Commercial Poem Ferments

I am not really one for sheetmasks, which is why I never talk about them. My preference is for adding an extra leave-on product if my skin needs a boost and I already have a product for that: Sulwhasoo's Timetreasure Invigorating Serum. Whilst this has been discontinued, I've got the replacement to try (the Ultimate S Serum).  Sheetmasks never fit my face well, I don't like the feeling of it or the time sink. And then there's AB Muse's post about how the preservatives concentrate if you leave it on for ages. Link to AB Muse's post about preservative concentration   However, there is one situation when a sheetmask is indispensable: over-exfoliation. I've borked my skin  I was just double-checking that the term borked meant what I thought it did and found this delightful etymological explanation. Joy!  https://www.reddit.com/r/etymology/s/G5Eeh8Dmc8 Back to borking my skin: this has happened a couple of times now because I am not an entirely sensible person. I...

This is a meandering post on face creams, it's not a review as such but some general comparisons of beautiful creams - mostly about textures. (If anyone wants swatches, please comment. I personally don't find them that helpful but the real reason I haven't done them is that I'll never actually get this post up otherwise! I may be going largely photo-free in future because it's even more time-consuming than the writing...) I'm slightly obsessed with categorising products as I like a framework that I can slot creams into because it refines my thinking about products.  I find it helpful to think about how textures compare as it narrows down what I'm looking for and gives me something a bit more defined to work with when I'm making comparisons for people. Naturally, my categories are a personal shorthand and if you have thoughts on how to name these, let me know! Some of these creams may straddle more than one category so I've gone with the predominant f...

As you might guess given this blog is full of Sooryehan and Whoo reviews, I'm not using anything from this routine any more unless I've got leftovers from repurchases.  I posted this in August 2022, getting on for two years ago! How much things change... Original post with updates in italics TL;DR: individually, these products are likely as good as the higher end ones they're replacing: but what about in a complete routine? They were perfect for my skin in the UK summer but I've found I need more oil and creamy products this winter. However, I'm still using quite a few from this routine most days! Products tested Beauty of Joseon Radiance cleansing balm Secret Key Rose Starting Treatment Essence (+ SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion) ONE THING Centella Asiatica Extract Cezanne Deep Moisture Skin Conditioner ONE THING Centella Asiatica serum  Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium Lotion Benton Aloe Real Cool Soothing gel  Purito Oat-In Calming Gel cream - stopped using this, a...

Context: I rage deleted all my Reddit posts and so I'm reposting the key experiments here.  The experiment took place roughly from March to June 2022. I've also added author note's - updates and editorial critiques - in italics. It's very funny rereading stuff I wrote nearly two years ago.  Fermented ingredients are said to do it all: glowy skin, even skin tone, provide mild exfoliation (SK-II claim this), improve hydration levels, anti-aging and barrier support. So can using more than one ferment improve your skin even more? I tried an entire routine of fermented products because why the hell not! Background My failed experiment with Purito Galacto Niacin 97 essence (irritation, possible rash or weird breakout) might have put me off ferment entirely.  I should add a side note that I'd also tried a couple of other products with ferment, one before and one after the Purito Incident, neither of which produced the glow (The Ordinary Buffet and Beauty of Joseon Ginseng...

I was very much of the opinion that eye cream was an unnecessary step. I'd tried a few drugstore eye creams that were unremarkable in every way so that confirmed my opinion. I'm happy to say I was wrong about eye cream! I just needed the right eye cream. I will add, this doesn't mean you need an eye cream but I definitely wish I'd converted sooner. What converted me? It started off as a why not kind of situation. I'd stopped using actives for a bit and even though I've since restarted, I've always had a really stubborn line under my right eye that's becomes more noticeable without retinal but is constant regardless of whether I use actives or not. Also, and just because I can use actives daily, I don't necessarily want to do so because it is extra steps and they could potentially contribute to additional dryness. Plus I often find it boring to keep using the same products as I enjoy trying new things That being said, I do very much enjoy the new M...

Decorte Phytotune Refining Softener and Decorte Liposome Advanced Repair serum on a black silky background It's been a busy few months what with getting a new job but I'm hoping to get back to posting more regularly :) Note for this post: it might be a dry skin thing but if you have dry skin, the reasoning behind this post could make some sense. I'm not sure this would have worked this well when I had combination skin in a more humid environment with soft water. However, it would have really helped whenever I had a less than perfect barrier. What prompted this post I recently bought the beautiful and discontinued Decorte Phytotune Refining Softener from Decorte's UK online store.  It was half price so I should have been suspicious...  The usage instructions say to use it first. Right after cleansing! It's basically an emulsion - this does not make sense to me and it started an interesting experiment.  Someone told me that this kind of product as a first step isn...

That's actually the Clear Facial Treatment Lotion - serves the same purpose for me! (Slightly Clickbaity) Headline At any point in the last year, I would have told you a First Treatment Essence of some kind was essential for me. Now I'm not so sure. About my skin  I usually stick to more affordable products and use a lot of different products to address features like signs of aging, larger pores and CCs, redness and dull skin. I'm going to call these things I'm addressing "features" rather than "concerns", which is just a personal preference. My skin doesn't need fixing, I just tailor my routine to address certain aspects of it. This may seem a pedantic choice of words but language matters! I'm 40 with combination skin, prone to CCs but not acne (unless I've used a product that disagrees with me) and my skin is perpetually dehydrated because of the actives I use. My neck is dry, dry as a desert, and very sensitive, so I use an entirely d...