Let’s talk about all the skin gloops in my medicine cabinet

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face goops in medicine cabinet

It recently occurred to me that I have a shit-load of skin creams, oils, washes, and various other gloops in my medicine cabinet. Like, way more than I should have. Some of them should be cycled out because I never use them, but I have surprisingly strong opinions about others. Like, it’s just gloop. Why am I so obsessed with these gloops? I cannot tell you, but I figured that if I’m obsessed with my gloops, you might be obsessed with yours, and maybe we can discuss our gloops. Ready?

Ok, so before I dive in, I have to say that I didn’t used to wash my face at all. I would rinse with water in the shower, and that was good enough for me. But I’ve been trying to get better about wearing sunscreen on my face (…yes, even in Seattle. I KNOW.) and the reality is that sunscreen is gross stuff that has to be washed off.

My current night-time washing routine looks like this: Clarisonic + Say Yes Tomato Cleanser + argan oil = HEAVEN. Like, my face feels so great after this process that I actually look forward to washing my face as one of my favorite parts of the day. (What can I say? I live a simple life.) So soft. So clean. So supple. I LOVE YOU, FACE.

Those three things are most of what I use… but what of the sunscreens? What of the lotions? What of the other gloops that get used on occasion?

From left to right, let’s meet my gloops

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Face SPF 30
Ok, this stuff is all about two things: how it feels and how it smells. It doesn’t have that sunscreen-y gluey feeling, which is impressive alone. I’ve had very bad luck with facial sunscreens feeling really gross on my face, and so I appreciate that this one doesn’t feel gross. BUT THE SMELL YOU GUYS. I’m a sucker for the smell. This is definitely one of those “love it or hate it” fragrances, but it reminds me of fruity good times at the beach. I’d call it an “immature” fragrance, which might say something about me.

Kiehl’s Kiehl’s Super Multi-Corrective Cream Moisturizer
I get this stuff from a friend who works at Nordstrom who can get it for me with his employee discount. It’s definitely spendy, but feels really freaking great on my face. I used it every night and after every shower for almost a year, and really loved it. It soaks in immediately and feels great. Only disappointment? No SPF, and honestly after I applied it, the residue felt really weird on my hands. If I don’t like how it feels on my hands, what is it doing to my face? Also, too many ingredients. I don’t use this much these days.

MAC LIGHTFUL Marine-Bright Formula Moisture Creme
Ug, this stuff. I very rarely buy shit on a whim, but this was one of those ill-advised trips to MAC when I was like “oh I just need some blush OH LOOK PRETTY CREME.” I never quite like how it looked on my face, and at this point it’s a year old and I barely use it and I should probably just throw it out. Skin gloop fail.

LOVE IT: Mogador Certified Organic 100% Pure Argan Oil
You guys: wtf? The wikipedia page makes it sound like it’s basically the second coming of god… not only the most amazing oil ever for your hair, skin, nails, but also to eat; plus, like, defining the future of feminism in Morocco?! Is this real life? It goes onto my face like heaven, and has exactly one ingredient. I love this fucking stuff and was using it for both make-up removal AND face moisturizing, but it’s not cheap so I got almond oil for makeup removal. This is now what goes on my face every night. Soaks in like a dream.

Yes To Tomatoes Daily Clarifying Cleanser
Again, now that I’m more diligent with sunscreen, I feel like I need to actually wash it off at the end of the night. This stuff was recommended to me and it’s a pretty solid product for a drug-store cleanser. No parabens and I understand what most of the ingredients are, so I’m generally happy with it. It’s fragranced, but I like the smell. I wouldn’t say it’s the best ever, but it’s affordable and working well for me.

Burt’s Bees Orange Essence Facial Cleanser
Meh, this is another one I should probably just get rid of. I’ve had it for a year or two, and while I like that it’s oil-based instead of sudsy and doesn’t leave my face feeling tight or dry, it just never quite did it for me.

