All Things Sephora

KiKi Kontour

Well-known member
Heeey Yall...randomly popping in!! I keep up wit the threads but also forget to respond haha. When is Sephora sale? it should be comin soon in April...hmmm...I got a good $200 in the cart waiting to execute. I've been bored with makeup so I've dove into skincare. I am experimenting with CBD oil n adding into my regimen (mainly for sleeping purposes) so I have the High Beauty brand in my cart to try n although folks have "cancelled" KVD I want to grab the Lolita palette to keep at work! Everything else has been a yawner for me...Meh!
 

KiKi Kontour

Well-known member
I've heard the Fenty body lava's are sticky? and a glittery mess...Is that true??? I mean...I'm not runnin to drop $60 but if I swatch in store n spontaneously pull the trigger...I wanna be prepared.
 

Sugar & Spice

Well-known member
I seriously need to avoid the things they avoid (and about 20 other things) so I'd just as soon the hype and the fan girls and fan boys, not to mention the eyeroll inducing "shelfies" on Instagram, would go away. It just makes them a target for ridicule and criticism (and lawsuits by SkinCeuticals whose C serum DOES contain one of my triggers, propylene glycol). It's no easier to find products without any of my triggers than it was 15 years ago, so unfortunately it is what it is for me as far as price goes. But someone could get away pretty cheaply with just the Pekee Bar and Marula oil (or substitute TO or Acure marula) both of which last forever.


Has anyone heard when the April Sephora sale is yet?
Trust me I understand completely but a lot of brands have become dependent on our naivety and I've really grown tired of the gimmicks, secretly changing ingredients, etc. that keep us going in a crazy cycle of not ever really being able to trust what we're getting. I'm personally trying to move away from big corporate/commercial brands and look into smaller brands that are not controlled by the politics these commercial brands have to appease in order to appeal to the masses.

I like DE but their future is uncertain given they are trying to sell and I'm just tired of brands popping up and gaining customer loyalty, only for them to cash out and leave us stuck with whatever happens next.
 

Sugar & Spice

Well-known member
I've heard the Fenty body lava's are sticky? and a glittery mess...Is that true??? I mean...I'm not runnin to drop $60 but if I swatch in store n spontaneously pull the trigger...I wanna be prepared.
It does have a sticky consistency because it's made of gel and not oil, so it's more so a personal preference on what you prefer. I prefer gels/creams and not oils so I don't have an issue with the body lava. Application is key and I recommend the brush from fenty or those spray tan mittens to apply it with and a little goes a long way. It shouldn't be noticable sticky after you apply it unless you have applied too much. But again yes it has a sticky consistency due to it being a gel formula.
 

Mac-Guy

Well-known member
I seriously need to avoid the things they avoid (and about 20 other things) so I'd just as soon the hype and the fan girls and fan boys, not to mention the eyeroll inducing "shelfies" on Instagram, would go away. It just makes them a target for ridicule and criticism (and lawsuits by SkinCeuticals whose C serum DOES contain one of my triggers, propylene glycol). It's no easier to find products without any of my triggers than it was 15 years ago, so unfortunately it is what it is for me as far as price goes. But someone could get away pretty cheaply with just the Pekee Bar and Marula oil (or substitute TO or Acure marula) both of which last forever.


Has anyone heard when the April Sephora sale is yet?


Those two products felt very similar on my skin. I wondered about the packaging of Skinceuticals, as it is airtight and rather large in comparison to DE.
 

Winthrop44

Well-known member
Those two products felt very similar on my skin. I wondered about the packaging of Skinceuticals, as it is airtight and rather large in comparison to DE.


This one n the little dropper bottle?

C E Ferulic(R) with 15% L-ascorbic acid | Vitamin C Serum | SkinCeuticals

I’ve never tried it because PG turns me red and breaks me out, but I’m surprised it doesn’t feel more watery than the DE. I guess the PG gives it more slip. I tried a C serum from NuFountain that was really nice and watery, which I’d prefer, but it literally caused a big telangiectasia on my cheek in just one use. I think it’s because it has a much lower pH than either SkinCeuticals or especially DE and my skin just couldn’t take that even though I used like two drops patted on my hands to distribute and then onto my face like they advised in the video on their site. Ugh, I’m so mad at myself for ever trying that one.
 
