Versed Skincare Review
I was influenced! Have never heard of the company before, I was intrigued by a pretty packaged product that I saw an influencer promoting on Instagram. I figured that since it wasn’t a familiar drugstore product it was going to be a high-end skincare product out of my budget. Alas, I was surprised all the products on the site were affordable and claimed to be vegan, cruelty-free, and “clean.” Over the summer, I ordered a few products to see if I found my holy grail.
My Skin Type & Acne Journey:
First, I need to establish my skin type. I have combination skin that waivers throughout the seasons. My T-zone is oily with visibly large pores on and around my nose and forehead. My cheeks can be fairly dry and always need a boost of moisture. Over the years, I’ve dealt with my fair share of acne through my teens and early 20s, but have never used any prescription acne medicine, despite having a range of whiteheads and cystic acne. Currently, at age 24, my skin isn’t perfect but so much better than when I was in a teen. Now I mainly only have cyclical hormonal breakouts. I currently use Korean skincare products (mostly Nature Republic brand).
First Impressions:
I was excited for this order because the products looked nice. I’m a sucker for simple packaging. However, my first impression was that it felt cheap. It had cute, simple packaging, like I expected, but when I finally got it in my hands, it felt cheaper than I expected. Now, there was nothing actually wrong with the packaging — it didn’t fall apart, or easily get pierced, etc. I suppose I had this impression because some of the other skincare I use (or have used in the past) had a higher-quality feeling to them (Nature Republic, The Ordinary). I’m spoiled with glass packaging or heavier/weighted packaged products, but no real issue here.
I spent about $51 on 4 products and free shipping. I also got a free sample of the Dew Point Moisturizing Gel, but I lost it, sorry.
Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm Mini - 8.99
In college, I was a die-hard user of make-up wipes — Neutrogena Makeup Remover in the blue packs to the unbeatable bulk box of Costco wipes. After graduation, I made the switch to using the Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water and reusable cotton rounds. However, my biggest issue was not knowing what to do when I travelled. I always found myself not having a travel-size version of the Micellar water or having to buy a travel-size pack of makeup wipes. I still use the Garnier when I’m home, but now when I’m travelling, I love bringing Versed’s Cleansing Balm.
The mini is a perfect size to drop in my travel bag. The balm dissolves very easily and melted away my makeup with ease, including my pesky mascara. It didn’t leave my skin feeling stripped or with an overall weird residue. However, I do feel like it left a film over my eyes. They weren’t irritated and burning, but just a little blurry. I read some reviews saying that polyethylene is high up in its ingredients list, so that could be a concern for some. It also smells like eucalyptus, which I find nice, but could be an issue for those sensitive to smells. I also probably recommend this as the precursor to another product if you wear a full face of makeup.
Bottom Line: Overall though, I think this product was a good introduction to a cleansing balm and a good precursor to a double cleansing routine. I would consider buying another.
Back-Up Plan Acne Control Body Mist - 14.99
I’ve had long wavering history of body acne, ranging from my upper body to my back. In recent years, most of it has subsided, but in 2020, I felt that my back was breaking out occasionally. Great. This body mist comes in an non-aerosol bottle that sprays a superfine mist. I liked that I could spray it while upside down, to hit certain parts of my back. It also wasn’t sticky. I used this mist inconsistently, but I also don’t think it did much. The instructions say to spray and let dry before covering with any clothes. The major acne-fighting ingredients are salicylic acid 2%, tea tree oil, and witch hazel, which are very popular in the skincare / acne world, so nothing new here.
I also thought it came with a lot of product, so it will take me awhile to get through the bottle.
Bottom Line: Application is very easy and can be very helpful to those who want to treat breakouts in less accessible areas. I don’t think it worsened my skin at all, but I also don’t think it really did anything for it either.
The Shortcut Overnight Facial Peel - 19.99
This was the product that I had seen all over Instagram. It looked sleek and simple and people were raving. It actually took me awhile to actually start using it because I was nervous about anything that involved ‘overnight” or a “peel” in the name. I don’t like things sitting on my face overnight, nor have I tried anything that involved a “peel”. However, the product is not at all intense as I imagined it to be. The Overnight Facial Peel claims to resurface and renew your complexion by exfoliating, brightening, and hydrating your skin using lactic and glycolic acid. All you need to do is apply a thin layer onto clean skin, leave overnight, and cleanse in the morning.
I found the product was very lightweight and sat on my skin without feeling tight or drying. It also dried quickly enough that it didn’t leave me worried about ruining my pillowcases. I’m not exactly sure if I would say I felt or saw a dramatic difference in the morning, after I cleansed. It does recommend using a washcloth, konjac sponge, cleansing brush, or a different gentle exfoliator to slough off dead skin cells that the product would have lifted, but I didn’t see any real results.
Bottom Line: I was a bit disappointed in this product, thinking this was going to be some holy grail. I’m glad my skin didn’t react poorly to this product, but I didn’t see any changes in my skin. Perhaps, I need to use it more (it says it’s gentle enough to use 1-3 times a week) and maybe I can finally reap the same rewards that other people are raving about, but for $20, I will not be buying it again.
Nix It Complexion Solution - 12.99
I wasn’t in the market for a spot treatment, but why not? It’s a very clear, watery solution, which I was not expecting at all, especially for an acne product. I was expecting something more gel-like, and opaque. The formula boasts an invisible dry-oil that absorbs into the skin quickly, without leaving residue or shine. The website says you can even apply this over makeup, but I’ve only used this during nighttime application or no-makeup days. It does apply as a very liquid-y solution, but it does dry fairly quickly.
The tube has an interesting clear, rounded applicator (not to be confused with a ball roller applicator, see additional photos below). You either love it or hate it, but I really don’t like the clear applicator tip. It was kind of difficult to tell when the product was going to come out and I feel like I easily wasted product trying to squeeze it out. The solution was good for spot treatments and helped stop acne from getting worse without any irritation or harsh drying results. The smell is also pleasant. Unless Versed figures out the packaging for this product, you might be better off using other products that take advantage of similar ingredients like tea tree oil, salicylic acid and lavender, lemon, and rosemary oil.
Bottom Line: If you can get over the weird applicator tip, this product actually did help acne spots from becoming worse. I would recommend this if you only have occasional zits because you would probably go through the Nix It Complexion Solution very quickly otherwise.
Overall Thoughts: I think it’s an affordable, accessible line of products that’s hit or miss. None of the product broke me out, so while I was disappointed that I didn’t see any crazy results, I’m glad I came out of the experience with no damage. I don’t mind incorporating these products into my routine, but they aren’t my go-tos. I also liked that the website explains all of the ingredients and even how to recycle the product properly!
Is it worth trying out? Sure. I bought the products online, but I know now that you can buy them at Target, so it’s very easy to get your hands on it! There’s so many more affordable products out on the market now and Versed’s claim to be vegan, cruelty-free, and “clean” is definitely enticing.
