My Skincare Routine! Boscia!

As an Esthetician I know how important skincare is, but I have struggled since my early teen years to find something that works for my oily, acne prone skin.

The older I get the more sensitive my skin is becoming, my skin is still oily and I do still have breakouts, but it is starting to become a different animal all together.

I used to bathe in Persa-Gel from Clean and Clear, and when that stopped working I would coat my face in whatever had the most salicylic acid in it. I refused to use sunscreen or moisturizer because everything was so stinking greasy feeling on my already oily skin. I was younger and stupider then. I have since learned that I was doing the absolute worst possible thing for my skin.

What I am about to talk about/review is not going to work for everyone. If you have a more oily skin type I am talking to you, if you do not keep reading, I may give you a tidbit of useful information!

I have tried a lot of skin care products. Just to name a few: Proactive, Clinique, Dermalogica, Clean and Clear, Estee Lauder, Alba, Neutrogena, Origins.... etc.

Enter Boscia. The heavens opened up and the angels started singing the moment I applied this stuff to my face.

I heard about this from a Rachel Whitehurst YouTube video. She was ranting and raving about how awesome this stuff was so I wanted to try it. Boscia was a brand that I wasn't familiar with so I had no real expectations going into it. I picked up a little starter kit, called the Little Black Book at Sephora when they were having their friends and family sale.

A few things that I have learned about Boscia all of their products are preservative free, so for the people that are concerned with a more natural approach to skincare I would check into this line.

All of their products contain two main ingredients: Willowherb which is an anti-inflammatory and has anti-bacterial properties. The second is Jojoba Leaf, I could go on and on about Jojoba but just read this Read Me! Its great stuff.

OK. To the actual products..... This cleanser is amazing. It is a warming cleanser so when you put it on your skin you feel like it's working. It doesn't lather or foam so it doesn't dry out your skin. It's really up to you to work the product into your skin and determine when enough is enough. This product contains activated charcoal so it really cleanses and purifies your pores.

This is directly from the Boscia website (www.boscia.com)

Activated Charcoal

• Absorbs excess oils and impurities, detoxifies, and exfoliates to refine the appearance of pores

Artichoke Leaf Extract

• Reduces the appearance of pore size by increasing skin elasticity; pore wall is less likely to stretch and retain debris
• Inhibits hyperpigmentation and brightens the pore wall, also decreasing pore appearance

Glycolic Acid

• Improves the skin’s appearance and texture by accelerating the exfoliation process of the upper layer of the epidermis

Vitamin C (Ascorbyl Glucoside)

• Helps brighten skintone and minimize fine lines as it defends against free radical damage

Vitamin P (Alpha Glucosyl Hesperidin)

• The active component in citrus peel, helps enhance blood circulation to provide a warming sensation to the skin

Licorice Root

• Antioxidant that helps calm, soothe, and condition
• Helps reduce hyperpigmentation and minimizes the appearance of dark spots by helping inhibit melanin synthesis

boscia’s Proprietary Botanical Blend

Jojoba Leaf helps to prevent free radical damage while nourishing the skin
Willowherb helps to calm skin inflammation and reduce visible redness and irritation

So this product has really done wonders for my skin, I use this twice a day (when I remember) and my acne has cleared up, I still have hormonal breakouts, but who doesn't?! My pores are still large but they aren't as dark anymore, which tells me they are being cleaned out. I will eventually branch out and try some different serums to help with the appearance of my large pores.

What is the point of a good cleanser if it isn't followed up by a moisturizer that is just as good?

This is the Revitalizing Black Hydration Gel. An oily skin type typically does better with a gel moisturizer, as apposed to a cream. I put this on immediately after washing my face, it is tingely at first but that does go away. This gel absorbs very fast and does not make me oily throughout the day. 

This is also directly from the Boscia website. This contains a lot of the same ingredients as the cleanser so you get all of the benefits twice!

Activated Charcoal

• Absorbs excess oils and impurities, detoxifies, and exfoliates to refine the appearance of pores

Artichoke Leaf Extract

• Reduces the appearance of pore size by increasing skin elasticity; pore wall is less likely to stretch and retain debris
• Inhibits hyperpigmentation and brightens the pore wall, also decreasing pore appearance

Glycolic Acid

• Improves the skin’s appearance and texture by accelerating the exfoliation process of the upper layer of the epidermis

Vitamin C (Ascorbyl Glucoside)

• Helps brighten skintone and minimize fine lines as it defends against free radical damage

Pomegranate Enzyme

• A superior antioxidant that provides excellent free radical protection, while exfoliation properties reduce blackheads and even texture

Licorice Root

• Antioxidant that helps calm, soothe, and condition
• Helps reduce hyperpigmentation and minimizes the appearance of dark spots by helping inhibit melanin synthesis

boscia’s Proprietary Botanical Blend

Jojoba Leaf helps to prevent free radical damage while nourishing the skin
Willowherb helps to calm skin inflammation and reduce visible redness and irritation

In my opinion one of the coolest things about this moisturizer is how it is packaged. I kept trying to unscrew the cap and it just wasn't coming off. Then I just pulled it off and this was underneath. I got so excited!

All you have to do is press down on the top and the product is dispensed. All you have to do is press it one time all the way down until it stops and the amount of product that is dispensed is enough to cover your entire face and neck. 

This is great because there is no product waste, you get the perfect amount every time and you do not have to worry about it drying out, or getting gunk in it. It is much more sanitary to do it like this, you can even share it with someone and not have to worry about someone putting their grubby hands inside your jar of moisturizer. 

I am so impressed by these products, I do not see myself switching face wash or moisturizer any time soon. 

The cleanser is $28.00 and the moisturizer is $38.00

I have not gone through these yet to tell you how long they last. But I can tell you the sample size lasted me three weeks. I have a feeling that these will last me over 2 months. 

What is your favorite cleanser and moisturizer combo, or your favorite skincare line?