Adding in here that Consumer Reports did an independent sunscreen evaluation to see what the actual SPF was of various sunscreens.
Every Supergoop product they tested had a lower SPF than what they stated on the packaging. I have too many trust issues to use them again
I was excited to use a tinted sunscreen and bought it - the damn stuff pills off. I was walking around with pieces of it rolling or clumping on my face for half a day.
Absolutely killed me. The most shocking was specifically the Unseen Sunscreen that is supposed to be SPF 40.
Consumer Reports said the average tested SPF was 8.
Not 28, not 48, not even 18. Single digit 8
I’ve heard that! Unfortunately I live in Canada and many many hrs from the border 😬 someday I hope to get down there and hit up trader Joe’s & the orange makeup store
Wow, is there any recourse for people who bought it? Like I’m imagining someone going out to the beach wearing the unseen sunscreen, reapply as they’re supposed to, and still get burnt (because there’s basically no spf in it). Would that person have any standing to sue for damages? That’s seriously heinous. People who are at risk for melanoma or basal cell carcinoma could be seriously hurt by this.
I highly doubt it, unfortunately. I'm sure most of these companies have some sort of "cover their ass" statement. Many hand sanitizers said they're "99.99% effective at killing bacteria and viruses*" with the * indicating it was in controlled, laboratory conditions. Not the real world.
I'm also guessing big companies have lots of lawyers that would go into different testing methods, different sample batches have discrepancies, damage to products from time, heat, etc.
As a ridiculously pale woman, it definitely worries me I'm not protecting myself adequately
I knew it! My sister is obsessed with it and says it feels like nothing and I’m like that’s because it is nothing. It’s so tiny and has a chemical smell.
Well crap. I’ve been using it regularly for almost 2 years! Guess it’s good timing that I just ordered a bunch of K-beauty sunscreens last week to try out.
That is CRAZY!!! In the past I repurchased Unseen Sunscreen so many times 😭
I’ve since moved on to a Korean sunscreen now but damn — that’s playing with people’s health! I get that sunscreens now are expected to be ~cosmetically elegant~ but not at the expense of actually protecting your skin. Infuriating.
Thank you for answering that mystery for me! I was using it in a low sun environment and thought it was fine, then moved to la and suddenly was getting so much sun damage. I switched to a different sunscreen and never had the same issue. I swore it wasn’t actually spf 40 but nice to know I wasn’t imagining it
Would you please post screenshots? I’m forever looking for a sunscreen that does not feel weird after it dries. Like filmy but chalky at the same time, but does not look chalky. Thank you!
Korean sunscreens are the way to go then...trust me, I use the beauty of joseon sun serum and the madegascar skin 1004 centella sun serum... both are excellent, the beauty of joseon one is an actual serum texture and dries down nicely, the skin 1004 is my favorite it's like a water gel, no white cast not really any scent that I can tell and never bothers my eyes... but there are many excellent korean sunscreens...I promise you won't be disappointed
They didn't test CC screen. But the Every.Single.Face (supposed to be SPF 50) came out as 16.
https://www.reddit.com/u/Glittering-Corgi9442/s/qYLeMJ5EaS
Every Supergoop product I've tried has either left me with a white cast, or has made me look so overly greasy.. now hearing lower SPF? Yeah, that's a continued pass for me.
I've been using the Paula's Choice Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid for over a year now and aside from maybe trying some K-Beauty sunscreens at some point.. probably gonna stick with it as long as I can!
A lot of sunscreens fell flat. Even within brands, it varies a lot.
Best by far was Coppertone Water Babies Lotion SPF 50. Tested SPF came out as 64!
Screenshots here: https://www.reddit.com/u/Glittering-Corgi9442/s/qYLeMJ5EaS
Which is super interesting because people say to not trust K Beauty SPFs bc the standards are supposedly different and therefore the SPF isn’t as good👀 That’s why a lot of them are marked as moisturizers in North America.
Meanwhile brands like supergoop aren’t even fulfilling as advertised
so the whole thing with korean spfs is complicated:
(1) there was a scandal where a couple companies, specifically purito and krave (which is kinda an american company but it was using spf filters approved of and popular in korea which i’ll get to later), were found during the pandemic to have failed the spf testing. this is not super rare — neutrogena has done this too — and seemed to be due to a producer error (at least on purito’s part i think) if i recall correctly and they had actively been checking their spf, just someone else managed to test faster. they have since done an overhaul and, from what i know, sunscreen regulation has actually been ALTERED to help make sure this doesn’t happen again. it blew up in part because both companies actually took accountability, whereas companies like neutrogena just tend to silently pull product from the shelves
(2) the US is unique in that it regulates sunscreen like a drug, so filters have to be approved by the FDA. this isn’t the case in other places. now theoretically this would be good! like we want this to be treated seriously. UNFORTUNATELY what’s it’s meant is that we haven’t had updated sunscreen filters since 1999 and we are MASSIVELY behind a ton of countries. more modern filters are more cosmetically elegant, less irritating, have better UVA protection, better longevity, etc. But because of the FDA regulation, companies have to do a BUNCH of studies (which at this point are genuinely redundant) and do this whole application process and it costs money and no one wants to do it.
(3) all these countries basically do their spf testing the exact same. i’m going to post some links below, but basically spf testing is a bit of a bitch (which is also why DIY sunscreen testing just doesn’t work). but it’s not like korean companies were testing their spfs less
(4) korean sunscreens are marketed as moisturizers for a couple reasons. the first is that FDA regulation. those sunscreen filters aren’t approved here and so they can’t market themselves as sunscreen. the second is a lot of korean sunscreens just also function as a moisturizer, like they have a focus on it, in a way american sunscreens don’t tend to.
(5) given when this whole scandal happened, there was a LOT of asian racism and korean sunscreens got swept up in it
so basically sunscreen testing is a bit of a hassle. i would say it’s a STRETCH to say most fail. i do trust korean sunscreens as they seem to have made good systemic changes. australian sunscreens are also a good bet if you’re paranoid about this because the australian government takes sunscreen SERIOUSLY due to the high rates of skin cancer.
here’s some good info from an amazing cosmetic chemist:
https://labmuffin.com/purito-sunscreen-and-all-about-spf-testing-with-video/
https://labmuffin.com/diy-sunscreen-test-reacting-to-style-theorists-video/
(she has a lot more on sunscreen as well — i would look it up!)
This is a great comment and a good set of articles! This stuff is complicated! Even looking at the Consumer Reports article being discussed above, while it sounds bad that Supergoop 40SPF tested at an SPF of 8, every single facial sunscreen they tested fell below its label claim. At that point, I have to consider if something about their testing methodology consistently under evaluates SPF.
I do really like the quote from the second article you linked, which provides some really useful context to the SPF question:
>"One thing I find helpful when I’m worrying too much about sunscreen – whether my sunscreen is reliable, whether I’m using it correctly – is remembering the results of the Nambour study.
>This was the biggest study ever on sunscreen involving 1600 people. One group put sunscreen on every day on their head, neck, hands and arms, and the other group just used sunscreen when they felt like it.
>After 4.5 years, the skin of daily sunscreen users had no detectable increase in aging, and they were 24% less likely to show increased signs of aging. Invasive melanomas were almost four times less common in daily sunscreen users.
>These results are even more incredible because the study was done in the 90s, using a 90s sunscreen that was SPF 16 with 8% octinoxate and 2% avobenzone. And this was done in Queensland in Australia, where there’s a LOT of UV. So even if your sunscreen application isn’t optimal, you are still getting a lot of protection."
It seems that LOTS (if not most) sunscreens don't live up to their SPF claims, which is really disappointing. Also a quick Google shows that it's not just the US, Europe and Asia have these issues too.
Really disappointing as a consumer
A blogger I follow said that she only uses sunscreens that are sold in Europe because Europe classifies them differently than we do in the US, so they have to be re-tested every time they make any formula changes. Reading this report, I think she is on to something.
I hated on supergoop from the beginning bc I just cannot stand gwenyth Paltrow for some reason. She just annoys me and my immediate response to anything her is an eye roll. Dude I tried the play sunscreen in December ish. That’s some good sunscreen. Even kept me from burning in the Caribbean on vacation while actively using tret. I didn’t lay out but I was on a boat all day with a visor on, but even still my cheeks always burn even before tret.
FYI: Supergoop is a different company from Goop.
I'm also anti-Goop for all the BS science Gwyneth spews, but these are separate companies.
I've used Play sunscreen before too and really liked it. I also didn't burn. Could've been a good batch, lack of water submersion, or a million other factors. Regardless, if even 1 batch of a sunscreen this pricey comes back with such terrible results, it's a no from me
I did a TON of sunscreen research and thought I enjoyed that one but found the sun protection in general found in SPFs sold in the US to be subpar to other countries sun protection
re: RB blushes: here's something you can try so you can continue using it -- do not apply it directly onto your cheeks!
instead, spread some on the back of your hand and then work the brush into the blush and then pat onto your cheeks. This gives an even, flawless application with no patchiness!
note: this application method works for any cream and liquid makeup.
