Retinol works well for me but my mom has had some bad reactions to it. I recently read that Bakuchiol has the same effect as retinol when used for 12 weeks consistently.  I have used Burt Bees firming cream and liked it for it's rich moisture. But I dont think it had the same results as a highly potent retinol product would have. Skincare products are now coming up with a mix of low potency retinol with strong Bakuchiol extract. 
Derm are suggesting Bakuchiol for pregnant women who cannot use retinol and for people with sensitive skin.

Have any of you tried it before? Please share your experiences.

Retinol alternative

I have just started using facial oils. I have dry skin. Currently, I love the rose hip seed facial oil from the ordinary. I need more suggestions of facial oils that work. Thank you!

Facial oils

My pores have become quite visible and large with age. I keep my skin clean and use scrub once or twice a week. I use the AHA-BHA peeling mask from the ordinary atleast once every two weeks to exfoliate further. 
Please share your routines or products that help you with pore problems.

Reduce/blur pores

Nothing. I love the product. It has everything I need. Go Cica! 

I received this product for free from Picky and ROVECTIN in exchange for my honest review.

I started using skincare ampoules after I was introduced to Korean beauty products. Before this I was using an ampoule of another brand. I tried Rovectin Cica Care Clearing Ampoule as I’m a big fan of cica as this one has high concentration of Centella Asiatica extract and Calamine.

I have mild cystic acne which gets worse during “that time of the month. "I used this ampoule during my flare ups. The ampoule is soothing and gentle on my irritated skin. It was able to reduce redness and inflammation. I also found that my skin looked brighter than before after using the ampoule for 2 weeks daily - twice a day after applying toner. 

With some great ingredients such as 73% highly dense unscented cica extract and calamine (also known as a 'magical pink powder'). It helps with skin inflammation, breakouts and blemishes. It also has a patented ingredient called “Madecassoside” that helps brighten skin and tone uneven skin.

The texture of the ampoule is very light, color is light pink color because of the calamine which is pink in color. The packaging is super cute and stylish. The dropper doesn’t let more product to come out which is a good thing because a little of this product goes a long way. 

It can be a bit drying especially for dry skin. 

Before I start my review, I would like to state that “I received this product for free Picky and Nacific in exchange for my honest review.”

This product has two kinds of mud masks - one half for sebum zone and other half for mask zone with primary ingredients such as naturally derived kaolin clay and bentonite clay. 

The sebum zone mask is gray in color with a slight grainy texture. I applied it to my T—zone i.e. the forehead and nose areas - these have excess oil and are prone to blackheads, whiteheads etc. The texture was thin (not too heavy) and dried quickly. It has absolutely no scent which I prefer.  Other than clay, this mask contains some really good ingredients such as apricot seed powder for gentle exfoliation, Anti-Sebum P formula for excess sebum control, papaya extract for pore smoothness.

The mask zone (other half) clay pack is green in color with a creamy and smooth texture. I applied it on the rest of my face (excluding my T-zone). The texture was a bit heavy but dried in time. It has a fresh clean scent which I love. The mask contains green calming complex with natural plant extracts such as tea tree oil and peppermint extract. It has a cooling effect that felt tingly yet calming to my skin. 

The application was very easy and effective. I washed off both the masks after 15-20 mins. After washing, my skin felt clean and very clear. It was a bit drying, so I used a facial oil to moisturize. This clay mask is great for summers when my skin is the oiliest and needs a gentle exfoliation/cleansing. I plan to use it once every week to remove dead skin and keep my pores clean. 

I absolutely love the packaging - the mask is divided into two curved halves with two different clay masks for skin. The pack comes with two different spatulas for the two masks. 

I would recommend this half and half clay mask to people to address different skin issues such as excess sebum, blackheads, whiteheads, acne etc. It is a perfect for a weekly selfcare spa routine!

I wish the mask sheets were a bit longer. I found them to be on the shorter side. 

