Monterey Bay Aquarium

tannertan36

oozey mess
art blog(derogatory)
🪼

Kiana Khansmith

#extradirty
todays bird
h
hello vonnie
Not today Justin
𓃗
taylor price
Phantogram Three
occasionally subtle

izzy's playlists!
Noah Kahan

Love Begins

roma★
d e v o n
seen from China

seen from United States
seen from Germany
seen from Türkiye
seen from Martinique

seen from Germany
seen from United States

seen from Germany
seen from Qatar

seen from China

seen from Japan
seen from United States

seen from Türkiye
seen from United States

seen from Poland

seen from Mexico

seen from Singapore

seen from Spain

seen from Türkiye
seen from Germany
@skincare-surveyor
Neogen Dermalogy Real Ferment Micro Essence
Brand: Neogen Dermalogy
Product Type: Toners and Essences
Price: $38.00
Size: 5.07 fl oz
✔️Clean Ingredients ✔️Vegan
Star Ingredients:
Bifida Ferment Lysate: Reinforces barrier and improves hydration
Saccharomyces Ferment: Anti-aging and smoothing hydration
Rice Ferment Filtrate (Sake): Brightens and refines tone
Texture: Watery
Scent: 🌸
No added fragrance
Results: Okay, so initially I had no idea what the hell this product or what it was supposed to do besides some vague claims about being anti-aging. So I think what's going on is this: people found over time that sake brewers had younger looking hands, despite it being hard physical labor. This is because galactomyces ferment seems to have powerful anti-aging benefits. There is a luxury brand, SK-II, that makes a Facial Treatment Essence that's basically pure galactomyces ferment filtrate. It costs $99 a bottle. Other brands have caught on to this trend and are trying their hand at releasing dupes or close approximates. Saccharomyces ferment filtrate, the active ingredient in this, is a lower-cost ingredient that brands are using to dupe the effects of galactomyces ferment filtrate.
I wasn't really fond of this. My skin was tingling after I used this, so it was either this or the Youth to the People Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream, or perhaps an interaction between them. It usually went away after about 30 minutes to an hour after application.
I think this product does some exfoliating, which isn't something my skin really likes. It would probably be better suited for someone with normal to oily skin.
Comps: Saccharomyces ferment filtrate is becoming a more common ingredient. The Ordinary has a toner/essence with saccharomyces for $14. MISSHA Time Revolution The First Essence is another option.
If what you really want though are the powerful anti-aging benefits of galactomyces ferment filtrate, you are in luck because I have a couple of options. CoxRX Galactomyces 95 Tone Balance Essence is a great dupe for the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence at a fraction of the price ($24). It is often sold out though, so you'll have better luck buying it direct from CosRX's website. Mixsoon Galactomyces Ferment Essence seems to be a more readily available option though, at around $18.
Youth to the People Adaptogens + Snow Mushroom, Oat Oil Lipids, & Vitamins Supershroom Calm Cleanser
Brand: Youth to the People
Product Type: Cleanser
Price: $39 USD
Size: 8.0 fl oz
✔️Clean Ingredients ✔️Sustainable Packaging ✔️Cruelty Free ✔️Vegan
Star Ingredients:
Chaga Mushroom and Ashwagandha: Adaptogens containing polyphenols known to soothe skin
Snow Mushroom: Hydrates skin
Oat Oil Lipids: Non-stripping cleanser than replenishes the skin barrier
Texture: Gel
Scent: 🌸
No added fragrance.
Results: This was lovely. I was able to use it twice a day without experiencing any drying. In fact, I think it helped my skin deal with the rough changes of being on a plane and adapting to a new environment well.
It wasn't that effective at removing makeup. I'd say about 30-40% of it came off on the towel I used to dry my face. It was okay, but I've seen better.
Whether it's worth the cost is debatable.
Comps: Undefined Beauty's R&R Cleanser is $24 and contains multiple adaptogens. Thayers Hydrating Milky Cleanser is $14.99 and contains snow mushroom and hyaluronic acid to hydrate.
