MY FALL EMPTIES : HYDRATING SERUMS, ANTI-AGING SERUMS, FACIAL CLEANSERS & MORE!
Reflecting back on the year over Thanksgiving weekend in warm, sunny Sarasota, Florida.
Funny, I now look forward to this quarterly blog article — the third in my series on my product empties. When I first wrote about my empties earlier in the year, I thought it was kinda lame. Who cares about empty skincare products?
But I’ve grown to appreciate the idea of reflecting on a product after it’s used up and perhaps gone forever. Or missing a product that you didn’t take with you on your Thanksgiving weekend getaway and kinda longed for it!
The #fomo is real.
Not all skin care goes the way of the dinosaurs or those keys I accidentally dropped down the garbage chute. Not all skin care is lost forever. Products that I really like using and feel are beneficial to my skin health often do get replaced. During the Sephora Beauty Insider sale last week, I grabbed a few new products and stocked up on just one that’s become a “Skincarma Essential” — the Herbivore Bakuchiol Serum. I was starting to get nervous as I approached those last few drops. I bought two.
It says a lot about a product and a brand when you keep coming back to it; it’s especially true for a skincare blogger. I must try 20-30 new products a month. In the case of Herbivore’s Bakuchiol Serum, it’s just so unique that it’s, well, irreplaceable.
I would love to know the products you find irreplaceable in your skincare routine — which skincare products you simply can’t live without. Please drop them in the comments below!
It’s a little sad when you finish a product you really, really love.
So let’s take a look at the seven products that I emptied over the last three months — from cleansers to a custom-made hydrating serum — and more. Some of them are current faves that I’ve already replaced, others are likely never to be seen again. Like those keys.
Atolla | Custom Serum
Atolla lets you know the state of your skin each month and sends you a reformulated serum.
What I said about it: You probably know how much I love custom skincare. I’m a Leo. It’s all about me. I first discovered Atolla skin lab a few weeks ago, not long after I found (and fell in love with) Mxt. Custom Skincare.
Atolla does something similar to Mxt. but they take the customization a step further by analyzing your skin each month and reformulating your treatment to meet your skin health needs.
At launch, they are focused on a custom serum, though I assume other, richer products are in the works. How does it work? Well, they send you a kit with small disposable tools in it that measure your hydration and moisture levels — as well as the pH of your skin. Using their web app, you scan the results of each test and, in a matter of seconds, Atolla lets you know the state of your skin right now and what your new monthly custom serum contains.
Between last month and this month, the pH of my skin fluctuated over 2 months between 4.5 and 5 (in the healthy range) and the water and oil levels of my skin varied.
It’s 4 weeks later and my skin is less oily, more dehydrated and drier than it was the 3rd week of August.
My new Atolla monthly serum contains a higher level of humectant Hyaluronic Acid at 3% instead of 2%. And it contains a healthy dose of protective antioxidants as last month’s serum did. My October serum is on the way. Thanks, Atolla, for taking care of my skin! Be sure to catch my IGTV to see the entire process!
What I think now: I’m beginning to believe that customization isn’t just a gimmick — it’s legit and it’s here to stay. Not everything needs to be customized and not everyone needs custom skin care. Well-formulated conventional skin care can certainly deliver to skin everything it needs and nothing it doesn’t. But what Atolla is going goes beyond what I’ve experienced in custom skin care so far. The way the brand assesses the state of your skin with their Skin Health Kit is full of insights that I otherwise wouldn’t have — like the precise level of dehydration, lack of moisture, and even my skin’s exact pH. All in the moment. That’s innovative; that’s cool!
Do I miss it?: My new Atolla custom serum for the month is already on its way!
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Atolla Custom Serum for $39 here.
Regretting that I didn’t scoop up a couple of tubes of Inkey’s Turmeric Cream during the Sephora sale.
