Second Chance: give your skincare a new life

In this article I’m going through some of my favourite second chance products. These are good quality products that did not work out as I had first expected but after redirect them to other use cases, they worked amazingly well.

1# Repurpose to Hands & Feet care

This is my number one repurpose use case when some product is too heavy or too strong for my skin, in particular during the colder drier months.

# Cerave SA moisturizer (10% Urea, Salicylic Acid, Ceramides, Niacinamide)

Original purpose: body moisturizer for acne.
Why it did not work out the first time: the product was very irritating and too heavy for oily skin.
Repurpose results: one of the best hand and foot cream I found for winter,very effective in hydrating and smoothing out the skin.
Best recommended for: dry, flaky, cracked skin.
Repurchase? Yes.

# Aveeno Calm and Restore gel creme + serum (Oat, Centella)

Original purpose: gel creme and serum for oily sensitive skin
Why it did not work out the first time: the gel was overly greasy and the serum caused immediate irritation.
Repurpose results: the use of the two products together on my hands left them beautifully soft, hydrated and moisturized.
Best recommended for: dry, sensitized and flaky skin.
Repurchase? No, it’s too expensive for handcare product.

# Aveeno Daily Calming SPF 15

Original purpose: winter spf moisturizer
Why it did not work out the first time: the spf was very heavy and emolient on my skin.
Repurpose results: I used it as a hand moisturizer and could appreciate the elegant, very soothing and panthenol rich formulation.
Best recommended for: very sensitive and dry skin types.
Repurchase? No, it does not suit my skin.

# ISANA Med Akut Tagescreme 5% Urea + Akut serum 5%Urea (Urea, Shea butter)

Original purpose: face moisturizer for the winter
Why it did not work out the first time: the moisturizer is greasy and has strong fragrancE. The serum is heavy on my face.
Repurpose results:using the day creme as hands & feet moisturizer, I found it to be very effective in hydrating and smoothing the skin. The serum is a lovely hand cream, light and hydrating.
Best recommended for: dry skin
Repurchase? I will repurchase the serum because it is lighter and fragrance free.

# ISANA Hyaluronic Acid SPF 30

Original purpose: winter SPF with hyaluronic acid
Why it did not work out the first time: the sheabutter is heavy in the formulation and makes the SPF too tick for me.
Repurpose results:I used it as a hand moisturizer, it is a bomb of hydration in a very creamy consistency
Best recommended for: dry and dehydrated skin types.
Repurchase? No, it does not suit my skin.

# Catrice Lavender Calming Face serum milk + Sensitive Moisturizing Serum Milk (Oat, probiotics)

Original purpose: soothing irritated skin in the winter
Why it did not work out the first time: the lavender fragrance is very overpowering.
Repurpose results: I found it to be very hydrating, lightweight and containing good ingredients for skin barrier support. I like to use it as a hand moisturizer during the day as it does not leave my hands sticky or greasy.
Best recommended for: I would not recommend the lavender serum.The fragrance free version of it (Sensitive Milk serum) is a much better option and it suits sensitive and oily skin types.
Repurchase? I would repurchase only the Sensitive Milk serum for face and hand care during the winter.

# Catrice Hydro Mask 5% Squalane (Hyaluronic acid, vitamin c, squalane)

Original purpose: hydration moisturizer for the face
Why it did not work out the first time: 5% Squalane is more oil than my skin can manage.
Repurpose results: it is a very nice anti aging treatment for the hands, as it pairs hyaluronic acid, vitamin c and squalane together.
Repurchase? No, it is a very sticky formulation.

# I’m From Rice (Toner + Mask + Moisturizer)

Original purpose: brightening treatment for the winter
Why it did not work out the first time: the mask is a very agressive exfoliant, the moisturizer is too heavy for my skin and the toner makes other products pill off.
Repurpose results:
- the moisturizer has a very elegant consistency and is rich in niacinamide. It had an overnight significant brightening effect when used in the face but unfortunately the cream is to heavy for me. I redirect it to my hands and elbows as a night moisturizer.
- The toner was used as an extra hydration step for my hands.
- The mask was converted into a feet exfoliator.
Best recommended for: Dry Skin ( I would avoid the mask)
Repurchase? No, it’s not suited for my skin.