If what you're really after is the soothing oat complex, there's more options available. I like Cocokind Oil to Milk Gentle Oat Cleanser ($18.99). You could also try The INKEY List Oat Balm Cleanser for a similar product and texture ($17.00). First Aid Beauty is also super well-known for using colloidal oatmeal as a soothing ingredient in one of their product lines. The Ultra Gentle Cream-to-Foam Face Cleanser is going to run you $27 for a full size. It's a little pricier, but I've heard good things about the brand, especially from those with sensitive skin.
Youth to the People Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream: Repair + Soothe with Reishi + Dipeptide-1 + Lipids
Brand: Youth to the People
Product Type: Moisturizer
Price: $52.00
Size: 2.0 fl oz
✔️Clean Ingredients ✔️Vegan ✔️Cruelty Free ✔️Sustainable Packaging
Star Ingredients:
Reishi Mushroom: Soothes and hydrates
Dipeptide-1: Soothes sensitive skin
Lipids: Replenish skin barrier
Texture: Thick cream
Scent: 🌸
No added fragrance
Results: Another deluxe sample I got my hands on.
I really liked the effect this had on my skin. It felt nourished, even after absorbing it throughout the night.
The only thing I didn't like is that something in this made my skin feel tingly. I find that very disconcerting, because that's usually the precursor to an allergic reaction. It went away after a few minutes and never evolved into a rash or hives though, so it could just be the effect that one or any of the botanical extracts in this formula has. Still, it made me wary and I probably won't buy the full size.
Comps: Moon Juice Cosmic Cream Collagen Protecting Moisturizer ($58) is pretty close in terms of using similar actives. Dr Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Mushroom line uses multiple adaptogens as well, and usually prices about the same. My lower-cost option for including adaptogens in your skincare comes from Undefined Beauty. All of their products use a mix of adaptogens and other clinical actives to tackle signs of aging, and their products usually price around $30. They don't have a regular moisturizer right now, but they have a number of serums and oils, and an SPF 50 daytime moisturizer. I recommend checking them out. They're doing some innovative stuff.
The only other products I can think of use snow mushroom, but lack the other adaptogens and actives. Well People has a snow mushroom gel moisturizer good for restoring moisture. Thayer's also has a newer line of Hydrating Milky... products that work great. I use the Hydrating Milky Toner to prep my skin for makeup. There's also a lightweight liquid moisturizer and the prices are super reasonable ($14.99).
Drunk Elephant Amino Rain Glasswater Serum
Brand: Drunk Elephant
Product Type: Serum
Price: $58.00
Size: 1.0 fl oz
✔️Clean Ingredients ✔️Vegan ✔️Cruelty Free ✔️Sustainable Packaging
Star Ingredients:
1% Fermented Poly Amino Acid (Polyglutamic Acid): Hydrates
Hiya Super Hydration Water Complex: 4 different types of hyaluronic acid; hydrates
0.5% Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline: AKA the super amino acid; has powerful peptide-like benefits for skin, helps boost hydration while improving elasticity and firmness over time
Mica: No clinical benefits, but it makes your skin shiny so it appears more hydrated
Texture: Watery
Scent: 🌸
No added fragrance
Results: Another product I received a deluxe sample to try, otherwise I'd never be able to afford it because this is bonkers expensive. I will say though, I kind of loved it. My skin really loved this ingredient combination. It drank up the moisture, but I also noticed the following morning that my skin still felt hydrated, not dried out like it usually does.
The only thing I could do without is the mica particles. I understand its purpose is to create the optical illusion that your skin is very hydrated, but it feels like overkill. I had glitter particles on my fingertips that just would not come off no matter how much I washed. It also feels unnecessary to have mica, which as far as I'm aware is purely used for aesthetic purposes, in a skincare product. I put on SPF and makeup afterward, and the shine from the mica affects the finish of my makeup, which already has its own light-reflecting particles in it. I looked downright glittery, which I did not enjoy.
