If your skin is anything like mine then it will be bipolar. One day my skin will look beautiful and glowing, the next it'll be dull and congested. One day my skin will be an oil slick and the next it'll be drier than the Sahara desert. It's an absolute nightmare and it means that I have to have an array of products to sort out each skin condition. My skin is usually either blemished, dull or dry and I've come across a variety of products which are wonderful at combating these nasty problems. If you follow me on Twitter then you'll have experienced my recent skin meltdown - it's been awful and most of the time I've wanted to sit in my room, crying all day. Luckily, these products are sorting dry and peeling skin out.
Blemished skin:
Over the years, I've used many products aimed at blemished skin. Some worked, some dried my skin out badly and some even bleached my eyebrows. But luckily, times have changed and there are now some wonderful - and gentle - products out there that do a fabulous job when your skin takes a turn for the worse.
When my beloved FaceB4 Daily Cleansing Foam ran out, I was heartbroken. It was everything I wanted in a spot treatment and face wash but being a student, £15 isn't something I can afford right off the bat (unless my student loan shows its face). So it's safe to say that this face wash by Clean & Clear was a god send. It contains salicylic acid and natural aloe vera which work together to remove impurities, dirt and oil while soothing your skin without drying it out. It smells clean and my face feels fresh and balanced after use. It's not quite as good at fighting spots as my Face B4 wash but for £10.00 cheaper, I can make do with an extra couple of days blemished.
Potter's Skin Clear Lotion* - £4.15
Potters is a brand that's been around for over 200 years. It's a tried, tested and loved herbal medicine manufacturers which includes three skin care products in its extensive range. Their Skin Clear Lotion is a must have for you blemished beauties and at £4.15 it's an absolute bargain and works as a wonderful morning cleanser or an evening toner. I sweep this over my skin using a cotton wool pad and my skin immediately feels clean and refreshed. It contains a blend of Witch Hazel, Benzoin, Oils of Lavender, Pine and Tea Tree which all work together to combat blemishes. This does dry your skin out at first but after a couple of uses, your skin will start to appear balanced and clear as it gets used to it.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo - £13.00
I've mentioned this product many times before and it's certainly done the rounds of the blogosphere this past year. It completely lives up to the hype and does a wonderful job at purifying the pores, diminishing blemishes and leaving the skin feeling and looking smooth and clear. I use this every day as a serum before my moisturiser and it helps keep spots at bay. I still get the odd monthly breakout but its nowhere near as nasty and aggressive as it should be.
Dull skin:
Ever since my skin decided it would turn against me and leave me scarred, my skin has been dull and lifeless. Sometimes, my skin looks glowing but other times, it looks lacklustre and tired. Recently, the beauty world seems to have exploded with products that help with uneven skin tone and I couldn't thank them enough.
I'm a lover of chemical exfoliation but every now and then, there's nothing quite like a good manual scrub. The grains of this one by Novexpert are fine which mean that they don't scratch the skin while being abrasive enough to invigorate the skin. I love using this in a morning to kick-start the day as the Vitamin C brightens and renews the complexion instantly. It's a quick fix for congested, dull looking skin as it leaves it looking healthy and radiant.
Jason C-Effects Super C Cleanser* - £8.95
When my skin is feeling a bit down I love washing it with the C-Effects Super C Cleanser. This gentle face wash washes away dirt and impurities using a 10% complete Vitamin C Complex with Ester-C and Beta Hydroxy Acids. It claims to remove make up however I prefer to use this in the morning to freshen up and revitalise my skin as it isn't the best at make up removal. It doesn't dry the skin out and leaves it feeling clean and ready to face the day. A nice face wash that does the job for a decent price.
L'Oreal Paris Skin Perfection Day Moisturiser* - £14.99 & Skin Perfection Advanced Correcting Serum* - £19.99
These two products are new to the L'Oreal skin care range and the first from the brand that I've tried. They aim to "correct" imperfections, enlarged pores and uneven skin texture. The serum has been enriched with Perline-P and patented LR 2412 (I don't understand these big words either!) which penetrates through the skin's epidermis layers to transform the appearance of the skin. I haven't been using these long enough to notice a massive difference to my skin tone however they both leave my skin feeling silky, hydrated and beautifully radiant. They're a lovely edition to my skin care routine and marginally cheaper than the Eucerin Even Brighter range (which I love) so if these perform as well in the long term, they'll possibly replace Eucerin altogether.
KIKO Neon Glow Light Effect Serum* - £13.90
This gel serum aims to instantly moisturise and smooth the skin using reflective micro-pearls which blend with the skin to even out the complexion. When I first applied this, I almost let out a shriek as my skin looked a bit Twilight-esque however after I'd applied foundation over the top, my skin looked glowing. And not glowing in an "I have very oily skin" way but in a "my skin is naturally this radiant and youthful." Simply beautiful.
Dry skin:
This is the skin type that I feel like I can't live with. When my skin gets dry, my foundation clings to the dry patches and leaves me looking like I have a skin disease. In the past, products aimed at dry skin used to break me out and clog up my skin however, these products are light enough to use on blemished prone skin.
H2O Plus Face Oasis Hydration Treatment* - £27.50
Whenever my skin is in need of hydration, this is the product that I immediately reach for. This treatment is an oil-free moisture gel that feels like jelly and provides deep hydration using marine botanicals. It instantly replenishes the skin and eliminates any dry patches that I may have. H2O also say that this contains phospholipid microspheres (yup, that wonderful ingredient that's easy to pronounce) which deliver time released hydration to keep skin looking revitalised all day and I agree with this - my skin is kept hydrated and scale-free throughout the day.
Being a big fan of the Super Facialist range, it was vital that one of the products from the brand appeared in this blog post. This moisture mask is my "go-to" product for when my skin is feeling tight, dehydrated and parched. It blends White Willow extract, Vitamin E, Urea and Marshmallow extract which injects moisture back into the skin instantly. Afterwards, my complexion looks calmer and feels beautifully soft. The mask smells absolutely divine and this is my second tube of the stuff.
I'm not a big eye cream lover but I've recently rediscovered this. Sadly, when I first reviewed this in May 2012, it was £10.90 - a bargain for such a high standard eye cream - however in just over a year, the price has crept up significantly. It is a lovely eye cream that instantly moisturises the delicate eye area.
Filorga Hydra Filler* - £45.00
This moisturiser is expensive - one of the most expensive that I've ever used - but it's definitely a treat. It contains a high concentration of extra-pure hyaluronic acid which helps to moisturise and hydrate the skin. Luckily, I don't suffer with wrinkles or fine lines yet but Filorga claim that this helps to fill them in and leave the skin looking plumped up. This makes my complexion look radiant and my dressing table look beautiful. Definitely a splurge but sadly, one that despite how much I love it, I won't be repurchasing for a long time. Damn you expensive price tag!
Does your skin behave badly like mine? What are your skin saviours?
*PR Sample
*PR Sample
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________