I tried Formations skincare range for 2 months and the results were not what I was expecting.
A bit about me
My names Jess, I am a 25-year-old Social Media and Digital Coordinator in the beauty industry. I started my beauty career working at New Zealand and Australia’s biggest beauty retailer where I’ve spent the last 6 years surrounded by so many beautiful products.
For the past 2 months I swapped my expensive, high-end cleanser, exfoliator, serum, day cream and night cream with Formations accessible, luxury range.
I have combination skin – normal on the cheeks with an oily T-zone that can be prone to dehydration. When I started using the range I wanted to a) see how effective the products/ingredients are compared to products I pay an arm and a leg for and b) see how the range fits in with my other skincare products, so I continued to use my vitamin c and SPF in the morning, and my retinol and eye cream at night.
Let's get into my thoughts!
First impressions, I loved the packaging! Sleek, clean and looks super cute on my bathroom vanity. I liked the idea of aluminium tubes as you can roll them down from the top to squeeze every last bit of product out - because everyone hates knowing there’s product left and not being able to get to it or having to cut off the top to scoop it out. I also noticed that the formulas are fragrance free. I loved this as I don’t think fragrance is essential in skincare as it has no benefits and my skin is slightly sensitive to highly fragranced products.
Squalane Cream Cleanser
I quickly found that you don’t need much, a pea sized amount goes quite far. The formula is a thick, cream consistency but still spreads nicely. When I start rubbing it into my skin it instantly feels hydrating. My eye area is quite sensitive, but I haven’t experienced any irritation using the cleanser to remove my eye makeup. After double cleansing and rinsing it off with warm water, my skin feels soft, clean and not stripped. Big fan of this cleanser!
AHA Cream Exfoliant
I started off very sceptical about this one when I first tested it on the back of my hand. I was unsure about the jojoba wax spheres as I thought they might be too abrasive. My skin LOVES a chemical exfoliator as it’s super gentle, clears my skin and minimises my fine forehead lines so I loved that the Formation exfoliator has AHAs. I was pleasantly surprised at how gentle this exfoliator is and how smooth it makes my skin feel! For best results, you rub this product into wet skin so it’s ideal to use in the shower which I love for easy, mess free use. I only use this product once a week or when I feel like my skin needs it. It is a super generous size so this exfoliant is going to last me a long time!
Niacinamide Serum
Now for my favourite product, the serum. This isn’t like many of my other serums as it’s quite thick, so one drop covers my face and neck which is amazing. After using it for 2 months, it still looks like I haven’t made a dent in the product! It gives my skin a nice glow but doesn’t make it look greasy. This is super important for me as I get an oily t-zone so don’t like an overly shiny face. It pairs nicely with my vitamin c and retinol and doesn’t ball up when layered which I’ve experienced in the past when mixing serums from different brands.
Throughout my skincare journey I have learnt that my skin LOVES niacinamide. It makes my skin look more even and smoother than other ingredients and this serum paired with zinc is no exception! Chefs kiss.
Ceramide Day Cream
I was anxious to try this as when I first opened the tube I found that it was a cream consistency. The type of day creams I usually use are gel formulas, because in the past I’ve found that creams are too thick for me and make my skin greasy. This one however, game changer. It melts into the skin so doesn’t feel heavy and provides a great base to layer my SPF and makeup on top of. Like the serum, a pea sized amount spreads over my face and neck. It also doesn’t pill after applying my SPF overtop which I was quite surprised at given the thicker consistency. I find it takes a bit longer to rub into the skin which I ended up quite enjoying because it made you sort of give your skin a massage which is great to help with circulation.
After applying the Ceramide Day Cream, my skin looks and feels hydrated and healthy. Yay!
Peptide Night Cream
I’ve got fine lines coming through on my forehead that I’m quite conscious about. These show the most when my skin is dehydrated. After using this night cream I’ve noticed my fine lines have reduced. This night cream is not only light but it goes on beautifully. I never wake up feeling greasy in the morning, just nourished and smooth! This pairs really nicely with the Ceramide Day Cream as they both provide your skin with lasting hydration and give your skin everything it needs all hours of the day.
Final thoughts
I have been loving trying out this range! I always thought that I would only ever see results from products that have a high price point. I assumed that the more expensive they are, the better your skin will be. Formation has taught me that you can have luxurious, quality ingredient skincare at an accessible price. It’s high quality, active ingredients and fragrance free formulas offer hydration around the board, nourishment and moisture protection that helps target many skin concerns. I have been super happy with my results and would recommend to people of any age and skin type to give this range a go.