u/daisypumpkins

Anyone have experience with both the Ordinary retinal 0.2% emulsion and Medik8 Crystal Retinal 20?

I understand the Medik8 product supposedly has a formulation that releases slowly etc so you are less likely to get irritation / peeling on your face (and they also have lower concentrations which means that you can slowly graduate from the lower concentrations to higher) but there is also a really big cost difference - The ordinary retinal 0.2% product is currently $25.5 for 15mL and the equivalent Medik8 20 product is like $195 for 30mL (or still like $150 when it's on sale). So even on sale the Medik8 product is like triple the price of TO product

Has anyone had experience with these (ideally both but also really interested if you had a good or bad experience with either one! Especially around effectiveness and side effects) - and is it worth the investment to get the Medik8 product?

I've realised I've recently been putting on lipstick and then dabbing it off to get more of that soft tint look. Does anyone have recommendation of tints (or even more pigmented gloss / balms) that would give this effect?

Bought a Cheekyglo mitt and it’s seems to be the same as the one my friend bought off Temu

Is it true that these branded products are essentially the same Chinese items that they stick a label on and then pay to market thereby driving up the price by like 10x?

Is it worth buying any of the branded products or am I better off just buying direct off Temu / Aliexpress?