FRÉ Skincare Products Review

FRÉ Skincare Products Review

I don’t know why it has taken me so long to write a review for a set of products that I use every day.  You guys might know that last year I became an ambassador for the brand FRÉ Skincare.  FRÉ makes products to meet the needs of active women or women who sweat.  Let’s all put our hands up, shall we?

I’m getting sweaty on a daily basis; if not through exercise, than through the hot climate that I reside in.  We’re talking So Cal summers here!  So, I’ve really put these products to the test and can feel confident in saying these are top-notch.  I largely attribute the luxurious feel of the products to their Argania Active Complex derived from antioxidant-rich Argan oil.  It’s an integral aspect of their brand so the Argan used is high in quality and sourced carefully.  I won’t go into their full story here but you can read more about it on their website!   

What I will share with you here is my experience with the products!  Before we dive into the review, I want to be transparent and say that FRÉ did send the products to me but I am not obligated to write a review here on my blog.  Actually, nor was I obligated to use the products EVERY DAY for the past 6 months.  That’s all on me!  It just goes to show that when you find products that work, you stick with them.

Despite that, I will admit to having a few issues/concerns about the products and I will definitely be sharing that below.  They might not be a big deal for you but I want to clearly outline anything and everything that I can so that if you are considering shopping FRÉ, you’ll know what to expect.

Without further ado, here is my breakdown of how the FRÉ Skincare line of products have performed, what I like, and what I’m not that into.

FRÉ 123 Set

Protect Me- Defense Facial Moisturizer with SPF30

protect me fre skincare

Protect Me via FRÉ Skincare

Sunscreen is a love it or hate it type of products.  We all know we should be applying sunscreen anytime we may be exposed to the sun for any amount of time.  Yet, how many times have you tried to be a good citizen and applied your sunscreen, only to feel a THICK, sometimes WHITE, layer on your face and have it clog up your pores?? Ugh, nothing is worse. 

Enter Protect Me which is specifically designed with non-comedogenic Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane and Octocrylene as sunscreen ingredients.  These have been studied and tested to provide UVA and UVB protection together and do not leave that thick sunscreen layer on your face.  It is also worth mentioning that I’ve had zero breakouts and no issues with having a whitecast in photos because of the product.

Although, I wouldn’t be an honest blogger if I didn’t also admit that, while those above mentioned sunscreen ingredients serve to prevent clogged pores, they are also potential endocrine disruptors.  Yeah, there is some light research suggesting Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane can mimic estrogen in the body and it’s friend Octocrylene  causes cell die-off as the ingredient is exposed to UV rays.  A little fishy considering these are ingredients that will be absorbed into our skin.  Yet, if the alternative is not wearing sunscreen or wearing one that your skin hates, then I think this might not be a big deal.  I just wanted to point this out so you guys can make an informed decision.

Purify Me- Hydrating Facial Cleanser

purify me fre skincare

Purify Me via FRÉ Skincare

Maybe you’ve heard oil is the best thing to use to remove eye make-up because they work together?  If not, here I am to inform you that oil is the best to use for eye make-up removal.  Similarly, we need an ingredient that works with what we have on our facial skin to remove dirt and impurities.  That might be an oil-based moisturizer like Purify Me!  Most of my makeup is actually water-based so I have an easier time using a makeup-removing face wash or micellar water before Purify Me. 

On days when I just got sweaty sans makeup, Purify Me works well alone!  It is a creamy face cleanser with gentle microbeads (and not the synthetic kind that hurt the environment).  The cleanser is amazing to clean and lock in moisture at the same time.  I’ve mentioned how the products were designed for active/sweaty skin but I find the Argan oil ingredients are also extremely beneficial for dry skin!  My skin certainly feels supple and soft after using this cleanser.

Revive Me- Deep Replenishing Serum

revive me fre skincare

Revive Me via FRÉ Skincare

The serum is by far my favorite product right here!  I can’t tell you how many facial moisturizers I’ve tried and they’re often too thick or too thin or just don’t get the job done.  My skin looks and feels so much better since I started using Revive Me.

When I started using the serum, my skin broke out—not to blame the Revive Me but my skin was simply adjusting to a new and non-comedogenic product.  After about a week, I notice my skin was not dry, irritated, or nearly as red as it used to be.  My face was so sensitive but the serum really helped to eliminate irritation and promote my own skin’s cellular turnover.  I rarely get breakouts now!

If you can only get one product to try, I would say get this serum!

Glow Me

glow me fre skincare

Glow Me via FRÉ Skincare

This product is FRÉ Skincare’s answer to the beloved tinted moisturizer.  It does not have the coverage you can achieve with a foundation or concealer but that is not expected.  Similar to Protect Me, Glow Me won’t clog your pores and it is easy enough to layer with the other FRÉ products without experiencing layers and layers of heaviness.  On the other hand, the tinted moisturizer has a thicker feeling than any of the other products.  The tackiness goes away after a few minutes of air-drying or with a follow-up touch of powder.

