Jovana Tomin: review

You know what they say: find an SPF you like and you won't hate applying it. Well, I've found mine.

We all know how important daily use of SPF is and this product has not only made the application enjoyable, but it quickly became my fave step in my morning skincare. Even though it's not SPF50, I think SPF45 still gets the job done. We don't have to be that nitpicky about it. Missha really know what they're doing on the SPF front, if you ask me. But I'm getting ahead of myself. No more spoilers - let's take it step by step.

the formula? superior!

The formula of this Missha SPF is one of my favorite things about it. It's super lightweight and gentle, I'd even go as far as to say that it's mousse-like. In fact, let me go even further - it's divine. I'm not even joking when I say that it's a joy to apply. It goes on super smoothly and easily, sinks in quickly and leaves your skin looking nice and hydrated. Exactly what we want, right?

If you're still not convinced, let me try a bit harder. This SPF doesn't leave a white cast, doesn't pill, and doesn't make you look super greasy. I mean, what more could you possibly ask for? Best of all, it hasn't caused any acne or other issues. And if you know me, you'll know that's my greatest fear when testing out new products. I'm telling you - it's the perfect product!

when it's a 10, but it has a scent

I don't know about you, but I don't really want to smell my skincare, I just want it to feel nice on my skin. In fact, when there's a scent, there's also some anxiety in my head cause my skin can be quite a sensitive little bitch, pardon my French. And honestly, I don't think the scent is worth the risk.

But even though I normally don't like scented skincare, even I have to admit this product smells incredible. Very fresh, flowery and subtle. I don't mind it at all, I think it actually adds to the experience. I never thought I'd say about a skincare scent, but I guess I'm a changed woman. Of course, I'm only able to admit this because I haven't had any issues, flare-ups, breakouts or negative reactions. So this time, it stays a 10 regardless of the scent, which says A LOT.

repurchase-worthy?

Absolutely, no doubt about it. This is one of the few SPF products I've tried that I would actually LOVE to repurchase again and again. My skin really enjoyed it and I'm a creature of habit. I don't actually like experimenting too much when it comes to skincare - I stick to what I know. When I find products I like, it's hard for me to stray from them.

So in my books, the Missha Essence SPF 45 goes in the SPF Hall of Fame and it's a proud member of my favorites shelf. What about you - have you tried it? Or do you have a different SPF staple? Let me know in the comments, I'd love to know!

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The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion flatlay

I've been battling acne for what feels like an eternity. In reality, it's been about 8 or 9 years. That's still too long if you ask me. Last year I finally managed to get my skin more-less under control. But come October, my skin started going crazy. I had acne and breakouts like I hadn't seen before. I didn't know what else to do as nothing was working well enough. In December, I finally turned to retinol and I never looked back. As I'm writing this in March, I'm looking in the mirror in disbelief. I don't have any pimples on my skin, the scars have faded a lot and it looks much more even overall. And did I mention that I'm in PMS which usually means breakout season? It's all thanks to The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion.

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion close-up

The benefits of using retinol

If you're unfamiliar with retinol, I'll give you a quick run-down of its benefits. Retinol is a form of vitamin A that's known for its anti-aging benefits. But that's not all it can do. These are the top upsides of using a retinol product:

Anti-aging - prevents and reduces wrinkles
Brightening - evens out the skin and makes it look more radiant
Acne treating - keeps your pores clog-free, therefore minimizing the appearance of acne and blackheads
Reducing dark spots and scarring

What retinol essentially does is stimulates a quicker cell turnover. This means that your dead skin cells are shedding quicker and so they're not able to clog your pores. Other than that, new skin cells are forming quicker, leaving your skin looking fresh and smooth.

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% - my experience

The Ordinary offers 6 different types of retinol serums and I went for the mildest one. First of all the Granactive Retinoid line is gentler than the Retinol line. Other than that, it's only a 2% serum. Because of that, there is no irritation, redness, flaking, dryness or purging when using this product. The irritation risk is very, very low. I personally had no issues with it.

