Holy Grail Products 2021
Hey guys!!! :)
So today I'm going to be talking about my holy grail products in order of application: cleanser, toner, exfoliant, serum and moisturiser. It's taken a lot of trial and error but I'm gradually starting to find products that are super effective for my skin and I enjoy using. I'm the kind of skincare enthusiast that likes to have products that not only work well but feel nice on the skin as well! For example, I love the texture of the iUnik Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum as it's a medium weight consistency that has a slight viscosity to it which spreads nicely over the skin. I live for the sensorial experience of applying my skincare and having a product that's not only effective but feels nice on the skin and is cosmetically elegant too. That for me is what skincare is all about and I will happily admit to being a skincare addict who loves nice textures, smells and packaging :P I'm going to be going through the products pictured above from left to right and explaining why they've made it into Holy Grail Status, as well as if I've repurchased them and how long I've been using the product for. So let's jump right in...!
Used for: 8 months
Rating: 9/10
Why I love it: I started using this in place of my Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser in the PM as I felt like I needed a deeper cleanse that would unclog my pores. I tried this for a week and noticed that it left a clean feeling without stripping my skin of moisture. It has a lovely foamy lather that spreads well over the skin. It makes my skin feel super soft and the following morning my skin won't be oily at all. It's also moisturising enough to be used with ingredients such as witch hazel, AHA/BHA and Vitamin C. I've even bought a 400ml bottle of it with a pump, which should last me ages! Especially as I've been using the 200ml tube for 8 months and still have under half of the product left!
2) Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner (repurchased x1- Fragrance Free Version)
Used for: 6.5 months
Rating: 9/10
Why I love it: I purchased this product after seeing a review for it on the Beauty Within YouTube channel. Felicia (one of the hosts) always raves about how good it is for her oily/acne prone skin. So I bought it off Stylevana and started using it in the PM as it's got hyaluronic acid which is super hydrating. One layer is enough to quench my skin and I find that it's the perfect base for applying serums as they absorb a lot quicker. It has Ultra Deep Technology which means that the hyaluronic acid can penetrate more easily through the different layers of the skin. This means that hydration is delivered a lot deeper into the skin and can be retained for a lot longer. I find this toner to be really refreshing and I don't even mind the natural lavender scent which is perfect for the evening. I've since bought the Fragrance Free version, however I have no issues with the original version which has lavender oil at the bottom of the ingredient list.
3) Pixi Glow Tonic (repurchased x1 but gave it to charity)
Used for: 2 years (on and off)
Rating: 10/10
Why I love it: I bought the 100ml bottle on offer in Boots 2 years ago and tried it out, however it made my skin go really red so I stopped using it. At the time I didn't know very much about AHA's and chemical exfoliants, so I didn't know how to properly introduce it into my routine. Due to the irritation I was too scared to use it again until about a year ago, when we came out of lockdown. I did some research first and found that the best way to use chemical exfoliants is to gradually introduce them in order to build your skin's tolerance. After awhile the Glow Tonic stopped irritating my skin and I started seeing some results. Even at 5% I find this glycolic acid toner to be very effective. After a month of use my skin was clearer and my breakouts were less frequent. I recently finished the 100ml bottle but I still have other chemical exfoliants to try so I'm going to finish those first before I purchase another bottle of the Glow Tonic.
4) Purito Centella Unscented Serum (repurchased x2)
Used for: 7.5 months
Rating: 8/10
Why I love it: I started using this in December 2020 for a week, however I'd recently damaged my skin barrier and it was too much niacinamide on top of TO Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% so I stopped. I started reusing it in February this year after I finished TO Niacinamide. This has a very light gel texture that turns into water on the skin and is very hydrating. The centella in this serum makes it really calming and soothing, which helps with inflammation and wound healing. It also has 3% niacinamide to help with oil control and strengthening the skin barrier. The formula also contains ceramides and peptides which are good for the skin barrier and anti-aging. I must admit that whilst the consistency of this serum isn't my favourite, the results that I get are well worth the compromise! This is the best centella and niacinamide product I've tried so I will keep using it until I find something better.
5) TO Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA (repurchased x3)
Used for: 6 months
Rating: 10/10
Why I love it: I started using this because I wanted a product that would help to fade my hyperpigmentation. I'd previously been using Vitamin C and glycolic acid for this purpose but wasn't noticing much of a difference in the appearance of my acne scars. I'd heard on YouTube and through research that alpha arbutin is one of the best skincare ingredients for fading PIH, so I bought the 30ml bottle from Amazon for £10. After only a couple of weeks I noticed that my blemishes were clearing up quicker and healing faster than they had previously. I've been using this serum every evening and have even bought the 60ml bottle which I'm so glad I found! I also recently bought 2 more bottles from the Deciem website (The Ordinary) for £13.30 each, which is really affordable for a 60ml bottle of serum! Love love love!
6) Neutrogena Hydro Boost Sleeping Cream (repurchased x3)
Used for: 1 year and 4 months (roughly)
Rating: 10/10
Why I love it: I found this on offer in Boots and it was the first time I had seen this particular Hydro Boost product. I'd previously been using the Water Gel in the same range however it was too lightweight for the evening. When I tried this I loved the thick yet lightweight consistency as well as how luxurious and velvety it felt. It melts into my skin effortlessly and instantly fills my skin with moisture. It's rich yet not too heavy for my oily skin and has a nice occlusive feel to it, which helps to lock in all of my other products. I've repurchased this 3 times and plan to keep buying it for as long as it works for my skin. Holy Grail Status for sure!!!
I hope you enjoyed finding out what my holy grail products are which I've been using and repurchasing this year. There are a couple that I might take out of my routine or change, such as the Pixi Glow Tonic and Purito Centella Unscented Serum. I'm not sure if I need both centella and propolis in my routine as they have similar properties. Also I prefer the texture of the iUnik Propolis Vitamin Synergy Serum as it's slightly thicker and feels nicer to apply. I definitely think the propolis serum is in the running for my next Holy Grail product! [Watch this space!] I was wondering whether to switch out the Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner for a lighter one as the weather gets warmer, however I've been using it since February this year and it seems to have suited my skin fine during the summer. However I still have 2 more toners to try out and another bottle of the Benton Deep Green Tea Toner (another potential Holy Grail). I'm very tempted to buy another bottle but I also have the Fragrance Free Version to try so I might hold off for now.
I'd love to know your Holy Grail products, so please feel free to leave a comment below and tell me why you love them so much!
Who Cares, We Care, Skincare :)
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