Product Review: Murad Clarifying Cleanser

I'm constantly on the look-out for amazing beauty products. Whenever I have a few extra minutes, I'm scouring Pinterest or beauty blogs to see what people are using and talking about. Recently, a blogger who I read constantly posted about her positive experiences with Murad Skincare. She, too, has acne prone skin that variates between oily and dry. When she started using Murad, after 2 weeks, her skin improved enough to where she was able to go without foundation in her everyday beauty routine. Seeing as I would love to not have to wear foundation each day, I decided to fork over the $30 (not including shipping...) for this cleanser. 

My Skin "History":

Before I jump into the meat of the review, I'll give you some context about my skin. I began to struggle with acne at the age of 12. Throughout middle school and high school, caring for my skin was a guessing game. Which cleanser will work wonders? Does chocolate make me break out? Maybe if I put toothpaste on it, it will go away! You get the idea... 

So, I started keeping a food journal to track which foods seemed to make my skin worse. I soon learned what to avoid and how to care for my skin externally. When I reached my senior year, my skin problems started to improve. Now, I go through bouts of bad skin. I will have perfectly clear skin for several months, and then suddenly I will have a few weeks of bad skin. Additionally, I've noticed that when my skin is exceedingly dry for an extended period of time, I always break out. Based on my personal research, dry skin causes your body to over-produce oil to compensate. This, naturally, causes breakouts, and I have found this to be true for me. 

While I believe that all skin issues begin internally (stress, poor diet, etc), I also believe that skincare products can help alleviate acne, dryness/oil, and many other issues. This is what I expected Murad's Clarifying Cleanser would do for me. 

Review:

I gave Murad's Clarifying Cleanser two weeks before I judged the effects of the product on my skin. Typically, it is believed that if something isn't working for you after that amount of time, it's not going to change. I didn't use any skincare product that was not by Murad, so I wasn't mixing skincare lines or chemicals.

During use, the cleanser gives off a cooling sensation and does not rinse off easily. I had to keep rinsing to make sure that I was getting the "soap" off of my skin. 

After the two weeks, my breakouts had actually increased. The cleanser is so chemical intense that it started to burn sensitive areas of my skin, leaving dark pigmentation around my chin. The area that I struggle most with- my T zone- became red and flaky from dryness. 

I decided to stop using the cleanser because it was clearly doing nothing positive for my skin. I was very disappointed because a) the product cost more than I'd like to pay for a facial cleanser and b) the product actually has decent reviews so I had high expectations.

All in all, I would probably not recommend this product to anyone. It's certainly not worth the money, and it had negative effects on my skin. However, feel free to read the reviews on their product's page.

My Current Skincare Routine:

After my frustration with Murad, I went back to my tried-and-true routine. It consists of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap in Lavender (packaging is removed in photo below), Burt's Bees Garden Tomato Toner, and Mary Kay's Acne Treatment Gel.

Dr. Bronner's soaps cost under $5 and have minimal ingredients, most of which are essential oils and natural extracts. I like that it allows my skin to act as it naturally would. Burt's Bees Garden Tomato Toner has to be my favorite skincare product ever. Not only does it smell like a fresh salad, but it works so well on my skin. It also fades acne scars! Finally, Mary Kay's Acne Treatment Gel works wonders with spot treatment. It doesn't dry out my skin and works to keep new pimples away. 

So, what are some of your favorite products? I'd love recommendations! 

*This is not a sponsored post. I received no compensation from any of the companies mentioned above. All opinions and views herein are my own.

Create Your Own Self: Beauty Favorites

I'm not going to lie: I mostly created this post because I love making collages. Even more specifically, I like making collages featuring my favorite beauty products and/or obsessions! I'm trying to post more consistently these days and in the spirit of blogging and sharing what you love, here we go. 

1. I cannot tell you how much I'm obsessing over Jin Soon's nail polish line. These colors are two from her new Spring color collection that were inspired by her visit to Monet's Garden

exhibit at the New York Botanical Gardens.

2. Maybelline's Line Stiletto Ultimate Precision eyeliner has been my liquid eyeliner favorite for two years. It's so reliable and easy to apply. If you're in the market for a new liquid liner, take this one home with you.

3. I am loving the new scent "Pure Daydream" from Victoria's Secret! They have three different types of moisturizer, from the light stuff (lotion) to heavy-duty moisture (body butter). I prefer the body butters because they are versatile and moisturize the tough spots really well.

4. I really love Burt's Bees. I use so many of their products because of their focus and dedication to natural ingredients; some are more natural than others, but they're always reliable. These lip shimmers give the same long-lasting effects as a lipstick without the heavy look. My favorite color is Raisin- it's just the right amount of red and berry tones.

5. Finding that go-to product can be a difficult thing, at times. It took me years to find a shampoo that didn't weigh down my already heavy hair. John Freida's Brilliant Brunette Moisturizing shampoo has been my favorite for years. It brings out the natural highlights and lowlights in your hair and keeps it soft.

6. Maybe you're confused as to why lemons are on this list. In recent months, I have found that these citrus fruits are a jack of all trades in the beauty department. I apply lemon juice to even out my skin tone and lighten pimple marks. Also, drinking water with lemon helps promote healthy digestion, eliminate toxins, and clean out the lymph system.

7. A while back, I had a subscription to Birchbox where each month they would send me various samples of beauty products. They sent me a sample of Vasanti's BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvinator scrub. It was love at first try! I have semi-sensitive skin so some scrubs make me break out. But Vasanti's scrub is very fine and digs deep but doesn't irritate my skin.

8. I'm obsessed with Kate Spade's new fragrance Live Color Fully! I love the name, and the fragrance is fresh and sweet. Some of the notes include star anise, vanilla, and pink lily flower... sounds right up my alley.

What products would you add to this list? What are some of your favorites?