hi! so to keep things simple, i have a hydrating toner and an emulsion. i’m wondering if i really need both of them since they’re kind of similar. the toner is ”hada labo gokujyun premium hyaluronic acid lotion” and ”soonjung 10 free moist emulsion”.

i don’t really have a moisturizer. only these two products and then an occlusive (aquaphor). but i’m afraid that i’m layering too much and that it may be the reason for some of my pimples.

does it seem like overkill to use both? i’m tempted to just kind of reevaluate my whole routine and go back to the very basics. like so basic that i only start with my cleanser and then add things one by one.

my skin type is oily, sensitive, and acne prone. it recently was damaged and dehydrated (might still be). here’s my routine:

AM
- wash with water
- hada labo gokujyun premium hyaluronic acid lotion
- soonjung 10 free moist emulsion 
- livaclean pimple patches if needed
- elta MD clear 46 SPF

PM
- vanicream cleanser
- hada labo gokujyun premium hyaluronic acid lotion
- soonjung 10 free moist emulsion 
- aquaphor

should i only use one of these two products or both?

some people may not like the smell, but its very very subtle. it also may not be enough to remove makeup and/or sunscreen, but i think it works just fine (for now).

ive just started using this cleanser and havent had any problems so far, but its only the beginning so take what i say with a grain of salt.

i love this cleanser! the gel-like consistency is great and foams up just a little bit— not too much though like actual foaming cleansers. you only need the tiniest amount to get the job done. the smell isnt too strong, and it doesnt leave my face feeling tight or dry!

like all sheet masks, it is bad for the environment. its a single use sheet in a single use package, so theres a lot of plastic that goes into this. another point is that the masks might need to be cut in order to fit your face— especially if you are not of asian decent as they are designed to fit asian faces. problem areas for me (being a white female) was the nose bridge, area below nose and above lips, and the chin. the sheet seemed to fit everywhere else fine. you might just need to do some fine-tuning, but expect that with all facial masks!

i love these masks. theyre hydrating, smell amazing, and are super relaxing. for me, putting on face masks is like treating myself to a spa day, and this gets the job done. they are soaked in this soothing liquid, and you dont need to wash the residue off afterwards.

was stripping, especially in the winter months or while on tretinoin; didnt remove all of my sunscreen, so definitely consider getting a first step cleanser as well

this got the job done and would be great for those with really oily skin.

as soon as i started tretinoin, this became useless to me unfortunately. not as hydrating as it is advertised, and i had to apply multiple layers because my skin is dehydrated now. id get this again once my skin gets back to normal.

for awhile, it worked for me. i think if you want a basic moisturizer, and your skin is near “normal” type (aka not overly oily or overly dry), then this would work. love the consistency and feeling— it’s cooling.

since i am on tretinoin, it isn’t powerful enough (it’s recommended to have an SPF of at least 50 and this is 46). it also pills on my face. this could be due to a number of things:
- silicone is one of the top 5 ingedients in this SPF which are more prone to pilling
- could be reacting with moisturizer which would mean to replace either one
- putting on the sunscreen too soon after the moisturizer
- putting too thick of a coat on instead of multiple, thin layers
- rubbing it in instead of patting it in; some people recommend using a makeup sponge or brush instead of fingers
if this happens to you, just go down the list and try every method to see if it still pills no matter what.

this seems like it would be a great pick for the majority of people, more leaning towards those with fair skin since sometimes it leaves a whitecast. doesn’t leave product sticky or greasy— there’s a reason it is prescribed by dermatologists. for a western sunscreen, this is the best of the best.

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