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Happy Tuesday, loves!
I hope everyone is having a great start to their week. With this new chapter of my life starting after moving to Chicago, I decided it was the perfect time to give my skincare routine an overhaul as well! I was sent all of these products to test out and wanted to share my thoughts on them after using them for several weeks. Side note, I’ve linked the least expensive version of the products I could find online! Keep scrolling to read my new skincare review! 😀

1) From Neostrata, I received three products to test out, and I’ll start with the Skin Active Retinol + NAG Complex. Quite a name and quite the price tag to match. At $78, it is definitely a higher end product, but I don’t mind paying that much when the product WORKS. I’ll admit, I have skipped a couple of nights using this product (you know those nights when you’re so tired that just getting your makeup off feels like the most you can do), but even with skipping a bit, I still have been able to notice a difference. I think continued use will yield even more reduced lines and wrinkles, because I’m already noticing them lessened on my face. I will caution though, because of the retinol ingredient, make sure you up the sunscreen use during the day.
2) Next up is their Oil Control Gel. This product is also on the more “luxurious” side price-wise at $42, but again, this stuff is saving my skin from looking dewy by noon. The Chicago humidity is more than I anticipated, and when I layer this product over my moisturizer and under my foundation, I notice my skin staying nice and matte until at least dinnertime. I took it with me to NYFW and I think it worked well in a pinch as a primer since I forgot mine at home!
3) On the moisturizer side of things, I was sent several of the items from the new Hydro Boost collection from Neutrogena, and haven’t found a bad one in the bunch. I wanted to especially highlight the Water Gel with Hyaluronic Acid ($20), which I truly look forward to applying every morning. I think it gives my combo skin the right amount of moisture and doesn’t feel heavy or tacky. I can’t stand those types of creams, especially when it’s warm or humid out. My trick with this type of tub is to shake the product with the lid on, so that some product distributes on to the lid when you open it, saving you from dipping a finger into the bulk of the product and getting it under your nails or contaminating it.

4) From a brand called D’OR 24K Cosmetics, I tested out their Regenerating Facial Cleanser, and I unfortunately don’t have the most favorable things to say about it. The scent is the first thing that struck me, like a very fake strawberry aroma. It gives me a little headache and seems very cheap. The cleanser is OK to use in the shower, but every time I used it with just rinsing off over the sink, I’d manage to discover the little pink beads near my hairline, ear or chin. I also didn’t feel the beads did much in terms of exfoliating, or regenerating as the name would suggest. Can we also talk about how underwhelming the packaging is… Their website was not in operation when I was writing this post, so I’m not sure exactly how much this retails for, but regardless of price, I’d pass!
5) Another gem from Neostrata (how had I not used this brand before?!), their Sheer Physical Protection SPF 50 ($37). I’ve actually switched to using this product as my face base instead of foundation on days when my skin is blemish-free. I love that it’s two steps in one.. A VERY sheer layer of coverage, along with a high number SPF. I actually wasn’t expecting the tint for some reason, but I do think it would work on 90% of skin tones. I think on very dark skin, it might leave a little ashy cast, but from very fair to medium-dark, it should just give a very faint evening of tone. I’m quite fair and this wasn’t yellow or orange on me. Definitely great to use when you’re in a time crunch to get ready, and this will definitely be my go-to product come next summer for the beach, pool, camping, etc.
6) In the mask realm, I’ve been testing out the Farmacy Bright On Massage-Activiated Vitamin C Mask. I’ll admit, the color-changing bit did seem slightly gimmicky, but the more I thought about it, I realized it’s actually helpful so you know you’ve massaged in the product enough. I leave it on for 10 minutes (recommended is 5-10). After each use, I’ve felt my skin tighten and there was a visible brightness to my skin’s tone. I think I need to up the frequency though, because I’ve been trying it once a week and I feel that the brightness/glow doesn’t last that long between uses. I also wouldn’t recommend this one for dry skin, because of the tightening element; I think it’s best for combo or oily skin. It’s $38, so not the cheapest, not the most expensive out there for this type of product.

That’s it for now, babes! I actually have a new crop of makeup to review as well, so I’ll be working on that post soon. Hope everyone has a great rest of the week!
xoxo