Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Aging Perfector Review

Disclaimer: I received this product complimentary from Neutrogena and Crowdtap. I have not received any compensation for writing this post and all opinions are my own and unbiased.

There are six shades available:

10 Ivory to Fair

20 Fair to Light

30 Light to Neutral

40 Neutral to Tan

50 Tan to Medium

60 Medium to Deep

Neutrogena and Crowdtap were kind enough to send me two shades, #10 and #20.

The packaging for the Skin Perfector is very simple, practical, and straightforward. It's compact and easy to travel with. There is the standard 1 oz of product in the tube that comes with a pump. You can't tell how much product is left in the tube which is a minor gripe I have with the packaging.

As with most pumps, you have to be careful not to push too hard on the pump or there will be more product than you will need on your hand. Otherwise, the pump is great if you're concerned about hygiene.

The stickers on the back of the tube with the ingredients list and warnings.

Look how simple the back of the tube is after you peel off all the stickers.

The Healthy Skin Anti-Aging Perfector does have a faint scent I can't quite put my finger on. It sort of smells like a cucumber that's been sweetened. Other times it has a Play-Doh scent to it. In any case, it's a weird scent but it doesn't bother me too much. I could see the scent being a deciding factor to some of you in using the product.

I found shade 10 Ivory to Fair work best for my skin tone. It has a yellow undertone while 20 Fair to Light is on the orange side. I also mixed both shades and that seemed to work fine for me as well. For those of you that are extremely fair, shade 10 will most likely be too dark for you. However, Neutrogena isn't kidding when they market this as sheer coverage. I'm not even sure if you'd be able to tell if you had the product on or not; that's how sheer it is. I had to look up their website to see if this is marketed as a skincare or makeup product. I found the Skin Perfector under the foundation & powder category. I had to layer the product on a few times before I could see some sort of coverage.

While I appreciate the concept of this product, it's not something that is necessary in my makeup routine. I'm looking for something that covers my imperfections like PIH and current acne breakouts over diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. I am starting to see more fine lines and wrinkling but I have skincare products to take care of those issues.

This does not have a dewy finish but it certainly offers a natural finish! I haven't noticed any significant improvement in my skin's appearance in the past two weeks. There is an SPF of 20 which is helpful since there is retinol in the product but I'd recommend you apply additional sun protection underneath.

If you have nearly flawless skin or looking for a product with natural, sheer coverage, this might be something that works for you. The only way I've been able to wear it, in order to test the product out, is to use it as a primer. I find it a bit expensive for what it is ($14.09 at Neutrogena) but stores like Ulta ($13.99) and the drugstores often run promotions like buy 1, get 1 50% off frequently. Unfortunately, I can't give the Healthy Anti-Aging Skin Perfector my seal of approval since I have plenty of BB and CC creams that offer skincare benefits while providing that coverage that I need.

Simple, straightforward packaging. You can twist the crayon up and down, no need to sharpen it.

The Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Sticks have a wide variety of shades available. The info card provided pictures 15 shades but Neutrogena's website shows 16 shades. I was sent 90 Classic Nude although I would have preferred one of the darker shades. I used to own shades 10 Juicy Peach and 20 Fresh Papaya. (I'll tell you in a bit why I no longer have them in my makeup collection.) According to Neutrogena's website shades 10-80 are for a sheer, shimmery finish and 90-180 and the new bolder and creamier shades.

I'm not really in love with the shade Classic Nude. It's a peachy nude with a slight shimmery finish, neither of which I'm into. From what I remember shades 10 and 20 also had some shimmer to it. It does have good pigmentation for a nude lip color and I do like the formula of these color sticks (or crayons). I love how creamy and moisturizing they are so they are perfect for the winter months when lips can feel rather dry. This is, or course, based on the two other color sticks I tried in the past. I never expect something so creamy and hydrating to have a long wear time but you get a solid three hours or so with these. I imagine the darker shades might have an even longer wear time.

So, the reason why I passed along shades 10 and 20 despite loving the formula is the scent. I do like and prefer fruity scents over floral in skincare and makeup but these do not float my boat! They smell overpoweringly like artificial peaches to me. It even tastes kind of like peaches when you first apply the product. The scent does fade away after a bit but it lingers around for longer than I'd like. I was hoping Neutrogena would have changed or toned down the peach scent a bit for the new shades but that isn't the case. It's a shame because I really do like how comfortable the MoistureSmooth Color Sticks feel on the lips and there's quite a variety of shades to choose from within the line. I just can't get past the scent so I won't be purchasing other shades in the future unless the brand decides to change the scent.

The crayons retail for $8.49 at Neutrogena, $8.99 at Ulta, and $7.99 at Target. They are reasonably priced in comparison to the Healthy Skin Perfector. You can get an even better deal by taking advantage of deals at the drugstore so never pay full price with drugstore brands if you're willing to wait a little!

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Thanks for stopping by,
Jennifer