2025 Skincare Check-In Challenge: Week 4 - Indulging in body care

[TeamBIC]

Happy New Year, BIC! ✨ We’re stepping into 2025 with a crucial reminder: we must take special care of ourselves — this year and EVERY year. Some of us may already have set resolutions and/or stellar routines nailed down; regardless of where you are on your self-care journey, we could all use a few extra nudges and motivation to spend some extra time on ourselves! 🤝

Much like posts from previous years, we’ve come up with a list of weekly prompts to challenge you to strut your self-care skills. 💗 This time around we’ll be focused on all things skincare, because when our skin feels good, we feel GEWD. 🌟 We encourage you to participate and respond to the prompts that inspire you – and don’t be shy to share any other self-care tips and tricks along the way!

Week 1 (1/8 – 1/14): Curating the perfect rise and glow ☀ skincare routine to kick off your day 

Week 2 (1/15 – 1/21): Relaxing in your favorite face/eye mask(s)

Week 3 (1/22 – 1/28): Trying out tools to promote wellness (rollers, high tech tools, DIY massage . . .)

Week 4 (1/29 – 2/4): Adding some extra indulgence to your body care (baths, butters, oils, scrubs etc.) 🛀

Week 5 (2/5 – 2/11): Washing your makeup brushes, towels, pillowcases, etc. — whatever touches your GORG face 😘

Week 6 (2/12 – 2/18): Stimulating your scalp with treatments/serums (yes, this is skincare too!)

Week 7 (2/19 – 2/25): Sharing your favorite jumbo or refillable skincare goodies to get the best bang for your buck 🤑

Week 8 (2/26 – 3/4): Giving your hands and feet some extra love (masks, creams, exfoliants, etc.)

Hit the “Reply” button below and let us know how you are practicing self-skincare! 😍 Be sure to use the “#” to tag any products mentioned in your answers, if applicable.

[PrettyPaint]

@itsfi What a great morning routine. I have been meaning to try that Saint Jane sunscreen. I think I had a sample at one point, but I'm pretty sure I let it expire before using it. I'm realizing that my morning routine does not contain a sunscreen, so I really should be better about that. It's so cold out that I've been slacking off. I'm adding that exfoliating toner to my list as well! I know how much you love the Eadem milk marvel. Do you think this would be good to use if I want to integrate Vitamin C into my routine? I don't think I have any dark spots or sun spots, so I never have known whether it would be worth trying. 

[itsfi]

@PrettyPaint, the Eadem would be great for skin brightening, whether or not you have dark spots. The ingredients are geared towards that. That's so awesome you don't have dark or sun spots - #goals. Hmmm..., have you tried OLEHENRIKSEN Banana Bright Mineral Face Sunscreen SPF 30 1.7 oz / 50 mL? It's a sunblock, with vitamin C - it blurs my redness a little; has a slight tack which can come in handy when applying your makeup afterwards. I often use it as a primer. Vitamin C can be a little tricky as certain types can cause irritation. It's also photosensitive and important to wear a sunscreen when you use it - even if you are not using it at the same time as when you would wear sunscreen. Remind me again, would you say your skin is sensitive? 

[heartsmyface]

@itsfi  Exfoliating toners are my loves!  I haven’t tried this brand before (though that blue packaging is drawing me in!)  I’. So close to finishing a pixi one and am near finished an OleH one as well so there’s hope in the near future to add another to my stash.  

[itsfi]

@heartsmyface, ahhh, the Augustinus Bader line is lovely - inside and out. It's a fun one to look into. The essence has a gentle exfoliant; the consistency reminds me more of a very lightweight hybrid between a watery essence and a Japanese skincare emulsion - it has some viscosity to it but it's not heavy. The OleH exfoliating toner is a nice one - it's been a hit with folks I've recommended it to; OH is another one of those solid skincare brands. 

[jaaayp]

Awesome morning routine @itsfi ! I still haven't dipped my hands in Rhode yet.. I know you and @ather love this brand. I actually just ran out of the Advanced Snail 96 Essence - have you noticed that the consistency has become less tacky? I did buy another bottle but noticed the change in formula so it was returned but maybe that's just the new formulation?

[Mellmars1185]

@jaaayp @itsfi I just opened a bottle for the first time and I don't find it tacky at all 🤔

[itsfi]

@Mellmars1185, if you dispense a little of the product onto the back of your hand - it doesn't have to be a full pump, it doesn't even have to be half a pump - and then with the pad of one of your fingertips, press it into the product and release, does it produce something of a "stringy" look/texture, like the photo below [from kbeautynotes(dot)com] - the "stringiness" may be thinner depending on how much product you dispensed onto your hand.

