Hotandflashy

I just watched an empties video of this skinfluencer Caroline Hirons and she’s showing over two years of empties and she had like four measly 1.5oz bottles of sunscreen. After two years. These 1.5 oz bottles should only last like 1-3 weeks if used properly.
I see actual dermatologists on YouTube with melanated skin claim things like “this 50% zinc oxide paste is COMPLETELY sheer” and then they apply a pea size of product to their face, neck, and chest. Like, no shit it’s sheer!
This bugs me because these are the people that the general population takes advice and guidance from when they don’t have access to a professional.
The best influencers I’ve seen in regards to spf, the ones who don’t spew untruths, fearmonger ingredients, and who use the proper amount of sunscreen are:
Dr. Dray, Glow by Ramon, hotandflashy, labmuffin, Chavy chiang, and Benenon.
If you know of any good spf content creators, I’d love to hear because the truth is spf is disgusting, heavy, and greasy. We all hate it. We do it because we have to. Yet the people that tell us to don’t do it properly themselves.
Sorry, I just had to rant.
EDIT: Just to clarify, I totally don’t care what people do. I was referring to doctors mostly and professionals with followings. They’re being paid for their skincare advice so it would be good to have an honest representation of sunscreen usage.
I have nothing against CH, her video just got me thinking.
Lastly, I use La Roche Posay invisible fluide (EU version) and love it, if you need a recommendation. It’s not too greasy and has some of the best protection on the market so you can cough cough get away with applying less. Water resistant. No eye burn. Not crazy expensive. Very high alcohol content.
EDIT 2: Forgot to mention, the proper amount is 2mg/sq cm. It’s roughly 1/4 tsp for face, 1/4 tsp for neck. It’s a lot but that’s about how you get the protection on the bottle.

I heard that retinol can damage your eyes permanently if you do it wrong so i apply my retinol like this https://www.hotandflashy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Retin-A-Face-Map.png like 10 mins after using moisturizer.

I heard that retinol can damage your eyes permanently if you do it wrong so i apply my retinol like this https://www.hotandflashy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Retin-A-Face-Map.png like 10 mins after using moisturizer.

What are your experiences with these masks, that have lately been a hot topic all around the skincare community? Has anyone experienced any eye issues with these masks? Have you noticed decent skin benefits?
I've been using for a couple of weeks Currentbody SKin led light therapy mask and had to return the product due to some vision changes in my eyes while and shortly after using it. Quite a bummer as I did start noticing very slight changes in the texture of the skin and color as if the skin was looked more rested.
But my vision would turn blueish in colors. Upon looking at it further I was quite shocked that they allow these masks to virtually sit on the face with no eye protection, in many videos many of these LED masks manufacturers don't even show the mask correctly on the face, and the people modeling the mask don't even have the mask aligned correctly on the face, sometimes virtually having lights shining right into the retina. However, I looked up and found some studies suggesting that short exposures to a red light and near-infrared have been also studied as beneficial for the eyes. So it is a bit of a strange thing and I'm baffled whether I should continue it or not.
Would love to hear what your experiences are. Led face masks are getting incredibly popular everywhere on youtube with Angie (hotandflashy), Wayne Goss, Gothamista, and others regularly using them but kind of not analyzing what it can do to the eyes. And these home devices are definitely not long enough on the market.

Started in November 2019 on 0.04 gel. Just moved up to .1 gel. Thought it was fully in my head but then I also noticed it with Ang from Hot and Flashy...? Ang’s comparison photos

Yes, I'm aware it's been a while... I'm back! Quarantine-style, so expect this series to ebb and flow. Happy to see y'all again 😊
A lil segment sharing any recent discoveries on skincare from the internetz.

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In no particular order:

