I just wrote about this as a comment on someone else's post, but decided to create a more in-depth discussion for it in case others might find it helpful as well. ❤️

Licensed esthetician of 8+ years here. I am one of the few who advise against putting vitamin C serums in the fridge. My clients who do this usually end up being the least consistent with remembering to use it - you've probably heard the saying, "out of sight, out of mind". I'm definitely guilty of this myself! 😬

Manufacturers actually recommend storing it in a dark, cool area that is away from direct sunlight and heat. A medicine cabinet or drawer would be best, but again, if that means you're going to forget to use it, just know that not applying vitamin C is just as useless as oxidized vitamin C!

Oxidation occurs most rapidly when the product is exposed to oxygen, so the ideal packaging for this type of product would be an airless pump container...even more so than the dark amber bottles we often see. However, you're more likely to find them in dropper bottles for ease of application (they usually have a very watery/thin viscosity). So quickly get out the amount that you need and get that top screwed back on tightly and as fast as possible! Also, be careful to not pump air into the bottle when using the suction dropper.

In addition to your face, make sure you are also bringing the product to your neck and decollete. I start to get more generous with the amount and areas I apply it to when I start to see the first signs of oxidization occurring. If you're using it daily and following the advice above, you'll have a much greater chance of finishing the bottle before much oxidation has occurred.

As a side note, it's very important for l-ascorbic acid (the form of vitamin C most clinically proven for efficacy) to have the correct pH and delivery system as it is a water-soluble ingredient. You'd think this would be a given during the research & develop phase, but there's surprisingly many products that are emulsified with oils that prevent the l-ascorbic acid from even penetrating. If the other ingredients are causing it to not go where it needs to go, then the benefits they are promoting aren't going to apply.

Hope this info helps someone out! Let me know if you have any questions - I could talk about antioxidants all day long lol. Fun fact, my favorite vitamin C derivative is actually tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate. It's oil-soluble, much more stable than l-ascorbic acid, and found to be just as affective in multiple clinical trials! 🍊

Vit C - How To Delay Oxidation

I truly can&#39;t find any faults with it personally, except that oilier skin types will most likely find it too dewy for them. I could also see those with warmer skin tones not being able to find a good color match.

This BB cream is my absolute favorite makeup product! I think the whole &quot;bb cream&quot; term is pretty gimmicky and mostly used for marketing purposes, it&#39;s basically a dewy medium-coverage foundation. This is great for evening out your skin tone and mild discolorations, but you&#39;ll probably want to break out the concealer for more stubborn areas. I have light freckles across my nose and cheeks and it makes them pretty unnoticeable. Really great for dry&#47;dehydrated skin types looking for that glow. I feel like most foundations sit matte on my skin and settle into my fine lines, even ones that claim to be &quot;luminous&quot; or &quot;satin&quot;. I never use setting powders for this reason. This one will truly bring out a glow! I wear shade #21 in the winter, and mix it 50:50 with shade #23 when I get a tiny bit darker in the summer (what I currently have on in this photo). I don&#39;t ever get much of a tan, but can wear #23 by itself if I do get one. I have a neutral undertone and prefer cooler (pinker) finishes, which I feel like this one has. In terms of staying power, it lasts all day and doesn&#39;t turn blotchy or look bad by the end of the day. However, I would definitely recommend setting with powder and&#47;or a setting spray.

Maybe because it&#39;s a newly launched product, but Amazon currently only sells it in a 2pk. If you only want 1, you&#39;ll have to purchase it directly through Rael&#39;s website and spend $30 if you&#39;re wanting to get free s&amp;h.

I know it sounds strange, but I had been using gentle face cleansers in replace of intimate wash for years. This has been costly, but all the OTC feminine washes I had come across contained ingredients that are known irritants. I&#39;ve never understood why a product intended for sensitive areas would have these! Then I discovered Rael, a &quot;K-beauty inspired&quot; brand of personal care products who&#39;s formulas have really impressed me for the price. Their feminine wash checks off all the boxes for what I look for (or rather, lack thereof) when it comes to a product that is going to have contact with my skin. 

First off, it&#39;s completely fragrance and dye free! I can&#39;t detect any smell from the natural extracts in it either. It&#39;s also free of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), common foaming agents found in cleansing products. Surfactants are necessary to produce a lathering affect, but these two in particular are likely to over-strip the skin&#39;s oils more so than others. 

Perhaps the most important quality, though, is that this feminine wash is pH-balanced. This means that the high pH of the formula (generally caused by the alkalinity of surfactants) has been adjusted to better aligned with the natural acidity of the skin (which ranges from 3.8 - 4.5 in that area). Disrupting the delicate flora and microbiome of this intimate area can contribute to conditions such as yeast infections and BV. 

