Amongst the plethora of skincare products that I try out or are gifted with, or buy, there are loads of good stuff. I share those good stuff with you vocally and often. But quite often as well, I run across duds. Not duds in the true sense of the product being a dud, but a dud for me because I wasn’t wow-ed by it the way I should be.
These, I don’t share often enough. But instead of dedicating a whinging post on one product (as much as I like whinging posts, I prefer writing happy ones, although some do deserve their own whinging post) I thought I’d pull together a bunch of products I don’t like, or more accurately, did not work for me, and share them all in one post. Tried them, didn’t like them so here they are! Incidentally, most of these appear to be quite popular products, so I’m clearly in the minority here!
I’ll share below why these didn’t work for me and if you’ve tried any of them, I’d love to hear your thoughts as to whether you liked them (and why I should) or if you didn’t like them. Just because it didn’t work for me doesn’t mean it won’t for you! :)
REN Resurfacing AHA Concentrate – RM199/30ml
I got suckered into this purchase a year or two back, when I had just started out with AHA and chemical exfoliators and I generally quite like REN as a brand. This is a AHA Concentrate, that contains lactic acid, pineapple fruit extract and sodium hyaluronate. You apply it to your skin and it will exfoliate your skin gently, like a retinol but more gentle, and reveal brighter, more radiant and smoother skin. I was advised to use it for 7 days straight and then stop for another 7 days before continuing and I’d be amazed at my newly smoothened, radiant skin. Unfortunately, I didn’t like this.
Why don’t I like this: It did nothing for my skin. I used it for 7 days (evenings only) straight. It wasn’t unpleasant to use but I didn’t notice my skin looking any better. I stopped for 7 days and then came back and did this for a month, and then I just used this straight every night. Effect? Nothing, nada, zip. No effect whatsoever. Expensive purchase and I’d rather just use the Mad Hippie Vitamin A serum that actually did something and didn’t cost half as much as this one did.
* L’Occitane Reine Blanche Illuminating UV Shield SPF50 – RM178/30ml
This one, despite the name is a sunblock/sunscreen. Part of the newly revamped L’Occitane Reine Blanche whitening/brightening skincare range, this product not only protects your skin against harmful UV rays, but also treats, so your skin is more even toned and more translucent and clear. It comes in a lovely glass bottle with a pump. What bothered me is that the cream itself contains little bits of shimmer. That, I’m afraid is what gives the illuminated effect on skin, because I did notice that when I use it, my skin gave off a bit of a cast.
Why don’t I like this: The product itself is quite creamy but didn’t sit well on my normal-dry skin. It would slip and cause my skin to feel oily after a few hours, and the illuminating shimmer in the cream gives off a strange glow to the skin and for a strange reason, messes with my foundation. There is also quite a strong scent that I didn’t appreciate. For the price, I’d rather use my HG sunscreen which, although expensive, is cheaper than this and in my view, works a heck lot better. Because I have it, I use it on weekends, but it’s not a product I like.
* Estee Lauder Crescent White Full Cycle Brightening UV Protector SPF50 PA+++ – RM180/30ml
Another sunscreen that didn’t work, PB? Unfortunately so, my friends. I’m afraid all sunscreens I use have a very very high standard to live up to because I’ve already found my HG. It’s perhaps unfair then, but it also allows me to realise that not many products out there are HG material as far as I’m concerned. Estee Lauder rebranded their Cyberwhite range to Crescent White this year, and because I no longer use whitening products, I didn’t cover this. But I was sent the sunscreen to try, because we can all do with more sunscreen right?
Unfortunately for me, this was the sunscreen that taught me to look deeper for a problem when my foundations go wonky.
Why don’t I like this: I find the texture much too creamy, and this is bearing in mind that I have normal-dry skin so I should technically find this formula comfortable. But it had a tendency to slip and oil up after a few hours, and more so than the L’Occitane one above. In fact, I’d rather use the L’Occitane than this one, which pretty much tells you how I feel. Also, the creamy formula means you might feel it safe to use less, but we know that you need a certain amount of product to properly protect skin and “sufficient product” will be just too uncomfortable. I also felt it was just too expensive to warrant a purchase because sunscreen is something we should feel comfortable using generous quantities of, without worrying about the cost of replenishing. With this, I’d be worried and so it’s not one I’d personally recommend. Again, because I have it, I’ll use it but not otherwise.
Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum – US$33.99 / 30ml
I bought this one off iHerb a while ago, because I wanted to incorporate some Vitamin C products into my routine and because I thought it was cute. Sadly, despite almost finishing up the bottle and despite all the glowing comments I’d read online, this one did zilch for me. There was no improvement in my skin and I just felt I was using a placebo. Bleh…
Why don’t I like this: It did nothing for my skin. Not. A. Thing. Now, the Vitamin A serum on the other hand, is a true winner, so I’m glad I wasn’t too put off by this product to try another from the brand.
* Kiehl’s Precision Lifting & Pore-Tightening Concentrate – RM265/50ml
Uh, I’d love to tell you this works, because I enjoyed using the other Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Line Reducing Concentrate I’d tried before this (2 bottles in fact!), but with the theme of today’s post, I think you can guess my conclusion. It didn’t work on me! The Precision Lifting & Pore-Tightening Concentrate promises to lift skin and reduce the appearance of enlarged pores, and being an anti-aging product, is supposed to combat the signs of aging. Just not for me, I’m afraid!
Why don’t I like this: The product, although rather thick, absorbs very easily into the skin without any greasiness or sticky feeling. However, 2 months after using this diligently, I noticed no results. Maybe my skin is sagged beyond help, or my pores are open windows to my soul, but as diligent as I was, this product did nothing noticeable for me and so I regretfully retired it.
Incidentally, are you wondering why it says Vol. 3 in the title? Well, that’s because I’d done 2 previous similar round-ups here and here and figured that it was a recurring trend :)
Have you tried any of these products and did they work for you?
Please feel free to share if you feel I might be mistaken. After all, we all have different expectations and preferences and skin types so naturally, what doesn’t work for me might work well for you and vice versa! :D
Paris B
I haven’t tried any of the above products (thank goodness!!) but I do love my vit c serum from OST..its a korean brand i think and reasonably priced and works amazingly well! I need to try the mad hippie vit a serum..sounds promising!
That’s interesting Parita. I haven’t come across OST but I”ll look it up! The Mad Hippie Vitamin A serum is a good one. I’m still using it!
I never use any of the products though some I’ve heard about. When I try new brand or new product based on glowing reviews then the result isn’t satisfactory, I will feel terrible, especially if the price is quite hefty *sigh In the end, I will have many products that barely used because of the oh-definitely-not-glowing results.
By the way, I learn something new from your blog; the word “whinging”. At first, I though you misspell “whining” but after quick Google research, both words are correct :D Though, apparently “whinging” is commonly used by British English.
Yes! I was soooo disappointed with the REN because I do like most of what I’ve tried from the brand. And it was expensive too! :P Oh and we learn something new everyday don’t we? hehe… I do tend to use a lot of British-isms I notice. It might be the type of books/authors I read or just me in general, Anglophile that I am ;)
I think all non-ascorbic acid vitamin C serums don’t really work. I had been using a prescription one (MAP) and the one from HABA (MAP and SAP) but didn’t really notice any difference until I started using a “pure” L-ascorbic acid one from Hydraselect (http://hydraselect.com). It’s a very affordable dupe of the Skinceuticals’ CE Ferulic serum.
After about 2 weeks, my skin became fairer, pores minimized and any hyperpigmentation from rashes/pimples would clear up much faster or not even appear. Pure vitamin C is an AHA so it does exfoliate even on its own, so it has to be used sparingly in conjunction with retinol or other AHAs. Unfortunately Hydraselect doesn’t ship outside of the USA, so I have to use a forwarding service to get it.