LOVE IT: Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint
I’ve had super bad luck with tinted sunscreens… I don’t wear foundation, so many tinted sunscreens feel too gluey & goopy on my face. Alternately, even non-tinted facial sunscreen feels too, well, SUNSCREENY and makes me break out. I’ve tried BB creams with sunscreen and been horrified… it felt like I was wearing a caked-on glue mask.

Photo by Carly Bish
Photo by Carly Bish
So imagine my delight to find that somehow Jouer manages to go on creamy and not feel oily or greasy. As others have noted, it almost feels dry to the touch once it’s on your skin, but my face itself doesn’t feel tight or dry when I’m wearing it. At first I was worried about the light diffusing qualities… I tried putting some of the sunscreen on my inner arm, and it just looked sparkly. I LOVE GLITTER and abuse sparkly eyeshadows regularly, but I’m not into having my entire face look like a disco-ball, so it was a relief once I put this one on to see that it didn’t actually make my face twinkly at all. I looked, well, dewy! It was lovely. On the whole, this may honestly be the best tinted facial sunscreen I’ve ever tried. I’m impressed. This is as close to foundation as I get, and if you thought my skin looked nice in that 10th anniversary shoot, this stuff is probably why.

LOVE IT: NOW Foods Sweet Almond Oil
As mentioned earlier, I started using argan oil as an eye makeup cleaner and it was awesome, but yikes: too expensive to be using that way. I was in Portland visiting a friend a couple weeks ago, and her bathroom was essentially empty except for Doctor Bronner’s and a huge bottle of this sweet almond oil. She’s a former massage therapist, and was like, “This shit’s the best. I use it on my face, my skin, my hair, everything. It’s my cleanser, my moisturizer, it does it all. And this enormous bottle was $10.” I bought an enormous bottle and was immediately like WTF WHY HAVE I EVER PAID FOR LOTION. Basically, one dribble of this stuff after the shower will cover your entire body, leave you glowing, and feeling awesome. Number of ingredients: 1. Cost: $10. Skincare minimalism at its finest.

Ok whew. There’s a tour of the skin gloops in MY medicine cabinet. What’s in yours?

Comments on Let’s talk about all the skin gloops in my medicine cabinet

  1. Ooooooh, skin gloops! After tossing around a few different approaches over the last year, here is where I’ve settled:

    Cleanser: Shea Terra Rose Hips Black Soap Wash & Mask. I’m one of those lucky almost-30-year-olds who still gets zits. This stuff feels amazing, does wonders for my skin, and is just my favorite thing ever.

    Moisturizer: Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster® Cream Anti-fatigue Moisturizer, Enriched Primer and Mask. This is REALLY expensive (about $90 per tube), but this is the only thing that keeps my skin from cracking in New England winters. Oh yeah, zits and dry skin together for the win! But I seriously love this stuff.

    Foundation (sort of): Bobbi Brown BB Cream SPF 35. Also expensive, but worth it. It blends amazingly well, and doesn’t feel like crap. Paired with Bobbi Brown concealer duo, this is pretty much all that goes on my face ever 🙂

  2. Just a bar of Dr. Bronner’s tea tree oil soap for my face – because tea tree oil does work on my breakouts – some lotion I got for free for my body (a student of mine works at a retail pharmacy chain and brings me free stuff), and a tube of Retin A for my face (I like the immediate post-application feel but it doesn’t feel great later. However, it also really controls my breakouts and makes my skin glow. It’s also not very hippie/organic. I also don’t care. Another student of mine is a dermatologist, so I get this for free too).

    It’s not really a goop, but I have some Mario Badescu “buffering lotion” and “drying lotion” that works great to make cystic zits come out and stop hurting.

    When I buy my own lotion I buy Canus goat’s milk body lotion with orchid oil, but I have so much free stuff now that I might not buy it again for awhile.

    I have Mysore Sandal soap for my body (love the smell). Not expensive. Sometimes I use Mysore Sandal talc as well.

    No foundation, no sunscreen, no facial moisturizer and I almost never wear makeup.

    My only treat to myself in this area is a tube of Tokyo Milk Gin & Rosewater hand lotion that I keep around. My face and scalp are oily, but my hands and feet tend to dry out.