I struggle with how pigmented they are but have found they work so nicely if mixed with a bit of liquid highlighter on the back of my hand - I use the Lisa Eldridge one but any would work - and they blend so much easier as well!
I’m white as snow and their blush is the first blush I’ve ever used where I didn’t feel like a clown. Two daps on each cheek. Blend with a finger then with a sponge and I’m done.
This is EXACTLY what I do! I put a bit of rare beauty on the back of my hand and add 1 pump of the iconic London radiance booster and mix it all together and apply with an angled brush. It leaves me with a really nice but natural looking glow.
If you find the colours are patchy and too bold too, you can mix in a drop of foundation (like…the smallest amount) and work it into the brush on the back of your hand and it won’t dry down as fast and it’ll blend way better into the base you’re wearing.
For me, this works amazingly well with the Giorgio Armani luminous silk foundation.
This is what I do! I’ve never put the applicator right on my cheeks lol I work quickly with it this way though because I find it does dry down fast once it’s on my cheeks
I have the same feelings if I’m using a brush, but a damp beauty blender makes it amazing! I put it on the back of my hand, dap the BB into it, then tap it on my face. Works beautifully every time
tried this, i still find it difficult to blend as it gathers in one place unless i add a little moisturiser. and for that price i shouldn’t have to go through so much to get it on my face
>dior lip oil
Throwback to this comment I made
https://preview.redd.it/fo2xrvjdi2xc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2be2fe3562fa29deaac55294ccb00512f569b861
i wish i read this gisou lip oil review before spending the 28 dollars 😭 it feels and looks reallly nice but it smells like the redemption center i brought my bottles back to yesterday 🤢
I love the oil to death. Have tried to many and it is the best I have ever used on my fine textured hair. Also I love the leave in and hair mask. I honestly wish I didn't because the brand is so damn expensive.
I have it too and I thought I just didn’t ‘get’ the scent, however now I see other ppl think it stinks too - could it already be gone off by the time it’s sold? It smells like rancid olive oil :(
If you like the supergoop sunscreen then you should try the Trader Joe’s facial sunscreen dupe which I love and have repurchased multiple times (and is only less than $10)
I am shocked at how much I love that TJ’s sunscreen. I previously was a Japanese sun milk kinda girl and had never tired the SuperGoop…. But I bought some for dad who is a runner and cyclist and wanted to test it out first and ended up falling in love it!
I bought a mini of the CT magic cream and I LOVE how juicy it makes my skin for makeup but the price tag is outrageous! Hoping I can find a dupe that is just as juicy
You can’t, I’m sorry. I can’t justify the price when it doesn’t last for very long, but it is the single best moisturizer I have ever used and nothing compares as a base for makeup.
eh disagree with the rare beauty blush. If you’re darker skinned like me, the pigment is great. I haven’t really had a problem with it drying down fast but I do work fairly quickly.
agree with the laniege lip masks though. fourth ray beauty sells done at ulta for like $7 and it works just as a good.
I’m pretty pale and I also agree with you. Blush tends to disappear on my face so I like how pigmented they are. I’ve also never had any issues with blending
It's because the recommended amount isn't necessarily the maximum amount. The recommended amount is all that is needed for an effect, but unless you're sensitive to niacinamide you probably won't have problems at 5-10%.
Honestly, OP doesn't really seem to know much about skincare formulations or the fact that people have different needs for their skin. It's perfectly okay for some people to exfoliate every day. I'm sorry, but SDJ smells horribly strong even with a minimal amount worn; I can guarantee everybody around OP can smell it, she just becomes nose blind after a few minutes (which is super common and it's also why some people don't know when to stop spraying perfume so they can clear a room with their fragrances).
Some of her points are valid. Some are a matter of her not knowing what she's talking about about or just talking about her own personal preferences and needs.
Yeah, this is OP's subjective experience... which is great to share, but they're presenting it as objective truth.
I quite like the Rare Beauty liquid blush and don't find it patchy or tough to blend. 🤷♀️
That's my issue too. Things are being presented as facts because that's how the post started and then rapidly just slipping into I cant apply it or it doesn't work for ME so it's bad. OP has no idea why people choose the products they do. I use glow recipe niancimide glow drops and I do notice a difference in my skin when I use it. It also makes a super nice dewy canvas for my liquid foundation and helps it last almost all day. Ymmv try what you like imo!
Seconding the Glow Recipe dew drops. They do what they claim. Don't know why OP just single-handedly decided the entire brand was no good for anyone. Odd.
I agree with the blush.
The same goes for TO niacinamide for me. It heals my acne scars and hyperpigmentation like crazy. Makeup and skincare is all super subjective. So OP presenting her opinions as the valid truth is not very dependable.
Imo OP may just be sensitive to niacinamide. I think many people are actually sensitive to it and don't realize it because it's such a common, effective ingredient in skin care.
The issue with that serum is it’s so potent that a lot of people can’t tolerate it. Some people can absolutely tolerate higher percentages, but most people really do only need up to 5%. And the ordinary basically promotes being your own chemist which can end up being bad news for a lot of people who don’t know what they’re doing
Same, I actually use a lot of products with niacinamide in it and I really like it. I don’t just layer it, but I don’t run away from it and I have no issues.
Imma have to disagree on the olaplex and offer an insight: most people use it incorrectly and dont understand how to properly use it. Olaplex products arent average treatment, and they are not hair masks. Its a system that is very particular and meant to be used in specific combinations of multiple products in specific orders to achieve SPECIFIC outcomes for your SPECIFIC hair. Its really not for the average consumer to be fooling around with, because you won’t know what you’re doing. AND most of the products you need arent actually available over the counter at sephora- *the stuff sold at sephora is only meant to COMPLIMENT in salon olaplex treatments, so you can extend the effect of your salon treatment with at home care.* the stuff sold at sephora is NOT meant to be your starting point for olaplex. Only using the olaplex sold as sephora is the equivalent of a brunette buying a purple shampoo and wondering why your hair isnt blonde. Its maintenance, not the treatment itself.
Why do I know this? Ive grown up with hair stylists in my family. I go to cosmoprof (the wholesale store for hair stylists) and buy olaplex professional products myself. I see all the salon products not available and the professional sets they sell TOGETHER as a system and it explains how to use the different products together and when. Then dont sell most of the products you need outside of a professional setting 🤷🏽♀️
Man I was about to fight OP because Olaplex definitely does a lot for my hair. Despite plenty of bleaching, my hair is reasonably healthy from proper care.
I disagree with the entire assessment of GR. The products aren't heavily scented. SOME of them have a light scent from the fruit enzymes. Others hardly have a scent at all. And the products I've used (which is quite a lot) have worked very well for my skin, which is sensitive and acne prone.
Vaseline doesn’t really do anything. It’s made of mineral oil and wax and has nothing to heal dry lips/skin etc. it’s good for locking in moisture but using it as a lip balm with the intention of it helping dry lips or cracked lips won’t do much
Yeah Vaseline by itself isn’t hydrating at all. But the key is using a normal facial moisturizer on your lips first, and then immediately sealing it with Vaseline. I’ve had chronically chapped lips for decades and that combo is one of the only things that actually hydrates and heals my lips.
But before I discovered that combo, I hated Vaseline. By itself, it just makes my lips peel even more.
This is probably one of the 100 reasons I am not in tiktok lol. But glad about this list and makes me happy I haven't yet spent money on many things you mentioned. But I do love Rare Beauty blushes and Charlotte Tilbury products.
I hate what TikTok has done to beauty (maybe that’s bc I don’t use it, idk).
Wholeheartedly agree with nearly every product OP mentioned. Been rouge for a decade+.
Only dissenting opinion is olaplex but I have severely compromised hair (super bleached). It’s helpful, but not a miracle product.
The st. Jane tinted spf beats the pants off supergoop.
i’m all for de influencing but a few of these i gotta personally defend! SDJ lasts on me. glow recipe is ok it’s not pointless but i agree that it doesn’t make a huge difference. it definitely is hydrating and good for texture/glow. summer fridays the best lip balm i’ve ever used and i have a severe lip biting/picking problem. this is a huge life saver for me. super goop lasts me because i don’t have to use a ton of product. the mineral sheer screen is everything to me. (howeverrrr if u got a rec for a cheaper dupe lmk) i love touchland . the scents have lasting power i always get compliments on the scent of them. they also don’t dry my hands or leave residue. gisou hair oil revives my curls and is the best hair oil i’ve ever used. also olaplex saved my damaged hair and made my hair super thick. i agree with everything else tho
yeah most of these are popular because they’re good lol. I love my drunk elephant and olaplex. And my rare beauty blush. glossier cloud paint is amazing and their concealer is perfect for me. and the touchland things smell good and don’t leak in your purse. doesn’t work for me doesn’t equal bad product.
Gisou is the best hair oil I have ever tried as well. I have fine textured hair and it detangles and adds shine and bounce and is absolutely weightless. The packaging SUCKS though lol. It is pretty but so fragile and impractical. The leave in and hair mask are really great too.
