Bioré Baking Soda Pore Cleanser Review

Let's start with a disclosure: I received Biore's Baking Soda Pore Cleanser for free, as part of Topbox's Glam Sense program. Often these programs send you a full-sized product but not this time. Instead, I received a deluxe-sized tube of this mostly liquid cleanser.

At first I was worried that this size wouldn't give me enough product to test it out but it turns out that one small tube can pack a lot of cleanser. I ended up using this item one-twice a day for over three weeks; more than enough time to see how well this product really cleans.

According to Bioré, this item "...deep cleans and exfoliates dry, flaky, skin, letting your skin feel clean, soft and smooth!" It's designed for combination skin, which I have, and uses "natural baking soda" to leave "...pores 91% cleaner."

Bioré Deep Cleansing Pore Strips For The Face Review

I first used Biore pore strips over a decade ago and while I found they did pull out some gunk, they also pulled off the top layer of my skin. And no, this didn't only happen one time. So I stopped using this product and basically forgot about it for multiple years.

Then in July I was given the chance to test out Bioré Deep Cleansing Pore Strips For The Face through Topbox's Glam Sense product testing program (so yes, I received this item for free). While I was somewhat worried that I might have another bad experience with the strips, I decided to give them another shot.

According to Bioré, each strip "works like a magnet by instantly locking onto and removing deep-down dirt." You simply smooth one over a wet, blackhead-laden section of your face and 10 minutes later, peel it off. "You can remove weeks worth of dirt buildup," says Bioré.

Glam Sense Bioré Tube

Last week was a great mail week as I received my August Topbox and my latest Glam Sense tube. Run by Topbox, Glam Sense is a speciality program in which selected participants get to try out a collection from a chosen brand. This time around that brand was Bioré.

My tube contained two products: A full-size pack of Bioré's signature product, the deep cleansing pore strips, and a new product, the baking soda pore cleanser. I've already started using the latter item as I need to submit my thoughts on these products to Glam Sense in early September and I want to maximize the amount of time this cleanser has to impress me.

My March 2016 Topbox & Glam Box

Not bad Topbox, not bad at all. Featuring two full-sized products, two of which are makeup or makeup-like items, this box gets an above average rating from me. Sure, there's only one new brand to discover  (POP Beauty) but there's also one high-end brand that I'm happy to see again (Mèreadesso). And while it's not a well-rounded box, it is makeup heavy, which is what I prefer.

Here's what I received this month from Topbox:

• Mèreadesso Tinted All-In-One Moisturizer (7 ml)
• MaskerAide All Eyes On Me Hydrating Eye Gel Patches (1 pair)
• Nova Scotia Fisherman eXtreme Skin Care Fisher-mint Lip Balm (full-size)
• POP Beauty Pure Pigment in Metallic Charcoal

Tresemmé Beauty-full Volume Pre-Wash Conditioner, Shampoo & Volume & Softness Hair Maximizer

The hair care market is a crowded one. To stand out, brands often push a hot new ingredient. But for its Beauty-full Volume collection, Tresemmé has taken a different approach. Instead of boasting about an exotic oil or a patented molecule, the company has revamped the entire hair washing process.

Instead of the usual shampoo-conditioner-styling product process, this line uses something called the Reserve Wash system, which starts off with the Pre-wash Conditioner. That's then followed by the shampoo and then the process is finished off with the styling product. This approach is supposed to result in "soft, touchable, voluminous hair."

My First Glam Sense Box

Last month beauty subscription service Topbox launched its Glam Sense program, which sends selected subscribers a free box of goodies to try out and review. I was lucky enough to be included as a reviewer and today my first Glam Sense box arrived.

This initial campaign is for Tresemmé's new Beauty-Full Volume line, which I hadn't heard of until now (so look, the campaign is already raising awareness). My box contained three products, all designed to deliver "soft, touchable voluminous hair." But they weren't the usual shampoo/conditioner/styling products that I expected.

While this line makes some very familiar promises, its approach to delivering on those promises is quite different. Beauty-Full Volume uses a process that it calls the "Reverse Wash System." Instead of starting with your usual shampoo, the first step is something called the "pre-wash conditioner." It's then followed by a shampoo and the whole processed is finished off with a styling product that Tresemmé calls "Maximizer" (that sounds a bit intense).

It's an interesting approach and one that I'm looking forward to trying out. Glam Sense smartly sent out full-sized containers, which means I have enough product to properly test this line out. Because of that, I'm going to use this product for at least two weeks before I type up my reviews.