Paula’s Choice skincare

I actually came across Paula’s Choice a few years ago while I was browsing through Borders (a bookstore) and saw “Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me” by Paula Begoun. Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me is a big book of skincare and cosmetics reviews (mainly US, UK brands). I spent hours reading the book at the bookstore and ended up buying the book because I was so into it! Paula’s reviews are really precise and gets to the point. She has a team of highly qualified people to test out the products, breaking down the pros and cons of a product in regards to effectiveness, pricing, packaging, ingredients, etc.

However, I never had the thought of buying the products she formulated! Recently a youtube makeup guru (Gossmakeupartist) that I am a subscriber of has been mentioning how much he loves Paula’s Choice products. I started looking into it. Her products are of high quality and the price point is mid-range. She does not put in ingredients in her products that are not beneficial to the skin and the packaging design and pH levels are in their optimal design and level that will prove her products effective and stable.

Where I got it: I got these on Paula’s Choice website – click on this link to get $10 off and when your order ships, I will get $10 off as well! Woohoo! Their New Zealand website is still work in progress, but you can purchase from the International site which has a shipping fee of NZD$15 (not sure if this is a flat rate, but for the amount of products I bought, it cost me $15 for shipping). I will probably update this post when the New Zealand website is up and running!

What I got: I got a couple of items actually. The great thing about Paula’s Choice is, she does many sample sized products and sample kits for you to try before you buy the full sized products. She also offers a set offer in a range that is suitable for your skin type. The website allows you to input your skin concerns so they will suggest products suitable for your skin type. Otherwise, you can shop by skin concerns, product types and collections. So my main skin concern is Combination skin and enlarged pores. I was recommended to use the Skin Balancing Range. So I got myself: Skin Balancing sample set,  Hydralight sample set and a Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant (this is a recommended product when I searched for Pregnancy under Expert Advice).

Skin Balancing sample kit USD$6.00: Formulated for combination/oily skin. This sample kit contains 11 single-use sachets – DAY: Skin Balancing Cleanser, Skin Balancing Toner, 2% Beta Hydroxy Acid Liquid, Skin Balancing Antioxidant Mattifying Concentrate Serum with Retinol, Skin Balancing Ultra-Sheer Daily Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 30. NIGHT: Skin Balancing Cleanser, Skin Balancing Toner, Skin Balancing Antioxidant Mattifying Concentrate Serum with Retinol, 2% Beta Hydroxy Acid Liquid, Skin Balancing Moisture Gel, Skin Balancing Oil-Absorbing Mask. Basically, the cleanser, toner, BHA liquid and the concentrate serum are the same for day and night.

How I find it: The Skin Balancing Cleanser is creamy white, texture is very gentle and does not lather or foam up. There is no fragrance and it is easy to rinse off. You can also use a face cloth if removing makeup. I used a cleansing oil before the cleanser even though the cleanser can remove makeup, but I feel that it is more thorough to double cleanse. After drying my face, I apply the Skin Balancing Toner on a cotton pad to wipe my face. The toner is clear and there is no fragrance as well and there is no alcohol. It feels clean and no residue after the toner. After the toner, I use 2% Beta Hydroxy Acid Liquid on a cotton pad and wipe all over the face avoiding eye area. There is no stinging but there is a little tingle, and it tends to leave my skin a bit sticky. After the BHA liquid, I am suppose to use the Skin Balancing Antioxidant Mattifying Concentrate Serum with Retinol, but since it contains retinol, I avoided it (because retinal is not good for the baby). I tried it on the back of my hand and washed it off quickly. The serum has a silicon feel to it and is very slightly yellow tinted. Smooths onto the skin easily. Skin Balancing Ultra-Sheer Daily Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 30 is a creamy white, fluid texture. Feels really light and sheer unlike other moisturiser with SPF30, my skin doesn’t feel dry or sticky afterwards. The Skin Balancing Moisture Gel however is not that moisturising to use at night. I need to reapply or apply a thicker layer.

Hydralight sample kit USD$5.00: Formulated for combination/oily skin. This sample kit contains 9 single-use sachets – DAY: One Step Face Cleanser, Healthy Skin Refreshing Toner, 1% Beta Hydroxy Acid Lotion, Shine-Free Mineral Complex SPF 30. NIGHT: One Step Face Cleanser, Healthy Skin Refreshing Toner, 1% Beta Hydroxy Acid Lotion, Moisture-Infusing Lotion. This kit uses the same cleanser, toner, BHA lotion day and night.

How I find it: I splash my face with warm water, then I use the One Step Face Cleanser which is a clear gel cleanser that does not foam up. Washing that off is easy and it doesn’t dry up my face. After drying my face off, I use the Healthy Skin Refreshing Toner on a cotton pad and wipe all over my face, I do feel a little tingling, but not stinging. Then I use 1% Beta Hydroxy Acid Lotion all over my face (this is a lotion texture, so I don’t need to use a cotton pad like with the liquid). Then I follow with Shine-Free Mineral Complex SPF 30 during the day and Moisture-Infusing Lotion at night. The day lotion provides adequate moisture and it doesn’t feel sticky at all. The night lotion also provides well balanced moisturisation to the skin.

Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant USD$19.20 for 100ml (also comes in 2.96ml sample size for UZD$0.64): Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant has a sheer, weightless texture that works to exfoliate the skin’s surface and fade signs of sun damage. The ultra-light formula corrects uneven skin tone for a brighter, smoother, more radiant complexion. Substantiated research shows that AHAs improve collagen production for firmer skin and increase skin’s moisture-binding ability. 8% AHA Gel works to sustain the results of professional peels and wears beautifully under a moisturizer or serum.This product is 100% fragrance and colorant-free with a pH range of 3.5-3.8.

Overall: The sample pack lasted me about 2 days of day and night use and I tend to run out of the toner first. I prefer a mixture of products from both ranges I have tried. I like both cleansers as they are both very gentle and makes my skin really smooth after washing off. Both toners are pretty much the same, I see no difference at all actually. I personally prefer the BHA exfoliant in a lotion or gel form rather than the liquid form, but my skin can take 2% as 1% will work much slower. I hardly used the Antioxidant serums as they contain retinol, therefore I cannot use them so I cannot comment on those (sorry). As for the moisturisers (both day and night) I prefer the Hydralight collection as they provide more hydration and moisturisation, whereas the Skin Balancing collection is a little too drying for my skin.  I have yet to use the 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant so I will do a separate review of that later and I will link to that post when it is up.