I've been using Aveeno's cleanser & moisturizer since forever; starting from way back in high school. It suits my skin well, but now that I'm in my middle 20's, my skin has changed since then. I'm starting to find fine lines appearing near my eyes and my skin is not as youthful as it used to be. So, I gave up on Aveeno to try Philosophy's Purity cleanser. I heard a bunch of reviews on youtube about this stuff and how people swear by it. Let me first start by saying that I have dry, combination skin. I get dry patches on my cheeks while my T-zone tends to be oily. Besides these areas, my skin is normal. Also, my skin is very sensitive, one wrong move and BAM a pimple makes a grand entrance on my face. HELLO! Anyways, I went to my local Sephora to pick up the Purity Cleanser, when I came upon a set with the cleanser, a facial serum, moisturizer & eye cream. I was like hey let me just go all out and try the whole thing. Plus, the set had travel sizes, which is nice if you want to try something out instead of committing to full sizes that might not even work for you.
The set is called Makeup Optional Skin. It's for basic care for normal, combination skin. The set was originally $40, but it was on sale for $32. Now, as you probably noticed, the set is for normal, combination skin, but I have dry, combination skin. They didn't have a set for my type of skin, but it's close enough. Back to the set. There are four products in the set. I have been using the product for about a month and a half now and felt that it was good enough to do a review on.
First the Purity cleanser, which is suppose to gently cleanse your face by removing your makeup, add essential oils and providing hydration to your skin.
Review: I would say that it does cleanse your face. My makeup can get a little heavy where it feels like there's mud on my face towards the end of the day. O_O With this cleanser, it gives you that fresh feeling like when you first come out the shower. Awww, so refreshing! I also can say that it does remove my makeup, but not entirely. My mascara as well as my melting eye liner is still making its presence on my eyes. It melts the makeup, but not remove it. I have to use an makeup remover for that. =/ When it says it removes makeup, I expect it to remove EVERYTHING, but it didn't, which was a let down.
Secondly, was the When Hope is Not Enough, facial firming serum. This is to help firm, protect and hydrate while minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Also, it has antioxidants to help protect against environmental attacks.
Review: I can say that this worked for my face almost immediately. I was amazed at how fast this took effect. I noticed by the next morning that my skin looked more awake and alert. My fine lines did minimize over time and my face did look firmer. I only use this at night, but it says to use night & day. I believe if I did use it like it states in the directions, then my skin would look better. The reason why I don't use it day & night, is because I tend to forget or I'm always in a rush that I don't even bother putting it on. At first, it is a bit oily, but it dries quickly on your face. I really I love this stuff. I plan on buying the full size one once I run out. Yeee!
Thirdly, is the Hope in a Jar moisturizer. This a lotion that is suppose to hydrate your skin while exfoliating it. Also, it has beta glucan, which is to help strengthen the skin's natural repair system.
Review: I did love this moisturizer. It did its job and I love how it is light and satiny. It glides on the skin very nicely. The only con for me would be that it's not as hydrating as I like it to be. My skin needs more moisture because its so dry. >_<
Lastly, is the Hope in a Tube eye and lip cream. It's suppose to moisturize and diminish the appearance of fine lines around the eye and lip area.
Review: I found no result for this cream. I'm not sure if it's because I haven't used it long enough, but I just didn't notice any difference around these areas. I don't even use it anymore. The cream itself is just like any moisturizer, nothing too spectacular. o_O
Overall, I did like the set. Lots of people complain about the smell, but it doesn't bother me too much. All of the ingredients in these products are natural, so the smell has that organic, natural smell to it. It's not strong at all; it's intolerable. I definitely love the Purity cleanser and the firming serum. These are the products I plan to repurchase. I hope this was some help to you ladies out there who want to try a new skincare routine or is curious about the Philosophy skincare brand. I suggest you buy the sets because you get more for your money because you actually pay more when you buy the products separately. Thanks for reading! ^_^
