Products I’m No Longer Using & Why

I’m going to be totally honest, from all the products I try these days, I rarely come across products I absolutely hate. It’s only happened a handful of times. I’m fairly picky about what I try- I check ingredients lists and I know what works for my skin. If companies send me products without consulting me, and I don’t think said products are suitable for my skin type or aims/sound boring, I might not even get around to testing them. I also have super NON-sensitive skin, so products don’t tend to break me out or irritate my skin, even if they don’t do much for me. 

So yes, I do come across a lot of products that are…fine. Just fine, nothing special, and nothing I’m getting excited about. Sometimes they’re boring, or one detail puts me off. It’s not hate, but they end up in that pile that I never use, and usually make their way to my mum or sister to see if they enjoy them more (which quite often they do). As a skincare blogger, I have a constant flow of new products, so those that don’t wow me, quickly get moved out. These are personal opinions and I know people who love the products I’m about to list. It’s no reflection on the company or the quality of their products generally- for me, those listed below just haven’t made it into my long term skincare routines.

I was gifted some of these products- full disclosures are within the text.

TOV Camellia Cleansing Balm (gifted by TOV).

Okay so this does remove makeup in an okay way, but does not emulsify well for me. The residue stays on my face and it takes quite a bit of work to get the greasy film off. I don’t have the time or the patience, so even though it does cleanse, it fell into the not using pile.

Style RiRe Black Head Brush Cleanser (gifted by Yes Style)

Now, I don’t really understand this product. The cleansing head is so tiny? Is it for my whole face? When I was testing it out, I ended up only using the cleanser on the ‘blackhead’ areas of my face, i.e. my nose, chin and between my brows. It cleansed like a regular cleanser, but left my skin squeaky clean. I’m guessing it’s high pH, which for some people is fine, but I’m no longer using it, as I prefer more gentle cleansers for easy use on my whole face.

Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Pack

I wrote about this in a review, and yeah, the results were quite nice, with smoother, brighter skin. But I also said I wasn’t blown away, and would have to see if it grew on me. It didn’t. I never reach for it. It’s just not a step I feel I need in my routine- I have other ways of exfoliating and brightening my skin that I prefer.

Wish Formula The Mask With Centella Honey Fermented Serum (gifted by Wish Formula)

I’m a big fan of all the Wish Formula products I’ve used. I reviewed their bubble peeling pad here, and I’ve been so impressed with their 365 Day Day peeling pads. But man, this sheet mask. The name had me PUMPED. Centella? Honey? Fermented? Get on my face. But the material was so thick it wouldn’t adhere. It was pretty juicy but the results were just hydration, and because it wouldn’t adhere well, I didn’t feel I got the full benefits. 

Sulwhasoo Clarifying Mask

When I first got this, I thought I loved it. But I was a hanbang-loving skincare starter, and it was just the excitement of owning a Sulwhasoo product, and of course the gorgeous scent. It’s actually just a peeling mask, and there are waaay cheaper options available. It’s also really fiddly as the peel off never comes off in one, so I always had to pick brown bits off my face. It’s okay, but I wouldn’t pay for a full size (however I’m currently trying to figure how to finance some other Sulwhasoo products I’m SUPER keen to buy).

Unpopular opinion- the COSRX Birch Sap Oil-Free Moisturizer (gifted by Cosrx)

You all know I’m a HUGE Cosrx fan, and people love this stuff (my mum is like, number one fan). Yeah, I agree, it’s actually a very nice moisturizer! And perfect for sensitive skin I believe. Buuut it didn’t hold my attention for longer than a week. That’s totally on me, and there’s nothing wrong with the product, I just got bored very quickly, and it got lost among my many other products.

Benton Moist and Mild Cream (gifted by Style Korean)

This is a mild cream. It’s light, absorbs quite quickly, and is a good day cream (although feels quite silicone-y). But again, I’m just finding it a little boring and the scent puts me off. It smells plastic-y to me. I can’t see myself reaching for it when I have so many other lovely day creams.

For now, this is it. My getting-passed-on-pile. There’s been others in the past, and I’m sure there’ll always be more to come! Like I said, the above brands all make some great products, these ones just haven’t been favourites of mine. What products have you passed on? Or do you really like any of the above on my list? Everyone’s skin and preferences are so different, I love hearing alllll the opinions and experiences. Let me know!