paula’s choice

the products in this post were provided to me by the
manufacturer on behalf of pretty in my pocket inc.

way back at the beginning of my beauty obsession, i sussed out an industry bible titled ‘don’t go to the cosmetics counter without me’. it was written by paula begoun and was truly the only resource for comprehensive product and brand reviews before the emergence of modern-day blogs. nowadays, paula has a booming beauty empire complete with her own brand of products that her fans absolutely begged her to create – so, when the team at pretty in my pocket approached me about giving her line a good solid test and sharing my experiences, i was thrilled to do it.

my paula’s choice experience began with a very friendly skincare consultation over the phone. my consultant was super sweet and took a lot of time to truly get to know my skin and my concerns before settling on a product lineup that would get things moving in the right direction. she also told me how and when to use each product, in what order, etc. to maximize results. things were off to an amazing start!

when my paula’s choice regimen arrived, i instantly noticed the packaging. it’s opaque, mostly plastic bottles and tubes – no jars. this is completely by design to prevent bacteria and air from affecting the product’s ability to work its magic. i received products from paula’s skin balancing line for combination / oily skin that also intends to prevent wrinkles.

the quality of these products can only be described as top notch. i knew from the first time that i lathered up with this creamy cleanser that i was working with something designed to target my specific skin troubles. my foundation lays so nicely on top of the combination of skin balancing invisible finish moisture gel and ultra-sheer daily defense that people have asked me what i am doing differently. the truth is that this pair evens out my skin tone and smooths out the texture of my face so beautifully that my makeup has less work to do.

in the workhorse department, i have been alternating paula’s choice skin perfecting 2% bha liquid with salicylic acid with resist weekly resurfacing treatment. both are liquid exfoliants, but the weekly treatment packs extra punch to get my cell turnover churning over night. since adding this duo into my routine, i have noticed a dramatic improvement in my skin’s clarity, but there is no extra dryness or irritation.

as an added treat, my consultant sent me a to-die-for winter lip treatment. it’s a micro-bead scrub that you rub into place with your fingers and then rinse clean. my go-to balm absorbs so deeply after i use it and my lips are plump and healthy in the morning.

i am really impressed with all of these products (you can read my reviews here) and would encourage anyone struggling with skin concerns from dryness to acne, from aging to issues with tone and texture to give paula’s choice a try. since i have been using the line, my acne is nearly non existent, my redness is majorly reduced and the crepey-ness around my eyes is quickly dissipating. the skin consultation alone taught me so much and it’s really nice to have an arsenal of products that work together  to combat my skin’s issues.

in partnership with pretty in my pocket, i am offering my readers 20% off plus free shipping with code PRIMPHOLIDAY through 12/31/15!