The serum itself is very liquidy, runny and lightweight. It's kind of a milky white color and it has an ever so slight scent (that's not exactly pleasant). Don't worry, it doesn't contain perfume, it's just the scent of the formula, I guess. It's very easy to spread it around your face and it sinks in pretty quickly. After applying it, the skin looks RADIANT. It's gorgeous, honestly. Every time I apply it I can't stop staring at myself in the mirror.

Ever since using this serum, my acne has practically disappeared. I get the occasional spot, but very, very rarely. The acne I had on my jawline and cheeks is gone and the scars are fading slowly, but surely. Overall, my skin looks significantly better and even the under-the-skin acne has vanished. I do put all these improvements down to The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion.

How to properly apply retinol

If you don't know about the rules of applying retinol, here's a little heads up.

It's meant to be applied as part of your night-time skincare routine.
You apply a few drops onto your clean, dry face.
If you're new to retinol and you want to use a buffer to reduce the chances of irritation, you can apply it after your moisturizer or mix it in with your moisturizer.
You can apply it after your hydrating serum - just wait for your skin to be completely dry.
Apply a moisturizer after retinol.
Using SPF is non-negotiable! You have to use an SPF during the day when you're using retinol because your skin will be more sensitive to the Sun.

Personally, I apply this product after my Hada Labo Hydrator. After the retinol, I apply my Mixa Hyalurogel Light moisturizer. With that, I'm done and ready for bed. I use retinol two nights in a row and then I take a two-night break. It's a routine that really works for me.

If you're someone who also struggles with acne, I highly recommend giving this baby a go. You will get the results without the bad side effects and you'll see a huge difference. I hope. Of course, you have to be patient with it and use it regularly to actually see the results. It's definitely not a change that happens overnight. My skin took its sweet time and I started seeing improvements after about a month of using retinol. So, be patient and I'm sure it will pay off.

In case you've used The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion - let me know! I'd love to hear your experiences and thoughts.

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Ah, niacinamide - my first The Ordinary love and the product that got me into proper skincare. It definitely holds a special place in my heart, but not only for sentimental reasons. This little miracle in a 30ml bottle is something that I cannot live without. I keep repurchasing it and I think I am currently on my 6th bottle. I started using it about a year and a half ago and I never looked back. So, here's what I have to say about The Ordinary Niacinamide serum.

Are you interested in the back story that led to me buying this baby? Well, ready or not, here goes. I was in Sweden last July/August and my skin was absolutely hating it. I knew that I had to do something to fix all the breakouts happening on my face. Plus, I really wanted to buy some products that I couldn't get hold of at home. Then I got the genius idea of checking out The Ordinary's products. I started researching and found out that Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% was practically everybody's holy grail. So, it was decided - I needed to get it. And as you can tell, I never regretted that choice. Okay, let's get into the actual review now.

First of all, let's talk a little about niacinamide, or vitamin B3. This superstar ingredient is here to help with blemishes, hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, sebum production and help your skin live its best life, basically. It's suitable for all skin types and negative reactions to it aren't too common. In other words, if you decide to use niacinamide, you probably won't regret that decision.

The Niacinamide serum by The Ordinary has a pretty high percentage of niacinamide - 10%. If you want to be a little more careful and start slow, you'll get all the benefits of niacinamide even if you use it in much lower doses. This serum also contains 1% Zinc, which is known to be very helpful for acne-prone skin. I think this combo is the perfect choice if you're struggling with acne like I am.

When it comes to my experience with it, I have to say that I've noticed a huge difference in my skin ever since I started using it. Granted, this isn't the only product that I've started using in hopes of fixing my skin, but I do think it deserves a lot of credit. In general, The Ordinary skincare is something that's completely changed the game for me. But niacinamide in particular helps me out a lot.

