My Overwhelming Start with Skincare
It’s no secret that great skin is most definitely in! As a result, the skincare market is completely saturated with hundreds of products for every single concern. When I started looking after my skin, I was utterly overwhelmed with where to start.
What were Vitamin C, Vitamin A and those hydrating ingredients everyone kept talking about? Where did they even go in a skincare routine — AM or PM? I was utterly bamboozled.
The Product Junkie Phase
As a naive product junkie (aka a sales rep’s dream!) I often wasted hundreds of dollars on products I wouldn’t use correctly. I’d put any high percentage active on my skin and hope for the best, which isn’t wise when you already suffer from rosacea and sensitivity.
As a result, I ended up destroying my skin barrier. Big shout out to Clarisonic for that too!
Learning Less is More
When I finally educated myself on proper skincare, I embarked on professional skin treatments as a client at the studio. As part of my aftercare, I was forced to pull back my at-home regimen to allow my skin to recover, and I started noticing my skin bouncing back much happier and with reduced inflammation. I only cut back on essential products and saw even further improvement!
Discovering Dr Natasha Cook
Then, when the studio introduced the skincare line from Sydney dermatologist Dr Natasha Cook, I was excited to see a complete regimen of just a few products still claiming to be effective. I was instantly drawn to her no BS approach and educational videos on social media.
I could feed my passion for skincare without all of the marketing fluff. The cherry on the cake for me was that her hero product is niacinamide (Vitamin B3), known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Perfect for my red and sensitive skin!
My First Dr Natasha Cook Products
I started with the Concentrated Cleanser and Concentrated Moisturiser+ (daytime moisturiser). Surely nothing could beat the (literally) hundreds that I had tried before?
Well, blow me down. I woke each day with beautifully supple and bouncy skin, slight redness, and no pimples.
The Moisturiser+ delivers enough hydration for the day without being sticky and plays well under my makeup. The cleanser did an excellent job removing my makeup, leaving my skin beautifully cleansed but not stripped.
Expanding My Routine
Naturally, I was curious about the rest of the line. Next, I tried the Concentrated Clarifier, a mix of AHA & BHA acids. I was familiar with these ingredients from my product junkie days and started using them as a spot treatment at night for a couple of hormonal pimples that raised their lovely little heads.
Well, blow me down again! I woke up with happy, balanced skin that was not angry and inflamed from the acids and had magically reduced those pimples and their associated redness. I use it every other night, alternating it with my retinol treatment for maximum effect. My skin has been pleased with this gentle but effective product.
Special Occasion Products
When I have a special event or am in the middle of my Dermapen treatments, I like to use the Concentrated Micropeel. It is very strong, so I wouldn’t say I use it often (maybe once a month), but when I want that extra glow and fresh face, this is a brilliant go-to.
The cloth is enormous, so I always bring it down my neck and chest to get the most out of it. I use it at night, topped with the thicker Concentrated Hydration+ nighttime moisturiser and wake up like I’ve had a professional facial.
I always grab the CC cream when I like to wear little makeup on the weekends. This huge 50ml bottle has SPF 30 and plenty of coverage, meaning I can leave the house with a quick application with my fingers. It leaves a lovely hydrated finish and looks like a second skin. It is pretty thick but spreads beautifully.
Final Thoughts on Quality Over Quantity
Dr Natasha Cook provides a complete skincare regimen for all skin types and delivers without any marketing BS. It has beautiful, chic packaging and a great price point.
The only products I add in additionally are my first cleanser (Medik8 Lipid Balance Cleansing Oil), Eye Cream (Medik8 Crystal Retinal Eye) and Vitamin A (Medik8 Crystal Retinal).
Using fewer products with sophisticated and effective formulations is better than using too many, which can confuse your skin.