When I was younger I didn’t have many breakouts on my face at all. As the years have passed, hormones and pregnancy have taken their toll on me, and to make matters worse, I have a major problem with picking my pimples. I have learned over the years that taking care of your skin starts with proper hydration and finding the right products.

I have used all types of skin care lines throughout my life. I always thought that scrubbing my face hard was necessary to remove  all the gross dirt and micro-bacteria that was happening behind the scenes. I almost exclusively used foaming cleaners—the more foam the cleaner my skin was, right? Wrong. All those years I suffered from dry, irritated skin. Which in turn always lead to more breakouts on my face, neck, and back!

I remember every time I would go shopping I would avoid tank tops and anything that showed my back. I was completely embarrassed by my breakouts. I would shower daily and was always trying new shampoos and body washes. I thought with long hair it was most likely the products that I was using sitting on my skin. As I grew older I began to realize the importance of taking care of my body and most especially my skin.

When I first found out about Maskcara Beauty makeup I had no idea that they also had a skin care line. I just knew at the time that I loved the makeup!  Then one day while browsing their website I came across the Tres Leches Skin Care System. The item description said the following:

“Washing the skin with moderately or high alkaline soap or detergents is one of the most common mistakes made that strips away the protective acid layer.”

That means that all of the soap-based cleansers that foam-up and create bubbles can be more irritating to your skin. Often times they do more harm than good. No wonder I was having so much trouble!

There are some specific things I love that sets the Tres Leches system apart from other skin care products. Their packaging is beautiful. Everything is created so that you don’t contaminate your products. Leaving them fresh and bacteria free!

The smell of each product is delicious (don’t eat it!) Within a month of using the entire skin care line my face truly had a noticeable glow. My skin felt rejuvenated, hydrated and smooth. The system itself is made up of three unique products: Milk Cleanser, Milk Toner, and Milk Creme.

Maskcara’s Milk Cleanser is a lactic acid cream-based cleanser. It is gentle on your skin and helps sustain your skin’s natural acid and lipid layer. Acids and lipids are essential for your skin—these are the the natural oils, vitamins and fats your body needs and uses to help keep your skin healthy.

The Milk Cleanser is more liquid than cleansers I have used in the past. The consistency and color would have you to believe that there is straight up cows milk in your bottle. Because of this, the bottle has a dropper making it easier to use. This also ensures that not a single drop of your product goes to waste.

As you apply the cleanser to your face it’s smooth, not irritating, and leaves your skin feeling refreshed. The best part about the Milk Cleanser in my opinion is that you don’t have to rinse it off by sticking your head in the sink. The Tres Leches Skin Care System comes with three microfiber clothes that you wet with warm water to gently remove the cleanser.

Before trying out the Tres Leches system, I never put any thought into using a toner. I honestly always thought it was just another way for companies to suck more money out of you. Come to find out, toner is actually very important. The purpose of toner is to exfoliate (gently, of course) while keeping a delicate pH-balance for your skin. According to Maskcara, “Vitamins and minerals help keep the skin smooth, healthy and even.” Isn’t that what we all strive for with our skin?

The toner comes in a spray bottle and applies as a light mist. For me it was too strong at first to use daily. I realized that I needed to ease into it by using it less than three times a week. This allowed my skin to adjust to its new normal. Once my skin had adjusted (after about a month or so) I started to use it more frequently.

The liquid gold of this line is Maskcara’s Milk Creme. This fantastic moisturizer contains actual milk components, and moisturizes like no other! It really does leave your skin with a noticeable glow. Milk Creme contains  alpha-hydroxy, lactic acid, and vitamins A and E, which according to Maskcara work together to help exfoliate your skin and push out dead skin cells.

Most women try everything they possibly can to reduce their wrinkles and fine lines. Let’s face it, when we see a new line or wrinkle we don’t necessarily jump up and down with excitement that time and gravity are our friends. But there is hope! The components in the Milk Creme moisturizer help “healthy skin cell turnover” which in turn lessens those fine lines and wrinkles.

I know, we always look at price and ask “is it worth the money?” There are a lot of cleansers and skin care lines out there, so what makes the Tres Leches system worth paying for? My suggestion to you is to do your research before you buy. This goes for any product, at any price point.

If you are interested in Tres Leches but don’t want to spend the money, I highly recommend at least purchasing the Milk Creme moisturizer. If I had to choose just one product, this would be the one. Your skin will thank you.

For me, all of the products in the Tres Leches system last about three months. Just like all Makscara products, a little goes a long way! I tend to use up my moisturizer faster than the cleanser and toner because I use it morning and night (and my husband likes to steal it, too).

All this said, it is important to take care of our skin and our bodies and it really starts from the inside out. Today, drink some water and hydrate your skin. Tomorrow,  buy a good moisturizer. In a few years (or in many years!) when you’re looking at your aged skin in the mirror, don’t you want to be able to say, “Dang, I look good?”