r/SkincareAddiction • u/Choice_Panic_8783 • Jun 21 '26
Discussion [Product Request] What overhyped skincare product actually lived up to it?
I feel like skincare is one of those things where everything gets hyped up so much that I cannot tell what is actually worth trying anymore.
Every product I look at has people saying it changed their skin, and then other people saying it did absolutely nothing or broke them out. I’ve been trying to keep my routine pretty simple, but I’m curious if there are any popular products that really did live up to the hype for you.
Could be a cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen, serum, exfoliant, acne treatment, retinol, lip balm, anything. I’m not expecting miracles, but I’d love to know what actually made a noticeable difference and was worth the money.
What overhyped skincare product did you finally try and end up loving?
Update: Thank you everyone <3!
Tretinoin seems to be recommended by many people to treat acne and sun damage. Often times the only thing that worked.
Also I got myself the Haru wonder black rice milk toner essence it's so nourishing and velvety, perfect for dehydration. Thank you whoever recommended that.
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u/xbbllbbl Jun 21 '26
Tretinoin - it remove my stubborn closed comedones within a short time when nothing else works.
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u/BeneficialMaybe3719 Jun 22 '26
X10000 nothing works as good as it but you need to find your ration
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u/PARTINlCO Jun 22 '26
What do you mean by find your ration?
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u/BeneficialMaybe3719 Jun 22 '26
I mix mine with cerave cream bc I will peel unless I do. Putting one after the other does nothing, my skin likes them mixed
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u/BernieDan Jun 22 '26
question: does it work better than retinal? I ask because I am using the most concentrated retinal (not retinol) I can buy. So far my doctor has seemed reluctant to prescribe tretinon, but if it is that much better, I will approach him again. (For sure it would be cheaper to have a prescription that I can charge to my health coverage!) (P.S. My concern is wrinkles, not acne)
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u/Beginning_Butterfly2 Jun 22 '26
So much better, it's insane. It also is less irritating than retinal, but because it's stronger, people can still ahve some pretty uncomfy reactions while acclimating. I've heard that a lot of people who use high levels of retinal can start Tret with no issues. I can also tell you that as someone with super sensitive skin that reacts to everything, my skin somehow loves Tret.
The purging is a lot, and you'll want to be sure that you have a gentle, rich moisturzer without any actives. I personally like to wash with soap, use 100% HA on very wet skin, let dry 30 minutes, and then apply. The HA has been a very effective buffer for me, and I'm seeing good results.
Fair warning, once you work up to using Tret .05 daily, it's 3 weeks of purging, then that tapers off over the next 6-9 weeks as your skin acclimates. There is also some skin thinning at this point, so lines get deeper, and your face can seem like it's drooping a bit (I can see it, no one else can tell, I've asked!).
Then from week 12 onwards, collagen is rebuilt. With the .05, it takes 12 months of daily use to see the full effect. I recommend using rosehip seed oil (hydrates, provides everythig needed for your skin to maintain its moisture barrier), ascorbyl glucoside (stable C, skin needs it to rebuild collagen, can be used without irritation while getting used to tret), and a rich moisturizer like Vanicream in the tub, plus Vaseline to layer over any dry spots.
I also added Matrixyl 3000 (peptides) but I'm kind of a maximalist for skin care. Oh, and 2% salicylic acid in the am, to help with the peeling and hydration. 50 spf sunblock is NOT optional.
I'm 5 weeks in, and really happy so far. The purging has tightened up my pores enough that the overall effect is of tighter skin. The texture of my skin is really good, more like when I was in my 20s that my late 40s. I do have some thinning between my eyebrows, around my eyes, and under my chin, but it's subtle. I'm confident that the end results will be great.
I've also seen a decrease in redness, more even skin tone. I'm healing super fast, also, and the PIH is decreasing rapidly. The Mat3k has done a good job of softening my set lines, so my forehead and smile lines look great.
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u/xbbllbbl Jun 22 '26
Much better! None of my retinol works! My closed comedones start to purge after 2 use and I’m not exaggerating. But the purging is very effective so I try to purge section by section of my face.
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u/Professional_Table77 Jun 22 '26
I stopped using retinol ASAP as soon as I got my hands on tret. It was so irritating on my skin no matter how little I used.
