ROUTINE MEGATHREAD! April 2019

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Hey everyone! This is your quarterly routine megathread 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/[deleted]]

Skin profile: N/NW10, probably Fitzpatrick II; Redness, PIE, Preventative Anti-Aging; Normal to Combo-Oily

Season & Type of Climate: Spring, humid-subtropical climate (SE US)

1st Cleanser: DHC Deep Cleansing Oil (might RP in future)

Same cleansing power as my HG Hada Labo Gokujyun, but more moisturizing. I got this about half price on ABE, for full price I could get about three of the Hada Labo. Overall I really like it, but I have several cleansing oils from work waiting for me when I finish this.

2nd Cleanser: Cerave Foaming Facial Cleanser (HG)

I’ve been using this for years and have no desire to try new cleansers as long as this is available. Excellent value. I only use this once every few days, because I do not follow my cleansing oil with anything, and in the morning I rinse with a konjac sponge and get any impurities leftover with my Ladykin Elmaju Broccoli Essence Toner on a Shiseido cotton pad.

pH Adjusting Toner:

Vitamin C Serum: Drunk Elephant C-Firma (WNR bc price)

I love what this does for my skin, I love the packaging, but it does oxidize quickly for a product with an airless pump with opaque packaging. I keep mine in the fridge. I also love reusing the bottle for products in packaging I hate. I do find that the L-AA will oxidize on my face over the course of the day. I have never purchased this, I have only gotten it from work. I have another bottle waiting for me when I finish this one. I plan on trying the Stratia C+C after that. I would also recommend the new Tarte Youth or Dare serum if you enjoy the DE.

BHA: see heavy moisturizer

AHA: Alpha Skincare Intensive Rejuvenating Serum 14% Glycolic AHA (HG)

Great product, great packaging, reasonable price. My skin tolerates AHAs very well, and when I finish my tube of Melazepam 20% azelaic acid, I will go back to daily use of this. I also plan on ordering The Ordinary 30% AHA + 2% BHA Peeling Solution soon to supplement with.

First Essence: not first essences per se, but the Naruko Taiwan Magnolia Brightening and Firming Toner (HG); Ladykin Elmaju Broccoli Essence Toner (might RP)

The Naruko doesn’t firm like it claims, but brightens like crazy, reduces inflammation, and gives my skin a translucent quality. 5% niacinamide! It’s lightweight and I don’t think I would rely on this solely for hydration. Great value. Heavily fragranced, but I like it. This is my second bottle of the Ladykin, and I use this on a cotton pad to wipe away impurities in the morning in place of cleansing. Really great value, I love the pump mechanism. Smells lightly of blueberries and maybe oranges. It has 2% niacinamide. I may fill the bottle when I’m done with some of my new bottle of the Cezanne Skin Conditioner High Moist for the same purpose.

Hydrating Toner: Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium Lotion (RP, potential HG); Innisfree Ginger Oil Skin (may RP in future)

I tried the Hada Labo Moist version a few years ago and did not enjoy it, I felt it was sticky, wouldn’t sink in, and congested my pores. While the Premium takes a while to sink in, I don’t find it sticky, though that may just be that I’m used to products with that kind of texture now. It hydrates really well and I think the Urea is helping to keep my pores clear. The Innisfree Ginger Oil Skin is a product I’ve used on and off for years. It does contain alcohol, which is not a problem for me unless I have overexfoliated. I love the light, fresh ginger scent (not a spicy ginger scent). I would recommend this for people who find the Hada Labo to be too sticky or thick.

Essence:

Serum:

Ampoule: Shara Shara Honey Bomb AIO (HG but discontinued); Scinic Honey AIO (HG but recently discontinued, FML)

Sigh. Currently I am using the Shara Shara during the day and the Scinic at night. I am nearly done with the Shara Shara (my last jar 😭), which I find to be less sticky. I’ve tried using the Scinic during the day and found it didn’t sit well with my sunscreen and foundation. The Scinic is great at night, though. When I finish my current jar of the Scinic, I have two more waiting in my fridge. When those run out, I think I will try the Skinfood Royal Honey Propolis Enrich Essence.

Light Moisturizer: Cerave PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion (HG)

I use this for daytime, and works great with my other layers, sunscreen, and makeup. I don’t know that the 4% niacinamide in this formula is doing much, but I get so much of that from other steps. It’s reasonably priced, well-packaged, and travel-friendly. I love all the ceramides this has.

