Colleen Rothschild Skincare Review: the best products for aging skin

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I used Colleen Rothschild skincare for the first time about nine years ago. I had just turned 30 and was working in Corporate America, and was fighting some serious adult breakouts. And I was so embarrassed by my skin that I even called in sick to work a few times. However, someone from Colleen Rothschild reached out to me via my blog. I had never heard of the brand, but they offered to send me some products to try and I happily accepted. In fact, I had tried EVERYTHING and my breakouts never improved and so willing to try ANYTHING.

When the products arrived, it was a night and day experience compared to the other products I’d used. They FELT different. They SMELLED differently. And they APPLIED differently. I finally understood what high-quality skincare was all about. And I felt beyond cool that the brand sent me fancy products.

Colleen Rothschild Skincare Review

After I used the Colleen Rothschild Cleansing Balm for a week, my skin started to clear up. And that is what truly began my skincare journey. Years later, I LOVE skincare and am a total skincare/makeup junkie and love trying new products. I also love helping others with their skin via this blog and my skincare 101 course since I know how much skin impacts confidence, and I want to help others feel good in their own skin.

As I started researching why the Colleen Rothschild Cleansing Balm was so effective for me, I realized that I actually had DRY skin. I assumed that I had oily skin given my breakouts and was using acne and oil controlling products. The products I’d used in the past had harsh and/or used cheap ingredients that made my breakouts much worse. This happened even with the brands my dermatologist recommended. When I finally started using gentler products made with high-quality ingredients that were right for my skin, my skin transformed. And I NEVER take that for granted. (I have a review of the Colleen Rothschild cleansing balm here that shares what I learned.)

Sounds dramatic, sure. But when you’re fighting breakouts in your 30s and something finally clears your skin up, it’s life-changing. I even cried when I met Colleen two years ago at a work conference, since I was so grateful, even years later. Slightly embarrassing but true story.

I’ve loved Colleen Rothschild products ever since I first tried the Cleansing Balm and when I recently got it again, it made me so nostalgic. (I didn’t know I could be nostalgic about skincare products, but here we are.) CR is one of the brands I go back to again and again. I’m always amazed by how well their products work AND how luxurious they feel. They also SMELL amazing; I am very sensitive to smells but honestly love the subtle scents of their products. I’ve been using Colleen Rothschild products daily as part of my AM and PM skincare routines for about 2.5 years now. And my skin has honestly never looked better.

The founder, Colleen, has been in the beauty and skincare business for decades and cares about creating science-backed, high performance skincare products. She works hard to make sure the ingredients in all of her products provide both immediate and long-term results. It’s truly high-end skincare, and it feels like it when you’re using it.

Today I’m sharing a full review of Colleen Rothschild, the products I’ve tried so far, and whether or not they’re worth the money. If you read that intro, you can probably guess if I think they’re worth it. Okay, let’s jump in.

Who is Colleen Rothschild?

Colleen Rothschild, the founder of Colleen Rothschild Beauty, has been in the beauty industry for over 30 years. At the beginning of her career, she worked on the manufacturing side of beauty where she spent time behind the scenes in a lab. Through that experience, she learned about ingredients and methods that provide real results (and the ones that didn’t).

Colleen started her first retail based beauty business with her husband Stan, which they eventually sold to a competitor. Colleen Rothschild is their newest venture and is still a relatively small business, which I didn’t realize until I met her in Dallas two years ago. I love that aspect since I know each of their employees truly cares about getting great products out into the market (and as I’ve gotten to work with their team over the last few years, it has only made me love them more. They are LOVELY). Additionally, Colleen is a breast-cancer survivor so she understands the importance of safe formulations and they even have a butter designed to help with breast self-exams.

Best Colleen Rothschild Products

Let’s get into a review of each of my favorite products.

Before I list out ALL of my favorites (since there are a ton), I wanted to share my top 3 picks. If you were to only buy a few items, get these:

#1. Radiant Cleaning Balm – This is the most hydrating cleansing balm I’ve ever tried. And it removes your eye makeup without stinging or irritation. I have a full review of the cleansing balm here. Compared to other brands (I’ve tried a handful of other best selling cleansing balms), this is the best by far.

