Murad Pore Perfection Starter Kit | Review

Murad Pore Perfection Starter Kit - £25.00*

Skincare for me is a complicated one and therefore it's something I never blog about. My combination skin has been giving me lots of trouble recently so I've been hell bent on finding the perfect skincare routine for the perfect skin, it's getting there but there's still a long way to go. Because of this, I was so excited when I got the chance to try out this Murad Pore Perfection Starter Kit as it promised to perfect pores and control shine. I've had this for a while but with skincare products I think it's a tricky one as skin can be affected by many factors including the weather and diet and therefore I have trailed this for quite a while.

Murad's Pore Perfection Starter Kit is made up of 4 different products which make up the three steps of their skincare routine - Cleanse/Tone, Treat/Repair, Hydrate/Protect. All of the products feature pomegranate and some smell rather strongly of pomegranate, this is something I personally like as I think they smell gorgeous - but if you're one for unscented products then this set may not be for you.

Energizing Pomegranate Cleanser
This is a foaming cleanser which smells lovely, my first impressions were shock when that cute pink liquid turned to a white foam when pumped out - I guess I'm just easily amused. Personally I prefer cleansing oils to anything and a foam cleanser leaves me feeling rather uneasy since I have combination skin and the lovely Caroline Hirons advises well away from foam cleansers if you're acne prone like me as they alkalise the skin surface which enables bacteria to breed. Luckily, with this cleanser I didn't break out any more than normal however I didn't see an improvement in my acne or the appearance of my skin. This cleanser is gentle and leaves the face feeling soft and clean however I like a cleanser to really make a difference and I eventually returned back to my Cleansing Oil where I instantly saw results. This cleanser would be suitable for those who only need a gentle cleanse and aren't acne prone. Also as a side note this is a cleanser and toner in one - I would always follow up with a toner as I'm not really into combo products and I still feel like I haven't used a toner - which I find such an important step in my routine.

T-Zone Pore Refining Gel
I briefly featured this product in my Travel Make-up/Skincare post as I took it with me to Amsterdam. The product in this set is 15ml and is a gel which is meant to balance oily and dry skin whilst gently exfoliating. Well, until now - I didn't know this gel gently exfoliated and this excites me. I have combination skin so a gel to balance this is great for me and seems like more of the toning step I was craving from this kit. I like this product as it smells nice and is a step I like to incorporate into my routine because if, eventually, my pores become more refined then theres no harm in that. I haven't seem many results from this product but it hasn't had any adverse effects on my skin whatsoever so I won't stop using it until it's run out in the hope that something noticeable will happen. 

Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask
In this set you receive two samples of this exfoliating mask which I find contain enough for four uses. This is a chemical exfoliant which is to be used as a weekly treatment - it contains AHA's, natural fruit enzymes and salicylic acid which are features in many cult exfoliating masks. The full size version of this product is £22.50 on lookfantastic.com and actually comes packaged as 6 sachets the same size as this, my thoughts on this are mixed, whilst sachets are handy to carry around and store, these sachets provide at least two applications each and I find I have to transfer the remaining product from the sachet into a little pot after first opened - which is a bit of a pain. I really think this product is the star of the show - chemical exfoliating masks are becoming more and more popular as people move away from the abrasive scrubs which can damage the skin and spread bacteria. This applies like a gel and really tingles so I know it's definitely working, afterwards my complexion looks clearer with my acne scarring faded and it just seems to keep on working as I am sure my skin improves through the night after using this.  I'm definitely going to be repurchasing this product. 

Energizing Pomegranate Moisturiser 
This moisturiser also featured in my Travel post as it has wormed it's way into my daily routine and is currently my staple moisturiser. I like the scent of this moisturiser as it's light and not overpowering. The moisturiser has hydrated my once very dehydrated skin and is light and absorbs into the skin quickly without leaving my skin feeling oily or leaving a residue. My skin does not get any shinier than normal during the day whilst using this moisturiser and it also contains SPF 25 which is great for protecting the skin against UVB/UVA rays if you prefer to get your SPF from your moisturiser. I think this moisturiser would be great for summer to keep skin hydrated and protected whilst being non-greasy. 

Overall I think sets like this are great for trying new products and brands and usually are the first thing I turn to if I'm looking to a new brand as they're relatively inexpensive for the range and amount of products you can get in a set and if you don't get on with them, it's okay because you didn't splurge before you tried. Everybody reacts differently to skincare and some products which are great for others just simply don't do it for somebody else so don't write off the cleanser just because it left me underwhelmed. I'll definitely be repurchasing the Exfoliating Masks - I'm unsure if i can live without these handy little skincare saviours and the moisturiser will continue to be a firm favourite and one I'll keep going back to.