The time has come! It is January 2021. That means it is time to reflect on the previous year and pick my favorite skincare products of 2020! Although this has never been an easy feat in the past, it was a little more straightforward this year. I really didn’t venture away from my usual skincare products and the majority of the new products I did happen to try out just didn’t make the cut on to my list of favorites. And so you might recognize a lot of these products either from reviews I’ve done in the past or from my Skincare Favorites posts in previous years! Nonetheless, I love each and every one of these products and I know you will too!
Favorite Cleansing Products
- Favorite Micellar Water: Nivea MicellAIR Micellar Water ($9.49CAD)
I have been a die-hard fan of the Nivea Micellar Water for years now ever since I was sent it to try out back in 2018. It’s very comparable to my other favorite micellar water, the Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water, but there is one main difference that has me picking this Nivea one each and every time: the price. It’s half the price and works just as well. It removes every last bit of my makeup while being gentle on my semi-sensitive skin and it doesn’t make me break out. There’s nothing I would change about it. Read the full review here.
- Favorite Night Cleanser: Neostrata Enlighten Ultra Brightening Cleanser ($32CAD)
2019 and 2020 were the years of discovering that I desperately needed a mildly chemical exfoliating cleanser to keep my acne at bay. I can not even begin to express how much better my skin is when I use a cleanser that fits those characteristics. And this Neostrata Enlighten Cleanser is one of my favorites in that category. It’s a non-drying cleanser that is able to thoroughly cleanse my skin while the gentle exfoliator, Neoglucosamine, deep cleans and clarifies. Read the full review here.
- Favorite Morning Cleanser: Kosmea Clarifying Facial Wash ($42.99CAD)*
I didn’t always use a cleanser in the morning to wash my face. I usually just rinsed my face with water and that was good enough. However, my skin has recently gotten quite a bit oilier (probably due to going off birth control) so I found myself needing to wash my face with something more than water in the morning. I didn’t want to use any sort of harsh or exfoliating cleanser twice a day so I found this Kosmea Facial Wash. It’s super gentle and is just what I need to give my face a quick cleanse every morning! Read the full review here.
- Favorite Cleansing Brush: Clarisonic with Acne Brush Head ($339CAD)
It physically pains me to write about this Clarisonic brush. Why’s that? Well, you probably know that Clarisonic recently shut down all operations and quit producing the tool and brush heads. As a long time lover of Clarisonic, that’s devastating. I’ve been a huge fan for so long. They sent me my first Clarisonic back in 2012 (WHAT, time flies, holy) and I’ve used one ever since. I have since upgraded to the Clarisonic Smart Profile (full review here) and I’ve absolutely loved it being a part of my daily skincare routine. I will continue using this until it dies but I honestly have no idea what I will be doing after that. I will link a couple dupes/potential replacements down below.
Favorite Essentials
- Favorite Toner: Pixi Glow Tonic 10% Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Toner ($20CAD/$18USD)*
Remember my Glycolic Acid obsession back in 2018/2019? Yeah, don’t worry, that hasn’t gone anywhere. It’s still one of my favorite ingredients for taming my pesky pimples. I have to admit I don’t use this toner every single day because that just feels like overkill to me if I were to combine it with my topical acne treatment. However, I do use it a couple times of week and I feel like the 10% glycolic acid really works it’s magic! Read the full review here.
- Favorite Serum: Clarins Pore Control Pore Minimizing Serum ($60CAD/$57USD)
It’s honestly shocking to me that 2020 was the year of oily skin. I’ve had dry skin for roughly six years before that so trying to figure out how to deal with excess oil was quite the learning curve for me. But this Clarins Pore Control Serum really helped with that. It helps my skin to stop producing abnormal amounts of oil while also minimizing the appearance of pores and keeping my skin’s hydration at a healthy level. Plus the texture feels really nice on the skin. It’s not sticky or greasy. Read the full review here.
- Favorite Oil: Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil ($62CAD/$60USD)
I go through different phases and thoughts with using a face oil. I start using one. I absolutely love it. My skin looks great for a couple of weeks. Then my skin starts breaking out again and I just stop using the oil. Then, a month later, the cycle repeats. I really just have to stick to using a face oil because my skin really does love it! This Lotus Treatment Oil is specifically made for oily or combination skin so it’s a match made in heaven for me! The blend of essential oils, Lotus, Rosemary and Geranium, hydrates, tones and visibly tightens pores while Hazelnut Oil softens, soothes and seals in moisture to minimize the appearance of fine lines. Perfection.
Favorite Moisturizers
- Favorite Day Cream: Benzagel After Care Moisturizing Lotion ($12.99CAD)*
I never thought I would use a non-derm or prestige moisturizer. I’m not as pretentious as that might sound, I promise. I just always gravitated towards creams from higher end brands. That all changed when I was sent this Benzagel lotion to try out. I fell in love with the smooth, lightweight, non-greasy texture and the fact that it didn’t make my skin breakout. What’s not to love? Exactly. Read the full review here.
