Within the past year I’ve paid more attention to my skin. Maybe it’s because of the influence in blogger hype, or that I’m getting older and understand that sleeping in your makeup from the night before isn’t worth it. Either way, I’ve stepped up my game recently.

Before we dive in, here’s a little background on my skin type. I’ve never suffered from severe acne or any other facial blemishes thankfully, just the monthly hormonal breakout or two and red undertones. I’m oily through my t-zone and fairly normal through the rest of my face, so I tend to purchase products that are meant for combination skin types.

I’ve read a ton of skincare articles over the years and never worried about the products meant for anti-aging. But when I turned 26 this year, I knew from the years of reading these articles that your mid-twenties is typically the time to start playing defense against oncoming wrinkles. Dare I even say that already. 

When I walked into Sephora and told the saleswoman about my new age concerns she looked at me like I was delusional and told me retinol is not my endgame, yet at least. Gotta say that I did feel a little crazy to A) think that I needed to purchase that already and B) that I was even mildly concerned about “aging.”  But I’m on a mission to take better care of my skin, so a new routine was welcomed.

3 Little Wonders

She pointed me in the direction of an age-defying, retinol-free kit from Ole Henriksen. I had never used this brand before, but the fact that it’s an easy-to-use kit had me sold immediately. Since I didn’t really know where to begin, the 3 Little Wonders kit was the perfect three step system for day and night. At $72, it’s still a sticker shock, especially since I had never used it before. But when you compare it to how much each product is individually, it’s a steal.

3 Little Wonders claims to brighten, firm, even skin tone, smooth texture, and reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles – in seven days. I needed to address some of these concerns anyway, so the age-defying effect was an added bonus.

The Truth Serum goes on in the morning and comes in an orange bottle packed with Vitamin C and collagen. It smells amazing and goes on lightweight. I wanted a serum that didn’t feel greasy or slimy on my skin, especially if I was going to put on makeup right after. I follow that up with the Sheer Transformation Perfecting Moisturizer, which again is lightweight while still hydrating. It doesn’t feel heavy or sticky, especially through my t-zone.

The Full Lineup

At night I switch up the Truth Serum for the Invigorating Night Transformation Gel, where the age-defying portion comes in. It’s also lightweight and makes my face feel refreshed in the morning. But before that, I cleanse my skin with Burt’s Bees Sensitive Facial Cleanser. I wanted something that was as simple as possible since I had introduced three new products to my face. It’s fragrance free and soap free. Score.

I then apply Thayers Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner. I like that this was also all-natural and I read that it was good for skin redness. Next, I apply the Night Transformation Gel, then the moisturizer, and finally the Skin Laundry Wrinkle Release Eye Cream with Peptides. I like that it’s in a tube so you can easily apply it to your ring finger and control the amount you want. It’s lightweight and dries quickly. I’m not sure if it’s helped greatly with bags under my eyes in the morning, but I do notice more when I don’t use it.

Final Thoughts

This is the first time I’ve stuck to a skincare routine religiously (for $72 I better use it all), and I can say that I’ve definitely noticed a change in my skin. It looks visibly brighter in the morning, and the once flaky bits of dry skin I would have on my forehead have disappeared. The 3 Little Wonders kit is worth the money. I’m not sure if it’s meant for all skin types, so definitely do your research before. But for my combination skin it has worked wonders.

My only concern is that now I feel like I have to keep up with an “age-defying” routine. I’m using quotations because I’m still not sure if I’ve made it up in my head as a mandatory routine, or if it just sounds better to say that instead of anti-aging. Either way, I’m going to do more research before purchasing the next products.