Comps: What makes this serum work is its particular combination of actives: polyglutamic acid, hyaluronic acid in a bunch of different molecular weights, and an amino acid called dipalmitoyl hydroxyproline, which they say behaves like peptides. Farmacy Filling Good Hyaluronic Acid Plumping Serum has a similar ingredient list. The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum is going to get you similar effects at a much lower price point. You could cocktail that with their Polyglutamic Acid Hydrating Serum and get an added boost as well. Both of those serums would still cost significantly less than the one from Drunk Elephant.
If you're more interested in a glowy serum, Innisfree Green Tea Seed Hyaluronic Serum is a more low-cost product for that. But if what you truly want is just a glowy product, I recommend e.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter, Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter, or if you like a thicker product, Saie Glowy Super Gel or L'oreal True Match Lumi Glotion. I think Live Tinted also has one. These are multitasking products that can be used on their own as skincare/makeup hybrids, primers, foundation mix-ins, or highlighters, and they all have different hydrating ingredients in them. It's just about finding one that works for you.
Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Eye Cream
Brand: Caudalie
Product Type: Eye Cream
Price: $55.00
Size: 0.5 fl oz
✔️Clean Ingredients ✔️Vegan ✔️Cruelty Free ✔️Sustainable Packaging
Star Ingredients:
Viniferine: 62X more effective than vitamin C at brightening dark circles
Niacinamide: Evens undereye texture, hydrates
Caffeine: Brightens undereye
Texture: Thin cream
Scent: 🌸
No added fragrance.
Results: Great product. This was super effective at brightening my dark undereye circles. Results were almost immediate. My only complaint is that the cream is really thin, so it kind of goes all over the place. You have to be careful how much you apply. I do think I still prefer a thicker cream under the eye.
I was only able to secure a deluxe sample, which I used for about a week. It didn't have the cooling tip applicator, so I can't speak to whether or not that's effective.
Comps: Honestly, if you really want lower-cost undereye brightening, pick up a caffeine eye cream. It's effective and way easier to find than some lab's proprietary active. Good Molecules Yerba Mate Eye Gel is $6.00. You can't beat that. Personally, I really like adenosine for skin brightening. That's used a lot in K-beauty, but has been making its way into Western brands' formulas more recently. Try the belif Aqua Bomb Eye Gel. Chasin Rabbits Bunny Line Smoother Eye Cream is also supposed to be really nice. Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Bakuchiol Eye Cream is also wildly popular and reasonably priced. A lot of people like it, and if you like this thinner texture, it's a great option for you. My personal favorite is fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Eye Cream. It does something magical to my undereyes and it's THICK so it stays where you put it.
CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser
Brand: CeraVe
Product Type: Cleanser
Price: $15.99
Size: 8.0 fl oz
Also comes in 3 oz, 12 oz, & 16 oz bottles! Plus a refill size!
✔️Clean Ingredients ✔️Vegan
Star Ingredients:
Ceramides: Helps protect and restore skin barrier
Hyaluronic Acid: Hydrates skin
Texture: Thin lotion
Scent: 🌸
No added fragrance.
Results: This cleanser has been around for ages, but no one really talks about it. Still, it is one of the safest, most effective formulas on the market, and gets recommended by dermatologists all the time. The formula is good for almost all skin types and is very gentle. I have very dry skin, so I found I needed a cleanser that provided a little more hydration. The CeraVe Oil-to-Foam Cleanser would probably have been a better choice for me, but I got stuck out of town, ran out of cleanser, and just needed whatever I could find.
