Hey y'all! It has been one long hiatus, but I think that I'm finally in the mood to write again. How about we start by talking about skincare again?
It has been about six months since the last time I've written, but let me tell you something: my skin looks AMAZING. I don't know if it has something to do with the seasons changing (maybe), my hormones finally getting it together (also maybe), the water I've been drinking (less likely, but it helps), or the consistency in my routine (bingo), but something has been doing the darn thing because I have been GLOWING. No, my acne scars haven't gone yet, and yes, I do still get the occasional breakout, but overall I have been super satisfied with the results that I've been experiencing. And, since my routine wouldn't be possible without actual products, it might be about time for me to conduct another brief review of what I've been using. While I am using more than what I'm going to be listing, I will note that these are the products in my routine that have been pleasantly surprising me. Not only this, but these products are all wallet-friendly (as I am still in college) and all available at your nearest drugstore.
With that being said, let's talk about my top five :) (Note: these will be in random order!)
I can't remember if I've gone over this, but if I did, I'll reiterate: for a long time, I really used to think that sheet masks were useless... until I bought these. The glow that I get from this line of masks (because they sell a lot more than just the honey kind, but these are just my favorite) is literally unreal. I first found these at TJ Maxx, and because the packaging was cute and the ingredients weren't bad I figured hey, I'll give it a try.
And boy, did I pick a winner.
The next morning after I used this, my skin was radiant. I had literally never seen my skin look like that before! It was like I already did my skincare and all I did was wake up. Taking a deeper dive into the ingredients, I can't really pinpoint whether my skin goes crazy over the honey extract (a humectant that's great for drier skin types like mine), the panax ginseng root (which is an herbal supplement packed with hydrating and skin tightening properties), the hyaluronic acid (the skincare world's hydrating baddie), or the quince and purslane extracts (which tag team dryness and the effects of free radicals with their antioxidant powers), but all I know is that my face cannot get enough.
Everyone (unfortunately) knows AMBI for the history they've had with their fade creams and other skin lightening products. Even I fell victim to this when I was younger, using this whenever my eczema flare ups would leave me with terrible scars up my arms and legs. After I was released from the shackles, though, I didn't give AMBI a second look.
...That is, until about a month or two ago.
While I was scrolling on TikTok a while back, an interesting ad popped up on my "For You" page that made me take a second look. I never knew that the brand was doing anything different, but as a former member of the green skincare community, I immediately had to look up the ingredient list for this new cleanser to see what was going on. For the low price point of about $5, they already snagged my attention. Not only was this easy on the eyes, but the ingredient list was also full of ingredients that I wasn't mad at. Not only does the cleanser contain chamomile, green tea, and calendula extracts (all of which are soothing and nourishing for the skin), she also featured the use of a patented sweet potato complex, which was advertised to "help fight hyperpigmentation and promote healthy, glowing and even-toned skin."
Now, has this lived up to its claim? I can't be sure; I am using a couple of other gems that are undoubtedly proven to treat hyperpigmentation, so I can't judge this product off of that promise alone. What I can say, though, is that I have noticed a significantly positive change in my skin. It does help take care of small breakouts, and my skin is noticeably softer and more radiant than before. I'm not too sure of this being specifically for skin of color, but I like how it treats my skin.
Now if you thought sunscreen wasn't going to be on the list, then shame on you.
Of course I was going to bring up sunscreen after talking about a product that helps with hyperpigmentation! This is literally what you should have first, before any extra actives or products that market for clearer skin. For me, switching to this sunscreen was a no-brainer: she's Black-owned, she's nicely priced, she's a high SPF, and she leaves no cast! What's not to like?
I know that for some, the formula may be a bit too thick or oily, especially if you're choosing to use a different kind within this brand. As a dry skin girlie, though, I didn't mind it one bit! Not only did it hold me down throughout most of winter (even making me look shiny at times, which I loved, contrary to other opinions), but the shininess was not in vain! With ultra nourishing ingredients like carrot seed oil, shea butter, and avocado, my skin stayed hydrated against even the toughest of city winds. I'm really hoping that she continues to stick beside me through the summer, but if not, I'll simply leave my untouched bottles until sometime around October.
For me, this was my first "Big Girl" product, and by that I mean my first product where the primary ingredient was an ~active~. Now, actives are common in a lot of skincare products; even the AMBI cleanser I mentioned earlier has a small concentration of retinol (or at least something similar to it, if not that). However, I wanted to level up my skincare game and actually try something that I knew was going to directly address my acne scarring. So, after extensive research, I chose this Naturium serum.
I will admit, I don't use this product consistently; while I do use it every time that I do my night routine, I don't always.... do my night routine. Life gets hectic (you see how long it's been since I've made an article). Unless I'm just seeing things, though, I tend to notice a difference when I use it consistently, even if it's been for a short amount of time. I don't think it's rapidly fading my scars, but I think that the serum, composed partially of brightening ingredients like coffee seed extract, niacinamide, and vitamin C, really helps with making my skin look brighter and more "awake."
Of course, the star is azelaic acid itself, which is a sensitive-skin friendly ingredient that can help with skin congestion, texture, and acne scarring. However, I might need to maintain a nightly routine in order for me to report better regarding the scar fading itself.
Rechargeable Silicone Facial Scrubber (unable to link because my specific model no longer exists...?)
Lastly, I know it's not a skincare product, but this is a tool that I have to talk about. My best friend showed me this while she was at TJ Maxx (if you couldn't tell, I'm a pretty big fan of TJ Maxx), and as soon as she showed me I went to the store and bought the exact product later that same week. Basically, it's one of those silicone scrubbers, similar to the Foreo brand scrubbers but with a slightly different shape (and a significantly different price). They have them available at most drugstores, though you can choose to spring for the name brand if you'd like. Truthfully, this wasn't a product that I was expecting to like; I had just started using the smaller, non battery-operated version of the handheld face scrubbers, and because of that I thought the sonic scrubber to be too big and too awkward for practical use.
In all honesty, though I don't regret using this; I actually look forward to it. Here's how it works: I start off by putting my cleanser (whether it be cleansing balm for makeup or regular gel/foam/cream cleanser for a no-makeup day) and I turn the machine on, massaging the product around my face until it's somewhat distributed. After this, I run it under a slow stream of water and repeat the massaging motions, either allowing the cleansing balm to be worked into the skin, or allowing the regular cleanser to foam and lather across all areas. I let this go on for a while until I'm satisfied with how things look in the mirror, and then I rinse both my face and the brush. If I use balm, then I repeat the process with a foaming cleanser to get rid of any leftover makeup. I honestly can't tell you if it does anything for me skin wise, but it definitely adds to the sensory experience of skincare. The vibrating silicone bristles against my face feel very nice, almost as if my face is getting a massage. Additionally, it also feels like I'm spending more time washing my face, which can potentially allow any actives or other ingredients have more time to work into my skin.
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Well, there you have it! Those are some of my skincare favorites this season. Some were surprising, but hey, not all surprises are bad! Let's see how these few are able to move into the hotter summer season.
Until next time!