For the past 10 yrs, I have been a faithful user of an equally priced skincare brand, and in my mid-twenties my skin became worse than it was as a teenager, with constant breakouts on my chin. I have noticed a dramatic difference in the overall appearance and feel of my skin less than a week after starting this regimen. My skin is glowing, smooth and it looks healthier and feels cleaner. The smell of a couple of the products (Grain Gommage and Gentle Solution) may be a little off-putting to some, but they aren't the ones that stay on your face during the day and they work amazingly enough that it doesn't matter to me at all.
Overall rating
4/ 5
jennypants
fromSan Francisco Bay Area
Skin Type:dry
Age:35-39
Love the Arcona line
PostedFebruary 17, 2013
Proslightweight, absorbs quickly, intensive
I have been using Arcona for about 8 months now. The effects of aging have turned me into a "dry skin" gal, but slightly sensitive with occasional surface breakouts. Used in conjunction with my Clarisonic, my skin has been even-toned, had minimal breakouts, and had way less dead skin build up (according to my esthetician). I am not one who sticks to alternating, complicated routines well, and I have no trouble with the Arcona 5 routine. (Though I do admit to using the golden grain grommage less than recommended) I only give 4 stars instead of 5 because when in very dry conditions, I feel this routine does not have quite enough moisture oomph in it, so when heading to drier climates, I also incorporate the wine moisture mask. I also love the sunscreen they make. Super light weight and non-greasy.
1 of 1 found this review helpful.
Overall rating
2/ 5
ShoppyShoperton
fromCA
Age:30-34
Disappointed
PostedMarch 20, 2012
Prosfresh
I have very dry skin, and was excited to try a product with such great ingredients, no parabens or sulfates. I found the schedule easy to follow, you wash with the same Kiwi bar each night, and alternate moisturizer. In the morning you alternate between the Kiwi bar and Golden Grain Grommage, then follow with the same morning moisturizer.
I really liked the golden grain grommage and peptide hydrating complex. GGG smelled refreshing to me, and was a nice gentle exfoliator. The peptide hydrating felt soft and silky without being greasy. My skin always felt tight after using the Kiwi bar.
Unfortunately, this regimen overall was not moisturizing enough for me. I gave it a full 12 days without using any other products, as suggested. My dry areas didn't immediately go away, but I figured it would take time to "restore my skin's natural balance". But when NEW dry spots started popping up in areas where they had never been before, it was time to call it quits.
I will add however, that when I began using this product, I was dealing with 2 spots of cystic acne. Once I started with the regimen, they disappeared quickly and healed amazingly fast. So I don't doubt the healing properties of this line.
Hopefully Nordstrom will accept the return.
2 of 3 found this review helpful.
Overall rating
3/ 5
jk2284
fromWashington, DC
Age:25-29
just okay
PostedFebruary 10, 2011
So i'm not sure how much I believe the ARCONA mantra that moisturizers aren't necessary, because the Peptide Hydrating Complex is pretty much a moisturizer.
Smell is a major consideration in this ARCONA kit. The Kiwi Cream Bar smells fruity and comforting- I always look forward to using it. The Golden Grain Gommage smells awful- like old dairy and spoiled bread. I really like the effects of the Gommage, but gag the entire time I apply it. The Desert Mist isn't necessarily a bad smell for me- it's more medicinal in nature than soy sauce, as some reviewers indicate.
I've been using it for a few weeks now. The kit does come with an instruction card, with your daily AM/PM schedule. It's useful and I understand the concept, but it's quite cumbersome to have to remember/stick to a skincare schedule that differs daily. If I stick with the regimen strictly for a few days, I do notice that my face seems brighter and smoother, especially after applying a full face of makeup. I'm not quite sure whether I think it's life-altering, though.
