So many subscriptions have that one big-ticket item each month that has great reviews, comes from a well-known brand, but can be pricey. Obviously, the big question before you are going to want to purchase any beauty product is, "is it worth it?!" This is the number one question that I get from readers wondering how a product works for me over time. There are always products that, after a week or two, I wish I could change my review so that I can scream from the rooftops how it changed my skin, or maybe how I ended up not liking it as much as I thought I did. You are in luck, my dear readers! I have rounded up my top five beauty products that have stood the test of time for me over the past few months.
If you follow my reviews, then you know that I have very dry skin pretty much year-round, so be sure to factor that in before purchasing something if your skin is oily for example. Let's dig into these standout products!
Sahara Rose
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The Product: Sahara Rose Hydra C Serum Brightening & Plumping
The Cost: $54.00
The Matchmaker: The Box by Fashionsta
I fumbled with this product a bit at first. The serum is pretty thick and leaves your skin feeling sticky. I also found that it reacted when paired with my water Hyaluronic Acid hydrating serum; the two combined almost made a soapy foam on my skin. I decided to use this as my first product in my nighttime routine, along with a night oil serum and moisturizer. This is made with vitamin C (3 glycerol ascorbate), which is a vitamin C derivative that brightens the overall appearance of your skin. It is also made with hyaluronic acid to hydrate, ceramides to smooth, tripeptides to make your skin more youthful, moth bean to reduce the signs of aging, licorice, mushroom, watermelon, and cactus to give your skin a healthy glow.
This serum really gives my skin a boost of hydration that it really needs year-round, but I also love that it smooths dry spots. I noticed a consistent glow I haven't seen on myself in years after about two weeks of using this serum. The bottle is almost empty, and even though this is a higher price point for me, I am going to be purchasing another since it has changed my skin!
Elemis
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The Product: Elemis Dynamic Surfacing Gel Mask Deluxe Mini
The Cost: $27.00
The Matchmaker: GlossyBox
Elemis has always been that brand that I see on my favorite bloggers' Instagram constantly, but have been nervous to just spring for the purchase without testing it myself, especially given their price points. I feel so lucky to have found this mask! When I first tried it, I experienced tingling and redness while the mask was on and when I removed it. What I've found though is that the tingling and redness doesn't really happen if you use the mask consistently. I use this twice per week, leaving it on for about 8 minutes each time, and I don't have the same sensation anymore. My skin is so dry that I get these patches, mainly on my chin and around my nose, that flake and create buildup that causes breakouts. When I really began diving into testing new skincare products, my goal was to keep these dry patches at bay. This mask has helped me achieve that goal! The formula combines patented Tri-Enzyme technology with Amazonian Acerola Cherry that encourages natural cell turnover in as early as two weeks. It targets uneven skin tone, fine lines, and any scarring, leaving your skin smooth and radiant.
Using this twice each week has been the magic number for my skin, giving me a great exfoliation without drying me out. This is another product that I will have to repurchase once this little bottle is empty, which will be soon.
ClarityRx
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The Product: ClarityRx Daily Dose of Water Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum
The Cost: $72.00
The Matchmaker: BeautyFIX
This was only my second bottle of hyaluronic acid that I had ever tried; I never bothered before because I thought the word about HA was all hype. I am so happy that I found this hydrating serum though! This is another product that can leave your skin feeling pretty sticky. I use this for my morning routine, applying it once I get out of the shower to damp skin. I give it about a minute to drink in before applying a hydrating oil serum followed by moisturizer. The ingredients in this blend are pretty straightforward, made of purified water, hyaluronic acid, phenoxyethanol, and ethylhexylglycerin. I have found that this HA is the perfect base to start prepping my skin in the mornings, and is another product that has allowed me to keep my dry skin hydrated and glowing.
I also saw one of my favorite Real Housewives of New York City post on her Insta stories that she started using this product shortly after I received mine, which made me feel really cool and fancy! This bottle is almost gone, and I'm really considering repurchasing.
TULA Skincare
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The Product: TULA Skincare Face Filter Blurring & Moisturizing Primer
The Cost: $34.00
The Matchmaker: BeautyFIX
If you follow my reviews, then you know that I used to hate primers. I finally fell in love with the This Works In Transit Camera Close-Up primer and thought that was it for me. Once I tried this moisturizing primer I fell in love all over again... with a primer! When I first got this bottle, I still had some of my This Works, so I didn't use it more than twice, but once I ran out of my bottle, I decided to give this one a go again. I think the thing that I noticed right away was how it evened the red undertones that I have naturally in my skin, which allows me to use less of my foundation (less uneven tones and redness, less I feel like I need to cover). This is made with chia seeds to boost your skin’s natural radiance, licorice extract to brighten and even skin tone, turmeric extract to minimize inflammation, and probiotic extracts to lock in moisture.
I have been so happy to have found a second primer that I love, and it has made my makeup application that much better. Plus, this primer seems to work really well with my other skincare products, making it that perfect final touch to smooth my skin while adding a creamy glow.
Caudalie
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The Product: Caudalie Vinoperfect Serum
The Cost: $114.00 for 50 ml
The Matchmaker: GlossyBox
I received this serum in two separate boxes pretty close together. The first bottle I received I gave right to my husband because he has dark spots on both of his cheeks under his eyes that we have been working to minimize for a while now. We tried a product that we got from my esthetician that he used frequently, but it really dried his skin out, leaving it flakey and irritated (which was odd for him since he has oily skin). He was skeptical when I gave him this serum, saying that it wouldn't work or that it would make his skin dry, but I encouraged him to give it a go. This serum has worked wonders! By no means are his dark spots gone, but they have lightened and minimized in size so much. The best part is that it leaves his skin feeling hydrated, while still working hard to minimize the dark spots. I was so impressed by the improvement to his skin, that I decided to claim the second bottle for myself.
This is the perfect nighttime product to help combat dark spots, even if they are on the smaller side like mine. The major ingredient in this serum is viniferine, which is an ingredient from grapevine sap. It is known to brighten, lighten, and even the skin's appearance. We are now down to one bottle, and I am considering buying my husband his own for Father's Day, since it has done so much to help his dark spots already!
I say this a lot, but for me, beauty subscriptions are all about the discovery. Once I started diving into the beauty sub box world more, I realized that my skincare routine was not where it needed to be. That was when I set my goal to really turn my skin around, to the point even where I wouldn't need foundation every day. Getting my skin to a better place required an open mind when it came to the products I test, which means I need to give a product more than a week to do its thing.
Do you have a product that blew you away after using it for a few weeks? Did you have success with any of my tried and true products? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to comment on any review if you would like to hear about a product again down the road to see how it worked!
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