- Facial Skin Type
- Dry-combo. Gets even drier during the fall/winter months.
- Skin Tone
- NC15
- Skincare Focus
- dark spots, fine lines, loss of volume, and hydration
- Hair Type
- Thin and straight. Slightly oily roots and drier ends.
While I always offer my 100% honest review on every product, please understand that everyone is different and may get different results when using the same product. What may be my holy grail product may be your worst nightmare, and this could be due to different skin/hair type or an allergic reaction to one of the ingredients.
There are so many factors that can contribute to the different results, and the best way to minimize any elements of surprise is to understand how you work. Understanding your skin type, your skincare needs, your skin tone, your hair type, your hair needs, etc. can all help you figure out if the product will likely be a hit or miss.
Next, understand the reviewer and how she/he compares to you, ie. do you have the same skin type? If yes, chances are the products recommended will be a good fit. Do you have similar skin tones? That can help you determine if a foundation will be a good match.
With this said, read lots of reviews, and if you can, ask for product samples or purchase sample sizes before committing to a full-sized product. Sephora offers samples of its products as long as you ask a sales associate, and they have an excellent return policy as well (for those impulse buyers like me).
Lastly, it takes up to 30 days for new skin cells to reach the surface of your skin, so give your product at least that long before you deem it unworthy. The only exception is if you’re allergic to something, at which point you should stop using it immediately, and try to figure out the problem ingredient if you can. Knowing which ingredients play well (or don’t play well) with your skin can help determine which products will work best for you.
Oh my gosh I was just looking up the Nivea cream and came across your page. This was so we’ll done and answered all my niche questions. I really just wanna say I appreciate your literary /data analysis skills. Kudos to you 💌
Thank you so much for the kind words Amelia!
Hello Jenny! Your blog is amazing, I’m SO glad I came across it! In your dermadoctor eye balm review, you said it had given you milia. I’ve been struggling with those for a while; I was wondering if you had any tips on how to get rid of them?
Thank you so much Risa! For me I only get milia if I use products that are just too rich, and usually they go away as soon as I stop using them. So if you’re getting them it could be caused by a product you’re using, you might try removing one from your routine at a time to see which one is the culprit. I hope this helps!
Do you have a favorite repair eye cream for wrinkles, crowsfeet,etc…? I am forty and have tried almost every brand, but I can’t seem to find that one that serves as a staple. It seems none of them have really impressed me enough. I was looking for suggestions, before I try something else or talked into something else.
Hi Charlotte, interesting you should ask as I recently reviewed the Instytutum range on the blog and their eye cream has been fantastic for me. Keep in mind that I’m in my late 20’s so I’m more focused on prevention at this point, though another blogger – Anne from LindaLibraLoca – is in her late 30’s and she’s also had great results with this eye cream. Unfortunately my experiences with eye creams are limited, and the other one I liked is purely hydration with very little anti-aging functions. Hope you’ll find something you love soon!