#2. Illuminating Tinted Eye Cream – I’ve never used a product like this before. It’s an eye cream and contains hyaluronic acid to help with water retention and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, but the pigment in it acts as a concealer too! It has pearlized pigment that cuts the darkness of under eye circles and it also has a brightening/glowy effect. Many days I can skip concealer entirely after using this.

#3 Hyaluronic Acid Serum – As someone who struggles with extremely dry skin, this Hyaluronic Acid serum is one of the products that’s made a noticeable difference in the overall feel and appearance of my skin. I feel like my skin literally drinks it up. It provides moisture-binding hydration that helps prevent Trans Epidermal Water Loss (TEWL). My skin looks and feels plumped and hydrated after applying this in the morning. I use it right before my vitamin C serum.

Another note: If you have a handful of products on your wishlist, one of the best ways to try them without breaking the bank is to get the Discovery Set. This set includes a handful of their best selling products in travel sizes.

Alright, let’s get into a review of all of my favorite Colleen Rothschild products.

Skincare

Radiant Cleansing Balm

Starting with the O.G. – the Radiant Cleansing Balm. This is the first product I used from Colleen Rothschild. Like I mentioned above, I struggled with breakouts and I had been stripping my skin of all its natural oils, thinking it would help my breakouts. But it was actually just causing my skin to produce more oil to overcompensate. And that’s what resulted in the breakouts. It’s important to figure out if your breakouts are a result of over-drying your skin, or if you truly have oily/acne prone skin.

If you think your skin might be breaking out as a result of over-drying, use the cleansing balm daily and then a charcoal mask once a week. (But you have true oily, blemish prone skin, you will probably love the new Gentle and Clear line from Colleen Rothschild. My content manager has sensitive, breakout prone skin and that line has been transformative for her.)

I also LOVE how thick this balm is. It’s made with a blend of loofah seed and moringa oil, which help renew the outer layer of skin while also restoring the balance. The smell is amazing too – like the best day spa. I look forward to using this at night.

The balm comes with a muslin cloth which provides the perfect amount of exfoliation and helps remove your makeup. You apply the balm to dry skin, massage it in and then use very warm water to wet the cloth and wipe the balm (and your makeup) off. Finish with a splash of tepid water before patting it dry.

Now that I’m almost 40, I LOVE how hydrating it the Radiant Cleansing Balm is – my skin feels dramatically different compared to how it feels after other cleansers, even other popular cleansing balms. I use it at night to remove my makeup and it removes all traces (and never stings my eyes!). It comes in a mini, regular, and jumbo size and the jars lasts forever since you only need to use a very small amount. You can find all three sizes of the cleansing balm on this page.

Illuminating Tinted Eye Cream

I’m pretty picky when it comes to eye creams. However, this Illuminating Tinted Eye Cream one is the best I’ve ever tried for covering dark circles. Not only does it address dryness, puffiness, fine lines, and wrinkles, but the light peach tint helps brighten your under-eyes and helps mask blue toned shadows. I use this only in the morning since I don’t want to waste the product at night. I think of this as “fake awake” eye cream. This sells out constantly, so I always recommend that you add it to your cart if it’s in stock while shopping.

Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Like I mentioned above, this HA serum is in my top three favorite products from Colleen Rothschild. I use it in the mornings after cleansing and toning, and right before applying a vitamin C serum. My skin feels instantly more hydrated after using this, and it helps make me look more awake by plumping everything up. I also really like the texture of this hyaluronic acid because it’s super lightweight and layers well under my other serums. I tried five brands of hyaluronic acid serum last year and liked this best. It was a top pick in my Best of 2023 Beauty Awards!

Face Oil N°9

I’ve truly never used a more luxurious face oil than this N°9 Face Oil (and I’ve tried LOTS of face oils over the years!). The texture is unbelievable… like a blend of velvet and silk. Plus, it smells lovely. It’s incredibly hydrating and includes ingredients that protect from oxidative stress (which contributes to wrinkles and dark spots). It’s not greasy, but instead absorbs quickly, leaving your skin silky and smooth.

The best way to apply this is after your night cream to help lock in the moisture. I use this after my night cream and it’s helped my super dry postpartum skin SO much. Colleen also does her “Colleen Cocktail” by mixing the oil with the Extreme Recovery Cream in her hand before applying it. Try both ways and see what you like best!