• Mega Review of all the AB products I purchased in the last 6 months by u/emma_irene [text]
• How do cosmetics impact the environment? By Beauty Brains [audio + text transcript]
• How K-Pop Idol Contact Lenses Are Made by Tina Yong [video]. Super cool to see the manufacturing facilities of colour contact lenses!
• Instagram VS Reality 3 - Beauty Guru / Influencer Lies And Editing / Facetune Fails by James Welsh [video]
• [Misc] Why Retinol % can be misleading by u/Peter_789 [text]
• Peptides in skin care – episode 208 by The Beauty Brains [audio + text transcript]
• Is bakuchiol safe during pregnancy? by The Beauty Brains [audio + text transcript]
• Sephora Spring Savings Event Recommendations 2020 by Gothamista [video]
• Testing 12 Mineral Sunscreens for Face! Best & Worst 2020 by HotandFlashy [video]
• The BEST Face Sunscreens for this Summer! By Hyram [video]
• The Inkey List - The Best And The Worst Products! By James Welsh [video]
• The Ordinary vs The Inkey List: Which Is BEST? By Hyram [video]
• ✨Skincare empties and current faves April 2020 by Liah Yoo [video]
• Busting Retinoid Skincare Myths by Lab Muffin Beauty Science [video]
• [Discussion] How, if at all, do you adapt your routine during your monthly cycle? By u/Fancy-Comment [text]
• What are some of the unconventional parts of your skincare routine that are not widely used? By u/marshmallowandjam [text]
• List of Panthenol Products - Western Version (Fragrance-Free) by u/feathereddinos [text]
• What's your favourite unpopular product? By u/viriiu [text]
• Shiseido Senka Mineral Water UV Essence (bizarrely dubbed by English bloggers as "Senka Aging Care UV Sunscreen") is discontinued as of 2020 by RatzillaCosme [text]. One of my personal favs too, oh nooooo
• Best Pick: NIOD Survival 0 by RatzillaCosme [text]
• Guide to the New Japanese Sunscreen Releases of 2020 by RatzillaCosme [text]. The most popular JP sunscreens of this year, going by Ratzilla’s website’s statistics. Sorted by texture-type and an explanation of how that texture is meant to be used (which is great since JP product textures can be very confusing.)
• "There is no standardised test method or regulations in Japan for evaluating sunscreen's water resistance. It's self-regulated.” By RatzillaCosme [text]
• "The entire Japanese #SkinAqua sunscreen line by Rohto has been revamped for 2020. New formulas and/or packaging.” By RatzillaCosme [text]
• [Misc] Rambling about UPF. By u/flappytabbycats [text]. What is UPF, how does it relate to SPF, and how to incorporate it.
• [Misc] Holy Grail Products & Ingredients - Week 3: Sunscreens [text]
• [Misc] Holy Grail Products & Ingredients - Week 15: Retinoids [text]
• [Review] Super (mostly) European sunscreen review! 🙂 by u/inilotrob. [image + text]
• [Sun care] Europeans! What suncream do you use for your face? By u/monnaamis [text]
• [Misc] A reminder to not get too caught up with skincare by u/howyouspeak [text]
• [Misc] Some thoughts on sheet masks. By u/flappytabbycats [text]. Thoughts on the waste and the hygiene of sheet masks.
• [Misc] Repurposing empty The Ordinary bottles! By u/xhayleighhh [image]. A cute way to waste less.
• [PSA] Former Sephora employee writes scathing editorial in New York Times by u/Cecelia_Bedelia [text]
• [Skin Concerns] Skincare in the Time of Coronavirus: tips for face and hand care (acne, irritation, dryness) by u/scumteam14 [text]
• Purito Scented vs Unscented SPF UV Camera Comparison by amyvancheese [images + text]. While they performed similarly, they’re not exactly the same.

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If you have any suggestions or your own finds, feel free to post them!

What are your favorite skincare channels on YouTube? I follow dr dray, penn Smith, and HotandFlashy but curious if there are any better ones out there!

I don't think we can post links to youtube but I enjoy this creator's content. I have had to revisit meno info as I have a) forgotten with fog brain, b)stopped takig hormones and symptoms have crept back mostly severe exhaustion, taken last 3 days off work
Just watched the one called:
I Stopped Taking HRT (Hormone Replacement)... Here's What Happened!
She has a playlist called menopause with 5 videos. She also refers to menopause Taylor or Barbie for info. This woman is a doctor and does have a huge amount of content on youtube but I can find them difficult to watch due to delivery

A lil segment sharing any recent discoveries on skincare from the internetz.

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In no particular order:

• [2019 NO.1 SUNSCREEN] SUNSCREEN FOR EACH SKIN TYPE by DIRECTOR PI [video + text (subtitles)]. She is a very thorough reviewer of ingredients and is back with her top list. She finds the top Korean sunscreens in each category, like if it works well with makeup and compares similar sunscreens head-to-head.
• How are skin cells made? by Stratia [image + text]
• Everything You NEED To Know About Ceramides! By Dr Sam Bunting [video]
• Dr Sam Bunting (a practising dermatologist)’s Retinoid series:
  • My Top Ten Tips For Starting A Retinoid [video]
  • Starting A Retinoid - The First 6 Weeks [video]
  • Starting a Retinoid - The 2nd Skin Cycle [video]
  • Starting a Retinoid - The 3rd Skin Cycle [video]
• HOW TO KNOW SKIN TYPE by Director Pi [video + text (subtitles)]. She uses a skin analyser to look at different people of different ages, skin types and skin conditions to determine if their actual skin type aligns with what they think their skin type is and if the products they’re using is helping. Pretty interesting as I recently had my own skin analysed too.
• HOW TO APPLY&CLEANSE LIP TINTS CORRECTLY by Director Pi [video + text (subtitles)]. Types of lip products, some lip care.
• EYE CREAMS How to choose by Dr Davin Lim [video]. Looks at ingredients to look for in eye creams and rating an eye cream on how good it is.
• Skincare Chat & Tips with Alicia Yoon by Gothamista [video]
• BEST SUN STICK SUN STICK FOR OILY, DRY, and SENSITIVE SKIN by Director Pi [video + text (subtitles)]. A look at the best 31 Korean sun sticks of 2018 with a UV camera, looking into categories like ingredients, water-resistance, whether it stings eyes. Her top picks start at 15:29.
• SUNSCREENS I USED UP OVER SUMMER 2019 by Dr Dray [video]
• Evening Anti-Aging Skincare Routine! By HotandFlashy [video]
• The Ordinary L-ascorbic acid powder⎟ Don't buy it ! 😬 by Cyrille Laurent [video]. Looks into why Vit C powders may not be the best.
• Acne Scars vs Acne Marks A Guide To The Different Causes & Treatment Options by Science Becomes Her [text + infographics]. A detailed technical/scientific look into acne scarring and marks including its formation, numerous treatments (lasering, IPL, radio frequency, micro needling, acids). If it’s too long and/or technical for your liking, there are numerous infographics that simplify the information and a summary at the end of the article.
• Should I Wear Sunscreen Indoors? By Science Becomes Her [text]. Looks at UV protection behind windows, blue light and levels of protection from all of the above.
• Science Becomes Her’s sunscreen series:
  • The Importance Of Sunscreen: Scientific Sunscreen Guide Part I [text]. Looks into how melanin and DNA are affected by UV, skin ageing, and sunscreen filters. Summary is at the bottom.
  • How Is Sunscreen Tested? SPF vs UVA-PF: Scientific Sunscreen Guide Part II [text]. Examines UVA protection measurements (IPD, PPD and UVA-PF) and different UVA certifications around the world.
  • The Best Sunscreens With High UVA Protection: Scientific Sunscreen Guide Part III [text]. A summary of the first two posts along with products with high Boots and SPF ratings. Sunscreens are UK-based, and don’t have personal reviews.
• How Long Does It Take For Skin Care Ingredients To Work? By Science Becomes Her [text]
• BASAL CELL SKIN CANCER: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW by Dr Dray [video]
• Mythbusting: Chemical sunscreens need to be applied before moisturiser to work by Lab Muffin [text + text in caption]
• Stratia has a Learn section on their website with blog posts with research [text + images]
• [PSA] If someone is happy with their skincare routine and are having good results, giving unsolicited advice that they should change their routine to follow traditional "skincare rules" is unhelpful and is almost always based in misinformation by u/RoystenMantis [text]
• Interview with Laura Markley about plastic waste in personal care by Eco Well [audio]. I want to highlight that while there’s been development in more biodegradable materials (which actually may not be more sustainable and biodegradable), that the waste systems have not been updated to keep up with those developments and most cosmetics packaging becomes waste. Reduce, reuse, and recycle, in that order.
• Vitamin C in Skincare A Biochemist Perspective by Kenna [video]. Interesting to get a formulator’s perspective on the ingredient.

