Naturally flawless skin is not something I was blessed with and it’s been an effort even to maintain my far from perfect skin over the years. Having suffered from acne throughout my teenage years well into early adulthood I was left with damaged, uneven skin tones in my t-zone area that never quite went back to normal. While I get that some may never have perfectly flawless skin without having to break out the makeup arsenal, it would still be nice to have skin that looks decent enough to wear outside without cover up whenever you just don’t feel like putting make up on.
Having said that, with all the advancements in skincare technology nowadays I knew there had to be a product out there that could potentially minimize my redness and even out my skin tone to a realistic expectation. An opportunity presented itself to try Murad skincare, and seeing as how I had only heard good things in the past, I was excited to try the line. I ended up using an assortment of products from different lines for my three-step routine.
Step 1 to achieving my near perfect skin was to replenish my dry skin with the Renewing Cleansing Cream. Needed now more than even in the winter. The cleanser smells like papaya tea to me and is quite refreshing in the mornings. The cleansing cream feels really good on the face and you can actually feel the silkiness and moisture as you’re using it. It’s loaded with papaya enzymes and apricot oil. The cleansing cream is very concentrated; a pea size amount is enough to wash your face and effectively remove all makeup.
Step 2 is the Luminous Essence. Umm…I didn’t even know there was an essence until research time for this post. Essence is a concentrated formula that treats on a cellular level targeting wrinkles, fine lines and dull/uneven skin tone. The Murad light enhancing essence is infused with skin-illuminating botanicals to help restore youthful texture and luminosity. Some of the extracts include red algae and indian fig which work together to support natural renewal. Which enhances smoothness, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while increasing firmness and elasticity. The essence smells pleasant and feels quite refreshing on the skin – think thirst-quenching hydration but for your face.
Step 3 hydrates with the Skin Perfecting Lotion. This lotion offers shine-free hydration without clogging pores in a lightweight oil-free formula. As someone who usually has to reach for a blotting paper right around noon, this is a must. The lotion kept my pores clear and minimized, a benefit of the retinol and queen meadow extract I’m sure, which reduce oil production, tone and tighten pores.
I’ve been using the products for over 2 weeks now and am starting to notice that the rosy areas of my face have become more subtle and are blending in better with my natural yellow undertones. My skin is also less oily. If anything, some of the dry areas could use more moisturization. And that’s actually another thing I love about the lotion, it is compact enough to throw in your clutch. I am very pleased with the results and am thankful to Murad for letting me try their skincare line. While in the process giving me better skin. For what I was after – naked skin that is beautiful enough to run errands with, I sure got it. I look forward to using this regimen over a longer period of time to see if my skin improves further – I have a feeling it will.
This post was written in partnership with Murad, however all opinions expressed are entirely my own.