Another really good serum is the antioxidant serum with ROS terminator from SkinActives (http://www.skinactives.com/Antioxidant-Serum-Glutaredoxin-SOD.html). Lots of antioxidants, niacinamide (pigmentation fading) and anti-glycation actives all in one. It goes on slightly yellow because the green tea extracts in it are so concentrated but nothing your sunscreen/loose powder can’t cover up. SkinActives also do a 15% vitamin C serum (http://www.skinactives.com/Vitamin-C-Serum-Ascorbic-Acid-L.html) but theirs contains oil unlike the Hydraselect one which is completely water-based.
For reducing redness (I have sensitive rosacean skin), I rely on Avene’s thermal spray (as good at reducing itching as my more expensive antioxidant spray) and 6% mandelic acid (try Dr Wu’s). The mandelic acid also unclogs my blackheads.
Thanks for sharing, Firn :) I’m always a little wary about Vitamin C because it is quite easy to get wrong, but I’ll look into your suggestions! I came across Mandelic Acid once, I think it was in For Beloved One? But when I tried some of the products, I didn’t like the texture so I never stayed on long enough to derive any benefits :P
Hi Paris! You should definitely turn this one into a series, your comments are so personal that it can’t affect the image of the brand. This post is one the best posts I’ve read about products that the blogger doesn’t like. I think it is important for me (as a reader) to know what works for you and what doesn’t! As you mentioned above this is very subjective and it may work on us but nevertheless these kind of posts are just as important as product reviews for me. Thank you :)
Hi Casey! Thanks for the suggestion and the affirmation :D I will definitely be sharing more duds as I go along and I think doing it in one compilation post makes it easier for me too! I’m glad you enjoyed reading it even if it’s all just dependant on my skin not taking to certain products – but I suppose it helps to know that sometimes, not every star product out there works for everyone! :D I hope you’ve been keeping well!
Never expect REN Resurfacing AHA Concentrate is actually not working.. This has been on my list for a while now, along with the hefty Sunday Riley Good Genes .. Maybe I’ll give GG a try first then.. That’s when I finally finished saving for its price tag .. LOL
Have you tried Ole Henriksen Truth Serum? I’m currently testing this one, and so far so good :)
I know right, Lenny? I was soooo disappointed with that one! My friends reported good results so I thought I too would experience it. Sigh… money down the drain with that one. Still, it was just me, and there are a lot of people who love it, so don’t give up on it just yet! As for Sunday Riley’s Good Genes, it’s the bomb! I swear! I want to review it almost immediately but I have to give myself another 2 weeks before I do. Expensive, I agree. But wow :D I haven’t tried the Ole Henriksen Truth Serum – did they eventually pull out of Sephora, do you know? I have heard good things about that so I’ll look into it soon thanks! :D
I’ve tried the crescent white sunscreen on counters before and I agree that it’s too creamy for summer (Malaysia being summer all year long). If I remember well, it also has a pinkish tint which although won’t appear on the skin, just puts me off. It also does no justice for my combo-skin since it’s so shiny-glowy on the skin (and not the “glow from within” kind lol). Prefer the Daywear spf50 over this although the cucumber smell isn’t my favourite scent (read: i hate the smell).
Edit: it’s the BB cream from the range that has a pink undertone/cast. But still not quite a fan of the sunscreen and the BB cream (which both combined leaves my skin so shiny that I don’t know why they bother adding a highlighter at the end of the tube). But I’ma combo-skin person so others out there may not share my experience.
It’s helpful to know, since I think most people are combo skinned! Well, combo one way or another LOL!
Hiya Robert, am definitely not a fan of the Crescent White one. Soooo creamy! I mean, I have dry skin and I’m complaining LOL But mostly because it sucks under makeup. On it’s own, on a makeup-less weekend, it’s ok, but it’s oil slick city after a while! Good to know I’m not alone. Oh and I so remember the scent of Daywear! I used to use the range back in the day and yes, that cucumber scent really puts me off after a while. Now, even more so ever since I started becoming more sensitive to scent!
That REN range has an amazing Glycolactic mask, take that. It’s lightyears better than that concentrate serum.
I’ve tried that Glycolactic mask, Phil but I didn’t think it was as amazing as everyone made it out to be :P It was nice, but the effects don’t last.