Letting My Skin Breathe

Sunday 18 June 2017

May and June have been super hectic for me. During these past two months I actually feel like I'm trying my hardest to balance on a ball while juggling a bunch of eggs. I've had a couple of days where I'm just feeling meh and short-tempered and exhausted, but a girl's gotta keep it together! Anyway, I needed to tell you guys that I think I finally found a skincare routine that works. Ya'll know my forehead is a place for pimples to gather and it's apparently such a great party too cause none of them want to leave!



Last April, I asked Fina (@weekendfrocks) to grab me a few things from the Drunk Elephant line while she was in LA. Beautypedia has really good reviews on them and I think that's really rare. I also wanted something that was simple and non-toxic. But when I first tried the serums--C-Firma Day Serum and the TLC Framboos Glycolic Night Serum--my face became irritated and a few red spots (painless and non-itchy) appeared all over my face. I was like 'what in the world is going on here?', my skin can usually take Glycolic Acid and I wasn't sure if it was the Vitamin C either. So I put those away for a week and waited for my skin to calm down a little before I tested them out again to see who the culprit was.


Cleanser



Long story short, I found out that the serums were actually really good but I had to throw out my Caudalie Instant Foaming Cleanser from my routine because I think it was just too harsh with the acid. Something about foaming cleansers and the pH level. Now, I use my Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil daily and I even use it to double cleanse at night too. I only figured this out when I started using Dear Daffodils's handmade and all-natural Pure Soap (shoutout to this local brand!) and realised that my skin was getting better. It doesn't foam and it feels like an oil. GAH! I really want to get my hands on more of those. Check them out if you haven't!


Toner



I switch up between the Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Facial Toner and the La-Roche Posay Serozinc depending on what my skin needs. Sometimes I might just use the Serozinc on my forehead and then the Rose Toner everywhere else. Serozinc was recommended to me by a friend (Hi Bob!). She gave me a bottle and it actually helped calm my angry cystic acne down, so I got a friend to get me two bigger bottles of it. Zinc apparently protects and heals, and I'm all about that now. (It was only £6/8 pounds at Boots! I love inexpensive skincare that works!)


Serum



As I've mentioned above, I use the Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum every 2/3 days and their Glycolic Acid at night or as a spot treatment because it also contains Salicylic Acid. However, as it's quite expensive and difficult to get a hold of, I've been using Lactic Acid 5% + HA 2% from The Ordinary (which you can now purchase on Cult Beauty for a few pounds! WIN!) more on a daily basis and the DE Glycolic Night Serum just as a spot treatment or for days when I feel I need extra exfoliation. As a spot treatment... omg it's a miracle worker and I'm so annoyed that you can't get this in Asia yet. The Ordinary sells an AHA + BHA and I'm hoping it'd be a great (and cheaper) substitute. Note that Lactic Acid is a milder peel and is perfect if you have a much more sensitive skin.


Essence



Yas, this is my Asian side kicking in. As you know I've been using my smelly love i.e. SKII Facial Treatment Essence on a daily. But for days when I feel like I need extra hydration, I've been enjoying Laneige's Water Bank Essence EX.


Eye Cream



I've also been really loving the Laneige Water Bank Eye Gel because it's so light and it feels like you're just dabbing water underneath your eyes. Before this, I was using the Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Eye Treatment but I didn't really see much improvement so I stopped that entirely. Laneige has been surprisingly good (and it's available in Brunei so I'm very happy about that). A lot of people have been telling me to get the Lip Sleeping Mask, and I can't lie... I'm tempted.


Moisturiser



I've been switching between three products. Firstly, the DE Lala Retro Whipped Cream, which I LOVE SO DEEPLY. It's a cream that has 6 rare African Oils and is said to be rehab for your skin. It also talks about lightening discolouration which is my biggest concern after acne and it really does lighten my pigmentation! Although it is probably also assisted by those lovely serums I now cannot live without. Since that's also hard to get, I use my Laneige Balancing Emulsion alternately. I also bought the DE Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil, which is just okay for me but I love a good oil at night because my skin is very dehydrated (I don't drink enough water!). I think I prefer the Emma Hardie Brilliance Facial Oil that I received as a sample though but it's definitely better than the MV Organics Rose Plus Booster that I don't think did anything at all to my skin.


SPF



Because I use an acid serum, I feel really naked when I don't use an SPF. I'm really liking Dr. Dennis Gross's Dark Spot Sun Defense SPF 50. I just purchased another tube from Cult Beauty yesterday because I have been ditching my CC Cream and just going to work bare-faced as my skin's been better (with a little concealer cause I don't want to scare people that much). But of course on days when I feel like wearing a make-up base, I use my IT Cosmetics CC Cream which has SPF 50+.


Masks

I still use my sheet masks when I feel like I need to chill. But two people (Hi Bob, again, and SIL!) have sent me sample sizes of this one product that I thought I'd hate (because it has the word pumpkin in it and I'm not really a fan of those) but ended up really liking. It's the Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask that helps 'digest' away dull skin. It smells like Christmas haha and it does brighten my dull skin.

After using all these products, I think I won't be changing up my routine anytime soon until my DEs run out. My skin has been calmer and clearer and brighter and I'm very grateful for that (and for having Bob recommend and give stuff to me! Bless her!).

Summary!
1. Stay away from foaming cleansers.
2. Don't forget to use an SPF after using acid toners and serums.
3. Go back to basics (using good AHAs and BHAs) when your skin is acting up.
4. I love Salicylic Acid (the most common BHA) for my cystic acne.
5. There are some pretty awesome inexpensive skincare out there like La-Roche Posay and The Ordinary.

Oh, it feels really good to let my skin breathe again.


Love,


6 comments

  1. I love the eye gel from Laneige (actually, I love all the products from Laneige). What exfoliant do you use? Mine is FIRMx® Peeling Gel. Please check my review here: https://hellogorgeouscrew.com/peter-thomas-roth-firmx/

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