Continuing from my last post, I would love to share my favourite skincare products/treatments that I had experienced this past year.
I get a lot of compliments about my skin and people often ask me what I use.
I have not always had great skin though — growing up, I had severe acne that had to be medically treated, leaving me with some scarring. I changed my diet, started investing in better skincare, and eventually was able to stop taking my acne medication. I still break out from time to time due to hormones, but my skin has improved immensely over the years and my scars have faded somewhat. Because of my experience, I am admittedly kind of obsessed with skincare and I love to share this interest with my friends!
A bit more about my skin:
- I have oily skin
- Relatively large pores
- Average sensitivity
- My skin tone is fairly even
- I break out occasionally, usually due to hormones
- The area around my eyes gets very dry in the winter
- I’m under 30 years of age
I find most product recommendations focus on dry skin, so I hope that this post is informative and useful to anyone with skin like mine!
Best Treatments
I am starting my post with the professional treatments that I have enjoyed this past year. I want to be transparent and tell you that my skincare does go past soap and moisturizer. These are all things that I would recommend to anyone who wants to take their skincare seriously.
I recently visited Skin Revival Clinic & Spa for a scan on their Advanced SkinDeep Imager. SkinDeep Imager shows a full inside view of the skin’s health. This includes showing how oiliness, moisture, pore size, wrinkles, and sun damage rate for your age.
I (unsurprisingly) scored badly for oiliness and pore size, but I had exceptionally good scores for sun damage and brown spots (yay sunscreen!). My results actually showed that my skin was healthy enough to belong to someone two years younger than myself!
I recommend checking out this service because it gives interesting insight to things that are not visible to the naked eye, allowing for better and more effective treatments.
Over the summer, I visited Dermis Advanced Skin Care for a consultation regarding fine lines and acne scars. They recommended a session of Laser Genesis as a non-invasive treatment.
How does this work? Lasers beam into the lower layers of the skin, stimulating collagen production, which will eventually help even out scars, fine lines, etc. It’s almost like getting a sunburn, but without burning your skin. Up to six treatments might be needed for optimal results, but my lines and scars were so faint that they just recommended having this procedure done a couple times a year. It takes about 9 weeks to see results.
The procedure was a relaxing experience. The lasers felt like hot rain on my face, or a hot shower but much softer. It felt uncomfortable on my nose and it hurt in between my eyebrows, but it was pleasant otherwise. Since I’ve had this done, my skin has been so glowy, my fine lines are pretty much gone, and I swear my lips look a little bigger.
Anyone who follows me on Instagram would know that I love getting facials! I get once about once a month or so. They are so relaxing and it’s a great way for me to find new products to add to my routine.
I usually get pampered by Dior — their products make up a good part of my collection and are fabulous. I also occasionally visit Shiseido, as I am a fan of their products too (+ the Japanese facial massage is amazing — they are famous for it). I recently had my first facial experience with La Mer. I hear a lot about their products, but have only just started using them, so it was a great way to get acquainted with their different lines.
Best Cleansers
After I had my Laser Genesis treatment, I had to avoid any sort of exfoliant, including chemical exfoliants like AHA. I had no idea how many of my skincare products had some sort of exfoliating substance in it… basically anything that was “brightening” or promised glowing skin was a no-go.
I read a bunch of ingredient lists and tested a lot of cleansers, but only fell in love with The Cleansing Gel by La Mer. It foams very gently, doesn’t dry out the skin, and cleans daily debris and excess oil. My skin feels so soft and refreshed when I use this. And it smells lovely too. I noticed that my skin has looked less oily and more energized since I’ve started using this! I use this cleanser daily.
I recently discovered Youth to the People’s Superfood Cleanser, another gentle cleanser that I highly recommend. It smells like salad, but it leaves my skin feeling ultra clean and fresh. I only have a trial size of it for now (I got it in a Sephora gift set), but I plan on getting a full sized product. I bring this with me when I travel.
Once I was able to exfoliate my face again, I returned to a combo that I had been using for years: LUSH’s Angels on Bare Skin and Herbalism cleansers. Both of these are gentle exfoliators, using all natural ingredients like ground up almonds, rice, kaolin clay, lavender, and herbs. They cleanse deeply, smell nice, tone any redness, and can also double as face masks.
