I love trying out beauty products. So when I had a chance to try three of Zenmed’s natural skincare products that seem to have a cult-y following with beauty editors, influencers, and regular folks, I thought sure, why not!

They’re known for being 100% doctor-formulated, naturally-based, and made from lots of organically sourced ingredients. So that’s a good start.

About me and my skin:

I like my skin to be plump and dewy.  Glazed, like a sticky bun. When hydrated and moisturized to her fullest potential, my skin is bouncy and soft.  Mary Berry should be able to poke her finger into the dough of my cheek and murmur in her special way, See, when you poke it, it rebounds. That’s how you know there’s enough butter and moisture in it.

I’m also a professional opera singer, so I perform a lot, and often have a lot of makeup being slathered on and wiped off. My skin really needs a solid layer of protection for all that stuff, so rest assured I’m pretty particular about what I use.

Related: 7 POC-owned beauty brands that I already love, or am falling in love with right now.

What I look for in a skincare product:

I have a few criteria when I’m trying something new. Nothing too crazy.

-How does the product feel on my face?
-How does my face feel immedately after using the product?
-How does my face feel the next morning or a few hours after using the product?
-What kind of changes do I see in my skin after a few weeks of using the product?

The three products I was sent to try were the Zenmed Glycolic Booster, Zenmed B5 Hyaluronic Plumping Serum, and Zenmed Omegaceramide Moisturizer and after several weeks, here’s what I found.

About my results:

Just to be thorough, I tested each product on my face, but also on the back of my left hand. This way I could compare the treated skin on my left hand and the untreated skin on my right hand.

Spoiler: I didn’t see any discernible difference. But that doesn’t mean there wasn’t one product I loved. 

Zenmed Glycolic Booster and Zenmed B5 Hyaluronic Plumping Serum

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I regularly use products with Glycolic acid and Hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is one of my FAVORITE ingredients, especially in the winter.  But I can’t say I’m a huge fan of Zenmed’s Glycolic Booster or the B5 Hyaluronic Plumping Serum. 

The serum felt like water on my face, and my skin felt tight after using it. The hyaluronic acid serums I use tend have a bit more substance to them and my face feels good after using them. 

The glycolic booster didn’t brighten my skin or seem to “speed up rejuvenation” as promised. 

Verdict: Nope. 

Zenmed Omegaceramide+ Recovery Moisturizer

The surprise star of this trial turned out to be the recovery moisturizer.  I love it.

As in, ooh, this is magic!

It’s water-based, so it functions really well under makeup, it’s substantial enough that I think it will be perfect on its own during the summer, but I need something a little heavier for the winter.  It also works well with various oils and serums I already own from other brands, which is important to me.

As for the scent, it’s really light and kind of citrus-y; very pleasant.

This one is going in my kit and will definitely be used as my under-makeup moisturizer when I have shows and performances. It leaves the skin feeling really soft and plump,

Verdict: I highly, highly recommend this moisturizer. Magic!

Your results may vary

There are plenty of testimonials, before and after pictures, and reviews on the Zenmed website.  A few regimens look like they might work for people with specific skin needs, like acne or rosacea.  However, the products are pricey — while the products are natural and so on, a basic SPF moisturizer is $24.95 for just 2.5 ounces.

I’d be more likely steer someone toward The Ordinary for similar products.

Related; See Kate’s review of The Ordinary skincare products

Attention all beauty brands: One final note

If a beauty product is advertised as being suitable for all skin tones, I want to see pictures of all skin tones on the website. Sensitive skin is also experienced by people like me who have deeper skin tones.

And I’m always HIGHLY suspicious of a “translucent setting powder” that is white or light peach.

In this day and age, skincare and cosmetic companies like Zenmed need to recognize that their customer base is diverse, with varied needs. Black women and women of color want to buy from companies that understand that hey, we have skin too.

Thanks to the company for providing press samples for review consideration.

— Update: 15-02-2023 — cohaitungchi.com found an additional article ZENMED Skin Care Product Reviews (Used on Rosacea-Prone Skin) from the website greenjuliebc.com for the keyword zenmed rosacea review.

