Hello everyone! We are still around, just crazy busy starting school.

This is a follow up to my skin care post found here.

I’ve been using the CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C serum ($24.99 at Ulta) almost every morning for a little over 2 months. I still have plenty left – a little bit goes a long way! I use about a pea-sized amount for my whole face. At this amount, it will last the rest of the year!

According to the Ulta website: “Developed with dermatologists, CeraVe’s Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum with hyaluronic acid is formulated with 3 essential ceramides and 10% pure vitamin C – visibly brightens while helping to restore the protective skin barrier. This serum has a potent antioxidant L-Ascorbic acid (the purest form of vitamin C) that helps to even skin tone and continuously brighten skin while providing antioxidant benefits. The serum’s gentle, lightweight formula helps restore the protective skin barrier and improve skin hydration, leaving skin soft, radiant, and healthy looking. Skin appears visibly brighter and even toned with improved texture.”

Did it brighten my face? Maybe. Did it improve hydration? Yes. Did it make it appear more even toned? Maybe Did it improve texture? Yes

In the evenings, I apply a small amount – about a pea-size to each half of my face – of the Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer Fragrance Free ($38.99 at Ulta). This one also still has plenty in the jar and will probably last the rest of the year.

According to the Ulta website: “Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Night Moisturizer penetrates deep into skin’s surface layers. Olay’s proprietary blend of vitamin B3 + retinol complex hydrates skin for 24 hours for a bounty of benefits. You’ll see visible improvements in fine lines and wrinkles, smoothness, brightness, firming, dark spots, and pores. Retinol24 delivers all of these benefits with virtually no irritation. This fragrance and dye free moisturizer absorbs quickly and goes deep into your skin’s surface layers so you wake up every morning to younger-looking, radiant skin. Use Olay daily for 28 days and see true skin transformation.”

Did it improve fine lines and wrinkles? Yes, under my eyes. Did it improve dark spots? Not really. Did it reduce the size of pores? Not really. Do I wake up every morning to younger-looking, radiant skin? Not really. Did I see true skin transformation after 28 days? Not really.

My face does seem smoother to the touch. The area under my eyes seems less wrinkled. There is less redness on my cheeks.

Overall, I’m torn if I would recommend the products, especially considering their initial costs. They do seem to last longer than I anticipated.

Here are the before and after pictures of my cheeks and nose. In the before picture I was smiling so that’s why my cheeks look a little different. I think I had the flash on for the after picture as well.

What do you think? Any obvious difference?