    I STRONGLY recommend Tokyo Milk for hands. It’s the only lotion I can put on in the morning and not have to reapply by lunch.

  3. What a great post! I saved a couple of these in my wishlist. Can you tell more about the Clarisonic? What made you start using that? I am interested in adding this to my routine, because I suck at washing my face at night and if this is the tipping point I want it!

    Right now I am using Mario Badescu facewash – it’s ok. If I have a breakout I like their Drying Lotion – serious stuff. I also use COOLA Tinted Matte SPF 30 for Face. It goes on like silk and I love that it has an spf.

    • Ah, the Clarisonic. This is a gadget that I dismissed for many years. They got big a while back because Oprah liked them, and I was like “meh, an overpriced sonicare for your face? pass.”

      But I had a friend recommend them as the best way to really make sure you’re getting all your sunscreen off, and I got curious and… what do you know. It’s basically the best exfoliation I’ve ever had on my face, and that includes facials at spas.

      I will say, this is not a product I would have cared about 10 years ago. As a 20something, this would have felt like an overpriced indulgence. At 39, it really makes a difference in how my skin feels, ESPECIALLY when you toss in the sunscreen thing.

    • Look for ones on Ebay if you’re not sure you want to shell out all that money. I got mine on there for like $50 and I love it. It had been used once and the packaging was damaged, but it works great. You can get replacement brush heads, so there’s no reason to be icked out about buying a used one. I prefer using it in the shower because it think it is kinda messy to just use over the sink. It really does make your skin softer. I use it with a drop or two of Dr Bronner’s liquid soap every other day.

  4. Im with you on the sunscreen feeling yuck… but b/c Im super, super pale goth girl and Im getting older, I needed something…. and Ive found my fave product ever – its Oil of Olay moisturizer with sunscreen… except the Walmart off-brand kind (and my face likes it better than the real stuff)… its got the yellow writing instead of the pink…. I put it on as the last step for my morning routine and it never needs to be washed off and I cant even feel it… wonderful!

    As for eye makeup remover, my fave is petroleum jelly…. close your eyes, rub it all over, take a dry washcloth and wipe away all your makeup and then clean your face like normal… super gentle and cheap

    But that argan oil and almond oil sound wonderful, might have to give those a try!

  5. Yay for gloop! I thought I had my gloop game down, because for the past few years I’ve used exactly three things on my face: raw honey, french green clay and sea buckthorn oil. The honey is a great face wash that can also be left on longer like a mask, and it’s really good at moisturizing without leaving a greasy residue. It’s also anti-bacterial. About once a week I mix honey, water and some green clay and leave it on like a mask. I used to have giant nose pores, and they are now gone hopefully forever. Sea buckthorn oil is good for wrinkles and pores. Lots of people don’t care for the smell (it’s a little like sushi) but I love it. It isn’t cheap, but you don’t use a lot. I just rub a few drops into my fingers and massage them all over my damp face after I wash. It is orange, so if you’ve used too much you sort of look like an oompa-loompa and have to blot it off, but otherwise I’ve been really pleased with it. I admit to being a bad girl and never using sunscreen because I can’t stand the feel of it on my face, so I think I might give that Hawaiian Tropic stuff a try.

    For the past few months, though, nature has thrown me a curveball in the form of “Oh, are you almost 40? Well, here’s some fucking acne all over your face! Surprise!” My usual honey isn’t cutting it, even if I mix in a few drops of tea tree oil. Today I broke down and bought burts bees natural acne control wash and spot treatment so we’ll see how that goes. If anyone has any good (preferably pretty natural) acne remedies, I’d like to hear them. I have it on my arms and chest, now, too, and have never had that before. I haven’t made any big diet changes, no real routine changes…no idea what is going on right now.

    • I read in a women’s magazine that as we age, acne goes from our face to our neck and chest. I had regular breakouts on my neck and chest over the last 5 years that seems to be getting much better. My face isn’t perfectly clear but compared to what I had when I was younger, I’m happy with how it looks.

    • Dude. Ditto on the “halp, I never experienced acne before WHAT DO I DO??” bit.