I think one of the really nice things about this product is that the formula doesn't have a lot of actives. This makes it a great choice if you're using more heavy duty treatments because it won't interact with them or interfere. This product also has a lot of generics available, so you'll probably be able to find it at an even cheaper price than the brand name offers.
Comps: It's actually hard to find a good cleanser that doesn't have a lot of actives in it these days. You may want to try La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser or Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser. Those are both derm-recommended. I'm testing out the Bubble Soft Launch Hydrating Cream Cleanser right now and thus far I think it's pretty comparable to the CeraVe cleanser. It even has a similar texture. So that's another option too.
Peach Slices Redness Relief Soothing Cleanser
Brand: Peach Slices
Product Type: Cleanser
Price: $16.99
Size: 4.0 fl oz
✔️Clean Ingredients ✔️Vegan ✔️Cruelty Free ✔️Sustainable Packaging
Star Ingredients:
Green Algae: Conditions, hydrates, softens, and detoxifies skin
Panthenol: Helps restore skin barrier
Allantoin: Helps soothe and protect skin
Rhodomyrtus: Fights blemishes and reduces signs of inflammation
Texture: Milky gel
Scent: 🌸🌸
There's no added fragrance, but it smells kind of unpleasant.
Results: Well, I thought I would give it a shot to help with my skin redness. It's definitely not my favorite. This is a drying formula. I know it says it's safe for sensitive skin, but every time I use it, it leaves my skin dry and I have to compensate with more hydrating products in subsequent steps. Definitely not what I wanted.
It's a very runny formula too. Once you pop the cap, there's no controlling how much product comes out and it comes out fast.
Also, the smell is...not great. It doesn't smell bad, per se, but it does smell weird. My guess is that's the smell of the algae extract.
I think I'd probably recommend this formula to acne sufferers more than I would people with skin redness.
Comps: There are so many acne cleansers out there that claim to do this or that. Back when I had acne, I really liked the Desert Essences Tea Tree Oil Cleanser. It works really well and it didn't over-dry my skin.
SU'S SKINCARE FAVES 2025
Happy New Year!
It's time for my annual shortlist of favorite skincare products I tried in 2025.
FAVORITE CLEANSER
Cocokind Oil-to-Milk Cleanser
FAVORITE TONER
Beekman 1802 Milk Shake Hyaluronic Acid & Squalane Facial Toner Mist
FAVORITE SERUM
Cocokind Ceramide Barrier Serum
FAVORITE MOISTURIZER
DIME Beauty Restorative Night Cream with Ceramide + Camellia
OTHER FAVORITE/S
Cliganic Squalane Oil
fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Eye Cream
fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Eye Cream
Brand: fresh
Product Type: Eye Cream
Price: $48 USD
Size: 0.5 fl oz
✔️Clean Ingredients ✔️Sustainable Packaging
Star Ingredients:
Lotus Extract: Smooths fine lines, boosts radiance
Horse Chestnut Flower: Targets fine lines and crow's feet
Polyglutamic Acid: Locks in moisture
Vitamin E: Antioxidant that protects and soothes skin
Texture: Thick cream
Scent: 🌸🌸
No added fragrance, but it smells vaguely herbal.
Results: This is the best eye cream I've used thus far, and frankly, nothing compares to it. I have dark undereye circles and tend to be pretty puffy. A small amount of this helps decrease my dark undereye circles and puffiness. This is fantastic.
I've tried to find lower cost alternatives to this formula, but I can't. Nothing does for me what this formula does. The results are visible and pretty instantaneous.
I apply this in the morning. The cream also serves as a good undereye primer before makeup.
Comps: I bought both haruharu wonder Black Rice & Bakuchiol Eye Cream and Neogen Dermalogy Eye Cream because research told me they were good comps for this product. Spoiler alert: they aren't. If you want to try this, there's nothing else like it. I recommend waiting for a sale though, because it is hella expensive.
