Beauty Swap #3: Another Round of Skincare

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Beauty Swap is a weekly series where I share my brief thoughts on the latest beauty finds and rediscover long forgotten favorites. The series is aimed to encourage everyone – myself included – to give new life to well-loved products that are hiding in our drawers, while incorporating new and exciting things to our routine. You will also get a sneak peek at the products I have selected for the next swap at the end of each post! Read more about the series here, and catch up on previous posts.

Can you believe it’s our third beauty swap already? I must say, this whole swap thing is pretty challenging. I love trying new products, but I still have a pretty consistent beauty routine and introduce new things very gradually. So far this series has been super helpful to discover my recent skin sensitivities to a product I used to be obsessed with.

BEAUTY SWAP #3:

Here’s what’s on the menu today. This lineup has a different vibe from the previous one, because I decided to try and skip the serum. I’m such a rebel, haha!

• 100% Pure Blood Orange Cleansing Balm* ($38 for 3 oz) as my oil/balm cleanser and makeup remover
• Son&Park Beauty Water ($30 for 11.49 fl oz) as my second cleanser/toner
• Ever Reveal Biomimetic Peel Pads with LSR10®* ($70 for 45 ct) as my daily exfoliant
• Dr. Hauschka Melissa Day Cream* ($45 for 1 oz) as my hydrating/moisturizing product
• Glo Skin Beauty Solar Shade SPF50* ($40 for 1.7 fl oz) as my daily skin protectant
• Eminence Bright Skin Overnight Corrective Cream* ($64 for 2 fl oz) as my overnight repairing treatment
• PIXI Peel & Polish Resurfacing Concentrate* ($22 for 1.52 fl oz) as my weekly resurfacing treatment

THE GOOD:

I used 100% Pure Blood Orange Cleansing Balm* ($38 for 3 oz) as my makeup remover, and at first I was a bit disappointed. This balm does not emulsify, so you have to remove it either with a second step foaming cleanser or with a washcloth. As soon as I added the latter to my routine, I became obsessed with the cleanser. It’s rich, oily, balmy, and it melts makeup like a champ. Plus, it smells amazing if you’re into blood oranges!

Dr. Hauschka Melissa Day Cream* ($45 for 1 oz) is one of my favorite moisturizers for combination skin and it always will be. The all-natural formula helps rebalance this tricky skin type, making dry areas less dry and oily T-zone less oily.

The only shade I am throwing this week is Glo Skin Beauty Solar Shade SPF50* ($40 for 1.7 fl oz), a really powerful physical sunblock suitable even for sensitive skin. It does leave white cast that dissolves for the most part, but it still has a tone up effect. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I personally don’t mind the white cast as long as it’s subtle and even. What I can’t stand is streaks, those are very annoying!

From my previous reviews you probably already know that I looove Eminence Bright Skin Overnight Corrective Cream* ($64 for 2 fl oz), and sure enough it was one of the best products in this lineup this time as well. Love the way it makes my skin feel in the morning, plus I definitely experienced the brightening properties.

If you’re into scrubs that can exfoliate the skin both physically and chemically, PIXI Peel & Polish Resurfacing Concentrate* ($22 for 1.52 fl oz) is a great option that you can pick up at a local Target. Pixi is on a roll with their latest releases, especially the skincare. This scrub has elegant packaging, delightful scent, and the overall formula is quite impressive. It’s not the gentlest scrub out there, but as a once or a twice a week treatment it does the job really well. My skin always feels smooth and renewed, and I’ve not experienced any irritation from using this one yet.

Top to Bottom: Eminence Bright Skin Overnight Corrective Cream, Dr. Hauschka Melissa Day Cream, Glo Skin Beauty Solar Shade SPF50, 100% Pure Blood Orange Cleansing Balm, PIXI Peel & Polish Resurfacing Concentrate.

THE OK:

I would say, my feeling are sort of in-between OK and GOOD, so think of this as a slightly above average product. Son&Park Beauty Water ($30 for 11.49 fl oz) is a cleansing and exfoliating toner, but it’s not micellar water. It’s supposed to refresh the skin after cleansing, or used as a standalone product in the morning for those who prefer not to wash their face with soap in the AM [it’s a growing trend in Korea by the way]. In my routine I used it as a replacement for cleanser in the morning, and as a secondary cleanser in the evening, and it left my face feeling wonderful. It felt fresh, clean, and smooth, but never dry. The only reason I put it in the OK category is because this is definitely not a must have product, as doesn’t add much value to a beauty routine. Nothing it offers replaces what that other more conventional toners and micellar waters can do for your skin.

I enjoyed using Ever Reveal Biomimetic Peel Pads with LSR10®* ($70 for 45 ct) as my nightly exfoliant. For the past two weeks my skin did not experience any irritation, which means all of my resurfacing products were gentle enough. Perhaps, too gentle though. I think someone who is only now getting into acid peels would find these perfect as an introductory product, but for my skin that is already used to high concentrations of AHAs they are perhaps too mild.

THE ‘MEH’:

None of the products in this roundup deserve to be in this category!

COMING UP:

Overall, I was SO impressed with this lineup that I almost didn’t want to switch to a new one for the next few weeks. Who would have thought that an oil-rich routine would be this good for my combination skin? But alas, the whole point of the series is to try new things, and I chose the following goodies to help soothe my hormonal breakouts. This hormonal overdrive is just a normal part of the cycle, so for me it’s not possible to completely avoid it no matter how good my routine is. As long as it’s manageable I have no complaints whatsoever.

Here are the products I’ll be using for the next two weeks:

• Derma E Nourishing Rose Cleansing Oil* ($15.99 for 2 fl oz)
• Honua Paʻakai Cleansing Cream* ($24 for 2 oz)
• Skinfood Tea Tree Clearing Toner* ($15 for 5.1 oz)
• Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum* ($25 for 2 oz)
• Paula’s Choice RESIST Advanced Pore-Refining Treatment 4% BHA* ($36 for 1 oz)
• The Jojoba Company Ultimate Jojoba Youth Potion* ($39.95 for 1.7 oz)
• ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica Ultralight Emulsion SPF50+* ($50 for 3.4 fl oz)
• Skinfix Calm & Repair Sleeping Mask* ($65 for 6 oz)

What was the last skincare product that impressed you? Let me know in the comments below!

* Indicates PR samples.