My 2020 Picks: Skincare
With the 10+ months of quarantining, work from home order, and massive amounts of time to sit in your house, a lot of people turned to skincare as a great way to express some much needed self care— including me! So during this time I had LOTS of time to do research and try out a few products, and I have narrowed it down to my top 5 picks: skincare edition for you all!
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
This serum has to be my absolute favorite item I have implemented in my skincare routine. It has been great for hyperpigmentation and redness from acne scarring, and oil regulation. The benefits of this over certain oil stripping cleansers or clay masks is that it works as a better long term ingredient.
2. Olay Regenerist Micro Sculpting Cream
So I have technically been using this moisturizer for years, as it is the one my mom has always used. However I tried a few different moisturizers within the last year, and this one tops them all. I absolutely love to use this one at night as it is so thick and creamy, and HEALING. It contains Hyaluronic Acid, which helps with retaining moisture, correcting fine lines, and plumping the skin. Also it smells amazing… I know a lot of skincare experts don’t appreciate fragrance, but when it comes to this moisturizer, I’m alright with it…
3. The Ordinary AHA 30% +BHA 2% Mask
This was a great alternative to the clay mask I was using. While the clay mask was good at leveling my oil production, it was only stripping the top layer of oils and could easily be overdone. With this chemical exfoliating mask, it worked deeper into my pores, helped with oil production, and acne. If I ever feel one coming, I apply this mask either as a spot treatment or all over the face— works every time.
4. The Inkey List Retinol Serum
I was between this serum and the ordinary’s Retinol serum, but decided I wanted to try Inkey List, and liked the consistency of this one. The “cream” consistency of this serum made it so easy to apply evenly and I felt confident I never missed a spot (which is important with retinol). Unfortunately the tube container made it more difficult get every drop of the product (and also was a bit inconvenient with travel as the elevation pressure led to a lot of waste). However I ultimately like the product itself and will be getting more soon!
5. Aquaphor Healing Ointment
Another product I’ve been using for years— this has been my tried and true product for a lip mask. Every night before bed I literally cake this stuff on and my lips the next morning are so soft and PLUMP, and I just feel amazing. However it is also great for light applications throughout the day. I also used it for healing acne spots after it had already dried up and started scabbing. By the next day, my skin is completely healed, leaving just a spot of redness which could then be treated with my serums.
