Hi, my name is Pernell and I'm only getting older; I love it. But my skin? She's suffering. So now I'm trying to take better care of my face and body. And that's why I was eager to try out Whole Foods' most popular beauty care products.
I bought over $180 worth of their soap and skincare products, then tried them all out for three weeks. I took note of how I liked each product and whether or not it transformed my skin.
Some of the haul was affordable, some of it was stupidly expensive, but surprisingly, I enjoyed all the things I tried. Still, I ranked the beauty products from my least to most favorite and determined whether I'd 'pass' or 'purchase' each product again, for y'all's sake.
After all, very few people can just buy almost two Benjamins worth of product from a bougie grocery store and get reimbursed for it.
So here's what I found out. Let's start with the body products:
10. The Pacha Soap Co. soap bars look like art, have a generous lather, and come in a variety of delightful scents...but it wasn't my favorite soap from the list.
The grooves of the soap bar made the application of the soap feel top-tier. There is a creamy lather to this $6 bar soap, and a sensual scent. However, it felt a little too stripping for my own liking (though it didn't dry out my skin post-shower).
9. Weleda's Skin Food Body Butter is great for anyone who wants to try a body butter that's thinner and lighter than your typical body butter, plus it absorbs quick. That is not me.
This body butter has a buttery, paste-like consistency to it. It spreads easily and left my skin looking like it was sun-kissed. However, my problem areas felt like they could still use some moisture. Also, I wasn't a fan of the citrus scent.
8. When it comes down to it, Alaffia's Good Soap bar is, well, good. Despite its cheap cost, it feels luxurious on the body.
The experience of using this soap was so pleasurable. It went on smooth like butter and had a milky lather to it. There was a slight stripping feel once the soap washed off my body, but nowhere near enough to turn me off of the product. For $3? So worth it.
7. This Skin Food Ultra-Rich Cream goes on heavy, and it's quite pricey for its small size...but it locked in hydration for all my problem areas, and it's a game-changer for winter season.
This has the ultra-rich consistency of a heavy toothpaste. Seriously, you only need a little. It's recommended for your hands, feet, and knees. It worked wonders for my inner thighs and the back of my heels, and kept them moisturized all day.
6. The great-value and totally versatile Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Pure Castille Soap. It's so good it will make your toes tingle.
A little goes a long way with this liquid soap. I dripped some into my palm and rubbed it on. A slick lather built up, and as it washed off, the peppermint tingle settled in — be chill around your private parts, or suffer (or enjoy?) a piercing sensation. Regardless, I felt refreshed, clean, and cool after this one.
5. This intoxicating Bulgarian Lavender oil soothed my entire body, left it ultra hydrated, and left behind a pleasant scent. It's a great addition to any nighttime riitual.
Besides the messy prep of diluting two to three drops of essential oil into a base oil, it felt wonderful on my skin. Prior to applying, I noticed my skin was dull. Afterward, I was glowing. It felt like I'd just gotten a massage, and it made me feel pretty sexy.
And now, here's what I think about their skin care:
4. The Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum is one of the best serums I've tried, and its anti-aging ingredients make it extra special.
This serum had a thicker pearl-like consistency that I prefer to the runny, watery vitamin C serum it replaced. Shortly after rubbing it in, I noticed my eyes were brighter and that my face had a softer, plumper appearance.
After using this serum daily for three weeks, the results were undeniable: a more even skin tone, reduced wrinkles, and a softer complexion overall. This product is a knockout, especially for its cost.
3. Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream is the most expensive item on this list, but it backs up its price tag. Fortunately, a little really does go a long way and will leave your face nourished.
This day cream has serious weight to it, so I found it helpful to apply in dabs. It left my face a little shiny, but it didn't feel oily. My face was nourished and glowing, for almost the entire day. Seriously! And the rose scent is the cherry on top.
By the three week mark, I noticed that my face was serving a natural dew. There was also an overall reduction in redness and fine lines. If you're after a natural glow and dewy skin, pick this product.
2. Acure's Brightening Facial Scrub will bring your face to its highest potential and take the throne of your go-to exfoliant.
I'm a huge fan of this scrub. It spreads well, didn't feel like a rough exfoliant, and my face was so soft after washing it off — seriously, I couldn't stop touching my cheeks. My complexion was instantly brighter and smoother.
After three weeks, I could see my face had a healthier, natural glow to it. It didn't rid me of the bumps on my chin, but I did notice a reduction of dark spots and the overall discoloration on my face. I'm stoked to see even more improvement.
1. And finally, Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel Facial Toner is an absolute must-buy. She has a permanent spot on my vanity.
Immediately, I was won over by its rose scent — it was not overpowering like perfume, but refreshing. And after using the toner with a cotton pad, I instantly noticed a reduction in pore-size and smoother wrinkles. My face was glowing.
I used this toner twice a day for three weeks, and by the end of it, I noticed that my pores looked smaller and that my skin looked radiant. It looked smoother and helped to even out my skin tone. Overall, my face looked firm. And it felt great too!
So that's what I think about the products. And for a final reference, here's a picture of my face at the beginning and end of the three weeks after using all the products reviewed — I'm pretty pleased with the results! Especially for $180.