The Inkey List | Turmeric Cream
What I said about it: In my opinion, The Inkey List’s Turmeric Cream is the best product of the two dozen or so they offer. It’s the perfect balance of a lightweight textured lotion and seriously pro-skin health ingredients like, of course, Turmeric Root Extract.
I use some form of turmeric every day to alleviate inflammation in my feet, knees and elbows after my workouts. After all, the ancient cure-all is purported to be an effective alternative to acetaminophen. In addition to its proven anti-inflammatory benefits, turmeric is also a potent antioxidant on par with Vitamin C.
Inkey’s Turmeric Cream does smell slightly spicy, earthy and oddly savory!
But The Inkey List’s formula isn’t just an antioxidant-packed cream. It’s also loaded with moisturizing, skin-replenishing plant oils like Squalane, Coconut Oil, and Oat Kernel Oil — in addition to Vitamin E, emollient Lecithin and humectant Glycerin.
As with all of their formulas, The Inkey List kept out any potential irritants like denatured alcohol and fragrant plant oils used to scent a product to make it more appealing. That must have been particularly tempting with this one as turmeric has a really strong odor. In fact, the Turmeric Cream does smell slightly spicy, earthy and oddly savory — but it doesn’t linger for very long. Its soft, creamy texture melts right into skin.
What I think now: Every time I remove the cap on this moisturizer I think, man it’s not for everyone. If you hate the smell of turmeric or anything too strong, you’ll likely be turned off by Inkey’s Turmeric Cream. No matter, I’m a fan!
Do I miss it?: Yes, I do miss it. Should have scooped up a couple of tubes during the Sephora sale. But, hey, it’s only $12.99 on a bad day…
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase The Inkey List Turmeric Cream for $12.99 here.
I’ve grown to appreciate the idea of reflecting on a product after it’s used up and perhaps gone forever.
The Ordinary | Argireline Solution 10%
What I said about it: There are very few products that I use regularly that I don’t talk about. This is one of them. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever once mentioned The Ordinary’s Argireline Solution 10%! I guess that makes it the unsung hero of my skincare regimen.
I literally use the Argireline Solution around my eyes morning and night — as the first treatment I apply in my eye area.
So you may be wondering what it even is. Well, Deciem describes it as “a lightweight serum with 10% ARGIRELINE™ peptide complex.” You see, it’s not proprietary to The Ordinary — but it is a trademarked ingredient owned by a skincare ingredient manufacturer.
Think of it as a super watery peptide serum that helps to plump up the skin. You can use it anywhere on your face but I have always just applied it to my eye area. (More about why in a second.) Here’s the thing about peptides. Two things, actually. First, unless the peptide molecules are very, very small, they won’t penetrate the skin barrier very well. How far this one goes, I have no idea.
The other thing — and this is made clear on the Ordinary’s product page, PEPTIDES DE-ACTIVATE PURE VITAMIN C.
If you’re using my fave $5 L-Ascorbic Acid Powder from The Ordinary, you can’t use this — or any peptide serum in the same regimen. If you do, you can’t use them in the same place on your face. That’s why I only apply this around my eyes.
I generally use Ascorbic Acid AM and PM and need to avoid the conflict, but like the results I get in my eye area from Argireline: smoother, plumper, more youthful skin around my eyes! Seeing is believing…
What I think now: I really do appreciate how well this layers under an eye cream or sunscreen to give skin a power boost of plumping peptides to the eye area. Everyone should be using this!
Do I miss it?: I would if I didn’t have at least three or four in the product stash!
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10% for $7.90 here.
**BE SURE TO CHECK MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE FOR MY VIDEO REVIEWS OF MY FAVORITE SKINCARE AND BRANDS.**
Herbivore | Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum
What I said about it: I’m starting with the best of the best here! If you’re like me you approach Retinol products with a bit of fear in you. And that’s no way to live. Skincare shouldn’t increase your anxiety; it should calm you and make you feel that a little selfcare goes a long way. My fear of Retinol is why I was so intrigued by the Herbivore Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Serum — which I’ve determined to be the best of the Bakuchiol Five.
