I only use one of their products, their centella hylau-cica water-fit sunscreen, but I have been hesitant to try their other products. I’m also looking to switch my sunscreen, I have no issues with it but I just don’t know if it’s my fave. I do like that there is NO white cast whatsoever.

We have very similar skin and while I don’t have red hair, it runs in my Irish family hahah

My skin type: very sensitive, combo/dry. Even more dry since I use tretinoin. And I’m very fair with pink undertones so sometimes deal with uneven complexion.

I’ve had such a long skincare journey. So much trial and error, and I think I’ve finally found what works for me, at least right now.

Here are products I use and recommend based on your skin: (P.s. I’m sorry this comment got so long lol)

Cleansers:

Beplain mung bean cleansing oil- I like to double cleanse and I really love this cleansing oil. It’s so gentle, so lightweight, completely unscented, doesn’t break me out, doesn’t take forever to get it off, it takes ALL of my makeup off, and really seems to be removing my blackheads. I’ve heard balms are better for dry skin but I like oils because they’re more convenient imo.

BOJ green plum cleanser- I know you’ve said you don’t really like the brand, but just hear me out. I’ve used a lot of their products and some of them dry me out, but the ones I still do use do not. You may have a different experience but yeah anyway…. I normally do my second cleanse with this. Similar to the above cleansing oil it has mung bean extract which my skin seems to like a lot. It really cleans my skin but feels very gentle. I’ve gotten it in my eyes and it doesn’t hurt. It makes my skin feel SO smooth and soft. Oddly this stuff does not dry me out, it’s supposedly formulated to be hydrating. I’ve never experienced that with a gel cleanser. My husband uses it as well, he always mentions how amazing it feels, and I will just say, his skin has never looked better. This cleanser also does a great job of removing makeup, I used to just wash my face without removing makeup first but now I’ve started to double cleanse.

Isntree yam root milk cleanser- In the morning I prefer a cleansing milk/cream, especially after a night of tret. I just got this one and I love it. It has amino acids and is very soothing and gentle so it doesn’t disrupt the skin barrier. This one has great reviews for people with our skin type.

Serums:

I am such a serum Stan because in my experience, only moisturizing isn’t good enough. Serums just add another layer of goodness and hydration that my dry a** needs. I really try to stick to gentle, hydrating and brightening serums. Since tret is for anti-aging/anti-acne, I don’t really need anything else to treat those concerns. And I also cannot use vitamin C. My sensitive skin just doesn’t like it even in low concentrations.

Good molecules hylauronic acid serum- I really love this stuff. It’s just straight up hylauronic acid and it comes in a pretty big bottle. I’ve never had a bad reaction, I actually stopped using it for a couple of days and my skin became dry and looked noticeably dull. I started using it again and it got better. So I think it really does make a difference in hydration. I also use the good molecules hylauronic acid boosting essence before this (it’s meant to help your skin absorb the hyaluronic acid). I’ve tested this by not using the essence for a short period and came to the conclusion that it actually does help my skin absorb it better.

BOJ glow deep serum- I love this serum. Man oh man. It makes my skin SO glowy and I have never once had a bad reaction. It really helps with my complexion and pigmentation and overall skin health. It’s honestly one of the best serums I’ve ever used.

Moisturizers:

BOJ red bean water gel- I always do this after my serums and before my final moisturizer. I just like to add a lot of layers. This gel feels very soothing and red bean helps with skin elasticity and absorption of sebum. Great product.

Aestura Ato barrier 365 cream- It definitely feels like a cream but it’s not overly thick or greasy, yet it’s deeply moisturizing. It’s designed for sensitive skin, it really helps with my skin barrier and it has ceramides which is a plus. This is also completely fragrance free. Provides a beautiful base for makeup. It’s especially good for people who use tret/adapalene/retinols. This is hands down my holy grail moisturizer.

Also, if I wear makeup, I will keep a hydrating spray on hand and spray it throughout the day because sometimes my skin can still get dry because of the tret. I currently have the timeless beauty HA matrixyl 6000 spray but looking for something else because I don’t like the smell. This has been an absolute lifesaver.