Two Weeks Into Trying This Skincare Brand, My Friend Said My Skin Looked "Poreless"

I've been seeing this face mask all over my TikTok For You Page, with creators applying it overnight before revelling in peeling off the mask in the morning. To a beauty journo, most peel-off masks feel hugely gimmicky, but I have to say I was amazed at the glow this mask gave my skin. Novelty aside, I can see why it's a bestseller. It applies as a thick gel that dries down after about 15 minutes. You wear it overnight to let the ingredients (niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and ceramides) get to work before peeling off the dried mask in the morning. When I woke up, I peeled it away and was surprised at just how soft and glowy my skin looked, particularly around my forehead where I've started noticing some expression lines getting deeper. I'm keeping this permanently on my bedside table to use a couple of nights a week.

These exfoliating pads have been a game-changer and are now a permanent part of my skincare routine. When I got my hands on them, they couldn't have arrived at a better time. My skin had gotten congested on my cheeks, and I had hormonal acne around my chin and jaw. But after using these, my skin is clearer, smoother in texture and less prone to shine throughout the day. The pre-soaked pads contain exfoliating acids (including salicylic acid and fruit-based alpha-hydroxy acids) and are drenched in hydrating hyaluronic acid that you can swipe over your skin after cleansing. The pads have two textures, one with exfoliating ridges to gently exfoliate while the smoother side to quench your skin.

They left my skin looking smoother and glowier. I used them a couple of times a week, or when I want to treat a breakout, but if your skin can tolerate it, you can use them up to two times per day. If you find that exfoliating acids are too harsh, there is also the Zero Pore Pad Mild (£24) version, which is gentler and better suited to sensitive skin types.

This serum booster is part of Medicube's 'Glass Glow" line, and wow, does it deliver. This lightweight serum has a milky consistency that sinks into the skin immediately to give hydration, as well as a short- and long-term pearly glow to your complexion over a few weeks. Ingredients-wise, you'll find buzzy PDRN (a form of polynucleotides derived from salmon or trout sperm DNA) alongside niacinamide, peptides and milk proteins to plump and brighten the skin.

Housed in a syringe-like tube, it's easy to feel like this is another gimmicky product, but it's actually really convenient to travel with, and the push-button ensures you get the exact amount of product you need, so there's no waste. After a couple of weeks of layering this underneath my serums, I saw my skin looking brighter, more uniform and glowier.

I was so curious to try this particular Medicube product, which is inspired by microneedling treatments—you really do feel a tingle as you apply this serum. It harnesses another buzzy ingredient, exosomes, in the formula that work as messengers between skin cells to regenerate the skin by boosting collagen, aiding healing and reduce inflammation. In this serum, you also get a trio of AHAs, BHAs and PHAs—all exfoliating acids to help rejuvenate the skin. I use this a couple of times a week as part of my evening routine when I want a glass-skin kind of glow and it delivers every single time. It's one of the best serums I've tried in months.

I've always overlooked hydrating toners and essences and brushed them off as a bit an unnecessary step in my skincare routine. But I do think my skin has benefited from the extra layer of hydration this toner delivers. It has a lighter-than-water consistency that immediately sinks in after cleansing to add a non-greasy veil of moisture.

It is designed to be used after cleansing and before your serum and I do think you can live without it, but it's really helpful to lock in more moisture if you find your usual serum alone isn't cutting it. The formula contains collagen, which I doubt does much (you're much better off using ingredients that encourage collagen production internally, such as vitamin C or retinol, rather than applying collagen topically) but that being said, I will continue using it for hydration purposes as my makeup seems to be applying far better since using it in the morning.

After applying the hydrating toner above, most mornings I would then follow with the serum in the same line. Like the toner, it contains a few different types of collagen, which help to hydrate the skin. But if you're looking for a serum to actually address fine lines, wrinkles or firmness, this might not do a tonne for you. I see this as more of an everyday hydrating serum, which I love, BTW—but don't expect it to perform miracles.

That being said, I love how this quenches my skin with moisture in the way that Korean formulas are renowned for. After applying this, it feels like my skin has had a tall glass of water and looks bouncy, plump and glowy almost instantly. If you want a great everyday hydrating serum to wear underneath makeup or to use as part of your evening routine, this is a great choice.

I remember the first time I saw this unusual moisturiser pop up on my For You Page and my thumbs stopped mid-scroll. Sitting inside this gel moisturiser are vitamin C-infused ampoules, which you can scoop out with the spatula and mix on the back of your hand. Depending on your skin type, you can apply more or less of the moisturiser or the soft ampoules that melt into the skin and help to address dark spots, pigmentation and skin brightness.

The ampoules contain sea buckthorn extract (at a 50% concentration) along with 5% niacinamide and stabilized vitamin C, while the clear gel moisturiser contains ferulic acid and vitamin E, Q, and P to rejuvenate the skin.

Once again, I took one glance at the word 'jelly moisturiser' and immediately thought 'gimmick'. And once again, I was proved wrong. This delightfully bouncy jelly moisturiser not only feels great (and is fun to apply) but it really helps to lock in moisture. I mainly used this as a moisturising layer on top of my serums overnight, and I woke up with noticeably plumper skin come morning. The jelly texture might not be for everyone (it may feel a little greasy if you're very oily), but as moisturisers for dry skin go, it's a great one.