Recent Picky Reviews
Hope you all enjoy! My favorite round was probably the Hanskin products. So lovely! And perfect timing for my 34th bday. š„° Keep in mind I have overly sensitive and dry leaning skin! Iāve had people ask before and I always write it in my reviews. I have a bunch more coming up later this month as well. Thanks so much to the Picky team! š«°š»
MeaningInMakeup
Dry/Sensitive
1
Vitamin A Glow Retinol Serum
This is a fantastic starter retinol with only 0.1% retinol in its formula. It also features vitamin C if youāre looking for something to not only help with active acne but also post acne hyperpigmentation, this is a great product. Plus I adore that itās a cream based serum that was rich, without being greasy.
MeaningInMakeup
I received this product for free from Picky andĀ HANSKINĀ in exchange for my honest review. If youāve seen my channel Iāve talked about how I tend to prefer retinol serums like this one. For some reason my skin tends to handle them even better than creams (maybe itās because the dose is lower). However I also love the fact that this serum is a cream based option with multiple oils, so itās nice and hydrating for my dry leaning skin. I chose not to use it on the same day as the retinol cream from this line, and that way my flaky skin was kept at bay. This is a 0.1% pure retinol, meant to be gentle āstarterā formula for people who are new to the ingredient. For those who donāt know, retinol not only can help with fine lines and wrinkles, but it can also help with acne. One of the leading causes of acne is dry skin build up (which I definitely get), and retinol helps promote skin cell turn over. I ended up starting retinols in my mid twenties due to my acne, and I definitely see a difference since introducing retinols. Something I noticed immediately with this product is the fact that it features vitamin C as well. Usually, that ingredient is not suggested to be put together with retinol (especially when mixing and matching products in your routine if you have sensitive skin), but I found that the ingredients complimented one another in this formula. This being a unique product with both ingredients means it is a great formula for not only helping with fine lines and wrinkles, but also helping with preventing acne and helping with post acne hyperpigmentation. It is free of silicones, artificial fragrance, and sulfates. What you may smell is not overpowering in my opinion, and I have a sensitive nose. The scent comes from the essential oils in the formula like bergamot and orange peel oil for example. Overall I was really happy with the texture of this, it is a rich creamy formula. As long as I didnāt mix it with acids in my routine (like AHAās, BHAās, or PHaās), and I wore SPF when I went out in the sun, my skin ended up enjoying this formula.
HANSKIN
Vitamin A Glow Retinol Serum
4.7
(539)
92
2
Vitamin A Glow Retinol Cream
I used this on different days than the serum because I know my skin can be overly sensitive and has flaked from retinol before. As long as Iām aware of what I mixed with these two products (avoiding acids and applying SPF), I didnāt have flaking with them.
MeaningInMakeup
I received this product for free from Picky andĀ HANSKINĀ in exchange for my honest review. I really loved the rich texture of this product immediately. It wasnāt overly greasy in my opinion. I love the applicator, itās more hygienic in my opinion to have a pump like this, so you arenāt dipping your finger into a tub and potentially getting bacteria in it to possibly ruin the jar or make it spoil sooner. This product features a unique combination of retinol and vitamin C, making it a fantastic treatment option for people with post acne hyperpigmentation and those with active acne (as retinol can help combat acne). As long as I took the proper precautions for my overly sensitive and dry leaning skin type (not mixing these retinols with AHAās, BHAās PHAās, and wearing SPFs when I went outside, and using the āsandwich methodā), I got these two products from Hanskin to work for me. Iāve said before that I prefer skin cycling, so using different products with actives on different days to avoid irritation, and for the most part it works. I also only used one of the retinol products at a time, and I managed to avoid flaking with these retinols. I prefer these types of products over trying to mix formulas from different brands because sometimes the products can cause a reaction in your skin, especially if youāre sensitive like I am. I avoid that when the ingredients are in products like this, and they are formulated at levels that are meant to compliment one another. This cream features shea butter and multiple essential oils to help your skin maintain its moisture. It features no added sulfates, artificial fragrances, or silicones. What you do smell is because of the essential oils. I found it to be a light scent that wasnāt irritating.
HANSKIN
Vitamin A Glow Retinol Cream
4.6
(524)
95
3
Propolis Treatment Ampule Essence
Definitely preferred the texture of this over the ampule.