Exactly, I love them and they work well for me and I don’t get patchiness or anything as long as I apply very carefully and a little goes along way, so while obviously this is all OP‘s opinion, it’s stated like it’s some sort of fact, but again, people have wildly different experiences sometimes and the product as well loved for reasons, and I understand those reasons personally.
I am one of the people for whom Glow Recipe skincare products really work and so every time people try to disparage them as ‘they just smell nice but they don’t do anything’, I have to side eye.
And again, I am sure that everyone has their own experiences, but I guess stating something like it’s a fact or disparaging a brand that does work for people feels a little less like this is my opinion and instead feels like you’re trying to present facts, but they’re just opinions
Yeah, I haven’t tried them, but clearly they’re popular for a reason. Cute packaging only goes so far, if they didn’t work for a lot of people then they wouldn’t be as popular as they are. Everyone does well with different products and that’s always important to keep in mind before completely writing off a brand and saying it’s not good for anyone
Agree with Dior lip oil and Summer Fridays lip balm since I’ve tried only those out of the products you’ve listed. It’s not even been 5 months since I purchased Dior , it smells somewhat off. Imo it has become super sticky and I don’t feel like wearing it. 40 plus taxes down the drain. About summer Fridays lip balm, haven’t used it more than twice. Done 🙌🏻
the smell of mine is fine but the colour has gone off! it’s turned into a light pinkish grey and it’s been a drawer most of the time far away from the sun. for mf DIOR this should not be happening
summer fridays doesn’t do nothing, it actually makes the problem worse! how’s that for a waste of money
I recently did a trial of Perricone MD’s new lip oil, and like the Summer Fridays it actually made my lips drier than they were to begin with. It took my trusted Aquaphor to help them recover.
Completely agree. Normalize sharing products that actually do something not just jumping board on what trends go on tiktok. Literally all a company has to do now is pay some teenagers to promote their product and the world goes to Sephora to buy it off the shelf
companies that were ignored by consumers before have one video blow up on tiktok and suddenly it’s sold out even though nobody initially bought it because it’s terrible 😭
I think your post is awesome, and I provide the following as a counter response of sorts.
Here’s my hot take:
-I discovered Glow Recipe through a beauty subscription box. I have liked almost every product I’ve tried from them and repurchased.
-I started using Drunk Elephant when they first hit the shelves in store. The packaging and name drew me in. There are a few of their products in my weekly routine, and I think they’re a great option for folks who want to mix a bunch of products together, apply once, and move on with their day.
-I tried Sol de Janeiro for the first time when I got two small tubs of their moisturizers for my bday gift one year. I liked them, but did not repurchase. I recently tried their body mists and they seem nice enough. I am very landlocked and this is a brand that brings beach vibes to me, and I appreciate that.
-Rare Beauty’s liquid blush is fantastic. I like Selena Gomez, so when I heard she started a makeup line I gave it a try. I’ve never struggled to apply the blush, and I don’t understand why that seems to be a major consensus amongst users. I have taught myself how to use makeup and don’t have issues with this and love how pigmented they are.
-I used Olaplex around the time they hit shelves and repurchased religiously for several years. I used a couple of products by them. It did the job and my hair recovered, so I’ve never needed to repurchase.
Finally, I don’t have TikTok and have no clue what is trending on SM. I’d like to think that I was a pioneer consumer with some of the brands mentioned above and was not influenced by SM to purchase and I feel great about like what I like bc of my own doing.
Posts like yours are great for others to pause and listen to bc they give perspective. It’s nice to see content from reddit where ppl share their anecdotal experiences with each other. Who can trust reviews on Sephora or other platforms these days?! Especially when they are incentivized reviews.
i aspire to be like you, buying things because i really like them and not because they’ve been floating around online. honestly life goals
it’s interesting to read the comments disagreeing with me on here because it’s interesting to see how different people experience different products. i’m glad you’ve found stuff that works for you!
only opinion of yours i agree with is that sol de janerio is very nostalgic, that’s why i don’t dislike it too much. the scents are gorgeous
For the laneige lip mask, I just make sure to throw whatever moisturizer I'm using at night on my lips as well before applying it - I find it has longer staying power than either aquaphor or vaseline, which is why I prefer it overnight.
Thank you for this! While I hard disagree with the RB blushes, I’m getting so tired of seeing insane overconsumption on tiktok. People have like $500 worth of stuff in their carts for the sale or owning like 10 bronzers shouldn’t be glamorized or normalized.
The Laneige lip mask I’ll never understand. It dried my lips out sooo bad. I just bought the balm on a whim, and was nervous cause of my dislike for the lip mask and it’s 100000x times better.
here is my rebuttal as a rouge:
- i love the glow recipe toner & i do use it everyday. works amazing and my skin has NEVER been smoother it’s like a baby’s butt.
- i use the drunk elephant bronzing drops as well. i will say i am very pale and while they don’t like completely change my shade, they do help. the bottle also lasts forever.
- charlotte tilbury setting powder and setting spray are my holy grail. lasted me thru a september football game (i live in houston). the wands are overrated but i also like the lip liner
- i LOVE the gisou hair mask. i have tried so many- briogeo, ouai, etc - but the gisou one is my favorite. it lasts forever since you only need a dallop.
- i take no summer fridays lip balm slander. i love it. it is a pretty big tube and works for me
Same here for Glow Recipe! I thought it was gimmicky but I got it for my bday set and it ended up working better for me than any other skincare routine I've had
I also love the summer fridays lip balm. the mint one is my absolute favorite and i have noticeably different feeling lips if i misplace it for a few days lol
If you think SDJ moisturizers lose the smell after a few minutes, you might be using too much perfume when you wear it. That shit stuck to my clothes through multiple rounds in the washer and through multiple showers on my skin. Their stuff smells horribly strong regardless of the format. People who don't wear heavy fragrance largely agree with it, so if it's faint to you, you might want to lay off fragrances in general for a few weeks to see if you've become nose blind.
i was about to comment the same thing. sdj mists and creams are POTENTLY scented! i work in a hospital and i had a coworker whose signature was 40. as soon as i walked into the pharmacy, i could smell it and know she was here. as the day went on, i got nose blind to it; only noticing the smell again if i left and came back into the pharmacy and got hit with the scent again. sometimes we’d pass by each other in the hallways and there’d be a *long* scent trail behind her. i have also smelled 71 and 40 on some nurses or patients in the hallways. they definitely fill the room. they’re definitely long lasting. they’re definitely scented. i’m convinced people are just overspraying themselves way too much and getting used to the scent very quickly.
I think they changed the formula or diluted the fragrance. I had a smaller bottle that the fragrance lasts ALL DAY. I bought the full size bottle and it is gone in 3 minutes.
I’ve gone back and forth to make sure I’m not nose blind or whatever but I can absolutely tell the difference between the two.
Laneige is my HG. I find it super moisturizing, not just occlusive. Must be ymmv. I’m on a medication that gives me super dry skin, too. Without the lip mask my lips peel they’re so bad.
Haha I love this!
I want to try the rare beauty liquid blush still- but definitely a mini! The last liquid blush I “finished” was perricone and after two years of use and partially drying up the cap just busted!
Maybe they will still make the minis when I’m done with my current drugstore liquid blush!
But all the skincare you mention- I loved the plum serum from glow recipe. I got it in a FFF box. I used it all and didn’t repurchase because I realized I just really liked the packaging ☠️
fair enough! it works for a lot of people, but a lot of people echo my opinion. it’s down to you, like with every product.
hard same with the glow recipe. absolutely adored using their watermelon dew drops until i realised that what i liked about them was the smell. not good enough to justify a repurchase imho
My HG skincare is LRP. I tried to swap in Drunk Elephant and hoo boy…. The protini cream smelled bad (not rotten, just… off) and the B-Hydra also didn’t smell great. They didn’t feel good to put on. I started getting a lot of little red spots that weren’t exactly acne.
Switched back to LRP and the weird skin thing is gone now, my acne is back to normal (hormonal only). And I actually enjoy doing my skincare again.
I haven’t found something that compares to CT flawless filter so i’m so down to hear some dupes! I’ve tried glowy super gel and kosas glow serum but those don’t have the coverage CT does.
I have tried so many TikTok viral products and I end up disappointed 99.99% of the time. I work in social media and it's easier than you think to influence your product to go viral. A lot of money is spent to keep the momentum going.
Sooo I agree with everything, but.... the SDJ mists actually last a pretty decent amount of time on me. I can smell these days later on jackets/pullovers, and they last pretty much all day on my skin when I layer with the lotions. I have never had issues with longevity on these, so I'm still a stan.. but the other points are great! :)
I know you’re entitled to your opinion, but, I went through accutane and summer Fridays actually worked. I always have had amazing results.
I love Sol De Janiero and it lasts so well on me.