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Sugar & Spice

Well-known member
Those two products felt very similar on my skin. I wondered about the packaging of Skinceuticals, as it is airtight and rather large in comparison to DE.

Yeah the products are similar, I actually use skinceuticals paired with DE. DE C-serum is more concentrated/thicker than Skinceuticals. My skin can absorb both but Skinceuticals is lighter.
 

Mac-Guy

Well-known member
This one n the little dropper bottle?

C E Ferulic(R) with 15% L-ascorbic acid | Vitamin C Serum | SkinCeuticals

I’ve never tried it because PG turns me red and breaks me out, but I’m surprised it doesn’t feel more watery than the DE. I guess the PG gives it more slip. I tried a C serum from NuFountain that was really nice and watery, which I’d prefer, but it literally caused a big telangiectasia on my cheek in just one use. I think it’s because it has a much lower pH than either SkinCeuticals or especially DE and my skin just couldn’t take that even though I used like two drops patted on my hands to distribute and then onto my face like they advised in the video on their site. Ugh, I’m so mad at myself for ever trying that one.

Yes, that one.
 

Mac-Guy

Well-known member
Yeah the products are similar, I actually use skinceuticals paired with DE. DE C-serum is more concentrated/thicker than Skinceuticals. My skin can absorb both but Skinceuticals is lighter.
I agree. Skinceuticals was a bit more runny. DE is a bit stickier though. They smell very similar. Actually, I really don't like the smell of vitamin C serums. They all smell like sausage.
 

Winthrop44

Well-known member
I agree. Skinceuticals was a bit more runny. DE is a bit stickier though. They smell very similar. Actually, I really don't like the smell of vitamin C serums. They all smell like sausage.
The DE reformulation doesn't smell like that anymore, but imho it smells worse. lol Maybe you'll like it better if you really didn't like the other one. I think the ethoxydiglycol replacement, dimethyl isosorbide, must overwhelm the ferulic acid smell or something. Who knows but the smell is completely different now.
 
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Sugar & Spice

Well-known member
The DE reformulation doesn't smell like that anymore, but imho it smells worse. lol Maybe you'll like it better if you really didn't like the other one. I think the ethoxydiglycol replacement, dimethyl isosorbide, must overwhelm the ferulic acid smell or something. Who knows but the smell is completely different now.

Well good thing I have another C-serum I can go to because the new DE C-serum isn't going to work for me.
 

Winthrop44

Well-known member
Well good thing I have another C-serum I can go to because the new DE C-serum isn't going to work for me.
Did you try the new DE? I tried it yesterday and had to mix with B-Hydra to tolerate the smell, lol. I’d describe it as medicinal. SkinCeuticals reduced the ethoxydiglycol in their C serum in Germany and added dipropylene glycol, don't know what if anything they plan to do elsewhere. Its use in leave-on skin products is now severely limited in the EU due to impurities. Paula's Choice also reduced the ethoxydiglycol in their C serum and added butylene glycol. Have you ever tried the PC one?
 
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Sugar & Spice

Well-known member
Did you try the new DE? I tried it yesterday and had to mix with B-Hydra to tolerate the smell, lol. I’d describe it as medicinal. SkinCeuticals reduced the ethoxydiglycol in their C serum in Germany and added dipropylene glycol, don't know what if anything they plan to do elsewhere. Its use in leave-on skin products is now severely limited in the EU due to impurities. Paula's Choice also reduced the ethoxydiglycol in their C serum and added butylene glycol. Have you ever tried the PC one?
No I haven't tried the new DE but I'm really sensitive to smells so I believe you saying it smells bad and I can't do potent smells even if it smells good. I don't like PC so I haven't tried her products. I'm going to research C serums that I come across and I post them if any catch my eye as I'm certainly not going to be able to continue the DE one.
 

shadowaddict

Well-known member
I finally tried the Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C 20% vitamin c. I gave it plenty of time as I used 2 full bottles. I used it am & pm every day. It feels nice but it did nothing for my skin. At $95 per bottle feeling nice just doesn't cut it.

