Beauty Zodiac: What Every Sign Deserves This Year

Georgette Klinger and Cherie gifted these products to me so I could review them honestly! I have been using them for ten days now, and I have thoughts to share! I supplemented this routine with a moisturizer, spf, and eye cream, as well as hydrating masks every three days. Pre-Information — I’ve used many vitamin c products in the past, and my skin likes the ingredient! I have combo skin, which is sensitive and acne prone. I also have rosacea, which makes my skin red, especially when using actives. Every product here has fragrance and all the products smell like an orchard (it’s strong!). If you are sensitive to fragrance, keep that in mind. GEORGETTE KLINGER - Vitamin C Cleansing Gel 6.7 oz I like this cleanser, and I don’t usually reach for gel cleansers because they tend to be fairly stripping. This one is gentle and doesn’t dehydrate my skin on impact; I use it as a second cleanse at night following an oil based cleanser. It doesn’t irritate my skin, but kind of soothes it instead — which is a lot to ask for from a cleanser. Not the best for daytime use for me, I find that in the mornings my skin is better off with water + toner. Three stars because it smells like dollar store hand soap and I cannot ignore it. GEORGETTE KLINGER - Vitamin C Toner I think it’s an okay toner! I don’t like the dispenser at all, because product comes out fast and it’s hard to control. The viscosity of the toner is pretty thin, but my skin feels smooth after application. It sinks in fast and isn’t sticky! I use this with a reusable cotton round and it preps my skin nicely for the rest of my routine. It’s not really a “special” product for me, and I’m the kind of person who wants skincare routines to be ritualistic and also make me feel good on the inside, so I’ll have to pass on repurchasing. GEORGETTE KLINGER - Vitamin C Complex This might be one of my favorite vitamin c serums! It’s a little tacky, but sinks in faster than some serums I’ve used, and once you apply a moisturizer, the tackiness disappears. It’s pretty gentle and I didn’t experience any discomfort, tingling, or excess redness after application. I really like the packaging on this, and it’s an easy product to slip into your routine. GEORGETTE KLINGER - Vitamin C Mask This is my favorite product out of the four! I LOVE the packaging — pump top for a mask? Revolutionary. The pump makes getting product so easy, and you can control it easily. The texture of this mask is like a thick smoothie, and it smells good, too. I noticed my skin becoming brighter when I use this for a midday pick-me-up. I can guarantee that I’ll run out of this one first. Overall, my skin looks GOOD. I can’t tell if it’s just because of my cycle, or if these products did wonders for me (ten days is a short time to tell I think). I did notice some dehydration towards the five day mark, but overall my skin looks better!

Absolutely do not over-exfoliate! Over-exfoliation can disrupt the skin barrier function by just simply breaking down too many skin cells and disrupting the moisture content on the epidermis. Often times, especially people with oily skin and acne prone believe exfoliating is going to answer all their acne problems, and go on scrubbing 3+ times a week or using an exfoliating mask too often. This is actually counter intuitive for acne as if can actually make you break out more, and it can create sensitivities you dont need. How do you know you’re over exfoliating? If your skin lets you know. Yes, very confusing, but the reality is some people can actually tolerate more acids and scrubs than others, and the best way to figure out how much your skin can take is to incorporate little by little, one product at a time. If your skin is going red for prolonged periods of time, or tingling, even burning, for long or for the entire duration of having the product on (ie. With a mask) you’re probably overdoing it. Another way to prevent over exfoliation is just knowing when to stop. If your skin is happy and glowy and not breaking out, you may not need that new glycolic acid mask, adding an exfoliating mask to your regimen may just tip the scales into skin barrier disruption and dehydration! Be careful with exfoliation!

I’ve always been skeptical of the products that cause purging, but while in quarantine I decided to give Differin a shot! My skin was congested, breakouts are always popping up, and they were painful. I’ve always been the kind of person to take care of my skin, but I couldn’t manage to get rid of my team for breakouts and the terrible texture on my cheeks and jawline. So, I gave Differin a try. - At first, my skin definitely was dry and irritated because of the product, but I made sure to moisturize well. I tried not to put any make up on and just let my skin do its thing. It’s also important to not pick at your face, which I am SO guilty of doing. - I know everyone’s skin is different, but it only took about a month for it to clear up! I just had another flare up but I’m not sure if it’s stressed related bc #unemployedgrad but this really helped me! Just stay consistent and you’ll see results quickly! 😇

