I've always prioritized having a good morning and evening skin care routine, and through the years, I've tried just about every lotion and potion on the market.
Or so I thought.
When Reddit released their "Year in Review" report earlier this month, I was surprised to see that of the five most talked about skin care lines in the skincareaddictionuk subreddit, I'd only heard of one.
Immediately, I had skin care FOMO, so I decided to try a few products from each line to see if there was anything new out there worth adding to my beauty routine.
The result? I discovered a lot of great products that have left my skin feeling moisturized, exfoliated and squeaky clean. As one of those people who still have acne breakouts at age 40, I've been pleased to see that being even more intentional with my skin care routine while testing the products has left me breakout free — at least for this month.
Here are my favorite products from Cerave, La Roche Posay, The INKEY List, The Ordinary and Paula's Choice: The five most discussed skin care brands on Reddit in 2020.
CeraVe
1. Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser
This cleanser starts out creamy then foams as you add water. Because it's moisturizing and has ingredients like hyaluronic acid, it helps moisturize your face while removing dirt, oil and makeup. I loved that this cleanser didn't leave my face feeling dried out after washing my face.
2. AM and PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
I'm a busy mom, and I love the simplicity of these two products, which clearly tell you which to use in the daytime and which to use before bed. The daytime version has SPF 30, a bonus, and the nighttime lotion is lightweight, but super-moisturizing.
3. Resurfacing Retinol Serum
I liked adding this serum, designed to help manage acne scarring and minimize the look of pores, to my bedtime routine. I found that it left my skin looking brighter in the morning.
The INKEY List
1. Kaolin Clay Mask
Like all of The INKEY List's products, this clay face mask was surprisingly affordable and made a big impact on my skin. Using the mask a few times a week seemed to help manage breakouts and left my skin a bit less oily.
2. Glycolic Acid Toner
I've always been a fan of using glycolic acid on my oily, blemish-prone skin, and this toner was no exception. Glycolic acid is exfoliating and helps reduce oily skin, so I used this toner before my morning moisturizing routine and it helped my skin look a little less shiny through the day.
3. Hyaluronic Acid
The INKEY List says hyaluronic acid is a "moisture magnet," and I'd have to agree. I loved using this affordable serum both in the morning and the evening, and found that it trapped moisture in my skin but didn't add an extra feeling of greasiness.
4. Caffeine Eye Cream
This eye cream was my favorite product from The INKEY List. Dabbing a bit under each eye in the morning quickly removed any signs of sleepless nights or puffiness I was dealing with.
Paula's Choice
1. Essential Glow Moisturizer
I loved everything about this moisturizer, from the SPF 30 included in the mix to the illuminating glow it added to my skin in the morning.
2. C25 Super Booster
As someone with acne scarring around my chin, I was excited to try this booster serum, which uses vitamin C to help buff out impurities. The serum promises to improve uneven skin tone, red marks and skin texture, and I definitely saw an improvement in my skin when smoothing this on daily.
3. Clinical Ceramide-Enriched Firming Moisturizer
This night cream includes vitamin C, retinol and hydrating ceramides to give skin a boost during the night. I rested easier knowing my skin was getting such big benefits while I caught some zzz's, and I loved the maple-y fragrance of the cream.
The Ordinary
1. Vitamin C Suspension 23%+ HA Spheres 2%
I'm a big fan of vitamin C skin care products, and I loved the feel of this suspension on my skin. The Ordinary says the product is made of very fine ascorbic acid powder, and I loved the slightly grainy, exfoliating feel it had when rubbing it into my skin.
2. Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA
This moisturizer from The Ordinary was one of my favorite products I tried. It's creamy and felt luxurious on my face, but didn't leave my skin too oily after application. It was a perfect moisturizer for daytime wear under my makeup.
La Roche Posay
1. Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser
This cleanser from La Roche Posay quickly became my go-to cleanser in the evenings. The cleanser is creamy and gentle, and didn't feel drying when I removed the grime and makeup of the day.
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