# I’m From Honey (serum + moisturizer)

Original purpose: try out a honey based routine
Why it did not work out the first time: both serum and moisturizers are very heavy with a oily finish.
Repurpose results: I used both products on my hands. The serum gave a luminous and comforting glow, nice to layer with more occlusive moisturizers. I did not enjoy the moisturizer as it made my hands slippery and greasy.
Best for: very dry skin in a cold and dry climate.
Repurchase? No, it’s not suited for my skin and contains fragrance.

2# Repurpose to Body Acne care

When some acne treatments and moisturizers are too strong for my face, usually I redirect them towards the body acne areas (back and shoulders).

# Bonabella Tea Tree Gel creme

Original purpose: summer gel creme for oily skin
Why it did not work out the first time: very tick gel creme.
Repurpose results: I used it as a body moisturizer. It is a fast absorbing, very elegant formulation that made my skin moisturized and refreshed.
Best recommended for: oily acne prone skin.
Repurchase? No, not many retailers have it and it’s pricey for a body gel.

# Benton Aloe Propolis Gel

Original purpose: summer gel for oily skin
Why it did not work out the first time: innefective as a face gel.
Repurpose results: I redirected it as a body gel on my acne affected areas.The propolis in combination with aloe had a very gentle healing effect on my old red scars.
Best recommeded for: acne damaged skin, red hyperpigmentation
Repurchase? No, it’s a bit pricey, but it’s a very nice formulation nonetheless.

# OMI Verdio Gel Moisturizer SPF 50

Original purpose: Face SPF
Why it did not work out the first time: extremely shiny finish
Repurpose results:I use it as a body SPF and avoid the face. It’s a really lightweight, soothings and elegant formulation, with some water/sweat resistant abilities.
Best recommended for:acne prone and sensitive skin
Repurchase? Yes,as a body SPF.

# The Ordinary 10% Niacinamide + Zinc Serum

Original purpose: clear up my face acne hyperpigmentation
Why it did not work out the first time: strong irritation
Repurpose results: I used it on my shoulders,neck and back where I had plenty of old acne scars. In 15 years of acne suffering, I never had by back so clear and scar-free. It’s really a potent treatment for stubborn marks, in 2 months of using it I saw a big difference.
Best recommended for: acne scarred skin, not sensitive.
Repurchase? I will repurchase if I need it again. This is one of the best body acne scar treatments I found, but it’s also very powerful.

3# Repurpose to Wash Off Mask

# COSRX Propolis Honey Overnight Mask

Original purpose: try out a propolis based gel creme
Why it did not work out the first time: extremely sticky consistency and greasy/shiny finish. It would get my pillow dirty if used at night and give a grease ball look if used during the day.
Repurpose results: the only real solution was to use it as a wash-off mask and it worked better this way. I used it during the winter season, for a little boost of moisture and glow.
Best recommended for: combination to dry skin.
Repurchase? No. Despite being in a gel format and many popular influencers claiming it to be very oily skin friendly, I really think it’s not.

4# Repurpose to General Body Care - Toners

When the toner does not work on the face (irritation issues), I always try to use it as a body toner. Missha and Purito’s toners were cases of high quality formulations not suited for sensitive skin.

# Missha First Time Revolution essence

Original purpose: Face Toner
Why it did not work out the first time: strong irritation due to fermented yeast.
Repurpose results: One of the best toners for oily skin (body only) I have tried.
Best recommended for: anyone that is not sensitive to fermented yeast or has a compromised/inflammated skin.
Repurchase? No, it’s amazing but very pricy for a body product

# Purito Unscented Cica Toner (mini)

Original purpose: Face Toner
Why it did not work out the first time: very irritating around the eye
Repurpose results: One of most hydrating toners I have tried.
Best recommeded for: Not for sensitive skin.
Repurchase? No, potentially irritating and too pricey for a body toner