Hey guys and gals! Kristen here with the latest dirt on the brands we know and love. For this week’s product review, I’ll be covering one of our latest sponsored products from HC Nationals – skincare gurus, stay tuned for my final thoughts!
Me in my natural habitat – with half my face on and having too much sugar 24/7
As the senior editor, it’s not out of the ordinary for me to be tasked with trying out the newest supplies Nationals sends us in our Care Package boxes. This quarter, I get to be the guinea pig for the Mary Kay Naturally skincare line. HC Nationals shared four products with us this year: a purifying cleanser, an exfoliating powder, a nourishing oil, and a moisturizing stick.
My skin is both oily and dry, and I tend to have easily irritated skin. I don’t typically wear a full face of makeup unless im going out for a very fancy occasion, so this new routine shouldn’t mess with my irritation from makeup brands. Because of my rosacea, I try not to put too many harsh chemicals into my face every day, but for the sake of our readers, I’m going to ditch my routine for the next five days and see what happens!
The four products I used this week!
A little context about each product:
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Purifying Cleanser: The cleanser is a night cleanser that can either be used as a face wash or as a makeup remover. I used it as a face wash for right before I go to bed!
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Exfoliating Powder: This works as an exfoliator for your face. The powder mixes with water (or the nourishing oil) to create a grainy face rinse. Scrub it into problem areas, rinse, and watch the magic happen!
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Nourishing Oil: The Mary Kay nourishing oil can either be used by itself or with the exfoliating powder. I personally use it on the dryer areas of my face, as the cold fronts are seriously drying out my skin!
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Moisturizing Stick: Like the nourishing oil, the moisturizing stick can be used in place of a daily moisturizer. Apply to dryer areas and leave on for a dewy finish!
DAY 1
The first day of trying these products, I was slightly intimidated, as I have very moody skin that doesn’t like when I change up my routine. When I first used the cleanser, I was honestly shocked at how well it worked. After washing my face, my skin felt smooth and wasn’t irritated! The exfoliating powder helped with my problem areas on my T-zone, and the nourishing oil wasn’t super slick or sticky on my face. The moisturizing stick, however, was far too thick for my skin type, as it left me feeling super oily that day. After this, I decided against using the moisturizing stick to prevent any more breakouts from these products!
DAY 2
Day two of using the cleanser felt just as great as the first day using it! This find was especially exciting, as I ran out of my Clean and Clear Lemon scrub (my normal go-to for winter skincare) and was in desperate need to find a new face wash. The exfoliator did irritate my skin a little bit, as I ended up having increased redness after using it, but this time I mixed it with only water and not the nourishing oil. After exfoliating, I applied the oil to my T-zone and went straight to sleep. Once I woke up, I still felt super soft and my skin was at about the normal level of redness (which is a serious win for my skin!).
Me using the cleanser (Don’t worry, it doesn’t foam! It’s very gentle and soft on all skin types.)
DAY 3
With day three, I became pretty lazy (as I normally do) and I slacked off to only using the cleanser and the nourishing oil. Personally, I don’t like to use an exfoliator except about twice a week, as my skin becomes super dry and flaky. The nourishing oil has been nice to use, and the cleanser still has not irritated my face. So far, so good!
DAY 5
I let my face have a rest day for day four, so I went back to using all three products on day five. This time, the cleanser did irritate my skin a little more than normal, with my redness spreading out farther along my cheeks and jawline. The exfoliator helped clear up some of my breakouts along my dry areas, and the nourishing oil put the moisture back into my skin after drying it out with so many products. I kept away from the moisturizing stick, however, as I really didn’t want to add more oil back into my face and clog my pores.
My skin after the full five days of treatment – healthy, less red, and glowing!
Concluding Thoughts
Overall, I felt like most of these products were a win for me! I really liked using both the cleanser and the nourishing oil the most out of the four products. The cleanser is gentle enough to not irritate my skin and spread my redness, but it’s also not too gentle to not get the job done. The nourishing oil absorbs perfectly into my skin without being too oily or breaking me out. The exfoliating powder works well, but not for everyday use, as I felt the product was too abrasive to use every day. While the moisturizing stick didn’t work for me, it would work perfectly for people with an overall dry skin type! I would definitely recommend these products to our readers, and I will continue to use the cleanser and the oil in my everyday skincare routine!