Hi all!
I’ve been a licensed esthetician for over 20 years and I’m having a great time comparing these (honestly, 🔥) Dollar Tree dupes with incredibly expensive products I’ve used throughout the years! Some of the DT skincare I’ve used is absolutely fantastic.
I know the hunt and score is half (or more!) of the fun in using these products, and at these prices we’re not necessarily doing this to get the biggest bang for our buck 25, but for those who are very interested in seeing results in their skin, I wanted to offer some information that you may find helpful in streamlining or tweaking your routine.
**PEPTIDES, specifically COPPER peptides, do not play well with a lot of other ingredients**
Peptides are all the rage right now and I, too, love them. However, I myself am having trouble slipping them into my routine and that is because peptides should not be used alongside AHAs (lactic acid, glycolic acid), BHAs (salicylic acid), retinoids, or vitamin C. The reason is that peptides can only be used by the skin at a neutral-ish pH, and the other ingredients I’ve listed are generally offered in low pH formulations because they are acids and are only effective in the skin below a certain pH, depending on the acid. There isn’t much danger in using them together (besides the fact that huge pH swings can cause irritation), but if you do, you’re essentially neutralizing them and smearing liquids on your face daily for no reason!
Also note, Vitamin C in the form of l-ascorbic acid is fantastic for your skin but extremely volatile and requires very specific working conditions. If you’re splurging on an l-ascorbic acid version of vitamin C at $200+ an oz, you’d be EXTREMELY pissed at yourself if you wiped out all the benefits by covering it in Dollar Tree peptides. The thought of that honestly makes me feel a little sick lmao!
I know this is already a lot of info but please keep in mind that peptides are an excellent hair growth stimulant, so if you’re struggling with unwanted facial hair (eff you, perimenopause!) you may want to limit your use of peptides in that area.
TL;DR: don’t apply peptides with Vitamin C or chemical exfoliants, and if you must, let one absorb for 20-30 minutes before applying the other. Hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, squalene and other hydrators are fine to use with peptides.
**PLEASE use sunscreen with the b-Pure exfoliating lip serum!**
I know not everyone is an obsessive label reader like I am, so I wanted to mention that I love the b-Pure lip exfoliant but what I do NOT love is that the packaging is misleading, IMHO. Glancing at the box while shopping you’d be quite reasonable in assuming it’s the pineapple extract doing some gentle exfoliation. Nope!
This actually contains a slow-acting retinoid, which should not only NOT be ingested in any significant quantity, but puts you at a higher risk for skin cancer without sun protection. Again, the product is effective, but if you’re using it please don’t use it all day long and be sure to put on a lip balm with SPF if you’re going outside, as skin cancer often crops up in the very places we forget we need sunscreen!
I have much more to say about other products but peptides took too much of my word count! I hope I don’t sound like I’m taking a dump on the good time we’re having here, because again, I’m really enjoying a lot of these products and the information in this sub. I just don’t want anyone wasting their time or money, or worse, exposing themselves to harm due to lack of information. I hope this helps someone who bothered to read til the end.
Happy hunting!