Dual Enzyme Polish

This Duel Enzyme Polish face mask is impressive. It’s gentle, but still manages to make my dull skin look fresh and radiant. Cliche word, but true. I’m always blown away by how clear and bright my skin looks after just 10 minutes! It’s like I had a facial at home. This mask uses a blend of fruit enzymes and AHA to exfoliate, and also contains comfrey and argan oil to rebalance the skin.

I use this once a week or so (I actually HATE doing face masks because I feel like they take too long, but this one is so effective that I force myself to use it once a week by leaving it in my shower). You apply it all over your skin in a thin layer, leave it on for 5-10 minutes, and then gently wash it off, massaging your skin with the beads.

Intense Hydrating Mask

This Hydrating Mask is the first overnight face mask I ever used and I STILL remember what it felt like the first time I used it! Throughout the first weeks of postpartum after having Charles, I would apply this to my face every time I got up in the middle of the night to nurse. It smells heavenly, feels light, but hydrates SO well. (It’s one of my postpartum must haves!)

I actually like applying this before long flights to help keep my skin hydrated. I also really like the Matcha Tea Hydrating Balm when I fly. It’s a stick that you can apply to your skin throughout the day. It’s cooling and hydrating (and smells amazing). I like to keep this in my travel bag for flights too.

Glycolic Acid Peel Pads with Blue Agave

I use the Glycolic Acid Peel Pads once a week. If you’ve never used a peel skincare product, they often have a tingling effect, like the Beautycounter Overnight Resurfacing Peel (review linked) or iS Clinical Active Peel Pads (review linked). However, these Glycolic Acid Peel Pads are formulated for sensitive skin, so they don’t tingle the way typical peel pads do, making them a perfect option for all skin types.

These peel pads use a 10% blend of glycolic and lactic acids, which help target fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and dark spots. My skin feels SO refreshed after using these. I use these 1-2x a week, but not on the same night as the dual enzyme polish.

Age Renewal Super Serum

If you are like me and you have a million serums that you like to use, and knowing which to use and when feels a little overwhelming, let me introduce you to the answer to the confusion: the Age Renewal Super Serum. This serum is packed with ALL of the ingredients you want in any serum. It fights the six signs of aging: texture, dehydration, elasticity, fine lines, radiance, and tone. It contains 20 potent ingredients, including peptides, collagen boosters, amino acids, vitamins, and plant extracts. It’s a one-size-fits-all for anti-age serums, and a great option if you want to simplify your skincare routine.

Retinol Supreme Night Oil

The Retinol Supreme Night Oil is the best of two worlds. It has the powerful regenerative and anti-aging benefits from retinol, but it also contains vitamin C, which works with retinol to brighten and even your skin tone while promoting cell turnover. Since it’s an oil, it’s much less aggressive on sensitive skin than other retinols and retin-A can be, so it’s a great option for new retinol users. I noticed results after using this just one time – my skin was brighter and smoother!

This is used as your serum step in your skincare routine, so after cleansing and toning. You can follow with a moisturizer. I use this just a few times a week, alternating with my other favorite serums.

While almost everything from Colleen Rothschild is safe for pregnancy, this is not. I stopped using this when I got pregnant with Charles and switched to this Beautycounter Overnight Resurfacing Peel which is safer and actually just as effective, so it’s a great option if you don’t want to use a retinol.

Retinol Supreme Eye Serum

The Retinol Supreme Eye Serum goes hand in hand with the Retinol Supreme Eye Serum. It has the same blend of retinol and vitamin c, which is a powerhouse duo. While the vitamin C in the Retinol Night Oil evens skin tone, the main benefit of the vitamin C in the eye serum is antioxidant support. The serum is very gentle since the skin around your eye is delicate. It’s best to follow this with an eye cream.

Butter Lip Mask

The Butter Lip Mask is one of the most hydrating lip masks I’ve ever used. I took it with me to Utah (it’s super dry there, so this was a great test) and it made a huge difference in my dry, cracked lips. This is another postpartum essential.

I also really love the Colleen Rothschild Vitamin E Lip Moisturizer, and the best way to try both is with their Kiss and Tell Lip Trio (you also get a lip scrub!).

Hair Care

You can see the rest of my hair care routine broken down in this blog post.

Quench and Shine Restore Shampoo and Conditioner

I wouldn’t say I’m super picky about my shampoo and conditioner, and I do alternate between brands based on what I have on hand. But if I had to pick, it would be Colleen Rothschild’s shampoo and conditioner. It’s leaves my (thick) hair super smooth and shiny.

