Solvere Four Step Acne Clearing Kit

I generally hate kits because the products run out unevenly and I feel like you have to use less than you need to clear your skin, just to make the kit last for the amount of time it's supposed to. Not the case with this kit, and out of all the Proactiv-esque kits I have tried, this is my favorite.

I bought mine from Dermstore (with a 15% off code) and ended up paying $34.72 for the kit, which is a one months supply. It's about $41 full price, depending on where you pick this up. Yes, it's a little on the pricey side when you compare it to Acne.org and other similar systems, but it does include a toner which Acne.org does not and a moisturizer which Proactiv does not.

It's only been about a week, but I have to say, I am really loving this kit. It's everything I wanted Acne.org to be, and more. It incorporates glycolic acid, salicylic acid, and BP in soothing formulations that don't dry or irritate the skin.

Step 1: Solvere Acne Clearing Cleanser, is a thick, amber-colored gel which to me, smells like baby shampoo. It creates a nice lather that removes all traces of dirt, oil, and makeup without leaving my skin feeling tight and dry. It doesn't leave any kind of residue behind, just clean and fresh skin. It combines glycolic acid along with 2% salicylic acid, formulated with green tea extract and zinc PCA to soothe skin and help with inflammation.

Step 2: Solvere Acne Clearing Toner: The toner pads are wonderful, I am very glad they chose to make toner pads rather than include a bottle of toner like Proactiv does. There's virtually no waste, and the toner is guaranteed to last through the kit. Like the cleanser, the toner combines glycolic acid along with 2% salicylic acid, formulated with the astringent benefits of witch hazel and the soothing, anti-inflammatory effects of green tea extract and zinc PCA.

Step 3: Solvere Acne Clearing Gel: The gel is similar to Acne.org's, 2.5% benzoyl peroxide, but the base is slightly more moisturizing. You only need a thin layer, so it dries quickly and you don't spend half the day walking around waiting for a thick layer of BP gel to dry, like you do with the Acne.org regimen.

Step 4: Solvere Fortified Moisturizer: This is an amazing moisturizer, and I would have to say my favorite so far. It feels very rich and emollient, but it feels very lightweight on the skin and leaves no oily or greasy residue. It works perfectly under makeup, but it's also rich enough for a night cream. It's described as fortified because it has many "good for skin" ingredients in it, such as: vitamins A, C, E, green tea extract, Co-Q10, and superoxide dismutase. Sounds expensive, right? But suprisingly it's less than $10 a jar purchased separately. It hasn't caused any breakouts, so I would definitely continue to purchase this alone regardless of whether or not I continue to use this kit in the future.

Though this kit is a lot like the Acne.org regimen, it's more similar to Proactiv, so let me do a quick comparison. In my opinion, I would say this is FAR superior. The Solvere cleanser combines both AHA & BHA and is not abrasive and irritating like the Proactiv cleanser. The Solvere toner also combines both AHA & BHA and is in pad form, vs. Proactiv's AHA toner in a bottle. The Solvere BP is in gel form, you receive half an ounce more, and it's not greasy and highly fragranced like Proactiv's Refining Lotion. Solvere also goes above and beyond by including a full sized AM & PM moisturizer, and NOT making you sign-up for autoship. In a nutshell, it works much better/faster, has more actives for better results, and it's not overly fragranced. The choice is obvious.

Prior to using this, I had been using the Acne.org regimen for 5 months. It was a long, inconvenient process each morning and night, and I was still breaking out right and left. In addition, my skin was always flaky and dry, which was very frustrating. Since starting the Solvere, I have had no new breakouts and my skin is starting to glow. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is starting to fade, and my skin is extremely smooth and flake-free. I would never go back, and I regret having spent that long trying to make it work for me.

Bottom line, I definitely recommend the Solvere Four Step Acne Clearing Kit.

Lancome Teint Miracle Lit-From-Within Makeup Natural Skin Perfection

After searching for my HG foundation for years, I feel like I have finally found it with this product. I bought my first bottle as soon as it was released, and I am currently finishing up my third one with a fourth coming in the mail.

Normally I steer clear of anything luminous since I have extremely oily skin, but since Lancome marketed this for all skin types, I gave it a try and I am very happy I did. When I received my first bottle I was sure it was going to be way too luminous for me, since I could see a pearly swirl in the bottle, but to my surprise it wasn't at all! Plus, I don't notice that I get oily with Teint Miracle any quicker than I do with other foundations. It holds up through the day and still looks great after the second touch-up.

I would describe the coverage as medium leaning toward full, and definitely buildable. It's one of the few foundations that I feel provides adequate coverage with the first layer. I only have to touch up certain areas where I have excessive redness or blemishes. Teint Miracle has a semi-matte, natural glowing finish that looks like skin, but better. It's hard to describe, but it's perfect...just a healthy glow with no shimmer or sheen.

The texture is as nice as the finish...it's thin enough to blend easily, but thick enough to give great coverage in one layer. It's not too creamy, so it doesn't sit on top of the skin and slide around, but you have plenty of time to blend it in before it dries. It doesn't emphasize pores or any dry patches I may have, and it looks just as good regardless of what state my skin is in underneath.

I really can't find anything I don't like about this foundation, and I will continue to repurchase it again and again. I love it more and more with each application, and anything else I try after using it feels like a big disappointment...even foundations I previously loved. The price ($37) is very reasonable for something so amazing, especially considering I have tried more expensive foundations that don't hold a candle to Teint Miracle. Definitely give this one a try! I can't say enough good things about it.

L'Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Makeup

Even though I love trying new foundations, I always have a select few "go-to" foundations that I keep around at all times. This is one of them, and for many good reasons.

L'Oreal True Match comes in a wide variety of shades, which are incredibly easy to choose from, thanks to L'Oreal's wonderful system. Each shade is marked either W (warm), C (cool), or N (neutral), ranging from 1 (very light) to 10 (very dark). As I am very fair, and mostly neutral, I was able to find a perfect match with N1.

What I love about True Match is that it's a very thin formula. This makes it super-blendable, as they say, and also gives the foundation a weightless feel. However, it's very pigmented and provides medium-full, buildable coverage. It doesn't settle into pores, highlight old acne scars, or emphasize dry patches, which are my three biggest gripes when it comes to liquid foundation. The above, combined with the fact that it lasts all day on my oily skin, make it a winner for me. I did have to blot and powder my T-zone, but that's nothing new for me.

Some reviewers have mentioned micro shimmer, which I do see. It's almost like a purple/pink/mauve-y shimmer, but it seems that I only see it in the bottle. I don't see it AT ALL when it's on, even in direct sunlight from any angle. The only time I see it on my skin is when I finish applying and wipe the excess off the back of my hand. Don't let the shimmer scare you away, if I hadn't looked closely at the bottle, I wouldn't have ever known.

I'd say the finish is matte with just enough glow. As I said before, I have very oily skin and I love it. It's not at all like Revlon Photoready, which was very Edward Cullen-esque, for me. My only complaint is that I wish the bottle had a pump, but it's as good as some of my HE HG's and much cheaper, so it doesn't bother me all that much.

All in all, I would definitely recommend True Match if you're looking for something as good as HE, but without the high price that often comes with the quality.