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If you have any suggestions or your own finds, feel free to post them!

Hello all! So I was answering a question on AsianBeauty, but I thought maybe it will help some other people out who is dealing with dehydrated skin.
Several years ago, I was a dumbass and used vitamin c crystals and mixed with water and used that for my "vitamin c serum" and completely overexfoliated my skin/got a chemical burn basically. And before and after that too, I thought exfoliating more was better (using AHA/glycolic acid/lactic acid), and did that everyday, which caused my skin barrier to get reck'd.
It took me a good yeayear-and-a-half to fix my skin. This is what worked for me personally:
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So what I do is use a very gentle, non-foaming cleanser (I use LRP Gentle Hydrating) and while my face is still wet, put on all my hydrating toners and serums. Then go into lotions and creams RIGHT AWAY. Putting on occlusives right away after you wash and put on humectants is super important. Otherwise they can actually dry your skin out more.
When my skin was SO full of pain, from extremely dry, tight skin and irritated acne-like cysts everywhere, the only thing that didn’t hurt like a mf was Vanicream. It took me hundreds of dollars and tons of trial and error and babying my skin to get it back to normal. Now I can use AHA, azelaic acid, vitamin c, and even tretinoin and hydroquinone without a problem!!!
No one or two products fixed my dehydrated skin. It took a TON of research over the years learning which ingredients were the most healing, moisturizing, how they work, etc.. And an entire routine around hydrating and moisturizing as much as possible.
I always make sure to include ingredients like: panthenol (derivative of vitamin b5), allantoin, urea (a HUGE factor in getting my skin back to normal), hualuronic acid, glycerin, aloe, colloidal oatmeal, ceramides (important!!!), niacinamide (especially useful for brightening and healing your skin), petroleum (studies show that there is NOTHING out there that reduces transepidermal water loss like petroleum can. I tried to be all ~natural is better~ for a while, but realized it wasn't doing anything to help fix my skin), etc.
And not just adding these helped fix my skin, but leaving things out was a YUGE step in finally letting my skin heal. I avoid these like the plague: fragrance, natural (essential oils) or synthetic, alcohol anywhere other than sunscreen, sodium lauryl sulfate (sodium LAURETH sulfate is the gentler one, but I avoid that for my face too anyways. Surfectants can be aided to be milder by adding cocamidopropyl betaine), LAY OFF all acids until my skin could handle them (interestingly enough, vitamin c serum actually helped my skin hold more water instead of hurting me), and things that I know irritate my skin.
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Things that were/are biggest contributors of keeping my skin moist and hydrated, in no particular order:
Thayers Unscented Alcohol-Free Witch Hazel - the first thing that goes on my skin after washing. It's just water, aloe, glycerin and witch hazel. It's so simple but idk why my skin likes it so much, lol. It's HG for me.
Hadalabo Premium Lotion - HG, must have. Hyaluronic acids, urea, algae. This is my one non-negotiable skin care item.
Aveeno Eczema Therapy Cream - Super moisturizing. Colloidal oatmeal, glycerin, panthenol, petrolatum, a ceramide, dimethicone. (People demonize silicones, but they are not bad ingredients. They are actually really helpful in keeping in moisture, providing slip, and smooth feel for skin and hair. And no, they don't prevent other things from reaching the skin. More on silicones.) And Aveeno Eczema Therapy Night Time Balm for something heavier but has same ingredients. You can use both.
And of course, CeraVe Moisturizing Cream - ceramides, cholesterol, must have skin-identical lipids that dehydrated skin lacks, hyaluronic acid, petrolatum, dimethicone. This by itself didn't help a whole lot, but with an army of all the different gentle, soothing things, it helped tremendously. There are lots of other "golden ratio"/fragrance-free ceramide stuff out there, CeraVe isn't the only one. Some of them are: Stratia Liquid Gold, Meishoku CeraColla gel (they have toners as well), Superdrug Hydrating Serum, Curel Fragrance-Free lotions, Ziaja Med Atopic Dermatitis Regenerating Face Cream, among many others.
CeraVe PM- same as the cream, but much, much lighter and has 4% niacinamide I believe. Niacinamide has been key to helping my dry-ass skin. It does SO many things. Heals and mends, fades spots,etc. etc. I DIY 6% niacinamide and 5% n-acetyl glucosamine to boost the niacinamide even further. (Commercial version Skinlex 10% Niacinamide Serum) But you can find this ingredient in loads of Asian Beauty things and Olay products. Make sure the Olay stuff is fragrance-free if you get them. I like the Olay Anti-Aging Face Cream a lot. It really helps refine texture, as well. You can use the CeraVe moisturizing lotion if you for some reason can't tolerate niacinamide, but want something lighter than the cream. Really, any one of CeraVe products is good, they have loads.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment - SLUG LIFE is a MUST if you have dehydrated skin. You can use Cerave healing ointment too, but it's redundant if you use the cream or lotion. It's not as occlusive as aquaphor. Aquaphor isn't just a more pricier Vaseline as people suggest. It does have white petrolatum that is oh-so helpful, it also has healing ingredients like panthenol and bisobolol, and also lanolin alcohol and glycerin for humectants.