      I don’t know what I did (was is the move cross country?) but my face (and chest and back) HATE ME FOR IT and I don’t love it.

      Any way. Send help, homies.

      ALSO. How do you not touch yr face all the time??? I apparently never learned how to not do that (and didn’t need to because no acne-face-ness) and now it’s maybe a problem. So, uh, in summary…. How do I Adult?

  6. Wow, you do like your gloop.

    I used to be very into using a variety of skin care products but in my old age (41) I have gotten quite lazy about my skin care.

    I make my own eye makeup remover, super easy stuff to make.
    My Mom makes moisturizer, so I get her to whip some up for me when I am in need of it and I wash my face with soap and water in the shower.

    Lucky for me I inherited great genes from my parents and most people mistake me for being about 8 to 10 years younger than I am, so I will stick with my lazy skin care routine.

  7. So I had always been terrible about being this kind of stuff. Shampoo – what ever is on sale. Makeup- what ever one of my friends or family makes me wear at a wedding that I accidentally take home with me. Face stuff – bar of dove soap and on sale moisturizer. I’ve been lucky to have thick and shiny hair (like so thick my stylist makes me book 2 back to back appointments because it takes so long to cut and blowdry), pretty average skin (not to oily not to dry), and a fair complexion and dark hair so not a lot of make up is required to get a distinct “look.” That and I’m lazy.

    Then I had a realization. I’m getting old! If I want to keep thick shiny hair and fair skin I need to take care of it. After researching products for my skin/ hair and taking into account that I am lazy I finally stocked my bathroom.

    Face: I still wash with a bar of dove soap (some habits are hard to kill). I remove my make-up with coconut oil. I then scrub with a baking soda-water mixture and then us 100% witch hazel as a toner. At night I moisturize with organic grapseed oil. Make-up: I still suck at.

    Hair: I wash my hair with some Doctor Bronner’s and then rinse with some apple cider vinegar. Every weekend I do a coconut oil deep conditioning (rub the oil through my hair and leave it in for 20 minutes before washing it out). Since my hair is crazy thick I run a little argon oil through the tips to keep my hair from taking over the world.

    body: wash with dove soap and then moisturize with organic grapeseed oil.

  8. I need gloop recommendations!

    My skin and oil do not get along at all, does anyone know of a good oil free moisturizer for stupidly sensitive skin? I tried aloe and it did basically nothing but make me feel kind of sticky.

    • Ooooooh me me me. Aveda’s all-sensitive moisturizer. It’s water-based. I had a facial last weekend and this is what the…facialist(?) recommended. I’ve been using it for a few days and my breakouts have stopped and my skin has this luminous glow. I’m sure a lot of that has to do with just the fact that I got a facial, but seriously this stuff is amazing.

    • I would try something like pure jojoba or argan oil. You only need enough to dip a cotton ball in.
      I am really sensitive, and suffer from allergies, eczema, dermatitis and acne. Aside from those oils, I have been known to use plain Crisco as a night cream. You smell like baked goods, but it’s very gentle, and noncomedogenic.

  9. Olive oil! The only thing I use on my face now. I have been prone to breakouts since hitting puberty, and it continued into my adulthood. I also have really oily skin. So when I first heard of the idea of using olive oil to wash your face (in Adria Vasil’s awesome Ecoholic books) I thought, “Oh, another natural thing that won’t work for me”–even though she insisted she also had oily skin and it works for her. But out of desperation I tried it, and it works amazingly well! I haven’t had such clear and happy skin since I was 5!

    Find a good quality olive oil (not grocery store stuff–it’s often rancid. Buy a quality olive oil in bulk–in the end, it will still be cheaper than the face wash you were using before). Apply a nickle-to-quarter-sized amount to your face and neck, massaging lightly. This will feel weird the first few times, since oil usually doesn’t equal clean. Then wipe it off with two or three (organic) cotton pads. Done! Don’t rinse. You will see dirt coming off on the pad with the oil; the olive oil left on your face will be really light and not only moisturizes, but has a bit of an anti-bacterial effect as well. And apparently, because it doesn’t dry out your skin, your skin eventually stops producing so much oil of its own. It’s like a cleanser, moisturizer and acne treatment in one.

