Cleansing, Firming, Exfoliating, Toning, Mattifying #InstaNatural

Press Samples.  All opinions are my own.

Hello, Fireflies!

It's been a while since I've had the chance to review anything from Instanatural, and now they're all grown up!  Sleek new packaging and graphics, and new formulas that my oily skin is just loving.  I've been starting my cleansing skincare routine with just two of their new products, but they do so much, it's like I'm using more!

Glycolic Acid helps to loosen the bonds between old, dead skin, and the newer layers underneath.  By incorporating it into my cleanser, it acts as a gentle exfoliator.

In addition to cleansing and exfoliating, it also has Arginine, which helps with anti-aging by supporting collagen production.  There are also skin-loving soothing ingredients like Vitamin E, Cucumber, and Chamomile Extract, so the cleanser doesn't feel stripping or harsh on my skin.

Instanatural doesn't use artificial fragrances in their products, so the scent of this cleanser comes from the botanicals.  It's not very strong, but it definitely has an herbal bent to it.  The texture is somewhere between a gel and a liquid.  I like that it isn't running all over the place, but it's not thick or hard to work into a lather, either.  Yeah, yeah, I know.  Foaming soaps are bad.  I like a little foam! 

What's most important to me is that my cleanser work gently, and effectively.  I can't have my oily skin going into overdrive because of stripping cleansers!  My skin feels clean, refreshed, and soft after using it.

One of the best discoveries I've made in skincare has got to be clay.  I had no idea how beneficial it was for sucking up oils and gently loosening debris in my pores.  While I usually slather it on in a mask, I was happy to try a toner with a little kaolin clay in it.

This toner is a dual-phase formula, meaning that it separates into a liquid and .. well, a kind of thicker liquid.  The clay definitely settles on the bottom, but it doesn't become hard or sludgy.  A quick shake incorporates everything back together into a beige liquid.  The instructions call for just applying it onto the skin, but the toner can dry with a white cast if I don't spread it out thinly, so I've been applying it with a cotton pad.

You can see the difference a little clay makes!  After cleansing, my oily skin is just clean and dewy, but after toning, it's matte, and a little lighter.  Makeup goes on smoothly afterwards, with no oil smearing.  It doesn't seem to keep my face matte all day, but I think it did help for a few hours.  It's just so hot here in Florida, nothing, not even the A/C, can keep me from breaking a sweat!

The toner has a sweeter smell than the cleanser, but it's still very faint.  I have noticed a warming and tightening sensation when I use it.  It's not irritating, or uncomfortable, though.  It's like a milder version of the drying of a clay mask when it tightens.  Clay at work!

Nailart homage to the new Instanatural packaging! The base is SpaRitual Nomad, and the plant is done with Zoya Laney Marten, with highlights in A England Whispering Waves.

Two easy steps, and my skin gets the benefits of a more involved skincare routine!  Cleansed, exfoliated, softened and soothed, mattified, and primed for makeup.  Of course, I still follow these steps with serums and moisturizers, but it's nice to know that I could make do in a pinch.

Instanatural is a company right here, practically in my backyard, of Orlando, Florida.  They're dedicated to keeping their products free from parabens, sulfates, artificial colors and dyes, mineral oils, and formaldehyde. For more information, you can find Instanatural on their webpage, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, Twitter, and Amazon, where the Glycolic Cleanser currently retails for $19.97, and the Dual-Phase Mattifying Toner currently retails for $15.97.