March was crazy, and I didn’t get to update very often. As you may know, I recently moved to Paris with my boyfriend, and amid the chaos, I couldn’t find much time to post new articles. It took me a long time to finally settle down and arrange our new place, which wasn’t easy because my kind boyfriend left me the gracious & easy task of buying all the furniture and decorating our place by myself, I quote, “Who cares about home decor?”. Have you ever tried explaining to someone who doesn’t speak your language you’re looking for a marble-top coffee table with chrome legs? Well, I have, and it wasn’t easy. At all.
Since I discovered Mad Hippie Skincare earlier this year, I’ve been dying to find out more and talk about this amazing cruelty-free vegan brand. Both serums have been excellent additions to my skincare routine this year and have really helped me brighten and even out my skin tone and texture.
The Vitamin C serum contains a blend of lovely antioxidant ingredients* to help brighten and tighten skin and minimize wrinkles, fine lines, blackheads, dark spots, uneven skin tone & skin texture skin texture. With Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid, and Vitamin E, you know you’re treating your skin, and the incredible results this serum provides are worth it. K beauty-fans may be tempted to compare it with the famous OST Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum, yet the Mad Hippie is more effective than the OST. While I do not hate the OST, I don’t find it particularly effective or worth the hype. It took me a few months of regular use with the OST to see minimal fine-line reduction and brightening results, while the Mad Hippie Vitamin C provided me impressive results for both in less than a month. The Mad Hippie is more gentle than the OST, as it does not tingle my skin during and after application.
Vitamin E
- (antioxidant, photo-protective effect when used with Vitamin C)
- Ferulic Acid (antioxidant)
- Hyaluronic Acid (plump-up the skin and reduces the appearance of wrinkles)
- Konjac Root Powder (softens and smooths the skin, forms a thin protective barrier)
- Grapefruit (antioxidant, natural exfoliant, removes dead skin cells)
- Chamomile Extract (soothes and calms the skin, forms a thin protective shield)
- Clary Sage (balances production of sebum, helps eliminate overly-dry or overly-oily skin, antibacterial and astringent properties)
The Exfoliating Serum has reached cult status within my bathroom, and it’s not hard to understand why. After I ran out of my beloved Paula Choice 5% AHA Resist Daily Smoothing Treatment, I decided to replace it with a serum with a higher percentage of Glycolic Acid. While the PC worked very well for me, I found 5% AHA to be a bit too low for my skin, and the thick consistency was something I did not particularly enjoy. The Mad Hippie Exfoliating Serum has been an excellent alternative, and its liquid-type texture makes my skin feel much lighter. With 7% Glycolic Acid and 3% Lactic Acid, this serum is perfect for smoothing uneven skin texture and reducing deep blackheads. Coupled with a good BHA serum, like the Paula Choice 2% BHA Liquid or the Cosrx BHA Blackhead Power, you can say goodbye to large pores and deep blackheads. This incredible serum also contains brightening and anti-aging ingredients such as Vitamin C, Goji Berry, White Tea, Apple Stem Cells, and a blend of 6 alpine plants for brightening care.
Glycolic Acid
- (AHA reduces the appearance of wrinkles, dark spots, and discoloration)
- Lactic Acid (AHA reduces wrinkles and dark spots. Hydrating and moisturizing)
- Apple Stem Cells (Anti-aging)
- Gigawhite (Brightening)
- Matrixyl Synthe ‘6 (Smooth the skin, reduces wrinkles and signs of aging)
- White Tea and Goji Berry (Antioxidant, anti-aging)
- Vitamin C (Brighten and smooth the skin, anti-aging)
- Ceramide (Moisturizing)
I added the Green Keratin Supercharged Rosehip Oil to my skincare routine for an extra dose of moisture. With 100% natural and organic ingredients (Rosehip seed oil, seed extract, fruit oil, vitamin E), this facial oil provides excellent anti-aging, moisturizing, hydrating, and brightening results to my skin. It is very lightweight, doesn’t take long for my skin to absorb it thoroughly, and doesn’t clog pores. I like to use it as an intensive night treatment once a week by applying my moisturizer first and then adding a few drops of oil to lock in moisture and maximize both effects.
Hera White Program Radiance Emulsion was THE skincare product I wanted to buy this year, and I finally got my hands on it last month. I have already tried a couple of samples of it, so I know what to expect. While it is not the most potent skin-brightening product of the whole line (at this game, the Biogenic Effector wins hands down), it still provides impressive moisturizing and brightening results. With a lighter gel-like consistency than the Aquabolic Emulsion of the same brand, the White Program Emulsion is perfect for all skin types. I already got excellent results with the rest of the line, but I noticed even better results when I used it under my Hera White Program Radiance Cream.
I’ve returned to my old favorite, the Laneige White Plus Renew Cream, for my night moisturizer. While I find the White Plus Renew line less effective than the White Program line by Hera, I still find a few products of this line very acceptable. Cost is even a crucial factor to consider since Laneige is cheaper than Hera. I also got my hands on the White Plus Renew Capsule Sleeping Mask, and while they are not genuinely incredible in skin-lightening, they still provide excellent moisture to the skin. The white ball is a rich skin-brightening ampoule, and the transparent gel is a moisturizing serum. I find them much better than the Laneige Water Bank Sleeping Mask.
While wearing sleeping masks, I finally purchased the Mamonde Jasmine Honey Sleeping Mask and re-purchased my beloved Rose Honey version. Gosh, I am addicted to them. With a blend of sexy anti-aging, moisturizing, and brightening ingredients, these sleeping masks sink beautifully into the skin, allowing you to wake up with radiant, plump skin. While the Rose version has an oil-like consistency (with rosehip oil beads) and is for anti-aging & moisture care, the Jasmin version has a soft pudding-like consistency and is for brightening care. While I’m far from a fan of scented facial skincare products, these two smell incredibly good and are an absolute pleasure.
Kypris Antioxidant Dew is also an excellent addition to my skincare routine and worth the splurge as this lightweight moisturizing serum does everything I want. It replenishes moisture, soothes and calms irritated skin, brightens dull skin, minimizes redness, makes the skin more supple, and finally targets free radicals. My skin is addicted, and I drink this serum. My order came with a couple of samples, all of which were jaw-dropping, not only because of their beautiful packaging but also because they were incredible. I will review this brand in detail in the next post because it deserves to be known.
READ MORE: How To Build a Skincare Routine For Sensitive Skin
This year, I decided to stop neglecting my body’s skin and buy new moisturizers. I switched to a chemical exfoliator instead because I find body scrubs ineffective on me and my ingrown hair. The Paula Choice 10% AHA Body Lotion is an excellent alternative to the not-so-powerful Skin Doctors Ingrow Go for ingrown hair, especially since it also helps fade razor scars. Since I wouldn’t say I like to toss away products I don’t love, I recycled the Cosrx BHA Blackhead Power Liquid into a leg & armpits serum. Don’t get me wrong, I find the Cosrx BHA perfectly fine, but I prefer the Paula Choice 2% BHA Liquid for my face. The Cosrx BHA helps to reduce ingrown hair and bacteria. Thus, I use it as a deodorant on my armpits and an anti-ingrown-hair serum on my legs. Lastly, I added the Green Keratin Jasmine Body Oil to moisturize my skin. With the most relaxing and sexy scent of jasmine, the skin feels moisturized and wonderfully smooth & silky. Unlike many body oils, this one is very lightweight, and I can dress up within a few minutes. I especially love how beautiful and shiny it makes the skin. Bravo Green Keratin!