Full disclosure: this is an ad. This is my announcement that I’m an influencer now 😇
Thanks to Her Campus, I’ve been given the opportunity to review some products from Sweet Chef for you! I put myself forward for this partnership because I’ve struggled with my skin for a very, very long time. It has been nearly 10 years if pimple after pimple with rare and short-lived breaks.
The problem is that my skin is dry and acne-prone, meaning that the cleansers aimed at clarifying acne usually dry my skin out more, causing me to pick at my dry patches and create more pimples. It’s a frustrating cycle that feels like there’s no end in sight, but I’d already resolved myself to:
- Try my best not to pick at my skin
- Find a cleanser that works for me
- Restore my moisture barrier
And then! Magically my Sweet Chef package arrived with their Carrot Ginger + Salicylic Acid Pore Cleanser and Carrot Ginger Blemish Rescue Patches. This was exciting to me partially because my cleanser had just run out (perfect timing) but also because Sweet Chef comes from the originators of The Glow Recipe. These products are made in Korea and credit K-Beauty for their inspiration.
Without further ado, here is my review:
- Carrot Ginger Blemish Rescue Patches
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So, to be quite honest, I have incredibly sensitive skin. I have to be super careful about what I put on it to avoid insane breakouts. You’d think that pimple patches would be helpful, but the adhesives are tricky for me.
What I love about the patches is that the package comes with so many patches in such a variety. The largest are rectangular strips and the medium, small, and extra smalls are the familiar disks that we all know and love. I think that this range is super helpful for not feeling like you’re wasting a whole patch on a small pimple, or having to use a bunch to cover the area in need of rescue. It’s also a huge bonus that me mediums have a super cute carrot print on them.
- Carrot and Ginger Cleanser
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This cleanser is what I was most excited about. When I submitted my name for this partnership, I immediately looked up Sweet Chef and felt drawn to this cleanser. For acne prone skin, I feel like the advice is always to get a foaming cleanser, but every one that I have tried has stripped my skin. The combination of salicylic acid with natural ingredients of carrot, ginger, and turmeric plus the promise that it won’t dry out my skin? I was hooked.
And it lives up to the hype! Only 1 pump gives me enough foam to cleanse my face, neck, and chest (all of my sensitive, acne prone spots) and I don’t feel remotely dry afterwards. At first I was hopeful that the cleanser would smell good because of the natural ingredients without added fragrance, but it smells like skincare lmao. There is a slight “chemical” smell, however it is not offensive or strong and stands as proof that Sweet Chef cares about your skin.
My skin is the type to break out after just one missed wash. On top of that, I haven’t had success in finding a cleanser that actually clears my skin, they usually only prevent it from getting worse. Using this cleanser has cleared up my stress and hormone breakouts in only three days, which is only five or six washes.
I must admit, I missed a wash and suffered the consequences of ruining the work the cleanser had done, but after only a few more washes, it’s in the process of clearing up again. This cleanser’s repeated ability to actually get rid of my acne instead of just keeping it from getting worse makes me more motivated to be consistent with washing twice a day.
In general, I’m really excited about the brand! Sweet Chef has shown a lot of care by taking inspiration from K-Beauty and credited it. On top of that, I’m super impressed with their website which makes the sandstorm that is skincare information super accessible.
Each product page includes a general description of the process, but also a breakdown of what each key ingredient is going to do for you. You can also expand out a complete list of ingredients which is always relatively short and not packed with unnecessary ingredients that would detract from the product’s efficacy. Underneath is a list of what the products are free of, use directions, and recycling instructions.
Not that I’m a User Experience (UX) or web design expert, but the Sweet Chef website seems to be a masterclass on an easy to use website from the perspective of the consumer. I may partially feel that way because I happen to really like the bright colors. If there’s a tween in your life, or if you yourself are just putting together your first skincare routine, I definitely think that Sweet Chef is a great one-top-shop.
I for sure will be treating myself to some more Sweet Chef products as a self-care treat for getting through finals week, but I’m overwhelmed! There are a bunch of products that I want to try, but the following are at the top of my list:
- Ginger + Vitamin C Serum Shot: I have never used vitamin C even though I definitely should for my hyperpigmentation. The ginger is also a huge draw because I like it in the pore cleanser and I feel attracted to ginger’s antioxidant qualities. TBH I want all of the serums, but I feel like I should be prioritizing this one, lmao.
2. Beet + Retinol Nightly Firming Mask: I’m personally terrified of retinol. It can be really irritating to the skin so the idea of putting a retinol on my already struggling, hypersensitive face is anxiety-inducing to say the least. This mask uses granactive retinoids which are way less irritating and have very similar effects on the skin which super exciting to me!
3. Superfood + Vitamins Beauty Oil: I love to finish off my routine with an oil but I feel like I haven’t found one that really works for me (I still wake up with dry skin even though I’ve been using oils for over a year). I’m curious about this one which is jam-packed with key ingredients and thus good things for the skin. Not to mention jojoba oil which is the closest thing nature has to the oils our body produces, so it is bound to soak in and get to work!
Sweet Chef, if you’re reading this, I wouldn’t say no receiving more of your products 🤪