Overrated- Hyaluronic Acid, Collagen
Underrated- Glycerin, Panthenol

What is the most overrated and underrated ingredients in your opinion? Extra points if you tag an underrated product!

I’m looking to add Mandelic Acid into my routine. Will you please tell me which products you suggest and how you incorporate it into your routine? Also, how often do you use it? Thank you!

Mandelic Acid

Hello! I recently finished the Cocokind Ceramide Barrier Serum. I wasn’t crazy about it. I do like the idea of a ceramide serum. Does anyone have any Ceramide serum recommendations? Thank you!

Liquid Ceramide

I would like to add Mandelic Acid to my routine. I just bought the Wishtrend one.  Please let me know where this should go in my current routine. I am only planning to use it once or twice a week. I currently use tretinoin at night and the Paula choice BHA 2x a week during the evenings when I’m not using tret. 

Would it make more sense to use this the mornings where I will apply tretinoin at night? 

1. Cleanser (currently use a salicylic acid cleanser) 
2. Toner
3. Essence
4. Vitamin C- Maelove
5. Azeliac Acid
6. Moisturizer
7. Sunscreen

Update: I’m no longer using the SA cleanser. Thanks so much for everyone’s help!

How to add in Mandelic Acid

Please list your favorite sunscreen that doesn’t leave a white cast. My melanin rich skin prefers clear sunscreens. Thank you!

No cast sunscreens

This is a mineral sunscreen that leaves a slight cast. That has not stopped me from wearing it. 

I recieved this product for free from Picky and Skin1004  in exchange for my honest review. This is a light weight formula sunscreen. It is like a lotion. It applys easily without eye irritation. I enjoyed wearing it and it left a dewy finish. It also looks good under makeup. Lets not forget the ingredients as this is packed with goodies such as hyaluronic acid, centella and cica. This will help your skin barrier while providing spf 45!

Before purchasing, I watched a YouTube video where described HOJ as water with a sprinkle ginseng water. I didn’t think much of it. I now agree. This feels like taking the cheaper, less expensive road. That’s not always bad, but this time it would have been worth it to purchase a higher end ginseng product. 

This brown water smells like water with a hint of ginseng. I was disappointed by the scent. I am seeking something stronger. You can apply this with cotton or your hand. I did both and felt no difference. Didn’t feel a pinch of hydration. Can’t say it calmed my skin either. I even had a few blemishes. 

It has 80% ginseng, 2% niacinamide and I’m not sure about the other 18%. This is going no where. I can’t write much more about brown water. 

It is inexpensive. It didnt harm my skin. It is very easy to use. 

Wasteful product to use disposable pads. It might bother others, but not me. 

I received this free from picky and Benton in exchange of my honest review. These are disposable toner pads. You can use them like a sheet mask. They are soft and sit nicely on the skin. No issues using these. They are calming too. 

I will warn you that this moisturizer has a slight orange cast. It doesn’t bother me, but I notice it as I wash my face. 

This moisturizer powerhouse is packed with ceramides, cholesterol, 4% niacinamide and fatty acids. The golden color comes from the addition of sea buckthorn oil. The ingredients lured me into this product; the results have led me to repurchase it over and over again. 

I used this moisturizer daily. I personally used it as a serum prior to apply my thicker moisturizer. It has the consistency of a thick serum or maybe a light lotion. It spreads easily and absorbs quickly into the skin. On tretinoin days, I apply liquid gold then tret and end with a moisturizer. It goes with everything!

I credit this moisturizer to keeping my moisturize barrier strong and brightening my overall face. This is a holy grail for me. 

I can’t give this 5 stars because it is pink. The pink color makes it pop out of my melanin rich skin. Not a bad thing, but I prefer not to wear this product in public. It is either an bedtime or at home treatment. I also have experienced staining from the treatment. 

Kate Somerville makes my favorite acne spot treatment with 10% sulfur. This is a quick spot treatment that shows results quickly. I simply use a q-tip to apply the pink liquid on my skin. It hardens and the spot starts to reduce. It can stain so allow time for it dry! 

At $26.99 for an ounce, some might find it priced high. I have bought this on sale at @ultabeauty and @nordstrom. The bottle lasts a long time. Mario Badescu makes a similar, less expensive product that doesn’t work for my skin (it deserves its own review). I only purchase the Kate Somerville version. 

melissareviewsthings