Essences are water-based skincare products that contain a high amount of ingredients to help hydrate, protect, and “preps” the skin ready for the rest of the skincare routine. They should be used after toner, and can be used daily in the morning or night.

I’m on the fence on my opinion on essences. Personally, I don’t find it to be necessary as I can just use ingredients to help hydrate my skin. However, I know some people love essences. I’ve been trying to use essences more lately, and I seem to prefer essence/toner in 1.

Here are some of my favourite essences that I’ve tried:

• Pyunkang Yul — Essence Toner

• Scinic — First Treatment Essence

• Jumiso — Super Soothing Cica & Aloe Essence Toner

• SK-II — Facial Treatment Essence

✨ Essences ✨

This may not be facial skincare, but body skincare is just as important! After months of experiencing super sensitive itchy legs with small discoloured bumps I realized I experience folliculitis (1).

This is a skin disorder that involves inflammation of hair follicles due to infection (1). It appears like small little bumps that can have a pus-filled tip. The most common cause is an infection in a damaged hair follicle. Symptoms include: itchy/tender bumps, pus-filled sores, crusty sores, inflamed skin, itchy skin, tenderness, and pain. There are different types of folliculitis, and the specific type I have is Pseudofolliculitis barbae, aka the “barber’s itch”. This is caused by ingrown hairs when shaving (1).

After reading up on it, I decided to invest in products that are geared towards sensitive and itchy skin. I finally discovered a routine that works for me! These are the products I use when shaving any area of my skin, and I have had less ingrown hairs and a reduction of itchy skin. I think that if I stay consistent over a while I can hopefully recover fully and minimize the scarring some of the bumps have caused (due to continuous itching). The one negative I have is that the Aveeno Itch Relief Balm does not help with itchiness in the long-term. The CeraVe lotion has chemical compounds that help with itchiness in the long-term.

My main tip I can’t stress enough is exfoliate before shaving! You will have a smoother shave, less ingrown hairs, and will provide soft skin that’s needed for shaving.

These are the products I use (I only use the Equate Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Cream if needed):

➀ Pacifica — Lavender Moon Body Scrub
➁ Aveeno — Skin Relief Shaving Gel
➂ Gillette Venus — Deluxe Smooth Swirl Razor
➃ Aveeno — Restorative Skin Therapy Itch Relief Balm
➄ CeraVe — Itch Relief Moisturizing Lotion
➅ Equate — 1% Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Cream

References:

1. Leonard, J. (2022, March 28). Everything you need to know about folliculitis. Medical News Today. Retrieved August 2, 2022, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318551

Shaving Routine 🪒 🫧 ✨

I got COVID around 2-3 weeks ago, and it caused my lips to become super dry/cracking with a lot of flaky skin. Does anyone have any good lip scrub recommendations for the flaky skin? 

Thanks in advance!

Lip Scrubs 💋

I know this may not be directly skincare-related but I saw a commercial recently for some anti-aging serum that instantly reduces the appearance of wrinkles in 10 minutes.

Some of the “before” and “after” shots are so obviously made to make the results look better. One model was smiling in the before picture, but not in the after. Of course when you smile you see more wrinkles because you’re moving your face. Another model’s before picture had them squinting, and the after picture showed them not squinting. When you squint of course you’ll see more wrinkles. It amazes me how far companies will go to lie about product effectiveness. Does the product work? Probably to some extent. But not what they’re advertising on TV. 

Looking at the ingredients it’s just a bunch of peptides… I can get The Ordinary’s peptide serum and get the same effect over a period of time with continuous use. 

I just feel duped and I never bought nor am intended on buying the product (I’m 22, no wrinkles just yet). This is awareness to look at the ingredient list, and closely examine before/after photos brands are using in their advertisements and websites!

Fake Before & After Photos

I ran out of all my gel cleansers and want to try something new. Anyone with good gel cleanser recommendations for oily skin would be greatly appreciated!