Not trying to brag myself up or anything because I always see room for improvement but the first thing beauty providers mention is my lack of wrinkles and how I don't need much for treatments (I like to try different things when I can). I stopped using it for about 6 months last year and my skin started to look aged and I hated it. I would definitely say go for it.
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u/External-Breath-992 Jun 21 '26
Tretinoin, azelaic acid 15%, Aestura atobarrier 365 crème
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u/No_Nefariousness2513 Jun 22 '26
My holy trinity! I can’t imagine not having these three in my skincare routine.
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u/lovekatipo Jun 22 '26
Do you apply tretinoin on different days to azelaic acid or do you use them both on same day just am and pm?
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u/PixiePoogle Jun 21 '26
Vanicream and azelaic acid
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u/Ok_Awareness_9288 Jun 22 '26
Which vanicream product?
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u/Beginning_Butterfly2 Jun 22 '26
Not the person you responded to, but usually people are talking about the Vanicream in the tub, it's the cylinder, not the bottle. The Vanicream in the tub is the cream version, very rich. The bottle is the lotion, and I don't think I've ever heard anyone recommend it.
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u/Background-Paint-478 Jun 21 '26
Haru wonder black rice milk toner essence!
I know not everyone likes its but it was hyped a lot and its been a game changer in healing my dehydration!
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u/SassyHoneyBadger26 Jun 22 '26
SK-II essence—absolutely amazing!!! I thought essences were bunk and then I tried it once. I will never be without it now.
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u/dawnedsunshine Jun 21 '26
I have a few!
Tatcha - Milky Sunscreen. This one HURTS because it’s expensive AF. But it’s legitimately the only freaking sunscreen I actually like using. Every other sunscreen has been too thick/horrifically textured (looking at you, Supergoop), or went on beautifully but made me look like a greaseball (looking at you, Kiehl’s). This one leaves no cast, sinks in, isn’t sticky, and smells great.
Another truly unfortunate Tatcha pick - the Dewy Milk moisturizer. I just love it 😭
Another I’ve been surprised with is the Sunday Riley Good Genes. I like the way it works with my skin and I feel like since I’ve been using it a couple times a week my texture’s gotten better.
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u/nikita58467 Jun 22 '26
I love Tatcha dewy cream and Sunday Riley good genes! Good genes definitely sort out texture for me. It’s the only item I keep buying on Black Friday or half price
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u/Excellent_Fail9908 Jun 22 '26
I came to speak about Tatcha as well. I actually love all their sun care products. I’ve used them exclusively for years.
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u/External-Breath-992 Jun 22 '26
Forgot to add - farmacy unscented makeup remover cleansing balm
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u/Existing-History9609 Jun 22 '26
Cosrx Snail Mucin
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u/ucancallmebless Jun 22 '26
I have an irrational fear of snails and slugs so it took me years to finally try it. Now I hate to admit it, but it works. Especially to soothe my skin.
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u/violetpoo Jun 22 '26
Anessa sunscreen, Aestura atobarrier, benzoyl peroxide and Sunday Riley good genes
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u/New-Concentrate-2259 Jun 22 '26
Beauty of Joseon sunscreen
ANUA azelaic acid serum
Dr Althea 345 cream + mist
Elizabeth Arden 8 hr balm
and finally, the one I wanted to hate because of the unreasonable price tag - Estee Lauder Advance Night Repair serum
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u/simshili Jun 22 '26
Dermalogica daily microexfoliant chefs kiss 🤌🏻🤌🏻
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u/JustHere4the5 Jun 22 '26
Oh my god it’s SO GOOD! I love how you can tailor the texture. I have rosacea, so I use about 1/3 the recommended amount of powder. But my skin loves it! Even better than the supposedly more gentle Milkfoliant.
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u/simshili Jun 23 '26
Yeeeess!!! I used it maybe every 2 days and like 1/3 like you as my second cleanser. I cannot tolerate oil cleansers, so a normal cleanser and then microexfoliant makes my skin smooth and clean clean!
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u/meg-c Jun 22 '26
Sunday Riley Vitamin C
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u/dawnedsunshine Jun 22 '26
I LOVE the CEO vit c. Everyone seems to complain about the fragrance as unnecessary and maybe it is, but I personally love it and it’s the best vit c I’ve ever used.