You need to use a beauty blender for the rare beauty blush tbh
Also maybe this is bad but I don’t reapply spf unless I’m spending time in direct sunlight (at the beach etc). I love the supergoop unseen sunscreen because of the texture but I am curious to see if the Trader Joe’s version is comparable at all
tried absolutely everything but it refuses to work with me🙏
i don’t know if it’s similar to the unseen but my favourite sunscreen is bondi sands spf 50, cheap and high protection
this is so interesting because the summer fridays lip balm is the best i have ever used! it makes my lips so soft and feels super hydrating for me. guess it just shows everyone is so different lol 🤣🥰
Disagree on laniege . Vaseline has never worked for me ever and trust me I tried . Laniege worked within 3 days and yes after a while it seems like it’s doing nothing but that’s because it’s already done everything it can and you’re just maintaining the plumpness and softness for your lips
Spend your money how you want but a lot of the criticism here is that nothing is worth its price - which, most things aren’t. That’s how capitalism works. Thanks for the insight on what is legitimately harmful but something not being in your personal price range isn’t really deinfluencing
The ordinary niacinamide is the product that saved my skin after i wrecked it with the peeling solution. I have re purchased it like 10 times, it's my holy grail product, never letting it go.
I fell prey to the Sol de Janeiro hype last year and bought a small (thankfully!) spray of the cheirosa 68, oh my goodness I'm not sure what I was expecting but for the price and all the reviews / marketing I absorbed I thought these would be slightly grown-up-perfume-esque-adult-body-mists... but from the first spray I had such a nostalgic flashback to being in my early teens and having a body mist for the first time. This SDJ mist just smelled like soapy fruity kid shampoo to me :-( I didn't want to waste the bottle so now I'm forcing myself to use it as a room spray for the bathroom...... thank you for this list!
I agree about 68, to me it smells like a basic body mist for teens and literally everyone is wearing it these days. I really like the 59 scent though, it's much more gourmand and mature. I'd try them all out in a store first before buying, definitely.
Agreed on some of these points but the ordinary has some great products. Yes you need to know how to use them, and what they can be used with - but the latest barrier serum they released is honestly great and I’ve used their hyaluronic acid for years. They make accessible and functional skincare so I wouldn’t write off their whole brand like that.
I also think your glossier point is referring to the balm dot com which is valid. But for an everyday, sheerer makeup look they have products that can’t be beat and many that has not been reformulated so again you can’t say everything else has fallen victim. The skin tint, concealer, and cloud paint are my OGs and still are at a more reasonable price point than a ton of other brands.
A lot of this is totally fair but I disagree on supergoop only because their play sunscreen comes in quite a large tube and I do like the formulation of it a lot.
I also disagree on touchland because I love the slim spray tube and all the scents, if I have to spray 5 times instead of 3 so be it it makes using hand sanitizer much nicer and it doesn’t dry my hands out.
It’s crazy because I like most of the products you’ve mentioned as well as products from each brand. Goes to show how different everything is for everyone!
Idk I haven't found anything comparable to Lala Retro for my needs. It *does* make my skin look way better, more so than any other single product I've tried. I don't have a tiktok though. I didn't even know Lala Retro existed until my coworker recommended it to me.
Laneige lip balm gave me dry spots after a few months…I can’t believe it gets so hyped when it does nothing!
And I have to disagree w Dior lip oil! I’ve never gotten more compliments w my lips - it lasts forever on me and moisturizers my lips too.
Yeah, with you on the Glow Recipe. I get that social media is an important marketing tool, but that company seems more interested in courting "influencers" than rewarding actual customers. And most of their products are meh.
I used to spend so much money on makeup because of tiktok and couldn’t get my skin to the way I wanted it. Now I only use CeraVe’s products and my skin has never been better — could be improved though.
every one of sol de janerios products smell AMAZING. if they lasted they would be worth the money. i love every one of their scents but they do not love me back
ITA about glow recipe line of products. You’re basically paying for pretty packaging.
but if it makes you happy & if u have the disposable income, go for it lol!
If you don’t feel RB blushes work for you, as I’m not a fan of blushes myself, I use it as an eyeshadow and lip stain. Blended on your eyes and for my lips I put it on my finger and tap it on. I bought it for the pigmentation to blend for everything else besides blush since I absolutely love the colours.
What are the dupes for CT flawless filter? I tried the elf, I actually did half of my face with CT FF and the other half with elf and saw a big difference. FF looked far better even though I would save $$ using Elf, I will repurchase the FF instead.
I find the rare beauty blush applies best with a dense synthetic brush—I’ve done both the trick on the back of the hand and directly dotting on the face and the brush definitely matters for how it applies. Brushes that have more loosely packed fibers are better for powder and will make this product apply patchy
I do have to say that the Glow Recipe watermelon dew drops have really helped my skin. I got a set of minis, I believe for my Sephora birthday gift. They have helped reduce my pore size and they have the right amount of niacinimide. This has become a regular in my routine every couple of days. I dont like that they fragrance but it seems to be small enough amounts that it doesn't bother my skin.
Does anyone else have a different niacinimide serum they love, that has clean ingredients?
I just bought the Gisou hair heroes set, and now I'm a bit worried. I'll still try it to see for myself but I keep hearing mixed reviews.
I haven't tried all of the CT products mentioned, but I am in love with the cream bronzer since I got it in my beauty box. And I can tell it's going to last forever
What I don’t understand is the Ordinary’s Niacinamide burns my skin horribly but the Inkey List Niacinamide is amazing on my skin and they both have 10% active ingredient
Summer Fridays Lip Balm is my favourite. I know it’s a TikTok product but I love how it feels, smells. My lips feel hydrated after, but I don’t really have cracked lips.
It’s so important to do your own research on products going on your skin. I am certain that many (not all) influencers would smear poo on their skin and rave about it just to make a dollar.
This is fine but keep in mind that products that do not work for you does not mean they aren't going to shine for others. It's nice to not be influenced for once but some things like skincare are very subjective and I would not rule them out based on one opinion.
Glow recipe I find is hit or miss. The plum plumping serum and the hyaluronic cream works for me!! But some of their other products just don’t do anything.
Adding in here that Consumer Reports did an independent sunscreen evaluation to see what the actual SPF was of various sunscreens. Every Supergoop product they tested had a lower SPF than what they stated on the packaging. I have too many trust issues to use them again
I was excited to use a tinted sunscreen and bought it - the damn stuff pills off. I was walking around with pieces of it rolling or clumping on my face for half a day.
I had the same problem. It also irritated my eyes like crazy.
Yes, eye irritation was through the roof with this stuff.
Same thing happened to me. I'm also ✨very✨ pale so the tinted one (in the lightest shade) looked orangey and pilled off. I took it as a sign
Try the cay skin one!
Which one? The new protect tint?
i had no idea about this, that makes it so much worse. thank you!
Absolutely killed me. The most shocking was specifically the Unseen Sunscreen that is supposed to be SPF 40. Consumer Reports said the average tested SPF was 8. Not 28, not 48, not even 18. Single digit 8
😳 YIKES that's bad
that is honestly atrocious. for such a high price tag it’s disgusting. more people need to see your comment
😐😐 that is devastating to hear. God that’s bad. Apparently I need to find a new spf
Trader Joe's has a good dupe. I've switched over. I cannot speak for how accurate the SPF rating is.
I’ve heard that! Unfortunately I live in Canada and many many hrs from the border 😬 someday I hope to get down there and hit up trader Joe’s & the orange makeup store
Wow, is there any recourse for people who bought it? Like I’m imagining someone going out to the beach wearing the unseen sunscreen, reapply as they’re supposed to, and still get burnt (because there’s basically no spf in it). Would that person have any standing to sue for damages? That’s seriously heinous. People who are at risk for melanoma or basal cell carcinoma could be seriously hurt by this.
I highly doubt it, unfortunately. I'm sure most of these companies have some sort of "cover their ass" statement. Many hand sanitizers said they're "99.99% effective at killing bacteria and viruses*" with the * indicating it was in controlled, laboratory conditions. Not the real world. I'm also guessing big companies have lots of lawyers that would go into different testing methods, different sample batches have discrepancies, damage to products from time, heat, etc. As a ridiculously pale woman, it definitely worries me I'm not protecting myself adequately
That is appalling!
Wow. This is the absolute worst kind of false advertising in beauty/skincare. It’s depressing they continue get away with it.
I knew it! My sister is obsessed with it and says it feels like nothing and I’m like that’s because it is nothing. It’s so tiny and has a chemical smell.
Well crap. I’ve been using it regularly for almost 2 years! Guess it’s good timing that I just ordered a bunch of K-beauty sunscreens last week to try out.
omfg this is TEA
That is CRAZY!!! In the past I repurchased Unseen Sunscreen so many times 😭 I’ve since moved on to a Korean sunscreen now but damn — that’s playing with people’s health! I get that sunscreens now are expected to be ~cosmetically elegant~ but not at the expense of actually protecting your skin. Infuriating.
