SKIN CARE
It's been awhile since I've looked up Michael Todd products online and it seems like the brand has revamped their packaging on most or all of their products. The old packaging that I have is a squeeze bottle (contains 7.1 oz) and the new one (6.7 oz) has a cap with a pump. Packaging aside, I love this cleanser! There's a nice cooling effect as soon as the cleanser hits your face and it does a great job of leaving the face feeling very clean. It's targeted for oily/acne prone skin and is free of parabens, sulfates, triclosan, phthalates, among a few other things. I use this in conjunction with the MT Charcoal Detoxifying Mask and they really deep clean my large pores.
Verdict-Will definitely repurchase but have to get through my cleanser stash first.
GOODAL Phytoshine Acaiberry Brightening Toner ($30)
You can find this online at Urban Outfitters, Target, Amazon and Club Clio and perhaps in stores as well. What I liked most about this is that it's free of chemicals like parabens, alcohol, phenoxyethanol, ect. The toner has a light, fruity scent which I liked but I didn't notice much of a difference on my skin in terms of brightening. The consistency is thicker than most toners I've tried and would be nice for those with skin on the drier side.
Verdict-A decent toner but wouldn't repurchase.
BIODERMA Crealine H2O Cleansing Wipes for sensitive skin ($15 at Jet.com)
I rarely use makeup removing wipes on my face unless I go to the gym in the middle of the day. I use them mostly to remove product swatches on my hand. I purchased the wipes at City Pharma for 6.99 euros when I was in Paris and figured they would be just as effective as the Bioderma cleansing water. The wipes smell terrible and they were just as bad at removing swatches. I used it once on my face and wouldn't recommend them for makeup removal at all.
Verdict-No bueno!
GARNIER SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water ($6.99 at Target)
I was planning on comparing this and the Bioderma cleansing water but never got around to it. I find that cleansing water works best on those with drier skin. I use them to quickly wipe my face off before I go to the gym in the mornings. If I use it on non-gym days in place of a cleanser my face gets greasy really fast. You can also use cleansing waters in place of a toner or to clean cushion puffs. I was able to finish off the Garnier bottle fairly quickly because you need a significant amount to clean those puffs. I don't like using cleansing waters to take off makeup because you blow through so many cotton pads or rounds. Anyway, I quite liked the Garnier cleansing water and recommend it as a much more affordable option to the Bioderma. It's fragrance free but I caught a little whiff of something strange every time I used it (most likely my sensitive sense of smell in pregnancy). IF the Bioderma were the same price point as the Garnier and easily accessible in the U.S., I would lean more towards purchasing the Bioderma.
Verdict-I would definitely repurchase this.
LA ROCHE-POSAY Serozinc ($14.99 at La Roche-Posay)
This is another product I purchased from City Pharma for a more affordable price of 7 euros. This was on my list of things to buy in Paris because I'd seen YouTubers and bloggers rave about this. The mist didn't do a thing for my skin and it's just water with zinc. There are plenty of Korean mists that do much more for your skin than the Serozinc.
Verdict-Save your money on something else, will not repurchase.
STRIDEX Pads, alcohol free, maximum strength ($10.65 at Amazon for a pack of 3)
You always think about Stridex being used on teenage skin but, holy moly, these pads worked for me. By the way, there are 90 in each pack.They contain BHA, or salicylic acid as the main ingredient, which cleans out and sanitizes clogged pores while exfoliating. Salicylic spot treatments never work for me so I always ignored products with the ingredient. But I was pretty desperate to find something that worked to control my hormonal acne so I took a gamble on these after reading so many positive reviews. The pads are alcohol free and each pad has a textured side. I use these pretty much every night unless I use the Secret Key Lemon D-Toc Peeling Gel. You can use them twice a day but once a day is sufficient for me to see results. Some people have said this feels a little drying on their skin but I've had no issues with this thanks to my oilier skin type. I've stopped using the pads during my pregnancy but I will probably need them again.
Verdict-I have two packs waiting to be used.
SKIN79 10 Seconds Mask ($9.90 + free shipping at Amazon)
These are quick mask sheets (20 included) you apply on your face and leave on for as long as you want from 10 seconds to a minute or two. They provide some hydration and prep your skin for makeup working as a toner, emulsion, and essence in one. I received this in the Staff Picks Memebox so I wouldn't have purchased it for myself. I wasn't all that crazy about the scent and saw these sheets as an unnecessary step before applying makeup. Maybe if you're in a rush and don't have time to slap on skincare, you can apply the 10 Seconds Mask to save time. Personally I prefer using a proper toner, moisturizer, ect.
Verdict-Will not repurchase.
MISSHA Time Revolution Night Repair Ampoule ($49 at Missha US)
This is supposedly similar to Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair Serum, which I haven't tried. The Missha Ampoule offers wrinkle repairing and whitening benefits. Honestly I don't see a huge difference in my skin with most products and this was no different. It's definitely moisturizing because the consistency is on the thicker side, maybe a little too hydrating for my skin type. But, there wasn't any noticeable improvement in my skin after finishing the ampoule up. The bottle is pretty with a dropper. Don't drop the dropper because it will crack and shatter all over your floor.
Verdict-Moved on to something else.
NEUTROGENA On the Spot Acne Treatment ($5.99 at Target)
I've tried other spot treatments but I always go back to the Neutrogena one. It contains 2.5% benzoyl peroxide which is the ingredient I've found most effective for hormonal cystic acne. The Neutrogena treatment doesn't do much for serious cystic acne but if I have smaller acne it does shorten the lifespan of the pimple by drying it out. Since I have oily skin, this does help with decreasing all the oils on my face.
