Comments on: Philosophy makeup optional skincare kit

By: T. Frank

T. Frank — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 02:14:46 +0000

ONLY skin care products I’ve ever LOVED!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’m 44 and I am a minimalist when it comes to skin-care regimens and makeup. My sister had given me a sample of the Hope in a Jar and I’d loved the light feel and the texture of my skin when wearing it. So, I ordered the “Makeup Optional” only because it was a better deal than the cream alone. It seemed so pricey that I thought of sending it back for the first week, but that was too much work Thank goodness! I tried it and LOVED the way my skin looked and felt IMMEDIATELY. Over the weeks, my skin has improved soooooo much. I have ruddy skin that flakes a lot. It simply doesn’t do it anymore with this regimen. I HIGHLY recommend it. I don’t feel the least bit guilty for the cost. VERY much worth it and the set has lasted nearly 8 months and I’m reordering today, just because I’m out of the serum (which BIG BONUS…slows facial hair growth!) The scent is a bit different, but you come to love that too. I’d give it 10 stars (and I’m NOT a fan of skin-care stuff) if you had 10!

By: Jeanne in Baltimore

Jeanne in Baltimore — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 13:22:36 +0000

philosophy optional makeup skincare kit
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I am 54 years old with Mediterranean-type skin, which I have mostly neglected, unfortunately. What a difference I see after using the items in this kit for the first time! I used the micro-dermabrasion, the eye and lip cream, and the “when hope is not enough” serum. My skin absolutely glows, after one use. I never write reviews, but I cannot wait to see what my skin will look like in a month.

By: Laura Hudspeth

Laura Hudspeth — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:55:45 +0000

philosophy makeup optional kit
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
felt and saw a difference before the first week was up. love the way it makes my skin feel. i get compliments on my skin since i started using this product. i still wear a little makeup, but only to add color or intensity to my eyes, cheeks, or lips.

By: S. Lee

S. Lee — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 13:45:36 +0000

Esthetician Approved
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I highly reccomend this kit. I am an esthetician that has lots of trouble with hormonal breakouts on my chin, jawline and neck. I had been using a system with benzoyl peroxide that was just too drying, even though I do have an oily skin type. This kit is great. All of the products are full size (except the samples of the peels). The products are very concentrated, so I expect that this kit will last around 3 months. I noticed an immediate difference in my skin – brighter, firmer, healthier glow. I’ve now been using it for two weeks. I’ve had a few hormonal breakouts (right before my period) but they are very small and clear up much faster. It is really getting rid of red scarring left over from previous breakouts and my fine lines around my eyes are certainly decreasing too. The sample peels in the kit are awesome. You can get 2 peels out of each sample set – so about a total of 6 treatments. I reccomend using the peels 2X week to get you started – it really kicks up the results.

By: Sharma Dutton

Sharma Dutton — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 10:33:40 +0000

Great stuff!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have been having trouble with my skin ever since I had my daughter at 40. It seems suddenly I have some combination or dry skin compared to oily skin before! I’ve tried several different things in the last few years, but this is the first skin care that has really made a difference. My husband is always a skeptic, but he even can tell the difference. He said it made my skin look younger! Gotta love this stuff!

By: B. Kim

B. Kim — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 12:12:30 +0000

Wonderful Product
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I am 24 years old with dry, sensitive skin. This combination of products did wonders for my skin. I am a first time buyer of Philosophy products, and I am very happy with the results. I decided to buy this kit because the moisturizers that I was using were not working well. They would make me break out and still leave my already dry skin dry...causing small bumps to appear around my cheeks. Apparently your skin creates those bumps when it isn't getting enough moisture. Well, after hearing some good reviews of Philosophy, I thought I would try it out. After a week, those bumps disappeared, my skin is softer than ever, and the dryness is completely gone.

The smell isn't wonderful, and I noticed from some reviews of the individual products said that the smell was so bad that they quit using it. I honestly don't think it's so bad. If a products gives you great results, the smell is nothing to sob over. This is worth a try especially if you are a first time Philosophy buyer like me. It's a small set just to try the products out with a reasonable price tag. It comes with small samples also...so, it's all good.

Overall, it was a great buy. I've become a fan of Philosophy.