If you wanna go a step further and go super saiyan, and you aren't sensitive to lanolin, you can use Lasinoh Lanolin before or after Aquaphor. I can't stand the smell of lanolin, but this one is medical-grade and doesn't have a smell. Lanolin is SUPER helpful because of it's crazy humectant properties but it also acts as an occlusive.
For just uber Panthenol healing, you can get something that stars it as the main star ingredient, like DML Forte Cream or Timeless Skin Care Vitamin B5 Serum. I don't use the cream anymore, but I do still use the serum. It looks expensive, but if you get the refill sale, it's about $7/oz (this is the price for me in the U.S.). I HIGHLY recommend their vitamin c, e, ferulic acid serum as well when your skin can handle it. It works out to about $8 an ounce if you get it during refill sale. It stays good for a while in the fridge. I wrap it in foil to keep more light out and transfer some to a 1 oz dropper bottle for using it in my bathroom. It gives glow to your skin like NOTHING ELSE, and boosts your sunscreen (the antioxidants slow the degradation of sunscreen ingredients) and has helped me with water retention. If you can't get it on refill sale, use the HotandFlashy (I also recommend her Youtube channel) code hf5off to get $5 off. It's a forever coupon code.
Urea is SO, SO, SO helpful for healing dehydrated skin. It's an amazing humectant but also a mild exfoliator if you have a high enough %. Eucerin 5% Urea Face Cream is awesome for this. I don't use that anymore simply because it's more of a hassle to get (not available in the U.S.). My skin looks AMAZING with the TriDerma MD Eczema Fast Healing Cream used as a sleeping pack. It's full of skin-healing goodies, like urea (of course), 1.5% Colloidal Oatmeal, aloe, allantoin, arnica extract (a flower thingy that helps heal wounds), beeswax (beeswax and lecithin have great skin-identical components much like ceramides), shea butter, zinc and sodium PCA, and squalane.
Squalane is another skin-identical ingredient that you can incorporate into your skin care. I use this one for now, but you can also get the oil at gardenofwisdom.com or lotioncrafter.com. The GoW one is a little bit more thinner more astringent-feeling to me for some reason than Timeless's.
And while you're at it, mix in some other healing oils that help heal skin. Linoleic acid is very important in skin health and wound healing. Oils that tend to be high in these go off faster, however. So you may want to keep them in the fridge. Add in 1% mixed tocopherols (vitamin e) to extend the shelf life of your oils. I like hemp seed, wheatgerm, chamomile/calendula, rosehip oils (can aggravate acne if you're acne-prone). My choice of oils for my facial oil serum: 50% borage seed oil (the best healing), 29% squalane oil, 10% seabuck thorn BERRY oil (very different fatty acid profile to the seed oil), and 10% pomegranate (filled with antioxidants), 1% mixed tocopherols.
Something that really helps is layering a ton of humectants/watery steps in my routine. You can experiment with this, but right now I'm using the Thayers witch hazel, my vitamin c serum, timeless vitamin b5 serum, innisfree aloe gel (unscented, aloe, centella stuff), CosRX Snail, and Hadalabo Premium. I plan to get Pyunkang Yul Essence Toner (way cheaper on eBay- like ~$12).
You don't need a shit load of expensive things to heal dehydrated skin. In fact, a lot of the expensive stuff I see are filled with tons of unnecessary, possibly skin irritating plant extracts and essential oils, super fragranced. Many people go, oh it's fine bc it doesn't irritate my skin, but it's not just "I'm sensitive to this" vs "I'm not". It's likely that you can develop an allergy or sensitivity to a certain ingredient the longer you use it. Like how some people develop sensitivity to latex after using eyelash glue with it in it for a while, or people developing sensitivity with lavender after prolonged exposure to the essential oil or something.
Anyway, I hope that was helpful to anyone out there who struggled like I did.
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Note: Also, I realized throughout my journey and research, a lot of things that look like "break outs", pimples, acne, aren't actually acne. Yeah, you can have acne due to bacteria or fungus or whatever else, but the stuff I'm talking about isn't really acne. Inflammation doesn't just manifest as rashes and thelike. A lot of things that look like acne are actually your skin saying "no, this is irritating! Get it off me!", like after you try a new thing for example. But that doesn't mean it will irritate it forever. You can use things that used to irritate your skin after your barrier heals. But some things you may be sensitive to forever..
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EDITED TO ADD 06/26/2019: AMINO ACIDS are also very important! They make up 40% of our stratum corneum (according to Susan from swiftcraftymoney)! If you want to fix your barrier, you want ingredients like amino acids, sodium PCA, sodium lactate, urea, and sugars like glycerin, fructose, what-have-you! For fatty acids, you want things like linoleic acids, oleic acids, and linolenic acids. Beeswax, lecithin, and lanolin are all great for rebuilding your barrier.
I have not tried this, but The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA is a really good product with all of these NMFs. A pricy one is Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex (the serum, the moisturizer is okay too, but the serum has a lot more skin rebuilding goodies).

