Somme Institute 5 step skincare regimen – review

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5 Steps, 5 Vitamins, 5 Minutes; we tell you what it can do!

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There was a time in my life that I bucked routines. I have to be there every day at a what time? Yeah, that probably won’t happen. Use A, followed by B, then C? What if I want to start with C and skip A all together? You get the idea, from school to skincare – I was a bit of a rebel.

But I’m finding the older I get, routines are a good thing. They’re here to create order. And order creates ease. As much as my young rebel self would disagree; who doesn’t want ease?! Plus, as with the case with the 5 step regimen from Somme Institute, order also creates well-behaved skin!

It’s no wonder that Somme Institute considers themselves first as a research company, there are years of it behind the products. Just look at the time line. In 1994 a team of dermatologists from across the country was assembled. In 1996 clinical trials began and 7 YEARS and 5000 participants later, the introduced their technology called MDT5; Molecular Dispersion Technology. Sounds fancy and scientific, doesn’t it? It is indeed.

MDT5 is a formulation of 5 highly-engineered vitamins (A, B3, B5, C and E), bound to proteins that are proven to do everything from reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, discoloration and brown spots to treat moderate to severe acne as well as rosacea. Even the biggest system-bucker has got to be impressed with those kind of results! Best of all, the products are suitable for all skin types.

First of all will you look at that simplistic packaging? Before it even started on my face, it made my bathroom counter look better! Simple dots take the place of tons of text or large logos. The color coding even carries over to the insides of the boxes…

The system came with instructions to use ONLY Somme products for 1 week straight, and that it’s not uncommon to see some breakouts as your skin regulates. Uh oh. Though I appreciated the honesty (and have heard this before), no one looks forward to their skin revolting. Lucky for me, it didn’t happen. I think my skin, used to bouncing around from line to line, product to product – was craving some structure. Here’s are the five ways in which the system works…

1. Cleansing: Nourishing Cleanser $40 | 8 oz.
This is a non-foaming creamy cleanser. Being a bubble addict, this wouldn’t usually be my cup of tea. It also doesn’t hold up to my Clarisonic. But I surprised myself by liking this. My skin felt really clean, but not overly stripped. I felt like it moisturized a bit as well. And in a pinch, it’s so gentle I’ve been using it as eye makeup remover!

2. Exfoliating: Transport $58 | 50 pads
Easily my favorite part of the system, I was immediately taken back to my days of Stridex pads. Remember the clean feeling you were left with after you swept them over your face? Times it by 10. This is one satisfying product. They combine their MDT5 with AHA to exfoliate skin in the same way a peel does. Sensitive skin folks may need to work up to daily use but I love a good, tingling peel. I also loved the instant results, this tamed my wayward skin right away. I looked instantly brighter and clearer.

3. Treating: Serum $82 | 1 oz.
I’ve had the pleasure of trying some amazing serums in my testing lifetime. Somme Institute’s is right up there. First of all, it has an amazing scent that I can’t exactly place. Is it tea? Fruit? Whatever it is, it’s light and delicious. Much like the serum itself. It’s a potent concoction but you’d never know it. It sinks into skin instantly, not leaving any feeling of stickiness or residue. And my skin loves it!

4. Moisturizing: A-Bomb $70 | 1.5 oz.
I can see A-Bomb having a lot of fans. It’s lightweight enough that oily folks (like myself) can use it and not feel slick. And those drier people in the need of a bit more moisture will find that in it as well. And as with the serum, there’s a slightly different, but equally yummy and unplaceable scent.

5. Protecting: Double Defense $48.00 | 3.8 oz.
Here’s where I went back to my rebellious ways. I didn’t like this step. I’m not a fan of the feel and smell of spf. The spf has to be well disguised in the product for me to use it. Sadly, there was no denying what this was. I gave it to Tyna, so she’ll need to let us know her thoughts in the comments (and don’t yell at me – I get spf in my tinted moisturizer).

You may have noticed, orderly skin doesn’t come cheap (the 5 products together are $298). But sans Double Defense, I really liked what this system did for my skin. It acted balanced, looked brighter and there was nary a breakout in site. They do sell a Mobile Kit, 1-2 weeks worth of all 5 products for $85. But honestly, that’s a third of the price of getting them all full size, and if a system sounds like just the routine your skin needs – I’d do that. Or (shh!) you could always be a rebel and buy just the products that appeal to you. I won’t tell…

Disclosure: This review includes products that were provided by the manufacturer/PR firm for our consideration. For more info, or any questions, please see our disclosure policy.