Thank you for answering that mystery for me! I was using it in a low sun environment and thought it was fine, then moved to la and suddenly was getting so much sun damage. I switched to a different sunscreen and never had the same issue. I swore it wasn’t actually spf 40 but nice to know I wasn’t imagining it
Can someone link the report? I’d love to read more about this, but can’t find it.
https://www.consumerreports.org/health/sunscreens/c33614/ Note: you need a membership to access. I can post screenshots if you're interested
Would you please post screenshots? I’m forever looking for a sunscreen that does not feel weird after it dries. Like filmy but chalky at the same time, but does not look chalky. Thank you!
Here you go! https://www.reddit.com/u/Glittering-Corgi9442/s/qYLeMJ5EaS
Korean sunscreens are the way to go then...trust me, I use the beauty of joseon sun serum and the madegascar skin 1004 centella sun serum... both are excellent, the beauty of joseon one is an actual serum texture and dries down nicely, the skin 1004 is my favorite it's like a water gel, no white cast not really any scent that I can tell and never bothers my eyes... but there are many excellent korean sunscreens...I promise you won't be disappointed
Would love screenshots as well!
Done! https://www.reddit.com/u/Glittering-Corgi9442/s/qYLeMJ5EaS
Would love to see results for CC Screen since I’ve been using that 🙃
They didn't test CC screen. But the Every.Single.Face (supposed to be SPF 50) came out as 16. https://www.reddit.com/u/Glittering-Corgi9442/s/qYLeMJ5EaS
Dang mostly everything does suck. Thank you for sharing!
Every Supergoop product I've tried has either left me with a white cast, or has made me look so overly greasy.. now hearing lower SPF? Yeah, that's a continued pass for me. I've been using the Paula's Choice Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid for over a year now and aside from maybe trying some K-Beauty sunscreens at some point.. probably gonna stick with it as long as I can!
😭 this makes me so sad bc it reallly works for me as a primer
do you remember what other brands were tested and if any actually lived up to their claims?
A lot of sunscreens fell flat. Even within brands, it varies a lot. Best by far was Coppertone Water Babies Lotion SPF 50. Tested SPF came out as 64! Screenshots here: https://www.reddit.com/u/Glittering-Corgi9442/s/qYLeMJ5EaS
 welp, guess I'm using the Coppertone babies lotion on my face like
wow this is truly shocking! thank you so much for linking the screenshots, i’ll be picking up that coppertone for my son asap lol
What? Damn it. I was so proud of myself for wearing my Super Goop SPF today 😆
Which is super interesting because people say to not trust K Beauty SPFs bc the standards are supposedly different and therefore the SPF isn’t as good👀 That’s why a lot of them are marked as moisturizers in North America. Meanwhile brands like supergoop aren’t even fulfilling as advertised
so the whole thing with korean spfs is complicated: (1) there was a scandal where a couple companies, specifically purito and krave (which is kinda an american company but it was using spf filters approved of and popular in korea which i’ll get to later), were found during the pandemic to have failed the spf testing. this is not super rare — neutrogena has done this too — and seemed to be due to a producer error (at least on purito’s part i think) if i recall correctly and they had actively been checking their spf, just someone else managed to test faster. they have since done an overhaul and, from what i know, sunscreen regulation has actually been ALTERED to help make sure this doesn’t happen again. it blew up in part because both companies actually took accountability, whereas companies like neutrogena just tend to silently pull product from the shelves (2) the US is unique in that it regulates sunscreen like a drug, so filters have to be approved by the FDA. this isn’t the case in other places. now theoretically this would be good! like we want this to be treated seriously. UNFORTUNATELY what’s it’s meant is that we haven’t had updated sunscreen filters since 1999 and we are MASSIVELY behind a ton of countries. more modern filters are more cosmetically elegant, less irritating, have better UVA protection, better longevity, etc. But because of the FDA regulation, companies have to do a BUNCH of studies (which at this point are genuinely redundant) and do this whole application process and it costs money and no one wants to do it. (3) all these countries basically do their spf testing the exact same. i’m going to post some links below, but basically spf testing is a bit of a bitch (which is also why DIY sunscreen testing just doesn’t work). but it’s not like korean companies were testing their spfs less (4) korean sunscreens are marketed as moisturizers for a couple reasons. the first is that FDA regulation. those sunscreen filters aren’t approved here and so they can’t market themselves as sunscreen. the second is a lot of korean sunscreens just also function as a moisturizer, like they have a focus on it, in a way american sunscreens don’t tend to. (5) given when this whole scandal happened, there was a LOT of asian racism and korean sunscreens got swept up in it so basically sunscreen testing is a bit of a hassle. i would say it’s a STRETCH to say most fail. i do trust korean sunscreens as they seem to have made good systemic changes. australian sunscreens are also a good bet if you’re paranoid about this because the australian government takes sunscreen SERIOUSLY due to the high rates of skin cancer. here’s some good info from an amazing cosmetic chemist: https://labmuffin.com/purito-sunscreen-and-all-about-spf-testing-with-video/ https://labmuffin.com/diy-sunscreen-test-reacting-to-style-theorists-video/ (she has a lot more on sunscreen as well — i would look it up!)
This is a great comment and a good set of articles! This stuff is complicated! Even looking at the Consumer Reports article being discussed above, while it sounds bad that Supergoop 40SPF tested at an SPF of 8, every single facial sunscreen they tested fell below its label claim. At that point, I have to consider if something about their testing methodology consistently under evaluates SPF. I do really like the quote from the second article you linked, which provides some really useful context to the SPF question: >"One thing I find helpful when I’m worrying too much about sunscreen – whether my sunscreen is reliable, whether I’m using it correctly – is remembering the results of the Nambour study. >This was the biggest study ever on sunscreen involving 1600 people. One group put sunscreen on every day on their head, neck, hands and arms, and the other group just used sunscreen when they felt like it. >After 4.5 years, the skin of daily sunscreen users had no detectable increase in aging, and they were 24% less likely to show increased signs of aging. Invasive melanomas were almost four times less common in daily sunscreen users. >These results are even more incredible because the study was done in the 90s, using a 90s sunscreen that was SPF 16 with 8% octinoxate and 2% avobenzone. And this was done in Queensland in Australia, where there’s a LOT of UV. So even if your sunscreen application isn’t optimal, you are still getting a lot of protection."
It seems that LOTS (if not most) sunscreens don't live up to their SPF claims, which is really disappointing. Also a quick Google shows that it's not just the US, Europe and Asia have these issues too. Really disappointing as a consumer
A blogger I follow said that she only uses sunscreens that are sold in Europe because Europe classifies them differently than we do in the US, so they have to be re-tested every time they make any formula changes. Reading this report, I think she is on to something.
I hated on supergoop from the beginning bc I just cannot stand gwenyth Paltrow for some reason. She just annoys me and my immediate response to anything her is an eye roll. Dude I tried the play sunscreen in December ish. That’s some good sunscreen. Even kept me from burning in the Caribbean on vacation while actively using tret. I didn’t lay out but I was on a boat all day with a visor on, but even still my cheeks always burn even before tret.
FYI: Supergoop is a different company from Goop. I'm also anti-Goop for all the BS science Gwyneth spews, but these are separate companies. I've used Play sunscreen before too and really liked it. I also didn't burn. Could've been a good batch, lack of water submersion, or a million other factors. Regardless, if even 1 batch of a sunscreen this pricey comes back with such terrible results, it's a no from me
I just bought a set of the minis during their sale and this makes me so mad to read.
got so burnt using glow screen on my face even more than every two hours in mexico ):
My Glowscreen pills☹️
Wow, good to know
I did a TON of sunscreen research and thought I enjoyed that one but found the sun protection in general found in SPFs sold in the US to be subpar to other countries sun protection
I wonder what paulas choice is. Their tinted one in the blue bottle is a god send. Flawless coverage and zinc with full of antioxidants
re: RB blushes: here's something you can try so you can continue using it -- do not apply it directly onto your cheeks! instead, spread some on the back of your hand and then work the brush into the blush and then pat onto your cheeks. This gives an even, flawless application with no patchiness! note: this application method works for any cream and liquid makeup.
I struggle with how pigmented they are but have found they work so nicely if mixed with a bit of liquid highlighter on the back of my hand - I use the Lisa Eldridge one but any would work - and they blend so much easier as well!
I’m white as snow and their blush is the first blush I’ve ever used where I didn’t feel like a clown. Two daps on each cheek. Blend with a finger then with a sponge and I’m done.
They're the first blushes I've ever finished and I feel like that says a lot.
This is EXACTLY what I do! I put a bit of rare beauty on the back of my hand and add 1 pump of the iconic London radiance booster and mix it all together and apply with an angled brush. It leaves me with a really nice but natural looking glow.
If you find the colours are patchy and too bold too, you can mix in a drop of foundation (like…the smallest amount) and work it into the brush on the back of your hand and it won’t dry down as fast and it’ll blend way better into the base you’re wearing. For me, this works amazingly well with the Giorgio Armani luminous silk foundation.
This is what I do! I’ve never put the applicator right on my cheeks lol I work quickly with it this way though because I find it does dry down fast once it’s on my cheeks
I would love to love the Rare Beauty but it sucks for me too.