(not sure if this is the right tag to post it under) Y'all I just found this youtuber who does a yearly sunscreen review and I'm in love. She tests them really well and it's super informative in how they wear, feel, and look. The youtuber is HotandFlashy and I'll leave the links to the past two years of her sunscreen reviews :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jITtkUBXGk - 2018 review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fugvap8J6EM - 2017
I ordered a new sunscreen because of her lol, gotta be protected :D

In my opinion the only way ascorbic acid may potentially work topically is when it's used fresh, and applied at night in the absence of UV exposure. Personally I don't believe in preformulated water based ascorbic acid products. Even when it's fresh the amount of studies that prove that vitamin c really works topically is quite limited. Vitamin c penetrates skin rather poorly. There simply is no standardization to prove the effectiveness of a specific formula, unlike sunscreens and retinoic acid. Shelf life is no indication of the stability of actives and doesn't say anything about it's stability on skin. Ascorbic acid is simply notoriously unstable, it's more likely to degrade on skin and be irritating. From all the research available today, the best efficient way to get ascorbic acid in skin is to just take it orally.
Beneficial actives in bold, potential irritants in italic/stripethrough
Water based products: below pH3.5 the ionic charge of AA is removed (ref), improving skin penetration and stability, but water based products remain extremely unstable (ref,ref), most companies don't store their product in fridges in warehouses, it isn't unlikely products are severely oxidized by the time they arrive at your home

• €18/50mL - Skinlex 20%
  
  • pH: 3-3.3
  • Pros: simple irritant free formula, right pH, pump is convenient compared to pipet, light serum, inexpensive
  • Cons: pump is not airless, concentration other actives unknown, instability, the look and feel of website and adress of company make me doubt if it's really formulated by a well educated cosmetic chemist
  • INCI: Water, 20% L-Ascorbic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, Ferulic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Triethanolamine, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol.
• €28/50mL - SkinPep C15
  
  • pH: 4.3
  • Pros: Great blend of actives, light serum, shared concentrations
  • Cons: pH is too high, dropper, instability, incorrect ingredient order (Propylene Glycol)
  • INCI: Aqua, 15% l- Ascorbic Acid, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-3, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, 1% Alpha Tocopherol, 0.5% Ferulic Acid, Glycerin , Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, 2% Propylene Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Laureth-23
• €34/50mL -Wishtrend 21.5 Advanced Serum
  
  • pH: unknown
  • Pros: Simple irritant free formula
  • Cons: concentration is a bit high, dropper bottle, lack of stabilizers, not many actives
  • INCI: Hippophae Rhamnoides Water (70%), Ascorbic Acid (21.5%), Sodium Lactate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Cassia Obtusifolia Seed Extract, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Ethyl Hexanediol
• €41.60/50mL - SkinActives 15%
  
  • pH: 1.5-2.5
  • Pros: Airless pump!, great blend of actives, not very expensive, no propylene glycol, ph is low enough for penetration, skinactives is busy with a reformulation without the citrus extracts.
  • Cons: ph is irritating, according skinactives not suited for daily use, lack of stabilizers like water reducing agents, recrystalizes quickly. Concentration other actives unknown, probably low because the ingredients in the mix are very red/brown.
  • INCI: Water, 15% Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Ferulic Acid, Alpha-D-Tocopherol, Phloretin, Sodium Hyaluronate, ([mix] Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Seed Oil, Tocotrienols, Tocopherols, Astaxanthin, Lycopene, Xanthophyll, R-Alpha Lipoic Acid, Beta-Carotene [mix]), Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Juice Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Juice Extract , Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol (and) Caprylyl Glycol (and) Sorbic Acid.
• €56.67/50mL - Timeless 20%
  
  • pH: 2.4
  • Pros: right stabilizers for water based product, great dupe for skinceuticals, hotandflashy found it be reasonable stable
  • Cons: low pH can be irritating, irritating concentration Propylene Glycol, dropper bottle, fragrance benzyl alcohol, instability
  • INCI: Water, Ethoxydiglycol, 20% L-Ascorbic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Alpha Tocopherol, Polysorbate 80, Panthenol, Ferulic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Benzylalcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid.
• €65/50mL - Cosmetic Skin Solutions Vitamin C+E
  
  • pH: 2.5
  • Pros: quite similar to timeless and skinceuticals, good actives with percentages
  • Cons: dropper, irritating concentration propylene glycol, irritating pH, instability, Timeless is winner considering price and active ingredients
  • INCI: Water, 15% Ascorbic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Butylene Glycol, Laureth-23, Zinc Sulfate, Glycerol, 1% Alpha Tocopherol, Triethanolamine, 0.5% Ferulic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, D-Panthenol, Hyaluronic Acid.
• €93.75/50mL - Clinique 10% Freshly Pressed
  
