2021 Skincare Favorites

Well, it’s 2022 and if there’s one thing I can say about the past year, my focus definitely was not on skincare. Now, don’t get me wrong. I still tried to take good care of my skin in 2021, but I really wasn’t in to trying a whole lot of new products. I stuck to what I knew and loved. And so, you are probably going to notice that a lot of products on my 2021 Skincare Favorites post are ones that have been featured on ze blog many times before. But that’s okay. Just because I’m a “beauty blogger” (in quotation marks because I really haven’t blogged much in the past year), doesn’t mean I need to constantly be trying out new products and putting my skin through havoc. And so, here are the best of the best skincare products from the past year!

Favorite Cleansing Products

• Favorite Micellar Water: Nivea MicellAIR Micellar Water ($9.99CAD)

I am a huge fan of micellar water. I use it every single night without fail to remove all of my makeup before washing my face with a cleanser. And although I’ve tried out so many different micellar waters, I always keep coming back to this Nivea MicellAIR water. It removes all my makeup, doesn’t dry out my skin, doesn’t irritate my skin, and best of all, doesn’t leave behind an oily residue. It’s quite simply my tried and trued micellar water. Read the full review here.

• Favorite Day Cleanser: The Inkey List Fulvic Acid Cleanser ($13.99CAD/$10.99USD)

I am surprisingly so picky about cleansers. They have to have the perfect texture and leave my skin feeling the right way after it’s washed out. And luckily, this Inkey List Fulvic Acid Cleanser incorporates both of those qualities. It’s a gel consistency that contains fulvic acid, kakadu plum extract and licorice root extract to gently exfoliate and nourish the skin while brightening the skin tone. It is also really great at removing every last bit of makeup that you might have missed with your micellar water in the step before! Read the full review here.

• Favorite Night Cleanser: Paula’s Choice Oil-Reducing Cleanser* ($19USD)

I honestly can’t believe I’ve never done a full, dedicated post on this Paula’s Choice Oil-Reducing Cleanser. I’ve been using it on and off since 2016 (crazy that was six years ago!) and it has never failed to impress me. Although incredibly gentle, it removes all impurities including excess oil (which I definitely have a lot of these days) as well as works hard to unclog pores to minimize the appearance of them. It leaves my skin feeling so clean and balanced without feeling too tight or dry!

• Favorite Cleansing Brush: Clarisonic with Cashmere Brush Head* (discontinued)

Ahh yes, my beloved Clarisonic. I wrote in my last Skincare Favorites post that although Clarisonic went out of business and shut down all operations in 2020, I will continue using my Smart Profile Clarisonic until it dies. Well, I’m happy to report that it has lasted a whole other year by my side. Hopefully, I’m not jinxing myself by saying that. But there really is nothing better than a Clarisonic with the Cashmere Brush Head and I will continue saying that until it inevitably dies and just doesn’t turn on one day. That will be a sad, sad day. Read the full review here.

Favorite Serums

• Favorite Brightening Serum: Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum ($88CAD/$68USD)*

I love a good brightening serum and I’ve tried quite a few of them like the Sunday Riley CEO serum (review here) and the Clinique Fresh Pressed Booster but this Ole Henriksen Vitamin C Serum really knocks it out of the park in comparison. It contains 15% vitamin C, 5% PHAs, as well as hyaluronic acid that work together to instantly brighten, visibly firm and plump skin with hydration, and reduces the appearance of dark spots, pores, and wrinkles. I really noticed my acne marks fading significantly once I started using this every single night. Plus it feels great on the skin with none of the stickiness that Vitamin C or brightening serums usually have. And it smells yummy. Read the full review here.