Quench & Shine Restorative Mask

This hair mask has become another one of my go-to’s (such a go-to in fact, that I’ve been using it instead of my regular conditioner lately). I’ve used lots of hair masks in the past few years, but this is my current favorite. My hair feels smooth and hydrated, with none of the heaviness that I get from some products. It softens and detangles just like conditioner, but the results last longer.

The scent is SO nice too!

Smooth & Shine Hair Serum

I have pretty thick hair that’s gotten a bit dryer and frizzier as I’ve aged and had kids, so I’m always looking for products to help keep it smooth and shiny throughout the day. The Smooth and Shine Hair Serum is what I use right before I blow dry and style my hair. It pairs well with my volumizing foam to help maintain the shine of my hair without sacrificing the volume.

Protect and Perfect Hair Styling Cream

The last Colleen Rothschild hair product I swear by is the Protect and Perfect Hair Styling Cream. I use this before blowdrying my hair as well, and it protects it from too much heat (I dry and style my hair most days), and also maintains shine. It also helps maintain my flyaways!

Hair Care Travel Set

The best bang for your buck, if you’re wanting to try all of Colleen Rothschild hair products, is their hair care travel set. The products are all travel size, but not too small that you’ll use them up in one trip. They come in a cute bag, and the set also includes a head massager, which is a fun touch.

Are Colleen Rothschild Products Clean?

Colleen Rothschild products are made with a blend of natural ingredients and advanced scientific ingredients. They do not use parabens, SLS/SLES sulfates, triclosan, formaldehyde, PABA, toulene, or benzene in any of their products. They are not certified gluten free or vegan.

Another great thing about Colleen Rothschild is that most of their products are safe pregnancy or breastfeeding!  Of course, you’d want to discontinue use of the retinol products while pregnant or breastfeeding, but the rest should be just fine to keep using. As always, consult with your doctor since everyone’s health is different.

Is Colleen Rothschild Cruelty Free?

Colleen Rothschild products are never tested on animals, which follows their cruelty-free philosophy.

Is Colleen Rothschild Worth the Money?

100%. I’ve been SO impressed by the results I’ve seen almost immediately after using many of their products. After using the Dual Enzyme Polish, my skin feels completely renewed and plumped, the No. 9 Face Oil calms and hydrates my skin with visual results, and the Cleansing Balm removes my makeup and leaves my skin feeling hydrated (and ever tight, like some cleansers).

I also notice immediate results when I use their hair mask. My hair is smoother, softer, and shiner without any extra weight.

I really do think of Colleen Rothschild as luxury skincare. I highly recommend ordering the Discovery Collection so that you can try their best-sellers in smaller sizes before committing to the full size products. 

The one product I haven’t loved is the extreme recovery cream. I have another night cream from Beautycounter I use that has an even thicker texture that I LOVE but this is a very close second! If you don’t love a thick night cream since they feel too heavy, you’ll probably love this since it absorbs right away. I prefer a little layer to remain. 😉

Colleen Rothschild is on the pricier end for skincare (compared to drugstore prices), but it’s honestly very comparable — and in some instances — much less expensive than many other high-end skincare products. I reached out to the brand to ask for a promo code for my followers and they VERY generously provided a 20% off code when shopping at ColleenRothschild.com!

Use code TERILYN20 for 20% off site-wide.

Colleen Rothschild Before and After

It’s hard to find a great before and after photo to show the results of my favorite Colleen Rothschild products since I have used so many high quality skincare brands for over a decade. But the picture below is when I VERY first started using Colleen Rothschild and finally ditched Cerave and other popular skincare products full of nasty ingredients.

And here’s what my skin looks like today, eight years later. If that doesn’t convince you that the quality of your skincare matters, I don’t know what will. 😉

Where to Buy Colleen Rothschild

Popular beauty and skincare retailers do not carry Colleen Rothschild. It’s only sold through Colleen Rothschild’s website, and every once in a while you’ll find products being sold on Amazon. However, since Colleen Rothschild does not have full control over Amazon sellers, I’d recommend you order directly from CR. This is also the only place my discount code will work!

Happy shopping!

Use code TERILYN20 for 20% off site-wide!

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