What is Bolden? Bolden is a skincare brand built by black women committed to making beauty products especially formulated for women of color. Bolden prides themselves on emboldening women and helping them to embrace their natural beauty, confidently. Their products are claimed to be paraben and sulfate free. So, after coming across such good reviews I was very eager to give their products a try and share my review. So far, I’ve been using Bolden products for about 12 weeks now.
My skin type is oily, breakout prone with hyperpigmentation.
1. Cost & shipping – 10/10
• Affordable and fast. I got the full skin care set for less than $100 ($88.50 to be exact). Mostly, each item in this set is under $20, which is a great rare deal! Shipping took the average time of a week.
2. Skin clarifying cleanser ($16.50) – 10/10
• Product description: A gentle pH balanced formulation that addresses all key issues which contribute to dull, congested and breakout prone skin. Deep cleans, unclogs pores and prevents breakouts. Includes powerful antioxidants, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that renews & protects the skin.
I felt that this product was very gentle on the skin, not too drying, it lathers really well and it definitely unclogged my pores. Pleasant smell and my skin felt soft and fresh. Overall, I’m satisfied with this product and would reorder it.
3. Brightening glycolic acid toner ($19.50) – 5/10
• Product description: Brighten dark spots, diminish lines, and improve skin texture and tone. Oil free moisture and calming botanicals. With the regular use, discoloration from acne, sun damage and aging is dramatically reduced.
I didn’t see any change in my hyperpigmentation but I felt like my skin texture was more smooth and it helped with oil control. I noticed a weird smell which kinda turned me off. Overall, I felt like this product was just OK so I don’t think I would re-order it.
4. Clear skin clay mask ($18.50) – 1.5/10
• Product description: Eliminates excess oil, thoroughly cleans and closes pores, leaving skin clear and smooth. Sulfur kills bacteria that causes blemishes and sloughs off dead skin cells, preventing pore blockage. Contains mineral-rich bentonite that removes environmental toxins and impurities from the skin.
The smell of this mask is strong and horrible. My skin feels super dried out afterwards and I get a burning/tingling sensation when I am applying it probably due to the sulfur, ugh. Positively, It does come off easily and I did get some improvement with my breakouts. If it wasn’t for the added ingredients and smell, I would’ve liked this product a lot more. No reorder for me.
5. Nighttime repair serum with 10% glycolic acid ($29.50) – 10/10
• Product description: Exfoliates dead and damaged skin cells and boosts cell turnover to reveal a more youthful and radiant complexion. Contains a powerful combo of 10% glycolic acid and potent antioxidants to clarify and rejuvenate the skin, restoring elasticity and firmness. Stimulates collagen formation. Lightweight, silky consistency, smoothes on and absorbs quickly.
Everything that the product description described, is true! It has a really nice matte finish, it’s so rejuvenating. This product truly does work better overnight although you can use it during the day too. Overall, I love it and would definitely reorder.
6. SPF 30 Brightening moisturizer ($28.00) – 10/10
• Product description: Combines advanced ingredients with broad spectrum sunscreen to visibly improve the look and feel of skin. Nourishing moisturizers and robust antioxidants help restore hydration and radiance while SPF 30 sunscreen guards against UV damage. Vitamin C lies at the heart of our formulation providing brightening corrective properties and counteracting daily oxidative damage.
A sunscreen + moisturizer all in one what more could you ask for! This product has a very smooth consistency not too thick or too watery, it is just right. It’s definitely light weight. I don’t get a dull ashy gray tone after applying it like I would with most sunscreens. Instead, my skin looks supple/hydrated and warm. I love that it has SPF 30 which is the best sunscreen for darker skin tones and it contains vitamin c. Pleasant smell. I love it and will reorder.
7. Overall rating of the clear skin kit = 8/10
• I would recommend Bolden products. I took off two points due to my dislike of the toner and harsh clay mask but everything else was on point. Currently, I’m working on incorporating more natural products back into my skin care routine but I will still continue to use some of Bolden’s as well. Stay tuned for my full skin care routine. If you would like to purchase from Bolden Click here .
* Here’s a bonus sneak peek into one of my happy self care-skin care sessions lol :
Till next time..