  • pH: unknown
  • Pros: mild concentration, not premixed, okay pump bottle
  • Cons: not airless, pH unknown, mainly peptides, but not many well researched antioxidants like vit E, ferulic acid etc, packaging is not environment friendly, instability
  • INCI: Water, 10% Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Acetyl Glucosamine, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Hordeum Vulgare (Barley) Extract\Extrait D'Orge, Morus Nigra (Mulberry) Root Extract, Molasses Extract\Saccharum Officinarum\Extrait De Melasse,Laminaria Digitata Extract , Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract , Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 , Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract , Algae Extract , Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 , Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 , Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 , Alcaligenes Polysaccharides , Caffeine , Sucrose , Whey Protein , Betaine , Salicylic Acid , Glycine Soja (Soybean) Protein , Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol , Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Bis-Peg-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate , Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seedcake, Allyl Methacrylates Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Tromethamine , Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate , Peg-8, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Citrate, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol.
• €118/50mL - Drunk Elephant C-firma 15%
  
  • pH: 3.3
  • Pros: Airless pump!, good actives, right pH
  • Cons: expensive, is already gold when you buy it making it hard to monitor degradation, feels bit oily. Concentration other actives unknown.
  • INCI: Water, Ethoxydiglycol, 15% Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Laureth-23, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Ferulic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Juice Extract, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Tocopherol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Acetyl Glucosamine, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Glycine, Sucrose, Maltodextrin, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan gum, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 60.
• €132.50/50mL - Paula's Choice C15
  
  • pH: 3.0
  • Pros: right pH, good actives, no irritants
  • Cons: expensive, dropper bottle, claims about air restrictance bottles are a bit nonsense to me, instability,
  • INCI:Aqua, 15% Ascorbic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Glycerin, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hexanoyl Dipeptide-3 Norleucine Acetate, Lecithin, Ferulic Acid, Panthenol, Bisabolol , Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Propyl Gallate, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol Ethylhexylglycerin.
• DIY vitamin C formula. I've been debating with myself wether to put this on the good or bad list. In my opinion there are a lot of uncertainties about the stability of diy formulas, especially if you start mixing it through existing products. Even destilled water contains impurities that will react with ascorbic Acid, and many people don't use water reducing agents, or stabilizers like propyl gallate, sodium metabisulfite, chelators etc. A low pH, vitamin E, Ferulic acid help of course, but I don't think many people really understand the exact chemical reactions going on and don't have analyzers like they do in labs, so how certain can you be about your own creation. Most often DIY formulas also just recrystallize on skin. Formulating an ascorbic acid serum really is difficult, it is more than just dissolving some ingredients in water. Dissolving in TO Ferulic Acid will be difficult since maximum solubility in Propanediol is just 5%, in contrast to 33% in water. The key here is to make it fresh every 1-3 days I guess.
  
  • €5.80/20g TO Powder
  • €89 /20mL Philosophy Turbo C booster

 
Anhydrous formulas: best stability, but not much research on penetration

• €9.60/50mL - The Ordinary C23
  
  • Pros: Cheap, anhydrous (stable), together with TO Ferulic+Resveratrol a very affordable good combo
  • Cons: No other actives, no vitamin E, relatively unpleasant texture, stinging, for me too thick/greasy for daytime use. TO Ferulic Acid+Resveratrol contains 94% propanediol, I wonder if that's good for skin, so on the whole I don't feel TO products are well balanced.
  • INCI: 23% Ascorbic Acid, Squalane, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Coconut Alkanes, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glucomannan, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Acrylates/Ethylhexyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Trihydroxystearin, BHT.
• €10.80/50mL - The Ordinary C30
  
  • Pros: Cheap, anhydrous (stable), simple formula, less stinging than C23
  • Cons: No other actives, no vitamin E, texture is a bit too silicony for me, and my skin smells very much like self tanner when I've used this (unstable?).
  • INCI: Dimethicone, 30% Ascorbic Acid, Polysilicone-11, PEG-10 Dimethicone.
• €34/50mL - Indeed Labs C24
  
  • Pros: Anhydrous (stable), simple formula
  • Cons: No other actives, no vitamin E, I doubt ascorbic acid works in such a formula.
  • INCI: DIMETHICONE, 22% ASCORBIC ACID, POLYSILICONE-11, ETHYLHEXYL PALMITATE, PEG-10 DIMETHICONE, SILICA SILYLATE, SILICA DIMETHYL SILYLATE, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, SODIUM HYALURONATE
• €129/50mL - DR. DENNIS GROSS Hydra-Pure Vitamin C
  
  • Pros: Good, airless pump
  • Cons: expensive, some debate about ascorbyl palmitate
  • INCI: Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Ascorbic Acid, Squalane, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate, Arbutin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Quercetin Caprylate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Linoleic Acid, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate, Diacetyl Boldine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Soy Isoflavones, Lactic Acid, Tetrapeptide-21, Panthenol, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract, Bisabolol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Lauryl PEG/PPG-18/18 Methicone, Acrylates/Carbamate Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lecithin, Cyclotrisiloxane, Isostearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Oleate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Pentasodium Pentetate, Phytic Acid, Potassium Citrate, Potassium Gluconate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Water, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Glycolate, Sodium Hydroxide, Alcohol, Methylpropanediol, Polysorbate 80, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate.
• €149/50mL - RESIST 25% Vitamin C
  
  • Pros: anhydrous (stable), better texture than TO
  • Cons: very expensive, unknown if ascorbic works in this formula, no other actives, no vitamin E
  • INCI: Cyclopentasiloxane, Ascorbic Acid, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Polysilicone-11, Dimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate.
• €200/50mL - Skinmedica CE Complex 10%
  
  • Pros: anhydrous (stable), mild formula, airless pump
  • Cons: very expensive, unknown if ascorbic works in this formula, (tetra-c may help penetration though)
  • INCI: Cyclopentasiloxane, 10% Ascorbic Acid, 7% Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Polysilicone-11, Phytantriol, Ethoxydiglycol, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol

 
Products not on the good list:

• €9.10/50mL SRSKinCare 10% - essential oils
  
• €59.80/50mL - Nivea Q10plus C day company won't share pH or concentration data, I've read reviews about product turning brown, not many other beneficial ingredients.
  