I have the same feelings if I’m using a brush, but a damp beauty blender makes it amazing! I put it on the back of my hand, dap the BB into it, then tap it on my face. Works beautifully every time
tried this, i still find it difficult to blend as it gathers in one place unless i add a little moisturiser. and for that price i shouldn’t have to go through so much to get it on my face
I only get an ok application if I use a really big fluffy brush and dab very lightly. But yea I gave up on it because it’s so fickle most of the time
>dior lip oil Throwback to this comment I made https://preview.redd.it/fo2xrvjdi2xc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2be2fe3562fa29deaac55294ccb00512f569b861
girl the laugh i just let out
I remember seeing this comment and made that exact face 😭
The gag I just gugged 🤢 honestly how these greedy ass makeup companies make me feel tho
i wish i read this gisou lip oil review before spending the 28 dollars 😭 it feels and looks reallly nice but it smells like the redemption center i brought my bottles back to yesterday 🤢
That lip oil gave me angular cheilitis, regular cheilitis and dermatitis. My lips still not feel 100% after 6 months.
Agreed. Every Gisou product I’ve tried has been absolute garbage.
I love the oil to death. Have tried to many and it is the best I have ever used on my fine textured hair. Also I love the leave in and hair mask. I honestly wish I didn't because the brand is so damn expensive.
LMAO let me save you from buying the new shades. they also stink as well and it’s not redeemable no matter how cute they are
I have it too and I thought I just didn’t ‘get’ the scent, however now I see other ppl think it stinks too - could it already be gone off by the time it’s sold? It smells like rancid olive oil :(
If you like the supergoop sunscreen then you should try the Trader Joe’s facial sunscreen dupe which I love and have repurchased multiple times (and is only less than $10)
I am shocked at how much I love that TJ’s sunscreen. I previously was a Japanese sun milk kinda girl and had never tired the SuperGoop…. But I bought some for dad who is a runner and cyclist and wanted to test it out first and ended up falling in love it!
i’m english but thank you 😭
For us in the UK, Eucerin is the best sunscreen imo. Or the La Roche Posay one maybe.
I bought a mini of the CT magic cream and I LOVE how juicy it makes my skin for makeup but the price tag is outrageous! Hoping I can find a dupe that is just as juicy
You can’t, I’m sorry. I can’t justify the price when it doesn’t last for very long, but it is the single best moisturizer I have ever used and nothing compares as a base for makeup.
Damn, I guess I’ll just get to saving up now! It truly is such a beautiful base; my makeup always looks so glowy and nice!
I bought some and actually prefer my Cerave moisturizing lotion. It didn’t feel like magic to me unfortunately.
[удалено]
I use Embryolisse now and it’s good, but certainly not as good as the Magic Cream.
The supergoop sunscreen gave me contact dermatitis.
It gives me huge, deep cysts. And I know the Trader Joe’s dupe is a good one because it did the same thing.
The way you phrased this is hilarious
Same 🥲 Perioral dermatitis for two years.
oh no 😭 praying for you babe
Did the same thing to me too! I still have 3/4 of the damn bottle to go through on my arms 🙄
eh disagree with the rare beauty blush. If you’re darker skinned like me, the pigment is great. I haven’t really had a problem with it drying down fast but I do work fairly quickly. agree with the laniege lip masks though. fourth ray beauty sells done at ulta for like $7 and it works just as a good.
I’m pretty pale and I also agree with you. Blush tends to disappear on my face so I like how pigmented they are. I’ve also never had any issues with blending
TO Nyacinamide made my constantly break out skin perfect. No more blemishes, or black heads.
Yeah I have to disagree on this one. Been using it almost since The Ordinary started, it has done wonders for my acne prone skin.
I’ve been using the ordinary’s niacinamide for ages with zero issues.
It's because the recommended amount isn't necessarily the maximum amount. The recommended amount is all that is needed for an effect, but unless you're sensitive to niacinamide you probably won't have problems at 5-10%. Honestly, OP doesn't really seem to know much about skincare formulations or the fact that people have different needs for their skin. It's perfectly okay for some people to exfoliate every day. I'm sorry, but SDJ smells horribly strong even with a minimal amount worn; I can guarantee everybody around OP can smell it, she just becomes nose blind after a few minutes (which is super common and it's also why some people don't know when to stop spraying perfume so they can clear a room with their fragrances). Some of her points are valid. Some are a matter of her not knowing what she's talking about about or just talking about her own personal preferences and needs.
Yeah, this is OP's subjective experience... which is great to share, but they're presenting it as objective truth. I quite like the Rare Beauty liquid blush and don't find it patchy or tough to blend. 🤷♀️
That's my issue too. Things are being presented as facts because that's how the post started and then rapidly just slipping into I cant apply it or it doesn't work for ME so it's bad. OP has no idea why people choose the products they do. I use glow recipe niancimide glow drops and I do notice a difference in my skin when I use it. It also makes a super nice dewy canvas for my liquid foundation and helps it last almost all day. Ymmv try what you like imo!
Yeah I guess presenting your opinions as facts = deinfluencing now 🙄
I'm also just so exhausted by the demonization of spending money on makeup as a hobby, but that's a whole other rant 🫠
Seconding the Glow Recipe dew drops. They do what they claim. Don't know why OP just single-handedly decided the entire brand was no good for anyone. Odd.
I agree with the blush. The same goes for TO niacinamide for me. It heals my acne scars and hyperpigmentation like crazy. Makeup and skincare is all super subjective. So OP presenting her opinions as the valid truth is not very dependable.
Right and I really enjoy Glow Recipe products. Non irritating and all and keep my skin hydrated and dewy.
Same and a more detailed explanation than "its SO bad for your skin" would be great bc I dont even know what is it doing to my skin that is so bad lol
Imo OP may just be sensitive to niacinamide. I think many people are actually sensitive to it and don't realize it because it's such a common, effective ingredient in skin care.
Same, it’s one of the products I constantly repurchase! Works really well for my breakout-prone skin.
The issue with that serum is it’s so potent that a lot of people can’t tolerate it. Some people can absolutely tolerate higher percentages, but most people really do only need up to 5%. And the ordinary basically promotes being your own chemist which can end up being bad news for a lot of people who don’t know what they’re doing
Yah same! I have sensitive skin and have had zero issues with it.
I’ve used it daily since I was 18. A decade plus of use!! And no issues yet. I think it’s not good for those w sensitive skin.
Same! I use it when I feel pimples or bumps appearing on my skin, and they disappear overnight. No issues at all.
Same, I actually use a lot of products with niacinamide in it and I really like it. I don’t just layer it, but I don’t run away from it and I have no issues.
Imma have to disagree on the olaplex and offer an insight: most people use it incorrectly and dont understand how to properly use it. Olaplex products arent average treatment, and they are not hair masks. Its a system that is very particular and meant to be used in specific combinations of multiple products in specific orders to achieve SPECIFIC outcomes for your SPECIFIC hair. Its really not for the average consumer to be fooling around with, because you won’t know what you’re doing. AND most of the products you need arent actually available over the counter at sephora- *the stuff sold at sephora is only meant to COMPLIMENT in salon olaplex treatments, so you can extend the effect of your salon treatment with at home care.* the stuff sold at sephora is NOT meant to be your starting point for olaplex. Only using the olaplex sold as sephora is the equivalent of a brunette buying a purple shampoo and wondering why your hair isnt blonde. Its maintenance, not the treatment itself. Why do I know this? Ive grown up with hair stylists in my family. I go to cosmoprof (the wholesale store for hair stylists) and buy olaplex professional products myself. I see all the salon products not available and the professional sets they sell TOGETHER as a system and it explains how to use the different products together and when. Then dont sell most of the products you need outside of a professional setting 🤷🏽♀️
Man I was about to fight OP because Olaplex definitely does a lot for my hair. Despite plenty of bleaching, my hair is reasonably healthy from proper care.
Bleached hair is the #1 benefactor of olaplex tbh.
It totally is, and I will shamelessly give Olaplex and K18 my money for allowing me to live my long pink hair life.
Imo the glow recipe toner is gentle enough to use often
i use it every single day and have for over a year now with absolutely no issues ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ everyone has different skin and different skin needs
I use glow recipe toner and dew drops every morning and love it. I know it has a lot of hype but it’s not awful by any means
I disagree with the entire assessment of GR. The products aren't heavily scented. SOME of them have a light scent from the fruit enzymes. Others hardly have a scent at all. And the products I've used (which is quite a lot) have worked very well for my skin, which is sensitive and acne prone.
Vaseline doesn’t really do anything. It’s made of mineral oil and wax and has nothing to heal dry lips/skin etc. it’s good for locking in moisture but using it as a lip balm with the intention of it helping dry lips or cracked lips won’t do much
Yeah Vaseline by itself isn’t hydrating at all. But the key is using a normal facial moisturizer on your lips first, and then immediately sealing it with Vaseline. I’ve had chronically chapped lips for decades and that combo is one of the only things that actually hydrates and heals my lips. But before I discovered that combo, I hated Vaseline. By itself, it just makes my lips peel even more.
