Hi! I recently included TO Azelaic Acid in my routine.
I use it now mainly as spot treatment, replacing the Pyunkang Yul Acne spot cream which I now use only in the morning. 

I have to say the TO Azelaic Acid works fast and improves my acne overnight. However, upon application, i always feel some itch in my face 😅 nothing crazy though, it doesn’t become red or anything, just itchy 😅 the kind of itch i just suddenly feel in my body. 

I try of course not to scratch my face - i just pat my face lightly to lessen the itchy feeling. 
Besides that, I don’t have any problem with the product. Like I said, it does help with active acne. 

Just curious though, has anyone of you experienced this???

Anyone who’s tried TO Azelaic Acid?

Have you ever tried using a Vitamin C and a Niacinamide serum in one routine, one or both with high percentage of each ingredient?

(ex 15% Pure Vit C, 10% Niacinamide or 15% Pure Vit C, 20% Niacinamide)

How was your experience?

Niacinamide & Vit C

Hi! A few days ago I started to feel some stinging whenever I apply skincare products in the evening (did not experience this in the AM). I became concerned because this never happened to me before, despite being acne-prone. I don’t usually feel stinging sensation when I’m applying gentle products. So I wondered, is my skin barrier damaged? Or perhaps the better question would be, is my skin barrier damaged even more?

FYI, I don’t overexfoliate. I have not been using an exfoliating toner for a few months. I only use wash off masks once or 2x a week. 
I also reintroduced the The Ordinary Peeling Solution but only once a week (been only using it again twice, 1 week apart).

For reference, here are the products I use at night (will not include the cleansers because I don’t feel any stinging during 1st and 2nd cleansing)

I’m From Mugwort Essence
The Inkey List Retinol Serum 
I’m From Mugwort Cream

I also used Differin Gel (0.1% Adapalene) once, last Saturday (Feb 27).

I have no idea what caused my skin to sting! The I’m From products and the Differin are the only new products have. I don’t know if either of them caused it because the mugwort essence actually calmed my acne the following day after first use. As for the Differin, it also calmed down my active acne after first use. 
I have been using The Inkey List Retinol Serum for months now and never experienced intense stinging from it before. 

(Note: I did not use both the retinol serum & differin on Feb27)

Please help! If you have an idea what may have caused the stinging, please let me know. Also, would appreciate tips! The stinging is uncomfortable and I keep thinking it’ll worsen my skin condition. 😣

Skin barrier damaged?

I’m writing down a list of brands/products I wish to try some time next year. One of the brands I’m interested in is Cerave. 😊
Which product from the brand would you recommend for someone who hasn’t tried anything from Cerave 🙂

Best Cerave product for first timers

Even though I have been a skincare addict for 3 years, I haven’t really explored/tried many moisturizers. I am currently eyeing the mugwort cream from I’m From and the Oat so simple from Krave. Wanna know your thoughts on those products or if there are other products you’d recommend 😊

Thanks in advance!

Best day/night time moisturizer for oily acne prone skin?

Use BLEMISH20 for 20% Off Your Herbal Face Food Purchase 

The only downside to it is its tendecy to oxidize if not stored properly. I finished mine in about 3 months so it wasn’t a problem with me, but for some, it might be helpful to really take note of when you opened the product and really store it somewhere that doesn’t get exposed to the sunlight.

My skin loves Vitamin C and this is definitely one of the few serums that helped my skin and lightened my acne marks and hyperpigmentation 💖

This serum has a lightweight, watery consistency that gets absorbed by the skin pretty quickly. I experienced slight stinging when I first used this but did not linger. I have really stubborn acne marks but after I emptied a full bottle of this, I saw significant results. This is best used with either a vitamin E moisturizer or a propolis ampoule. 😊

Texture: Watery
Scent: Nothing discernible

While it is lightweight &amp; has a thin consistency, I found that it takes a few minutes to get absorbed. However, it does not leave a tacky feeling. ☺️ If you wait enough &amp; pat the product in, the serum makes the skin look matte, like I just applied a primer or something (see before &amp; after shots for reference). The “after” image below has low quality but it shows how my skin is significantly less shiny. Sometimes I apply a calming serum before this &amp; the #poreminimizing serum still provides a mattifying effect. 