I use this serum in the morning and I apply it on damp skin. Then I follow it up with moisturizer and SPF and that's me done. I've noticed that my skin has been getting MUCH less oily ever since I started using The Ordinary Niacinamide. It definitely does help regulate sebum production and therefore it also reduces breakouts and blemishes. Of course, I still get the occasional breakout, but it happens much less often than it used to. My skin looks much more even, the texture is significantly improved, I have less redness and my post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation goes away much quicker. I love using this product to calm my skin down when it's inflamed, to handle the stubborn hormonal acne and help the acne and acne scarring go away faster. I personally haven't had any issues with it, although I know that not everyone gets along with this serum. Unfortunately.

Even though I think this product has had a huge impact on my skin, I have to say that I use a few other products that contribute to my skin improvement. I love using The Ordinary Glycolic Acid Toning Solution, The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12%, La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo and a few other gems. Much to everyone's disappointment, one product alone can't completely change your skin. Or at least I haven't found one that can. But, a combination of a few really good quality products can definitely bring you great results.

I will definitely continue to repurchase The Ordinary Niacinamide serum for a long, long time, but I do want to hear your experiences as well. Tell me about your thoughts on this serum or other niacinamide products you've used.

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I know it's October, but that doesn't make wearing SPF on the daily any less important. So, today I'll tell you all about my current SPF to try and inspire you to still wear sunscreen even though it's cold outside.

For a while now, I've wanted to try a Korean sunscreen because I've heard so many people talk about how lightweight and gentle they are on the skin. Finally, I got my hands on the Missha Waterproof Sun Milk SPF50+ and I'm super happy with my choice.

The texture of the Missha Waterproof Sun Milk is absolutely gorgeous. The name says it all - sun *milk*. It's suuuper light and liquidy. It's almost a little inconvenient to apply it because it runs everywhere. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining - I love it! When you apply it to the skin, you don't feel it at all. It's very, very lightweight and sinks in beautifully and quickly. It doesn't leave a white cast on the face and it doesn't feel or look greasy. It almost mattifies the skin, but your natural glow still shines through. I think my fellow oily-skinned people will adore this SPF because it's so gentle, light and non-greasy.

Most importantly: THERE'S NO PILLING! I've been really struggling with my previous sunscreens because they always pilled and crumbled on my face. But I don't have that issue with this beauty.

There's a slight scent to it, but it's not overpowering at all. Even though I'm not a fan of scents in skincare, I really don't mind this one and it doesn't cause any irritation. Though my skin has been breaking out like crazy, it's mainly hormonal acne due to PMS, but I think it's safe to say that this SPF has not caused me to break out.

Another thing I love about this product - the packaging is 70ml! That's 20ml more than your regular sunscreen (or at least the ones I've used in the past). Also, the bottle is very sleek and thin, which is great for traveling.

All in all, I'm happy to say that I am enjoying this sunscreen from Missha very much. It's everything I'd hoped it would be and I'm super satisfied with my choice. I'm really looking forward to trying more Korean SPF products if they're all this great. Have you tried it? What's your fave Korean SPF?

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Just like your body, your skin also needs hydration. While drinking plenty of water is a sure way to hydrate all your organs, there's another way to provide extra love for your skin. Using a hydrating product in your skincare routine is a good idea, no matter your skin type. Whether you're dry or oily, your skin will love you for giving it some extra hydration. That's why I desperately wanted to try this ever-so-popular Hada Labo Tokyo hydrator. They claim that this product is Japan's bestseller that's sold every two seconds. Is that true? Well, I have no idea. It could definitely be a marketing trick playing with the consumers' minds, but I would totally understand if it were true. I've been using this Hada Labo Tokyo Super Hydrator for a while now and I think it's time to tell you some of my thoughts about it. So, if you're wondering if this big boy is a good choice for skin lacking hydration, read on.

The first thing I love about this product - it's unscented! I really dislike the concept of scented skincare as I see fragrance as one extra thing that can cause irritation and unnecessary problems. As someone with acne-prone skin, I really don't need to test my skin and risk getting acne and inflammation just because a product smells nice. I don't care about the smell.

Secondly, the packaging is huge! Though there are some more affordable hydrating serums on the market, they usually come in a packaging of about 30-50ml. Well, this baby is three times that! You get 150ml of product that will last you for ages.

