As I mentioned yesterday, I think of January as “skincare month”, so I’d like to take a minute and review my favorite facial skincare discoveries from 2019.
- StriVectin Retinol S.T.A.R. Light Night Oil: Back in early January of last year, I tried a sample of StriVectin Retinol S.T.A.R. Light Night Oil and I was hooked. Though a pricey oil, StriVectin had a 30% off sale and I bought a whole bottle. Though I have used it almost every night of this year, I still have quite a bit left. A couple of drops of this lightweight oil does the trick! I find the oil to be an easy and preferable way for me to get my daily retinol. Highly recommend this!
- PRAI Ageless Throat & Decolletage Cream: Another January discovery, lightweight but very emollient PRAI Ageless Throat & Decolletage Cream dethroned my long-time fave, StriVectin TL Neck Cream (though I still use it when my skin is very dry). In addition to loving the cream itself, I adore the bling of the crystal encrusted jar.
- First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair BarriAIR Cream: I just bought my second jar of Ultra Repair BarriAIR Cream from FAB. This is the weirdest moisturizer ever because of its form. The consistency of this highly moisturizing “cream” is like cotton candy – it’s airspun. And when I scoop out a little, what’s left in the jar seems to grow back. Truly unusual. I love this stuff for hydrating and strengthening my skin’s barrier.
- PRAI Potent-C Power Drops with Copper: I’m a fan of vitamin C serums of all kinds, but especially the ones that smell citrusy and PRAI Potent-C Power Drops with Copper smells like a stroll in an orange grove. Plus it works well to banish dull skin and give me a glow. Yummy!
- First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face Cleanser: I can’t believe it was just last March that I began using the ultra-gentle, ultra-hydrating FAB Pure Skin Face Cleanser. Actually, I know I had first tried it a while back via travel size minis that I got in some Sephora Play! Bags. Now I am on my second full size tube. I haven’t found any cleanser that is better for super dry skin especially in the winter.
- Paula’s Choice Youth Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50: This ultra lightweight moisturizing sunscreen is fabulous under makeup and during the warm weather (though I still wear it now that it’s winter). One of the best high SPF facial sunscreens I’ve ever used.
- Tony Moly The Chok Chok Green Tea Watery Essence: I love this essence because it is truly a watery essence rather than a thick serum. It sinks right in but provides hydration. I just bought my second bottle.
- The Body Shop Drops of Youth Gentle Foam Wash: Sadly, The Body Shop seems to have discontinued my favorite warm weather gentle cleanser from the Drops of Youth product line. I bought it in a duo pack with my all-time favorite Drops of Youth Liquid Peel that’s a dupe for the much more expensive peel from SkinInc. Fortunately, the Liquid Peel is still sold, but I can’t find the Gentle Foam Wash that was so much more affordable than a similar product from SkinCeuticals. Boo hoo. I hope TBS brings it back at some point!
- Biossance Phyto-Retinol Serum: Biossance is a clean beauty skincare brand with products based on hydrating vegan squalene called “squalene”. Although I love all the Biossance products I’ve tried, I am addicted to the creamy Phyto-Retinol Serum that has an interesting scent reminiscent of ginseng in Sulwhasoo skincare products.
- Coola Sun Silk Drops SPF 30: Coola Sun Silk Drops SPF 30 is my other facial sunscreen fave for 2019. It comes in a glass dropper bottle, and the dosed drops can be applied directly to skin or mixed with moisturizer or foundation. Like the Paula’s Choice sunscreen I love, it is ultra-lightweight and it’s perfect under makeup.
- Derma E Vitamin C Concentrated Serum: Although this brightening C serum from Derma E is fragrance-free rather than smelling like oranges, it has a real benefit: it comes in an airless pump bottle that maintains the efficacy of vitamin C that can rapidly degrade in packaging where it is exposed to air. Get this one!
- City Beauty Multi-Action Sculpting Cream: This is crazy, but I am getting more and more specialized in the facial skincare products I use, using different products for different areas of the face. I use new City Beauty Multi-Action Sculpting Cream specifically along and under my jawline to help stave off jowls. Love this rich cream! I am on my second jar.
- City Beauty MicroBiome Night Mask: I have been using City Beauty MicroBiome Night Mask for almost three weeks, and I must say that I was skeptical at first. The pretty lavender colored night mask is not thick or heavy, but instead rather soupy. The instructions said not to use any other serums or essences along with it. This new mask was the antithesis of my usual nighttime routine that consisted of at least 5 steps and sometimes more. But when I wake up in the morning, I can still feel the mask protecting my skin, and my skin feels hydrated. I really love this product that is a real nighttime time saver!
Those are the stand out facial skincare products for me in 2019. Brandwise, I discovered the goodness of PRAI, Biossance and City Beauty (from which I had only been using City Lips before).
What were your skincare standouts from 2019?
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What great looking picks, Allison! I have had that Coola sunscreen on my must-try list for a long time, and that StriVectin retinol oil is something that I really want to try.