Photo credit: kbeautynotes(dot)com

[Mellmars1185]

@itsfi I just tested a pump. It did produce the same string! 

[itsfi]

@Mellmars1185, I think yours is fine then. The tackiness might depend on your skin type - my skin is often on the dry side so it aborbs product completely and I don't experience a tacky-to-the touch or sticky feeling. Sometimes I do though with serum from sheet masks; it depends. If you're getting some stringy-ness, then the viscosity it's known for is there, though maybe not as prominent as before. I'll have to do some research on whether it was reformulated recently. 

[jaaayp]

@Mellmars1185 @itsfi yaaaaaaa - mine was not doing this... I did buy mine from Amazon though so maybe it was a bad batch? If they didn't reformulate it, then I might need to go buy me another bottle... LOL

[itsfi]

Hmmm, no stringy-ness on yours @jaaayp? That does sound off for this product. 

I read that there are 2 ingredient lists for this product - each contain the same 12 ingredients and the first 4 ingredients listed are the same and in the same order. The other 8 ingredients are the same but listed in a different order. 

[jaaayp]

MMM @itsfi I must have gotten a bad batch then - I am definitely picking up a new bottle because this was that essence was a staple in my routine but I've foregoed it due to that one weird bottle... I'm so grateful for BIC for these reasons LOL

[itsfi]

@jaaayp, that stinks that you received a bad one 😖 I usually pick mine up at an Asian beauty store or one of the Korean online stores. Ulta also sells the essence. It's a reminder that I should take a photo of the ingredients and keep it somewhere (somewhere I will remember, hahaha!)

[ather]

@jaaayp  Where have you been!!!! I’ve missed you. This second job of yours is taking up tooo much time! 

[jaaayp]

MISSED YOU TOO @ather 😿 second job is OK/manageable but I was having some issues accessing Community through the app and accessing the Community through desktop was kind of a hassle (for me.. the lazy contributor). It's back to normal though so trying to come on more often! How have you been? GREAT HOLIDAYS?!?

[ather]

@jaaayp  Ahhh the pesky login issue! Ok I understand!! I have been good! Holidays was amazing! I was off almost a month and it was needed! How was yours? Do you have another vacation coming up or did I miss it?

[jaaayp]

WOOOOOW almost a whole month @ather !! I'm so jealous! My boss was out for a month and so was my colleague so I was the only manager working the whole month of December and it was so busy (and I was really not in a position to take time off..) but overall, I think I had a great holiday! 

I am going to be going to Sedona in March - I haven't booked it or anything yet because I've been so busy but definitely in the works! 

Do you have any other month off soon? 😂

[ather]

@jaaayp  awww that’s to bad. I mean if you still had a great holiday that’s what counts! 

Sedona sounds fun! Did you go to Thailand yet? Did I miss that one? Or am I dreaming? 

Hmmm no months anytime soon but this summer I am planning a trip east where all my family is. And there could be a move in my future! 

[itsfi]

@jaaayp, oh, did CosRX reformulate the essence?!! 😮 I am working my way through my back up bottles (back in the day when I stocked up on back ups - errr, pre-2023-ish; it's actually more a recent thing that I don't stockpile backups), so the bottles I have are the older (?) version. I knew they introduced some new products to the snail line (which are great, btw) but I didn't realize they had reformulated the essence. I will have to do some research on that. 

The Rhode line has been a good one for me; not every product is a favorite but I've liked everything I've tried from them - and I've tried all their products.

[jaaayp]

HM @itsfi I may really need to pick some up. I think I was eyeing it on Black Friday and I didn't see any sales so I didn't end up picking it up.. Also been trying to be really good on picking up things I dont need (yet) but I will definitely continue to keep an eye out...

[itsfi]

I'm all for your approach @jaaayp! She launches new products / new shades throughout the year, or her history has been that. You can also pick up something then, whether it's the new product/shade or something from her existing line. She now also has mini versions of most of her skincare (non lip balm) products so that may make for a good option for your first purchase. She has mini's of her cleanser, milky toner, and two moisturizers. She doesn't have a mini of her glazing fluid which makes me a little nervous - I'm hoping she's repackaging the original full size to something less bulky and then offering a mini as well, and that she's not discontinuing it. 🤞 @ather