent was off-putting, a very natural scent which I wouldn’t mind if it didn’t linger. It’s also got some oils in it that can be irritating. At $60 this is a very pricey moisturizer. It claims the benefits of Bakuchiol (retinol alternative), Squalane and Vitamin C BUT you don’t see these ingredients until over half way through the ingredient list! TPL - NO REN CLEAN SKINCARE - Evercalm Overnight Recovery Balm $49 I really liked this. I like to really moisturize up at night so I would add my nightly moisturizer and top off with a thin layer of this balm. I had no issues with a sticky mess and my hair (or pet hair) all over my face as I have had with a previous balm. One ⭐️ taken for fragrance. TPL - YES DIOR - Capture Dreamskin Care & Perfect A gorgeous primer/serum but incredibly overpriced at $120! Not as fragrant as some I’ve used before being it has the added fragrance but there are more reasonably priced options available, Tatcha’s primer even being half the price! TPL - NO TATCHA - The Silk Peony Melting Eye Cream $60 This eye cream is THICK! It’s more like a balm that is meant to melt into your skin. For me it was hard to spread around my eye area. I would try to warm up between my fingers first but just didn’t find it easy to work with. I’m not a fan of using fragrance around my eyes either. While I love Tatcha I have other eye creams I’d rather use. I also did not like product in this type of container, very small and not sanitary given the texture. TPL - NO SUNDAY RILEY - Good Genes All in One Lactic Acid Treatment $120. I believe I’ve talked about this one before. It is such a small sample but a tiny (pea-size) amount is only needed. So I was able to determine this was non-irritating to my skin. It’s got a pretty decent ingredient list except for the fragrance. I prefer using Farmacy’s Honeymoon Glow with AHA & BHA at half the price. TPL - NO Murad - Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum $72. While I initially thought this was working for me I’ve realized it may have brightened some areas of skin but did not help fade or reduce my spots. A pretty simple serum to use with no issues in my routine. TPL - NO LANEIGE - Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer $33 A HIGHLY popular toner that has a pretty simple ingredient list. I love a good hydrating toner and this hits the spot! It’s easy to transfer from my hands to my face and my skin drinks it up. I was able to add as many layers as I’d like without any side effects. Only downside is Laneige is not cruelty free. TPL - NO ❤️🍒

I have a set, written down schedule for all my treatments for the month, because I have a really bad memory and find that if I don’t write stuff down I tend to over use or under use the products. This is how my routine was all through 2020, and have had no problem so far. I use The Ordinary - Retinol 0.5% in Squalane 3 times a week, on Monday’s, Wednesday’s and Saturday’s. I’m pretty experienced when it comes to retinol, so I feel comfortable using it 3 times a week. This is also the only one of my schedules that isn’t set in stone. When my skin is feeling more sensitive, or is feeling very dry, I might only use this 2 times a week. I exfoliate using the YOUTH TO THE PEOPLE - Kombucha + 11% AHA Exfoliation Power Toner and the SUNDAY RILEY - Good Genes All in One Lactic Acid Treatment 2 times a week on Tuesday’s and Sunday’s. I usually use these on the same days, but again, if my skin is feeling sensitive or dry, I will leave out the toner and just use the serum. I use The Ordinary - AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution once a week for 10 minutes, I use this on Thursday’s and Friday’s are my resting day where I focus on repairing and hydrating my skin. 📍= product was sent to me for free

I was looking for The Ordinary Lactic Acid treatment but couldn’t find it in Sephora, and I was recommended the Kate Somerville - Liquid ExfoliKate Triple Acid Resurfacing Treatment instead, and I’m so glad I picked this up! Claims: A clinic-inspired leave-on exfoliating treatment gentle enough for daily use. Liquid ExfoliKate® is clinically tested safe for sensitive skin and improves the look of pores while smoothing skin texture and evening skin tone for radiant, younger-looking skin. I’ve been using this treatment 2-3 times a week for about a month and I’ve found that the bumps and closed comedones on my face have subsided. I feel like this treatment does a good job of removing dead skin cells, allowing my other treatments (Tretinoin and Azelaic Acid) to penetrate my skin even more. My skin has become significantly smoother and brighter since starting to use this. Note: I have been using my Tretinoin and Azelaic Acid treatments every day for about 6 months so my skin is very used to it and not sensitized, thus allowing me to use the exfoliant and those treatments together in one routine. If you are new to exfoliants or retinoids or any other actives, exercise extreme caution because your skin could become really sensitized after using these. You should only use these actives together if your skin has become accustomed to the actives. Sometimes I wake up with some dead skin coming off my face, and I just wipe it off with a wet washcloth. While this is a triple acid exfoliating treatment, I find it to be pretty mild on my skin. It doesn’t irritate my skin, but is still effective at creating a smooth surface. Ingredients: 10% Triple Acid Blend (Glycolic, Malic, and Lactic Acids) Phytic Acid with Pumpkin, Papaya, and Pineapple Enzymes Peptides, Honey, and Tea Extract I love the ingredient list because it has different AHAs blended with soothing ingredients! Application: The company suggests you apply this as a toner by saturating a cotton pad and applying before your moisturizer. You can certainly do it this way, but I usually like using it like a serum by using a dropper and applying it in drops directly on my face and then rubbing it in. It does have a pretty runny and thin consistency, so just be careful not to let it slip off your face before rubbing it in when using a dropper. Both application techniques work just fine! I usually only use this at night so as to avoid extra sensitization to the sun. I apply this in conjunction with my hyaluronic acid and niacinamide serums. Overall, this is a great addition to your skincare routine if you’re looking for a gentle yet effective exfoliating treatment! Let me know your thoughts!

Do you ever walk into Sephora thinking you’re gonna buy one thing, and you end up walking out with 5 more products than you intended? Well, that was me today! I went in to get a lactic acid serum, and I walked out with so much more, sorry wallet! I got a variety of products, from a brow gel to a highlighter palette to a whole set of sample mascaras! These are all brands that are new to me, so I can’t wait to try these out! Like and follow for more coming soon!