I Am Mad At Medicube...

...Or at myself.

There is a story to this story and the first part is the post I was preparing to write a couple of weeks ago. Here is the start of it:

Most of my skincare routine is based on products I know and that have proven good for my skin. However, there are times when I want to rotate in a different product (or products) to give my skin a break. Lately I have been looking for a collagen-based face cream. Every time I do a general search, one brand keeps popping up: Medicube.

I'd never heard of Medicube until I saw it a while back all over Amazon. I was curious and even sort of interested until I started seeing "viral" and "TikTok" all over the reviews and photos. That set off an alarm in my brain. I have trust issues with people paid to hype products. Influencer marketing is not new to people around my age... 

One of the originals...

I'm not a big TikTok user and I am always surprised to remember that I once had an account. I do see TikTok videos come up in a lot of YouTube videos, especially the "reaction" videos. Most reactions videos are like those weird nesting images within images. You have one video talking about other videos that are sometimes talking about other videos. We are living in weird times, people.

Anyway.

When I continued looking through the Amazon search results, I noticed that there are other brands slapping labels on products: "Viral on TikTok" or some other social media tease. Think I'm being dramatic?

Found all these products on first
couple of pages of search.

Here's the thing, I used to love the product review community about 5 or 6 years ago. I was part of it in my own small-fish kind of way. Reviewing products then was fun and a way to get to try new stuff for no or at low cost. 

Because I still love reviewing products but don't like to exaggerate any claims - and because I am don't "engage" on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, etc. - I just stick to my humble little blog. I don't go out of my way to cover products I end up not liking, but I won't over-hype the stuff I do like. That's not the point of doing actual reviews.

I no longer trust social media to be truthful about products. 

As a matter of fact, the best way to put me off a product is to slap "viral" on the label. This is my take on the new social media selling game:

• Viral means it's backed by influensters
• Influensters are paid spokespeople
• Spokespeople are in it to make a commission or grow their following
• People will exaggerate to make money or grow a following
• Viral products come and go

When I look for products, I want something that is actually good - viral or not. Most of the products that I have used off and on for years are from long-standing brands. Back when I wore a little bit of makeup regularly, I used Fashion Fair and Black Radiance, Covergirl and Revlon. I stopped wearing makeup for the most part in my late 20s and early 30s and stuck with the occasional eyeliner and lip color and, of course, focused more on skincare. I used L'Oreal, Black Opal*, and more recently brands like e.l.f., and an assortment of natural carrier and essential oils. 

I don't trust a flawless (or seemingly so) influencer advising me on skincare. If you want to impress me, get rid of the photo filters and layers of makeup. Or just tell me why you love the product. Don't try to jive me, hype your numbers or impress the brand you work for.

Yeah. I was on a roll... And now I am mad because I have to catch, cook, and eat my own crow. Confession: I tried Medicube and I kind of love it. (I still wish brands would stop with the hype marketing.)

I tried the Triple Collagen Serum (TCS) because someone I personally know said it was actually good and I trust her opinion.

I like the cap cover

The serum was so good that I tried the other product this person was also using - the Triple Collagen Cream (TCC). 

That was so good for my daytime routine, I spun the wheel a third time and hit the jackpot again. The Jelly Collagen Cream  (JCC) seemed to be me going too far at first, but it turns out that I like to combine it with the TCC as my night treatment and I know it is going to be a winter season must-use.

It is not sticky

Of course, you don't personally know me, so I probably sound like just more of the "viral" hype. But here's the thing: I am not an affiliate or getting any compensation in any kind of way for telling you about my experience. 

My skin has been pretty good all my life but, as I age, it's gotten tri-polar. I'm 64 now (thank you, Lord!) and my skin has lost all its mind. Depending on what time it is on a particular day, I can describe it as dry, oily, or combo. And, in the past several years, I've been developing little spots that are not freckles... 

I do like the products I was currently using, especially the Topicrem Balm and La Roche Posay Cleanser. I am still using the balm on my neck and body and the LRP cleanser. I did like the L'Oreal face cream I was using until they changed the formula. But this Medicube is next level - and affordable.

My routine recently has been:

• Cleanse (with the LRP) and a good lukewarm rinse
• Apply the TCS, wait a few minutes
• Apply the TCC (at nighttime, I mix in the JCC), wait a few minutes
• Apply a thin layer of Vaseline (or CeraVe Healing Ointment), wait about 5 minutes
• Apply Sunscreen (only during the day, of course)

That takes care of the whole day. I will reapply sunscreen, if I go outside. By the way, this one is on my Subscribe and Save. It has zero white cast and is, by itself, very moisturizing. I use this one when I can find it on sale or on eBay for cheaper. Again, no white cast. None.

What do I like about the Medicube products I'm using?

• The effect on my skin's texture & moisture retention
• My skin feels velvet-soft and a more firm.
• Affordable
• Doesn't take a lot to treat my face and neck
• No irritation (so far)
• No scent to it
• Well-packaged and labeled
• The effects last all day or all night*

* Confession: I went to sleep one night without washing my face & my skin was still feeling great the next morning!

Mostly, I loving what it is doing for my skin overall. It's hard to explain without you being able to feel my skin for yourself, but the softness and texture is amazing. I took a before picture after the first few days so that I can do another photo later for comparison. I am excited to see the difference myself. For now, this is how I look after the daytime treatment. No makeup or filters used, but I do have on a light application of some color-changing lipstick.

see the "not freckles"???

(I was taking the photo and my SIL made me laugh out loud about how it feels to have teeth again!)

Last thing I want to mention is something I asked the lady who turned me on to Medicube. After I got the TCC and before I got the JCC, I asked which she would pick if she could only have one of them. She said that she likes having both but, if she had to choose, she'd go with the JCC. Now that I have used both, I would have to choose the TCC. In my case, I could use something else (or more Vaseline) in my night routine if I had to, but the TCC is my must-have.

That's the last of my two cents' worth of opinion.

By the way, my goal is not to look young; I just want to take care of my skin and keep it in good shape. The added benefit is not having sun damage or looking as haggard as I sometimes feel. It's enough that I am still working in losing weight. If y'all do nothing else, wear sunscreen and stay healthy and happy with yourself!!!

I'm still not trusting any viral marketing or influencers. This time I am so happy that I had a good recommendation from a trusted source. We should all use that method.

Peace

--Free

DISCLAIMER: I am and will not be compensated for any products mentioned in this post. I don't have any affiliation with Amazon or any of the other stores/sellers linked to. I am just sharing my experience in using the products mentioned.