Review: Curology updates

It's been about 7 months since I wrote about getting on the Curology train. I figured it was well about time I provide some updates!

So... has Curology been work the hype?

100% yes for me. It's been an indispensable part of my routine, and I don't know what I'd do if I had to stop using it!

Progress from January || March || May || July

I'll break down this update into three parts: The Good :D, The Meh :|, and the Bad :(

The Good

Curology has been absolutely fantastic from a cost-effective standpoint. I think I would find Curology less indispensable if I had a bit more time to dedicate to my routine, but being in grad school, I have admittedly been more removed from the latest and greatest ingredients in Asian Beauty and skin care. Also, my tighter budget means I'm a little less willing to gamble my money on an item that only may work.

It makes sense that it's effective because it's curated specifically to your needs and concerns, and it's a medicated treatment. And honestly? I love it. As much as I enjoy Asian Beauty for the "treat yoself" aspect of it, I also like for the results it provides. I want to take care of my skin so that I always present the best version of myself. Curology helps me achieve that with more scientifically-proven ingredients that is formulated specifically for my skin. And at $20/month, it's not a bad price to pay, since I'd normally spend more than $20/month on Asian Beauty items otherwise.

It's formulated for you. In the past seven months, I've had three bottles of Curology. My formula has been tweaked to address the issues my provider sees in the pictures I send, but also my own specific concerns. When I was due for a new bottle and was sending her skin updates, I told her my hyperpigmentation remains the bane of my existence a persistent issue for me, she tweaked the formula to better address the issue.

My current formula as of late June 2016

My provider is so responsive, informative, and friendly! It's a pleasure interacting with her through the messaging app (which, by the way, is very clean and user-friendly!). She's been great with not only assessing my needs, but answering my questions about tretinoin when that was added to my formulation and any other skin concerns I had. I think the longest lag time I had in hearing back from her was two days, and that's because I pinged her on a weekend.

Whenever the formula was tweaked, my provider would breakdown exactly how each of the ingredients would help address my issues, and any precautions I had to take to reduce side effects in a clear manner. She would always be open to questions and concerns I had. In all, it's been a truly collaborative process, which is very pleasant!

A screenshot of my provider explaining to me the ingredients in my new formula, what they do, why she's tweaking it, and how best to use my new medication!

The Meh

It's not the most exciting product to use. If you're into the "skintertainment" aspect of skincare, this product is boring with a capital B. But if you're looking for an effective way of treating certain skin concerns, this is your ticket.

While I don't think the price of the service is too prohibitive, $20/month can still be a ding in your budget. Obviously, it would be nice if it was cheaper, but I think overall the price is pretty fair for the service and results you get.

The Bad

It's not bad per se, but do realize that practitioners and providers are ultimately human, and therefore do not take all their advice without assessing what you already know about yourself and your skin. Your provider is very knowledgeable, but in the end, you know yourself best! Be aware and perceptive of your own needs.

An example of this is when my provider suggested some medicated face soap to use to treat some of the acne that I had. I didn't really pursue this because I knew that I didn't actually have an acne problem. I had some pimples, but I knew they were mostly due to stress and lack of sleep in school (not once did my provider ask me about my general eating/sleeping/etc. habits, which is totally fine, but it means they don't quite know the whole picture of what lifestyle factors could be affecting my skin). So I didn't follow her advice for the soap, and my skin still made improvements over the months. Just a small point to consider!

I had some minor roadblocks when I had to get my shipping address changed to my summer internship address. You have to go through their Support team to do so, because they then need to verify that your provider is licensed to practice in that state. Luckily, that wasn't an issue for me, but this might be an issue for anyone moving to a different state!

Overall

I love love love Curology, and am so glad I jumped on the hype train! It's now a staple in my skincare routine. I use it in my night routine as a first step immediately after cleansing, and generally wait a few minutes before I apply my other steps (toner, essence, moisturizer, sleeping pack). From the picture above, I think the progress has been pretty clear, and I am overall really happy with the results! Though my skin is not yet perfect, it is more consistently clear than ever before, and consistently less irritated.

----------------------------

Have you used Curology? Do you think you'll give it a shot? If you're interested in trying it out, feel free to check it out here using my referral link if you'd like!