Burt's Bees Acne Regimen Kit

All throughout high school, I never had problems with blemishes, zits, pimples, whatever you want to call those pesky little buggers. I have had clear, nearly flawless skin all my life (with the exception of one pimple popping up here and there, never more than 2 at a time).

But once I graduated from high school, my face seemed to start to break out. It was horrible, and so devastating for me. I didn't expect to begin to have acne when I was almost done with my teen years!

My dry, sensitive skin doesn't make matters much easier, either. I have tried numerous spot treatments, drugstore face washes, and had been debating whether to try Proactiv or Neutrogena's Skin ID for months. I've tried liquid and cream concealers to cover zits during the day, and that just makes them worse. I felt so horrible about myself because even though I couldn't see the zits on my face throughout the day, I knew that was all that people around me were looking at. And that bothered me.

So I researched some relatively cheap options I could find in a store near me. I stumbled across the Burt's Bees Natural Acne Regimen and decided I'd give it a go. I have been a fan of the lip balm and the Pomegranate Volumizing Shampoo from this brand for years.

This kit comes with a facial cleanser, moisturizer and spot treatment. All together it was 30 dollars, which when compared to all of the products at their individual retail value is much less.

My first use of the products was... a bit shocking to say the least. All of the products smell funny, which came as a surprise to me. I thought they would smell a lot better than they did, especially because the brands' hair products all smell wonderful. But then I told myself, "These products ARE all natural, after all." There's no way getting around a weird smell. In the morning, you are supposed to use the cleanser (I apply a bit of water to my face and rub the cleanser in my skin to get it milky), apply 1-2 pumps of the moisturizer, apply a small amount of spot treatment, and then repeat the process in the evening. With the first use came a bit of stinging. My skin must not have been used to "all natural" so I expect that's why it reacted that way. WARNING: The spot treatment that comes in this kit burns. Beyond a stinging sensation. It burns for about ten minutes. If you can handle the burning for that long, then your pimple size will go down overnight.

I've been using this regimen for about a week now. The first few days, I wore no makeup to let my skin get used to the products without being overwhelmed. The first time I wore foundation with the moisturizer (after setting in for about thirty minutes) I wanted to rewash my face. The already odd smell of the moisturizer mixed with the smell of foundation does not go well together. But because I was running late for school, I rushed out the door and felt nauseous breathing that scent in for the rest of the day. I learned my lesson, and instead of applying the moisturizer in the morning, I use a different brand, and use the Burt's Bees at night after the face wash.

So far, I have seen a difference in my skin. I actually see a difference in the tone of my skin as well. Usually I have redness around my nose area and that has gone down slightly. I haven't gotten any blemishes on my forehead. I still have a few around my mouth, but they have become less noticeable and there are not as many as there were a week ago.

OVERALL: I am pretty satisfied with this skin regimen so far. I like that it's improving the quality of my skin, which I never expected. The all natural ingredients do have a funky smell, but hey, if it works, then it works. I definitely recommend this regimen to people who are looking for an all natural skin care routine, or for people who want to improve their skin/get rid of acne. I've got my fingers crossed in hopes of having my beautiful skin back soon!

xo, Erin