Is anyone else getting mask-acne (maskne?)? I sure am. Sigh.
During stay-at-home I went through my beauty products stash to see what I could revisit or use up – there wasn’t a lot of excess since I got rid of most of my extras when I moved last year. I did restart using the EcoStyler crystal clear hair gel; before it would get too crunchy but if I layer a bit of it over the Palmer’s Flax Seed gel that’s my go to*, it does improve curl longevity without looking too 80s. The other item I started using was the first in a trio of impulse buys from Sally’s last year – True by Made Beautiful co-wash cleansing conditioner. It is the consistency of a regular conditioner and is a one-step item. You have to let it sit for a bit, and add some water, to get the cleansing to happen, but it doesn’t strip and it smells good. I’ve been alternating it and my usual gentle shampoo when I wash my hair and it’s working well, unless I go several days without washing. I’ve also repurposed the facial oil from Good Molecules, which I didn’t love, as a cuticle oil before bed, layered under some hand cream.
[*currently out of stock everywhere I’ve looked IRL and online – man I hope this hasn’t been discontinued, aaaaaaah]
Shiseido Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen Mild Milk (YesStyle): My favorite Missha sunscreen was out of stock on their website so I ended up buying it from YesStyle, and adding a few other things to get free shipping. This is a 20 mL Japanese sunscreen, intended for sensitive skin. You shake it up before applying and then it goes on very liquid and silicone-y. Once it dries down it’s got a bit of a powdery texture. I like how it looks worn alone. Under other stuff, however, it’s less consistent: it makes some of my foundations pill up or flake off and I still haven’t found a combo that I love for day-long wear. Unless I find one, I’m unlikely to repurchase this and will just use it up on days where I’m not wearing makeup.
Mizon Snail Recovery Gel Cream (YesStyle): Back when the snail filtrate trend was new, I had some good luck with sheet masks featuring it as an ingredient. I hadn’t had any snail products for a while, so I thought I’d give this a go. It. Is. Fabulous. It’s a slightly powdery gel and goes on quickly. On me it absorbs well and gives me a moisturized but not shiny result. It’s what I always wished for with all those hydrating serums but rarely got. I love it; I can wear it in the morning under my sunscreen or at night under my heavier creams and it makes my skin smooth-feeling and calm. Only downside, if you can call it that, is that the tube isn’t huge so I will go through it quickly. But it’s not that expensive.
CosRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner (YesStyle): It’s still early days with this one, which I bought as a gentler option to the 2% BHA and ~10% AHA toners I’d been using after my evening cleanse. It’s nice enough but I’m not sure if it’s really doing anything much. I feel like CosRX used to be reasonably priced, but now it’s really not – I don’t know if it’s an exchange rate thing (they’re Korean) or what. If I’m going to spend $20+ on an acid toner, plus possible int’l shipping, I can just get one at Paula’s Choice instead.
What have you tried recently that you like, or would like to warn others against? Any maskne tips?
