MaryKay is an American brand with an inspirational founder, Mary Kay Ash, who’s dedicated to  inspire, enrich and empower women to do great things. I have the premium skincare/body care line with me, the MaryKay TimeWise Miracle set that’s made to fight signs of aging with the latest skincare science to deliver younger-looking skin for all skin types, including sensitive skin and those with rosacea.

I was rather skeptical with this brand at first because I haven’t encountered nor experienced any of its products before. However, some of the products in the range actually surprised me which I thought was not bad, given that it’s my first time trying them out.

There are actually two different sets here and a body care product that I’ll be talking about – the Microdermabrasion Plus Set, the TimeWise Miracle Set and a body lotion targeting cellulite!

The Microdermabrasion Plus Set (S$156) consists of two products – the Microdermabrasion Refine (S$78), an exfoliating scrub that helps to take away the impurities and buildup in the pores. Using the same professional grade exfoliating crystals used by dermatologists, it claims to immediately energise skin and reveal more radiant and healthy-looking skin.

I didn’t particularly enjoy the smell of this because it has this plastic-ky odour if you know what I’m talking about. However, I do enjoy the fine exfoliating beads because it’s pretty gentle on the skin, and my skin feels clear and refreshed after exfoliation.

With an exfoliator comes a pore refiner to reduce the appearances of pores after exfoliation. Part of the Microdermabrasion Duo is the Pore Minimizer (S$78). My initial thought was that this is a pore refining primer but to my surprise, it’s is a serum that features a combination of botanical extracts to help deliver powerful benefits to the skin. It contains Persian silk tree bark extract and soybean extract that have proven to support skin proteins which help tighten and refine the overall appearance of the complexion.

The serum is unlike the usual clear serums. It’s in a milky texture but absorbs into the skin pretty quickly. It gives the skin a smooth complexion but didn’t exactly do anything to my large pores. I guess if you have relatively small pores, you may see the pore-refining effect better. In addition, the calming and comforting benefits of the product are due to sea whip extract and evodia fruit extract that help to soothe skin.

On with the TimeWise Miracle Set (S$252) that seeks to deliver anti-aging benefits to protect the skin as well as reveal a youthful looking complexion.

Cleansing is always the most vital step to any skincare regime for it takes away the stress that the environment gives it on a day-to-day basis. The 3-in-1 Cleanser contains three essential skincare benefits in one product to cleanse, exfoliate, and refresh the skin. It comes in a squeeze tube.

In all honesty, I didn’t like this product, not even a bit. It has a strong plastic smell to it plus, I found that the texture’s very odd for a cleanser! Well, it does have some micro beads for gentle exfoliation which is a plus point but I felt like I was trying to wash off a moisturiser on the skin with water. It just feels impossible to remove with water, and leaves what feels like an oily residue on the skin. I don’t know if this is what it’s supposed to be like, but I really dislike it.

On the flip side, I’m all for the other products in this set, including the Age-Fighting Moisturiser. A patented complex that the moisturiser contains reduces fine lines and wrinkles by accelerating the skin’s natural renewal process. On top of it there’s also a dream humectant blend in that helps skin moist and plump.

I like the texture of this moisturiser because it’s in a gel/serum-like texture instead of the usual thick, heavy creams, even though it looks milky. It takes a little bit more time to be absorbed in the skin. In terms of anti-aging properties, I guess it’s not exactly visible after a week of trial so be sure to use religiously for it to work its magic! Oh, and it is said to help hydrate the skin for up to 10 hours too!

When it comes to anti-aging, no regime is complete without the use of a sunscreen! The Day Solution Sunscreen SPF 35/PA+++ contains nourishing botanicals to help energise the skin’s cells, while UVA and UVB sunscreens help protect the skin from sun damage.

It comes in a light pink glass bottle with a very light consistency which doesn’t leave any forms of white cast over the skin. The sun protection factor isn’t that high but it contains a Pronewal™ System that gives crucial protection during the day. I didn’t like the scent of this as well though.

The best product in this set in my opinion is the Night Solution. It is a gel-like serum that is transparent with pastel-coloured beads which I believe are age-fighting peptides that enhance the production of new collagen to smoothen and firm up the skin.

It also comes in the same glass bottle as the day solution except that it’s transparent. I thoroughly enjoy this product because of the light texture of the serum. Much to my astonishment, the rich texture absorbed fairly quickly onto the skin! No sticky residue I assure you 😉 It makes my skin feel plumped up with moisture and pretty much smoothens out any imperfections!

Overall, I find that the skincare products from the range are not entirely as good as what they claim to be. I guess it varies for different skin types and preferences but after testing out the entire range, I do like some products as mentioned and find that some are disappointing. What I do appreciate though, is that the MaryKay products are:

Before I end this post, I also want to talk about my ultimate favourite from the TimeWise range, the TimeWise Body™ Smooth-Action™ Cellulite Gel Cream (S$90)! It smells so much like oranges and lemons, a rejuvenating and refreshing gel cream to apply to the cellulite-prone areas – thighs and butt – at night before bed!

While most cellulite products require extensive massage techniques to deliver results, this new innovation only requires you to liberally apply the lightweight gel cream like you would with any body lotion and massage it thoroughly into your skin until it is fully absorbed. Indeed, it is easily absorbed into the skin and will hardly require any waiting time, making it the perfect option for you if you are looking for a quick and effective solution to care for your cellulite issues despite your hectic schedules!

The MaryKay TimeWise products are available on the website: www.marykay.com.sg for now. Do you have any MaryKay products you love? Comment below!

Create yourself and be gorgeous! ♡