If value for money is the reason why you are buying skincare then, hands down Black Friday sales at the best time of the year. Each year, I have watched like a hawk, what different holiday season offerings are there AND invariably, Black Friday sales win.
I’ve highlighted what I have bought for my personal use and it is mainly DECIEM products. In the next post, I’ll spread wings further and look at non-DECIEM produts.
Black Friday sales for me are really a love affair with NIOD products. Ordinarily these products are stupidly (but justifiably) expensive and this is my haul this year.
Sanskrit Saponins
I didn’t think I need this product at all – at least not for a good six months after using it. BUT now my skin is changing – ageing! And I find that dead skin accumulates like there is no tomorrow. I cannot exfoliate more than once a week because I know I will get post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The result is I find that there are small globules of oil accumulating around my face and eye area.
Sanskrit Saponins deep cleanses the gunk – the excessive oil – out of your skin. Along with the Non-Acid Precursor below its what is going to keep these oil globules from becoming a serious problem.
30% Ethylated Ascorbic Acid
I have tried a fair few L-Ascorbic Acid products and the main issue with all is that they oxidize at the slightest variation in the environment. I am thinking of the word “diva” to describe Ascorbic Acid, but then I met the calm, collected newbie NIOD’s ELAN.
I have literally left this in my bathroom for six months of the year where the temperature is on average 37C. It has not changed colour from its original transparent.
This lack of colour change is a testament to the product’s stability.
Survival 0
The reason to add Survival 0 is that it is a feast of anti-oxidants. The primary mechanism for anti-ageing is the creation of Reactive Oxygen Species which cause everything from DNA damage, wrinkles and general skin degradation.
Merely by being anti-oxidant rich, Survival 0 manages to counter ROS activity (and hopefully delay, even if slightly, the onslaught of ageing).
Non-Acid precursors
My skin is changing and honestly, I hate acid exfoliators and more harsh physical ones. This chemical exfoliators is much milder than an acid exfoliator (e.g., glycolic acid) and a physical exfoliator.
Bio lipid concentrate
I’ll admit this product costs a bomb – it is not cheap – but every time I have used it, I have not needed to use another lip product. I also find that it helps even out lip colour, especially the dark patches at the corner of my mouth. I know this is a problem for many Asian women, and this is my go to product to rectify the problem.
Ordinary 100% Vitamin C powder
This is a bizarre product because it stings when you use it, but instantly brightens your skin. I have a feeling that I have never used this product correctly, so I want to revisit this.
NIOD face masks
I want to revisit all of the NIOD face masks again – they are odd in a strange way – some of them deliver skin lightening and skin tightening. But I don’t think I have was very comfortable with the ease of use. Time to revisit this particular section of NIOD’s website!