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| Photo courtesy of the Body Shop |
I first got this set a year and a half ago. My skin was going mental and I decided to take a chance on a "natural" brand, whatever that means. Fresh, ocean-y scents are my favorite so the Body Shop Seaweed Starter Kit seemed like a good place to start.
{THE BREAKDOWN}
The items that come in this Starter Kit ($25usd but $28.74usd value):- 2.0 fl oz Seaweed Deep Cleansing Facial Wash ($8.78usd value)
- 2.0 fl oz Seaweed Clarifying Toner ($4usd value)
- .51 oz Seaweed Mattifying Day Cream ($5.25usd value)
- .51 fl oz Seaweed Clarifying Night Treatment ($10.71usd value)
- Re-usable blue mesh bag with zip closure
I've posted an empties post that talks more about the Seaweed Deep Cleansing Facial Wash ($14.50usd for 3.3 fl oz/$4.39usd per oz) and the Seaweed Clarifying Toner ($13.50usd for 6.76 fl oz/$2usd per oz). In a nutshell, the facial wash isn't stripping on my combination skin but it didn't remove makeup residue from my cleansing oil. The scent is nice but I try to avoid fragranced products now.
The toner, oh gosh, I don't even know where to start. I'm glad that it's alcohol-free but that's where the good things end. I was hoping it would add moisture back in my skin but I felt like it dried out my skin. But that's not all. I broke out so much using this. Some people believe in a purging process and while I'm not completely convinced of that, I decided to stick with it. That month was one of the worst for my skin. Instead of having clearer skin, I broke out everywhere, even in places I normally didn't break out. I went through the entire thing and switched to something else and lo and behold, I stopped breaking out. I have the full size bottle as well and gave that a go (twice) and I proceeded to break out once again. Since then, I don't use it anymore because after 3 tries and breaking out, I'm done with it for my face. I'm going to attempt to use it as a spot cleaner but I'm still hesitant.
For the Seaweed Mattifying Day Cream ($17.50 usd for 1.7oz/ $10.29usd per oz), I actually like it. The texture is on the thicker side yet it sinks into my skin quickly. True to its name, it keeps my face mattified but doesn't dry it out. The The Becca and Lorac primers are my all-time favorites for mattifying my face but sometimes, it's too much so this is a better option for combination skin. Applying makeup over the top is a breeze. For a day cream, I wish it contained SPF so I could use it on its own. I don't like the jar packaging, especially since it's a water-based product. Dipping my fingers in the product makes my germaphobe-self cringe. Also, it contains added fragrance and linalool--boo. However, I haven't found it irritating on my skin!
Lastly, the Seaweed Clarifying Night Treatment ($21usd for 1 oz). It's a lightweight, easily absorbed, oil-free moisturizing gel. I like the scent but it's pretty high up in the ingredients list. There are several humectants in this formula but not in high enough quantity. Now that my skin is on the drier side, the "moisture" is not enough for me but I think this would be good for combination or oily skin. There's nothing special about this formula despite the clarifying part of its name. I do appreciate the pump but the transparent packaging does compromise the integrity of the product.
Lastly, the Seaweed Clarifying Night Treatment ($21usd for 1 oz). It's a lightweight, easily absorbed, oil-free moisturizing gel. I like the scent but it's pretty high up in the ingredients list. There are several humectants in this formula but not in high enough quantity. Now that my skin is on the drier side, the "moisture" is not enough for me but I think this would be good for combination or oily skin. There's nothing special about this formula despite the clarifying part of its name. I do appreciate the pump but the transparent packaging does compromise the integrity of the product.
{THE BOTTOM LINE}
If it wasn't clear, I'm not fond of anything I tried from this line. I had high hopes that it would solve all my skin woes but instead, it added to them. Two of the items are okay but for the price, I want more than okay; I need results! The toner is a definite dud for me but what doesn't work for me, could possibly work for you. I just can't stand behind these 100%, except for the Mattifying Day Cream. It's not perfect but does a great job keeping me oil-free for a couple of hours without stripping my skin or making it feel tight.
If you wanted to give this a try, I would wait until The Body Shop has their 2 for 2 or 3 for 3 sale. They hold this event several times a year so subscribe to their mailing list to be notified when this is going on. I'm glad that I bought the kit instead of the full sized items. Pricing is fair and the small sizes are TSA-friendly. I still use the bag to hold my stuff when I travel and 3 of the 4 items are reusable.
{WHERE TO BUY}
Seaweed Starter Kit // thebodyshop / ulta
Seaweed Deep Cleansing Facial Wash // thebodyshop / ulta
Seaweed Clarifying Toner // thebodyshop
Seaweed Mattifying Day Cream // thebodyshop / ulta
Seaweed Clarifying Night Treatment // thebodyshop
I'm disappointed that this line didn't work for me but I'm still going to give it another go.
What TBS products do you recommend?
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