A Guide To Skincare: Dry Skin

Hellooooo!

I started off this series of posts right at the end of April but shamefully have only published the Oily (here) and the Sensitive (here) editions! *slap on the wrist*

However, I'm here today with the Dry Skin edition (at last). 

My own personal skin type is sensitive/dry, which basically means I use cleansers, toners, exfoliators ect designed for sensitive skin but I tend to go for moisturizers developed for dry skin as they're normally a lot more nourishing. 

'Diagnosing' a dry skin is generally a visual thing. The skin is obviously flaky either all over the face or on specific areas (eg the nose or cheeks) due to insufficient oil and moisture production. Most of the time these flakes can become detached from the face at gentle stimulus's very easily. This skin type is prone to premature aging (boo!), meaning wrinkles develop early, especially around the eyes. However blackheads and open pores are less likely after puberty. 

So, what products do you use? The 'superhero' products for dry skins are definitely a luxurious, thick moisturising cream and a gentle exfoliator. In my next point I'll explain what to look out for in cleansers, toners and face masks including the types of products and essential ingredients.

Essential Words: When purchasing a cleanser, learn towards lotions, milks or balms. These are a lot more nourishing than other cleansers. Avoid the use of foam cleansers as these are designed to suck the moisture out of the skin and are used when treating oily skin. Essential oils (I like to use coconut) are always good to lock in extra moisture, and can be mixed with a moisturiser. Moisturising creams that come in a pot are a lot thicker than lotions that come in a bottle and are more 'heavy duty' when it comes to treating dryness. Aloe Vera is also good to look out for - it's nourishing and soothing without irritating the skin. 

Personally, my all time favourite brand to use on my dryness is Johnsons, but I've also included a few others that have come highly recommended! 

1. Johnson's Daily Essentials Nourishing Cleansing Lotion - £3.29, Boots.

2. Nivea Double Effect Eye Make Up Remover - £3.59, Boots

3. LUSH Skin Drink Moisurising Cream - £11.95, LUSH

4. Montagne Jeunesse Dry Skin Mask - 90p, Primark

5. Nivea Facial Cleansing Wipes - £2.99, Boots

6. Johnsons Daily Essentials Nourishing 24 Hour Day Cream (with SPF 15) - £4.09, Boots

Now, I know I've said this a million times, but investing in monthly facials will significantly help with the look and feel of your skin. Check out college salons for great treatments at bargain prices, or perhaps have a birthday treat and go to a spa or salon? 

So I hope that helped! If you have any recommendations of products to put into this list leave a comment and I'll add it in.

What products do you use on your dry skin?

My Skincare Routine (Sensitive Skin)

Hi everyone!

Ever since I started my Skincare Guide (sensitive edition here & oily edition here) I've been saying I'm going to give my final verdicts on my personal products and I've never gotten around to it. But I've finally had time to sit down and write this post, (plus I think that using the products for as long as I have can give me a more rounded opinion on them) and so without further a do here's what I thought!

L'Oreal Plentitude Gentle Eye Make Up Remover // Boots Simply Sensitive Cleansing Lotion // Boots Simply Sensitive Gently Refreshing Toner // Boots Simply Sensitive Hydrating Moisturiser // Boots Simply Sensitive Hydrating Eye Cream

I might as well start with a brief outline of my skin type. I've given a more thorough description in my sensitive skincare guide, where you can also find advice and 'diagnositic' tips if you have sensitive skin, but I'll just give you the basics. 

My skin is partly dry (mostly on my forehead and nose), sometimes a little red (on my cheeks), sometimes oily (during a certain time of the month) but over all extremely sensitive. I can't use any brand of facial wipes (not even Simple), and most exfoliators leave me very red and sore so it's always a bit of a struggle to find products that suit my needs.

I think it's safe to say I've found them! All of the Boots Simply Sensitive range contain no fragrance and no colour, plus it's infused with soothing aloe vera which is a sensitive/red skin super ingredient! 

