Hey Everyone!
It's been quite a while since my last post. I have gotten so many new things I want to show you and so many posts I want to put up but I just lack the time. Exam season is the busiest and most stressful time of the year. On that note, I thought it would be interesting/helpful to tell you about my skin care routine.
Some of the products I have previously reviewed and some I still have to do a review for which should come within 3 weeks :)
First let me tell you about my skin:
I have dry/combination skin. My breakouts almost always occur on my nose and forehead, sometimes my chin. The "pimples" I get are usually the whitehead/cystic kind that you have to wait for to get really large/red/painful in order to successfully remove them from your face.
I admit, I am a picker. I can't have something or a button on my face and not touch it. I know it's bad but for me it works better than leaving it because when I leave it it usually gets worse than if I had touched it in the first place.
I also have problems with hyperpigmentation, when you get scars/dark spots easily.
My cheeks are quite dry and I do get the odd bump but it's usually very close to my nose.
When I'm going through stress I get on my forehead and the odd one or two around my hairline.
Most of the products I am going to mention are actually very suitable for ALL skin types.
Daytime:
St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Cleanser:
I wash my face with this in the morning (as well as nighttime) as it contains salicylic acid and green tea for calming the skin. Especially great for preventing breakouts and helping to clear existing ones. It also smells good!
Estee Lauder Idealist Pore Minimizing Skin Refinisher (serum):
[not pictured]
This stuff is absolutely amazing. It has a lovely fresh citrus smell almost like verbena/lemon. I use this to banish any rough/dry spots on my face and it serves as an amazing makeup base as it leaves your skin extremely smooth and silky. It's great for persons with large pores and it prevents any makeup from sinking into your pores. It helps to create an even skintone. I will discuss this product in another post, and give you a full review on it.
I smooth it onto my face (literally less than a dime size amount) and then apply moisturizer.
Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion:
I apply this after the serum and it moisturizes my skin extremely well and is not greasy at all.
One of my favourite moisturizers of all time.
Night time:
Clinique Take the Day Off:
If I have on makeup I use this to remove it. Massage it into my face and tissue off with toilet paper, and follow with my Philosophy cleanser.
Philosphy Purity Made Simple Cleanser:
(if I had on makeup)
I love this cleanser as it melts away any residual makeup and helps calm the skin. It is so gentle and doesn't strip my face of moisture. If anything it keeps it very hyrdated even after rubbing off all the makeup. It smells very natural (a scent I like) and doesn't lather excessively. A pea size amount is enough for my entire face.
St.Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Cleanser:
(if I had on no makeup for the day)
Just as in the morning I use this at night if I did not previously have on any makeup. It makes my skin feel refreshed and super clean.
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Sycronized Recovery Complex (serum):
This product is amazing. I will be doing a review of it next.
You don't even need a quarter of the dropper to do your whole face. I put a little on the tip of each finger on one hand and then rub both hands/fingers together and dab it all over my face then smooth it in. It absorbs very quickly and allows for your moisturizer to sink in better after.
This serum helps cell repair and is amazing for those prone to acne/stress breakouts and hyperpigmentation problems. Don't think that because you have oily skin you can skip on moisturizer because it is just as important for you as it is for me to ensure your skin is well moisturized (though for anyone, even dry skin I would recommend that you use oil-free products)- The estee Lauder products mentioned are oil free. It has helped A LOT with my exam breakouts and has calmed my skin and now is more supple and clear even within a week of first using it.
Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion:
I smooth this over my face a few minutes after applying the Advanced Night Repair serum, and it glides on so easily and absorbs within minutes. The combo has definitely done serious good to my skin and left it smoother, clearer, without redness/blotchiness, and more supple.
Befine Food Skin Care Night Cream:
I did a review on this a while ago about the benefits and how it helped my skin.
Of course, I still use it. I use this most times but on the days my skin feels especially dry I use the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion.
This helps calm and heal my skin quickly whenever I get little bumps or even pimples. For some reason the next morning my skin has almost completely healed (save, a scab).
Individual reviews will be coming on the Estee Lauder Serums, the Purity Made Simple Cleanser, and the Clinique moisturizer.
If I were to recommend products from this list that EVERYONE should try and get I would definitely, in a heartbeat, recommend the Estee Lauder Serums (especially the Advanced Night Repair).
I think everyone would benefit from them.
xoxo