Herbivore is doing clean right IMO.
To begin with, I love that Herbivore’s formulas are all clean. I honestly believe that clean beauty isn’t just a trend either — any more than organic and natural skincare were just trends. In time, clean formulas will be the standard. As with anxiety, your skincare shouldn’t be introducing toxins into your skin either!
Declared by the Zoe Report as “The Sensitive-Skin Product You’ve Been Waiting For,” Herbivore’s Bakuchiol serum is the most potent of all the Bakuchiol formulas that I’ve come across — with a 4% concentration of the babchi plant extract. Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Serum is super lightweight and super easy to layer. In fact, it absorbs so quickly, I often don’t wait more than a minute or so before applying what’s next — usually a Vitamin B or Niacinamide serum. I’m kind of in the habit now of applying them in A-B-C order, that is Vitamin A (Retinol/Bakuciol), Vitamin B (Niacinamide) and Vitamin C. Easy to remember and perfectly uncomplicated for a PM regimen!
If you’re not a fan of anxiety-inducing skincare, have a look at this clean, 100% percent natural, plant-based retinol alternative.
I have been using this on off and now for more than six weeks — on nights when I haven’t been testing one of the other Bakuchiol products. I have experienced no irritation whatsoever. And it’s one of those products that I’ve become so fond of that I miss it when I’m not using it!
Is it a replacement for the most potent forms of retinoids like Tretinoin or higher concentrations of Retinol? I wouldn’t say so — at least not the strongest forms. If you love your Retinol treatment, stick with it. But if you’re not a fan of anxiety-inducing skincare, have a look at Bakuchiol — and particularly this clean, 100% percent natural, plant-based retinol alternative from Herbivore. While it’s the best Bakuchiol product I’ve tried, it’s also the most expensive at $54 for 1 oz. | 30 mL.
What I think now: I never would have imagined this obscure serum infused with the extract of an even more obscure plant would make it into my daily routine — both morning and night. I was never a fan of Retinol given my propensity for irritation and this has proven to be a just (and effective!) alternative.
Do I miss it?: I sure as hell would if it weren’t for that Beauty Insider sale. And even then, I’d be likely to splurge on it at full price. No joke. And it ain’t cheap.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Herbivore Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum for $54 here.
I’d sure as hell miss this if it weren’t for that Sephora Beauty Insider sale!
Kylie Skin | Foaming Face Wash
What I said about it: So you probably know that I took this Kylie Skin monstrosity with me to the Hamptons over the weekend. I posted about the Walnut Scrub on Saturday with this: “I have to admit that the Kylie Skin version is far more gentle than I was expecting…not a horrible scrub, I’ve tried worse.”
So, I know you’re eager to hear what I think of everything else! What about the Foaming Face Wash and Vanilla Milk Toner? Starting with the cleanser, it’s not bad actually. In fact, I kind of like it. It’s a basic cleanser made with coconut esters. The foaming action is super frothy and silky — a good cleanser for step 2 of a double cleanse or the first, just-got-up cleanse of the day.
It certainly is frothy!
The milky toner is another story entirely — and by far the worst of the 3 products I tried first. It’s just ridiculous — with a single active ingredient above 1%. How do I know that? The natural preservative & common allergen, Phenoxyethanol is ingredient no. 6 and it can only be used at a 1% concentration meaning everything after it is below 1%.
The first 5 ingredients are Water, Glycerin, Squalane, Dicaprylyl Ether (chemical emollient) & Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate (skin-conditioning ester). Beyond that there are a few botanical oils and extracts, along with Chlorphenesin — a preservative used for its anti-fungal & anti-bacterial properties. The problem is that it also causes irritation & contact dermatitis in many people, especially those with dry and/or sensitive skin. I don’t understand how this product is even called a toner. It’s the weirdest “toner” I’ve ever used. I think it’s better as a lightweight body lotion. Unless, of course, you have dry or sensitive skin!