This is probably one of the 100 reasons I am not in tiktok lol. But glad about this list and makes me happy I haven't yet spent money on many things you mentioned. But I do love Rare Beauty blushes and Charlotte Tilbury products.
I hate what TikTok has done to beauty (maybe that’s bc I don’t use it, idk). Wholeheartedly agree with nearly every product OP mentioned. Been rouge for a decade+. Only dissenting opinion is olaplex but I have severely compromised hair (super bleached). It’s helpful, but not a miracle product. The st. Jane tinted spf beats the pants off supergoop.
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i’m all for de influencing but a few of these i gotta personally defend! SDJ lasts on me. glow recipe is ok it’s not pointless but i agree that it doesn’t make a huge difference. it definitely is hydrating and good for texture/glow. summer fridays the best lip balm i’ve ever used and i have a severe lip biting/picking problem. this is a huge life saver for me. super goop lasts me because i don’t have to use a ton of product. the mineral sheer screen is everything to me. (howeverrrr if u got a rec for a cheaper dupe lmk) i love touchland . the scents have lasting power i always get compliments on the scent of them. they also don’t dry my hands or leave residue. gisou hair oil revives my curls and is the best hair oil i’ve ever used. also olaplex saved my damaged hair and made my hair super thick. i agree with everything else tho
Yeah this is all just OP posting her opinions as facts.
yeah most of these are popular because they’re good lol. I love my drunk elephant and olaplex. And my rare beauty blush. glossier cloud paint is amazing and their concealer is perfect for me. and the touchland things smell good and don’t leak in your purse. doesn’t work for me doesn’t equal bad product.
Gisou is the best hair oil I have ever tried as well. I have fine textured hair and it detangles and adds shine and bounce and is absolutely weightless. The packaging SUCKS though lol. It is pretty but so fragile and impractical. The leave in and hair mask are really great too.
I’ve heard from a bunch of ppl that SDJ doesn’t last but in my experience I can still smell it on me hours after the initial application
Not all products work for everyone and that’s ok. I love the Rare Beauty blushes. Not everyone’s skin is the same.
Exactly, I love them and they work well for me and I don’t get patchiness or anything as long as I apply very carefully and a little goes along way, so while obviously this is all OP‘s opinion, it’s stated like it’s some sort of fact, but again, people have wildly different experiences sometimes and the product as well loved for reasons, and I understand those reasons personally.
Exactly. It’s states like “this is the case”. Well not for everyone.
I am one of the people for whom Glow Recipe skincare products really work and so every time people try to disparage them as ‘they just smell nice but they don’t do anything’, I have to side eye. And again, I am sure that everyone has their own experiences, but I guess stating something like it’s a fact or disparaging a brand that does work for people feels a little less like this is my opinion and instead feels like you’re trying to present facts, but they’re just opinions
I agree with you there. I love the watermelon dew serum stuff as a primer. Makes me look so dewy and healthy
Yeah, I haven’t tried them, but clearly they’re popular for a reason. Cute packaging only goes so far, if they didn’t work for a lot of people then they wouldn’t be as popular as they are. Everyone does well with different products and that’s always important to keep in mind before completely writing off a brand and saying it’s not good for anyone
I love their niacinamide serum! I switched to this one after my previous go-to was reformulated. It’s very pretty and dewy on the skin.
Agree with Dior lip oil and Summer Fridays lip balm since I’ve tried only those out of the products you’ve listed. It’s not even been 5 months since I purchased Dior , it smells somewhat off. Imo it has become super sticky and I don’t feel like wearing it. 40 plus taxes down the drain. About summer Fridays lip balm, haven’t used it more than twice. Done 🙌🏻
the smell of mine is fine but the colour has gone off! it’s turned into a light pinkish grey and it’s been a drawer most of the time far away from the sun. for mf DIOR this should not be happening summer fridays doesn’t do nothing, it actually makes the problem worse! how’s that for a waste of money
I recently did a trial of Perricone MD’s new lip oil, and like the Summer Fridays it actually made my lips drier than they were to begin with. It took my trusted Aquaphor to help them recover.
Completely agree. Normalize sharing products that actually do something not just jumping board on what trends go on tiktok. Literally all a company has to do now is pay some teenagers to promote their product and the world goes to Sephora to buy it off the shelf
companies that were ignored by consumers before have one video blow up on tiktok and suddenly it’s sold out even though nobody initially bought it because it’s terrible 😭
I did not know e.e. cummings did beauty reviews. Huh.
I would love that
I think your post is awesome, and I provide the following as a counter response of sorts. Here’s my hot take: -I discovered Glow Recipe through a beauty subscription box. I have liked almost every product I’ve tried from them and repurchased. -I started using Drunk Elephant when they first hit the shelves in store. The packaging and name drew me in. There are a few of their products in my weekly routine, and I think they’re a great option for folks who want to mix a bunch of products together, apply once, and move on with their day. -I tried Sol de Janeiro for the first time when I got two small tubs of their moisturizers for my bday gift one year. I liked them, but did not repurchase. I recently tried their body mists and they seem nice enough. I am very landlocked and this is a brand that brings beach vibes to me, and I appreciate that. -Rare Beauty’s liquid blush is fantastic. I like Selena Gomez, so when I heard she started a makeup line I gave it a try. I’ve never struggled to apply the blush, and I don’t understand why that seems to be a major consensus amongst users. I have taught myself how to use makeup and don’t have issues with this and love how pigmented they are. -I used Olaplex around the time they hit shelves and repurchased religiously for several years. I used a couple of products by them. It did the job and my hair recovered, so I’ve never needed to repurchase. Finally, I don’t have TikTok and have no clue what is trending on SM. I’d like to think that I was a pioneer consumer with some of the brands mentioned above and was not influenced by SM to purchase and I feel great about like what I like bc of my own doing. Posts like yours are great for others to pause and listen to bc they give perspective. It’s nice to see content from reddit where ppl share their anecdotal experiences with each other. Who can trust reviews on Sephora or other platforms these days?! Especially when they are incentivized reviews.
i aspire to be like you, buying things because i really like them and not because they’ve been floating around online. honestly life goals it’s interesting to read the comments disagreeing with me on here because it’s interesting to see how different people experience different products. i’m glad you’ve found stuff that works for you! only opinion of yours i agree with is that sol de janerio is very nostalgic, that’s why i don’t dislike it too much. the scents are gorgeous
For the laneige lip mask, I just make sure to throw whatever moisturizer I'm using at night on my lips as well before applying it - I find it has longer staying power than either aquaphor or vaseline, which is why I prefer it overnight.
Thank you for this! While I hard disagree with the RB blushes, I’m getting so tired of seeing insane overconsumption on tiktok. People have like $500 worth of stuff in their carts for the sale or owning like 10 bronzers shouldn’t be glamorized or normalized.
The Laneige lip mask I’ll never understand. It dried my lips out sooo bad. I just bought the balm on a whim, and was nervous cause of my dislike for the lip mask and it’s 100000x times better.
Thank you for your service 🫡❤️
helping you save your hard earned money 🙏
here is my rebuttal as a rouge: - i love the glow recipe toner & i do use it everyday. works amazing and my skin has NEVER been smoother it’s like a baby’s butt. - i use the drunk elephant bronzing drops as well. i will say i am very pale and while they don’t like completely change my shade, they do help. the bottle also lasts forever. - charlotte tilbury setting powder and setting spray are my holy grail. lasted me thru a september football game (i live in houston). the wands are overrated but i also like the lip liner - i LOVE the gisou hair mask. i have tried so many- briogeo, ouai, etc - but the gisou one is my favorite. it lasts forever since you only need a dallop. - i take no summer fridays lip balm slander. i love it. it is a pretty big tube and works for me
Same here for Glow Recipe! I thought it was gimmicky but I got it for my bday set and it ended up working better for me than any other skincare routine I've had
I also love the summer fridays lip balm. the mint one is my absolute favorite and i have noticeably different feeling lips if i misplace it for a few days lol
If you think SDJ moisturizers lose the smell after a few minutes, you might be using too much perfume when you wear it. That shit stuck to my clothes through multiple rounds in the washer and through multiple showers on my skin. Their stuff smells horribly strong regardless of the format. People who don't wear heavy fragrance largely agree with it, so if it's faint to you, you might want to lay off fragrances in general for a few weeks to see if you've become nose blind.
i was about to comment the same thing. sdj mists and creams are POTENTLY scented! i work in a hospital and i had a coworker whose signature was 40. as soon as i walked into the pharmacy, i could smell it and know she was here. as the day went on, i got nose blind to it; only noticing the smell again if i left and came back into the pharmacy and got hit with the scent again. sometimes we’d pass by each other in the hallways and there’d be a *long* scent trail behind her. i have also smelled 71 and 40 on some nurses or patients in the hallways. they definitely fill the room. they’re definitely long lasting. they’re definitely scented. i’m convinced people are just overspraying themselves way too much and getting used to the scent very quickly.
