Red in the Face: Skincare During Chemo

     A friend of mine has a colleague who used to work in the cosmetic industry.  She gave my friend some samples from PCA Skin (www.pcaskin.com) to pass on to me.  She said they were very gentle products, made from many natural ingredients, and would be helpful for addressing some of the side effects of chemo therapy.  This is an unsolicited product review of the samples she gave me, the creamy cleanser and the anti-redness serum.

     Even before I started treatment, I used skin care products with as many natural ingredients as I could find. I've always had very sensitive skin and I also think that considering how many medications can now be administered by a patch and absorbed into your skin, I don't need to be applying chemicals to be absorbed into my skin.  I also have a history of redness on my face, which was solved a few years ago when I gave up eating gluten (the purpose was to solve digestive issues, the improvement in my complexion was just an added bonus).  Since starting treatment, I've experienced dry skin and over the last month or so, redness on my face.

     The Creamy Cleanser:  On the website, PCA describes this product as being very gentle and helpful in reducing redness.  I found this to be true.  It felt soothing on my face, lathered up nicely, and afterwards my face did appear less red.  I would certainly recommend this product.

     The Anti-redness Serum:  I applied this product after washing my face and followed with my regular moisturizer as directed on the website.  After a few minutes, my face began to feel like it was burning and became more red.  I used the creamy cleanser to wash it off and felt much better.  As stated above, I have very sensitive skin and that burning sensation is something I've experienced with many moisturizers and sun screens.  This serum may be very effective for some people in reducing redness, but for someone with sensitive skin like me, I don't recommend it.

     So there you go, my first unsolicited product review.  Now send me more free stuff and I'll review it.

Update: After reading my review of their products, which I tweeted them, PCA was nice enough to send me a bottle of their Hydrating Serum. Now this stuff I really like. I applied it with my regular moisturizer and my face is extremely soft and smooth with no redness or irritation. Thank you PCA!