Skincare Products I’m In Love With | winter edition

Guten tag, everyone! I know that it’s technically spring but since it’s been snowing on and off all week I’m going to go ahead and ignore that.

Also just going to gloss over the fact that it has been almost three months since I last posted on Plaid and Sugar (and that itself was an update post to not having posted ^_^) and head straight into this skincare post. So let’s get to it!

A lot of things have changed in these last months and one of them is my skin.

Specifically what skincare products it responds to well and what routine prevents my face from breaking out as much. And while my skin is by no means perfect (so many scars), this new winter routine has helped me feel comfortable in my skin again.

My skin feels brighter, dewier, and smoother!

I’m enjoying (if not loving) my skin at the moment and for that, I would have to give some acknowledgment to the skincare products I’ve been using these past few months.

It did take some trial and error to figure out what worked best and in what order and the best part is that all the products are affordable!

I think my last skincare post was back in 2020 (!?!), so yeah it is definitely time to do another. Plus some of the products this time are Korean!

Skincare Products I’m in Love With

*All products marked with an asterisk (*) were given to me in exchange for an honest review. This does not alter my opinions or thoughts in any way. I will always be honest about products that I have tried and whether I recommend them or not.*

Feeling comfortable with my skin has been an issue since I was a teenager, however in the past year, my acne breakouts have gotten worse. Not to be melodramatic but my high school breakouts were nothing compared to what I’ve been experiencing in my 20s.

Seventeen-year-old me had smoother and brighter skin than my current twenty-three-year-old self.

And it’s so not fair.

But for now, I’m making do and trying my best to get the clearest skin possible. The products I’ve been using have dealt with breakouts, redness, inflammation, and oiliness and have cleared my skin in ways not seen in forever.

If you’re dealing with adult acne hopefully you’ll find some of these products useful.

Neutrogena Skin Balancing Gel Cleanser*

Back in early 2022, I received a cleanser from Influenster and I liked it. However, I was using a different one at the time so I put it away until last fall.

As I’ve mentioned in various blog posts before, I hate when cleansers leave my skin feeling dry, tight, and uncomfortable. It just feels like it does the opposite of making me feel good about my skin. However, Neutrogena’s Skin Balancing Cleanser is the opposite.

Its gel-like texture makes it easy to apply and leaves the skin feeling hydrated, clean, and comfortable. It contains 2% polyhydroxy acid which lightly exfoliates the skin without irritating it. For a drugstore product, I can’t recommend it enough.

I love using this cleanser after a long day and it helps prepare my skin for the next step in my routine.

Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner (non-scented)*

If you have inflammation or redness, I recommend Haruharu Wonder’s Black Rice Toner. I actually won this toner and was hesitant to try it since it was a fairly new product on the market but it has become one of my holy grail skincare products. As soon as I apply it my skin feels and looks glowy.

Made in Korea, this toner is made with fermented black rice and bamboo extracts which are anti-inflammatory and promote new skin turnover. It leaves the skin feeling plump, bright and moisturized. A little goes a long way (and I mean a long way) and it is quickly absorbed by the skin which I love.

As someone with semi-sensitive skin, I love that it’s fragrance-free and have felt no negative effects. This is probably one of my favorite toners and Korean skincare products to date. And it’s vegan & animal cruelty-free.

The only downside: It can only be bought online or at your local Asian store (if they carry skincare).

Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum : Propolis+Niacinamide

This serum is the holy grail seemingly the holy grail of acne-geared Korean products. And after seeing it non-stop on my Instagram feed, among other places, I just had to get it. I gues I was influenced!

First of all, the packaging is so darn cute! I love the bottle design and that it has an easy-to-use dropper.

My favorite thing about it was how far the product goes. Two drops and half my face was covered without feeling thinned out. The serum is a tad noticeable but not heavy or uncomfortable.

After applying toner, I’ll use the serum and I find that it is enough. It makes me feel hydrated and fresh without the need to add a moisturizer, which I love.

Like most of the other products on this list, the Beuty of Joseon Glow Serum is affordable and it can last upwards of three months using daily. This along with the HaruHaru Wonder Rice toner, are probably my skincare holy grails!

