So, I’m scrolling through Instagram one afternoon, minding my own business…and I see a sponsored post that actually catches my eye. As someone who does social media marketing for a living, I typically ignore all ads on social media…on principle. I refuse to “like” them; I just know too much about them (cue evil laughter). Needless to say, the fact that their ad got my attention already got them off to a good start.

“Free skin care trial” was also eye-catching.

I took a screenshot to remember the name of the company and continued scrolling and double-tapping. A few photos later, I couldn’t resist the temptation and scrolled back up and bit the bullet: I clicked “learn more.”

I’d never heard of Honest Beauty before (sorry, Jessica Alba) but paying less than $6 to try some product was too difficult to pass up. I have fairly sensitive skin, though, so I typically stick to my regular routine. But hey. My complexion could be better (and my lifestyle has been murdering my skin lately), so the $5.95 7 day trial seemed like a pretty good idea. After all, that wasn’t much to lose.

I noticed a difference almost immediately. 

I know that sounds lame and brainwashed, but I promise I’m under no contract with Honest Beauty and am completely speaking the truth (as always, #fiercelyreal). 

I ordered the trial for balanced skin: You get a gel cleanser, a moisturizer, and a daily SPF primer (probably my favorite because I’m basically albino and living in Texas). Oh yeah, you get a free make up bag and a few samples of their make up as well.

The first night, I cleansed and moisturized. I looked in the mirror the next morning and while I still had a few break outs (it’s not like it’s a miracle worker or something), my skin overall looked great. It kind of glowed and didn’t have the usual splotchiness it had before I put make up on. Going in with no expectations, I was definitely impressed.

Step 1: Cleanse.

I think I can definitely ditch my Aveeno cleanser. I like it because it’s gentle, but the Honest Beauty Refreshing Gel Cleanser ($18) is definitely far from harsh. More importantly, I think it does a lot more for my skin and complexion. After a few days, I only needed cover up for a few break outs. My usual red splotches were completely gone. I was almost sad, like I’d accepted they’d always be there…

Step 2: Hydrate.

I also love the Even Brighter Everyday Moisturizer ($34). I haven’t used a moisturizer since I ran out of my old Benefit product I was using and couldn’t find it anywhere (they might have discontinued it). I haven’t tried anything else because if a moisturizer is too…moist…I’ll break out like crazy. I know that I definitely need one, especially this time of year because I spend every minute I can by the pool. Anyway, I like this one because it doesn’t leave my skin feeling too oily and I can definitely tell that it works well with the gel to reduce the redness in my skin (I think the chamomile is what calms it down).

Step 3: Protect.

As for the Beyond Protected Daily Beauty Fluid ($28), while I do like it, I think I could live without it. From what I’ve read about the products, it seems like it’s almost redundant except that unlike the moisturizer and gel, it has SPF 30 added to it. Like I said, I do like that, but I already use foundation with UV protection. Maybe I’m being frugal, I don’t know. Stay tuned – maybe I’ll stop using it and suddenly turn into a lobster. Who knows!

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I’ve continued with the recommended routine, ignoring my own products for the next few days. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of “system” skincare like Proactiv, where you absolutely have to use one company’s products and even though you’re sent three “steps” of products for the trial, so after focusing initially on just the Honest Beauty products, I started mixing them up with what I already use. So far, it’s been working out pretty well!

Since I do plan on continuing to use the products and the trial is semi-sketchy if you don’t read fine print, here’s the low-down on how it works:

Your trial starts 7 days after the ship date (I ended up receiving my package about 3 days later) and after 7 days, you’ll automatically be charged $50 for your skin care bundle unless you cancel or postpone.

• I called the customer service center (located in Austin, TX!), initially thinking I would cancel and then order the subscription after substantially testing the product. I don’t know about you, but 7 days is not long enough to figure out if I like a skin care product or not!
• The woman I spoke with was super nice and helpful! I learned that I could actually postpone when my first bundle shipped and wouldn’t be charged until then. She was nice enough to do it for me over the phone, but you can do it online too (without calling customer service at all).
• When you start your trial, you sign up for an account, which you can access online or by downloading their really pretty app.

You’re not limited to the products they send you in your trial bundle – you can customize it!

• On your account, you can choose not only when your next bundle is shipped but also how frequently you receive it (which reflects how often you’re charged, duh). For example, the customer service rep told me she only needs her bundle every four months, so that’s how she set her account up.
• You can also choose which three products you want included. In other words, since I can live without the protection cream, I could exchange it for lipstick or something.
• Obviously, that rocks because you’re saving money and you can change it easily, any time. So if I wanted to switch out my third product every few months, I could have a pretty awesome make up collection!
• If you want more products, you can add up to five “must haves” and save 25% (stay tuned, I haven’t fully explored that because I’m pretty maintenance with make up).

All in all, I think Honest Beauty is pretty awesome so far.

Like most women, I’m extremely loyal to my make up and skin care brands. I’ve been using the same mascara since my freshman year of high school. I’ve tried more skin care products because of how much my skin has changed over the years, but once I find one I like, I stick with it…and I think I’ve just met my match.