Verdict-will repurchase after my pregnancy
HOLIKA HOLIKA Vita Up! Facial Water in Vita Violet ($5.59 at Korea Depart)
I did spot this mist at the Urban Outfitters in Herald Square earlier this year but it's sold out online. There are three varities: Vita Green, Vita Orange, and Vita Violet (the one I used). I loved the fruity scent of this mist and it was extremely refreshing on the face at any point in the day.
Verdict-Will repurchase after I use up a few more mists.
LJH Tea Tree 90 Essence ($45 at Birchbox)
Another product which did absolutely nothing for me. I gave in to all the hype around this essence and had high hopes for it. I did like the light, watery consistency of it and the ingredients list. But, it didn't make much of a difference in my skin in terms of acne improvement. I bought this from Memebox during a sale with a significant discount but it's not worth the $45 in my opinion.
Verdict-Not for me.
ESTHETIC HOUSE Vitamin 3000 Vitamin C Vita-Capsule Cream ($9.98 at eBay)
Another product from the old days of Memebox, January Box. You can use this cream in a variety of ways: individually, blended in with a daily moisturizer, spot treatment to fade dark spots and pigmentation. I think this helped a TEENY bit with all my hyperpigmentation but nothing will really fade them except time. Keep in mind you shouldn't use benzoyl peroxide with a Vitamin C treatment in the same skincare routine because the effects of both will be useless, cancelling each other out. As expected there's a light citrus scent and the consistency is on the stickier side.
Verdict-Undecided if I would repurchase.
NEUTROGENA Hydro Boost Gel Cream ($19.99 at Ulta or $17.99 at Target)
I reviewed this here at the end of January. This gel cream has been a favorite throughout my pregnancy so far because it does not have a fragrance and provides enough moisture to leave my skin grease free. The product is targeted for extra dry skin which I don't agree with unless you top it off with a facial oil or sleeping pack. As I stated in my review, this is for adding and locking in moisture and doesn't claim to do anything else like anti-aging or brightening. I've already purchased the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel as we head into summer because the gel cream will be a bit too heavy for me.
Verdict-Will repurchase for next fall/winter.
PETITFEE Black Pearl & Gold Hydrogel Eye Patch ($9.98 at Amazon with Prime)
I reviewed this here and my opinion hasn't changed. I found the fragrance a little strong and the patches were a pretty good temporary fix for tired looking eyes. I tried the Botanic Farm Salmon Egg Hydrogel Patches and hated them. The scent is even stronger and the patches are really slimy.
Verdict-Might repurchase but still in search of good eye patches.
BODY CARE
This is a facial cleanser for those with acne prone skin. I used it once or twice on the face but wasn't really feeling it so I used it as a body wash. It's a foamy cleanser and works perfectly well on the body. $20 is really steep for this cleanser, especially when there are plenty of good ones out there at a fraction of the cost.
Verdict-Will not buy (received in an old Memebox)
NEUTROGENA Body Clear Body Spray (gasp, discontinued)
I had no idea this was discontinued although you can purchase it at an inflated price on Amazon. This took me forever to finish because I really only break out in the back area in the warmer months. Sometimes when I sweat profusely from a work out, I get the occasional bacne as well. It was a convenient product because you could just spray it on your back after a shower.
Verdict-Would repurchase if it were readily available, will look for a replacement at the drugstore.
KWAILNARA Avocado Hand Essence ($6.99 at Mishibox)
There are three varieties of the hand essence: Blueberry, Peach, and Avocado (received in a Mishibox). I don't really suffer from dry hands but I do wash my hands a lot, even more so now that I'm pregnant. I don't need anything that's heavy duty so this was a good product for lightweight, non greasy moisture on the hands. I would have preferred the Blueberry or Peach scent but the Avocado scent wasn't terrible by any means.
Verdict-Might repurchase once I use up a few more hand creams.
FRESH Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15 ($24)
I finished a sample size version of this. It smells great to me, like lemons, and hydrates the lips. I used this during the day because of the SPF in it. If you have really chapped lips, this might not offer enough hydration. I see this more as a luxury product since there are other lip balms out there with an SPF that are significantly cheaper.
Verdict-Might repurchase during the next Sephora VIB sale.
MAKEUP
I'm pretty sure this is another discontinued item, sorry! As is expected of a CC cream, the coverage is on the light side. I used shade No. 1 Pink Beige. It was a little too pink-y for me but I only wore it on gym days. I wasn't too crazy about the CC cream because it emphasized my already large pores and didn't seem to completely sink into my skin, not to mention the coverage isn't great. I haven't used too many Sulwhasoo products but this had an old lady/herbal scent to it.
Verdict-Didn't work for my skin type.
HOURGLASS Veil Mineral Primer ($18 for 0.33 oz, $52 for 1 oz)
Everyone seems to rave about this primer but I prefer my current primer, the 3W Clinic Collagen Make-up Base. I like the non-silicone feeling of the Hourglass and it does seem to really smooth out the skin. I'm not sure about the claims of absorbing excess oil because this was used in the winter months when my skin is more on the combination side.
Verdict-Will not repurchase.
So there you have it, my list of finished products and I can finally recycle or throw everything away.
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Thanks for stopping by,
Jennifer
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