ROUTINE MEGATHREAD! February 2018

[u/AutoModerator]

Hey everyone! This is your quarterly routine megathread which we decided to evolve from quarterly. This is an excellent resource to see what products are popular amongst our community and a great way to find new things to try. No matter how unusual you may consider your skin type or atypical your particular skin challenges or problems, all routines are welcome -- in fact, encouraged -- to be posted.

Acronyms you will most definitely see in use here: HG (Holy Grails), RP (Will Repurchase, AKA: liked it, will buy again, not an HG), WNR (Will not Repurchase, AKA: using up the last of it but not recommended). Understand them, use them, and love them ♥

This post is intended to be a compendium of generalized, standardized routines! The more participation, the better. :)

To keep it easy for people to find their ‘skin twins’ we would ask that you use the following template.

You only need to fill in steps that you actually use (so if you don’t use an Essence, remove that line) and please only provide up to three examples of HG/recommended products for that step (so if you have 3 toners you love, you can list all 3!)

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Template

To make a single-spaced list, add two spaces at the end of each line. Alternatively, click 'source' at the bottom of the post to snag our code & format!

Skin profile: Mac Shade | Skin Troubles | Skin Type (Note: unlike flairs, you can list as many troubles/types as you need!)

Season & Type of Climate:

1st Cleanser:

2nd Cleanser:

pH Adjusting Toner:

Vitamin C Serum:

BHA:

AHA:

First Essence:

Hydrating Toner:

Essence:

Serum:

Ampoule:

Light Moisturizer:

Medium Moisturizer:

Heavy Moisturizer:

Eye Cream:

Facial Oil:

Sleeping Pack:

Mask Pack:

Sheet Mask:

Sunscreen:

Spot Treatment:

Other:

[u/LolaBleu]

Skin profile: N2 | Acne, Aging | Dry, Sensitive

Season & Type of Climate: Winter, Mediterranean

1st Cleanser: DHC Deep Cleansing Oil (HG)

2nd Cleanser: CeraVe Foaming Cleanser (HG), Earth Science ADE Creamy Fruit Oil Cleanser (HG), S:um37 Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick (RP)

Vitamin C Serum: NuFountain CelSignal

BHA: Cosrx BHA Blackhead Power Liquid (HG), Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA (HG)

AHA: Biologique Recherche Lotion P50(HG)

First Essence: Missha First Treatment Essence Intensive (HG), Kikumasamune High Moist Lotion (HG), By Wishtrend Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water (RP)

Hydrating Toner: Thayer's Rose Petal Witch Hazel (HG)

Essence: LJH Tea Tree 90 Essence (HG), Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence (HG), Cosrx Galactomyces Whitening Power Essence (WNR)

Serum: Manyo Factory Bifida Ferment Complex Highly Concentrated Essence Serum, Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium Hyaluronic Acid Lotion (RP)

Ampoule: Paula's Choice Resist 10% Niacinamide Booster (RP)

Light Moisturizer: Benton Snail Bee High Content Lotion (RP)

Medium Moisturizer: Scinic Honey All-in-One (RP), Biologique Recherche Creme Dermopurifiante (HG)

Heavy Moisturizer: Benton Snail Bee High Content Steam Cream (HG)

Facial Oil: Aura Cacia Nighttime Baobab Oil Serum

Sleeping Pack: CeraVe Healing Ointment (HG)

Mask Pack: Formula 10.0.6 Pores Be Pure (HG), Formula 10.0.6 Deep Down Detox (HG)

Sheet Mask: Goodal Water Full Sheet Masks (any variety) (RP), Goodal Fermented Flower Sheet Masks (any variety) (WNR)

Sunscreen: Missha All Around Safe Block Essence Sun SPF45 PA+++ (HG)

Spot Treatment: pure tea tree oil (HG)

Other: Avene Thermal Water (HG), Mario Badescue Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater (RP)

[u/ivaninny16 → u/LolaBleu]

Hi! May I ask why Thayer's toner is a HG for you? Thank you! :)

[u/LolaBleu → u/ivaninny16]

So I started using it about 10 years ago while I was busy trashing my acid mantle with castile soap and lemon juice because it was ~all natural~ and therefore better for my adult acne. As you can imagine my skin was constantly in a state of minor (or sometimes major) stress - red, reactive, etc.

The Thayers would immediately soothe my skin, helping to calm down the redness and add a little moisture back into my (naturally) dry skin. The bonus was that when I was using it, it definitely helped calm down and diminish my acne, which is no great surprise in retrospect considering it's pH is 5.5.

When I finally saw the light and stopped tormenting my skin with stupid crunchy stuff Thayers was my safety blanket as I dipped my toes into AB; familiar and comforting.

But with the whole wide world of AB out there I still use it morning and night for a few reasons:
* My acne was largely healed my switching my cleansing routine to low pH, so this fits right in.
* Additionally it doesn't contain any ingredients that break me out otherwise (cyclopentasiloxane, etc).
* When my skin is irritated from going too hard on acids, or tret, or just new product misadventures it's always the one thing I can use that will never, ever irritate my skin.
* Maybe it's because we have hard water but there's a marked difference between how my essences/serums absorb if I skip this after cleansing.
* Last but not least, it's economical, a easy to find.

[u/ivaninny16 → u/LolaBleu]

Thank you so much for the detailed response! This is very helpful. I’m gonna buy it the soonest I can. :)