I also love the flip cap bottle, no need to worry about a clogged pump or too much product getting dispensed. The consistency is a thick gel, which is nice because it doesn&#39;t easily slip through the cracks of your fingers. This is just a great, no frills intimate wash with clean ingredients and performs the job well. Couldn&#39;t be happier with it!

Those who have less experience with mineral sunscreens often rate them poorly. I don&#39;t think that&#39;s fair though when you are technically getting exactly what you paid for. Don&#39;t plan on using this on someone who has coarse body hair, the white particles will really cling onto it. If the person has a tan or dark complexion, it&#39;s going to be much harder for it to blend in.

I think in order for consumers to be a fan of this product, it&#39;s important they know what to expect before they purchase it. You hear about the benefits of mineral sunscreen all the time, but most don&#39;t realize the aesthetic characteristics that come along with these ingredients. This is not the type of product that goes on clear and is easy to blend in with your skin tone. If that&#39;s your priority, then you&#39;re going to have to go for a chemical sunscreen. Blue Lizard&#39;s Sport Mineral SPF Spray spray contains 24% zinc oxide as it&#39;s sole form of sunscreen protection. That&#39;s quite a high percentage. Most mineral SPF 30-50s have a lower percentage combo of both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which can make them a little less opaque. Some brands will also use nano technology to micronize the large zinc molecules, decreasing their particle size. This makes the product have less of a white cast, but it&#39;s going to be much more expensive. Since that&#39;s not the case here, you&#39;re going to have to compromise a bit on the aesthetics if you&#39;re wanting to go with pure zinc oxide. 

I like it for the following reasons: it&#39;s hard finding mineral sunscreen in aerosol spray cans, the formula has enough glide to spread easily, doesn&#39;t smell bad, the nozzle doesn&#39;t clog, and it protects me well in times of long sun exposure. One of the photos show how it appears on the skin when you first apply it, the other shows how it looked after working it into the skin a little more. Not too noticeable on fair complexions!

The only con I can think of is that it can look too shiny if you have oily skin or not following with a foundation&#47;powder. If you don&#39;t plan on applying anything over it, just keep in mind that people will be able to see their reflection in your face. It&#39;s quite luminescent!

My all-time favorite sunscreen that I have been using for years, and this is coming from a licensed esthetician who has tried just about every SPF product found in dermatology offices and medi-spas since 2012. It is a physical (zinc oxide &amp; titanium dioxide) + chemical (diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate &amp; ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate) sunscreen combo. The &#39;Clear&#39; version is transparent once rubbed in, making it suitable for all skin shades and undertones. No parabens (if that is a concern of yours) and no drying alcohols. Thick consistency and very moisturizing, leaves a dewy finish. As long as you hydrate the skin first with non-occlusive serums and&#47;or gel type products containing humectants (ie. hyaluronic acid, glycerin, etc.), some skin types could get away with wearing just this as their moisturizer. I have skin prone to dehydration, so I use a lightweight moisturizer prior to applying. I love the glowy base that it creates for my makeup. Just make sure not to mix your moisturizer in with this sunscreen, you will be using less than you need to for proper protection. I am very fair and have never burned when wearing this. It&#39;s important to note that you will need to re-apply according to sunscreen guidelines (every 2 hours if getting prolonged exposure to the sun). Also, sunscreen needs enough dry time to fully and evenly adhere as a film on the skin, so make sure to wait 10 mins before following with makeup.

I only wish it came in a larger size - 1 oz will probably only last me 30 days using it 1x a day.
 

Niacinamide, vitamin C, retinol, lactic acid - oh my! What great brightening and anti-aging ingredients, and a high concentration of these actives to boot. You can tell by how high they are listed in the ingredient decks, as they are in order from highest to lowest percentage. Upon application, I get a mild "stingle" (stinging + tingling sensation), another indication that this is a result-driven formula. Pretty impressive for a non-professional product (distributed over the counter and not in medi-spas), because I'd say it's very comparable. Those with sensitive skin or if currently using retinoids, exfoliants, or acne medications, this product might not be tolerable for your skin. There is a "Sun Burn Alert" that sun exposure should be limited and to use in conjunction with sunscreen. However, it states you can apply AM or PM - I'd recommend only using at night due to the retinol! To off-set the chance of irritation and replenish moisture balance to the skin, there's some great emollients, humectants, and calming ingredients. The ones that stood out to me are squalane, sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid), panthenol (vitamin B-5), and a ceramide. I was relieved that the incredible scent (reminds me of grape jolly ranchers!) is from plant extracts and not from synthetic fragrance. In regards to the packaging, the pump dispenses the perfect amount with no clogging issues. My skin looks and feels moist, plump, and glowy after application. Very lightweight, those with dry skin will still want to apply a moisturizer over it. It plays nice when being layered with my other skin care products, no pilling! 

Meltheskinslayer