  10. Hi, my name it TigerLilie and I’m a gloop addict. BlueCanary, that honey & green clay mask sounds amazing! Also, my cousin had some wicked chin acne but has a sensitivity to anything chemical. She found that neem oil is actually really great for clearing up breakouts. Just dab a little directly on the blemish and it’ll be gone in no time! The other thing to try is just putting a thin slice of tomato on the affected area. That has always worked for me. The acne you’re experiencing is probably brought on by hormonal changes, if you’re getting close to 40.

    My gloop routine includes:

    Morning-
    1. Dickinson’s Original Witch Hazel Foaming Facial Wash
    2. Dickinson’s Witch Hazel
    3. Avalon Organics Vitamin C Renewal Vitality Facial Serum
    4. Physician’s Formula Healthy Wear SPF 50 Tinted Moisturizer, mixed with Cetaphil
    5. Physicians Formula CoverTox Ten 50 Wrinkle Therapy Face Powder

    Night-
    1. Dickinson’s Original Witch Hazel Foaming Facial Wash
    2. Dickinson’s Witch Hazel
    3. Cetaphil
    4. Retin-A

    Weekly-
    1. Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask

    As you may be able to tell, I’m pretty obsessive about the sunscreen. That’s pretty much entirely how I determine what goes on my face in the morning. I have found that no other face wash can clean my oily skin without stripping it completely (which just causes my sebaceous glands to produce even MOAR oil!). Dickinson’s Witch Hazel face wash is the best, even though it is super hard to find where I live.

    I use the Avalon Organics Vitamin C serum on my undereyes during the day, and Retin-A is applied to my entire face before I go to sleep at night. I apply a thin layer of Cetaphil before the Retin-A to protect my skin from the drying effect Retin-A can have. Seems counter-intuitive for someone with oily skin, but stripping the skin is never good. I also only use the Retin-A treatment on alternating nights, never back to back.

    My sister-in-law is my dermatologist so I’m pretty diligent in my routine. I’m like a walking billboard for her practice, haha!

    • The green clay honey mask is nice. I usually put a little lavender oil in it too. And the green clay is like 11 bucks for a huge tub at the health food store, and one tub lasts me 6 months.

      I had no idea that Dickinson’s Witch Hazel made a face wash! I’m going to see if I can order it and give it a try, thanks!

  11. GLOOOOPS! Love ’em. My husband doesn’t understand the gloop need! Although I’ve started him onto his own gloops (beards are in need of MANY specialized gloops). My gloops depend on their intention because I have a lot of face needs depending on what my skin needs…(Right now I’m on a big Kiehl’s kick, but I have been looking into brands like Ren and Skyn Iceland.)

    Acne:
    Proactiv+ Skin Smoothing Exfoliator
    Proactiv+ Pore Targeting Treatment
    Proactiv+ Complexion Perfecting Hydrator

    Standard:
    Kiehl’s Epidermal Re-Texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion
    Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser
    Kiehl’s Calendula Herbal Extract Alcohol-Free Toner
    Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Lotion

    Eye:
    Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado (for day)
    Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Eye (for night)

    Mask:
    – Lush Cosmetic Warrior (for bad acne)
    – One Fine Day Pajama Paste Face Mask (for everyday)

    I’m also on the hunt for a good tinted moisturizer/BB cream with SPF. I’m thinking Stila, Too Faced, Tarte or Laura Mercier…gotta go shopping! I’m really terrible with sunscreen, and I think if I can get it into my tinted moisturizer/BB cream, then that’s one less thing to apply.

    My husband uses a combination of Lush, Jack Black and Bluebeards Original for his glooping.

    • Did you ever try Lush’s tints for skin? I never tried them but I love the concept, which is just adding a bit of your tint to whatever moisturizer you use. If you liked it you could just have to hunt down a good moisturizing sunscreen!