MeaningInMakeup
I received this product for free from Picky andĀ CNPĀ in exchange for my honest review. My overly sensitive and dry leaning skin ended up really enjoying this product and its ingredients. If you have never heard of propolis before, the ingredient comes from bees. Just like royal jelly. Because it comes from hives and honey, it has antibacterial properties. Which makes it a fantastic ingredient for helping promote skin healing. Making it ideal for those who suffer from acne. The essence features panthenol and glycerin, so itās great for people who have dry leaning skin as well. I would say the texture is waterlike, so it absorbs into the skin super easily. I think because of this, this it is good for all skin types (including oily). Even though it was thin, it still managed to hydrate my dry leaning skin, likely thanks to the honey properties in the formula. However, I still have similar products that I would reach for before this one which was why I took a star off from it. This wasnāt a perfect product in my opinion.
CNP Laboratory
Propolis Treatment Ampule Essence
4.5
(445)
47
4
Propolis Energy Ampule
Too sticky, but not a bad product otherwise.
MeaningInMakeup
I received this product for free from Picky andĀ CNPĀ in exchange for my honest review. I have overly sensitive and dry leaning skin (with some acne), and it was able to handle this formula. I would say the texture is on the lighter side, but still a bit more sticky than I prefer. The scent is also a light floral scent. (This is repeated in the cons section in case people donāt read the entire review and wanted to know those things immediately.) I have to say I was really impressed by how this left my skin looking! I would say this was even better at leaving my skin looking hydrated than just the essence did on its own, but the two worked really well together if youāre really into dewy looking skin. Key ingredients: Propolis: comes from bees and has antibacterial properties like honey which means it promotes healing. It is a great ingredient for both dry skin and for people who deal with acne. Madecassoside: which comes from Centella Asiatica and is great for people who have sensitive/acne prone skin. Glycerin: another moisturizing ingredient to help people with dry skin.
CNP Laboratory
Propolis Energy Ampule
4.7
(550)
81
5
Dear Darling Oil Tint
The only truly color in the collection I feel like, and I loved the color! Although I noticed the pigment was more prone to separating with this darker color.
MeaningInMakeup
I received this product for free from Picky andĀ ETUDEĀ in exchange for my honest review. Just like all the other colors from this line up, and the most important thing in my opinion is the fact that this was so comfortable to wear! It gives the appearance of a gloss without the thick/goopy texture of traditional glosses. I reach for these even on days Iām not leaving the house because theyāre even more moisturizing than recent lip balms that Iāve tried. Thatās one reason that lip oils are so popular in my opinion. They look like a gloss, but they treat your lips while also giving some pigment (especially with this line). And I love the fact that you can build up the color by layering this. I love a good red lippie, and this one was the most vibrant red of the colors that I got to try from this collection. If I compare this to Sweet Apple, this color is even more pigmented. The scent was nice and mild, and not overpowering at all. My only complaints are listed below.
ETUDE
#1 Real Cherry
4.8
(776)
203
6
Dear Darling Oil Tint
This formula is so lovely! This color looks like a clear gloss on me I feel like. But I still loved this product.
MeaningInMakeup
I received this product for free from Picky andĀ ETUDEĀ in exchange for my honest review. This is one of the two ānudeā colors from this line. I say that because even though it has a very subtle pink tint to it, it looks more pigmented in the container than it does when I apply it to my lips. Iām not sure if thatās because of my natural lip color or what. But I consider it a nude option because of that. And of the two lighter shades, this one was definitely the lighter of the two (the other being Red Oil). When the top glossy layer of this tint wears off, the tint is barely there with this color, and thatās why I had to take one star off of my review. I do know that you can build up the color by layering it, but this one is hardly pigmented to start with. However, I will say Iām fine wearing this color around the house. In fact, I find this formula to be more nourishing than some of the other lip balms that Iāve used recently. It makes sense because oils are very nourishing and used in other skincare products. So why not use it in lip care products too? Especially because our lips also have skin on them. Just like all my other reviews of the colors from this line, I have to say how comfy this formula was to wear. It gives the appearance of a glossy lip without the texture of a gloss. Itās incredibly lightweight, it doesnāt feel tacky, thick, or goopy. I enjoyed this line so much, and it is definitely a new holy grail that I constantly find myself reaching for.
ETUDE
#6 Pink Oil
4.8
(776)
203
2
5
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