2012 Skin Care Favourites

It's the new year, and throughout 2012, I sure have tried out quite a number of skin care products. I will split this into the steps I take for my skin care routine, namely, makeup removing, cleansing, toning, serum, moisturizer, sunscreen and special treatment (e.g for acne). Some of these products have a runner up as well! So be prepared for a lengthy post!

Makeup Remover
Winner: Aqualabel Deep Clear Cleansing Oil

Removes even my waterproof mascara and eyeliner without stinging my eyes and irritating my skin. Doesn't give me more clogged pores as well, which happens when I use other makeup removers, due to improper removal of makeup. Clear winner! I go through one of this every 2 months!

Cleanser
Winner: Liquid Neutrogena Pure Mild Facial Cleanser

Photo credit to www.snapdeal.com

This is a mild cleanser that totally does not irritate my skin or dry my skin out, yet cleanses my skin well. I strongly believe that people suffering from acne should use a mild cleanser with no acne-treating ingredients, that still cleanses thoroughly. This is because they do not further aggravate the inflammed skin. Leave the acne treating to specialized moisturizers and treatment products.

Toner
Winner: Clinique Clarfying Moisture Lotion 3

Photo credits: http://beauty.asianscent.com/clinique-clarifying-lotion-3-400ml135oz 

I have the one with the silver cap, which is SD alcohol free. Something about this just helps keep my clean clear and free of clogged pores. My skin just doesn't feel the same when I stopped using this (due to the price). Toner is something I go through quite quickly as well, so I wasn't sure if I want to keep spending over SGD30 on a bottle which will only last me 2-3 months max. However I really really do love this stuff.

Serum
Winner: Avene Soothing Serum

Needless to say, this serum soothes all my skin irritations. Love this to bits. However, it is not particularly hydrating or has any special properties. This product is just so essential to me due to its ability to soothe my skin.

Runner up: Boots Vitamin C Serum

My other favorite serum. This does leave my skin nicely plump and hydrated under my drying acne treatment lotions. It helps in brightening my complexion as well. It absorbs well and doesn't leave a sticky feeling. However I cannot use this product when my skin is peeling, red and sensitive from using too many harsh acne treatments.

Moisturizer
Winner (Day): La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo

Photo credits: http://www.amodelrecommends.com/2012/11/15/how-to-beat-breakouts-acne-tips/la-roche-posay-effaclar-duo/

Light weight, not drying like Effaclar K, goes well under makeup. Winner!

Winner (Night): La Roche Posay Toleriane Fluide

This leaves my skin nice and hydrated without feeling oily. Soothes my sensitive skin as well. I totally love this.

Sunscreen
Winner: Avene Very High Protection Emulsion

This is a winner because the protection is very good and all rounded. I don't get any tan or burn at all if I apply this, and this helps so much when I'm trying to fade my post acne scars. I cannot emphasize enough on the importance of sunscreen when it comes to preventing and fading dark acne scars. True that it doesn't go very well under makeup or over some moisturizers, but this is truly a heavy duty sunscreen. I have gone through about 3 tubes of this.

Special Treatments
Winner: Differin 

Best for cystic acne. However you can only get this from the doctor's. Go to the doctor and let them access how serious your acne is, let them prescribe the right medication for you.

Runner Up: La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo
Keeps my skin clear and prevents acne! This is the winner for my day moisturizer (see above).

Review: Revlon Photoready Liquid Foundation

Product description: As the name suggests, this foundation promises to look great in photographs, giving a flawless airbrushed look to the skin.

Shade: It always kinda sucks reviewing foundations when living in Singapore. The shade range over here is always less than what is available overseas. There are only 5 shades available in Singapore. What I have is 004 Nude, and it's not yellow enough for me. 008 and 006 are so similar that I have no idea why it is necessary to have both.
Score: 2/5

Coverage: This is a medium to slightly less than full coverage foundation. Full coverage to me means I don't need a concealer for my dark circles anymore, and Revlon Colorstay does that for me.
Score: 4/5

Texture/Finish: The texture to me feels very slippery and slick,  due to the high concentration of silicone derivatives in the foundation.This makes it easier to blend, but takes awhile to set. The finish of this foundation is probably the thing I hate most about this product. It makes me look like a glitter bomb, as if someone had thrown a whole lot of glitter at my face. It's so glittery and shiny, and it's a no-no for me because I have oily skin that becomes shiny very quickly. I hope you can see the glitter on the photo below. Some people described this as a foundation good for dry skin, because of the glowy finish. True, but the drier areas of my skin feels uncomfortable and dry under this foundation. As for photo-friendliness of this foundation, I have not tested it out, but since I looked SO shiny, I doubt it looks great in photos.
Score: 2/5

Oil Control/Longevity: The oil control is pretty decent, at 3-4 hours, but I cannot tell for sure because this foundation made me look shiny in the first place anyway. The longevity is great. It didn't melt off my face even after 8 hours.
Score: 4/5

Packaging: One of the best thing I like about this foundation is the pump. It has a really precise pump which allows me to control the amount I want to dispense, very very well. However, I find the cap of the bottle too loose for the heavy glass bottle. I actually broke a bottle in the store by reaching for a bottle by the cap. The cap takes up half the size of the entire bottle, so it was really hard to reach for this bottle without holding on to just the cap. Luckily it was a tester bottle and I didn't have to pay for the damage.
3.5/5

Price Point: Typical foundation price in Singapore, SGD29.90 for 30ml. Again, look for for sales!
3.5/5

Overall score: 19/30
This foundation isn't in my favourites list for sure, but there are some days when I feel like I need some extra glow, which will make me reach for this.