      • Their tint for very pale skin is the best makeup I’ve found for my tone after years of buying horrible-smelling expensive varieties from the one or two companies who made anything remotely light enough. I don’t mix it with anything before I put it on, but it mixes with whatever’s already on my face anyway! Always check the ingredients, of course, it contains lanolin I think which some people don’t get on with.

  12. Small gloop anecdote: I used to do burlesque and I lived with one of the women in my troupe. After a show one time she was trying to figure out how to get off a LOT of make up. Like, she ran out of make-up remover and she did a sort of Tammy Fay Baker character. I told her that pretty much any oil will take it off easily, light weight oils are better for regular use but if she was in a hurry she could just use olive oil from the kitchen.
    I’m pretty sure she thought I was a wizard after that.

  13. I have a lot of gloops. I have super, super sensitive skin with a ton of skin allergies. And not enough time to list everything I use.
    BUT. As a pale blonde who cannot go without sunscreen, but i hate the way it feels: Use Neutrogena Dry Touch Sunscreen. Seriously. It is magic, doesn’t make me break out and isn’t greasy. I even got my husband to start using it everyday. Your mileage may vary, but I love this stuff.

    • More love for Neutrogena. I use their Acne Stress Control sensitive skin toner. It works great on my cystic acne, and I haven’t had a blackhead in over a year. It uses salicylic acid instead of benzoyl peroxide, so it’s gentler. It’s also sodium lauryl sulfate free, and uses natural extracts in its formula (like chamomile and cucumber).
      I have extremely sensitive skin, and eczema, so I am very picky about my facial products. I will pick using nothing over using a heavily scented/artifical product.

      • Seconding Neutrogena toner. I barely wash my face, but I use their toner every night. It is the only thing I use on my face besides water, and sometimes almond oil. I think I have an exfoliant around somewhere, too.

        The other thing is washing my pillows regularly. I can time breakouts to when I think I can go more than a week without changing pillowcases.

    • I’ll have to try that one as even their Sensitive Skin sunscreen made me break out! I just started using Vanicream on a recommendation from a friend who had the same problem. So far so good!

  14. I use all Lush (http://www.lushusa.com/Face/face,en_US,sc.html), all the time 😛 I use Let the Good Times Roll in the shower in the morning, followed by the Full of Grace bar and Grease Lightning serum, and imperialis moisturizer. I don’t do sunscreen, cuz they’re in mah foundation. At night, I do errthang the same except I use Ultrabland on my clarisonic and omg the stuff my clarisonic pulls out of mah FACE. I’m like holy god what if I SLEPT in this?! My face would be mount vesuvius in the morning.

    • OMG, you’re genius! I love using Ultrabland when I feel I’ve been using too many chemicals, or just to do a one week cleanse or something, but I needed a washcloth to get it all off. Using it with one of those (I have the Mary Kay version, since I’m a personal-use-only rep) makes so much more sense. Especially in the shower!!

  15. My gloop: wash with Herbalism by Lush, tone with apple cider vinegar, moisturize with coconut oil, which I also use occasionally as a mask and for my hair. I still break out occasionally but only really around my period and it’s easily controllable.

  16. I live in Hawaii, so sunscreen 365 days a year is mandatory. My all time favorite sunscreen is Shieseido Ultimate Sun Protection. It goes on very smooth and not sticky at all. It looks semi-white for a second, then totally natural. I use coconut oil for everything else, with a retinol A cream and alpha hydroxy on alternating nights (if I remember). I just turned 30 and living in the sun has taken its toll, but I love getting older so I guess it goes with the territory.

  17. Diluted Dr. Bronners is the only soap I use for face, hair, and body…

    For face moisturizer I use a bit of 100% Moroccan Argan oil with a drop of 100% certified pure therapeutic grade frankincense oil. Then depending on how dry my skin is feeling I’ll do a tiny bit of shea butter.

    100% raw organic shea butter for the rest of me.

    Also I live at elevation in the mountains and I’m prone to dry skin anyway so ymmv if you love in an area with more moisture or have skin that produces more oil but my skin is so happy! I’m turning 30 this year and definitely don’t look it. Woot!