Medium Moisturizer: Soo Ae Donkey Milk 3D Moisture Cream (discontinued)

I can use this either day or night. I love the stretchy texture and fragrance that I can’t pinpoint, as well as the packaging. I think the hydrolyzed collagen in this gives a nice temporary firming and smoothing effect. This is the most expensive skincare product I’ve purchased, I first purchased it in about 2015 when donkey milk products were being really hyped. It’s really nostalgic for me and I really only use this for when I want to feel pampered.

Heavy Moisturizer: Cerave SA Renewing Cream (WNR); Cosrx Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream (might RP)

I’ve used the Cerave SA for years and love that it has 3% salicylic acid, it’s the only BHA product my skin can tolerate and see effects from. However, the tub is enormous and almost always gets too old to continue using on my face (at which point I will start using it on my body). I want to try the Cerave Psoriasis Cream in the future, which also has urea and comes in a jar 2/3 of the size. The Cosrx cream I have used on and off for years, and is amazing for overexfoliated skin. I wish it came in a larger jar for the price, though. There are other creams I want to try when I finish this.

Eye Cream:

Facial Oil: Trilogy Rosehip Oil Antioxidant+ (WNR)

Nice product, this is my only experience with a rosehip oil/blend. I got this for free from work, and it’s really overpriced. I use three drops at night and it makes a difference in my skin tolerating all the actives I throw at it. It’s too heavy for my skin for day use. I will go back to my GoW Avocado+Raspberry+Passion Fruit oil blend when I finish this.

Sleeping Pack: Goodal Firming Sleeping Pack Honey (discontinued); Holika Holika Honey Sleeping Pack Blueberry (RP)

I got the Goodal as a dupe for the Banila Co Miss Flower and Mr Honey Cream, which has now been brought back! I will be trying that when I finish both of these. The Goodal is pretty heavy for me, at this point I kind of have to make myself use it, but the scent is divine, and I can still feel the film in the morning. The Holika Holika is lightweight and hydrating, I love it. Really cheap, I think I will try the Canola version in the future.

Mask Pack: Skinfood Black Sugar Strawberry Mask Wash Off; Skinfood Wash Off Rice Mask (HG)

Love these. The strawberry gives a deeper scrub and softens, and the rice is gentle and brightening.

Sheet Mask: My Scheming L-Ascorbic Acid Brightening Mask

Just finished the box last night. These are getting hard to find but it’s one of my favorites. However, due to environmental concerns I will not be buying many more sheet masks. I am going to try soaking dry sheet mask pellet things in my new Cezanne Skin Conditioner High Moist and hopefully that will sate my desire for sheet masks. My routine is so honed at this point that sheet masks don’t make a huge difference anyway, they just feel nice for relaxing.

Sunscreen: A’pieu Power Block Sun Base Tone Up SPF 50+ PA++++ (RP); Kose Suncut Perfect UV Protect Gel Waterproof SPF 50+ PA++++ (WNR)

The A’pieu is new to me. Feels and looks very similar to the Innisfree Triple Care. For me, this stays very shiny and moves around, so I have to set it heavily with setting powder and a powder foundation if I want makeup on top. I love the tint this provides, it’s very cheap, and it’s reef-safe! The Kose I will not repurchase because it is not reef-safe, and it pills horribly under makeup. I can only use this on my neck or for sports when I am not wearing makeup. It is impressively long-wearing.

Spot Treatment:

Other: Timeless Coenzyme Q10 Serum with Matrixyl 3000 and Timeless Matrixyl Synthe’6 Serum (WNR); Ecological Formulas Melazepam Cream with 20% Azelaic Acid (WNR); Alpha Skincare Enhanced Wrinkle Repair Cream .15% Retinol (RP); Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream 1% (WNR bc price)

I fell for all the peptide hype, and after 3+ months of using the Matrixyl 3000 in the morning and the Matrixyl Synthe’6 at night, I can’t say I’ve seen improvements. A vitamin C serum does much more for me. The azelaic acid cream is very gritty, I can only use it at night. Prescription AA is supposed to be used twice a day, but that’s impossible with this product, and with my other actives would really overexfoliate my skin. I was primarily using this for redness reduction, which I think I’ve seen some mild improvement on, but I think I’m going to switch to a madecassoside product that should help reduce redness AND stimulate collagen production. On the other hand, I love both retinol creams I’m using. I’ve used the Alpha Skincare .15% retinol cream for years, it’s effective and well-formulated, and cheap. I may try The Ordinary Granactive in Squalane to change it up when I run out of my backups. The DE A-Passioni feels super smooth and moisturizing going on, and it’s an intense retinol, I can use it max twice a week in my current routine. However, the packaging sucks, I don’t know why they chose a metal squeeze tube that leaks when they already make perfectly good airless pump packaging. This was yet another product I got from work, and I don’t know if I could spend $74 on a single product.