About Face!

I am lucky to have pretty good skin but it doesn't come entirely naturally and people often ask me what I use to keep my complexion clear. My skin type can drive me nuts, sometimes its oily, sometimes normal and sometimes combination depending on the time of year so I tend to switch some of my routine up pretty regularly. One of my favorite product lines is Boscia which offers an ever growing variety of preservative-free, botanically-based skincare products. While sold at Sephora, Beauty.com and other retailers, the Boscia website is the best for selecting which products will work best for you. I have been using this line (increasingly so) for a few years so I'll give you the rundown on what I have tried and what I use. I use the Oil-free Daily Hydration SPF 15 (1 oz, $27) daily along with the Enlivening Amino-AG Eye Treatment (1/2 oz, $38). The moisturizer is very light, absorbs extremely quickly and even on my most oily days it doesn't make my skin greasy or cause breakouts. All I can say about the eye gel is that I started to use it when I saw tiny lines appearing at the sides of my eyes (I refuse to say that they are crows feet and you can't make me) and ever since then they don't appear to have become any more pronounced and new ones don't seem to be appearing! I did try a product by Prescriptives to see if I would like it better and I didn't like it nearly as much. I also use the Willow Bark Breakout Treatment (0.5 fl oz $25.00) when I first sense that a breakout may be brewing or when any part of my face is particularly oily. I haven't been using this product that long so I can't say much about it other than the fact that it does seems to ward off breakouts to some extent and make any that debut disappear faster than they had in the past. For cleansing I use the Purifying Cleansing Gel (4.06 fl oz, $21.00) when my skin is oily and sometimes when it is normal and the Soothing Cleansing Cream (4.06 fl oz, $21.00) when it is dry and the rest of the time when it is normal. The Purifying Cleansing Gel is great at reducing oil and it isn't very drying so I can use it when my skin is normal as well (though if your skin is normal most of the time this is probably not the best cleanser for you). I love the Soothing Cleansing Cream when my skin is dry because it doesn't dry you out at all (nor does it make you greasy) and it is actually soothing - its a great all around cleanser. Word of caution, if you like a lot of lather, these cleansers aren't going to cut it (by the way, lather is not indicative of a product's efficacy). I have also used the MakeUp-BreakUp Cool Cleansing Oil (4.06 fl oz, $21.00) which is one of Bosica's best selling products but I am not in love with it. It could be because it is an oil and even thought they say it won't, I am always scared it will cause me to breakout but I think the other 2 cleansers do just as good of a job removing make-up and I haven't found the value in this one. Give it a shot, based on the popularity of this product, I am quite possibly wrong on this one. Though I don't use it religiously (I just forget) I love the Clarifying Detox Mask (2.8 oz, $25.00) and my skin feels so soft and clean afterwards. I love the fact that this mask is quick drying and it also really helps to clear up breakouts and ward of potential ones. Finally, I also have the Blotting Linens (100 sheets, $10.00) which do an excellent job of absorbing excess oil and reducing shine and come in a variety of scents (I use the plain ones). These are perfect for throwing in your bag and carrying around, especially in the upcoming months! If you want to sample any of the Boscia products you can call their customer service (888.635.8884) and request samples and they are also available when you place an order through the Boscia website (if there is nothing that you want to try, get samples of what you use to travel with). One last note, while the product sizes may seem small, a little goes a long way and I find that they last a lot longer than they look like they will. Shipping is free for order of $45 or more and gift certificates are available.