What I love about it:
True to its claim, it helps regulate excess sebum! I am extremely oily but I didn’t feel the need to blot after I started using this. Well, ever since the lockdown, I didn’t really blot much since I was home, but since using this, I haven’t reached for my blotting sheets even once. I have also noticed less blackheads around my nose. 

I still would have to continue using it to attest to its pore minimizing claims but I’m confident I will see a huge improvement once I empty this bottle. I’ve used a pore minimizing product before &amp; it took about 2-3 months before I saw a difference, so I will keep this one in my routine. 😊

I’ve used a #Niacinamide serum before which was actually a cult fave but that one didn’t control my sebum whatsoever so I’m so pleased with this one. 

Overall, I’m super satisfied with this product &amp; I’m excited to see how it helps my skin with continued use. 

Rating: 5&#47;5 🤗

It contains EO that may not be good for those with sensitive skin.

Containing 95% snail secretion filtrate, this essence offers gentle exfoliation, improves elasticity, &amp; hydrates the skin. 

It is light and watery and very fast absorbing. Whenever I use this (which is every other night), I use two layers, but even if I layer more, this still wouldn’t lengthen my routine significantly because my skin just drinks this up. 
It is alcohol and fragrance free but has a citrusy smell that’s just right for me.
What I’ve noticed since I started using it, is it does have a subtle brightening effect - perhaps due to the Galactomyces ferment filtrate &amp; Absorbic Acid (although this one is at the bottom of the ingredients list)

I will need to use it more, but so far, I’m happy with the slight improvement in my skin.

The only downside is it works kind of slow so you have to be patient with it.

At first I thought that the texture’s going to be balmy but it’s actually more like a cream &amp; spreads really well. It has a very subtle pink color due to the Calamine, an ingredient that is known to relieve pain, itching as well as skin irritations. 

I use the balm as a moisturizer in the AM, sometimes also in the PM but mostly during daytime because I love how it feels on the skin. I thought it was going to pill if I apply another product after, but it doesn’t. 🎉 And yes, true to its claim, it does control sebum! Because of a recent SPF controversy, I was back to using a really dewy sunscreen but the Cica Care Balm helps control the shine. I feel that I am a lot less oily compared to when I wasn’t using this yet. It’s totally lightweight &amp; would work really great for oily gals like me. 

The balm is also definitely calming. While I still have several active acne now, this balm definitely helped calm my skin, albeit slowly, and is working well with other Cica products. I am yet to see its effects on acne scars and hyperpigmentation, which is reasonable since it’s been less than a month &amp; because I tend to get the really stubborn zits. I’m excited to keep using this &amp; will def share an updated review. 🤗

There’s nothing bad about the product itself. The only con with this hand cream is that it’s expensive at $30. However, it goes a long way so it’ll last you quite a while. 

I received this product for free from Picky and Dear, Klairs in exchange for my honest review. 😌

Washing our hands more frequently than we were used to has been one of the tiny yet impactful effects of the pandemic on our lives. It gives us a degree of protection from the virus but also often leaves our hands dry. I don’t know about some of you, but my hands have been drier since the pandemic. 

The Daily Comfort Hand Cream is new to me. I only received these products several days ago and have only tried the cream a few times. But my first impression so far is that it absolutely delivers what it promises! It is creamy enough and has a luxurious feel to it. It’s non-sticky, unlike most hand creams you’ll find in the market, and it absorbs quickly. I can see myself also using this on my arms and legs now that the weather is a bit colder. 

Like the hand wash, it is also unscented, so it would also be very suitable for people experiencing eczema flare ups. 

maliaperks