Hi Rosy Friends! Over the last few months, I’ve had the privilege of trying a huuuuge number of ZENMED products.  In fact, I’ve tried so many that I started this blog post in March 2018 and now it’s already halfway through June, and I’m just getting it finished (including rewriting this introduction, of course, because the original was completely out of date).

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I’m going to do my best to keep this concise because the products are fascinating, so I’ll be tempted to go on and on.  I’ve already done quite a few YouTube videos on my channel, but I thought it might be nice to have all the info here in one place. Here goes!

What is ZENMED?

I could do an entire blog post just on what this company stands for, but here are the points I found the most fascinating about them.  These are the reasons I find the brand appealing and that explain why I was happy to give so many ZENMED products a try.

• Since getting started in 1999, all ZENMED products have been 100% doctor-formulated.
• Each product is based on meticulously selected, pharmaceutical-grade natural ingredients combined with essential oils, vitamins and minerals.
• This company focuses on gentle, realistic, and practical skin care for troubled skin (rosacea, acne, scarring, spider veins, stretch marks, delicate, sensitive and even sensitive baby skin).
• They have a keep-it-simple attitude that recommends the use of fewer products, not more, when possible.
• All products are 100% sulfate-free, paraben-free, synthetic fragrance-free, irritant-free, dye-free,  and steroid-free.
• They produce their products in the smallest possible batches to ensure the maximum freshness and shelf-life.
• They have a rewards program when you shop directly from their website but they do not auto-ship, which is awesome because some of those programs are notoriously difficult to stop.
• All products are cruelty-free, vegan-friendly, and vegetarian-friendly. Packaging is minimal (no outer box with a tube inside, it’s just the tube) and 100% recyclable. The company is on both PETA’s and Leaping Bunny’s Approved Sellers list.
• They don’t just sell products but also provide useful information about certain skin conditions, including helpful care tips.

On to the products I tried!

ZENMED Gentle Cleansing Cream Review

The first thing I’d like to say about the Gentle Cleansing Cream is that it lasts a shockingly long time.  I used my bottle of it for at least 3 months, if not more, and I am a regular face-washer. I am not a slacker when it comes to my facial skin care routine.

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I love the pump bottle.  One pump dispensed the perfect amount. It made the cleanser easy to use both next to my sink and in my shower. The cream cleanser itself was very gentle and non-irritating.  I felt like my skin was getting clean without being stripped of its healthy natural oil base. It didn’t do much to remove makeup, but most cleansers aren’t so that isn’t a failing in my opinion.  I enjoyed this gentle cleanser.

ZENMED Nutrient Boost Spray Review

ZENMED Anti-Redness Mask Review

ZENMED B5 Hyaluronic Plumping Serum Review

ZENMED Support Serum Review

ZENMED AVT Cream Review

ZENMED Essential Eye Serum Review

The Essential Eye Serum feels very nice when applied.  I loved using it in the evening the most, even though I also used it in the morning (as per the instructions).  It was cooling and refreshing and didn’t irritate any of the rosacea-prone skin in the surrounding area.

Overall, I enjoyed using this product. I liked the feeling of it.  However, I did find its texture a bit on the strange side.  It was thick.  Very thick.  Thick enough that when I withdrew the dropper from the bottle, it left a hole behind that took so long to refill that it didn’t move while I waited.  Though this didn’t make it any less pleasant to apply to my face (in fact, it made it easier to dispense the perfect amount from the dropper onto my finger), once I’d used about half the bottle, it made it quite difficult to fill the dropper.  It’s a glass bottle with a small opening, so there isn’t a huge amount of maneuverability and, since there’s an empty hole where the dropper naturally enters the bottle, it took a lot of crafty dropper use to try to get enough of the product to use it. I’ll likely use a tiny spatula or toothpick to access the last quarter of the bottle.

I’m not entirely sure if it worked to reduce under-eye circles on me.  I have chronic insomnia, so I’m likely not an ideal person to test that sort of product, particularly because I’m obsessed with my facial redness far more than shadows and fine lines.  Perhaps it was working wonderfully and I didn’t notice.  What I do know is that it felt very refreshing and cooling, and I felt like I was doing something good for my skin to avoid future unwanted sagging and bagging.