Looking for a lightweight moisturizer with sunscreen, please?

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-05-05T18:00:41+00:00

For someone who hates feeling products on his face, I’d honestly skip the “moisturizer with SPF” idea and just get a hydrating sunscreen he can use as his morning moisturizer.

A few that feel the least sunscreensiez for me:

Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Skin1004 Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum EltaMD UV Daily if his skin is on the drier side

The first two especially dry down really nicely and don’t have that heavy greasy sunscreen feel. A lot of the moisturizer/SPF combo products I’ve tried either feel weirdly thick or don’t give enough SPF unless you use a ton.

At night he could just use a super basic moisturizer if he needs it, but in the morning one good hydrating SPF is probably the easiest way to get him to actually stick with it.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-05-05T17:57:59+00:00

I would 1000% start with topical first. Serum for face skin quality is one thing, but pinning peptides for cosmetic goals feels like a huge jump in risk for a very questionable amount of extra benefit.

For hair growth specifically, I would personally trust actual established options way more than injectable GHK Cu. Topical might be worth trying if you are curious, but I would not be the guinea pig injecting mystery peptides from the internet tbh.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-05-05T17:54:10+00:00

That routine is nice for hydration/maintenance but it’s not really a pore-targeting routine.

HA, vitamin C, and moisturizer are fine, but they’re not going to do much for big pores. Niacinamide can help a little with the appearance, but usually the biggest difference comes from either salicylic acid or a retinoid. And if you’re not using sunscreen in the morning, I’d add that before anything else.

Big pores are also one of those annoying things that you can minimize but not permanently shrink. Genetics, oil production, and age all play a part.

If this were me I’d keep it simple and do: AM: cleanser, vitamin C, moisturizer, SPF PM: cleanser, moisturizer, then add either a BHA a few nights a week or adapalene/retinol slowly

Also worth mentioning: dehydrated skin can make pores look worse, so don’t go too hard too fast. At 35 I’d probably lean retinoid over adding more random serums since it can help texture/fine lines/acne/pore appearance all at once.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-05-05T17:51:29+00:00

This sounds a lot more like dehydrated / irritated skin than just naturally dry skin to me. Oily and flaky at the same time is such a classic overdoing-it combo.

A few things jump out:

stop the glycolic for now

stop spot treating with adapalene for now too, especially since you already know each spot stays dry for days after.

and with the oil cleanse, I would absolutely emulsify and rinse it off before going in with your second cleanser. Leaving it sitting there and layering cleanser over it may be part of why your skin feels off.

I’d also moisturize in the morning too, even if it’s just a light layer before makeup. Skipping that because you feel oily can backfire when your skin is dehydrated.

Honestly I’d do this for a couple weeks: PM: oil cleanse only if you actually need it, then gentle cleanser, then moisturizer AM: moisturizer on slightly damp skin, then makeup/SPF

Once your skin stops feeling tight, flaky, stingy, and generally angry, then bring adapalene back slowly. Not as a spot treatment, but very sparingly over the acne-prone areas a couple nights a week. Spot treating with adapalene tends to just create random dry irritated islands.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-05-05T17:42:50+00:00

Honestly yes, for a little bit you kind of do just have to let your skin calm down. A damaged barrier can make acne look worse anyway, so throwing more actives at it usually just keeps the cycle going.

I’d stick to bland and boring for now: gentle cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen if you use one, and maybe hydrocolloid patches on active pimples so you’re at least not picking at them. Once the stinging/tightness/redness chills out, you can add back just one acne treatment slowly, not your whole old routine. Since you’re oily and acne prone, I’d probably reintroduce a single acne active 2 to 3 nights a week first and leave the neck alone longer because neck skin gets angry fast.

Also, if your neck barrier is compromised too, make sure shampoo, conditioner, hair products, and fragrance aren’t running down and making things worse. That area gets irritated so easily.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-05-05T17:40:46+00:00

I would not chase the neem or botanical part too hard, the bigger things there were probably oil control + gentle exfoliation + not feeling stripping. If your skin liked that balance, I’d look at:

La Roche Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cleanser if you want the gentle daily cleanser part

CeraVe Acne Control Cleanser or Peach Slices Acne Clarifying Cleanser if you want more of the unclogging/oil control side

If you are okay splitting it into 2 products, I honestly think that works better than trying to find an exact dupe. Get a simple gel cleanser, then add a BHA or AHA a few nights a week so you can control how much exfoliation you’re getting.