• Favorite Pore Minimizing Serum: Clarins Pore Control Serum ($63CAD/$58USD)

This product sat in my skincare collection for quite some time before I actually tried it out. I never used to have oily skin until I went off birth control and suddenly my face was an oil slick. However, with my new found oily skin, this Pore Control serum suddenly became my best friend. It works to mattify the skin as well as minimize pores for that flawless, airbrushed complexion. I don’t really stress over the size of my pores much so I really just use this serum for it’s mattifying effects. It has vine flower that helps to firm the skin while organic strawberry tree fruit helps to mattifying the skin. In addition, Tamarind pulp acid gently exfoliates the skin to keep it smooth and radiant! And it feels SO hydrating yet mattifying on the skin. On really hot days when my skin isn’t dry, I use this as my sole moisturizer and it works great! Read the full review here.

• Favorite Hydration Serum: Vichy Mineral 89 Skin Fortifying Daily Booster ($41.95CAD/$29.50USD)*

I’ve talked about this booster way too many times on ze blog now but it’s just that good. I’ve really grown to love it over the years. It’s the one product that I know will give me instant hydration and return my skin to its former glory when I’ve beaten it to death after too many acne treatments. It’s so incredibly hydrating with it’s formulation containing 89% of Vichy Volcanic Water and natural-origin Hyaluronic Acid, but also gives the skin it’s daily dose of strength as it repairs, fortifies and hydrates it to protect it against aggressors like weather changes, stress, fatigue and pollution. Read the full review here and here.

• Favorite Mattifying Serum: Dior Capture Youth Matte Maximizer Serum ($120CAD/$95USD)

This is another one of those products that I had just sitting in my skincare collection while I struggled to find a use for it back in the good ol’ days when I had dry skin. But now that I have oily skin, this Dior Matte Maximizer Serum is finally making a comeback within my skincare routine. This serum contains lactic acid, pink clay and zinc gluconate to help absorb excess oil, control shine, and minimize the appearance of pores for a smoother skin texture. It’s also enriched with the antioxidant-boosting iris extract, leaving the skin feeling super soft and matte while still hydrating. Read the full review here.

Favorite Moisturizers

• Favorite Day Cream: Reversa Radiance Cream ($49CAD)*

You might remember this Reversa Radiance Cream from it’s feature in my 2017 Skincare Favorites, but don’t worry it’s not the same bottle. I have been through many bottles of this magical cream since then. It’s truly one of my holy grail cream. It contains 4% glycolic acid with vitamin C and Rumex Extract that help to brighten the skin and fade any brown spots and acne marks/scars. This is one of the few creams that I found did exactly what it promised. I find my skin always looks so bright and clear when I’m using this daily. It also contains spf 30, making it the perfect cream for daily use! There’s just one problem… I have not been able to find it at Shoppers Drug Mart lately. Please tell me they’re just updating the packaging and this has not been discontinued! I would cry. A lot. Read the full review here.

• Favorite Night Cream: Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Silky Cream ($49CAD/$49USD)

I have been using this cream since 2014 and have stayed true to it throughout all of it’s formulation changes. Does anyone else remember the days when it used to be called HydraQuench instead of Hydra-Essentiel? See, I told you I was a real one. Biiiiig Clarins fan over here. This Hydra-Essentiel Silky cream is designed for normal to dry skin and is so much more than just your average moisturizing cream. It works to combat the effects of things like sudden temperature changes, indoor and outdoor pollutants and environmental stress. It protects the skin but also powers the skin’s natural hydration to retain moisture in any environment while adding radiance, nutrition and comfort. Read the full review here.

• Favorite Eye Cream for Day: Strivectin Multi-Action R&R Eye Cream ($72CAD/$55USD)

This eye cream is special. So special in fact that it was the first product that made me fall in love with eye creams. Before I stumbled across this one, I thought all eye creams were the same. They seemed too heavy and irritated my eyes no matter what. But this one is so different. It’s made my 2019 Skincare favorites, my 2020 Skincare Favorites, and now, my 2021 Skincare Favorites. I’m loyal af to this eye cream, okay? It helps with lines & wrinkles, dark circles, sagging, puffiness and dehydration while also brightening dark circles with a color-neutralizing apricot tint. Read the full review here.