• €60/50mL Mario Badescu Vitamin C serum - irritating propylene glycol and lavender oil.
  
• €115/50mL Vichy Liftactive Antioxidant - strangely there are hardly any fragrance free ascorbic acid product from EU companies on the market, really wonder why. This product is loaded with Alcohol denat though.
  
• €203/50mL Medik8 CE-Thione Rechargeable Vitamin 15% C Serum - expensive, fragrances, company doesn't share pH
  
• €223/50mL SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic - in my opinion there are many cheaper alternatives, that probably are even better than this product with propylene glycol.
  

In this video Brianna calls out beauty gurus who obsess over the super hyped YSL All Hours foundation despite its terrible ingredients for the skin. Name drops Casey Holmes and pretty much summarizes Tati's recent skin concerns and blames this foundation. I think it's kind of good to call out these gurus who talk about skin care as if they are an expert on the matter and neglects looking at actual ingredients. Even Hotandflashy loves this stuff so it's kind of surprising.

Skin type: Really oily/acne prone (especially on the cheeks and T-zone). Some dry patches in the winter around the lips/jaws. I think I’m also dehydrated- still not precisely sure what that means, but learned that term very recently on here! Always used face wash/moisturizer twice a day, but now I’m getting more serious about finding the right skin care for me. Went to the dermatologist last year, was on antibiotics for a while, acne has largely cleared up, still get occasional breakouts.
On the hunt for the holy grail sunscreen! I'm an NC30-35 so looking for something that does not leave a white cast on my face, is not greasy, affordable for daily use and give adequate sun protection (want to avoid darkening/wrinkles from the southern sun!). Mostly need an everyday face sunscreen that I can wear when I'm out and about walking to the car and such. Preferably mineral sunscreen- I think I've only tried chemical ones thus far.

• Australian Gold Botanical Tinted Sunscreen SPF 50 (Amazon $13): heard youtuber HotandFlashy rave about it, so I’ve ordered it on Amazon, it should be here soon! Hopefully it'll become my HG everyday face sunscreen!
• Australian Gold Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 (Amazon $8): nice faint chocolate-y coconut-y smell, doesn't make skin greasy. Not good for face however, makes skin feel itchy/heavy/sticky.
• Equate Sport Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 (Walmart $5): remember it feeling greasy/sticky, but I suppose it works well enough? Really thick/greasy feeling on my face.
• Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face & Body Stick Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 70: guess it works, but still quite greasy.
• Coppertone Sport Spray Sunscreen SPF 50/70: I guess it’s okay? Not super greasy
• Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion w/ Sunscreen SPF 15 (12 fl.oz. Walmart $10.47): good for body, not too good for face. Soothing/Matte/dry for the first few hours then floats to the top becoming greasy, shiny, itchy when I used the recommended amount to get the SPF benefits. No strong smell.

A bit of background;
I'm 32, I have dry sensitive skin with chin pimples, blotchy freckles and aging as concerns.
I've read hotandflashy's and fiftyshadesofsnail's guides on using tret with minimal irritation and decided to go the once per week in month 1, twice per week in month 2 and so on route.
I moisturize day and night, use spf50 PA++++ sunscreen everyday.
I had my first application of generic tretinoin creme 0,02% (my gp prescribed it after I consulted with her, she first wanted to start me off on 0,05%) last friday, haven't applied tret again since because I was planning on only applying once a week.
My first side effects happened sunday (minimal flaking) but today (monday) I am experiencing severe burning on my cheeks.
Some of the products in my skincare "routine" that used to be fine on my sensitive skin burn now.
Someone on the AB reddit told me if I got irritation or burning that Aloe Vera gel worked well to soothe her skin.
So I went to buy Aloe Vera gel http://www.hollandandbarrett.nl/shop/product/aloe-pura-aloe-vera-gel-60070392
and a purely physical sunscreen http://www.hollandandbarrett.nl/shop/product/lovea-anti-age-gezichtscreme-spf-50-60007526 and both burned really bad, way worse than any product I already owned.
Luckily I was told by the salesperson at the store that I could return them if I had a reaction to the products.
I tried them an hour after buying them and immediately got an intense burning stinging sensation, so I double cleansed my face and put on a moisturizer plus a sunscreen that I already owned that do sting a little now but nowhere as bad as the products I just tried.
I returned the products and got my money back without a problem.
I searched for "burning" in this reddit, read all of the links that came up and noticed people saying to just use vaseline or a honey mask.
My question is if it would be beneficial to moisturize using coconut oil (the stuff that is solid at room temp)?
Or if you have any other suggestions to calm down the burning?
Might it also be an idea, when I want to apply tret again coming friday, to use half the recommended pea size amount and mix it with a moisturizer to reduce unwanted side effects?
Would that be like using 0,01%?
The weird thing is whilst my cheeks are burning and red, my chin and forehead are calm.
My cheeks are generally more sensitive, and drier than my chin and forehead, but I did not expect to get such a reaction on one part of my face whilst the other parts are chillin like nothing happened.

