this isn’t gonna be some polished review or whatever. just me, venting, bc i thought i found the one and instead… i got played.

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context: i was breaking out bad. like that hormonal jawline chaos + red angry cheeks combo that makes u cancel brunch. i was already in full “baby the skin barrier” mode. no actives. no makeup. just ceramides, oat masks, and my one trusted SPF… until it ran out. 😩

and of course i was too impatient to wait for shipping, so i caved and bought the skin1004 hyalu-cica sun stick bc EVERYONE online was like “so gentle!! so calming!!” ok fine. i wanted to believe.

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day 1: honestly?? good.
it went on like a dream. like a lil skincare cloud. super smooth, matte but not dead-looking, no scent, no eye sting. i even texted my friend like “wait i think i found the perfect one???” spoiler: i hadn’t.

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day 2: still chill
used it in the AM, reapplied once in the afternoon (even wore it to a pilates class and it didn’t melt). i was this close to getting cocky.

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day 3: betrayal
i woke up w those cursed micro bumps all over my temples + side of my face. at first i blamed stress. or maybe my pillowcase?? (nope. i washed it.) tried the stick again bc i was in denial. by 9pm, i was itchy. my face looked like it had texture for days. even my boyfriend noticed and he never notices.

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day 4: full meltdown
we’re talking red cheeks. tight jaw. forehead that felt like sandpaper. i panicked, washed my face, slapped on a barrier repair balm and stared at myself like… was it really you?? did YOU do this to me?? and yeah. it was the sun stick.

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why tho??
honestly i’m still confused. the ingredients look fine. no fragrance. no alcohol. has cica + HA which my skin usually loves. but the texture is so silky-smooth it’s probably loaded with silicones, and i think my skin just suffocated under it. like i felt sealed. no breathing. no chill.

also, it kind of left this weird coating?? not sticky, just… too perfect. like it sat on top of everything. maybe that works for normal skin. but for mine, it turned into a trap.

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now i have 3 fresh breakouts and a ruined week.
and you know what hurts most? it wasn’t even cheap. and it looked so aesthetic in my bag. like the kind of product u wanna pull out at a café bc it makes u feel that girl. but no. she betrayed me.

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what i’m using now
went crawling back to my boring zinc-based SPF that smells like old bananas but at least doesn’t attack me. skin’s calming down now. but trust issues? through the roof.

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so yeah. if your skin’s perfect and unbothered, go off. enjoy it. but if you’re even thinking of using this on compromised skin? girl, don’t. not worth it.

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the end. i need a nap. and a sheet mask. maybe a new face.