By: Chad Caudill

Chad Caudill — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 10:48:43 +0000

Still waiting
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
My mother uses philosophy products and said they are great and I needed some new face products so I thought I would try this. I have combination skin that maybe breaks out just a little bit every now and again. This product is suppose to be for congested skin and yet I see no change in my skin yet. Maybe I need to use it longer; it’s been about 2-3 weeks. I think it would be better if the cleanser had the micro beads in it to feel like my skin was getting clean.

By: C. Britt

C. Britt — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:34:58 +0000

This stuff really does work!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
First let me start off by saying that I just got this kit yesterday for Christmas. I used it once yesterday (the whole kit including the peel) once this morning (just the cleanser and moisturizer) and tonight (the whole kit minus the peel). I can already see a huge difference. I have fairly normal skin, which tends to be a little dry around my nose and a little on my cheeks. My skin is always mostly clear and I get compliments on it fairly often. I have never had a problem with acne, but I do get the occasional HUGE zit. I have blackheads on my nose that won't go away no matter what I try. I don't really need the hope in a tube or when hope is not enough since I'm only 27 and I've been wearing spf on my face everyday since I was 21, but I used it anyway. My skin is also sensitive so I worry about trying new products.

These products have a great texture, a nice clean smell and I have had no negative reaction to them. I was a little worried about the hope in a bottle because it did burn a bit but not bad at all and it only lasted a few seconds. Well, not only did this kit NOT do anything negative, but after only one day, my skin looks smoother, more even, and is very soft. I will update this after I've been using it longer, but I am so excited I just had to review it now! hahaha

By: Angela L. Voss

Angela L. Voss — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:19:19 +0000

Excellent
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Love it! Everything it promises to be. I’m 42 and very pleased with the results so far. All of the products are very light and soothing. I have not experienced any breakouts and my skin feels and looks healthy. I LOVE “On a Clear Day” and apply it to my chin a few minutes before applying makeup to prevent my pores from getting clogged. Great stuff at a great price. I recently traveled with this set & I am happy to say that I did not have to check my luggage because all of the products were within airline guidelines!!! Love that, too!

By: Janaan H.

Janaan H. — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:46:12 +0000

No Beauty Product is for Everyone
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
No miracle for me, not even for $78. The peel made my skin flake for two weeks and then break out for almost a month. Bad, bad, bad. Lots of hype surrounding these products, which most of my friends have tried, and most think are just average. My skin can have its moments, but it's not extremely reactive or dry...It should be remembered that no beauty product is for everyone.

Microdelivery Peel: Um, no thanks. It is common for peels to make your skin flake, but afterwards your skin should feel soft, smooth, and renewed. This just made my skin break out in a way that it has never done before, and this went on for more than a month. Six weeks later, I still have the dark red marks to show for it, and my skin is MORE congested than before. Makeup is anything but optional right now, since without it I look like a have some sort of disease.

Hope In a Jar: A lot of people love it, a lot of people hate it. I kept using this after the other products, and while I liked the scent and the way it felt on my skin, it gave me zits on the side of my face on which I continued using it. If you ever break out or have had an allergic reaction, stay away. The formulation has preservatives in it (diazolidinyl urea/imadazolidinyl urea) that can cause the allergic reaction reported by so many users, and the vitamin E is not in an active form that will do anything for your skin long term. Does give some people a "healthy glow" but this is the result of some unhealthy chemicals.

When Hope Is Not Enough: You can get cheaper and equally effective products with better ingredients, for example Avon's Vitamin C Serum (I think it's under $15, especially when they have a sale). It has been established by science for many years that the one topical product that will really diminish fine lines and wrinkles is Retin A. You can get it with a prescription from your doctor, or you can find it at 60 and 30 concentrations from La Roche Posee (around $40).

Purity: Just an average cleanser. I liked the smell, but comes no where near cetophil, neutrogena, la roche posay, or most of the other pharmacy brands that are regularly recommended by my 5th Aveenue dermatologist. Save your money.

My dermatologist was horrified that I had tried this kit, and unsurprised with the results. I am horrified at what it did to my face, as well as at the $78 down the drain. A lot of hype surrounding these products, but not much in the way of science. stick with something with active and pure ingredients that backs up its claims (and just because it markets itself as "pure" does not mean it is).