Tried and True - Review Update - Week 1 Beyond Belief A-B-H Alpha-Beta-Hydroxy Skin Care

Hello Everyone and thanks for visiting!

This is a Tried and True - Review Update for the Beyond Belief A-B-H Alpha-Beta-Hydroxy Skin Care

We are now at the first week mark, so this will be a quick Review.

First off, my routine starts with washing the face with the PORE REFINING foaming cleanser.

Then I apply the OIL FREE moisturizer all over my face.

AAAGH! That's a scary pic! Haha.

After the moisturizer has dried, I then apply the SHINE CONTROL mattifying toner...

Sometimes, I use my fingers to apply it and sometimes I use a cotton ball.

And because today is a Saturday, I've washed my face with the foaming cleanser and now I am using the PORE REFINING clay mask (which only calls for a thin coat once a week for 20 minutes).
This time I'm only waiting 20 minutes, then I'm taking it off...

So overall, for week one, I'm satisfied with the way my face feels and with how it looks. The only complaint, if you see the photo below, is that I broke out on my chin (the rest are just freckles).

The PORE REFINING foaming cleanser makes my face feel smooth and clean, it does tingle a little, but it's not unbearable by any means, this feeling is common with facial cleansers and just tells me it's working.

The OIL FREE moisturizer goes on very watery and makes my skin feel wet, but then it's like my face soaks up the moisture and it feels great. This has a manly musky-type smell, but it's not a strong smell.

The SHINE CONTROL mattifying toner is weird. There I've said it, it's WEIRD! It comes out a little gritty, but you can't really feel the grit, you can just see it. I'm assuming it's the oil-absorbing mineral powder that is in the mattifying toner. It really does mattify my skin, which is awesome! However, I also feel like this toner makes my skin feel dewy - which is odd because where there is dew, there is oil, right?!? WRONG!! Usually I use the toner in between the foaming cleanser and the moisturizer but in this case, because of the mattifying quality, I've decided to use it after the moisturizer but before makeup.

The PORE REFINING clay mask isn't anything special. It's just a mask that you put on your face and let dry, then you take it off using water and a face cloth. It doesn't heat up (thermal mask) and I don't find it has done anything to shrink my pores as of yet, but I still have 3 weeks to go.Overall, I like the Beyond Belief A-B-H Alpha-Beta-Hydroxy Skin Care Line and I hope that by the second week I've be loving it!

Thanks for dropping by and for visiting!

Please comment below, I'd love to hear from you!

- Channie

Tried and True - Review: Beyond Belief A-B-H Alpha-Beta-Hydroxy Skin Care

Hi Everyone and thanks for visiting!

This is my first blog entry and I'm starting a series called Tried and True - Review:. This is going to be a review of products that I try for an extended period of time. That way I can give my honest opinion about these products!

My first 'Tried and True - Review' is for the Beyond Belief A-B-H Alpha-Beta-Hydroxy Skin Care Line, which I purchased from Sally Beauty Supply in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. We don't have a Sally Beauty where I live, so I had to drive 4 hours to go to Sally's. My mom and I plan a trip once a year just to visit Sally's, Bath and Body Works and of course, MAC!

I had run out of my skin care products and decided I should try something that may work more effectively for my skin type - which is SUPER oily! Not just oily - SUPER oily. Anyhow, I was using some products from the Clean & Clear skin care line and didn't think it was making a big difference, so I opted to try something new.

I purchased the Beyond Belief A-B-H Alpha-Beta-Hydroxy PORE REFINING foaming cleanser, the SHINE CONTROL mattifying toner, the OIL FREE moisturizer, as well as the PORE REFINING clay mask - in my opinion, all the essentials from a skin care line.

For this review, I plan on using all the products I own from the Beyond Belief A-B-H Alpha-Beta-Hydroxy skin care line for a total of one month.

So first off, I used the PORE REFINING foaming cleanser...

I used 4 pumps (even though the instructions says 1 or 2) of foaming cleanser...

Then I applied it to my face using circular motions - just like the instructions advised. Don't I look adorable?!


The PORE REFINING foaming cleanser is to be used morning and night.

Next I tried the PORE REFINING clay mask...

I used a dollop the size of a Canadian Loonie...




...and applied a thin coat evenly over my face.


I was supposed to only leave this clay mask on for 20 minutes, but I got busy (cleaning, dishes, baking a cake) and forgot that I still had this on! I wore this mask for 1 hour and 4 minutes.

This next photo shows you the difference in colour once it's dry.

After the clay mask dried, I used a wet facecloth to remove it, trying not to hurt my face by rubbing too hard.


This clay mask is to be used once a week. I will be using it every Saturday for 1 month (and I will try and keep it on for only the recommended 20 minutes).


The third product I used was the SHINE CONTROL mattifying toner.

I squeezed a dollop the size of a dime onto a cotton ball.

This mattifying toner doesn't easily absorb into the cotton ball.

I, then, took the cotton ball and rubbed it all over my face. I had to use a second cotton ball because there wasn't enough on the first to do my entire face.

After letting the mattifying toner dry, guess what I noticed on my forehead?!

A white streak on my forehead - very similar to the streak left behind when using milk of magnesia as an oil controlling primer. To remove this streak, all I did was rub over the spot gently with my finger and it disappeared.

The last and final product I used was the OIL FREE moisturizer.

I used 1 pump of the moisturizer...

...and applied it to my face and neck.

I found that one pump is too much, so I will probably only do a 1/2 pump from now on.

This is to be used daily. I will be using this once in the morning and once at night.



I started this Tried and True - Review on Saturday, October 15, 2011 and will continue until Monday, November 14, 2011. I will be updating this review once a week - on Saturday - to keep everyone informed on how my skin is doing and what my opinion of the product is at the moment. I hope you will visit often!


-Channie