Well People Revitalizing Dew Snow Mushroom Eye Gel-Cream
Brand: Well People
Product Type: Eye Cream
Price: $19 USD
Size: 0.5 fl oz
✔️Clean Ingredients ✔️Cruelty Free ✔️Vegan
Star Ingredients:
Snow Mushroom: An adaptogen that holds more moisture than hyaluronic acid and binds it to the skin
Quinoa-Derived Peptides: Antioxidants that help improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
Aloe Extract: Hydrates, plumps, and brightens
Broccoli Seed Oil: A natural substitute for dimethicone that brightens and smooths skin
Niacinamide: Brightens and tones, improves texture
Texture: Gel
Scent: 🌸
No added fragrance.
Results: I tried this on a whim. I've heard good things about Well People--I own a few makeup products from them; if you've got dry skin, I recommend trying the Superpowder product line--and wanted to try some of their skincare. I've also heard great things about snow mushroom as an active and have liked it when I tried it in the past. This is a much more affordable product than most that contain snow mushroom.
It's a great hydrating eye cream and it doesn't cost a whole ton. The gel formula can pill under makeup, though they say it doesn't, so I usually apply this before bed. When I wake up in the morning, my undereyes are less dark and puffy than they normally are. The ingredients don't agitate my skin and this dries down and absorbs pretty fast, which is exactly what I want out of an eye cream. I'd recommend this to others.
Comps: You're not going to find anything else quite like this that's the same price range.
DIME Restorative Night Cream with Ceramide + Camellia
Brand: DIME
Product Type: Moisturizer
Price: $38 USD
Size: 1.7 fl oz
✔️Clean Ingredients ✔️Cruelty Free ✔️Sustainable Packaging ✔️Vegan
Star Ingredients:
Ceramide NP: Improves skin barrier
Camellia Extract: Gentle antioxidant that helps fight signs of aging
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38: Improves fine lines and helps fight signs of aging
Sea Buckthorn Oil: Powerful antioxidant that helps with inflammation and cell regeneration
Texture: Midweight cream
Scent: 🌸
No added fragrance.
Results: I'm in love with this moisturizer. It's the best one I've used all year. Though this is their night cream formula, it's not overly thick. I use it day and night, and it works perfectly for my dry skin. If I want to boost its hydrating properties and really seal it in, I will apply a couple drops of olive-derived squalane oil on top of it. I wake up in the morning then and still have some product on. Normally, I wake up with sandpaper skin no matter what I do. These two are a great pair.
What I really love about this is that its goals are simple. The ingredients are designed to hydrate and improve the skin without harsh actives. It's mild enough that I can pair this with any serums or other products I want and I don't have to worry about them interacting.
The only thing that might keep me from repurchasing is the price. I bought this on a 50% off sale, which is a great deal, but the regular price is a little outside my budget.
Comps: There's nothing else quite like this out there, but these are pretty close. Kopari Beauty Moisture Whipped Ceramide Cream ($44.00/2.1 fl oz) has a lot of similar attributes. CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream ($21.99/1.7 fl oz) has ceramides, peptides, and niacinamide.
Cocokind AHA Jelly Cleanser
Note: The information in this image is incorrect. They have since made the formula stronger. It is now 4% AHAs.
Brand: Cocokind
Product Type: Cleanser
Price: $18 USD
Size: 2.9 fl oz
✔️Clean Ingredients ✔️Cruelty Free ✔️Sustainable Packaging ✔️Vegan
Star Ingredients:
Hibiscus Flower Acids : Natural 4% AHAs that gently exfoliate
Fermented Grape Extract: Natural AHA + BHA to help exfoliate, decongest, minimize buildup, and decrease the appearance of pores
Betaine, Hyaluronic Acid, & Glycerin: Plump and soothe skin
Texture: Gel
Scent: 🌸🌸🌸
Smells sour and unpleasant due to the fermented grape extract. Vinegar-y.
