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Anyone who has been within 5 feet of me lately has had the absolute pleasure of hearing me complain about my stress acne. About a month ago, I began the difficult move from Boston to New York City, a move I've made frequently throughout my adult life, and I knew exactly what that transition would mean for my skin: lots of stubborn spots on my cheeks, forehead, and chin that would take time to disappear and become pigmented. At first, I resigned myself to this inevitability. Then, when I received Hey Bud Skincare's Glow Up Bundle, I thought to myself, "I'm just going to have to wait and see what happens. To my surprise, instead of getting worse, it got incredibly better.

Hey Bud is a vegan, organic, cruelty-free, and gluten-free brand whose products are based on hemp oil derived from the cannabis sativa plant. The brand promises that its products will smooth aging skin and control oil secretion without stripping skin of moisture. In short, hemp-based skincare is the ideal panacea for combination skin like mine. Because it seeks to restore balance by moisturizing dry spots and reducing the excessive sebum production that causes acne.

Tentatively hopeful, I first tried the Daily Hemp Gel Cleanser. It was lightweight and left my face feeling refreshed and free of oiliness, especially after returning from a workout. Similarly, the Hemp Moisturizer felt light and matte dry on my face, but also provided substantial hydration.

The next product in the bundle that I was most nervous to try was the face oil. I didn't want to add more oil to my skin because I am prone to breakouts when I am stressed, but I also know that super dry skin can increase oil production and exacerbate breakouts. Additionally, the spot treatment I was using on my acne was starting to make certain areas of my skin flaky, so I needed to rehydrate quickly.

Face oil was the perfect option. As intended, it is rich enough to feel luxurious and heavily moisturizing, but not shiny or leave a residue on my pillow when I sleep. Personally, I like it best used at night as a follow-up to a rich hemp clay mask.

The mask is truly a clay mask in that it is thick, creamy, and oil-reducing. I recommend making sure your face is moist before using the mask. After wiping it off, I felt like I was giving my skin a fresh, clean new start. This mask also comes with a cute brush so you don't have to poke your face with your fingers when applying this formula once a week.

After using these products for about two weeks, I noticed a huge difference in my skin. Since this was the only part of my skincare routine that I changed, I can confidently say that the strong relief I now feel and the amount of concealer I have to put on in the morning has been greatly reduced thanks to this product. Hey Bud has helped me with my acne and now the stress of moving I would like to see the brand launch a product that reduces the stress of moving, but I have yet to hear back from the brand about that.

Below are a few more Hey Bud products that I would feel confident moving into my new crib.