Before I start my review, I would like to state that “I received this product for free Picky and VT Cosmetics in exchange for my honest review.”


I found it to be quite different from other masks. It is primarily focused on self-care and delivers what it claims. Each sheet is filled with Cica Ampoule that feels very soothing and refreshing after use. 

Cica Ampoule helps to balance out the skin’s moisture level and helps the skin to repair itself from daily aggressors. It also helps to reduce irritation and redness while deeply hydrating the skin.

Cica Daily Soothing Mask sheets are compactly packed inside a box. There are 30 facial mask sheets in the box. The box has a small tweezer to pull out each sheet for each use - that feels very hygienic. The sheets are paper thin and very comfortable and soft to use. 

I used it once daily for a week. I placed the mask onto my face and spreading along the skin surface. I put it on my face for 20-30 minutes before taking it off. I tapped the skin gently until the essences are fully absorbed.

My skin felt instantly refreshed and hydrated! And honestly, I felt so good after using it - thanks to the cooling tingling sensation it gives after use. I’ll repeat - it's the perfect self-care! I have incorporated the masks into my routine. I will definitely recommend these facial masks especially after a tired day and also to people with dry skin for its soothing effects. 

The package looked very basic and not like a fancy skin care product. Its hard to realize the package has sheet mask inside of it. 

Before I start my review, I would like to state that “I received this product for free Picky and Rovectin in exchange for my honest review.”


This mask claims to be a pore-tightening sheet mask with patented plant-based extracts to help reduce pores and control excess sebum. It has concentrated birch tree extract that provides intense hydration and moisture. Other few ingredients include tea leaf extract, coffee, charcoal powder etc. for anti-inflammation and sebum control.

I refrigerated the packs as directed and took it out once it was cold. After cleansing my face, I used my toner and then, put on the chilled mask setting it evenly throughout my face. After keeping it on for 20-25 minutes (love this self-care moment!)I took it off and massaged the remaining content with my jade roller. It was very easy to use.

After using it for the first time, I felt my skin hydrated and very soft. Also, the chilled sheet mask made my puffy face depuff and glow!

After using the mask for the last two weeks, I can see slight differences in my skin texture. It appears smoother and my pores appear smaller. 

The texture of the mask is mostly like a watery serum.  I like that the scent is light and very natural (no artificial fragrances). The sheet mask is made of vegan rayon (wheat-based), is very sturdy and fits my face perfectly.

I am impressed that the product is hypoallergenic, cruelty free, vegan and has clean ingredients. It is priced affordably at $15 for five individual masks. I’ll definitely recommend it to people looking for pore-tightening skin-care products. 

I was hoping the cleanser have some moisturizing properties. Although my skin felt soft and clean after wash, I wanted it to feel more moisturized and hydrated.

I have very dry skin, so I always look for cleanser that does not tend to dry out my skin after wash. I have used cream cleansers from other brands before but not all of them have been gentle for my skin. This product - Olay's Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24 Cream Cleanser has some really great ingredients such as collagen peptide, vitamin B3, niacinamide and salicylic acid. And the best part is - its fragrance free! I believe all skincare products should be fragrance-free. 

This stuff really works for my skin. The cleanser's texture is creamy and doesn't foam or lather much - which I prefer. It has micro scrubbing elements that deep clean pores without making it harsh. My face looks instantly radiant and doesn't feel over-dried or stretchy. The product does have sodium laureth sulfate which in my opinion could have been avoided (I have used cleansers without SLS - as they tend to dry out skin). However, it is like some ninth or tenth ingredient - so I am assuming it is very low in amount. 

My skin feels soft, clean and smooth after every wash. I am also impressed Olay came up with a clean product line that is free of harsh ingredients such as fragrance, phthalates, mineral oil, and synthetic dyes. I'm looking forward to using more products from their collagen peptide line and infuse them in my routine along with this cleanser for better results.

bronzeglow