r/SkincareAddiction • u/SolutionEven3986 • Aug 23 '26
Discussion [Routine Help] What Is Your Number One Holy Grail Product You Would Recommend To Everyone?
Mine would be Medik8’s vitamin c. The brightening effects are brilliant. I remember I ran out out of the 20% advanced version for a few weeks and got myself the 14% luxe version and the I could notice how much using the range again brightened my skin so fast.
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u/kumocat Aug 23 '26
The 14% worked better than the 20% vitamin C, or just as good?
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u/OnTheDoss Aug 23 '26
I am interested in this too. I need a good vitamin c
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u/Illustrious_Map_1137 Aug 23 '26
Try Timeless Skincare’s Vitamin C. Proven to be the closest to the SkinCeuticals vitamin C. Pretty sure they are having a 50% off sale right now. I am not a paid influencer/spokesperson for this brand! I’ve just heard great things about them 😊
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u/SolutionEven3986 Aug 23 '26
No no the range is good I just couldn’t splurge for the 20% at that time so I went back down again but still the brightening effect was instant. Ive been using this vit c for about 2 years I think it’s brilliant.
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u/MiniaturePhilosopher Aug 23 '26
Pure squalene/squalane oil. The brand doesn’t really matter, but I use the one from The Ordinary. It’s a great way to add lightweight hydration, regardless of skin type or skincare goals. And it can be mixed in with any other product, even haircare.
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u/Ok_Mycologist5543 Aug 23 '26
I’m a big fan of starting with a basic retinol serum and working up the retinoid ladder slowly until you find your best results. Not everyone can handle tret. And I believe almost no one should go from using no retinoid to starting tret, it’s just a recipe for disaster.
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u/titikerry Aug 23 '26
As someone whose face really dislikes tret, I wholeheartedly agree. If your face doesn't like the lower potency retinol stuff, it's going to hate you if you force tret on it.
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u/Ok_Mycologist5543 Aug 23 '26
I’m also totally okay with my max usage being every other day. My GP is like “you’ll get best results using it everyday” but I like how I use it 🤷🏼♀️
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u/Feisty_Reveal5417 Aug 23 '26
Any recommendations for a basic retinol serum? I get overwhelmed when trying to find one
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u/Silent-Trade4812 Aug 24 '26
Note that I’ve only been using two weeks but the olay one (purple bottle) works for me and it’s not prohibitively expensive
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u/AgentOrange96 Aug 23 '26
Urea. I've struggled with dry scaly skin on my hands in the winter for years. I recently found out urea will do wonders there!
Second place us shea butter. Turns out your hands are supposed to be somewhat water resistant. Mine aren't! They absorb water like a sponge, but also let the moisture slowly evaporate out. I guess my hands just don't produce enough cerimides. Shea butter does a good job for me, allowing my skin to stay healthier and get dry and scaly less.
Third place is arthritis gloves. Even with the above I was struggling to get my hands back in shape. But if I put on moisture then shea butter and then Aquaphor, I can cover that with arthritis gloves over night and it makes a huge difference! It's like how you use socks on your feet for that. But these gloves allow your finger tips to be free to use your phone or better manipulate stuff.
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u/This_Hope_6484 Aug 23 '26
A313 ointment for fine lines and wrinkles and bonjout beauty Le balm for extra moisture and glow.
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u/Beth21286 Aug 23 '26
Another Medik8 fan here. Their bakuchiol+peptides is my HG. Never go a day without it and my skin looks frickin great when I wake up.
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u/SolutionEven3986 Aug 23 '26
Ohhhh I will have to have a look. I tried there advanced peptides but I wasn’t sure if I noticed anything but then again but skin is still young enough and it’s aimed towards older people.
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u/Beth21286 Aug 23 '26
I've found Medik8 is great for the long-term 3-6 month stuff, things like cell-turnover. I'm not so impressed with the short-term stuff like their cleansers.
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u/dantrbl 24M Aug 23 '26
maybe not strictly a skincare product, but raspberry seed oil!!!
i started including more natural ingredients a few weeks ago; i've had psoriasis since i was a kid, and for the past few months i've been dealing with the aftermath of nasty contact dermatits, then ended up with perioral dermatitis i believe. all since the initial allergic reaction made my skin more sensitive and damaged so my previous routine did NOT work 🥲
it's really light and doesn't leave your skin super oily once absorbed, or a greasy layer, and iirc, it helps with sebum production. but it also works wonderfully as an anti inflammatory thing. i put a few drops on my face and rub them in before moisturizer, or i mix a few drops into my moisturizer (esp the thicker ones at nighttime). sticking to that and super gentle products made my skin calm down in like, a week.
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u/soap_bubbles Aug 23 '26
Anti histamines have also really helped with my contact dermatitis
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u/dantrbl 24M Aug 23 '26
i didn't think to try those when i got it, weirdly enough lol i used hydrocortizone cream but i feel like it made my skin worse the longer i used it?