Results: When I was wading through skincare blogs and articles, trying to figure out what might help my skin redness, chemical exfoliants kept popping up. When I found this cleanser, I thought I might as well give it a try. My makeup does look a lot better if I have some kind of intermittent exfoliant in my routine. Without it, dry skin starts to build up on the surface.
This is a pretty gentle AHA cleanser that I only use 2-3 times a week, alternating weeks with the Beekman 1802 Milk Bar, which also contains AHAs. This leaves my skin pretty dry. I have to do a lot of work afterward to put moisture back in. But it does do a good job exfoliating.
The smell, however; the smell is awful. It's vinegar-y. It's sour. Like wine that's gone bad. And I almost always wind up tasting some of it when I rinse off. It's not good. This is another product from Cocokind that just doesn't do it for me.
Comps: I'm pretty sure I've talked about AHA cleansers before. Most of the ones I can find that are still in production are more expensive than this. Pacifica Glow Baby Brightening Face Wash ($12.00/5.0 fl oz) is the exception.
haruharu wonder Black Rice Bakuchiol Eye Cream
Brand: haruharu wonder
Product Type: Eye Cream
Price: $12.43 USD
Size: 0.67 fl oz
✔️Vegan ✔️Cruelty Free
Star Ingredients:
Bakuchiol: A retinol alternative that generally doesn't result in photosensitivity
Niacinamide, Adenosine, Natto Gum: Brighten and smooth undereyes
Black Rice Extract: Nourishes
Texture: Thin cream
Scent: 🌸
Results: I know a lot of people like this product. I actually wound up giving it away. This is a really thin cream and it didn't absorb well into my skin or stay where I applied it. It kept running and getting everywhere, including into my eyes. This just is not what I want from an eye cream.
I can't speak to any longterm benefits. All I can say is that it didn't help my dark undereye circles one bit. It did provide some undereye moisture, but I wanted something that would stick where you apply it and absorb. I feel like I mostly wound up wiping this off because it would get in my eyes, and they'd start to water like crazy.
Comps: I don't think you'll find a bakuchiol eye cream that any cheaper than this, but if you want some more expensive alternatives, try SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Pro-Bio Bakuchiol Eye Cream ($29.00/0.67 fl oz), DIME TBT Eye Cream Renew + Refresh ($38.00/0.5 fl oz), or HERBIVORE Moon Dew 1% Bakuchiol + Peptides Retinol Alternative Eye Cream ($48.00/0.5 fl oz).
Klairs Supple Preparation Unscented Toner
Brand: dear Klairs, sometimes just written as Klairs
Product Type: Toners and Essences
Price: $22 USD
Size: 6.08 fl oz
✔️Clean Ingredients ✔️Cruelty Free ✔️Vegan
Star Ingredients:
Centella Asiatica Extract: Calms irritation and redness
Hyaluronic Acid: Moisturizes and plumps skin
Beta-Glucan: Boosts hydration and calms irritation
Licorice Root: Brightens skin
Copper Tripeptide-1: An antioxidant that helps fight signs of aging
Texture: Thick water
Scent: 🌸
No added fragrance.
Results: Great product. Fantastic for a hydration boost and helps prep skin for next steps in your routine. The recommended application is more like an essence than a toner. The instructions say to just shake some into the palm of your hand and massage it into the face until it's absorbed. Personally, I love that. It feels very luxe to me, like you don't need to worry about rationing this product.
This product looks like water, but it's a thicker consistency than that. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a gel though. It's just a thick liquid. That adds to the luxurious feeling, I think.
This is a great product for my dry, sensitive skin. I'll probably repurchase.
Comps: Other products to try if you're in the market for a hydrating toner include Beekman 1802 Milk Shake ($39.00/8.1 fl oz), which I really enjoyed; First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Wild Oat Hydrating Toner ($24.00/6.0 fl oz), TONYMOLY Wonder Ceramide Mochi Toner ($23.00/16.0 fl oz), BUBBLE Cosmic Silk Hydrating Milky Toner ($16.00/3.4 fl oz), BYOMA Hydrating Milky Toner ($15.99/5.07 fl oz), and Thayers Milky Hydrating Toner ($14.99/12.0 fl oz).