Innisfree Jeju Cherry Blossom Jelly Cream

If you’ve ever been to Winners or Marshall’s (aka TJMax in the U.S.), you know you can find some truly unique finds for less. And I can attest to that with this Innisfree Jelly Cream!

I love going to Winners because I can always find the best Korean skincare products for half the price and this time it was no different. For $16.99, I bought one of the most popular Korean brands and it has changed my life (well when used with everything else).

This has become a favorite due to its hydrating nature, easy application and it’s light jeju cherry blossom scent. I’m usually sensitive to scent (see why I love the HaruHaru Wonder toner), but for some reason, I have no issue with this one. And the packaging is so cute!

Made with cherry blossom only found on Jeju Island in South Korea, this jelly cream is easily absorbed into the skin and leaves it soft, dewy, and glowy. Locking in moisture and calming irritated skin. Plus as it is gel-like, a little goes a long way!

For a period of time, I tried using it after the Beauty of Joseon’s Glow Serum but I found that together they clashed badly, so now I alternate them and I found that they work better apart. I’ll use it after toner and depending on the day use one or two layers.

My only downside is that the I have to dip my finger in the bottle each time and that it costs $32 at Sephora.

Aveeno Daily Face Moisturizer with 15 SPF

I have conflicted feelings about this drugstore inexpensive product.

At first, I loved it, it left my skin extremely hydrated without feeling too heavy and left it feeling smooth while giving some SPF protection. However, I soon found out that it might have been too moisturizing for me as I started noticing milia, and white bumps under my eyes.

Freaking out because they were so noticeable, I immediately cut back on all moisturizing products and started using the little Vichy Mineral 89 I had left. Slowly I began to notice that the milia went down and realized it was the Aveeno moisturizer which had been the latest addition to my skin.

I still love how moisturizing it is, especially in these cold winter months, but now I only use it on my forehead, jaw/neck, and decolletage. However, whenever I need a quick one-step skincare routine (such as when I went to winter camp this month or it’s NYE and I was exhausted), I’ll just use the Aveeno moisturizer by itself.

So that’s why I have conflicted feelings, it’s amazing but it was just too much for my skin to use daily. Maybe it will work on someone with less oily skin?

Products I use on a biweekly/monthly basis.

When it comes to masks I’m not one to use them that often. I find it time-consuming, but whenever I need some extra “me time” or want to pamper myself I’ll use one of these two.

Nudeskin Tight + Bright Face Mask*

Like the Neutrogena cleanser, I was gifted this face mask to test for free and while I don’t use it as often I do enjoy it.

It has 10% Mandelic acid and 10% Niacinamide, ingredients that are meant to aid in the restoration and healing of the skin barrier while brightening it in the process.

One of the things I love about it is that a little bit goes a looong way. A pea-sized amount will cover half my face which considering the price is an amazing thing. Once placed on it does feel warm-ish for some reason (like the self-heating mask from Biore) it’s weird but not uncomfortable.

After 10-15 minutes it can be rinsed off and wow, every time it leaves my skin soft and bright. But skin texture wise I just don’t see that much of a difference.

While I do love the end result and the packaging (so simple, so classy), I just find that the price might not be worth it. I love the ingredients but at the same time I feel like my Neutrogena cleanser does the same thing for less. Maybe I’ll start using it more often to see more consistent results. In that case, my review could change anew.

Innisfree My Real Squeeze Green Tea Mask

Like the Innisfree Jeju Jelly Cream, I got this set of 10 face masks at Winners on the same day!

Green tea is a cooling, anti-inflammatory ingredient and honestly, it is more than welcomed in my bathroom cabinet! I enjoyed using this mask on a bi-monthly nature (or less to be honest) and I love how luxurious it makes me feel.

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So those are the skincare products I’m in love with currently. Sure, I’ll get the random breakout and have a pimple in the most noticeable place but it doesn’t happen as often and it’s not all over my face.

If you follow me on Instagram then you know that back in December I finished my university studies (!!!) and I think that no longer worrying about school/exams/essays has also contributed to my clearer skin. ALthough looking for an entry-level job is a whole other stress.

I do worry though that once the weather begins to warm up that my routine might not work anymore, but for now I’ll just enjoy this new chapter of my skin (and life).

Also, if you’ve dealt with acne in your adulthood what products would you consider your holy grail? I’d love to hear from you!