Exposed my Skin for 30 Days

Press Samples. All opinions are my own.

Hello, Fireflies!

I showed you my Exposed Skincare unboxing about a month ago, and I'd like to share with you how this facial regimen worked for me.  I have some before and after pix to show you, too.

Exposed Skincare's 5-piece kit combines science and nature to help treat blemishes and prevent future ones.  Benzoyl Peroxide and Salicylic Acid are combined with botanicals like Green Tea extract and Licorice Root to clear and balance the skin. There are 5 pieces to the regimen: the washcloth, a facial cleanser, a toner, an acne fighter, and a clear pore serum.

The washcloth is white, soft, microfiber-ish terry cloth.  I liked it for rinsing off, but it's too grippy for me to actually wash with it.  I felt like the cloth would just stick to my skin instead of allowing me to create a lather.  I much preferred using my konjac sponge to get a nice lather and exfoliation going on.

The facial cleanser is a clear, mild liquid that has a nice, subtle herbal scent.  This was probably my favorite part of the regimen.  My skin always felt nice and clean afterwards, never dried out or stripped.  It foams nicely, but we all know that has nothing to do with how well it cleans.  I just like it.

After washing and rinsing, the Clearing Toner is the next step.  This toner is very watery and runny.  Two things I liked most about it - it's not astringent or drying, and you don't have to use a cotton pad or rub it in.  I splashed on a little bit from my hands and patted it in to ready my skin for the serums to come.  I've mentioned before how I'm having to change my world view on toners from purely being astringents to really being a prep for serums.  If you're big on serums, like I am, why not get the most out of them?

It's important to let your skin dry between using the toner, and between each serum that you use.  In the morning, it's recommended to use the Acne Treatment Serum, made with Benzoyl Peroxide. This serum is white, creamy, and smells like acne medicine.  A little goes a long way, so don't overdo it!  I did find that this treatment could over-dry my skin - remember, I'm an old broad - so I ended up not using it every day.  

The Clear Pore serum is for night-time use.  It contains Salicylic Acid which helps to kill acne-causing bacteria and prevent future breakouts.  It's a clear gel with a subtle scent.  It spreads easily and absorbs quickly, and should be used in moderation, too, to prevent over-drying.

I have to address the packaging on these bottles:

I am in love with the idea of these stoppers inside the bottle to prevent spillage during shipment.  They are top shelf, really.  I love when brands go the extra step to make sure you're getting all the product, and it arrives as fresh as when they bottled it. All of the bottles had some kind of tamper-resistant packaging, which gives me peace of mind.

I'm grateful not to have really bad acne, but I'm still kinda annoyed that I'm constantly breaking out when I'm way past puberty.  My worst areas are on my chin (especially below my lip), and on my cheeks.  In the before picture on the left, you can see some large pores on my cheek next to my nose, and some discoloration and remnants of blemishes next to my mouth and on my chin.  In the after picture, on the right, my skin is clearer, my pores look smaller, and my chin is clear!

Obviously, the biggest PRO for this system is that it does seem to work.  My skin was less greasy, and I had much clearer skin after using this system for just a few days.  I also like that I can incorporate other serums and my own favorite moisturizers with this system, so it takes into account that not everyone who is acne-prone has the same kind of skin, or even all the same skin concerns.

For the lazy like myself, however, this is a lot to keep up with.  For the first week, I had to keep the insert nearby to remind myself of which product to use when, and in what order, and then to incorporate my other daytime and nightime serums and lotions and potions.  Having older skin, for me, has meant having a more intensive skin regimen, which can be exhausting!  Also, because my skin is aging, I found I couldn't use this whole system every day, or it was too drying.  So, there's definitely some finagling to be done.

In the spirit of simplification, my mani today is a negative space mani, with just the leaf logo represented.  I painted the leaf base with Wet 'n Wild Black Creme, then with the gorgeous green metallic flakie multichrome polish, LynBDesigns The Speed Of Light You Know.  I added a few highlights and lowlights with a white and black striper.

The Exposed Skincare kit is available on their website.  It retails for $85, but is on sale for $49.95.  They offer a 1-year no-risk guarantee, too!

Are you plagued by blemishes like I am?  How many steps are you willing to use in a skin care regimen?