- My Cleanser
- For Hydration (my budget-friendly hack)
- Targeted treatments
- My SOS product
- My Go-To Sunscreen
- Eucerin – Oil Control SPF 50
- Lips Care
- Hygiene & fragrance
- And that’s everything for now…
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about my skincare routine… and especially about what I’m actually putting on my skin.
The older I get, the more I realize how important product ingredients really are. You hear all kinds of opinions about it, some people say it doesn’t really matter, while others are extremely careful…
Personally, I’ve developed my own perspective: I believe that your body absorbs, at least partially, what you apply to your skin every day.
So, without going to extremes, I try to be more mindful, especially about controversial ingredients like endocrine disruptors.
To help me with that, I often use the app INCI Beauty, which gives a clearer idea of product compositions.
Today, I’m sharing some of the products I’m currently using, the ones that are really part of my daily routine (or almost), along with my thoughts. Let me know in the comments if you’d like a more detailed review of any of them… and if you’re interested, I can also do a part 2!
To help you better understand INCI Beauty ratings, products are evaluated with a “flower” system based on ingredients:
-> Here, I won’t go into the details of every ingredient, I mainly share the overall ratings and the flower breakdown. For more in-depth analysis, I prefer to write full articles dedicated to a single product.
🌿 Green flowers: safe ingredients with no known risks
🌼 Yellow flowers: regulated ingredients in Europe, potentially irritating or allergenic (low penalty)
🌻 Orange flowers: petrochemical or synthetic ingredients, mostly with environmental impact (medium penalty)
🌻 Bursting Orange flowers: petrochemical or synthetic ingredients, mostly with environmental impact but completely biodegradable (medium penalty but less than the “full” orange flowers)
🌺 Red flowers: controversial or potentially harmful ingredients for human health and the environment (high penalty, including some endocrine disruptors that I personally try to avoid)
My Cleanser
L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Clinical Vitamin C Cleanser
This is my current cleanser. It contains vitamin C and salicylic acid, so it helps keep the skin clear while adding a bit of glow.
I’ve really noticed that my skin looks brighter since I started using it.
Tip: I leave it on for one to two minutes before rinsing, to give the active ingredients time to work (avoiding the eye area).
I like it because it cleans effectively without stripping my skin.
However, since it’s quite active, I avoid using it when my skin is already sensitive.
As for the scent, it smells like typical L’Oréal products, I personally like it, but it might be a bit strong for some people.
INCI Beauty rating:
• Score: 11.4 / 20
• Flowers: 8 green • 4 yellow • 4 orange
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’ve tested quite a few cleansers, I talk about them at different times on the blog depending on my skin’s needs.
For Hydration (my budget-friendly hack)
Neutrogena Deep Moisture Sensitive Body Lotion
Yes… I use a body lotion on my face…
But honestly, it works really well. It’s rich in glycerin (10%) and provides deep hydration.
What I especially like is that it’s fragrance-free, quite lightweight, and absorbs quickly without leaving a sticky feeling, which is great for everyday use.
This is exactly the kind of product I love:
✔ effective
✔ affordable
✔ simple
And most importantly, it helps me keep a consistent routine without spending too much.
INCI Beauty rating:
• Score: 15.9 / 20
• Flowers: 9 green • 1 orange • 3 red
I also talk about this regularly on the blog, I like using body products on the face when the formula makes sense, especially for budget reasons!
Targeted treatments
Disclaimer:
At the moment, I’m not using retinol, retinal, or tretinoin at all. My skin doesn’t tolerate them as well as it used to. I can really feel a change, it has become more sensitive and drier (maybe a hormonal shift?).
So I decided to simplify my routine and avoid anything that could irritate it further.
That being said, nothing is permanent, I’ll probably adjust my routine again in the future if my skin changes or becomes more tolerant.
HEMA Collagen + Peptides Booster
This is a fairly liquid serum, easy to apply and spread on the face. It has no scent, which is great if you prefer neutral products.
In terms of results, I think it’s okay, but I didn’t get a “wow effect.” It does the job by adding some hydration, but nothing more.
INCI Beauty rating:
• Score: 14.6 / 20
• Flowers: 14 green • 3 yellow • 1 orange
HEMA AHA Serum 2%
This is definitely my favorite of the two.
The texture is quite thick, but it spreads easily. It exfoliates well without being too harsh, which is important since I have sensitive skin.
I use it about twice a week (Sunday and Wednesday), and that’s more than enough. I could use it more often since my skin tolerates it quite well, but I prefer not to overdo it.
After using it, my skin feels softer, and sometimes I notice a few small breakouts the next day, which usually means the exfoliation is working.
