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