Update of my tried and trues

 

1. Cleanser: No loyal, throw that loyalty out the window. Good Morning Cleanser is sitting in the drawer under the sink and I try every thing else in the sun before going back to it.
2. Toner: Missha Clear Toner. Ugh, still my favorite because of how well it works with SK-II. But I am currently going through a bottle of Hanskin's Real Complexion Hyaluron Skin Essence. Got it from a neighbor who was allergic to it. It's more viscous and sticky, but it works well as a moisturizing toner. Still hoarding a bottle of Clear Toner though because I sadly think it's been discontinued.
3. First Essence: SK-II, which I bought the HUGE SIZE from Sephora with 20% off, and it was still too expensive. Did you know the large size comes in a PLASTIC bottle with a PUMP? Cheapens the feeling of luxury and what I am paying for without that bougie minimalist glass bottle?!
4. Serums, ampoules, etc etc: No loyalties, just whatever under the sun that doesn't give me a reaction.
5. Face Masks: Too much effort, can't be bothered and there is a bucket of unused and years expired sitting in my room that I feel so utterly wasteful about, but I don't want them near my face. Probably at least a hundred dollars down the drain there.
6. Moisturizer: Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream was my holy grail. Then they blew up with their sunscreen and everything else, changed their formula and put it in a plastic container. NO LOYALTY BECAUSE YOUR HEART WILL GET BROKEN. My heart aches at the formula change, the container change, everything change. Using a la clé Moisturizing Cream I picked up in London via TK Maxx. Smells like dupe La Mer, which also did not wow me at that price point. Why do they change things up and hurt us so?
7. Sunscreen: Biore Watery Essence 50 spf is still in my arsenal. It is my tried and true, but I feel like it doesn't protect me as much as I want it to, as I feel I can still burn if I'm not careful about it. Tried the trendy Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Probiotic Rice Sunscreen, which is so utterly remarkable, plus I think I still burn. 

TL;DR: My only steadfast loyalty lies with SK-II, don't you ever change and break my heart (like how Beauty of Joseon Dynasty did and how Clear Toner soon will if it is, indeed, discontinued).

Skincare is the PITS (Part Three, FOUR years later...)

This PITS journey began in April 2019, and little know where I would be now, four years down the line.

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES, as I have yet to really settle down on what works best. A year or so ago, I stumbled across alleyoop's "Slow your roll" stick at my local TJ Maxx. It was small, aesthetically pleasing, and promises to minimize hair there, too! Granted, I laser'd most of my hair away, so that isn't what drew me in. It worked, fabulously, and then...a fourth into the stick, my pits became darkened and painful to the touch. It was not for me, sadface all around. The smell came back, at least, I knew my smell came back. 

So I found another option, acne body wash, 10% benzoyl peroxide, PanOxyl. I apply that to my pits when I shower, and often to the soles of my feet as well. Then, I also got a hand me down of The Ordinary's Glycolic Acid 7% every now and then after a shower as well. Honestly, I still wear hippie non-aluminum deodorant, just because I feel like I should. Does this combo work? Yes? So far I feel as if it does. I don't smell myself nearly as badly as I once have, and I recently started going to the gym and sweating my ass off three times a week. Do I reek like I once felt I did? Nope.

So, it hasn't been long, and I wonder if I'm going to get dark hurty pits again, but so far, more promising than any one magic deodorant. Still haven't tried Lume, but now they are sold via Target, so I am not worried about accessibility.  Got a few more alternatives to go through before I try Lume out though--great deals when Harmon's closed, and sadly, liquidation sales are great, but you end up with a lot of things you didn't need just because they were so cheap, only to have trouble finding them again or not wanting to pay full price.

No deodorant can keep my loyalty, I don't even look twice at Native, I think they're a waste of money now since they do not work, only cover up, and I believe I also had a reaction to them. How many sticks of deodorant I have gone through. But there is one staple that I just bought my third stick of--A La Maison's deodorant stick. Not really odor preventing, but so far, I can use them without any irritation--which I cannot say, sadly, for any other deodorant I've used. Compared to my research from back then, I actually have acquired Type-A and am currently using (which is exactly as I thought it would be, and is unremarkable), and two sticks of Myro (which I haven't used yet), and another brand that comes in a cardboard dispenser--all at a steep Harmon's discount. 

Where will my PITS journey venture next?