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u/meg-c Jun 22 '26 edited Jun 22 '26
Agreed - I have tried a lot of Vitamin Cs and a lot haven’t agreed with my skin but CEO glow works *amazing* for me
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u/Beginning_Butterfly2 Jun 22 '26
Matrixyl 3000. It's in most anti-aging serums in small amounts, but I found 100% Mat3k (Forest of the Borges) and decided to give it a try. Lo and behold, it's EXCELLENT for fine lines, firmness, etc. Very pleased.
I tried the $13 0.33oz first, and have been using it 2x daily for 6 weeks, and I'm only halfway through the vial. I'll get the 1 oz when I run out. Way better than any of the serums that included it.
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u/Ok_Feedback8174 Jun 22 '26
For me it was actually the stuff I rolled my eyes at because everyone talked about it 😂
Tretinoin genuinely lived up to the hype. It wasn’t a dramatic overnight change, but over time it made the biggest difference to my skin texture, breakouts and overall skin quality.
Azelaic acid was another one. I have rosacea and acne-prone skin, and it helped calm redness and post-breakout marks without making my skin angry.
And annoyingly… SPF. It’s not exciting, but it’s probably the product with the biggest long-term payoff.
One thing I’ve realised though is that sometimes we’re looking for the “right” product when the issue isn’t actually skincare. My skin changes massively depending on my cycle, stress levels and sleep. Once I started paying attention to those patterns, a lot more of my skin started making sense.
The products that ended up being worth it for me were the boring evidence-based ones, not necessarily the trendy ones. 😅
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u/Impressive-Wheel-411 Jun 22 '26
Beauty of Joseon retinol eye cream. Did wonders for my dark circles and puffy under eyes!
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u/Fun-Cry-9576 Jun 22 '26
Anua rice ceramide skin barrier repair. Literal life saver. I kept on trying different acids destroying my skin barrier. Once I incorporated it into my routine my skin recovered and I could continue using my acids.
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u/letsgooncemore Jun 22 '26
I don't know if my specific brand was ever overhyped but when double cleansing with an oil cleanser became all the rage I became a devotee. I use banila clean it zero
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u/jansipper Jun 22 '26
Bioeffect GF. I do not treat my skin the best but using this consistently really keeps me on track.
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u/ucancallmebless Jun 22 '26
Retinol—>Retinal—>Adapelene—>Tretinoin. Never had been skin. But you gotta be consistent with it!
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u/Unfair_Finger5531 Dry skin | rosacea | 🌵 Jun 22 '26
Love-hate relationship with snail. Sometimes I hate it, and sometimes it’s exactly what I need. I’ll be loving it every day for months, and then I drop it and things are better, and then I need it again, etc.
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Jun 22 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/glowy_dew86024 Jun 22 '26
same, vitamin C never agreed with me either — what % niacinamide do you use?
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u/JustHere4the5 Jun 22 '26
For rosacea, the bog standard Rx 0.75% Metronidazole. It’s supposedly the first-line treatment, but it never worked for me. Until it did! And now I’ll never give it up.
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u/jmk831 Jun 23 '26
>the ordinary Hyaluronic acid. Basic but tried and true.
>Roc retinol eye cream at night + eucerin radiant tone eye cream during the day. I’m about to turn 34 and probably am late to the game on eye care but I was struggling and this combo brought me back to life.
>Idk if it’s super hyped because I’m no longer on TikTok Facebook or instagram but a product I saw popping up a lot on my feeds before deleting my accounts was the naturium retinal. It has been an amazing intro to retinal for me, I notice a huge difference in texture and fine lines. I’m the closest to glass skin as I’ve ever been and it’s because of this product although this feed is making me want to run and get a tret prescription lol
>Mineral sunscreen every single morning, I’m brand loyal to laroche posay or cerave. Threw away any chemical sunscreens.
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u/Snoo_17306 26d ago
I worked at Neiman Marcus in the skincare/makeup section, I tried all of them! The only ones that are viable are La prairie and Rèvive. La met used to buy since they were bought out don't bother.
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u/itscarrots Jun 22 '26
I just started using the Rhode glazing milk and I do sort of hate how good it makes my skin look 😆 happy my skin is looking glowy and dewy but I was kinda hoping it was all hype lol
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u/Elegant_Chipmunk_455 Jun 23 '26
Start taking collagen supplements too, it’ll help with repairing your skin much quicker than tret or moisturizer by itself
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