Skincare Power Trio

by Sarah

I’m quite careful in sticking to my basic daily skincare of cleansing, toning and moisturising,  but, there are three skincare gems that have been an integral part of my routine for years now: MAC Mineralize Volcanic Ash Exfoliator, Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum and Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Eye Concentrate.

Before I get into detail, allow me to address the elephant in the room :) I re-designed the website. I did enjoy the previous pretty/pastel color theme but in all honesty, it was quite the opposite of my personal style. I’m more of a modern, crisp, black & white type when it comes to visuals so I hope you all enjoy the new look too.

OK, that out the way, lets get our skin glowing now…

Skincare Power Trio

No matter how many skincare products or brands I’ve tried and tested over the years, I’ve always kept these three products which I call my Power Trio close by. It’s not only that they really…and I mean “really” work but the formulations are pretty much universal. From the driest of skins to disco ball oily, these products have the perfect balance of hydration and absorption no matter what your skin concern may be.

MAC MINERALIZE VOLCANIC ASH EXFOLIATOR

Get it HERE

MAC is not typically the first brand that comes to mind when skincare is concerned but this exfoliating scrub caught my attention couple of years ago and I’m so glad I gave it a try. Whenever I feel like my skin can do with some extra polishing, I use this scrub and the results are pretty much instant.

MAC Volcanic Ash Exfoliator

Containing natural volcanic ash which gives it the tar-like black color, and blended with fine sugar crystals to gently slough away dead skin cells, this scrub is enriched with minerals to cleanse, exfoliate and nourish the skin.

The texture of the volcanic ash component is really thick, so it’s best to wash the face with warm water, apply a dime size amount and massage all over the skin – avoiding the eye area.

Volcanic ash is known to contain minerals which are great for the skin so once I do the massaging part, I actually leave the product on my skin for 10-15 minutes as a mask. I find this really helps cleanse out the pores and also brightens the skin.

The only con is it’s heavily fragranced. I love the smell of it but if you’re sensitive to products containing fragrance, try a small sample of it first to see if you’re OK with it.

MAC Mineralize Volcanic Ash Exfoliator retails at $29 for a 100ml tube which lasts for months

 

CAUDALIE VINOPERFECT RADIANCE SERUM

Get it HERE

Caudalie is a French skincare brand and in all honesty, I would love to deck my skincare cupboard out with all Caudalie products. Unfortunately, depending on your skincare needs, it can cost quite a lot to maintain an “all Caudalie” routine so I picked and stuck with the one product that I know works a treat for me: the Radiance Serum…

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Caudalie is renowned for their use of Viniferine in their products – which is a natural compound found in vine sap. This Radiance Serum also contains viniferine which reduces dark spots, acne marks, scars and pigmentation.

Being a serum, it’s highly concentrated with all the nutrients and the oil free formula absorbs into the skin without leaving any residue behind.

Its light milky texture sheers over the skin easily and although it dries up immediately, it leaves the most beautiful subtle healthy glow behind.

I use this serum if I’ve gone through a phase with breakouts, or lack of sleep/fatigue have taken a toll on my skin and I’m in desperate need of a boost. True to its name, It really helps bring the radiance back and even out skin tone.

All Caudalie products are paraben, sulphate and phthalate free which is an added bonus.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum retails at $79 for a 1oz glass bottle which comes with a dropper

 

FRESH BLACK TEA AGE-DELAY EYE CONCENTRATE

Get it HERE

This eye cream is my baby….no, really – I cherish this little glass jar of wonder. I’m very picky when it comes to eye creams. I can’t handle anything too sticky or worse yet – oily. It’s very rare for me to use an eye cream and give it the thumbs up at first try, so you can imagine my excitement when this eye cream ticked all the boxes instantly. And we’ve been inseparable since.

Fresh Black Tea Age Delay Eye ConcentrateThis eye cream contains Kombucha which is a fermented black tea blend, as well as Noni Fruit juice.

This may not mean much in terms of ingredient names, but this duo makes for a powerful anti-oxidant blend to not only firm and tone the skin, but to also retain and increase moisture.

And it does just that even after the first use. But of course being a skincare product, especially designed for the delicate eye area, long term use is the real test of how this cream really performs.

I can vouch for it that it really helped keep my fine lines at bay and I actually see a difference in increased puffiness or darkness around my eyes any time I have a lazy phase and miss out on this product.

Although the texture is a cream, it’s very light and absorbs into the skin instantly. Again, no residue, stickiness or oiliness which is very important for me. I use this cream every night.

Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Eye Concentrate retails at $85 for a 0.5oz glass jar

Considering how little amount of product I use with each of these and the effective results I get, I would highly recommend them if you’re after similar results or looking to try different products/brands. Of course each of these brands feature a full skincare range if you’re interested in revamping your skincare routine altogether: MAC Skincare; Caudalie Skincare; Fresh Skincare

 

Do you have a “can’t do without” skincare product? What are your recommendations?

 

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7 comments

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation - Beauty Point Of View October 13, 2015 - 12:47 am

[…] on from that day, I tried every which way possible to make this foundation work, including doing my Skincare Power Trio routine to prep my skin (even though I didn’t need to); using different primers, no primers, […]

Reply
Jackie M. August 4, 2015 - 3:56 pm

I use Ole Henricksen for skincare and I reallsy like their products. I’m interested in the MAC scrub now. Great post again and I love the new look of the blog.

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Sarah August 5, 2015 - 2:12 pm

Hi Jackie, I used Ole Henricksen skincare for couple of years too and their products are amazing. I especially loved their Invigorating Night Gel for when I was going through a bad break-out phase. It really helped clear things up. The problem with my skin is it gets immune to the same products after a while which is why I either change brands or resort to my Power Trio to give it a boost :)

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Gina August 4, 2015 - 3:12 pm

I heard so much about the Fresh eye cream but never tried it. I trust your reviews and loved every product I bought that you recommended. I think I’ll pick up a sample and try the eye cream now. thank you!

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Sarah August 5, 2015 - 2:13 pm

Awww thank you Gina, that’s really sweet of you. Yes definitely get a sample of the eye cream. Sephora is quite generous with the amount they give out and you only need tiny bit to cover both eyes. Let me know how you go :)

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Trisha August 4, 2015 - 12:14 pm

Hi Sarah – My last visit to MAC they gave me a sample of the Volcanic Ash Exfoliator. I tried the product one evening and WOW, my skin was so…smooth, loved it. I was a little nervous at first because of the harsh texture, but was extra gentle applying. I haven’t gotten around to getting more, but I am so glad to see it is one of your go to skin care products. I have some of the Paula’s Choice as well, but you always have your favs and go back too products! Oh and the site look, fab!
Have a great rest of the week. : )

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Sarah August 5, 2015 - 2:08 pm

Thanks Trisha! I started off with a sample pot of the Volcanic Ash Exfoliator too and it was pretty much the next day I went and bought the whole bottle :) It’s a generous size and lasts a long time as well.

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