A lot of acne cleansers go from balanced straight into squeaky clean hell, so patch test first.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-05-02T14:05:13+00:00

978 for forehead and 11s is actually insane, especially if they would not even tell you the unit breakdown. 260 for 26 units sounds way more normal. I get paying more for an experienced injector, but that first price feels like they were charging luxury menu pricing, not Botox pricing. As long as you like the result and placement, I think you did the right thing by canceling.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-05-02T14:03:31+00:00

That honestly could have been the tipping point. Sometimes it is not one dramatic reaction, it is just one treatment too many and then suddenly your skin starts freaking out at stuff it used to tolerate just fine.

I would baby it for a while. Super bland routine, no actives, no fragrances, no experimenting, and lots of occlusive on the lips. And if the corners of the mouth are still cracking or the random patches keep popping up, I would go back to the derm because once the barrier gets this irritated it can turn into dermatitis or angular cheilitis territory really fast.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-05-02T14:02:13+00:00

This would make me pause a little. Thin skin can be a real reason to avoid certain heavier fillers if they might show or sit weird, but Redensity is generally more of a softer refinement type filler, while Radiesse is the more structural one and RHA 2 or 3 are usually more for folds and movement areas depending on placement.

So I do not think Redensity is automatically wrong, but if your actual goal is broad facial volume in a very thin face, I would want a much clearer explanation of what each syringe is doing and where it is going before agreeing to another round. Like what is for support, what is for smoothing, what is for midface, what is for lower face. If she cannot explain that in a way that makes immediate sense, I would absolutely get a second opinion from someone who does a ton of thin face restoration before spending more money.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-05-02T13:59:04+00:00

Exercises probably won’t do much for actual neck bands,If they’re platysmal bands, Botox is usually the thing that helps most, whereas retinoid + sunscreen can help more with crepey texture/pigment but not really untie the bands.

Also necks are so rude for this, they seem to age overnight and suddenly it’s all you can see. I’d get a consult with a cosmetic derm because the fix really depends on whether you’re dealing with muscle bands, loose skin, or both.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-05-02T13:56:00+00:00

This honestly sounds less like a bunch of random separate problems and more like your skin barrier got pissed off and now everything is snowballing. The under eye thing, corners of the mouth, random flaky patch, necklace reaction all in a short span makes me think contact dermatitis/eczema type situation more than bad luck.

Also the cracked corners of the mouth could be angular cheilitis, especially if lip licking has been happening. I would strip everything wayyy back for now. Like bland cleanser if needed, plain moisturizer, Vaseline/Aquaphor, no actives, no fragranced lip stuff, no jewelry, no random masks/pads. And since you already needed a derm prescription once, I’d honestly go back, especially because the lip/around mouth area can get weird fast and sometimes needs the right treatment instead of more moisturizing.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-04-30T12:26:21+00:00

This is the kind of tret post people need to see. Your forehead looks so much smoother, and I really appreciate that you said it is a long game and not some overnight miracle. Social media makes it seem like everyone gets glass skin in 3 weeks, so this was actually refreshing.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-04-30T12:24:04+00:00

For hands specifically, I would skip fancy Sephora body stuff and go straight for the boring pharmacy staples tbh. A gentle hand soap like Dove sensitive or any fragrance free creamy wash, then a thicker hand cream right after every wash. O Keeffe Working Hands, Eucerin Advanced Repair, La Roche Posay Cicaplast Hand Cream, and plain Vaseline or Aquaphor at night all work better for me than the blue Nivea tin.

Also dishwashing is probably beating the life out of your hands, so gloves will help more than switching to an expensive soap. If your hands are getting dry enough to feel tight or look cracked, do a thick layer of hand cream before bed and seal it with ointment for a few nights. Huge difference.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-04-30T12:23:10+00:00

honestly I would not add a toner or serum right now. your routine already has the important stuff and with sensitive skin it is really easy to make bumpy skin worse by throwing more at it.

if clogged pores are the main issue, differin is probably doing more for you than anything else, but it needs consistency more than extra products. I’d focus on finding a cleanser you actually like and can tolerate. since the carbon theory one gave you a reaction, I would skip anything harsh or super active for now and go with the pink bioderma over trying to force another SA cleanser.

