BEST OF 2021 - SKINCARE

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

 BEST of 2021 - SKINCARE


Hello my beautiful friends,


It's been so long since I sit down and write about the things that I had loved in 2021. How's everyone doing? I had most busiest time with my family during last holiday season, it was so good to see my family who I haven't met for past 3 years. Hope everyone's holiday season filled with joy and happiness!


I am trying to gather my thoughts on things that I loved in 2021.. that I used the most and been loving for a whole year.  I am very simple when it comes to skincare. Super simple routine in the morning and evening just because I am a lazy girl when it comes to skincare. :) 


Most of the time, I am looking for something multi-functional, easy to apply, and nothing too active. I do have a sensitive skin so simple ingredients and simple routine works the best for me.  Okay, enough for the intro, Let's get started!




 

Simple, right? I only a few items at a time, either morning and night. I rotate these items and sometimes I add more products onto these like sheet masks or extra oil or cream on top. But these are my staples in 2021. I repurchased several items in here, and I do plan on replenishing some in the nearest future.


BEST SKINCARE in 2021 (No particular order)


1.  KOHGENDO ORIENTAL PLANTS - HAKKOH LOTION 60


It was a gift from lovely KohGenDo team in 2021, but I really love this lotion. This is not a typical "lotion", it's more like a liquid essence type. I use this as the first step of my skincare routine, put some onto my palm and pressed it onto the skin. I sometimes soaked this Lotion 60 onto the cotton and put it onto my cheeks for a quick mask. Keeps my skin hydrating and ready for the next step!


2.   KohGenDo Moisture Gel Rich 


This is my timesaver/lifesaver product! This All-in-One Moisture Gel Rich is lazy girl's dream - even for someone who has a dry skin like me. Truly multitasking product that covers essence, lotion, cream, and treatment mask all in one. I am definitely repurchasing this, highly recommend!


3. Retrouve Luminous Cleansing Elixir 


I really love this Cleansing Elixir from Retrouve, I just finished my second one. The texture of this Elixir is more like a thick gel/oil type, you pump twice for entire face, using warm-wet cloth to remove your makeup and skincare residue. It doesn't make my skin dry at all, leave this clean, hydrated skin after washing. I love so many products from Retrouve -  I will continue to share more next.


4. Retrouve Dynamic Nourishing Face Cream 




My winter skin savior for a few years now. I started using Retrouve in 2019 -  blown away by the results I got during winter season. It is the line of products that I always recommend who has sensitive, dry skin like me - it never fails. Unfortunately, it just ran out and I am waiting to be repurchased this Dynamic Nourishing Face Cream again soon.  


5. Retrouve Dermal Defense Hand Cream

I have super dry hands -  not only for the winter, all year around. I've tried so many hand creams from L'Occitane to Neutrogena Norwegian formula to Caudalie - this is by far the best hand cream for me. (I am taking any hand cream suggestions from you guys as well!)  Avocado based hand cream with fast absorbing, not leaving any film feel to it. 


6. Common Heir 10% Vitamin C Serum



Amazing new company with passionate founders! I am so grateful to get to know Cary (Cary Lin) in 2020 and so lucky to try out their product early on. I've tried so many Vitamin C products in the past, but this Common Heir 10% Vitamin C Serum brought me a great result on my skin & the individual capsule packaging makes this serum easy to use and travel-friendly. One of the best Vitamin C Serum on the market in my opinion. 


7. AveSeena Green Caviar Face Oil Elixir 



One of the most important thing I've learned in 2020 was the awareness of skincare ingredients. This AveSeena is the brand that my good friend Annie introduced me last year and I've been enjoying it thoroughly until now.  So many great ingredients for my semi-mature skin such as Vitamin C and Matrixyl 3000 peptides, Green Caviar Facial Oil Elixir is the one step magic when I feel extra tired and lazy on my skincare at night - leaves my skin's firming and hydrating next morning. 


8. AveSeena Supreme Recontour Eye Concentrate 


I am honestly shocked by how lightweight and quickly absorb this eye cream is. I do have sensitive eyes so I am quite picky about the eye creams, however, this eye concentrate is beyond my expectation. I just have one pump for my both eyes, dab and tab around the eye area including the lids. My undereyes gets hydrated, nourished and the fine lines are not too noticeable next morning. I can definitely see myself repurchasing this eye concentrate.





This gentle exfoliant was added to my skincare routine in 2021, and I am happy to say I like it a lot. First of all, it is a gentle exfoliant that doesn't irritate my sensitive skin. I use this 2 or 3 times a week whenever my skin feels little congested. I do have several loves in this category but this YTTP's Mandelic Acid Superfood Unity Exfoliant definitely stands out in 2021. 




I've heard so many good things about this serum last year -  finally pulled the trigger and tried it - and I LOVE IT! My semi-mature, dry skin loved it so much that one of my favorite serum/oil for the winter. It definitely soothes my skin from any irritation that I have, moisturize and nourishes with abundant fatty acids and omegas 3,6,7, and 9, to support the skin barrier and dry, dull skin.  A few drops of this serum are all I need! 







Indie Lee CoQ-10 Toner is my second bottle and I already have a backup. :) It hydrates and balances the skin with Hyaluronic Acid and Aloe Vera, leaving my skin perfectly prepped for the next step.  I use it every morning and evening, wipe away any makeup residue I might have left on the skin. So refreshing!




I can't even remember how many bottles of this Sulwhasoo Activating Serum gone through.. I've been loving this First Care serum for many years.  Another product that I use as the first step of my skincare routine after cleansing my face. And one of those products that you will notice the difference when it runs out. :) It hydrates, nourishes, and visibly firms the skin as they claims -  while boosting absorption of next products applies on top.   




I found this sunscreen from Dr. Dennis Gross on a whim -  it was included in one of those Sephora set.  This is my second tube this year -  I really enjoyed the first one so I purchased second one during Sephora sale in last Fall. It is lightweight SPF 50 sunscreen that I can use under my makeup or on its own. Well-served in 2021! Any SPF suggestions in the comment section would be appreciated! :)




Decorte Smoothing Cleansing Oil is the one I've tried and loved in 2021, not a break-through item for me, but definitely it does the job well, removing all the makeup without stripping my skin. It claims "Uplifting dirt, dead skin cells, makeup and impurities from the skin’s surface, the oil works to reduce the appearance of enlarged pores. Removing oxidized sebum, the oil combats excess oil production, mattifying the skin’s surface". One downside of this oil is that it has pretty strong Decorte fragrance to it which I kinda like, but some people might be steered away from it due to the fragrance...






I was pleasantly surprised by this 111 Skin Y Theorem Repair Serum which showed an incredible result on my irritated skin after summer.  I originally wanted to try this serum for reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but it helped so much of rejuvenating my skin after the irritation from sun exposure. 



Here are my favorite skincare items that I absolutely loved in 2021. Please share with me what is your favorite skincare item of 2021.  
Should I do BEST OF 2021 in MAKEUP as well? 

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