February Hits and Misses

Greetings, internet! I hope you're well and enjoying the beginning of spring (or beginning of autumn, if you're down under.) 

I have to say the extra hours of sunlight are working their annual magic on my spirits. I need to pick up my prescription Vitamin D, and I might even walk to the pharmacy, thus doubling my intake of Vitamin D for the day. Pretty soon, I'll be radiating sunshine from my fingertips, like some kind of comic book character. 

Totally me.

And now, with no further ado, the hits:

1. Simplified Skin 2.5% Retinol Cream

The internet talked me into this one--I had never heard of this line or this product. I figured I should try it because it is absurdly cheap ($10.79/1.7 oz. 50 ml) and because the 1% retinol creams I had used in the past had cost a bomb and done nothing. I used an earlier, milder version, but Chantecaille Retinol Intense 2% ($148.00/1.7 0z 50 ml), I'm looking at you. 

OK, I'll stop pouting about the amount of money I wasted on that Chantecaille crap and deliver my verdict on the Simplified Skin cream. I like it a lot. 

Pros: It's fragrance free, and even though it's a higher retinol dose than I'm used to, my skin didn't react to it. There was no stinging, reddening, peeling, or flaking. And my face feels incredibly smooth, as though I'd been using a physical exfoliator every day. I can't speak for my wrinkles, crinkles, and creepy bits, but I will continue to use this stuff almost every night and report back in another month or two.

Cons: The packaging is bulky; it comes in a large tube with a pump, so there is no way of knowing (other than weighing it) how much product is left. 

2. Cosmetic Skin Solutions Supreme Serum CE

I think the internet talked me into this one, too. I've been buying Vitamin C serums from Amazon for years, but usually popped for cheaper serums. At $40/1 oz/30 ml this is about twice what I usually pay, but I'm down to my last few drops and will be ordering another bottle.

Pros: I love how moisturizing it is. It has a slightly more viscous texture than my usual serums, which tend to feel exactly like water. Somehow that extra thickness makes it easier and more pleasant to apply, and creates a slightly more cushiony feeling on the skin. 

It also seems more shelf-stable than the other Vitamin C serums I've used, which tended to discolor over time.

Cons: None that I can think of. 

And now for the misses:

1. Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm

Pros: Lack of chemical fruity fragrance, I guess. If you dislike that. You can definitely tell that honey is an ingredient. 

Cons: Ugh. It's incredibly thick and difficult to apply evenly. It sort of stays in one place and is visibly beige on my lips. Perhaps this is because in the winter my house tends to be at 66º F/19º C. Maybe in the summer this stuff would soften and become easier to apply, but right now, fuggedaboutit.

2. Sephora Face Brush

I can't link to it because it's no longer on the Sephora website. FOR GOOD REASON. 

I have stated many times that I have non-reactive skin. I tend to use chemical exfoliants instead of face brushes or Buf-Pufs, but that's partly a hygiene thing. I have an aversion to mildew. 

But speaking of mildew?

Cons: Only useful for  SCRUBBING GROUT.

In a word, ouch!