I'm doing something a little different today and branching into skincare. I plan to incorporate a lot more health and beauty posts on here this year, so this post is a great start to that. I started using the Rodan + Fields Unblemish regimen the first week of September, and wanted to use it for several months to really see the effects and to be able to give you a fully educated review. Note: this is not a sponsored post (only one product was provided to me, which I will point out), and as always, all opinions are my own.
A little about R + F...
- It was started by the dermatologists behind the famous Proactiv
- It was originally launched in high end department stores (think Nordstrom & Bloomingdales), but left to become a direct sales company in order to bring dermatology-based skincare to everyone
- Today it's the #4 skincare brand in the US behind just Estee Lauder, Lancome & Clinique
I chose the Unblemish regimen because it's designed for acne and post-acne marks and I felt this is what I needed the most help with. However, they also have three other lines (Reverse, Redefine and Soothe) to meet all kinds of skincare needs.
My skin background...
I've had acne since I was around 13 and in high school and college had pretty oily skin (I have not-so-found memories of constantly reapplying [more like caking on] powder in high school. Gross). Now at 23, my skin has become more combination/dry with very little oil and just a bit of shininess in my T-zone from time-to-time. However, I do still get some acne (especially during that lovely time of the month), and have a lot of post-acne marks and splotchiness.
Here is my before and after using the regimen for 4-5 months (hello long hair!)...
Beyond my obvious lack of a tan right now, you can see that my skin tone is now quite a bit more even on my cheeks and that I only have a couple of small blemishes around my mouth. The biggest difference that I noted was that my post-acne marks really did lighten on my cheeks and somewhat on my forehead. What didn't quite work for me was that my skin got ridiculously dry throughout and I think it's because this regimen is probably best suited for more oily skin. At one point my skin was flaking off in a dandruff-like fashion (sorry, I know that's gross) so I had to stop using the treatment (step 3) for a couple of weeks, and then I gradually went back onto it by using it just once per day unless I had a breakout.
One product I'm absolutely obsessed with and truly look forward to using 2-3 times per week is their Micro-Dermabrasion Paste (c/o)! This isn't included with a regimen, but it's by far the best exfoliant I've ever used and it legitimately leaves my skin feeling baby smooth.
The final say...
I wish it had cleared up my acne a little more than it did and hadn't caused such dryness, but I really was impressed with how much it evened out my skin tone and lighted dark spots. So overall, I think the Unblemish regimen is definitely worth a try especially if you have oily, acne-prone skin!
I also have a neat little giveaway for you all today! My friend and R+F consultant (who is leaving her website and contact information in a comment and is so great to work with!) has provided 5 R+F mini-facials for Love, Lenore readers! These are awesome because you can get 1-2 uses of their products to try out (including that amazing micro-dermabrasion paste) and give your skin a little treat in the meantime :)
The giveaway is open to US residents and will run through 11:59pm on Sunday, January 25. I'll announce the 5 winners in Monday's post.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
xo,
Jacy