Simply Sensitive Cleansing Lotion 

I adore this cleanser! This lotion is the sort that you wipe over skin with a cotton pad (I use two at a time, plus I double cleanse) and wipe off with the toner. At first I was a little skeptical, feeling this would leave my skin feeling heavy with product and, quite frankly, more dirty than before. But I actually prefer not having to use water! It's the perfect lazy girl cleanser - I cleanse whilst I'm in bed! I always double cleanse, the first cleanse acting as a make-up removal and the second a deeper skin cleanse and I always find my cotton pads coming away clear on the second round! My skin feels more nourished and smooth, plus looks so clear. I hardly have any blemishes - it also works well during my oily spells!

Simply Sensitive Gently Refreshing Toner

I use this toner to remove the final traces of cleansing lotion from my skin and to close pores. A little amount on one cotton pad is enough for a quick wipe-over, and it leaves my skin feeling refreshed. My skin has accepted this very willingly, and it doesn't leave me feeling tight and sore like some others I've tried! Love it.

L'Oreal Plentitude Gentle Eye Make Up Remover

I've had this make-up remover for a long time, but it had been stored away with my other beauty rejects for future reference until I was pawing through the drawer the other day and found it again! I've always struggled with removing my eye make-up as most make-up wipes leave my skin burning but this product does the trick nicely! I use two cotton pads (one for each eye), and simply hold the pad on my eyelid for 3 - 5 seconds before wiping downwards and it removes all traces of make-up so quickly! This is also a must-have if you have Eyelash Extensions as it's oil free and wont effect the glue.

Simply Sensitive Hydrating Moisturiser

I've suffered from severely dry skin on my forehead and nose for as long as I can remember, meaning that for a good part of my make-up wearing life I've had to avoid any power-based products (including face powder, sigh!) but this moisturiser sorts out my dry skin easily. I apply twice a day - once in the morning before I put on my make-up and once at night at the end of my skincare routine and it leaves my skin feeling soft and hydrated without looking oily or shiny.

Simply Sensitive Hydrating Eye Cream

I'll admit this isn't a regular in my skincare routine. However, I am prone to flakiness all around my eye area and this cream sorts out dryness really well. It isn't too thick and doesn't take forever to sink in, meaning I can apply make-up within minutes!

You can buy the Boots Simply Sensitive range here. Prices vary between £2.49 - £3.79. (However these products are regularly on sale so keep an eye out!)

What products do you use on your sensitive skin?

xo 

A Guide To Skincare: Oily Skin

Hey guys!

So I'm back with the next part of my Skincare Guide with the Oily Skin edition. (You can read the sensitive skin edition here).

Usually, in the college salon, I find a lot of clients come to us with more oily skin types than any other. And I think this is because oily skin is generally the type that looks and feels like it needs more caring for. It can develop at any age, although it tends to hit once puberty begins and can gradually get better or worse as the time goes on. Some people find that their oiliness plays up during certain times of the month (me!) or changes of the season where-as others struggle with it constantly. 

Diagnosing an oily skin type is dependent on both visual and 'textured' symptoms. The skin is shiny and greasy to touch, plus prone to breakouts and blackheads. Acne generally accompanies this skin type, which also means redness and infection may be present. Other visual symptoms include enlarged pores and an overall sallow/yellow-ish tone.

So, what products do you use? Cleansers, exfoliators and face masks are the most popular products people use to treat oily skin, as some feel that adding a moisturiser into their routine would make their condition worse - which is entirely not the case. After the use of the appropriate cleanser, toner and exfoliator it is essential to re-introduce the moisture that the previous products have sucked out. Which leads me on to my next point...

Essential Words: Clay and Mud based products are the most effective to use on oily skin, as they draw out any excess moisture and oil the skin produces. These can be used in facial cleansers, but are usually found within face masks. Foaming cleansers are also good for extracting oil and moisture from the skin. Witch Hazel and Tea Tree are key ingredients to look out for, as they naturally help to calm redness and fight infection. Lean towards moisturing lotions that come in a bottle rather than thicker creams that come in a pot - not only will this stop bacteria spreading, the lotion will be light enough on the skin without aggravating the oil glands.

Now, I don't have oily skin so I can't give honest verdicts on these products but here are a few that previous clients have been happy with using and a few oily-skinned friends have recommended!

