I have a confession. I have been using drugstore brand skincare. Shocker! I know. I get on a kick of not wanting to put effort into my routine and purchase the first thing i see with the words acne cleanser written on the bottle, it gets tossed in the cart. For the most part, every brand in those aisles do the same thing. Which is targeting all the dirt and oil, stripping it away with no regard to collagen, skin repair and ph- balancing, and leaving your face irritated, inflamed and as dry as the Sahara Desert.
You know the natural order of the universe, if you're not being proactive, you end up being reactive. So I found a really good brand of skin cream from CeraVe and learned later they have Dermatologists seal of approval. It's perfect for all skin types, just a really good cream that you can use everywhere from your face to your heels. But still I trek on because this routine is leaving me hydrated but my skin looks like a bad case of Rosacea. And second point, I need a line that I can stand behind at Bombshell Beauty.
Being Pro-active, i joined Facebook groups months ago that are for spa and skincare professionals only. A quick search in their database left me with a few options to investigate and I started with Organic Spa based on the look of their website, the wholesale options and most importantly their manufacturing standards. I would love for you to read more about their company here. These days, vegan, organic and cruelty free are slapped on 80% of skincare products because the FDA doesn't have really restrictive standards. A quick google search can tell you that American sold products have ingredients listed as approved by the big wigs at the Food and Drug Administration while these same things are labeled as toxic in the UK. Side note, French women are revered for their beautiful skin; something is amiss in the US. The company really impressed me from the beginning. I sent a wholesale inquiry and within 48 hours, a representative reached out to schedule a phone call where we talked about everything I mentioned above, plus I was educated that they have recently opened a distribution center in the US. Atlanta, GA to be more specific; so imagine my excitement that the Universe delivered me great accessibility to this perfect skincare line. I don't take gifts from the universe lightly.
This joyful Partner made sure to send out a sample package of their products, and few full size samples. How smart of a business to give us anything to get started with. So Janey and I got to work, giving each other practice facials with our tester products from various brands. Our must haves were organic, cruelty free and vegan. Right off the bat, everything we put close to our nose had a faint smell of wood. Not earthy, not spicy, just bland... wood. That was to be expected. Dyes and perfumes can irritate skin no matter if you have sensitivity or allergies. The skin is not made for in-organic materials. The facials were an instant difference for both of us. Something about stimulating the skin cells and applying healthy products just ups the effectiveness so well.
I took my box of Organic Spa home and strategically used what I needed over the next few days. Keep in mind, I have combination skin. I wash, then my t-zone is oily but the outside frame of my face is dry so automatically, I know I need a fluctuating routine.
I started with the Cream Cleanser and like I mentioned before, that bland woody scent was not present. Instead, this line has a citrus splash.
I don't know where it's coming from just yet. I intend to delve into the ingredients more intensely and I'll report back. The cream formula of their face cleanser is perfect for normal/dry and sensitive skin. It has a light tingling sensation that I can only imagine is plumping up my 32 year old skin. I felt normal after that so I didn't want to go to hard on masks or exfoliants. I followed up with the Moisture Rich face lotion and had the benefit of dewy skin all day. I'm impressed, but still day one and no visible results. That night, I washed my inch thick layer of makeup off with my generic cleanser. Then massaged in the cream cleanser for a better clean, applied the Vitamin C serum and followed up with more Moisture Rich. I WOKE UP PRETTY!
On day two I used the same cleanser, I don't feel I need to change that, but i changed up the routine and applied their clay mask, dried for ten minutes then rinsed with warm water. Another shot of Vitamin C, air dried then applied Moisture Rich. I am really loving that formula. I noticed all day, I didn't wear makeup, that my skin was balanced. Dewy is the best descriptor so I'll use it again. Instead of washing my face that night, I went over it again with a dab of Vitamin C, it's used day and night in the regimen, patted key areas with a dot of their wrinkle defense cream and massaged my face with Moisture Rich again.
You ready for the results? This morning, my skin is VISIBLY tighter and more toned. It worked. In three days, I have seen a shift in the firmness around my mouth and my eyes for sure. My red tones have been more neutralized, I assume the irritation from previous cleansers has been soothed by these new products. And a few noticeable veins around my nose are less predominant. This brand has my recommendation for sure. I am excited to see what my eye makeup will look like today with this firmer skin I'll be working with. Keep an eye on my facebook page for selfies to come!