Hey there! So my mom asked me the other day to do her makeup for her date and I was like okay but I realize I didn't really have much products that worked for more mature skin and I didn't know a lot of techniques. So I went on YouTube to see if there was any guru with mature skin and the only content that I could find with very detailed information and nice quality was from HotandFlashy so I was wondering, could you guys give me suggestions of other gurus with mature skin that are as informative and have good quality for their videos? Thanks

Hey guys! I've been a makeup addict since high school, and I'm now close to 40. I don't see the addiction ever abating, except now I can afford higher end stuff! (Yay) I'll be in my 80s and still playing. :)
I'm finding that the looks that used to work for me ten or even five years ago now sometimes look a bit…garish somehow, and my skin is changing.
To that end, I'm looking for a makeup YouTube channel by a person who's a bit older. Most of the channels out there seem to be by girls who are very young, and I'm not finding their content very relevant to me any more. I still like experimenting, but I'm in need of some new ideas.
What I am NOT looking for is a single makeup tutorial for Women Over 40. Some YouTubers that I like are Wayne Goss, Pixiwoo, and Jackie Aina (I'm not a WOC, but I like her presentation style, and some things cross over). I'm good with a bit of weirdness, swearing, and irreverence, 'cause I'm a bit of a salty broad.
Any suggestions? (Links please)
Edit: Thanks for the suggestions, errybody. TO CLARIFY: I am not looking for a regular channel that has a few videos aimed at women over 40. I'm busy and I don't have time to sift through that. I want a whole CHANNEL with content by, and for, women over 40. I'm liking the suggestions, though. If I find something, I'll update this post.
Edit 2: Jackpot! Shoutout to bewareamascara! Hotandflashy is exactly what I'm looking for! She also has some skincare and lifestyle videos, which I'm into as well. Check her out!

Review & Routine!
[This is just copy pasted from my album so you can read it there!]
No fragrance? Check. No weird orange dye? Check. Not sticky? Check. Colored bottle? Check. Cruelty-free? Check. Vitamin e? Check. Ferulic acid? Check. No oxidizing in a month? Check. Non-drying? Check. Excellent customer service and delivery? Check. The cheapest option available for LAA+vitamin e+ferulic acid I have found? CHECK!
1 fl oz./24.95 (I actually only pay $19.95 using HotandFlashy's coupon code on YouTube.)
Hello~! I've been using this serum for almost 4 months. I went through three (EDIT: I am an idiot, I meant TWO, not three) bottles during that time. One bottle lasts me approximately 7-8 weeks. Closer to 7. So almost 2 months.
Reasons why I started using a vitamin c serum: - to brighten dull, lifeless skin - to get rid of PIH!!!!!1 (main) - to get additional protection from the sun - to get the antioxidant benefit - MOISTURE (though I didn't have high hopes or anything but I read vitamin c helps with this)
Now let me give you a magic carpet ride through this wonderful product. ~~~~~~
For anyone who is curious, this is my routine (for very dry/dehydrated, sensitive skin).
Some mini reviews of asian and non-asian products:
-Secret Key starting treatment essence - has galactomyces and is very thin, watery and vaguely moisturizing. I'm not sure how much this product adds to the "glow" factor, but I was using it before I started my timeless and I don't remember glowing like super. Have heard others get crazy good glow from this though. WNP cuz im lazy.
Kikumasamune high moist lotion - rice ferment, some ceramides, etc. Love the giant bottle. I don't notice the STRONG sake smell people talk about. Maybe because I'm asian and grew up smelling rice ferments, but it's really mild to me. I hardly notice it. This is uber moisturizing, and I'm probably going to use this forever. It's too sticky and "thick" feeling??? on my body to use. HG

• Hadalabo gokujyun moist lotion and premium lotion - My hyaluronic acid fix. I use either, or. The premium one is much thicker and gel-like. I don't have preference for either, but they really pack a punch on my dehydration-prone skin. HG

Cerave PM- 4% niacinamide, ceramides/cholesterol, HA, light-weight, fragrance-free, affordable... what more can you ask for? Cerave in the tub breaks my face out in cystic acne (eVERY TIME) and feels a lot more matte than this. This is my third bottle and I'm never letting go. HG
Eucerin 5% urea face cream- the shining lighthouse when everything else fails. I usually mix a small bit into my cerave pm. This seriously saved my skin when I was in tears because of how much my face was hurting from damaged moisture barrier. However, I can only get it on eBay cuz it's not sold in the U.S. I don't use it everyday. HG
Cerave moisturizing lotion- Holy mother of. HG. I am broke-ass so I needed something to SLATHER on because my vanicream has been too thick and sticky to sleep in, so has vaseline/aquaphor. I looked at my cerave pm and the back of this bottle, and they have the same exact ingredients ?? Except a fatty alcohol at the veeeeeeeeeery end & no niacinamide. But this feels more moisturizing to me than the cream in the tub and the pm. Amazing. I don't need THICK, STICKY occulusives anymore.
Innisfree jeju bija anti-trouble gel - I LOVE THIS. The bottle is pretty and the smell isn't too much/irritate my skin or nose. It's a gel that I use to rub all over my face dry (not wet!!) focusing on my eye--makeup, then wash off & follow with cerave cleanser. It removes makeup better than the white kose oil for me. And more importantly, doesn't break me out. HG
Cerave hydrating face wash - feels like lotion just like everyone says. Feels thick while it's on my skin but it doesn't strip my skin and cleans adequately, so I'm not gonna part with this any time soon. HG (Vanicream bar and yes to carrots fragrance free cream cleanser also works well for me.)
Hope that helped someone!! sorry for the wall of text. ^;;