Surprisingly, Glow Me does not utilize the same sunscreen ingredients as Protect Me.  Instead, it uses Cyclopentasiloxane and the well-studied titanium dioxide combined with Trimethoxycaprylylsilane.  I couldn’t find too much on the latter ingredient as far as testing or safety, at the moment. Cyclopentasiloxane, although it does not have the hormone disruptive effects as Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, can however become toxic to organs with continued use because of the bioaccumulative nature of the chemical.  Again, these are not necessarily reasons to deter anyone from trying the products but points I feel particularly inclined to research for sunscreen-containing products.  

Detox Me

detox me fre skincare

Detox Me via FRÉ Skincare

Face masks are notoriously drying or breakout-causing, for me.  Yet, Detox Me utilizes the same argan oil base as all of the other products which keeps it from being drying.  Of course, it serves its purpose as a mask to dislodge skin impurities and unclog pores with the help of kaolin clay and dead sea salt. 

I love the way the mask feels exfoliating as you rub it on but it feels like it balances my skin’s pH as I’m wearing it.  FRÉ recommends using it after working out, one to three times per week.  I personally enjoy using the mask after taking a shower twice a week, ideally.

There you have it, folks!  Those are the key things I would want you to know if you’re thinking of buying any of the FRÉ products.  I do believe the ingredients are very skin-friendly and seem to be agreeable with all skin types—oily, dry, and everything in between. 

The best way to get a feel for the products is to try them out!  I am particularly drawn to the Detox Set but you can also purchase the products individually.  If you are interested, be sure to use my code: MELANIEM or this link https://www.freskincare.com/MELANIEM so that you can snag a discount at checkout!

Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions about the products.  I’m happy to provide you with answers to help you decide if FRÉ is right for you.

Thank you for reading and being here.

Xoxo,

Melanie

 

Stretches for Upper Back Pain

Stretches for Upper Back Pain

How is your posture?  Would you say you can comfortably sit up for long periods of time without hunching over?  Personally, I feel that posture is something I need to continuously work on.  Lately, I’ve found myself leaning forward a lot more, thus, putting pressure on my upper back.  Specifically, my shoulder blade area on my back is where I’ve been getting a lot of tension build up. 

If you’ve followed me on Instagram for a while, you know I’m a big yogi.  Though, I can’t say I have been as dedicated to my practice the past few months.  I go through phases where I really get into other forms of exercise so yoga has taken a backseat.  It is evident to me that my body is asking for more yoga and stretching because my posture has really gone downhill. 

Instead of being upset about my upper back pain, which is likely a result of looking down at too many screens, I’m going to work on it.  I have the tools of yoga and some key stretches that have really been helping. 

Today, I’m going to share with you the stretches that I have been doing to alleviate my upper back pain.  This quick upper back stretching routine is great to do on its own or after a workout.  You can also do this routine at your desk because it only requires the space you’re standing on. 

You can watch the quick video demonstration of the moves over on my IGTV profile on Instagram.  I’ve also included a gif here which shows a breakdown of the stretches.  (My apologies for the lousy quality of the gif–I highly recommend watching the video for better instruction!)

upper back pain stretches gif

Reach for the sky– Lift both arms straight up and reach as high as you can.  Repeat 2x.

Crossover arm– Cross the right arm across your body, keeping it straight, and lightly tug it towards your body.  Repeat on the left side.

Elbow to the sky– Reach your right hand up and bend at the elbow, reaching your hand towards your shoulder blades.   Keep your elbow pointing towards the sky and, using your opposite hand, tug your elbow towards the left side.  Repeat on the other side, with your left arm up, tugging with your right hand.

Shoulder blade tug-backs – Lift your arms straight up and then slowly bring your arms down behind you.  Draw your shoulder blades together while doing so.  Repeat 3x.

Hands behind your back – On your third shoulder blade tug-back, keep pulling your hands down until they connect behind your back.  If your body is comfortable with it, a slight backbend would feel excellent right here.

Bend forward – Keep your hands connected behind your back and lean forward.  Make sure you keep your back straight while bending forward, bending at your knees to propel yourself forward.

Reach for the sky – To come out of the forward bend, press your feet firmly on the ground.  Use your feet to press against the ground and lift you back to a straight position.  Release your arms and take them straight up to the sky one more time.

And if you have access to some floor space, I highly recommend this bonus stretch.

Thread the needle – Bring your hands and knees to the ground in an all fours position.  Slightly separate your knees and connect your feet to create a triangle-like position.  Press firmly with your hands on the ground before raising your left hand to the sky.  Reach as high as is comfortable before bringing your hand back down and underneath the right side of your body.  With your right arm propping you up, lean slightly on your left side to stretch out the upper back.  Do what feels natural with your right arm but here are two suggestions: 1) keep your right hand pressed against the ground to prop you up or 2) lift your right arm and reach behind your back, towards your left hip.  Choose whichever motion feels most comfortable for you.

stretches for upper back pain

I hope this stretching routine helps you out.  If you give it a try, let me know what you think!

Do you want to see more quick routines like this?  Drop me some comments down below or on Instagram!

Have a great day, friends!

Xoxo,

Melanie