I haven't used DE C-Firma serum in a while since I was trying out the PTR. However when I used to use it I always mixed it with another serum or moisturizer. I did the same when I've used PC 15%. I didn't mix the PTR as it is a lotion & applied alone & then my other skincare products. I like both of them.

I've had excellent results with the PC 25% vitamin c spot treatment. I had a small tan colored spot on my cheek & one just under my eyebrow. I applied it every night & both are 100% gone. The tube is small but if used only as a spot treatment it last a long time. It only takes a tiny bit. That was a couple of years ago but I think it took between 2-3 months to reach the point of never knowing they were there. However the fading started rather quickly.
 

Mac-Guy

Well-known member
The DE reformulation doesn't smell like that anymore, but imho it smells worse. lol Maybe you'll like it better if you really didn't like the other one. I think the ethoxydiglycol replacement, dimethyl isosorbide, must overwhelm the ferulic acid smell or something. Who knows but the smell is completely different now.

Good to know. Yes, it still smells weird. LOL.
 

Mac-Guy

Well-known member
Did you try the new DE? I tried it yesterday and had to mix with B-Hydra to tolerate the smell, lol. I’d describe it as medicinal. SkinCeuticals reduced the ethoxydiglycol in their C serum in Germany and added dipropylene glycol, don't know what if anything they plan to do elsewhere. Its use in leave-on skin products is now severely limited in the EU due to impurities. Paula's Choice also reduced the ethoxydiglycol in their C serum and added butylene glycol. Have you ever tried the PC one?

I always mix it with B-Hydra, otherwise it is too sticky. I think the smell goes away rather quickly. At least, I hope so. I don't want to smell like a hot dog sausage. LOL
 

Winthrop44

Well-known member
I finally tried the Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C 20% vitamin c. I gave it plenty of time as I used 2 full bottles. I used it am & pm every day. It feels nice but it did nothing for my skin. At $95 per bottle feeling nice just doesn't cut it.

I haven't used DE C-Firma serum in a while since I was trying out the PTR. However when I used to use it I always mixed it with another serum or moisturizer. I did the same when I've used PC 15%. I didn't mix the PTR as it is a lotion & applied alone & then my other skincare products. I like both of them.

I've had excellent results with the PC 25% vitamin c spot treatment. I had a small tan colored spot on my cheek & one just under my eyebrow. I applied it every night & both are 100% gone. The tube is small but if used only as a spot treatment it last a long time. It only takes a tiny bit. That was a couple of years ago but I think it took between 2-3 months to reach the point of never knowing they were there. However the fading started rather quickly.
Good to know about the PTR because I had considered trying that one. Thanks for the review of the PC products. What’s stopped me from trying the PC booster in the past was the castor oil which I think may be problematic for my rosacea. I’d probably still give it a try though. I’ve been thinking of trying the PC 25% on a stubborn spot I have too so that’s great to hear that it worked for you!
I always mix it with B-Hydra, otherwise it is too sticky. I think the smell goes away rather quickly. At least, I hope so. I don't want to smell like a hot dog sausage. LOL
Yep! And to be fair I thought the new smell faded faster than the old smell, lol, so it’s an improvement in that sense. I’m sure I’ll get used to it like I got used to the old one. I was definitely seeing the effects of not using it for a couple of months and using it again even once made a visible improvement. I’m going to add it back just 2-3 days a week for now and keep my fingers crossed my skin can handle it along with the retinol.
 

Sugar & Spice

Well-known member
Good to know about the PTR because I had considered trying that one. Thanks for the review of the PC products. What’s stopped me from trying the PC booster in the past was the castor oil which I think may be problematic for my rosacea. I’d probably still give it a try though. I’ve been thinking of trying the PC 25% on a stubborn spot I have too so that’s great to hear that it worked for you!

Yep! And to be fair I thought the new smell faded faster than the old smell, lol, so it’s an improvement in that sense. I’m sure I’ll get used to it like I got used to the old one. I was definitely seeing the effects of not using it for a couple of months and using it again even once made a visible improvement. I’m going to add it back just 2-3 days a week for now and keep my fingers crossed my skin can handle it along with the retinol.
I've heard a lot of people rave about Olehenriksen C- serum.
 

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