Before ads were incorporated into the site, Instagram used to be a safe place for me. Now, I can't help but order large amounts of miscellaneous items that I don't often use every time I am scrolling through Insta. This is coming from a chronic online shopper, so needless to say I can't help but get distracted. Yet, one of my best finds to date happens to come from an advertisement I saw for Curology, a next level skincare program that users seem to swear by. Naturally, I had to investigate this product for myself and see if it truly lived up to its name.

For most of my life, I have always had relatively clear skin. It wasn't until I was about 16 that I really started to notice acne breakouts on my forehead, and it became something that I was very self conscious about. I decided to start ordering custom skincare kits from Proactiv, and up until last month I remained a loyal customer. For years, Proactiv eliminated even my toughest of breakouts, though it hasn't helped much with my biggest problem area: an oily t-zone. In fact, I noticed at times that it dried out these areas on my face, causing more oil to produce and more blackheads to occur. I became extremely frustrated with the product, and finally decided to break down and try Curology.

I did not know what to expect when purchasing this product, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that this brand of skincare is truly customized. When you go on Curology's website, you enter different types of information about your skin, including products that you currently use, as well as the problem areas you are looking to target. You submit photos of your skin from a few different angles, and within a few days a dermatologist reaches out to you with the specific skincare formula they have crafted for your needs. Interestingly, the dermatologist that contacted me made me aware of some of the ingredients in my previous skincare line that were potentially causing my skin to act up. As Curology also asks if you are taking any medications, she informed me that the birth control I was using was known to be tough on skin, and even gave me a list of recommendations of other birth control pills that might be more suitable to not irritate my skin and cause hormonal breakouts.

Though I have only been using Curology products for about a month, I have noticed an immediate difference in my skin. I break out far less often than I used to, and when I do, I can confidently rely on Curology to clear it up quickly. Since using my three step skincare line, I have seen a visible reduction in the size of my pores. As a result, I am feeling confident enough to wear less foundation and concealer, as there is no longer much that I feel needs to be covered. Curology has allowed me to feel confident in my own skin, and thanks to this Instagram ad, I have found a line of products that I plan to use continuously.