I like to combine a pea sized amount of each product for a super cleanse. I’ll leave it on after a light massage for about 15 minutes before massaging it off. I do this once a week or so.
Best Makeup Removers
I have a confession: I found La Mer’s Cleansing Oil by accident when I grabbed it instead of the Cleansing Lotion in store. It was one of the best mistakes I have ever made because this oil removes EVERYTHING. I even tried checking spot checking with a second makeup remover, but there was no makeup left. It does not leave oily residue like other makeup removers I’ve used (even though this is literally oil). It’s a beautiful shimmery blue colour and is scentless. I could go on an on about this oil!
Chantecaille’s Flower Infused Cleansing Milk smells like a rose garden and feels absolutely luxurious. It’s so creamy and effective at removing all makeup. I especially like it for removing my eye makeup. I’ve recommended this one to a few friends and they’ve all fallen in love with it. It’s pretty thick and not watery, so I recommend this for traveling.
Best Face Masks
Face masks are my favourite skin care products. I have so many of them! There’s just something so relaxing and sumptuous about a good mask. Although I have quite the collection, there are a few that I keep reaching for.
Dior has a wonderful selection of convenient but effective masks:
The Hydra Life Pores Away Pink Clay Mask is totally different from any other mask I’ve ever used. The whipped formula feels light on the skin, but you can feel it penetrating deep in your pores. It leaves my skin feeling very smooth and my pores noticeably smaller — after only three minutes! I recommend this to anyone who wants smaller, cleaner pores.
Nothing makes your skin smoother than The Hydra Life Extra Plump Smooth Balm Mask. In only three minutes, it makes my skin look energized and I noticed that it minimizes fine lines with repeated use. I like to use this one after the Pores Away mask.
One of my friends gave me the Hydra Life Jelly Sleeping Mask and I can’t thank her enough! It’s a lightweight gel that is applied as the last step of your skincare routine. It hydrates skin all night, giving a radiant and well rested complexion the next day. I’ve been using this 1-2 nights a week and the next morning always looks like I just got out of the spa!
This mask kit is life! Peter Thomas Roth has some of the best face masks you will ever use. He releases this kit around Christmas and it features six jars of his bestselling masks: Hungarian Thermal Water Mineral-Rich Atomic Heat Mask, Rose Stem Cell Bio-Repair Gel Mask, Cucumber Gel Mask Extreme De-Tox™ Hydrator, Irish Moor Mud Purifying Black Mask, Pumpkin Enzyme Mask Enzymatic Dermal Resurfacer, and 24K Gold Pure Luxury Lift & Firm Mask.
The Cucumber Gel Mask has been my go-to mask for the past two years. The one featured in the pic is actually the full size one (I got it before the kit). It is very hydrating and is so versatile. You can use it like a standard mask, an overnight mask, or even just around the eyes. Sometimes, I use it in place of a moisturizer at night. I originally got this as part of a 500pt perk at Sephora and it was the only thing that got rid of dry peeling skin around my eyes in the winter. I swear by this mask to everyone and even got it for my Mum at Christmas. I also recommend using it around the eyes if you’re going to have a late night with an early morning — put it on your eyes overnight and you will wake up with minimal dark circles/tiredness. It can also be worn under concealer (it is scentless, so you don’t have to worry about smelling like cucumbers). In the summer, I put this in the fridge and it is very refreshing.
The Rose Stem Cell Gel Mask is similar to the Cucumber mask, but has a rose smell and pink colour. I find that it is slightly stronger than the Cucumber mask and it doesn’t feel quite as weightless, so I wouldn’t wear it during the day, just overnight or as a regular mask. It also feels nice after exfoliating.
I love the Irish Moore Mud Mask. You can feel it cleaning deeply and it’s fun to apply. My skin gets so smooth after I use this and any blemishes go away. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a deep cleaning mask!
The Hungarian Thermal Water Mask is a very thick paste, like putty. I actually really like the texture. It’s also a 3 minute mask, which is very convenient for me. I find it barely heats up on my skin (I should point out that I’m not particularly sensitive to heat), but it leaves my skin feeling incredibly soft and refreshed when I use it. It is full of minerals and helps with unevenness and fine lines. This has actually become my favourite mask out of the set, after the cucumber mask.
