THANKS to my pale skin and propensity for redness, I mastered "cold girl beauty" long before it was a trend.
When I saw a viral product that promised to eliminate redness, I was eager to try it – then I saw the price tag.
My TikTok feed was full of clips showcasing Dr. Jart's Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment, $52 at Sephora.
Apparently, the SPF-infused cream is pistachio-green in the tub but develops into a warm beige tone on the skin.
The green tone neutralizes redness from rosacea, acne, or other irritation, and it can be used as a base layer or a standalone cosmetic.
My broken capillaries and I were eager to give it a try, but my wallet was not.
Instead of shelling out for the real deal, I decided to make a DIY version of the color-correcting hero.
To approximate the gentle coverage of the Dr. Jart product, I snagged a bottle of Wet n Wild Glass Correct Primer, $6.
I combined the bargain color corrector in a 1:1 ratio with my normal moisturizer, Pond's Perfect Color Complex, $1.25.
Since Dr. Jart touted ingredients that would "soothe, calm, and moisturize skin," I figured mixing in my everyday moisturizer would do the same for me.
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At first blush (or lack thereof), I liked how my product cocktail looked and felt on my skin.
It was definitely green, and not so far from the color of Dr. Jart's priming moisturizer.
But as I worked it into my cheeks, chin, and nose, which are my hot spots for irritation, it had a pleasant blurring effect.
In the light of my bedroom, in front of my vanity, I looked glowy, but not in a Rudolph the reindeer way.
The glassy texture of the Wet n Wild primer kept the green product from dulling my skin tone.
That was a relief since people with dry skin reported the Dr. Jart product had a tendency to emphasize lines and dry patches.
Of course, the real test of any makeup product isn't how it looks in the privacy of your own home.
To really see how my DIY miracle moisturizer looked in action, I needed to find some unflattering fluorescent lights.
I didn't need to go far.
It's impossible to look attractive in the lobby of my apartment building, which is lit like a Walmart.
Sure enough, when I saw myself in the mirror (and in my phone's camera), I looked seasick.
I felt that the green-tinted base emphasized my undereye bags.
On my cheeks and forehead, when the bright lights hit my skin, I looked greasy as well as green.
Duly noted: this concoction does better as a spot treatment.
I also noticed the areas around my nose and chin, where I had the most redness, were still pretty pink.
Before my next outing, I tried to layer on my mixture of moisturizer and green primer.
But even when I let things set between layers, I didn't see much improvement.
In fact, the creases around my nose didn't seem more green when I layered the product.
My super-shiny skin drew attention to the very red patches I'd aimed to avoid.
Still, I had more tests to run before I could shed my Shrek-like complexion.
During a cold, blustery, wet day, I headed outside with a layer of green gunk on my skin.
This time, I did things differently: I only applied my mixture to the right half of my face.
My hope was to make a side-by-side comparison, and see if the greenery would have any impact on my face in February's icy temperatures.
After a walk around the block, I stopped to take a portrait-mode photo with my phone.
Reviewing the photo, I tried to remember which side of my face was "covered" and which just had my normal moisturizer.
To me, my cheeks and nose looked exactly the same on both sides.
My chin looked a little better, but I chalk that up to the source of my redness.
The red spots on my chin are from acne scars, not environmental irritation.
It's nice to know that, while this green sheen won't hide my reactive skin, it still has a spot in my makeup bag.
That was enough excitement for me…or so I thought! Before bed, I had a momentary freakout.
With the cosmetic escapades of my day far behind me, I started washing my face.
As I rinsed, I realized the washcloth was coated in a layer of green gunk.
I picked up my phone to Google "moldy washcloth mildew face death acne poison," but then I remembered my unique skincare regimen.
I guess that means we can chalk one up for the wear time on this bad boy: it will last from your morning coffee to your bedtime panic attack.
Depending on your needs, my $7.25 DIY might be a decent dupe for the viral Dr. Jart cream.
If you use Dr. Jart's product as a base layer, anyway, consider swapping it for Wet n Wild's product.
Mixing a few drops into my moisturizer left my skin feeling hydrated, even if I'd rather have foundation over the top of it.
And if you've got dry skin and red discoloration, like I do on my chin, it's probably worth the cheap price tag.
I can envision myself using this base layer to spot-treat my acne scars before using a matte foundation in the summer.
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Best of all, though, it sated my urge to splurge on the expensive Dr. Jart product.
Now that I know an all-over color corrector isn't right for my skin, I'm no longer green with envy.
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