I have friends who go to Skoah and get facials every season. They also use their products. The products aren't any more expensive than Aveda or even any high-end drugstore line like Dermalogica. One of the features of the website is that you can get a "Skinscription": you fill out a form that asks you questions about your skin type and concerns and then a Skoah representative emails you with a list of products and a regimen for you to follow. I decided to try it out.
The person who emailed me back (let's call her Sally) said that I was doing a great job with my Aveda products (cleanser, toner, scrub), but that I needed more exfoliation and moisture. She recommended 3 products: their Face Kream, Skin Boost Serum, and AHA Mask. In total these would cost me $145 plus tax. That's a little rich for my blood right now. Especially because Sally told me I needed to use the mask 3 times a week, 2 squirts of serum a day, and the cream twice a day. The mask is only 60 g...not a lot. And the serum is $75 for 50mL. Two squirts a day would go fast.
So I decided to do a little research on Makeup Alley and find similar products for at least half the price. I also had 60,000 Shoppers Optimum points at my disposal. I asked the cosmetician at Shoppers Drug Mart for her recommendation of an AHA mask. She pointed me in the direction of Vichy Normaderm Tri-Activ Mask with glycolic and salicylic acids. It can be used as a cleanser, scrub, mask, or all three. The directions say to put it on dry skin for a few minutes and then use wet fingertips to activate the exfoliating action and rinse. It can also be used straight-up as a cleanser. It was only $20 for 125 mL. Score!
I then asked her recommendation on a serum. I had done some research and read good things about Olay Regenerist Serum ($33 for 50 mL) and was all set to purchase that. I asked her about it and she said she preferred the Vichy one (Vichy Lift-Activ Serum 10), which had won a few awards from beauty magazines. We tried both on the back of my hand and I definitely preferred the feel of the Vichy serum. It dried more matte. We also tried a Vichy moisturizer for the same price and I didn't like it as much as the serum, which I planned to use in the daytime under makeup. My BB Cream is already quite slick and I didn't want to add any more shine to my face.
The serum was $10 more than the Olay one but because it's the end of the holidays, they were clearing out gift sets and I managed to snag a box of the serum, a cleanser, and a night cream for the same price. So that takes care of the cream and serum and I got a bonus cleanser! I tried the cleanser (Purete Thermale), but did not care for it. It contains mineral oil and left a film on my face. A boon if you have dry skin, but I'll stick with my gel cleanser for my acne-prone/sensitive skin.
The total for the mask, cleanser, serum, and cream came to half of what I would have paid at Skoah. After redeeming my points, I paid $15 for the whole kit and caboodle. Not bad!
I immediately rushed home to cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize. I had a nice bath, deep-conditioned my hair, and tried out the products. The Tri-Activ scrub is not as abrasive as my Aveda skin refiner, but still did the trick. It is also clay-based, so it absorbs oil and is mattifying.
After blotting my face dry with a towel, I use a pencil-eraser size of the serum on my face and neck. It felt smooth and silky and dried quickly. I used a small amount of night cream on my face next. My skin felt soft and not greasy or sticky.
I had a little redness in my cheeks from exfoliating, like I always do, but that calmed down in half an hour.
The results are awesome and I'm really happy with my purchases. I'll update you a little further down the road on how the products are benefiting my skin, since I can't tell much from just one use. I'll also see how the serum works under makeup and if I break out from the night cream. But, so far so good.
More to come!
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