skincare routine update reup the reloaded

[rhodochrosite]

happy 8 months on retinol to me! (guy who just emerged from a period of just absolutely shockingly bad skin but i think it was probably hormonal 😒 sometimes i really do feel like ok so what is even the point) anyway here is the current routine:

AM:

• stopped using cleanser in the mornings again and went back to just washing my face with water, i'm trying to be nicer to my skin barrier bc i think retinol is really doing a number on me
• ACTIVE: ma:nyo galac niacin 2.0 essence - my beloved despite hated pipette applicator i really think i will be rebuying this until the end of time. i'm actually currently using peach & lily wild dew treatment essence on my cheeks in order to use up the sample i got since it is also a niacinamide product but i think either it was breaking me out or i was using it while i was undergoing a harrowing breakout and it didn't make me better so my extreme lack of success with peach & lily products continues
• SPOT TREATMENT: as i have said before i think spot treatments are a scam but i got a clinique even better clinical radical dark spot corrector sample for free the last time i restocked moisture surge because it is so fucking expensive the sales assistants always pity give me samples that i then have to use even though i don't really want to since everything and their dog breaks me out. so i have been using that. i don't think it is making me better but it is not making me worse which is always good. if i'm leaving the house and i have an active breakout i'll slap on a cosrx master patch intensive pimple patch, i really like these for having strong adhesion and being quite clear/invisible (i usually get breakouts on my forehead so it's mostly hidden by my bangs anyway) and at the very least protecting the spot from dirt etc. i feel like i am not using these correctly as the actual hydrocolloid properties only work about half the time but like good enough, i'm mostly using them for aesthetic purposes not actual skincare anyway
• MOISTURISER: etude house soonjung 2x barrier intensive cream - using a very very tiny amount to try and use up this bottle bc i really don't think it's working with my skin, i think it's worsening my oilyness and causing breakouts which is sad because it's easier to obtain than my usual morning moisturiser, but i do have a bottle of rovectin lotus water cream ready to go as soon as i'm done with the soonjung
• SUNSCREEN: canmake mermaid skin gel uv - i actually love this soooo much, doesn't feel greasy, no visible white cast after a few minutes, and it's way easier for me to buy since it's a japanese brand and the asian beauty stores near me mostly stock japanese products, but 1) i'm just worried it's not going to hold up to the australian summer sun despite being allegedly spf 50+ 2) the tube is so tiny. i think i'm going to have to try a western brand for summer just to be safe, like cancer council or bondi sands or something. also i need to buy like a sunscreen spray for easy reapplication during the day bc i've been slacking on that at uni lmao and i feel like sunscreen sticks would get unhygienic? have been looking at the avene and la roche posay sprays

PM:

• OIL CLEANSER: banila clean it zero - you already know
• FOAM CLEANSER: peach & lily power calm hydrating cleanser - i know i said in the last couple posts that the krave beauty cleanser is my hg but actually i think the peach & lily one is better and super worth the higher price point like i thought krave beauty was great but peach & lily honestly just blows it out of the water it's sooooo good and so cleansing and easy to wash off. this is very funny considering how much i actively dislike the rest of the peach & lily range but i guess it balances out
• TONER: klairs supple preparation unscented facial toner - i am sort of just using this for the sake of using a toner but i really feel like i need something underneath retinol
• ACTIVE: the ordinary granactive retinoid 2% in squalane - i feel like i am not seeing as consistent results from this as the retinol i was previously using but also i feel like i accidentally went too hard on the retinol and my skin was dying bc it was being irritated to death so now i'm kind of like half-heartedly skin cycling based on vibes and i am seeing some improvements (but also the first time i tried to properly skin cycle, as in 1 day bha->1 day retinol->2 days recovery, i instantly broke out and that scared me so bad i stopped right away). i think i will restock this concentration to see if i continue to improve
• SERUM: krave beauty great barrier relief - i have been pretty 気になる about barrier repair so i am using this basically every day, i'm also thinking about adding another hydration layer back into my routine, either the pyunkang yul essence toner or the cosrx snail mucin essence
• MOISTURISER: clinique moisture surge - you already know x2
• EYE CREAM: skinstitut eye believe - i got this for free and it has ummm artificial snake venom in it apparently, i experienced some burning sensations the first time i used it but that was because i didn't read the instructions and applied it wrong. apparently. i don't think it is doing anything but i do feel obliged to use it up
• MASK: the online shop i buy my skincare from always gives me a bunch of free masks with my orders so lately i've just been using those whenever i can be bothered, i've tried various some by mi and the face shop masks and they were fine, probably wouldn't buy though. i do need to restock benton goodbye redness centella my beloved
• OVERNIGHT MASK: hada labo koi-gokujyun perfect gel - it's fine, nice and hydrating, i keep forgetting i have this product tbh

OTHER TESTED PRODUCTS:

• la roche-posay effaclar duo - broke me out, so that's the last time i'll be taking recs from random guys on tiktok
• laneige lip sleeping mask sweet candy - not as good as i was hoping but still nice, it's sweet and it's candy which are my two favourite things for things to taste/smell like but i do still think berry outsold
• these are perfumes but:
  • versace dylan blue - kinda got entrapped by a sales associate into buying this even though i had perfumes at home but i actually really love it and i'm not just saying that out of sunk cost fallacy and desire to reduce cognitive dissonance, like i legitimately think it smells soooo nice and fresh and professional, and the staying power is amazing. i'm a sweet/fruity/floral scents girl but actually sometimes you do need to smell like soap to live. like i smell this and feel deep spiritual connection with jaemin in that moment
  • versace bright crystal absolu - got a sample of this when i bought the dylan blue and it's like nice... i don't like it that much and definitely not enough to buy but it's inoffensively sweet, it just smells kinda basic
  • chanel chance eau fraiche - gift from family friend. i'm gonna be real i hate this. gave it to my mum though, she loves chanel
  • once i went into sephora during a call with mich and smelled a bunch of perfumes and can't remember any of them or what my thoughts were except that i thought juliette has a gun not a perfume was not really that nice. i thinkkkkk that i really enjoyed kayali juicy apple though