- Favorite Night Cream: Clarins Multi-Active Jour Cream ($57CAD/$55USD)
I always find it funny that this cream is marketed as a day cream but I’ve always used it as a night cream. I’ve talked about this Clarins Multi-Active cream way too many times on ze blog so if you haven’t heard why I love it by now, then I guess you will never hear it. In short, it’s the perfect amount of moisture while providing my skin with preventative anti-aging measures. I’m 25 now. I’m aging. Rapidly. Anti-aging is more important than ever. Read the full review here.
- Favorite Eye Cream: Strivectin Multi-Action R&R Eye Cream ($72CAD/$65USD)*
Oh this eye cream. This is another thing I’ve talked about way too much on my blog. It’s seriously the best eye cream ever. It’s so lightweight but also surprisingly powerful! It targets visible signs of aging and fatigue around the eyes including lines, wrinkles, dark circles, puffiness, sagging and dehydration,. It’s really saving my tired eyes from all this work and school screen time. Plus the slight apricot tint is color-neutralizing so it instantly brightens my under-eyes! Read the full review here.
- Favorite Lip Balm: Bite Beauty Agave+ Nighttime Lip Therapy ($32CAD/$26USD)
I honestly didn’t think any lip balm could replace my beloved Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Swivel Stick or Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask but here we are. This Bite Beauty Lip Therapy has CHANGED my lips. I no longer need to apply lip balm throughout the day. I just swipe this on my lips at night and we’re good. For an entire twenty-four hours. That’s revolutionary. Why has it taken me this long to discover this lip balm? Why didn’t any of you inform me that there was such a miracle product out there? I’m disappointed in all of you. Read the full review here.
- Favorite Lip Mask: Bite Beauty Agave+ Intensive Lip Mask ($34CAD/$26USD)
i know. I know. I’m including two lip balms in my Skincare Favorites but I’m technically not cheating. One is a lip balm and one is a lip mask. Totally different, okay? This mask is so thick and luxurious. I don’t use it every day but this is what I reach for when my lips are super duper dry and I just need something intense and comforting. It’s a true lip mask unlike other lip products that call themselves lip masks but in reality, they’re just a glorified lip balm. Y’know? Read the full review here.
Favorite Treatments
- Favorite Clay Mask: Dior HydraLife Pores Away Pink Clay Mask ($79CAD/$69USD)
I honestly can’t believe I haven’t talked about this mask on ze blog before. That’s insanity. I love this mask more than life itself. God, why do I get so dramatic when I’m talking about skincare? Anyways, this mask is the perfect clay mask (except for the fact that it’s so freakin’ pricey). It’s this really creamy clay mask that helps to eliminate oiliness, the appearance of pores and uneven skin tone. But what’s special about it is that it turns into a foamy texture when you rinse it off. Why is that important? Because it doesn’t dry into that typical dry, cracked texture that every other clay mask has. Therefore, it doesn’t dry out your skin as much. Genius.
- Favorite Detox Mask: Bio Beauté Vitamin-Rich Radiance Detox Mask ($26USD)
Okay I know I’ve talked about this mask on ze blog before. I’m certain. It’s a detoxifying mask that is this really thick, sticky texture at first – almost like honey. But, when you massage the mask on to your skin, the honey-like texture transforms into this super hydrating, nourishing oil consistency. And then, when you wash the mask off with water, the oil becomes a milky emulsion which helps it wash off easily! It really helps to clarify my skin but also add radiance and hydration back in! Read the full review here.
- Favorite Exfoliator: Proactiv Deep Cleansing Wash ($35USD)*
I really didn’t think I would feature a Proactive skincare product on my blog ever again. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure their products work for some people but I just always found they destroyed my skin more than anything. However, this Proactiv exfoliator is surprisingly nice. It has salicylic acid in it so not only do the little grains help to physically exfoliate my skin but the salicylic acid also chemically exfoliates it. And it’s not too harsh! That’s the makings for a good exfoliator in my books!
- Favorite Acne Treatment: Stiefel Clindoxyl ADV Gel
I’ve never shown my topical acne prescriptions in skincare posts before but 2021 is the year of being extra real with you. And so, although this isn’t in pretty packaging or widely available over the counter, I really needed to share this acne gel with you because this has helped my skin more than anything. It has 1% clindamycin and 3% benzoyl peroxide which turns out is the perfect combination of active ingredients to treat my acne without overly drying out my skin. My skin has never been better!
Okay, wow. That was a lot of skincare products. Hopefully that wasn’t too overwhelming. Although this wasn’t a particularly exciting skincare year for me where I discovered a multitude of new, great products, I think it really says something that the majority of these products are ones that I’ve been using for years. That means I’m starting to find skincare products that truly work for me and don’t need to be replaced with something better. Isn’t that the ultimate goal in the end? To find a skincare routine that doesn’t need to be changed? I think so. So here’s to another year of tackling the journey of finding the best skincare products for me!
Check out my previous 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!