What I think now: Oh, Kylie! Out of the six Kylie Skin products I ended up testing, IMO this is one of the three goodies. I’m not gonna front; it’s a nice cleanser. I must admit, I ended up using it as a hand cleanser. It’s just too pink, frothy and shallow for me.
Do I miss it?: Not in the least.
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Kylie Skin Foaming Face Wash for $24 here.
Then I Met You | Living Cleansing Balm
What I said about it: What’s cooler than being there at the inception of something new — and especially the launch of a smart skincare brand! Then I Met You just launched 2 weeks ago with these two simple, but amazing products, essentially a Double Cleanse. I’ve been using the Living Cleansing Balm and Soothing Tea Cleansing Gel as my double cleanse every day for the last week.
Then I Met You’s Living Cleansing Balm and Soothing Tea Cleansing Gel are the perfect double cleanse!
Man, they nailed it! The formulas are excellent, delivering everything I’ve experienced in the best of each cleansing form. The Living Cleansing Balm (what a name!) is a super sensorial, luxurious experience that takes the iconic Banila Clean It Zero up a notch. It’s simply a better formula with a multitude of nourishing and replenishing non-fragrant plants oils like Olive Fruit Oil and Grape Seed Oil — ingredients #1 and #2. It’s as silky smooth as solid olive oil would be. That makes this Italian very happy.
And as much as I’m into the cleansing balm, I gotta say the Soothing Tea Cleansing Gel is my fave of the two. I’m smitten. I’ve been using it as step 2 of the after-work double cleanse, but also using it after the gym in the morning. It’s almost hard to describe the texture of this gel. It’s seriously thick. Any thicker and it wouldn’t come outta the tube. It’s sulfate-free with a pH of 6 (apparently that’s a solid number, though I’m not a close follower of pH levels like others).
I do kinda miss it!
What perhaps makes it so unique is the first ingredient — Rice Ferment Filtrate aka sake! Come on now. There’s more sake in it than water. That’s genius.
And Then I Met You didn’t stop there. They added perhaps the single most effective plant-derived skin brightener, Licorice Root Extract. Combined with the Rice Ferment Filtrate and Citric Acid, they’ve got a next level brightening cleanser here.
It’s exciting to see a new brand doing everything right to improve on everything that came before it.
What I think now: What a terrific cleansing balm. I really am a sucker for a great cleanser — and this is right up there with what I consider the best of them: the Drunk Elephant Slaai Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser and Banila’s Clean It Zero. Then I Met You recently added a couple more products to the line-up that I can’t wait to get my hands on!
Do I miss it?: Yeah, I kinda do. That texture and color are irresistible!
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm for $38 here.
This is right up there with the best of the cleansing balms — the Drunk Elephant Slaai Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser and Banila’s Clean It Zero.
The Inkey List | Glycolic Acid
What I said about it: I love this product. In fact, I’ve probably gone through a half dozen of The Inkey List’s Glycolic Acid Liquid Toner since it launched late last year. But, I don’t use it on my face.
Inkey’s Glycolic Acid Liquid Toner gets it right.
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I use Glycolic Acid toners in place of my daily deodorant. If that’s news to you, and I just sound all shades of crazy, you can read my previous blog on it here.
It takes some trial and error to get one that works perfectly — but when it comes to a glycolic-toner-deodorant-concoction, this one is the holy grail!
It’s devoid of drying alcohol and plant oils that only nourish and feed the odor-causing bacteria — the last thing you want to do when preventing odor. The precise formula is everything. And this is it! One of the main issues surrounding the use of a glycolic toner in place of a deodorant is price. If they’re too expensive, it’s just not worth it. But with The Inkey List’s product, it makes sense at $10.99. One bottle lasts me about 2 months.