The Pumpkin Mask smells just like pumpkin pie and I want to take a bite of it every time I use it! It’s a chemical and enzymatic mask that exfoliates your skin to brighten it up (it contains AHA). It’s quite powerful and is also a 3 minute mask. Admittedly, it burns a little when I first put it on, for the first 10-15s. My face does not turn red though, and I read that this is a normal reaction with this sort of mask (which is why it should only be kept on for 3 minutes). I recommend this to anyone who wants a radiant complexion in only a few minutes. I probably wouldn’t recommend this to anyone with sensitive skin though.
The 24K Gold Mask is pure luxury. The gold is so fun (anyone who knows me will know how much I love gold haha) and it leaves skin feeling firm, bright, and toned. I’m actually wearing it as I write this!
Best Eye Creams
I’m very picky with eye creams. I want something that can combat my tiredness and also target wrinkles, which is surprisingly hard to find — most products seem to be either one or the other and I don’t like using multiple products around my eyes.
Every time I get a Dior facial, they use the Hydra Life Cooling hydration – sorbet eye gel. It is not only very hydrating and quick absorbing — it cools the skin around the eyes and you can actually see any dark circles and puffiness fade! I love the ceramic applicator because it doesn’t pull at the skin. This is even more effective when put in the fridge. Also, because it absorbs quickly, it’s perfect for daytime use. I recently started using this overnight and I can’t get over how awake I look in the morning.
I was given a sample of GM Collin’s Phyto Stem Cell + Eye Contour Cream when I had my first consultation at Dermis (mentioned above). My fine lines have been disappearing since I started using this and I can’t recommend it enough. I like to use it as part of my evening routine.
For days where I need an extra boost of “awakeness”, or when I have an important event to go to, I always turn to Shiseido’s Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Pure Retinol Express Smoothing Eye Mask. In only 15 minutes, I get well-rested looking eyes, as if I had a full night’s sleep. They are little miracles in pretty pink packaging. The instructions say to use 2-3 times a week, but I find these are effective just as I use them (maybe once every weeks or so). It works best when applied to a freshly washed face or after a shower. I usually have another mask on (usually the Dior Pores Away Mask!) at the same time.
I would also recommend using the Cucumber Gel Mask (above) around the eyes too!
Best Moisturizers
You can imagine how difficult finding moisturizers can be for people with oily skin! So many of them are designed for people with dry skin, so they tend to be too heavy and uncomfortable.
I have tried so many products, but these three have stood out to me:
Shiseido’s Essential Energy Moisturizing Gel Cream is a lightweight gel-cream that is perfect for anyone looking to moisturize their skin. The texture is great on oily or combo skin, as it is non-greasy and absorbs quickly. It targets dullness and the look of fine lines and makes skin look dewy and refreshed. Another interesting tidbit: Its “ReNeura Technology™ reawakens skin’s sensors—like a reboot to make skin more responsive to your daily skincare regimen. The jars come in 64 different shapes and are inspired by Japanese Raku ware, a type of pottery traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies.”
I use this day and night during the winter, and nightly in the summer.
Shiseido is famous for its Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate. I just found out that they consider it a serum/treatment, but I use it as a daytime moisturizer because it is so lightweight and hydrating. It uses anti-oxidant rich reishi mushroom and iris root extracts to strengthen skin, restore firmness and defend against daily damage for skin “that’s 28% stronger in just 1 week”. Shiseido often gives out samples of this product and I highly recommend trying it out! I’ve been using this for years and have bottles in all sizes, even a travel size for my gym bag.
This is one of my all-time favourite products: Dior’s Capture Totale Dreamskin Advanced. It’s magic in a bottle. This skin perfector creates an IRL soft-focus effect that diminishes wrinkles, spots, visible pores, and minor redness for even, stunning skin. If I could only wear one product, it would be this. Also, the large-size product can be refilled. I sometimes use this under my eyes (over my eye cream) as it hides fine lines.
