Carol Priest skincare for my 30+ combination oily skin

Where I got it

The team at Carol Priest reached out to me in early February to see if I was interested in trying out their skincare products. I actually did a review of their products in 2014 and goodness me, the quality of the photos was appalling! I am so glad to see how I have improved (well, my phone camera quality really…). So fast-forward from 2014, my skin is now a comfortable combination skin, leaning towards oily, but I no longer get a lot of breakouts and congestion as I seemed to have got that under control. Therefore my concerns are somewhat different to before.

After 2 pregnancies, my skin has changed, not dramatically, but I am a lot more tolerable to thicker creams and oils and my choice of skincare products got a lot stricter. I look at the ingredients list, I avoid anything that is laden with drying alcohols (not the fatty alcohols), and try to steer away that has too many essential oils. I am not on a crusade to rid all products of “nasty ingredients”, nor do I use these words to define good and bad skincare, but having tried so many different skincare brands and products from high end to drug-store, I know what works for my skin and what I can afford. Everyone’s skin is different and everyone’s ethics are different, so you really need to check out the brand’s ethics and ethos to see if they are in line with your beliefs. Also, you really need to try the products out for yourself to see if it works for you.

Enough of my babbling, so the team at CP asked me to list out the products I wanted to try and I asked for a cleanser, a serum, a facial lotion as well as a facial scrub. Also a hand treatment cream as well. They also do toners, night cream, massage balms and other body and hair care products, but I figured these are the products that suit my skin type and my routine, so I did not ask for extra products that might potentially go to waste.

What I got

So I was sent the following products: Blue Chamomile Facial Wash Cream (100g), Almond & Lemonbalm Facial Scrub (50g), Neroli Aurantium Facial Serum (10ml), Neroli Aurantium Facial Lotion (100ml) and Elderflower & Lavender Treatment Hand Cream (50g).

Blue Chamomile Facial Wash Cream ($69.50 for 100g). A gentle and soothing facial wash to cleanse, soothe and balance oily and acne-prone skin. Deep blue Pure German Chamomile Essential Oil, high in anti-inflammatory chamazulene, helps to calm irritated and sensitive skin. Roman Chamomile Oil, extracted from the delicate daisy-like Chamomile flowers, helps to soothe broken-out and aggravated skin. Formulated without harsh detergents or chemicals, the Blue Chamomile Facial Wash cleanses and balances without stripping skin of essential moisture. For normal to oily and acne-prone skin types.

Ingredients: Distilled Water (Aqua), Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glycerin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Bisabolol, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Oil, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Styrax Benzoin Gum, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil

Almond & Lemonbalm Facial Scrub ($71.40 for 50g). Gentle, deep cleansing and creamy protein-rich exfoliant which stimulates the skin to produce new healthy skin cells. The natural exfoliating properties of Vitamin E-rich ground Sweet Almonds to gently buff away dead skin cells and pure Lemon Balm Essential Oil to help stimulate circulation and soothe the skin. Can also be left on the skin for up to 5 minutes for use as a regenerating and purifying treatment mask. For all skin types.

Ingredients: Distilled Water (Aqua), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Seed Meal, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glycerin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Styrax Benzoin Gum, Leptospermum Scoparium Oil, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Oil

Neroli Aurantium Facial Serum ($102.60 for 10ml). A luxuriously silky serum with a synergistic blend of 98% organic Neroli Aurantium and Jojoba Seed oils. Neroli Aurantium, a potent skin elixir used throughout history by ancient royals, helps to fight breakouts in congested skin types and reduce the visible signs of ageing such as fine lines and pigmentation. Working in synergy with skin-nourishing Jojoba Seed Oil, this serum deeply penetrates the skin to enrich and improve the complexion for your best skin every day. For all skin types.

Ingredients: Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Oil.

Neroli Aurantium Facial Lotion ($125 for 100ml). A light facial lotion with the power of Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Oil, suitable for daily use. Neroli Aurantium, a potent skin elixir used throughout history by ancient royals, helps to fight breakouts in congested skin types and reduce the visible signs of ageing such as fine lines and pigmentation. Jojoba Oil and Hazel Oil provide rich plant nutrients for healthy, strengthened and protected skin. Beta Carotene (Vitamin A) rich Carrot Root Extract helps to brighten the skin for a clear and radiant complexion. For all skin types.

Ingredients: Distilled Water (Aqua), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Corylus Avellana (Hazel) Seed Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Beta Carotene, Tocopherol, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Oil, Xanthan Gum, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Commiphora Myrrha Oil.