1. Lush Tea Tree Toner Water - £3.95 - £7.25. Lush.

2. Clean & Clear Morning Burst Scrub - £3.99. Boots.

3. Clean & Clear Dual Action Oil-Free Moisturiser - £3.59. Boots.

4. Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Foaming Cleanser - £3.59. Boots.

5. Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask - £12.00. The Body Shop.

6. Dermalogica Dermal Clay Cleanser - £27.00. Dermalogica.co.uk

The best way to deal with oily skin is to double cleanse, tone and moisturise daily along with weekly face masks and exfoliation every 2 - 3 days. Of course, like I said in the sensitive skin edition, it would be extremely beneficial to invest in monthly facials whether it's at a college salon, spa or regular salon. Your skin will thank you!

So that's all I have for today! Feel free to ask any questions or give any recommendations for what you use for your oily skin and I'll add them into this post. 

I'm going to be focusing on Dry Skin next time, so look out for that post! 

xo  

A Guide To Skincare: Sensitive Skin

At first glance, most people wouldn't assume my skin is sensitive. Although, really, it all depends on what phase my skin is going through at the time. Usually (75% of the time) my skin is fairly even-toned, a little dry but not really prone to any tightness and redness. But once a month, for a few days (I'm sure you can work out why!) my skin becomes incredibly oily, shiny and really spotty. And if you take these things into consideration my skin-type could be any number of things: dry, normal, oily and combination. When really, it is sensitive. 

Sensitive skin is quite easy to diagnose - if it becomes tight/very red/sore at mild stimulus's EG. wind or gentle exfoliation it is probably sensitive. Also, sensitive skin is usually associated with dryness or pale skin. It can become irritated from anything ranging to over-exposure to the sun, to pollution in the air, or even the over-use of current skincare products. 

So, what products do you use? It depends on how sensitive your skin is. Mine isn't a particularly severe case, although a friend of mine's is particularly difficult. The trick is to work out a routine, test products singularly to gauge your skin's reaction and to pin-point which areas of your skin are the most sensitive. Some people have to avoid the cheek area when exfoliating (me!), whereas some have to avoid the forehead. 

Essential Words: When purchasing skincare, always read the back of the bottle. Even if a product is suitable for 'every skin type', it's probably going to be too harsh for your skin. Always make sure it specifically states it's suitability for sensitive skin. Lean towards cleansing lotions and milks for a sensitive skin as these are more nourishing than gels or foams. Avoid any clay or mud masks as these extract moisture from the skin are are usually used to treat oily skin types. Also, check if the product is a 'skin friendly' PH - this means it will cleanse without altering the skin's natural state. Look out for products containing Aloe Vera, as it's weirdly close to the skin's natural PH which means it helps soothe and moisturise skin without irritation. 

Here are my favorite skincare products for caring for my very sensitive skin!

At home:

I quite like these products. At first I started out using the Moisturiser and the Eye Cream when I found them in the sale in Boots (half price) but at that point I was having weekly Dermalogica Facials at college and didn't want to over-work my skin by introducing another round of products as it was so sensitive. But now, as we draw closer to the end of the course, my facials are becoming less and less frequent so I thought it was about time I invested in some products for use at home. The Cleanser and Toner are only recent additions to my routine (after months of testing out other products with no success) and I'm liking them so far but am going to reserve judgement until the end of the week when I will give my final verdict.

Prices range from £2.49 - £4.99. Available from most Boots stores.

The only other Skincare Brands I would really recommend for sensitive skin would be Simple and Dermalogica. I've never used Simple's products (a friend of mine has similar skin problems to mine and she found it too harsh), but I have used Dermalogica first hand and would really recommend them to anyone looking for high-end products. You could alternatively book into a salon/spa/college salon for monthly Dermalogica facials if you don't want to invest in the products yourself. Prices are avaliable on request from salons, colleges and spas in your area.

So I hope that helped some of you! I know what a nightmare finding the right skincare can be but I'm planning on adding additional parts to this skincare guide for Normal, Dry, Oily and Combination skin types soon!

xo