Finally back to blogging and sharing the first images from my new camera lens - so impressed with it (this is the lens I went for if anyone is interested)!
To get back into blogging I thought I'd talk skincare (and a bit of makeup of course) and how I overcame a recent 'skin blip' as I like to call it. Remember my "Are Makeup Wipes Really That Bad?" post? Where I was singing the praises of my favourite makeup wipes and musing how I thought they weren't bad for the skin in moderation. Well I didn't listen to my own advise and became ultra lazy with my skincare and yup, you guessed it, my skin went from clear and balanced to over oily and spotty!
So here is a look into the products I used to get my skin back on track with not a makeup wipe in sight!
Skincare
A good skincare routine is the most foolproof way to get your skin back in order. From past experience I opt for natural products that are effective when it comes to cleansing and treatments; too many harsh chemicals just strips the skin and make it produce even more oil. But then I do go for more astringent targeted products such as for my toner and spot treatment as I feel that is needed to speed up the skin recovery time for horrible blemishes.
Unrelated to skincare I also always drink more water as that improves my skin no end!
Superfacialist Vitamin C Skin Renew Cleansing Oil
£10.99/200ml - Boots here
Cleansing is such a big deal when it comes to clear skin. So I went straight back to one of my favourite cleansers that is so lightweight but so thorough at removing all makeup. I also enjoy using it due to the orange-y scent and lightweight feel, making it a product I want to use rather than it feeling like a chore. On non-makeup days (which I tried to have more of) I also made sure to still cleanse my face with Organic Surge Daily Care Face Wash £4.36/200ml - Amazon here, which is free from SLS/SLES and gentle.
Amie Spring Clean Cooling Clay Mask
£1.50/ 3 sachets - Amie website here (no longer at Boots arghhh)
When my skin is overly oily and spotty I feel clay masks work so well at removing excess oil from my pores and just making my skin feel and look better. The Amie Cooling Clay Mask is a lovely summer mask to use however I have a nasty feeling it's being discontinued as it's so hard to find both on and offline. However my next favourite clay mask is the Mudd Original Mask £4.27/50ml - Amazon here as it's the most amazing mask for removing oil from the pores and pulling out blackheads! When my skin is looking and feeling rubbish I make sure to use a face mask 2-3 that week.
Bioderma Sebium H2o Micelle Solution
£3.59/100ml or £7.99/250ml On Offer - Escentual here
After cleansing I always like to follow-up with a toner/micellar water and I really feel this is a two-in-one product. This removes all cleansing oil residue plus any remaining makeup that is left on my skin, plus helping to reduce oil production. I love both the L'Oreal and Garnier micellar waters but I feel this just goes that extra step when my skin isn't at it's best.
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
£11.50/13g travel size - Beauty Cow here
This is a product that's been in my routine for years now and something I use more frequently when I have a breakout. This is basically a powder exfoliator that isn't abrasive to the skin but removes dead skin cells extremely well. I now rarely use beaded face scrubs as this product does the job but without making my skin red or irritated. Simply dust the powder onto wet hands and rub over the face - I like to use this in the shower at least once a week and more if I have blemishes to keep them from looking dry and flaky from using spot treatments.
Origins Super Spot Remover Blemish Treatment Gel
£15.00/10ml - Boots here (or Origins stands in Selfridges)
Holy grail product here that I've mentioned so many times now, but trust me it's for good reason. This little pot is my saviour when horrible unsightly spots crop up. A day or two of using this over each blemish and they will be on their way out! Really do not let the tiny sized bottle put you off as this is worth it's weight in gold and really does last such a long time due to the little that is required. If you haven't yet found a spot treatment that works for you then really try this!
Makeup
Skincare does eventually sort out bad skin however in the meantime we do have to be seen by the world however bad our skin is! When I have just a few blemishes I make sure to concealer them as best I can then go light with the rest of my base/makeup to look fresh faced. However for my recent skin blip I just felt my skin looked overall 'bluergh' with more red pigmentation, oiliness and blemishes galore! So here is what I used to create a more high coverage flawless base...
Seventeen Stay Time Foundation
£6.49/30ml - Boots here
A true full coverage foundation that lasts on the skin all day long! This is a thick waxy feeling foundation that took some getting use to (I love my lighter than light foundations generally) but used sparingly with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush it gives a perfect finish that pretty much conceals all redness and blemishes. I reserve this for my worst skin days as it truly is full coverage and does the job over hiding my skins imperfections so well.
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
£4.19 - Boots here
Another holy grail product here and the only product I conceal my spots with. If you haven't tried this out yet then really, why not? This is a favourite of so many bloggers as it's such a great full coverage concealer that doesn't look cakey or heavy on the skin. I generally just blend this into the skin with my fingers but when my skin is looking not so great I use a clean fluffy blending brush so not to pick up any of the concealer and to give a perfect finish over blemishes.
Clarins Mineral Loose Powder
£24.00/30g On Offer - Escentual here
To finish off my base I always make sure to set with a powder, generally it's a translucent powder to just prevent an oily T-zone but when I have blemished skin I always reach for my favourite Clarins powder that literally transforms my skin. The loose powder gives a diffused velvet finish that even feels velvety to the touch and just transforms the skin so much that I always end up buffing it over my entire face.
So there you have it! All the wonderful products I use to combat rubbish breakouts.
What products do you turn to when you suffer from blemishes/bad skin days?
Fee xo.
