Hello everyone, and welcome to Skincare for the Sensitive’s 1st episode! This is a series I’m starting to try out new skincare and see how it reacts to my super annoying skin. I’m going to try each brand for at least a month, and talk to a representative to give me suggestions or buy a set so I can use the products as they work best together.
Episode 2: Paula’s Choice (Review Not yet available until End of July)
I’m at a point in my life where I have my acne under control. But I have a lot of acne scars. I’m in my late 20s and I want to start preventing the fine lines coming up in my forehead…but I still have the oiliest skin on the rest of my face. Pretty much the definition of problem skin.
As I was wondering around ULTA becoming a human swatch, and buying my grandma her favorite skincare from Shisiedo… I was approached by a representative from Juice Beauty. I was about to walk away, but she told me:
“This is the only clean skin care brand in here”
Those were the perfect words to say to a sensitive skin beauty guru.
About the Brand
Juice Beauty is a brand that was developed after the founder became pregnant, and was concerned about the products she was using on her skin. They work with chemists, physicians, and microbiologists to create Organic products. One thing the rep told me is that they use vitamin-rich juices instead of water as a base in their formulations.
They are Fragrance free, BHT Free(Preservative), Phthalate Free, Paraben Free, Formaldehyde Free, GMO Free, and Silicone Free.
To see the full list of claims check out this link.
They are also Cruelty Free and Vegan
They also claimed to be free of hydroquinone, benzoyl peroxide, and BHAs which… are harsher ingredients, but at times these are powerhouse ingredients I actively seek out to get the job done (exfoliate, clear acne, clear pigmentation).
Overall if you have sensitivities and concerns about pesticides, and carcinogens… or maybe you’re pregnant and concerned about the chemicals absorbed through your skin (which is a real medical concern with certain ingredients). This is a great brand for you.
But along with the high quality ingredients is that high quality price tag.
But honestly compared to other luxury or high quality brands that focus more on marketing I believe that the higher price point for these products is justified in the formulations. I mean come on how many “Free”s does this thing have?
First Impressions:
Things I tried in store
The representative was kind enough to do my base make up in store and introduce me to some of the skin care products:
- Stem Cellular Exfoliating Peel Spray
– A beautiful exfoliator, you’re not supposed to spray it on which makes sense. I saw the little dry patches flake off which was impressive for a brand that doesn’t use BHAs. Didn’t particularly tingle, but I also have very strong skin that’s used to strong exfoliators. - Green Apple Age Defy Serum
– Slightly tacky serum that I learned is a more stable form of vitamin C (which if you know looses potency when exposed to air and light) - SPF 30 Oil- Free Moisturizer
– Mineral sunscreen which was on the thicker side, hard to blend out but felt very moisturizing. - Phyto-Pigments Illuminating Primer
– I personally don’t think primers do anything… like all primers. I’m very biased but I can say: It was very…. illuminating… (great review Rica) - Phyto-Pigments Flawless Serum Foundation
– I was so excited for a silicone free foundation. I was told that for oily skin this would be recommended out of the coverage products in their range. It felt nice… light coverage MAYBE buildable to medium coverage (which is the type of coverage I prefer on a day to day basis)…. I’ll show you how it went during the review. Spoiler: Not well.
So with my hopes and dreams crushed by the make up… I decided to try the skincare. I ended up purchasing this skin care set:
Testing the Skin Care:
Before Pictures
So here’s my acne prone skin right now before trying Juice Beauty. I don’t have any active acne and I haven’t for a couple of months. I definitely have some scarring (both box pick, and deeper scars as well as pigmentation). On my forehead I have some fine lines which I am concerned will turn into full blown wrinkles if I don’t get some hydration on it.
The Green Apple Brightening Gel Cleanser
Retails for $28: Available on Amazon
I was pleasantly surprised by this cleanser. It is a gel that doesn’t really foam up. I wash my face with a microfiber cloth, and usually double cleanse. The smell and feel was very pleasant… and I felt a slight tingle the first time I used it which I always like because I feel like the acids are doing some work. This is not suggested for super sensitive skin due to the acids… but I have sensitive skin and I love acids…
The Green Aple Age Defy Serum
Retails for $58: At Ulta
This is the product I was most excited for because I wanted to add a Vitamin C into my routine but I’m always nervous because its expensive… and also degrades with exposure to air and light. This is apparently a more stable form, and comes in a nice packaging. We’ll see if it works!
The Green Apple Peel Full Strength
Retails for $48: On Amazon
Smells like honey, feels like a for gel like version of honey and definitely tingles. These nice acids exfoliate your skin for a nice 1x a week treatment. I completely used this product up!
The SPF 30 Oil-Free Moisturizer
Retails for $20: On Amazon
I like that this is oil free (not that I’m anti-oil because some oils my skin loves… but I have oily skin). It also has mineral sunscreens in it which is what my skin loves (Check out my mineral, silicone free list here) On paper this is the ideal sunscreen for day time wear.
Green Apple Age Defy Moisturizer
Retails for $50: On Amazon
I used this at night, which is when I don’t mind oils or thicker formulas. If your in your mid to late 20s don’t avoid thicker formulas at night time!
Final Check in:
The Results are In!
So I have a confession…
I did not use all these products for the whole month (I’m sorry!!!)
But I have a good reason. Let me show you some picture evidence of what the moisturizers did to my skin…
The texture of the moisturizers were very thick and hard to spread over the skin, I feel like they were definitely not formulated for my skin type. To be honest… my skin is like allergic to its own oils, so I don’t blame the moisturizer for breaking me out. I think it was a combination of getting off my holy grail BHA exfoliator at night, and my oils getting out of hand.
The bumps went away 6 days after restarting my BHA and continuing to utilize the rest of the system (with the exception of the moisturizers)
So one more time here is:
The Before
And Here’s my skin:
After
I think overall there are a couple of gems to this collection. Honestly, as I was using it I didn’t think I saw much of a difference… but looking at my before and afters my forehead definitely looks more hydrated (I’m concerned with fine lines and wrinkles up there), and my hyperpigmentation looks more faded! I think that if
Things I would repurchase:
I really like this The Green Aple Age Defy Serum
(Retails for $58: At Ulta)
It’s a nice moisturizing formula that doesn’t break me out. I’ll keep using it to see if it’ll really last longer than other vitamin C serums since it claims to be more stable.
The Green Apple Brightening Gel Cleanser
Retails for $28: Available on Amazon
This is a non foaming cleanser which doesn’t strip your skin. I wouldn’t recommend it to try to get all your waterproof make up off. I use a micellar water, and a microfiber cloth, and it gets my sunscreen and light make up off. This is the perfect example of the ideal cleanser, so if you’re looking for one, give it a try!
Final Thoughts
Juice Beauty makes some quality skin care. I’m not a huge fan of their moisturizers but I also have the oiliest, most sensitive skin in the world. If I ever get pregnant I will definitely revisit this brand. It’s very clean and environmentally conscious brand. The price point is a bit high, and some of the coverage products seem to be aimed at an older demographic with less hormonal and oily skin. But their serum and cleanser were gems. Take a look at my forehead! It looks so much better and more hydrated. If dry skin is your concern, definitely give it a try!
Stay healthy and Happy!
-RicaIsHungry
******FULL DISCLOSURE: This are my personal experiences and thoughts. I am not being paid by the brand or the company to review this product or talk about any claims. This product was not sent to me. Links in this post are a part of the amazon affiliates program.*******
RicaIsHungry 