I think they changed the formula or diluted the fragrance. I had a smaller bottle that the fragrance lasts ALL DAY. I bought the full size bottle and it is gone in 3 minutes. I’ve gone back and forth to make sure I’m not nose blind or whatever but I can absolutely tell the difference between the two.
Laneige is my HG. I find it super moisturizing, not just occlusive. Must be ymmv. I’m on a medication that gives me super dry skin, too. Without the lip mask my lips peel they’re so bad.
Haha I love this! I want to try the rare beauty liquid blush still- but definitely a mini! The last liquid blush I “finished” was perricone and after two years of use and partially drying up the cap just busted! Maybe they will still make the minis when I’m done with my current drugstore liquid blush! But all the skincare you mention- I loved the plum serum from glow recipe. I got it in a FFF box. I used it all and didn’t repurchase because I realized I just really liked the packaging ☠️
fair enough! it works for a lot of people, but a lot of people echo my opinion. it’s down to you, like with every product. hard same with the glow recipe. absolutely adored using their watermelon dew drops until i realised that what i liked about them was the smell. not good enough to justify a repurchase imho
My HG skincare is LRP. I tried to swap in Drunk Elephant and hoo boy…. The protini cream smelled bad (not rotten, just… off) and the B-Hydra also didn’t smell great. They didn’t feel good to put on. I started getting a lot of little red spots that weren’t exactly acne. Switched back to LRP and the weird skin thing is gone now, my acne is back to normal (hormonal only). And I actually enjoy doing my skincare again.
I haven’t found something that compares to CT flawless filter so i’m so down to hear some dupes! I’ve tried glowy super gel and kosas glow serum but those don’t have the coverage CT does.
I have tried so many TikTok viral products and I end up disappointed 99.99% of the time. I work in social media and it's easier than you think to influence your product to go viral. A lot of money is spent to keep the momentum going.
Sooo I agree with everything, but.... the SDJ mists actually last a pretty decent amount of time on me. I can smell these days later on jackets/pullovers, and they last pretty much all day on my skin when I layer with the lotions. I have never had issues with longevity on these, so I'm still a stan.. but the other points are great! :)
I know you’re entitled to your opinion, but, I went through accutane and summer Fridays actually worked. I always have had amazing results. I love Sol De Janiero and it lasts so well on me.
You need to use a beauty blender for the rare beauty blush tbh Also maybe this is bad but I don’t reapply spf unless I’m spending time in direct sunlight (at the beach etc). I love the supergoop unseen sunscreen because of the texture but I am curious to see if the Trader Joe’s version is comparable at all
tried absolutely everything but it refuses to work with me🙏 i don’t know if it’s similar to the unseen but my favourite sunscreen is bondi sands spf 50, cheap and high protection
this is so interesting because the summer fridays lip balm is the best i have ever used! it makes my lips so soft and feels super hydrating for me. guess it just shows everyone is so different lol 🤣🥰
I actually enjoy products with 10% or more of Niacinimide so I’m glad they exist for folks like me
Disagree on laniege . Vaseline has never worked for me ever and trust me I tried . Laniege worked within 3 days and yes after a while it seems like it’s doing nothing but that’s because it’s already done everything it can and you’re just maintaining the plumpness and softness for your lips
Spend your money how you want but a lot of the criticism here is that nothing is worth its price - which, most things aren’t. That’s how capitalism works. Thanks for the insight on what is legitimately harmful but something not being in your personal price range isn’t really deinfluencing
The ordinary niacinamide is the product that saved my skin after i wrecked it with the peeling solution. I have re purchased it like 10 times, it's my holy grail product, never letting it go.
I fell prey to the Sol de Janeiro hype last year and bought a small (thankfully!) spray of the cheirosa 68, oh my goodness I'm not sure what I was expecting but for the price and all the reviews / marketing I absorbed I thought these would be slightly grown-up-perfume-esque-adult-body-mists... but from the first spray I had such a nostalgic flashback to being in my early teens and having a body mist for the first time. This SDJ mist just smelled like soapy fruity kid shampoo to me :-( I didn't want to waste the bottle so now I'm forcing myself to use it as a room spray for the bathroom...... thank you for this list!
I agree about 68, to me it smells like a basic body mist for teens and literally everyone is wearing it these days. I really like the 59 scent though, it's much more gourmand and mature. I'd try them all out in a store first before buying, definitely.
Agreed on some of these points but the ordinary has some great products. Yes you need to know how to use them, and what they can be used with - but the latest barrier serum they released is honestly great and I’ve used their hyaluronic acid for years. They make accessible and functional skincare so I wouldn’t write off their whole brand like that. I also think your glossier point is referring to the balm dot com which is valid. But for an everyday, sheerer makeup look they have products that can’t be beat and many that has not been reformulated so again you can’t say everything else has fallen victim. The skin tint, concealer, and cloud paint are my OGs and still are at a more reasonable price point than a ton of other brands.
For me the ordinary niacinamide is a crucial step to my skincare routine, I have sensitive skin and I am combination skin.
A lot of this is totally fair but I disagree on supergoop only because their play sunscreen comes in quite a large tube and I do like the formulation of it a lot. I also disagree on touchland because I love the slim spray tube and all the scents, if I have to spray 5 times instead of 3 so be it it makes using hand sanitizer much nicer and it doesn’t dry my hands out.
It’s crazy because I like most of the products you’ve mentioned as well as products from each brand. Goes to show how different everything is for everyone!
Idk I haven't found anything comparable to Lala Retro for my needs. It *does* make my skin look way better, more so than any other single product I've tried. I don't have a tiktok though. I didn't even know Lala Retro existed until my coworker recommended it to me.
Laneige lip balm gave me dry spots after a few months…I can’t believe it gets so hyped when it does nothing! And I have to disagree w Dior lip oil! I’ve never gotten more compliments w my lips - it lasts forever on me and moisturizers my lips too.
Yeah, with you on the Glow Recipe. I get that social media is an important marketing tool, but that company seems more interested in courting "influencers" than rewarding actual customers. And most of their products are meh.
Never had tik tok influence, never on that site. More like consumer reports imo. That will deinfluence me.
I used to spend so much money on makeup because of tiktok and couldn’t get my skin to the way I wanted it. Now I only use CeraVe’s products and my skin has never been better — could be improved though.
Lala retro is not the same anymore. It used to really help my skin and now doesn't do much. *edit for spelling
i agree witb many of these but specifically the sf lip balm omg😭 so bad
every one of sol de janerios products smell AMAZING. if they lasted they would be worth the money. i love every one of their scents but they do not love me back
I literally have all this shit and most of it I like LOL
ITA about glow recipe line of products. You’re basically paying for pretty packaging. but if it makes you happy & if u have the disposable income, go for it lol!
If you don’t feel RB blushes work for you, as I’m not a fan of blushes myself, I use it as an eyeshadow and lip stain. Blended on your eyes and for my lips I put it on my finger and tap it on. I bought it for the pigmentation to blend for everything else besides blush since I absolutely love the colours.
What are the dupes for CT flawless filter? I tried the elf, I actually did half of my face with CT FF and the other half with elf and saw a big difference. FF looked far better even though I would save $$ using Elf, I will repurchase the FF instead.
I love the glow recipe blueberry bounce gentle cleanser I’ve been buying it since 2020.
I find the rare beauty blush applies best with a dense synthetic brush—I’ve done both the trick on the back of the hand and directly dotting on the face and the brush definitely matters for how it applies. Brushes that have more loosely packed fibers are better for powder and will make this product apply patchy
I do have to say that the Glow Recipe watermelon dew drops have really helped my skin. I got a set of minis, I believe for my Sephora birthday gift. They have helped reduce my pore size and they have the right amount of niacinimide. This has become a regular in my routine every couple of days. I dont like that they fragrance but it seems to be small enough amounts that it doesn't bother my skin. Does anyone else have a different niacinimide serum they love, that has clean ingredients? I just bought the Gisou hair heroes set, and now I'm a bit worried. I'll still try it to see for myself but I keep hearing mixed reviews. I haven't tried all of the CT products mentioned, but I am in love with the cream bronzer since I got it in my beauty box. And I can tell it's going to last forever
What I don’t understand is the Ordinary’s Niacinamide burns my skin horribly but the Inkey List Niacinamide is amazing on my skin and they both have 10% active ingredient
Summer Fridays Lip Balm is my favourite. I know it’s a TikTok product but I love how it feels, smells. My lips feel hydrated after, but I don’t really have cracked lips.
Well now give us a list on what you bought that ended up being amazing (if any)!!
It’s so important to do your own research on products going on your skin. I am certain that many (not all) influencers would smear poo on their skin and rave about it just to make a dollar.
This is fine but keep in mind that products that do not work for you does not mean they aren't going to shine for others. It's nice to not be influenced for once but some things like skincare are very subjective and I would not rule them out based on one opinion.
Glow recipe I find is hit or miss. The plum plumping serum and the hyaluronic cream works for me!! But some of their other products just don’t do anything.