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The Coola sunscreen is particularly terrific! I know you have a million facial oils, but I have found this one with retinol from StriVectin to be quite effective
Thanks to you I purchased the Body Shop Liquid Peel and I love it. Right now I am using a Vitamin C cream by Colleen Rothschild. But will try Derma E Vitamin C to see how it compares. My skin doesn’t play nice with Hylauronic during the winter so looking for a product without it.
Thank you, Sandy! Glad my recommendations are sometimes useful 🙂 I am so glad you bought the TBS Liquid Peel. I think that is the most effective exfoliating product I have ever used, plus it doesn’t break the bank. In fact, I used it last night. I have yet to try Colleen Rothschild skincare, but I hope to someday. The Derma E vitamin C is so good because of the airless pump packaging and the fact that the full size bottle (I have a mini) costs less than $20 and since it’s sold at Ulta, you can use the $3.50 off $15 coupon to bring the price down ever more. I also have vitamin C moisturizers from Sunday Riley and PRAI, but I find myself preferring the serum since I use it during the day when I’m looking for a moisturizer with SPF. That’s so interesting that hyaluronic acid bothers your skin during the winter. I’ll have to see if I can find out anything about that!
Wow some great products. I will have to try a few of these. I love Prai neck cream……It’s the BEST! I buy mine from HSN, great prices. Right now I am trying the BeautyBio Science R45 System. Giving it an honest try. Nothing else but this system for 45 days. We shall see. Thanks Allison great reviews. 🙋🏻♀️❤️💐
Thank you, DiEtta! I bought the bejeweled PRAI Neck & Decolletage Cream on HSN just about a year ago during a sale. I absolutely adore it! And I still have half the jar left. I looked on the PRAI website yesterday to see if they had the jeweled jars, but they don’t. Maybe HSN still sells them. I’m not aware of the BeautyBio Science brand. You must let me know what you think. A PR person just asked me when they could expect to see a review from some products they were going to send me, and I told them I need 30-60 days. She seems perplexed, so I explained to her why and told her that if she’s in a hurry for a review that she should skip me. You are definitely testing out the R45 System the right way!
Allison some products take up to 30-60 days to see results….some 90 days. Check out HSN for Prai products. They have lots of jeweled contains and Cathy is an animal lover.
Yes, you are absolutely correct. Sadly, many of the PR folks don’t get it or don’t care, grrrrrr. On a happier topic, I am drooling over all the jeweled containers on the PRAI shop on HSN. I noticed your turquoise snowflake jar is sold out as is the peacock jar. Thankfully I don’t need more for a while, but I will definitely repurchase the jeweled ones on HSN.
Good prices too! Have a nice afternoon……..🙋🏻♀️
Yes, not bad at all! And you have a nice afternoon, too! I have workmen here since 6:45am replacing my furnace. It’s 27 degrees outdoors so it’s pretty nippy in the house with no heat 😉
I agree that the FAB cleanser is a really good one. I keep that one in my shower right now. I cant use the barrier cream on my face though — its “too much” for my skin and clogs it. But really good for my hands and for my daughter who gets really dry skin. I put it on her legs and back after her bath.
I have a love-hate relationship with that First Aid Beauty Cleanser. Love how it works, hate how it smells. It somehow triggers a gag reaction for me.
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I’ve been thinking about my favorites of 2020 but I don’t have many of the jars/bottles still home. One favorite is Cremeplexion by Humboldt Soap Company.
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I went back through all my posts and mostly chose from there. I liked Cremeplexion too, but I reviewed it in Dec. 2018 and it made my list last year. However, the HSC body butter will be in my bath & body faves. In fact, i need some more.
I’m going to have to try the products you love. For me, my 2019 faves have to include Farmacy’s Honeymoon Glow serum and Earth Love cosmetics Tune Up peptide toner.
I’ve been using a Farmacy Mist, and I think I have tried some other samples. Farmacy definitely seems like a brand I need more experience with. I love that name: Homeymoon Glower Serum – how cute! I have never heard of Earth Love cosmetics – I will check them out. Thanks, Gabrielle! There are so many new products constantly, it’s impossible to keep up!
For winter, you can’t beat Farmacy’s Honey Potion mask. It warms on your skin and leaves it soooo soft. I love Farmacy. I just discovered Earth Love and am so happy with their products. I also like their eye serum and all-purpose balm. It really is hard to keep up with all the brands and products out there, that’s for sure!
Oh, you reminded me about the Honey Potion mask! I have always wanted to try it. I will put it in my cart at Sephora and wait till the sale…in April!
What an amazing selection of favourites and I haven’t tried any of these!
Shireen L. Platt recently posted…THE ONE I DIDN’T KNOW I NEEDED: DERMALOGICA ULTRACALMING CLEANSER
So many products to try, how can we possibly keep up, lol! Happy New Year, Shireen!
The Coola product sounds really nice!
Thank you for sharing your 2019 faves! I was thinking to do the same roundup but always keep forgetting haha. Love that you have products from different price ranges, and also a nice mix of popular and indie brands.
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