(I'm counting on the fact that it's still Sunday somewhere in the world!)
SO,
something has been breaking me out lately! and causing congested pores! (how dare they!) and I have to confess that I have no idea what it is because I'm a serial trialler-of-new-products-everyday. It might not even be one product, it might in fact be a bad combination of two products, in any case I have stopped using EVERYTHING. yes everything. I am going back to basics. back to cavewoman style. back to the old
soap and water. but of course with some additions to quell the skincare lover within me (who got me into this mess in the first place - angry face - ) So I hope this helps anyone who is finding that their skin is just not behaving and just like a rebellious teenager, you should take away instead of giving more (I have no idea where that analogy came from .. maybe I was that rebellious teen haha). If you haven't figured it out already I have SUPER
duper sensitive skin... (confession alert) I breakout from getting my eyebrows waxed..not a full blown breakout but definitely bumps ... so any sort of trauma to the skin (and boy does my skin get traumatised easily) causes planets or perhaps hills (mountains are too pointy) to form in that area | I will stop rambling now and tell you what I have been using (and will continue to use for another week or more, depends)
Skincare Routine: Day
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Cetaphil & water
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Garnier Anti-dark Circle Roller
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Garnier UltraLift Anti-wrinkle Roller
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Shiseido The Skincare Eye Moisture Recharge
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Avene Eau Thermale Spray
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L'oreal Triple Active Day Moisturier - dry skin
Skincare Routine: Makeup Removing & Night
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Lancome Bi-facil or Estee Lauder Gentle Eye Makeup Remover & cotton pad (not too fussed, sorry not pictured)
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Yes to carrots Gentle Exfoliating Facial Cleanser & Clarisonic (with sensitive head)
| Garnier Anti-dark Circle Roller
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Garnier UltraLift Anti-wrinkle Roller
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Shiseido The Skincare Eye Moisture Recharge
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Avene Eau Thermale Spray
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Avene Eau Thermal Skin Recovery Cream
tips and alternatives
below :)
cleansers
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Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser - dry sensitive skin
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Avene Eau Thermale Extremely Gentle Cleanser (& cotton pad)
This is similar to Cetaphil in that it's a semi transparent, no-water-required formula. It does not claim to remove makeup. I use these two in the morning or when I have not worn makeup that day.
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Garnier CleanSensitive Anti-tightness Cleansing Milk
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Neutrogena Visibly Clear Oil-Free Make-up Remover
There two are similar however the Garnier formula is more runny. They are both no-water-required formulas and claim to remove makeup. I would only use this for light makeup days such as tinted moisturiser or a light BB cream, or used in conjunction with another cleanser for heavy makeup days, that is foundation and powder.
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Pond's Cold Cream
This is a classic and I love it. I use this the same way as I do the two products above, so getting some on a cotton pad to wipe away makeup. This is a cream formula so it's thick and on some days it just feels too much but usually it's okay. I love this for removing stray eye makeup. Just get some on a cotton bud and gently swipe under your eyes to remove mascara/liner/shadow you didn't even know was there. Because it's a cream, it'll remove without tugging the skin.
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Yes to Carrots Gentle Exfoliating Facial Cleanser
This is a good cleanser and makeup remover (especially used with the Clarisonic). I use this when I have medium makeup on, medium foundation and powder. If I am wearing heaving makeup or find there is some residue I will use one of the no-water cleansers afterwards. This is the most gentle physical exfoliator I have ever tried. The exfoliating beads are tiny. It's suitable for everyday use. It doesn't scratch your skin. "Cleanses and Refreshes" - that's what it says. That's what it does. I just realised this.
creams
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L'oreal Triple Active Day Moisturiser - dry skin
This is a simple, no-fuss moisturiser which i bought for $3AUD at the Priceline Pink Dot sale and I'm kicking myself so hard for not buying 10 backups because it's discontinued and I love it. Seriously kicking myself. At the time I was thinking -dry skin- meh. I don't have dry skin ... well yes I do (thanks roaccutane). It's a nice balanced cream texture, not thick or greasy at all. Just moisturising ... nothing fancy, no SPFs or anything but there's SPF in almost everything else nowadays anyway.
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Avene Eau Thermale Skin Recovery Cream
I love this cream for night time as it's very calming and moisturising. Even when my skin is normal I like to give it that extra boost at night, where I'm not worried about it not sinking in instantly because I'm not going to be putting any makeup on top. For times when my skin gets cranky, like now (or when I accidently eat mayonnaise .. which I'm allergic to) this is perfect.
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Skin79 Dream Girls BB
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Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser - oil free
I like using these two products as it allows my skin to breath while providing some coverage as opposed to thicker BB creams (such as the Missha Perfect Cover BB - which has great coverage but it is thicker) or a foundation (which can irritate my skin even more and feel eurgh).
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Za True White Day Protector SPF 26
This is a good sunscreen for people who work in offices as it's hydrating (this is the new formula with the pink text) which is good for any centrally air-conditioned environment and it only has an SPF of 26 so it's enough assuming there is no direct sunlight in your office and glazing.
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Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid PSF 55
This is a great sunscreen for outdoor people who like to wear makeup as it's also a great makeup base. I decide which sunscreen I use depending on what I'm going to be doing that day but I do like both as they feel good on the skin. That's really most important when your skin is feeling blah.
miscellaneous
i took these out of the bathroom but them forgot to photograph them ... -_- (no comment)
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CURE Natural Aqua Gel
This is a gentle, water-based exfoliant suitable for the most sensitive skin (that's what the website says and I have to say that I agree!) There are beads which exfoliant instead the gel reacts with the skin (somehow) and turn dead skin cells into these white bits of gunk (like rubber shavings but white) which of course you rinse of to leave (i guess) new skin. I believe it works because the more I use it, the less dead skin cells I have piled on my skin, the less white bits I get ... well that's my logic anyway. Just make sure you rinse the product off very well otherwise if you to rub your skin, the white bits will appear.
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Simple Deep Cleansing Face Mask
This is quite gentle and it uses natural clay but it doesn't feel tight like a normal clay mask at all. It has a white lotion consistency but just thick enough stay on your skin as a mask (although I wouldn't call it thick at all). This product baffles me as I don't know how it works to deep cleanse your skin, even though I do feel like my pore are cleaner afterwards. I guess I'm just used to hard, tight, grayness of other clay masks which this is nothing like and totally took me by surprise. Just don't leave it on for more than 10 minutes (it recommends 3) as it starts to feel weird and disappear. But that's hardly a con if it takes less time to use ... unless you're like me and you just tend to forget things ...
tips
| If you have sensitive skin, use products which say are for sensitive skin .. I'm as much as cynic about product labelling as the next person but if you at least stick to products which claim to be for sensitive skin then you are heading in the right direction
| Try to steer clear from alcohol. Alcohol can be an ingredient in any product but predominantly toners and some moisturisers. So stick to alcohol-free toners - I have tried both the Neutrogena and Simple ones which I love. I didn't show you because I didn't have any on hand
because I was not ready for this :(
| Try and look for non-comedogenic products which basically means they don't clog the pores .. but they don't always not .. just saying
| Finally, LESS IS MORE
So that's about $50 worth of my two cents ... -crickets- ... (I know don't give up my day job right? Haha. If only I had one)
xox smile and be beautiful