Elderflower & Lavender Treatment Hand Cream ($33 for 50g). A luxuriously rich and aromatic treatment infused with fragrant and herbaceous Lavender oil and Elderflower extract to deeply nourish and hydrate hands and nails. Restorative Cocoa Butter rehydrates and protects dry and damaged skin. Vitamin E-rich Sunflower Seed Oil helps to reduce the visible signs of sun damage and ageing, such as pigmentation and age spots, whilst working to increase the skin’s natural moisture barrier and prevent future moisture loss. For all skin types.

Ingredients: Distilled Water (Aqua), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Beeswax, Glycerin, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Styrax Benzoin Gum, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Beta Carotene, Tocopherol.

How I find it

As I have mentioned, I have used a couple of their products quite a few years ago when my skin was really oily and acne-prone. Now that my skin has changed slightly, I get fewer breakouts and my skin is more combination oily with dryness on my cheeks sometimes, I prefer something more hydrating on my skin and don’t really mind using any oils on my skin. So I started using these products as a skincare routine with and additional cleansing oil for my first cleanse, a spray toner, a vitamin C serum, and SPF and my 0.05% tretinoin.

This is my skincare routine for 4-6 weeks:

AM: Blue Chamomile Wash Cream, my own toner, my own vitamin C serum, Neroli Aurantium Facial Lotion and my own SPF30 sunscreen.

PM: My own cleansing oil, Blue Chamomile Wash Cream, Almond & Lemonbalm Facial Scrub (3x a week), my own toner, Neroli Aurantium Facial Serum, Neroli Aurantium Facial Lotion and I alternate my 0.05% tretinoin every other night.

The Blue Chamomile Wash Cream is a creamy cleanser that doesn’t over-strip my skin. It leaves my skin feeling clean, but not squeaky clean. I would strongly suggest double cleansing with an oil cleanser if you wear makeup during the day because this cleanser is not strong enough to work makeup off.

About 3x a week I will use the Almond & Lemonbalm Facial scrub. The scrub has a creamy base, almost like the Face Wash Cream above, with really fine granules to gently exfoliate the skin. The texture of the granules are almost like crushed oatmeal, and it doesn’t feel abrasive at all. Rinse that off and my skin feels really comfortable. If you are struggling with a lot of dead skin or congestion, I would recommend using an AHA or BHA toner maybe 2-3 times a week or however often your skin requires it. This one here is super gentle and does not contain any enzymatic or chemical exfoliants.

After cleansing and/or masking, I like to spray on my toner. I have been using a hydrating toner that doesn’t contain any actives. Once my face is damp with the toner, I will apply my own Vitamin C serum, and I will apply the Neroil Aurantium Serum over it. The serum is an oil serum so only 3-4 drops is plenty for the entire face and neck area. The oil serum feels really silky and nice on the skin. It is moisturising and does make you look a little glowy.

I then use a pump of the Neroli Aurantium Facial Lotion which is actually plenty. I would use maybe half a pump. The slightly yellow-tinted lotion is hydrating and moisturising. If you have oily/combination skin you might be ok with just lotion and you can skip the oil.

For day time I will use an SPF30 or more because you always need sunscreen no matter what skincare brand or product you are using. Every other night, I will use my Tretinoin 0.05% with not buffering because I don’t want to stop my Tretinoin or retinol game as I’ve got a good swing going on right now.

Overall

After a good 4-6 weeks of use, my skin seemed really comfortable with no visible signs of irritation or congestion. I think one of my main concern was congestion because if my skin has a reaction, it is almost always flare-ups with blocked pores, little bumps and acne breakouts. My skin looks and feels really hydrated and balanced without being overly moisturised. I like this feeling a lot. I have already ran out of the cleansing cream and I can tell that I only have maybe 3-4 uses of the serum as well. I still have plenty of the lotion and facial scrub that will last me at least another 3 months at least.

One thing I do like to point out is that I do like to use actives in my skincare and I find that Carol’s range does lack products with active ingredients (BHA, AHA, vitamin C, etc.). It is not a major issue because I can always add my favourite actives with her products. Most of the time I mix and match my entire skincare routine and I rarely use products from a single brand. Overall, I am really happy with the products I have chosen.

I have a few reels and IGTVs on my IG account (@kittiemui) using these products, please go and check them out and follow me there for more reviews, demos and routines!