“Blooming ka!” is what some people have been telling me lately. And what a compliment! What’s the secret? It’s not really a big secret. My skin has cleared up of acne breakouts that I have been suffering from a couple of months ago. So if you want to know how to achieve clear skin, how to control acne breakout, I credit this all to the skincare products I bought and no, they are not expensive at all!

Introducing the skincare products I use – Beachborn! It’s a local company that also boasts of  carrying products that are cruelty-free and all-natural.

I first learned of Beachborn from BeautyMNL when I was searching for a dry shampoo product which I love btw! It’s when I browsed their website that I learned that not only do they carry hair products like shampoo bars, they also have products for the skin – the Witch Hazel skincare line. Yup, witch hazel – that’s the key ingredient of Beachborn skincare line.

What’s so special about witch hazel? 

I did some reading up on witch hazel before I bought the products and learned a few things:

1. Witch hazel is a plant which is used for medicine

2. It can be applied topically to treat itching, inflammation and acne to name a few.

3. Witch hazel contains chemicals called tannins that when applied directly on the skin, can help reduce swelling, fight bacteria and help repair broken skin.

 source: WebMD

It was interesting to learn about witch hazel as an ingredient that will help fight off acne. I’ve only ever known of tea tree. So since the products were affordable enough (nothing above Php500), I decided I’d give them a try.

First up, the Witch Hazel Wash (Php227.50). According to Beachborn site, it can be used in two ways: as a facial wash or a feminine wash. Out of all the Beachborn witch hazel skincare line, this is the first one I tried as a facial wash.

It’s also my first time to use a liquid face wash as I was more used to the cream type. But this product lathers up easily and generously when mixed with water. Also no strong smell so it’s not hard to put it on the face.

The Witch Hazel Healing Toner (Php150.00)– first time to use a toner that’s sprayed on the face like it’s a mist. Well actually you can use it as such but I just use it to tone after washing my face. Feels gentle on the skin too. I was honestly hesitant to try this toner out because of its spray on packaging. I was even thinking I’d just go for Thayer’s which also has witch hazel ingredient. But this is a cheaper version!

After toning, I follow it up with the Witch Hazel Extract (Php385.00). This has to be my most favorite of the bunch! I think this serum alone is already effective in helping to dry out pimples. When I started using this again, I noticed that the small bumps on the side of my face slowly disappeared. Amazing!

It’s very light on the face which is great for this tropical weather! It’s a holy grail of a serum! What’s more is that it’s only a fraction of the cost of the more popular serums in the market. Only thing is it’s a small bottle and because I use a generous amount, I consume one very fast. I find myself already needing another bottle by the following month. Small thing. I just try to control the amount I use which is easy to do anyway since it comes with a dropper.

Lastly, I moisturize my skin with the Balancing Anti-Blemish Face Cream (Php398.00). This comes with a pump packaging so when you need to use it, just pump out the amount of cream you want to use. The cream itself is thick in consistency but it’s easily absorbed by the skin. The pump with the creaminess of this moisturizer is the only downside for me since it makes it hard to pump out the cream after awhile. But I just open the bottle when that happens to get the moisturizer out.

I think that Beachborn’s Witch Hazel skincare line is super awesome! Yes you might still get the occasional pimple or two. I still do. But the embarrassing acne doesn’t stay too long on my face because of this skincare line. It has done wonders for my skin! What’s more is that the bottles are small enough so you can even bring this when you travel (no more need to transfer to another smaller container). If you wanna support local, support this! It won’t break your bank but your skin won’t also suffer because it truly is effective in keeping acne breakouts at bay. It’s really no wonder it’s become a local cult favorite.