Anthony Logistics For Men Deep Pore Cleansing Clay (8.5/10)

Summary

Cons

• Effects not long lasting
• Ingredients separate in tube
• Doesn’t fight acne/blemishes consistently

Pros

• Nice citrus scent
• Oil-controlling
• Diminishes appearance of pores (size and blackheads)
• Great value

In-depth Review

One of the first higher-end skincare companies that I invested in was Anthony Logistics For Men. They have a great product range, a very high customer satisfaction ratio, and a great business philosophy (i.e. supports prostate cancer research, uses natural ingredients, etc.).

The Deep Pore Cleansing Clay was probably my first purchase from Anthony Logistics and it has served me well for four years. The product comes in a short squeeze tube that contains a bright, rust-red liquid that is in an easy to spread consistency and has a light citrus smell. I use this 1 to 2 times a week and its effects are immediate to very short term (1 to 2 days). First, the mask instantly gives you smoother, softer skin right after you wash it off. Second, my pores, especially on my nose, are noticeably smaller and breakouts are reduced overnight. And third, oil on my face is drastically reduced for the following day or two.

The application of the clay is simple and may tingle (never stings) depending on how sensitive your skin is – it rarely tingles my skin. After 10 – 15 minutes I rinse it off and apply my moisturizer. One thing to keep in mind is that the bottles I have purchased in the last two years have been of a different consistency than that of my first two. Most notable is the runniness of the latter bottles that require some shaking to mix the ingredients before application – a minor setback.

Overall, I am very satisfied with the Deep Pore Cleansing Clay and see myself buying this product in the near future. A bottle does last 4 to 5 months so it is a very affordable product at ~$20 CAD. My only complaint is that its effects are so short-term, an issue that all masks suffer from!

Acne Solutions Clear Skin System Starter Kit (2/10)

Summary

Cons

• Drying
• Caused breakouts

Pros

• Reduces blackheads
• Affordable

In-depth Review

The starter kit from Clinique was perfect for me to try out their skincare line designed for acne prone skin. This kit is affordable and comes with 3 travel-sized products: cleansing foam, clarifying lotion, and clearing moisturizer. If I remember correctly, the lotion and moisturizer contain benzoyl peroxide while the cleanser contains salicylic acid.

My skin is combination oily in the cooler months and oily during the warmer ones. I bought and used the products in this kit during the winter. I had pretty bad acne at the time (combination of stress, not enough sleep, and hormones) however the use of this kit made my face much worse. My breakouts were more frequent and intense and my skin had become very dry. I tried using these products less frequently such as using the lotion every other day and the moisturizer only during the day however no combination of these products ultimately worked to better my skin.

I went so far as to try these products individually to see if there was a specific one that was reacting badly with my skin. Through my efforts, I found that the cleanser would occasionally break me out but it was the lotion that was causing the majority of my problems. The moisturizer didn’t do very much and it especially didn’t moisturize very well. I would very often have to apply another moisturizer on my face or would combine MAC fix+ with the lotion to avoid dry patches.

The entire kit lasted me 3 months and I was breaking out the entire time (I really wanted these products to work for my skin). I can’t remember why but I bought a full sized bottle of the cleansing foam again and used that for a couple of months. On it’s own, I didn’t break out nearly as much however it still wasn’t a better cleanser than the one I had been previously using (Aveeno Skin Clarifying Cleanser). I stopped using it a month after and it’s been untouched ever since.

As bad as my experience with Clinique’s Acne Solutions Starter Kit has been, these products (I can’t remember which one) did clean out my pores well and reduced my blackheads significantly. So in exchange for daily breakouts my pores were a little cleaner. Also, the cleanser did do a decent job of keeping my oil controlled throughout the day as I did mention that the acne line is very drying.

I will definitely not be repurchasing this kit or any product from Clinique’s acne line in the foreseeable future. Remember that the rating that I give this kit is based on how the products worked for my skin and not how they perform in general. Of course there are favourable reviews out there on these products or I wouldn’t have bought them in the first place. Hopefully, by providing some details on my skin, that will help you determine whether or not this kit is worth trying out.

DDF Sulfur Therapeutic Mask (4/10)

Summary

Cons

• Lingering smell
• Expensive
• Not very effective
• Doesn’t reduce acne scars or blackheads

Pros

• Reduces oil
• Fights acne

In-depth Review

After reading rave reviews about the DDF Sulfur Therapeutic Mask all over the web, I decided to splurge and spend the $42 (CAD) on the mask in hopes that it would clear my face of my persistence acne.

The tub packaging that this product comes in is welcomed as it gives you easy access to the thick paste, as opposed to a squeeze tube. The product is in the form of a white thick paste with a distinctive chemical smell. It can be used as an all-over face mask or a spot treatment (I only used this product as a mask). Applying the product to the face is simple however the paste is quite thick and so I end up using a lot more product to ensure that I have an even amount spread over my face. I avoid areas that are dry or more sensitive such as the corners of my nose because the product tends to make those areas dry, red, and itchy. I leave the mask on for 15 minutes. During that time, more so than other masks, you feel the mask tighten within 3-4 minutes, however unlike other masks that I have tried, there is no tingling effect on the skin. Once the mask has dried, it turns a yellowish/green color and you can definitely smell the sulfur. When it is time to rinse this mask off, it is best done in the shower because firstly, it is hard to rinse off and requires quite a lot of rubbing, and secondly, because the smell of sulfur really sticks to your skin and so a more prolonged rinse is better. Beware of getting this product into your eyes as it will cause them to sting and water for a considerable amount of time - trust me.

Immediately after rinsing and moisturizing, my face feels quite clean and refreshed, albeit not smelling the greatest. Often when I apply this mask before I sleep I awake with less sever acne. Specifically, the size of newer pimples is often reduced however acne scars and older, more persistent pimples remain unchanged. I haven’t noticed any changes to the size of my pores or the reduction of blackheads with 3 months of usage. Of course, this mask does help with reducing oil secretion for a max of 2 days (for me) however, masks that are available for half the cost can as well – I recommend Anthony Logistics Deep Pore Cleansing Clay Mask (~$25 CAD)

All in all, I will continue to use this product until it is finished (another 3 months) however I will not be repurchasing the DDF Sulfur Therapeutic Mask. My first DDF skincare product may very well be my last.