I don’t think I’ve ever been more obsessed with skincare as I have since setting a wedding date. Something about the big day approaching has me hightailing it to get the clearest, smoothest skin of my lifetime! In my quest to be as vigilant with what I put on my skin as I am with what I put in my hair, I tried Colleen Rothschild Skincare for the past six weeks, as their products are all paraben and sulfate free. Here are my thoughts on some of their products, a before and after look at my skin, and a coupon for Colleen Rothschild Skincare products!
Radiant Cleansing Balm
The first step in a good nighttime routine is to cleanse your skin, and this Radiant Cleansing Balm with moringa oil and loofah seed gently removes impurities from your skin. If you oil cleanse, this balm will feel familiar as it emulsifies in your palm, then goes right onto your face (with a divine smell!), helping dissolve and lift your makeup as well as any dirt. To wipe the balm off, place a hot cloth (the balm comes with 1 muslin cloth and you can also buy 3 additional cloths) on your face for a few seconds, then gently wipe/scrub your face to clean.
Although this does a good job of getting even heavy makeup off my skin, I’ve started using a makeup wipe to remove the top layer of product first so there isn’t so much makeup on my muslin cloth. I’ve also managed to somehow lose three of my muslin cloths (I think bae has been confusing them for handkerchiefs), so I’ve resorted to using washcloths and they work just as well, but don’t feel quite as nice on my skin.
If you’re the kind of person who needs to see suds to believe you’re cleaning your face, then you may want to follow this up with a cleanser, like the Balancing Gel Cleanser.
Mandelic Acid Radiance Serum
Although the name has nothing to do with Mandela, I’m going to forever call this stuff Mandela Acid Serum because it is a revolutionary force in my skincare life. Mandelic Acid is a naturally occurring alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that acts as a potent but gentle exfoliator. It promotes collagen creation, which firms up your skin, while also reducing hyperpigmentation without the potential harm that glycolic acid can cause. Pretty much it’s heaven in a bottle for black women looking for a natural solution to hyperpigmentation!
This serum is very viscous but absorbs quickly into the skin. I shake it a bit then apply one pump to my palm and then over my face after spraying a light toner (currently using this one).
Face Oil N°9
After letting the Mandelic Acid Radiance Serum soak in a bit (I usually brush my teeth while waiting), I then apply the Face Oil N°9, which is a blend of nine oils like jojoba, sweet almond, moringa, and marula oils. Though the bottle says to apply 3-4 drops, I just use a pump full and it’s more than enough for my face and my neck – don’t forget about your neck! The oil absorbs pretty quickly, preparing my skin for the final step.
By this point, my skin feels like BUTTA. Honestly, the combination of sloughing off dead skin with a muslin cloth and then layering serum and oils on it makes me want to keep touching my face all night long. But I can’t because germs, plus I’ve got to sleep!
Extreme Recovery Cream
To lock in all the moisture I’ve just added to my face, I apply the Extreme Recovery Cream, which smells a bit like Avon or whatever cream my grandma rubs, because it reminds me of her. Smell aside, the cream is thick enough for my dry-ish skin but not too heavy. It contains hyaluronic acid which is a must-have for dry and mature skin as it aids in plumping up your skin.
6 Weeks of Using Colleen Rothschild Skincare
I suck at doing before and after pictures because I never remember to take them in the same lighting, but here’s a close up of my bare skin before using Colleen Rothschild Skincare and now.
Do you notice any difference? I think the prior existing dark spots are slowly but surely fading away, but a really bad pre-cycle breakout last week left behind a new set of scars *sad face*. My breakouts generally happen in the exact same place on my cheeks, so I’ve started to think about why that area is susceptible to acne – I’m a side sleeper so maybe that’s why? I’ve started changing my pillowcases more frequently and am hoping someone gifts me with a Clarisonic or Foreo LUNA for Christmas so I can cleanse even more deeply, so we’ll see. A huge problem I have is that I still haven’t quite figured out my skin type! Sometimes I’m dry, sometimes I get oily when wearing makeup, but I don’t breakout in the t-zone that’s common in folks with combination skin. Argh!
Although my skin doesn’t quite yet look better, it definitely does feel better – smoother, firmer, and softer. The Colleen Rothschild Skincare products that I have added to my nighttime skincare routine have all impressed me, but my favorites would have to be the Radiant Cleansing Balm and the Mandelic Acid Radiance Serum. I use the Mandelic Acid Serum in the mornings too for even more skin renewal – if you’re interested in seeing my morning skincare routine, let me know in the comments!
Sadly both the Radiant Cleansing Balm and Mandelic Acid Radiance Serum are currently sold out on Colleen Rothschild’s website, but the Radiant Cleansing Balm is available on Amazon. I’ve been told the Mandelic Acid Serum will be back in stock soon, so you can buy that or any other item directly from Colleen Rothschild. If you sign up for their newsletter, they will let you know when the Mandelic Acid Radiance Serum is back in stock!
Let me know which of the products you’re thinking of trying, and if you’ve tried them already, share your thoughts!
This post is in collaboration with Colleen Rothschild Skincare. Photography by Taylor Carment.
I see a little improvement but definitely clearer and smoother skin. The line looks like it a very good product.
Thanks!