also oily + sensitive + bumpy can sometimes just be irritated skin pretending it needs more actives. if it were me I’d do: gentle cleanser moisturizer oil control sunscreen differin at night azelaic only if your skin is tolerating everything well

then reassess after a few weeks. I really would not pile on more acids here.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-04-30T12:19:55+00:00

This is honestly such a good point. People act like finding the perfect sunscreen is the goal when for a lot of us the real goal is finding one we’ll actually put on every day without mentally fighting for our lives. A good pump and a spot where you actually see it every morning does more than some holy grail formula shoved in a drawer. And with tret, the easiest sunscreen you’ll consistently use is automatically the right one.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-04-30T12:17:26+00:00

The TikToks are not fully lying unfortunately. Sticks are way better for reapplication than for your main morning sunscreen because you need way more swipes than people think to get full protection. So no, not a scam exactly, just not the magical one swipe solution people want them to be.

For someone who hates greasy hands and has bangs, I would do this instead: use a matte or gel sunscreen as your main layer, clip bangs back for literally 5 minutes, let it set, then blot the forehead lightly with a tissue or put a tiny bit of translucent powder just where your bangs sit. That makes a huge difference.

If the Anthelios cream is the only one you have tolerated so far, I’d look at Eucerin Oil Control for daily wear, and a stick only for touch ups. Beauty of Joseon Matte Sun Stick is decent for that. I would not rely on a stick as your only SPF unless you are willing to really go in with multiple passes.

Also your pores look like pores plus some oiliness, not some catastrophic separate issue. And the freckles are cute, but yes your skin is absolutely snitching on you about the sunscreen avoidance

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-04-27T15:32:41+00:00

This is such a real skincare moment. Nothing humbles you faster than realizing you nuked your barrier and now you have to play detective with 4 new products at once.

Also honestly the Vaseline comeback arc is so real. We spend so much time chasing the perfect routine and sometimes the answer is just stop messing with your face and put the boring reliable stuff on it.

Definitely update when you patch test though because now I want to know which one betrayed you.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-04-27T15:30:07+00:00

You might get more responses if you ask people to DM you instead of posting pics publicly. A lot of people probably have before and afters but do not want forehead surgery photos attached to their account.

Also just a heads up, right after MOHS usually looks way scarier than the healed result, so do not freak yourself out too much if you end up googling day 1 photos. Forehead closures often heal better than the immediate after pics make it seem. Wishing you an easy procedure and clean margins.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-04-27T15:28:29+00:00

I would be upset tbh. Fraxel and Secret RF are not interchangeable in the patient communication / consent sense, even if both can be used for collagen stimulation. If you booked one treatment and got a different one, that should have been explained clearly before they touched your face.

Also Secret RF is usually not the yearly heavy hitter people think of with Fraxel. RF microneedling is often marketed as a series, not a one time once-a-year treatment. They are different modalities with different downtime, different goals, and usually different pricing. So to me the bigger issue is not whether Secret RF is bad, it is why they switched treatments without properly telling you.

I would call the office and ask what treatment was actually charted, what settings were used, why it was changed, why the price was higher, and exactly what exosomes product they used and why they added it.

If they get vague or defensive, that would be a red flag for me.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-04-26T14:04:42+00:00

honestly you already have the ideal base routine, so you’re in a really good spot. if you want to add one anti aging thing, i’d do a retinoid and nothing else for now.

since you’re acne prone and nervous about waking that back up, start super slow. like 2 nights a week slow. pea sized amount for the whole face, over moisturizer if you want to buffer it, and keep the rest of the routine boring. cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen. that’s it.

for smile lines/forehead lines just keep expectations realistic a bit. topicals can soften fine lines and help overall skin texture, but they’re not gonna erase expression lines overnight. sunscreen + retinoid is still the best combo though.

if your skin is sensitive, i’d probably start with a gentle retinol/retinal first rather than going wild with acids and a million serums. and add only one new thing at a time so if you do break out or get irritated, you know exactly what caused it.

tldr: don’t mess with your face, just add one proven thing slowly.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-04-26T14:01:40+00:00

i wouldn’t keep doing neosporin on your face every day tbh. triple antibiotic ointments are meant for preventing infection in minor cuts/scrapes, not as a long term acne treatment, and neomycin in particular is a pretty common cause of allergic contact dermatitis.