One important thing: it has a strong scent. If you don’t like fragranced products, it might bother you. Personally, I don’t mind it, but it’s worth mentioning.
INCI Beauty rating:
• Score: 17.7 / 20
• Flowers: 24 green • 5 yellow
My SOS product
Zinc baby cream (HEMA)
This is clearly one of my favorite hacks.
When my skin is very dry or when I have breakouts, I apply a thin layer.
Zinc really helps calm the skin and reduce redness.
Honestly, I think it’s a great product. The formula is very good, and it’s something I feel comfortable using both for myself and for children.
It’s a bit harder to spread compared to similar creams, but in return, it’s less greasy than some pharmacy alternatives. (like Dermocrem (6.7/20) in the grey jar, which I find much less interesting in terms of ingredients.)
So if I had to choose, I would definitely go for this one.
One small thing to note: it has a fairly strong, slightly floral oil (?) scent. I don’t mind it, but it might not be for everyone.
INCI Beauty rating:
• Score: 19 / 20
• Flowers: 9 green • 2 yellow
I also wrote a full article about it here, you can read it here
My Go-To Sunscreen
Eucerin – Oil Control SPF 50
Essential!
This is clearly the “weak point” of my routine when it comes to ingredients… but at the same time, it’s also the one I keep repurchasing without hesitation.
But beyond that, I honestly have nothing to complain about in terms of use.
For me, this is the perfect daily sunscreen:
✔ invisible
✔ matte (which is very important for me)
✔ no white cast
✔ lightweight texture
✔ no smell once applied
It’s VERY comfortable to wear and easy to include in a daily routine, which is actually the most important thing.
INCI Beauty rating:
• Score: 9.2 / 20
• Flowers: 18 green • 4 yellow • 9 orange
• (at least there are no red ones… that’s something)
And honestly, this is one product where I make an exception, because I haven’t found anything better yet!
If you’d like more details about this gem of a cream, I talk about it here, feel free to check it out!!
Lips Care
Burt’s Bees Pomegranate Lip Balm
This is my first time using it (I got it on a buy-one-get-one-free deal), and I really like it.
It hydrates well, smells great, and gives a slight rosy tint that looks very natural.
It’s exactly the kind of simple but effective product you can use every day without overthinking it.
INCI Beauty rating:
• Score: 17.1 / 20
• Flowers: 10 green • 11 yellow
I also wrote an article about the importance of hydrating your lips (instead of exfoliating them), check it out here if you want to know why!
Hygiene & fragrance
Sanex Zero% Sensitive Deodorant
I also pay attention to my deodorants. This one is alcohol-free and colorant-free, so it’s quite gentle on the skin.
Honestly, I have mixed feelings about it.
I don’t like the scent at all, I’m quite sensitive to fragrances, and for deodorants I prefer fresh, light “cotton” scents. This one feels heavier.
In terms of effectiveness, it’s not amazing either. It works short-term, but you need to reapply if you want it to last.
INCI Beauty rating:
• Score: 17.4 / 20
• Flowers: 5 green • 1 yellow • 1 orange
I’m still on the lookout for one, to be honest… If you have any recommendations, feel free to share them in the comments!
Yves Rocher Essences Botaniques Calme Absolu Concentré de Parfum
I love the roll-on format, very practical for everyday use.
It’s great if you want to add a touch of fragrance during the day. The scent is slightly floral (a bit like lilac), and it smells really nice.
At first, I find it a bit strong, I’m very sensitive to smells and can get headaches easily. But once it fades, it becomes much more pleasant.
The scent lasts a few hours, but you’ll need to reapply if you want it to last all day.
INCI Beauty rating:
• Score: 15.2 / 20
• Flowers: 4 green • 7 yellow • 1 orange
I’m still exploring to see if other perfumes might suit me better, but this one already does the job!
And that’s everything for now…
My routine isn’t perfect and I’m not trying to make it perfect.
As I said at the beginning, I believe that your body absorbs part of what you apply, so I try to be mindful… but without going to extremes.
For example, when it comes to sunscreen, I’m more flexible because:
– it’s hard to find perfect formulas
– and protecting your skin is essential
But for other everyday products, I’ve become much more selective.
In the end, my goal is simple:
✨ find a balance between effectiveness, ingredients, and budget
✨ and most importantly, have a routine you can stick to long term
What about you, do you pay attention to the ingredients in your skincare, or not really?
Do you ever use INCI Beauty to check your products?
I’d really love to hear how you build your routine, so feel free to share in the comments!
See you soon,
Beautifully Moi
Beautifully Moi 
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