Garden Review: Week 2

It's Monday again and it's time for another Garden Review. This week I exhibited a little more self-control and only tried two products. Weirdly, I'm not sure what to say about either product, but I'll try to give a sense of where I am at with them right now.

CocoBasil Clarifying Tonic

This was a product I added to my original cart on Jen's recommendation. I am prone to small bumps on my chin and she recommended this to help keep them at bay. There is a definite basil smell, which was not my cup of tea, but many people enjoy it. I sprayed this on after cleansing and let it dry a little before moving on to my HA serum. I only used this a few days though because it gave my skin an uneven tone. It's difficult to describe exactly what it did my face as there were no acne bumps or dry patches. It just made it look strange. I did not stick with it long enough to notice any affect on my chin-bumps (quite the image, right?), but I may have to give this another try.

Mandelic Acid [yes alcohol/ yes seaweed]

This is what GoW says about using Mandelic Acid:

Mandelic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid that helps clear away dead skin cells that have built up on the skin's surface, and because of its smaller molecule size it can also work within the pore as well. Unlike glycolic acid, it cannot penetrate the skin's layers to enable deeper exfoliation, but it can help to refine pores. Mandelic acid has antibacterial properties.

I was excited to try this exfoliator as people have great things to say about it on the forum. I was expecting a burning or stinging sensation, but I felt nothing. Previous use with acids may contribute to my skin's lack of reaction. In the morning, there was no real difference in my skin. I only got a chance to try this once. As my skin is very sensitive, I try not to scrub, exfoliate, treat, etc. all the time. I have had much better luck when I keep my routine simple and gentle. I have not given up hope on this product. I think over time the results will be clear. Once I finish this sample size, I may order a larger concentration or try the lotion version of this product.

At the end of last week, I reexamined my routine, perhaps a bit prematurely, but these are the thoughts that aid me in my constant procrastination. I love my cleansers; after reading my post last week, Jen recommended mixing them with some oil to help avoid the flakes. I have been mixing Jen's Green Tea and Shea Cleanser with a drop or two of jojoba oil and it makes it even more luxurious. I love my moisturization routine. However, I do have some spots and clogged pores and I felt like nothing in my order was targeting those problems (the Mandelic Acid may have some affect in the future). I placed another order for some samples so I can make an informed decision when I order larger sizes of a set routine. Stay tuned next week to see what I ordered and what I am testing out.