It’s been awhile since my last post, and since then I have purchased quite a few skincare and makeup products. Because there are so many I decided to divide them into to two categories, skincare and makeup. I’m going to start this mini series off with the various skincare products I have purchased, most of them are cleansers, one a mask, and the other a treatment lotion.

I ran out of cleanser recently so I took a trip to Sephora and decided to try Kate Somerville’s Daily Detox Cleanser ($34). Kate Somerville is often considered to be one of the gold standard skincare lines on the market. They have products that target many different skin concerns and all do an excellent job, but unfortunately gold standard products tend to come with a price to match. Many Kate Somerville products cost a significant amount of money (especially the anti aging line), but trust me the money is worth it. My skin is oily and acne prone and this cleanser does a great job at treating those issues, I have found my skin to be far less oily and my breakouts have lessened and clear up faster. The cleanser is an orange gel that has a subtle tangerine scent that I find quite pleasant. When I first started using this cleanser my skin broke out like crazy and I finally realized it was because my skin had dried out, but once I applied a more intensive moisturizer my skin cleared right up. My only complaint with this cleanser is the packaging; because of how the cleanser is dispensed you have to rest the product on it’s side rather than standing up. This is a very minor complaint, but would be a bigger issue if you lack cabinet or countertop space.

Kate Somerville’s Anti Bac Clearing Lotion ($42) is easily the most repurchased skincare product in my collection. I have been devoted to this for more than 3 1/2 years, and my skin flares up immediately whenever I run out of the product and don’t have a replacement ready to go. If you have constant breakouts like I do this is a life saver, because not only does it treat breakouts but it prevents them too. Another bonus is that this product will last you around 3 months even if you use it twice a day.

I have been on a bit of a micellar water kick lately, sparked by Bioderma of course. I find them to be a great gentle cleanser to use in the morning when I want something that will prep my skin for my morning routine without leaving it irritated. Unfortunately Bioderma is hard to find in the States so I have been trying out a few options that are easier to get my hands on. Simple’s Cleansing Micellar Water ($6.64) is the cheapest one I’ve tried and I must say it does a great job. It draws all the oil out of my pores without drying out my skin, and because it is so affordable I plan on purchasing it again.

Koh Gen Do’s Cleansing Spa Water ($13 for 3.38oz or $39 for 10.15oz) is another micellar water I’ve tried. It does a good job but is very expensive, especially when compared with the one by Simple. I also didn’t find it to work much better either. Because of this I don’t think I will purchase it again.

All of you who have read my Top 5 Masks post know that I have tried and own an excessive amount of masks, but I couldn’t resist adding Origins’ Original Skin Mask ($25) to my collection. I bought this product because it is a retexturing mask made with rose clay (if you didn’t already realize I love roses) that is supposed to shrink the appearance of pore size and brighten the skin. I have used this a few times and I am really impressed with the results. It didn’t irritate my skin despite it being an exfoliant, my skin appeared brighter and felt smoother, and my pores looked smaller. I highly recommend trying this mask.