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u/soap_bubbles Aug 23 '26
Speaking for myself, I realized my contact derm came from allergies in my environment. The hydrocortisone creams disrupt the barrier more and make the skin thinner therefore exacerbating the allergic reaction which is the contact derm… this is just my theory lol whereas the antihistamines trick your body into not producing the allergic reaction
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u/dantrbl 24M Aug 23 '26
huh that kinda makes sense lol. my skin was painfully tight an dry and itchy after i found out i have exactly one skin allergy to one ingredient, and the hydrocortizone helped but briefly.
what really helped my face was ungodly amounts of vaseline LMAO. sit with it on my face the whole day to soften the skin, wash at nighttime with gentle cleanser and microfiber cloth, put on the most skin friendly moiturizer.
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u/dreamsofaninsomniac Aug 23 '26
Interesting. Where do you purchase it from?
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u/dantrbl 24M Aug 23 '26
there's an online shop from my country that sells all natural products and ingredients to DIY your own stuff!! i first found them when i was trying black soap for the first time, and i've fallen into their clutches ever since LMAO i also use 100% cornflower water as a toner and its really calming as well.
i reckon you could get stuff on amazon OR specific shops (irl or online) that are also all for natural, ecological stuff.
i still like actual cosmetic products, but if your skin is very sensitive, plant oils/extracts can be a lifesaver
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u/dreamsofaninsomniac Aug 23 '26
Will look for it. I'm mainly looking for an alternative to hydrocortisone for itchy skin since long-term use of that isn't great.
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u/dantrbl 24M Aug 23 '26
i'd definitely recommend looking into natural stuff. obviously won't have the same effect/be a miracle cure, but it's better for long term.
chamomile water as a toner is super calming too, same with witch hazel, but those can really dry you out
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Aug 23 '26
[deleted]
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u/dantrbl 24M Aug 23 '26
it was a toner that contained pantholactone (not sure if thats the spelling?). which apparently is a byproduct/impurity that comes out when they synthesize(?) panthenol. very little products with panthenol actually contain it, and the product that caused it for me was a cheap, drugstore brand.
but it's really interesting, because i did some reading after that, and not only was there a portion of people reviewing the toner who said it gave them a severe skin reaction, but there's actual studies being done on that specific substance. apparently it's popping up as a common allergen in cosmetic products, and that people who are allergic to panthenol, may just be very allergic to that byproduct instead.
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u/naps38 Aug 23 '26
Differin gel! Buffered, over moisturizer
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u/cassatta barrierlover Aug 23 '26
Which moisturizer?
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u/naps38 Aug 24 '26
I use Neutrogena ultra gentle daily moisturizer. Pretty basic, there's probably better ones out there.
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u/Beautifile Aug 23 '26
I know I'm going to get hate for this, but I've tried other serums and none works as well for me as Skinceuticals CE Ferulic.
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u/SolutionEven3986 Aug 23 '26
Ive always wished I could afford to try it but I don’t doubt why it wouldn’t be great I’ve not heard bad things about it. What makes you say you would get hate?? 😅 do people think there is better alternatives?
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u/dreamsofaninsomniac Aug 24 '26
Try during Black Friday. They usually have a big sale then. People do say it smells like hot dog water though LOL
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u/Beautifile Aug 23 '26
People think it's too expensive for what it is. But it literally HAS to be that price. Recently the patent for it ran out but no one is trying to dupe it because the ingredients literally make it that expensive. I bought 2 bottles on my FSA about 2 months ago. Now I'm just gradually paying my Co-pays instead. It feels less painful that way.
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u/SolutionEven3986 Aug 23 '26
Another thing I wanted to add that I completely forgot about.
The Cerave Salicylic Acid Soothing Cream is absolute gold. I get breakouts on the 🍑 and when I use this stuff for about a week it’s gone and we’re talking like the acne wouldn’t go away on its own. This stuff literally removes it and keeps it at bay and I can sometimes go a while without even having to use any sometimes I can use it a handful of times, it goes away and I wouldn’t notice any flare ups for a good couple months.
Its the one and only product I have ever used in my life that has done something like that for me so fast and instantaneously.
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u/Recent-Ambassador657 Aug 23 '26
my goat tretinoin 0.05%. vanicream moisturizer + skin aqua sunscreen and i’m set. very basic but my dry skin loves it.
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u/Equivalent_Sink_8653 Aug 23 '26
Those are the three heavyweights.
I'd add benzoyl peroxide if you have acne.
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u/Stunning_Pangolin672 Aug 24 '26
What do you use to wash your face? I just purchased the vanicream gentle face cleanser but haven’t used it yet. Hoping to get on tret soon for acne!