Beekman 1802 Milk Bar Facial Cleansing Bar
Brand: Beekman 1802
Product Type: Cleanser
Price: $12 USD
Size: 3.5 oz
✔️Clean Ingredients ✔️Cruelty Free ✔️Sustainable Packaging
Star Ingredients:
Goat Milk, Colostrum, & Milk Probiotic: Strengthens skin barrier. Contains natural AHAs.
Coconut Milk & Derivatives: Used instead of soap to produce rich, silky foam. Contains healthy fats and skin-soothing ingredients.
Texture: Solid-to-foam
Scent: 🌸
Results: I kept waiting to use this product because, as a bar, it was going to last a lot longer than my liquid cleansers, which all had an expiration date. Now, of course, I've finally gotten around to using it and the brand has discontinued it! What a bummer, because I really do like this product. You can still find it on clearance from sites like HSN though, so at least there's that.
This is a fat little bar soap that's kind of awkward to grip at first until you start whittling away at it. When combined with water, it produces a thick, silky foam to wash your face with. It works great at removing makeup and doesn't over-dry my skin, although I do still have to add moisture back with other products afterward.
The one thing I have to watch out for, as with all Beekman 1802 products, is that I don't accidentally use too many products with AHAs in them. My skin is sensitive and will over-dry if exposed to too many exfoliants, so I don't use this cleanser every day. I skip a day in between to let my skin recover.
Comps: If you're really into the idea of a facial cleansing bar that exfoliates, there are a couple other options. Drunk Elephant JuJu Bar ($28.00/4.0 oz) has a physical exfoliant. Topicals has released a couple of body bars, but I think you could probably use them for face if you wanted to. Ethique Beauty Glowing Face Solid Exfoliator ($15.00/3.9 oz) is a great deal, and they've got other formulas if that doesn't work for you. I've talked about Good Molecules cleansing bars before. I've tried a couple. I think they're a great bargain. Kitsch apparently makes a Glycolic Acid Face & Body Wash Bar ($11.99/4 oz).
Beekman 1802 Buttermilk Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm
Brand: Beekman 1802
Product Type: Cleanser
Price: $29 USD
Size: 1.44 fl oz
✔️Clean Ingredients ✔️Cruelty Free ✔️Sustainable Packaging
Star Ingredients:
Goat Milk: Soothing probiotics, a natural source of AHAs
Sunflower Butter, Aloe Vera: Soothes and hydrates skin
Lactic Acid: AHA, gently resurfaces skin
Texture: Solid oil that melts on skin contact
Scent: 🌸🌸
There's no added fragrance, but it has an unpleasant smell.
Results: This stuff is terrible, so it makes perfect sense to me that it was discontinued. It smells awful, which is a huge problem for something you're supposed to slather on your face. It doesn't rinse clean either.
You also wind up paying a lot of money for not a lot of product. There are fewer uses in the container than you think. Or maybe it takes more product than it should to actually get all my makeup off. Either way, it's not really an efficient use of my money.
This formula is also pretty high in AHAs, so if I use this, then I have to skip a bunch of other steps in my routine because most Beekman 1802 products have AHAs. It compounds and winds up over-exfoliating my skin, actually causing more dryness. It's not my favorite.
Also, I hate the component. It has this little spatula stick that's stored upright on the cap. I have to store my skincare products in pretty small drawers, so I tend to stack them up to conserve space. Having the spatula on the top means I can't stack anything on this component, and it's such a large component, I can't put it on top of anything either because it won't balance. I don't know, I just find things like that a little annoying.
Comps: I've used way better cleansing balms that were way cheaper. The Good Molecules Cleansing Balm is an excellent example of this; the price has gone up this last year from $15.99 to $18.99, but I still think it's a great product that's worth the price. BYOMA Melting Balm Cleanser and Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm are right around the same price.