Hey you guys!! Hope you’re all enjoying this cold snap- I’m NOT…lol! Despite being an Eskimo, and having grown up in Iowa, I hate the cold. It’s strange for Louisiana to be like this, arrggghhh!!!
Another bad thing about the cold weather is that it wreaks havoc on our skin. Even worse at our house since we don’t have functional central heat, and have to use space heaters. So, it’s a double whammy in creating a moisture-sucking environment. Thankfully, PCA Skin came to the rescue with a Winter Essentials Kit!
After trying the brand’s eye gel (read review here), I was pleased to try some of their other products. Included in the kit is the Facial Wash, Hydrating Serum, ReBalance, Collagen Hydrator, and Hydrator Plus Broad Spectrum SPF 30. I got this a while ago, but ran into a little snag, and wanted to make sure of what was going on. Read on to find out about it!
Facial Wash
The Facial Wash contains lactic acid, aloe, and willow bark, is formulated to remove makeup and impurities while leaving the skin soothed, hydrated, and pH balanced.
The thing I like best about the Facial Wash is that it contains two of my fave ingredients- lactic acid and willow bark, a source of salicylic acid. Salicylic acid, a beta hydroxyl acid, is oil-soluble, so it can penetrate into the pores. The cleanser did a great job as a second step cleanser, and removed all the gunk and leftover makeup without stripping my skin. It worked well by itself and with my FOREO Luna
.
Hydrating Serum
The feather light Hydrating Serum helps nourish skin with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide to help attract and retain moisture.
Niacinamide is a great antioxidant that can address fine lines as well as discoloration. The hyaluronic acid is an excellent hydrator- but make sure you layer a moisturizer over it. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant, which means it draws moisture to itself. If you’re in a dry environment, which is common in the winter months, it will pull moisture from and away from your skin if it can’t get it from somewhere else. Layered appropriately, it does wonders for keeping skin hydrated and plump.
ReBalance
ReBalance moisturizer is light and quick-absorbing. It features vitamins and antioxidants to calm and soothe even sensitive skin.
This is a non-greasy cream that somehow manages to feel rich at the same time. At first, it appeared that it may be a bit too “heavy” for my oily skin, but it absorbed really quickly, and left my skin soft and smooth, with none of the heaviness I anticipated.
Collagen Hydrator
The antioxidant-rich Collagen Hydrator provides intense hydration with shea butter, olive fruit oil, and sweet almond extract.
As shea butter is a richer ingredient, I’ve been using this at night, over the Hydrating Serum. This may be a bit too heavy for my oily skin in the middle of the summer here in the humid Louisiana heat, but it’s perfect for the dry winter. I wake up to soft, hydrated skin, despite the drying space heaters we’ve been using.
Hydrator Plus Broad Spectrum SPF
Finally, the Hydrator Plus Broad Spectrum SPF 30 protects against both UVA and UVB rays. This hydrating sunscreen also contains antioxidants for increased defense against free radical damage.
I was very surprised by this product. Sunscreen is my #1 top anti-aging skincare must. Without sun protection, all other efforts and products become null and void. This was very light, easy to spread, and readily absorbed. It didn’t feel like a mask, as many other sunscreens do.
Now, for that snag I mentioned earlier… After a few days of using this this kit, I started to break out. However, this is common with hormonal issues, and when using new skincare products due to a purging phase. So, I waited a week for it to clear up, and tried again during a different part of my hormonal cycle- and just as I anticipated, NO problems.
The PCA Skin Winter Essentials kid has done an excellent job of keeping my skin hydrating throughout this cold snap, and enduring space heaters. FYI, if you’re sensitive to fragrance, I didn’t notice any scent at all with these, and they weren’t irritating- just soothing. If you’re dealing with dry winter skin, you should head over to PCASkin.com!
P.S. PCA Skin sent a few extra kits, and we’ll be doing giveaways on our social channels, so be sure to follow and subscribe to us on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook!
*Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link.