Gel Cleansers 💦

Stylevana

YesStyle

Haruharu Wonder (use the code “jessica19” for 35% off your purchase)

Topicals (use code “PERFECTLY.IMPERFECTSKIN” for 10% off your first purchase!)

I have nothing bad to say about the product.

This is a multi-purpose balm to help health and soothe dry chapped skin. It can be used on everyone, even babies ages 1 week+. For babies, this would help with diaper chafing. Since it contains dimethicone, it also helps provide a protective barrier between the diaper and the skin, and helps seal out wetness.   It has a thick cream consistency with no scent. 

I use this 1-2x per week (more often if needed) at night. I use it on top of my moisturizer as an occlusive to help retain moisture. I had some dry skin on my arms and legs so I decided to see how it works on the body. When I woke up, the dry patches looked so much better and it wasn’t flaking. I used the cream for the next few nights, and in 3-4 nights my dry patches were completely healed with no irritation. Since this is a thick cream consistency, this probably isn’t suited for oily skin. However, I do highly recommend this for dry sensitive skin.

Ingredients:
⇛ Dimethicone (protects the skin, retains moisture, protects skin from cracking and chafing)
⇛ Glycerin (hydrates skin)
⇛ Shea Butter (moisturizes the skin, restores the skin’s barrier)
⇛ Panthenol (vitamin B5, soothes and moisturizes skin)
⇛ Zinc Gluconate (anti-inflammatory, antibacterial)
⇛ Madecassoside (derived from Centella Asiatica plant, nourishes and soothes skin)
⇛ Copper Gluconate (promotes cell regeneration, antioxidant, heals dry irritated skin)

This is an ok cleanser. There is nothing in it that stands out, and feels like a generic cleanser. The antioxidants offer a nice buffer from environmental pollution, but there are so many cleansers on the market with antioxidants. Also, what is “natural fragrance”? I’ve never seen that on a product before. Is it fragrance from the herbal ingredients included? It sounds like an oxymoron, and it just sounds a bit deceiving. Either there is fragrance or no fragrance.

There are other cleansers available that do the same thing as this one, but for half the price. If you really want to try out this cleanser, I recommend getting mini size version to try. If you purchase the product at Sephora and don’t like it you can return it, even if it’s used. I returned products that I used a few times but didn’t work for my skin and was able to return them no. problem (even during the pandemic).


Claims:
➙ Gentle daily face wash
➙ Formulated with superfood antioxidants from kale, spinach, and green tea
➙ Prevents buildup in pores
➙ Removes makeup
➙ Balances skin’s pH

This is a gel cleanser that turns into a light-weight foam once lathered with water. It helps thoroughly cleanse the skin, without leaving it dry. It contains many vitamins and minerals from kale, spinach, and green tea that all work together to revitalize the skin, throughly cleanse it, and leave the skin feeling soft. 

This cleanser left my skin feeling throughout clean and refreshed. The antioxidants provide a nice buffer from environmental pollution, and the multitude of vitamins and minerals from the kale, spinach, and green tea help revitalize the skin. 

Ingredients:
➙ Panthenol (vitamin B5, soothes and moisturizes skin)
➙ Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C, antioxidant, brightens skin)
➙ Kale Leaf Extract (high in vitamins and minerals, moisturizes skin, antioxidant)
➙ Spinach Leaf Extract (conditions skin, high in vitamins and minerals, antioxidant)
➙ Green Tea Leaf Extract (antioxidant, soothes skin, controls oil production)
➙ Matricaria Flower Extract (soothes skin, antioxidant)
➙ Aloe Leaf Extract (soothes and moisturizes skin)
➙ Glycerin (hydrates skin)
➙ Natural Fragrance (combination of naturally-derived essential oils for fragrance)

This cleanser leaves my skin feeling dry and tight. The floral scent is strong, but once the cleanser is washed off the scent goes away. Even though it did go away, the strong floral scent deterred me from using it often. Those with sensitive skin should be aware of the amount of essential oils used. I personally wouldn’t recommend it for sensitive skin, but it's best to do a patch test before using it on the face. I didn’t really notice its gentle exfoliation so I wouldn’t rely on the cleanser for exfoliation. Since I have oily skin and this is a rich cream cleanser, I use it at night. Overall the product effectively cleanses my skin, but the dry tight feeling and strong fragrance won’t have me repurchasing the product.