• Favorite Night Eye Cream: Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Eye Cream ($35USD)*

This eye cream is almost as good as the Strivectin one I mentioned earlier. And maybe, as time goes on, I will learn to love this one just as much as it’s predecessor. It’s incredibly lightweight and helps to nourish and retain moisture. I’ve been getting really dry under-eye bags lately (probably from my benzoyl peroxide acne treatments) and I find this eye cream is really good at smoothing and moisturizing my eyes! In addition, Omega fatty acids and ceramides help to minimize the appearance of fine lines while niacinamide and plant extracts brighten any dark circles! Plus, the pump bottle is super convenient for application compared to a more traditional jar of eye cream.

Favorite Treatments

• Favorite Peel: Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting Exfoliant Peel ($40USD)*

I feel like an exfoliating peel is something that is often overlooked in skincare routines. But I think they are so essential. And this Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting Exfoliant Peel is one of the best I’ve tried. It contains a blend of 25% AHA (8.4% glycolic acid, 7.1% lactic acid, 5% mandelic acid, 2.5% malic acid and 2% tartaric acid) to address aging and sun damage and deliver gentle resurfacing. In addition, the 2% BHA works to unclog pores and leaves the skin feeling soft and glowing! Read the full review here.

• Favorite Spot Treatment: Differin Acne Treatment Topical Cream ($29.99USD)

I’ve had issues with acne since I was 11. Breakouts are really nothing new to me anymore but that doesn’t mean I will ever give up trying to get my skin to the point where I just never get pimples. Hey, a girl can dream, right? I remember trying out this Differin cream back when I was a pre-teen and it really didn’t help at all. But, after my pharmacist recommended it to me a couple years ago, I tried it again and it’s been working wonders! I find that if I apply this every single night to the parts of my face where I breakout most (my chin and cheeks), I find my skin is pretty good for the most part!

• Favorite Mud Mask: Fresh Umbrian Clay Mattifying Mask ($33CAD/$25USD)*

I know I’ve talked about my newfound oily skin for the majority of this post, but bear with me just a little longer. Now that I do have oily skin, I have really been enjoying using mud masks. And this Fresh Umbrian Clay mask in particular is an amazing one. It’s a clay mask that minimizes pores and shine with umbrian clay that helps to help balance, purify, and clarify the skin’s appearance. In addition, sandalwood oil works as an astringent and helps to calm the skin. Last, chamomile flower and lavender water help to soothe. Read the full review here.

• Favorite Lip Balm: Laneige Lip Glowy Balm in Berry ($20CAD/$17USD)*

Oh Laneige, you’ve done it once again. Over the pandemic as I’ve avoided using any kind of lipstick or lip gloss (because what’s the point), I’ve turned to these Lip Glowy Balms from Laneige instead. They are the perfect lip balms. And I don’t say that lightly because I have tried out every lip balm there possibly is. But this one is definitely the winner. It is glossy and hydrating yet not sticky at all on the lips. It smells delicious (not to mention tastes delicious as well). It’s just perfection. Seriously. Read the full review here.

OOF. These annual roundups of skincare products are always a doozy to write. It’s a lot of gushing and raving about why I love a product as much as I do. But hey, it is much more fun to write about why I love something rather than rant about why a product is so terrible. So here’s hoping 2022 will be another year of great skin thanks to great skincare! I can’t wait to find out what products are going to be my favorites this year! Until then, please let me know what skincare you have been loving lately!

Check out my previous Skincare Favorites:

2020 Skincare Favorites: https://when-im-older.com/2020-skincare-favorites/

2019 Skincare Favorites: https://when-im-older.com/2019-skincare-favorites/

2018 Skincare Favorites: https://when-im-older.com/181461299160-2/

2017 Skincare Favorites: https://when-im-older.com/169737761309-2/

*ftc disclaimer: Products marked with an “*” were sent free of charge for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make When I’m Older possible!