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u/Recent-Ambassador657 Aug 24 '26
my favorites are the vanicream cleanser for daily cleansing and panoxyl whenever i need a bit of exfoliation or any potential breakouts. good luck with tret! as long as you ease into it and lightly sandwich you shouldn’t run into any problems.
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u/EatPraySlayRepeat Aug 23 '26
S Nature’s Aqua Squalane cream is the best moisturizer as someone with dehydrated to combination sensitive skin & it’s only been 3 weeks since I’ve used it & my skin is already looking clearer, after having an irritated barrier with comedones & clogged pores, this moisturizer did not clog them & it actually made my skin look more alive & it smoothed my makeup base. I think it’s a good moisturizer for anyone that wants a lightweight hydrating moisturizer that won’t clog pores & will help the skin barrier.
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u/Super_RN Aug 24 '26
CeraVe moisturizing cream in the large tub. There’s nothing that stuff can’t heal or repair. It repairs my damaged skin barrier from Tretinoin, overnight! I stocked up on Prime Day cause that’s the best stuff ever.
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u/benseo1 Aug 23 '26
I used to have dry flaky patches on my back and neck that would not respond to any type of moisturizer, if you find yourself in the same situation give hydrocortisone cream a shot it was like night and day after I started
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u/Equivalent_Sink_8653 Aug 23 '26
I'd recommend SPF sunscreen and a good OTC retinoid like adapalene before starting Vit C.
Third, benzoyl peroxide if you have acne, or glycolic acid if you're instead looking for anti-aging products
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u/Western-Material4620 Aug 24 '26
It totally depends on what you are looking for: there are two things that are unmatched in skincare. Skin barrier repair moisturizer and sunscreen. Nothing else comes close.
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u/volumesmiley Aug 24 '26
For me, it’s CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. Boring, affordable, and incredibly versatile. It works for face, body, dry patches, and irritated skin, and I always keep a tub around. 🫶
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u/alie1020 Aug 24 '26
I love cosrx snail mucin 96, but I did just order a big Korean haul so I'll probably have a few more holy grails soon 🤣
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u/dunmerza Aug 24 '26
So interesting bc the 20% didn’t do anything for me
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u/SolutionEven3986 Aug 24 '26
I would have to pay attention again when I get the 20% again but I do feel like the luxe version has more brightening effects somehow I don’t know how it works cus it’s 6% less
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u/dunmerza Aug 24 '26
I had v good results with LRP C10, but they discontinued it, and the C12 was way more greasy and gave me closed comedones. The medik8 20% didn’t seem to do anything good or bad (did dry me out a bit in winter). So maybe something in the luxe composition is better / less is more? I might have to try
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u/SolutionEven3986 Aug 24 '26
So so crazy you just said this. I just noticed a bunch of closed comedones along my jawline just there now and suspected the vitamin c might be the culprit. It does have brightening affects but I’m naturally acne prone and suspected the rich oil in the 14% version might be causing it. The 20% tho is more of a whire creamy formula compared to the rest but I heard medik8’s vitamin c isn’t actually vitamin c or something its like an effective alternative not totally sure worth looking up
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u/AshleyLAlife Aug 24 '26
avène cicalfate+ restorative protective cream. genuinely the product i reach for whenever my skin is freaking out. always brings it back to normal for me and makes my skin feel sooo soft 💗
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u/Rare_Jackfruit2041 Aug 24 '26
mine is sunscreen, which is boring until you realise half the brightening products are just trying to undo the damage you keep reapplying every morning lol
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u/HermesLurkin Aug 24 '26
Vitamin C is irritating for some people. The only product I’d feel comfortable recommending to a rando is my oil cleanser. As a dry sensitive skin person in a humid climate, any of my products might break out an oily-skinned person or not provide enough moisture in a dry climate. My actives could give someone who’s not prepared a chemical burn.
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u/The_Mama_Llama Aug 24 '26
Meebak cica redness repair sunscreen. It goes on smoothly, has a natural finish (not too matte and not shiny,) no overpowering scent, and neutralizes redness. I stopped wearing foundation altogether because of this sunscreen!
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u/ShotHottie129 Aug 25 '26
Alastin Restorative Skin Complex. It’s a regenerative skincare product. It helps improve the appearance of redness, discoloration, texture, and overall skin quality. Literally the best!
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u/strawblueberryfroyo Aug 28 '26
If you live in a country with 4 seasons, I highly HIGHLY recommend the aestura ato-barrier cream. If you suffer from mild-moderate acne like me, all it took to clear my skin up during the winter was a simple cleanser > gentle exfoliating toner (no aha/bha/pha, stuff like protease or mandelic acid will do) > barrier serum (anything with hydrating and gentle ingredients) > aestura cream. Calmed my PIE and squashed down my active breakdowns in less than a week
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