This cleanses my skin well. I like how it lathers into a rich foam, perfect for an evening cleanser.

The downside is that this is extremely expensive. $56CAD for a ceramide serum is insane. If you buy this product from Sephora and you don’t like the product you can return it gently used, just have a receipt. I waited for Sephora’s seasonal savings that they have to purchase this.

This is a serum that helps moisturize and soothe the skin, while supporting the skin’s barrier and heal any irritation. It contains avocado oil and fruit extract, which is high in fatty acids that help moisturize and nourish the skin. The serum is also packed with ceramides, which are essential for healthy skin, while repairing and supporting the skin’s barrier. It is made with a blend of plant-based ingredients that help soothe the skin and protect it from environmental stressors.

This is my all-time favourite Glow Recipe product (that I’ve tried so far)! I ended up purchasing this during Sephora’s seasonal savings, and it’s one of the best skincare purchases I made. This drastically helped improve my skin, especially when I over-exfoliated my skin one week. I noticed the next day (I used this at night) that my skin wasn’t as flaky, and the redness was majorly decreased. I highly highly recommend this product, and will definitely repurchase it!

The first cleansing balm that I’ve ever tried was the original Zero Cleansing Balm and was excited to try another one from this line! This isn’t my favourite cleansing balm. The fragrance is a really strong artificial floral scent that I can’t use everyday. I can get nauseous from fragrances sometimes, this one included. It’s a shame because as a cleansing balm and its ability to remove makeup, it’s a great product. I just wish it didn’t smell like a Bath & Body Works store.

Also, what makes this product able to “purify” the skin? There aren’t any ingredients that would necessarily purify or cleanse my skin. Personally, I use cleansing balms to remove makeup and SPF. I don’t need a cleansing balm that purifies my skin. 

I tried the original cleansing balm and I enjoyed that one a lot. The fragrance is strong, and the whole purify gimmick is just weird in my opinion. I think I’ll stick to their original cleansing balm.

Claims:
➛ 3-in-1 cleansing balm
➛ Removes waterproof makeup and impurities
➛ Hydrates and soothes skin
➛ 7 active botanicals

This is one of the Zero Cleansing Balms in Banila Co’s cleansing balm line. It’s a 3-in-1 cleansing balm that removes makeup, impurities, and purifies the skin. It contains 7 active botanicals that all work together to soothe the skin and calm any irritation. It has a thick balm texture that turns into an oil once lathered onto the skin, along with a strong floral fragrance.

This is an effective cleansing balm. It removes makeup well, and I don’t need to use a lot at a time. It’s easy to wash off and doesn’t leave my face feeling greasy after. I also really like that it comes with a spatula, and a little lid that holds the spatula. 

Ingredients:
➛ Synthetic Wax (emollient)
➛ Butylene Glycol (moisturizes skin)
➛ Fragrance (generic term)
➛ Vitamin E (antioxidant, soothes skin)
➛ Evening Primrose Oil (soothes skin)
➛ Argan Oil (high in fatty acids, moisturizes and nourishes skin, antioxidant)
➛ Glycerin (hydrates skin)
➛ Fireweed (anti-inflammatory, retains moisture, antioxidant)
➛ Marigold Extract (soothes skin, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant)
➛ Purslane Extract (soothes skin, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory)
➛ Aloe Leaf Extract (soothes and moisturizes skin)
➛ Bamboo Leaf/Stem Extract (moisturizes skin)
➛ 7 Active Botanicals (soothe and calm skin):   ⤑  Centella Asiatica Extract
   ⤑ Skullcap Root Extract
   ⤑ Asian Knotweed Extract
   ⤑ Chinese Liquorice Extract
   ⤑ Green Tea Extract
   ⤑ Rosemary Leaf Extract
   ⤑ Chamomile Extract