Best Serums
I’m still relatively new to serums, so I have to admit that I haven’t tried too many of them. Applied in between cleansing and moisturizing, they deliver powerful ingredients directly into the skin. I was a little apprehensive about using serums, as my skin is so oily and I thought the extra layer would make me break out. Some serums did have this effect on me, but these four have helped me achieve my best skin!
I highly recommend Dior’s Capture Youth Matte Maximizer – age-delay matifying serum to anyone with oily or combination skin. It uses Lactic acid from sugar cane, pink clay, and zinc gluconate to absorb excess sebum. This not only helps control shine, it also helps minimize the appearance of pores. It makes my skin look so velvety and smooth. As you can see, I use it so often that the bottle is nearly empty! I put this one on in the morning and wear it either under tinted moisturizer or alone.
Dior’s Capture Youth Glow booster age-delay illuminated serum is another miracle worker. It uses Murunga Plums (known to be 100 times more concentrated in Vitamin C than oranges) combined with AHA to brighten and smooth skin. I put this on at night and wake up with glowing, energized skin. It feels incredibly light, as in, I can’t actually feel it on my skin since it absorbs so well. And it smells amazing!
If you’re new to Retinol treatments, like I am, I recommend The Ordinary’s Retinol 0.2% in Squalane. What is Retinol? Also known as Vitamin A (in particular, Vitamin A1), it is an ingredient that can reduce the appearance of fine lines, sun damage, and general skin aging. You probably already take Vitamin A pills in the morning, but Retinols are the type of Vitamin A found in animal products like liver, kidney, eggs, and dairy products (Carotenoids are the type found in dark and yellow veggies). Squalane is just a highly stable oil that hydrates and prevents irritation.
The Ordinary offers Retinol treatments in different concentrations. The reason why I recommend the lowest one is because it can cause significant irritation, redness and peeling, especially around the eyes and mouth. Start with a low concentration, see how your skin reacts, and then consider getting something stronger. My skin did feel dry the first time I tried this one, but I just put on an extra layer of hydration/moisturizer on top. I swear that this helped my fine forehead lines disappear and I like how this product is inexpensive and unscented. This should only be worn overnight.
I love using The Ordinary’s Salicylic Acid 2% Solution to help counter acne. It’s strong enough to clear up my breakouts, but not strong enough to make my skin peel. It’s unscented and absorbs quickly. I find that it does leave my skin looking a little shiny though, so I only wear this overnight. I use this either all over my face, or just over spots. On average, it clears up my acne over a day or two.
Best Toners
There is *a lot* of debate about toners! They are designed to cleanse the skin and shrink the appearance of pores. Some of them claim to have extra benefits like reducing redness. For me, I consider cleansers to be effective if they make my skin feel refreshed.
I have been using Lush’s Breath of Fresh Air for YEARS. Inspired by the sea, it uses natural ingredients like aloe vera gel and rose absolute to soothe, cool and hydrate stressed-out complexions. I spray this on in the morning to help wake myself up, I spray it on in the summer to help cool down, I spray this on after the gym to freshen up, and I spray this on after a long day at the office to relax. You can see how much I use this with how scratched up the label is!
Kiehl’s Calendula Herbal Extract Alcohol-Free Toner is another product that I have used for years. I usually buy them in bulk, which is why I still have one of their special Canada 150th edition bottles, even though that’s passé haha. Formulated for normal to oily (and sensitive skin), it gently cleanses and soothes. Admittedly, I’m on the fence about the calendula petals in the formula: they look pretty, but are kind of annoying to deal with if I put this toner in a spray bottle. I love using this as an extra cleanser if I wore foundation or more makeup than usual. It also smells relaxing.
I just started using Dior’s One Essential Mist-lotion detoxifying mist purity booster and I love it. The spray is sooooo soft, literally like a mist. It works by targeting particles on the skin’s surface to cleanse, rebalance, and purify against pollution. This is a must-use post-gym — you will feel very refreshed after using this and your skin will thank you. Because of how light the spray is, it also works on top of makeup, without messing it up!
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This concludes my post about all my favourite skincare products of last year. I hope that my recommendations can help at least some of my readers.
I am already discovering more new products and can’t wait to share them with you!
Feel free to message me about any other recommendations or any questions.