OK. So. I never planned on adding skincare tips to this here little style blog. Plenty of style bloggers do, and it makes sense because they have gorgeous, flawless skin, so who wouldn’t want to know what products they use? I, on the other hand, do not have gorgeous, flawless skin. Now hold up. I’m not trying to call myself hideous, I’m just saying my skin is not the feature that gives me the most confidence.
But then I got to thinking – maybe the girls who have good skin just have good skin, and it doesn’t have much to do with the products they use. And maybe girls like me would like some honest opinions from someone who isn’t perfect.
Recently I received (free of charge but with no condition of a blog review) a generous assortment of skincare products from Enza Essentials. After telling them my biggest issues (oiliness, redness, and breakouts), they sent me a customized regimen with instructions (pretty cool, huh?). I became a pretty big fan of two of the products in particular.
Enza offered to sponsor a giveaway (for 2 winners!) of my favorite product, so I figured why not give this skincare review stuff a try?! I picked 4 products from different categories to review for you. Product #4 is the one you have a chance to win! Giveaway instructions are at the end of this post.
1. Moisturizer: Philosophy Hope in a Jar
To be honest, I’m not terribly picky about moisturizers since dryness is not something I have a problem with. But, as I learned from my Enza representative, even people with oily skin need to moisturize! With the cold, dry air of winter approaching, I’m thinking of restocking my supply of philosophy hope in a jar. I used up a jar last winter and really liked it. My favorite part? It smells nice. Probably not what I’m supposed to focus on, but hey, if it’s the last thing I slather on my face, it might as well make me smell good.
2. Face Wash/Exfoliator: Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Face Polish
You know how when you get something from Sephora, they give you samples of other stuff in the hopes you’ll get hooked on it? Yep. That’s definitely what happened with this Laura Mercier Face Polish. I don’t use it every day because it’s one of those gritty, super exfoliating washes, and my sensitive skin might get a little too polished. But I do notice an improvement in dullness after using this stuff, plus my cheeks feel as smooth as a baby’s bottom.
3. Redness Treatment: Enza Essentials Rosacalm Skin Serum
I’m generally pretty skeptical of skin serums because I always assume they’re trying to trick us into thinking they do something just because they’re expensive and have snazzy packaging. But I have to admit this Enza rosacalm* actually does something. I tend to be a little blotchy and red on my cheeks. It’s nothing I can’t disguise with makeup, but it would be nice eventually to use a little less cover-up. This stuff doesn’t work right away (I used it twice a day for about a week before I started seeing a difference) but it did work for me. One day I woke up and looked at my clean face in the mirror and thought, “Why do I look so pale?” Then I realized it was just because I wasn’t so red.
4. Blemish Treatment: Enza Essentials Spot Extrator
Last but not least, let me tell you a little about Enza’s Spot Extractor*, which two lucky people will win! I’m one of those fortunate people who, at age 28, gets to hang on to my youthful skin…in the form of zits. I’ve used a zillion different acne cleansers and creams and none seem to make a difference. While I have still had new breakouts since starting to use the Spot Extractor, I’ve noticed they are healing much more quickly than usual and aren’t getting dry and cracked along the way.
I think the key to its usefulness for me is that it’s so easy to use. It’s a nifty little roller ball, so I can dab it on quickly; there’s no excuse to skip it. It’s also a clear liquid which means I can put it on in the morning under makeup and it won’t turn into a crusty white spot (not cute). Moral of the story: I’m a fan. I recommend it to anyone who gets pesky blemishes now and then. But because I know no one likes to shell out $25 for a skincare product they’ve never tried before, I’m excited to give you a chance to get one for free!
Giveaway Winners:
Congrats to Karen (@klcampy) and Ashley (@joyfulgirl86) – you have both won an Enza Essentials Spot Extractor!
*Rosacalm and Spot Extractor provided courtesy of Enza Essentials. All opinions are my own.