What I think now: Inkey’s Glycolic Acid toner is literally my go-to acid toner. I do occasionally use it on my face but I’m really not a big fan of overdoing it with exfoliation, whether physical or chemical. I’m proud to say that I’ve spread the word about its efficacy as a deodorant and plan to keep doing that. (Like I’m doing right now!)
Do I miss it?: Hey, it’s a daily staple!
SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase The Inkey List Glycolic Acid Liquid Toner for $10.99 here.
I’m proud to say that I’ve spread the word about its efficacy as a deodorant and plan to keep doing that.
That’s it, guys! I hope you gained some insights into each of these. Skin care is so fascinating, and I chuckle inside at how emotionally attached we often are to a product. Thinking about what we miss when we’re traveling or when it’s used up says a lot about the powerfully personal experience that skin care is.
That’s cool!
🖤 SKINCARMA
**BE SURE TO CHECK MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE FOR MY VIDEO REVIEWS OF MY FAVORITE SKINCARE AND BRANDS.**
Orpheus finishes everything. (Except his wet food!)
The Ingredient List of my Atolla Custom Serum:
Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Ethyhexylglycerin, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitolinci, Chondrus Crispus (Irish Moss) Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Tamarindus Indica (Tamarind) Seed Polysaccharide, Caesalpinia Spinosa (Tara) Gum.
The Ingredient List of the Herbivore Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum:
sii|h 0 0, Bakuchiol 
cci|aox|amic, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate amic|pres, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract so, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Gluconolactone exf|chel, Amethyst Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Sodium Phytate chel, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract aox|h, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Amino Esters-1, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena (Eggplant) Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract emo, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract aox|so|sb|perf, Corallina Officinalis ExtractThe Ingredient List of The Inkey List Turmeric Cream:
sii|emo 0 1, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil emo|perf 0 4, C12-16 Alcohols emo|vc, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour so|aox|emo, Curcuma Longa Root (Turmeric) Root Extract aox|so|sb|perf, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Oil, Palmitic Acid sii|emo|emu 0 2, Tocopheryl Acetate aox 0 0, Phenoxyethanol pres, Lecithin emo|emu, Glycerin sii|h 0 0, Xanthan Gum vc|emu|surf, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate amic, Ethylhexylglycerin pres, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate emu|surf, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate chel, Tocopherol aox 0-3 0-3The Ingredient List of The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10%:
cci|h, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate chel, Gellan Gum vc, Sodium Chloride vc, Isoceteth-20 emu|surf, Dimethyl Isosorbide solv|vc, Potassium Sorbate pres, Phenoxyethanol pres, Chlorphenesin pres|amicThe Ingredient List of the Kylie Skin Foaming Face Wash:
sii|h 0 0, Hydroxyacetophenone aox, 1,2-Hexanediol solv, Caprylyl Glycol h|emo, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate chel, Citric Acid buff, Polyquaternium-39, Fragrance (Parfum) 
perf, Sodium Benzoate pres, Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Seed Oil emo, Sodium Hyaluronate sii|h 0 0, Phenoxyethanol presThe Ingredient List of the Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm:
aox|emo|perf 0 0-2, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil aox|emo, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate emo, Peg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate emo|emu, Peg-8 Isostearate emu, Cera Microcristallina (Microcrystalline Wax/Cire Microcristalline) vc, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil aox|emo, Ceresin vc 0 0, Synthetic Wax emo|vc|abrasive/scrub, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil emo 0 1, Diospyros Kaki Fruit Extract, Aniba Rosaeodora (Rosewood) Wood Oil perf, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Oil perf, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil aox|amic, Tocopheryl Acetate aox 0 0, 1,2-Hexanediol solv, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2 emo, Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer abrasive/scrubThe Ingredient List of The Inkey List Glycolic Acid:
exf|buff, Propanediol solv|h, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water so, Sodium Hydroxide buff, Butylene Glycol h|solv|vc 0 1, Phenoxyethanol pres, Alcohol amic|solv|vc, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Betaine h, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil emu|surf, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin pres, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate chel