Now - the formula. Ah, the formula. It's a wonderful, watery, runny texture that is incredibly lightweight. It feels like applying water on your face, but it's actually a gorgeous product with three types of hyaluronic acid. Hello, hydration! Obviously, the claim of this product is to hydrate your skin, and it definitely does come through and deliver. If you're looking for extra hydration, it won't let you down.

When it comes to the application, it's very simple. I usually use 2-3 pumps and apply the product onto my damp face. When you apply serums on damp skin, the skin almost acts as a sponge and the product sinks in better. I press it into the skin, let it sit for a few seconds and then move on to the rest of my routine. I always follow up with at least a moisturizer to trap in the hyaluronic acid and make sure it doesn't end up drying my skin. Yes, that can happen. If the hyaluronic acid doesn't have another source of moisture, then it will draw the moisture from the deeper levels of your skin. So, I suggest using a moisturizer on top of this hydrator. Normally, I use it morning and night after cleansing my face.

It hasn't caused any inflammation, acne or any other issues you can think of. It's just here to give a little boost of hydration to the skin and make it look and feel happy and plump. My skin drinks it up and looooves it! It's just what I needed to up my skincare game and treat my skin, especially when I'm using acne treatments.

Well, I think that's all I have to say about the Hada Labo Tokyo Super Hydrator. I definitely recommend giving it a go if you haven't yet. If you ask me, I think it's suitable for all skin types and it can only do you good. But because everyone's skin reacts differently to products, make sure to let me know your thoughts on this baby. It's always great to get different opinions, especially if you're thinking of buying a skincare product. So, talk to you in the comments!

Znam, znam znam, ceo je instagram je već pričao o ovom hidratoru i svima vam je dosadio. Ali posle toliko recenzija, morala sam i ja da ga probam, a sada kada sam ga probala, moram da pišem o njemu!
Na pakovanju piše da je ovo jedan od najprodavanijih proizvoda u Japanu koji se proda na svake dve sekunde. Da li je istina ili marketinški trik ne znam, ali ako jeste istina, razumem u potpunosti.

Za početak, obožavam što nema miris! Nisam ljubitelj parfema u kozmetici jer smatram da je to samo još jedna stvar koja može da iziritira kožu i izazove akne. Po mom mišljenju, to je sasvim nepotrebno, ali znam da ima onih koji vole da zadovolje i čulo mirisa. Ja se plašim akni i ne želim da rizikujem.

Pakovanje je ogromno i mislim da se definitivno isplati. Iako možete naći jeftinije hidratantne serume, oni su uglavnom u pakovanju od 30-50ml, dok je ovaj tri puta veći. Dobijate 150ml po redovnoj ceni od oko 2000rsd, a često ga možete naći i na sniženju. Trenutno je snižen i u DM-u i u Lilly drogerijama i cena mu je oko 1500 rsd.

Tekstura je jako lagana, vodenkasta i prijatna. Imate osećaj kao da stavljate vodu na lice, iako je zapravo prelepa mešavina 3 vrste hijaluronske kiseline. Ja uglavnom nanesem 2-3 pumpice na vlažno lice ujutru i uveče. Kada serume nanesete na vlažno lice, koža se ponaša skoro kao sunđer i bolje upija proizvode. Uvek nanesem kremu preko kako mi hijaluronska kiselina ne bi isušila lice. Da, to može da se desi ako nema odakle da izvule vlagu, pa je izvlači iz dubljih slojeva kože. Tako da, krema posle hijalurona!

Nije mi izazvao nikakve upale, akne ili druge probleme. Samo lepo hidrira lice i učini da koža izgleda jedro, sveže i srećno. Pretpostavljam da svi obožavate ovaj hidrator, ali svakako mi pišite svoje utiske u komentarima.

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the formula? superior!

when it's a 10, but it has a scent

repurchase-worthy?

The benefits of using retinol

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% - my experience

How to properly apply retinol

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