Retinol

My lockdown skincare experiment: Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream

July 3, 2020 Paris B 4 Comments

A few months ago, just before we went into lockdown, I received a generous package from Drunk Elephant. Lockdown started out a little confusing on all our parts, so I left the package for a while, while I got my head around not leaving the house.

When I settled down, the first item I reached for in the pack was the Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream. There was a good reason for this!

When A-Passioni Retinol Cream was first launched, I came across many mixed reviews for it. Those who loved it, loved how effective it was.

But there was a big section of reviewers who complained that it left them with dry, flaky, peeling skin – a common side-effect of using retinol, especially in high doses. And A-Passioni Retinol Cream has a whopping 1.0% Retinol concentration.

I was curious therefore, how I’d take to the product. Would I love it, or would it leave my skin a mess? Curious minds had to know! 😀

Skincare Empties I used up during quarantine: 7 I will repurchase and 2 I will not

June 8, 2020 Paris B 6 Comments

Being in quarantine or lockdown has been good for skincare enthusiasts. It’s forced us to take a long hard look at what we own and use, and actually use it. That’s one positive thing to come out of this!

I’ve been quite good at using up my skincare in the past year or so, so it wasn’t too hard for me to amass a bunch of empty bottles and tubes in the time that our movement was restricted.

Usually, I’d just use them up, make a mental note whether I like them, and quickly forget about them as I move on to the next new item. But this time, I gave it a little more thought.

I had to, because it is now a little more complicated buying skincare from abroad, and I wanted to see if what I enjoyed using was available locally, or if I might have to bite the bullet and try my luck with an online purchase.

So, here are 10 items I emptied out that I felt were worth a mention. There are 8 I’d repurchase, and 2 I will not 🙂

Retinol Tips: 5 Things I always do when using retinol serums

May 14, 2020 Paris B 7 Comments

Retinol has been a bit of a hot topic here at MWS this past week, ever since I shared that tip on how I deal with milia. It’s amused me a little that not many people are aware that it is an ingredient, and not a product per se.

However, I am not surprised, because I cannot assume that just because most of us reading this are crazy about skincare (or have educated ourselves about it), everyone else has.

The thing about using a retinol based serum is that it isn’t something you should pick up off the shelves, and slap onto your face, without reading the directions of use. Very often, retinol based products can be drying. It is a characteristic of this ingredient, and very often, you will experience discomfort, peeling, dryness and sensitivity.

So, I always advise exercising caution when using anything with retinol, or any retinol derivative. There are also 5 things I always, ALWAYS do when using a retinol – and you might want to keep this in mind. It will make for a more comfortable, satisfying use 🙂

The Inkey List Retinol : For the times when the budget is tight but you want something effective

May 11, 2020 Paris B 16 Comments

I’ve used a few products from The Inkey List since they launched, and I must say that it is an affordable brand that impresses me. I have since lost count of the new products launched since, but I might get round to trying them some day.

One of the products that I was most keen to try back then was The Inkey List Retinol serum. The packaging was damaged in my first order, but I later reordered it, because I was started to get into retinol serums, and this fascinated me at how affordable it was!

Like all retinol serums, it takes me ages to form an opinion about them, or even to share a review, because retinol takes time to show results. It most certainly isn’t a magic wand, and it can cause more harm than good, if not properly used. Hence, I always exercise caution and I advise everyone to do the same 🙂

So, does The Inkey List Retinol Serum do anything for me?