I’ve got very dry skin in the colder months. I also live in a dry environment. I’ve put together some general do’s and donts that work for me when my skin is seriously dry. Now, please note that I enjoy 99% of the products I’m going to mention, but some I just have to reserve for using in warmer months when my skin is less dry. DO pay attention to what kind of first cleanse you use. I like FORMULA 10.0.6 - Bare Face Beauty Skin-Hydrating Cleansing Oil because it breaks down my makeup and leaves my skin feeling soft. DON’T use a first cleanse that dries your skin out like the GOOD MOLECULES - Instant Cleansing Balm (a little bit drying) DO look at ingredients lists and brand descriptions of cleansers. Opt for something with a gel or milky texture that either doesn’t lather are all, or barely lathers. I enjoy the bareMinerals - PURENESS GEL CLEANSER (but not if you’re sensitive to coconut). DON’T use a cleanser with harsh acids, such as salicylic acid in the TRULY - CBD Jelly Anti Acne Facial Cleanser , because they can dry out your skin even more. DO use a hydrating toner. I love the PAULA'S CHOICE - Resist Advanced Replenshing Toner because it contains hyaluronic acid and has a soothing, milky texture. DON’T use toners with astringent properties or essential oils like the MARIO BADESCU - Witch Hazel & Lavender Toner (I steaigjt is just don’t really like this even when my skin isn’t super dry). Toners with those ingredients can dry your skin out further. DO layer and mix serums (make sure you do some research first!). I enjoy the Wyldflower Labs - Sunshine Serum - Multitasking Day Repair Serum and LILY SADO - Green Tea + Vitamin C Super Serum . DO use some chemical exfoliants when experiencing a breakout, but be careful to use a concentrated spot application. I like the PAULA'S CHOICE - SKIN PERFECTING 2% BHA LIQUID EXFOLIANT because it is effective and can be easily applied in an affected area. I use this 1-3x/wk in the PM. DON’T use harsh chemical exfoliants and don’t use them too frequently. The YOUTH TO THE PEOPLE - Kombucha + 11% AHA Exfoliation Power Toner is very strong. It can cause irritation, especially on dry areas, and if used to often has caused white heads. DO moisturize! I love the pixi - Rose Ceramide Cream when I have stubborn dry patches that won’t go away. I also like the unscented, soothing GOOD MOLECULES - Silicone-Free Priming Moisturizer . DON’T use a moisturizer that’s not geared towards extra dry skin like the Clark's Botanicals - Jasmine Vital Cream While this is a nice moisturizer, its light gel texture is more suited for normal-oily skin, or dry skin in the summer. #CherieCreator

Vit C should be the most commonly purchased skincare serum. There are so many reasons why a Vitamin C serum is important to use and it's basically a cure-all beauty product. Most serums help with sun damage, fine lines, acne scars, under eye bags, free-radicals and antioxidants. These are the 4 serums I own and love! I wanted to make a post about each of these in case you need help finding the right one. I received @thrivecausemetics Liquid Light Therapy as PR in April (I believe). I can not obsess enough over it. This one is 100% my favorite one I've tried, there is just something about the texture and consistency that feels so good ($59). I love this because it brightens the skin with red and blue light therapy to stimulate collage production and dramatically reduce wrinkles and reveal clear skin @summerfridays CC Me ($64) is next up on my list of faves. This one is also formulated with squalane to boost hydration while sealing in moisture and a peptide complex to help improve with elasticity and firmness. I find that this serum as well as the next one I am going to talk about are really good at brightening dull skin or if you have a lot of hyperpigmentation and use these twice a day, I do find that it truly helps combat it. I love @farmacybeauty lately! I am obsessed. I had a sample of the Very Cherry Bright 15% Clean Vitamin C Serum and once I finished I was really reaching for more, so I caved and purchased a full size ($62) I find this one to be an interesting formula because it has 4 forms of Vitamin C. They use Acerola Cherry Extract which is one of the richest sources of NATURAL vitamin C to known to reduce signs of aging. If we want to talk about funky formulas, nothing could beat @volitionbeauty Strawberry-C Serum ($42). This formula is powered by Strawberry Fruit & Seed Extract to help brighten dull skin as well as unclogging pores and remove excess oil. This was the first full sized Vitamin C I purchased, mainly because of the reviews and the price! Although I no longer reach for this one as much, I do find if you want a great started serum or you aren't looking to spend a lot - this one does the job!