5 days ago
Help me pick my next moisturiser
Heey, guys!!
I have finished today my neutrogena Hydro boost water-gel today and I’m indecisive on what should I use next, so I thought of asking your opinion ☺️☺️
I have a few products and I don’t like to buy a lot of stuff before finishing what I already have so I want to pick from my small stash first!
I’m oily and sensitive skin and here are my options and what I think about them:
1 & 2: I have 2 milk toners one is from Laneige (already opened) and the other one from IUNIK. The Laneige one I used it when I was just starting skincare for real and I remember liking it but because I mixed it with a lot of random stuff I didn’t know much like Reedle shot and retinal and also another moisturiser, my skin got ruined and I got a bit traumatised to try it again. I know both products are toners but I’m not sure my skin can handle those milk toners + another cream on top since I’m oily. Do you guys think is okay to use them by itself?
3: Gua-sha cream - I wonder if I should use up the cream even if I don’t do the gua-sha session every day? It is gel texture and cooling but it absorbs fast, I could probably add some other layer on top but the product does advertise as high hydration too so not sure exactly how to fit this in my routine! It seems a very nice product and I really liked the gua-sha but since I have never had this I have difficulty to add to my routine (same with single use masks for example, I’m always second guessing if using those products outside of my morning/night routine would be too much for my skin and if I try to fit in the routine itself should I substitute the cream I’m already using?) it is too little I could double it with the toners for more hydration as well, so many questions haha would love the insights!
4: The Garnier one seems like a pretty basic hydration gel but I think I would like it because I don’t feel too greasy or sticky with gel textures since they are normally targeted for oily skin! I just wonder if it would also be too little because it’s winter time and my skin gets slightly more dry! In this case I could maybe double with the toners? Idk haha
Comments (13)
Former oily now combo lobster girly -- hold off on the gels until it warms up. Granted, you are in a damp location, but cold and damp can be just as irritating to the skin as dry and cold. At the very least, layer one of the milk essences over it. Also check for drying alcohol in the ingredients. You can absolutely use milk or cream essences as your primary hydration source. This is a great way to moisturize oily skin -- in fact, the summer I only used a milky toner for moisturizer and then sunscreen as the "seal" step. I focus less on the exfoliation aspect of toning and much more about getting humectants and lipids replenished. That's still how I use toner in the winter but make sure that I have some semi-occlusive layer that also has barrier-repair ingredients. The key is to layer as needed and decice how you will avoid TEWL. The Laneige cream skin toner is a bit light compared to the iUNIK milk essence. You might keep that with you for a moisture touch up during the day if you end up running dry (and the dryness is causing an oil uptick). If you wear sunscreen every day regardless of going out, then that could be your barrier layer.
As always great tips because I was very inclined to keep going with garnier gel for being a gel hahah I already know for summer they are amazing but never had a proper winter skincare before so I’m pretty worried about overloading my skin with heavy stuff! I might go with Laneige then because it’s already opened and I can layer better since it’s lighter than the IUNIK. You have mentioned about using sunscreen every day as a seal and I do use it however I tend to use it in the morning and the full skincare routine comes during the night normally after showering. Mornings I would use azelaic acid and sunscreen or only sunscreen. So during my night routine I tend to go for my thermal water, azelaic acid again for now and my retinal for under eye and fine lines on neck and forehead and I finish with moisturiser (that I would go for the Laneige one), and because is night time I don’t bother with sunscreen so not sure if I would need to seal the Laneige with a different product after or if the sunscreen in the morning is already enough :S Another thing that came to mind is texture related because Laneige is obviously milky but my AA and retinal are both creams so should I switch to use Laneige first? I’m so confused hahaha being new to K-Beauty means not sure how to layer those products that can double as toner, moisturiser .. with texture that is liquid but at the same time creamy 🫠🫠🤯🤯
@Viivihtips Ah, I follow mostly the same routine both morning and night, except sunscreen is added in the morning and eye creams and my brow serum at night. I think I would shrivel up otherwise. For your PM routine then, stick with the thinner texture to heavier texture rule or the lighter product won't absorb well. So keep using the toner as the toner step where you're packing in the hydration with Laneige. Then add on the AA and retinal. If they are both creams you will not want to add on another layer of another cream, I wouldn't think, to avoid clogging and feeling greasy or heavy. Do you apply the AA cream all over? In which case you could think of that as your "moisturizer" in the technical sense that it's the barrier seal that locks in moisture rather than producing hydration. If that makes sense.
@hazelmoss I tested Laneige underneath retinal and AA and I’m not a fan of it .. I feel like my skin gets tooo sticky without absorbing properly so it bugs me a lot the sensation! Not sure if I’m not giving proper time to Laneige to be fully settled or if my skin just doesn’t absorbs it properly. I use AA on my cheek and hin area and retinal on eyes, forehead and neck so the entire face would be covered after applying Laneige, just not by the same product. But idk still trying to figure it out a way to feel less sticky. I’m also no patient enough to wait a long settling time 🤣I feel like if I do anything else in the mean time my hands will get dirty to go back to skincare 🫠
For colder months, I'm a fan of Farmacy's Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturizer. Not an ingredient guru but I care about the user experience of a product. I love how this moisturizer melts into my skin when I apply it. I also love their potion plus moisture mask. It's my holy grail and I return to these two products in between experimenting with new ones.
Ooh, never heard of that one! Will add to my to try list! The melting part caught my attention 👀
I use an essence that feels like a toner and moisturizer on top of it and it's ok . I have oily skin but I live in a dry climate and clearly have thin skin because of genetics, so I don't find it excessive unless the cream has a lot of oils, which I always check before buying anything.
To me anything that it’s sticky or too heavy I just can’t handle it! Even if the skin have no breakouts or reactions to the heavier moisturiser, I just can’t stand the texture :l
@Viivihtips In that case, I think the Madeca cream Time Reverse could be a good a idea (although calling "time reverse" is a bit of a stretch...) if at some point you want to try it.
Try doubling up on milky toner and your sunscreen can be your moisturizer (so long as is a good one)?
I like the idea of using sunscreen as my moisturiser, not a huge fan of many layers and the Laneige toner to me is already enough! If the skin is feeling drier than I can double but tbh so far didn’t feel the need to. I’m actually finding it super sticky, trying to adapt it to something I like more
@Viivihtips I hear you. I hate the sticky/tacky feeling also. What other toner do you have?
@Gabking1217 Only the IUNIK one and normally I use Avène Thermal Water as my mist/toner step, it’s basically a super water hahaha I’m trying to finish up my current products before buying new stuff! Have you tried the Laneige one? If so do you also feel like it’s a bit tacky or I just need to let it settle for longer?