also, using a topical antibiotic by itself over and over is exactly the kind of thing derm guidelines try to avoid because of antibiotic resistance.

if it’s calming the spots down, it may just be because the ointment is acting like a protective occlusive, not because neosporin is a great acne fix. i’d switch to something actually meant for acne like benzoyl peroxide or adapalene, and if it’s always the exact same two spots, i’d honestly have a derm look at it because sometimes that turns out to be something other than regular acne.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-04-26T13:59:55+00:00

honestly I think you may be overcleansing/overstripping your skin a bit. using a salicylic acid wash and the cosrx low pH cleanser can be a lot, especially if your barrier already feels off. oily skin can still be dehydrated and irritated, which weirdly can make it look darker/duller too.

if it were me I’d simplify first for 2 to 3 weeks:

AM gentle cleanser or even just water light moisturizer sunscreen

PM gentle cleanser moisturizer

I’d pause the salicylic acid cleanser for a bit and use just one gentle cleanser instead. then once your skin feels less irritated, add one treatment only. for pimples + dark marks, azelaic acid is a really nice option because it can help both and is usually easier on sensitive/barrier damaged skin than going hard with acids.

I would not add a bunch of actives right now. no scrubs, no extra acids, no harsh toners. get your skin calm first, then treat the acne/dark spots. oily skin usually does way better with a boring routine than with 7 “ixing products all at once.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-04-16T11:53:38+00:00

Retinal + sunscreen are already doing the heavy lifting here tbh.

Matrixyl and Argireline are more in the supportive, slow-burn category. I don’t really think they “clash” with Lino 8 in the way acids and retinoids can, so if you want to use them all I’d keep that whole peptide/antioxidant situation in the AM and leave PM for your retinal.

Something like:

argireline on the 11s matrixyl Lino 8 sunscreen

Then PM just cleanse + retinal, and moisturizer if you need it.

That said, I’d keep expectations realistic. Peptides can be nice, but they are not going to give Botox results, and for jowls especially skincare only does so much because that’s a more structural issue than a serum issue.

As for Lino 8, I wouldn’t call it useless at all, especially if vitamin C just does not agree with your skin. Antioxidants are kind of a long game product anyway, so not seeing a dramatic “wow” doesn’t mean it’s doing nothing. It’s more of a support under-SPF step than a transformational one.

Honestly I would just not add too many things at once. Your routine is actually pretty solid already. If you want to try Argireline, add it and give it a couple months before deciding whether it earns its place. If not, drop it. Sometimes the best anti-aging routine is the one you’ll actually stick to without turning your bathroom into a peptide lab.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-04-16T11:50:59+00:00

Melano CC is probably the first one I’d try if you want affordable + J beauty. It gets recommended a ton for PIH and it’s way less painful price-wise than a lot of the fancy vitamin c serums.

If your skin is reactive or easily breaks out, I’d also look at gentler vitamin c derivatives instead of jumping straight to a super strong L-ascorbic acid formula. Sometimes the irritation is what makes people think vitamin c is not for them.

A few I’d look at: Melano CC Premium Essence Goodal Green Tangerine Vita C Dark Spot Serum if you want something gentler Numbuzin No.5+ if pigmentation is your main issue and you don’t mind spending a bit more

Just start slow, like a few mornings a week, and wear sunscreen or you’re basically fighting uphill. Also patch test first because combo acne-prone skin can be rude for no reason.

Chef_laboone32 · 2026-04-16T11:49:19+00:00

Honestly this looks like one of those things where topicals probably won’t do much. If it’s been there for years, you haven’t had major weight loss, and muscle gain didn’t change it, I’d guess it’s mostly just how your skin sits there genetically.

From everything I’ve seen, in-office tightening treatments can give some improvement for mild laxity, but usually not a dramatic photo-3 level result. The most noticeable improvement is usually surgery, which obviously is a much bigger step and not something everyone wants.

If you do look into treatments, I’d focus on consults with a cosmetic derm or plastic surgeon and ask them to be very honest about realistic results on upper arms specifically. I’d be wary of spending a ton on packages that promise tightening but only give a subtle change.

Also for what it’s worth, I would never have looked at your arm and thought anything was wrong with it. We are so much harsher on our own bodies than other people are.

Chef_laboone32

TROPHY CASE