Sophie (Chanko) Dare

In the same vein as my last couple of posts on fast fashion, reducing waste, and being more ethical consumers, I realized that I make an effort to buy better quality products in areas other than clothing as well. One of those areas is makeup & skincare.

It's easy to get enticed by the pretty colors and marketing of cheap, drugstore cosmetic products, but are they really worth it if they're not going to perform well, and you'll end up tossing them in the trash after a while?

The products you put on your skin, especially your face, are crucial to your skin's health and well-being. Harmful chemicals are in everything these days, so any way you can improve the ingredients in your products is beneficial to you!

image: mapleholistics.com

ACURE is a personal care brand that creates products with your health (and the earth's) in mind – they produce with no parabens, sulfates, formaldehyde, paraffin, mineral oil or testing on animals. All products are 100% vegan as well. To top it off, their prices are very affordable, and you can find them at retailers like Target, Ulta, or Whole Foods.

image: livingpetite.com

As you can see, their branding is very clean, simple, and easy to read, as well as color coded depending on the ingredients or benefits of each product line!

I first started using their products when my mom started buying some from our local health food store, but now I own several different products of my own and use them daily!

Here's my thoughts on the products that are currently on my vanity shelves:

Brightening Cleansing Gel - $9.99

First up, we've got my cleanser. This has got to be my favorite product out of this bunch, and it's because it's effective yet gentle. Almost every face wash or makeup remover I've used stings or burns when I get it in my eyes – which is unfortunate, considering eye makeup is the toughest to get off, and I often have to scrub extra around that area. But not this cleanser! It foams and cleans super well, but it doesn't sting my eyes at all when I'm working to get all of my pesky mascara off.

Brightening Vitamin C & Ferulic Acid Oil Free Serum - $19.99

Vitamin C is like a little energy shot for your skin, and I personally enjoy the effect it has. It renews your skin, almost like an exfoliate, and it leaves my face feeling soft and fresh. This serum goes on great and soaks in quickly.

Rosehip Oil - $12.99

This is just pure rosehip oil, and wow is it great. I always steered away from using oil on my face, because I thought it would feel gross and heavy, but it's actually a lifesaver in the cold, dry winter months. I'll just use it at night before bed when I feel like my face needs some extra TLC and moisture. Rosehip oil is filled with Vitamin A and antioxidants with anti-aging properties.

Radically Rejuvenating Moroccan Red Clay Facial Scrub - $12.99

I just picked this up because it was on clearance, and I like it as an extra step if my face is feeling extra greasy or tired, and I need a good cleanse. It's a gentle scrub and not super abrasive, which is crucial – you don't want to use a scrub that feels like you're tearing your skin, because that's exactly what's happening!

Ultra Hydrating 12 Hour Facial Moisturizer - $18.99

This is a good old fashioned daily moisturizer, and it's just great. It has a clean scent, it's nourishing but still light and not heavy, and it's just a no-brainer product. I'd definitely recommend this to just about anybody, no matter the age or skin type!

Coil subscribers, keep on scrolling to read about the products I haven't yet tried, but am excited to buy in the future!

(All product shots courtesy of acure.com)

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