  18. Anyone have any gloops or ideas for dark under eye circles? I started a new job 6 months ago that means I get up waaay too early, and now I have these permanent dark circles, no matter how much sleep I get. Being an offbeat bride as well, I only have 30 days left to try anything new!

    • Try Kiehl’s Midnight Eye Recovery. This is what got me hooked on eye cream. I have terrible dark circles too (I’ve had them since I was a teenager), and I’ve recently been experiencing dryness on certain parts of my eye so an eye cream was in order.

      You put it on before bed every night, and in the morning I’ve definitely noticed an improvement in my eye circles. It doesn’t eliminate them completely (I still need under-eye concealer…I use Boing Boing from Benefit).

      If the price stings (because it is expensive), just go to a Kiehl’s shop/booth saying your shopping for eye cream for dark circles. They’ll show you a few and explain them…but don’t purchase, say you’d like to test them out before you commit…and they’ll load you up with samples. Kiehl’s is awesome with their samples. I’ve never actually bought a container of eye cream because I’ve been living off of samples for the past year (I DO purchase from them, and they give more samples whenever you purchase stuff, so I’ve never actually gotten a chance to purchase eye cream).

      Then if you REALLY love it, you can buy. But also check out men’s eye creams. they are usually formulated for dark circles, whereas women’s are usually formulated for wrinkles and moisture.

    • I love the Olay Regenerist line of eye creams. If it’s too expensive to try the Olay version, CVS pharmacy has a store brand version that’s just as good. I use the CVS “Regenerist” face wipes for after my bike ride to work (and they work just as well on sweaty feet… just sayin’).

  19. I’m a big fan of Liz Earle skin care – which is all over the UK, but I’m not sure how available it is elsewhere? I use their cleanser, toner and moisturiser which are ideal for my sensitive skin. They do a skin oil which can be used as a serum or spot treatment – it is my go-to product for sore, red or blotchy skin. The night-time eye serum and eye lotion is amazing too, great for shifting dark circles or puffy eyes. It’s not the cheapest range, but it seems to last me very well, and it’s so simple that I seem to need fewer products than I used to.

    I also really love proper aloe vera gel (but it has to be the proper stuff, 100% aloe, not aloe mixed with other synthetic gels and perfumes) – I mix it with moisturiser for my face and body to make a lighter lotion and it’s the best after sun.

    And of course, Lush is great too – I am never without their Fresh Farmacy soap, which is ideal for sensitive skin. But it is a much stronger cleanser, so I save it for days when I’ve been in the city or doing lots of dirty DIY and I need a proper wash!

    Interesting to read how many people dislike the feeling of sticky SPFs. Since I’m in the UK and I don’t work outdoors, I don’t bother using SPF everyday, and I stick to the shade and wear a hat in the sun instead. But maybe I should reconsider this?

  20. MY GLOOPS, LET ME SHOW YOU THEM but not actually because going and taking a picture is hard, yo

    okay, first of all, disclaimer: I’m going to pimp my friend who has basically replaced my entire everything with her homemade everything – shampoo, conditioner, soap, toner, moisturiser, sunscreen, everything. I didn’t even use half that stuff until she started making soap, and now I actually take time and effort with my skin and it absolutely thanks me for it. Ditto my crazy stupid hair.
    She doesn’t sell – yet – but does post recipes for making your own (!!!!!!), over here at her Stormbird Alchemy blog

    Before she got to me, I was a convert to Milk and Co which I found in the guys’ section at the supermarket; I do still use their Nori and Spirulina face scrub, and their sunscreen/moisturiser is the best commercial stuff I’ve tried.

    It’s really funny to me but before that the only face sunscreen I’ve ever liked was a tube of Hawaiian Tropic my Dad brought back from holiday in Hawaii – I’ve never seen it available over here, but it smelled delicious and was the first time I had ever tried non-gross feeling sunscreen!

  21. I love argan oil too, but it doesn’t have to be so expensive. You can get 1 oz. of organic argan oil in a pump bottle, which is more sanitary than the dropper, from Vitacost for around 9 bucks.

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