Wednesday, October 17, 2012

My Skincare Routine

I've really gotten into skincare lately, and I've found that keeping all of my products in a dedicated container makes it so much easier to maintain my routine.
I keep my face masks and spot treatments in there as well, as it saves me scrambling to find it when the time comes. Keep in mind that this post is a stack of mini skincare reviews, so is quite word heavy. Feel free to dip into the ones that interest you most if it is too wordy!
 
Garnier Clean Sensitive Eye Make-Up Remover
I must admit I'm not loving this as much as I've enjoyed other eye makeup removers. It doesn't sting my eyes, but it takes a lot of rubbing to remove my eye makeup. It leaves my eyes feeling a bit tight, so once I finish this bottle I'll be moving onto a different eye makeup remover.
 
Bioderma Crealine H2O
I've raved about this before here, but suffice to say this is a permanent fixture in my skincare routine. This is my second bottle (the first was PR provided) and I also have a mini for when I travel. This sweeps away my face makeup before cleansing so well, and is perfect for sensitive skin. I use this after I've removed my eye makeup to prep my skin for cleansing.
 
Avene Cleanance Soapless Gel Cleanser*
I keep this cleanser in the shower, and use it after the previous two products to deeply cleanse my skin. I like gel cleansers as they're thick and seem to clean my face really well. I slather a squeeze of this on and cleanse, before adding a bit of water which emulsifies it. It's easy to wash away, and though it leaves my skin a little papery (it is meant for skin oilier than mine, but works wonders on breakouts) it keeps my skin in a clear, happy condition.

 
 Kiehls Cucumber Herbal Alcohol-Free Toner*
This toner sample works well at soothing my skin, but as with many toners it is hard to see proper 'results' from this step of cleansing. I use this after hopping out of the shower, to prep my skin for serums/moisturiser. I've since moved onto a different Kiehls toner, but I think I prefer this bright green bottle of goodness.

Uriage AquaPRECIS Eye Contour Care*
This eye cream sinks in super fast, and while it is moisturising I don't find that it is too heavy and it doesn't cause milia under my eyes. I love tube style eye creams, and this one is lovely.

Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate*
This is something I use every second night to nourish my skin. I find it keeps my skin hydrated without adding any oiliness to the surface, and though it takes a little while to sink in, waking up in the morning with soft skin is worth it. I recently had a twitter chat with others who have used this as I was wondering if my results were truly from this concentrate, and all signs point to yes as they love this stuff!

Avene Cleanance Anti-Shine Regulating Lotion*
I find that this really does help keep shine at bay, but because I also have dry patches on my face I need to use more nourishing creams at night to maintain moisture levels. It sinks in very fast and is a gel-like lotion, which smells pleasant and is nice, affordable and French!


Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion
I shake this up really well before applying every second night, mainly to my forehead and anywhere I'm suffering from bumpy skin and cystic acne. The alcohol scent of this knocks me for a six, but it works oh lord does it work! It takes a lot to impress me, but my smooth forehead high fives Mario B. for his hard work!

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion
I use this as a spot lotion to stop pimples erupting, but since I've switched medications and begun using the Avene cleanser, this has pretty much been left untouched! Never thought I would see the day, I was burning through this stuff quite fast but am still happy to have it on hand for 'that time' of the month. I use this with a q-tip, without shaking, and dip the tip into the bottle so that it is soaked in the liquid and some of the calamine lotion. You end up getting into bed with pale pink spots on your face, but it is worth it the next day.

Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub
 Most of this just gets eaten, but I use this lip scrub every now and again to slough off dead skin and keep my smackers smooth. Chris always asks why I can't just use my toothbrush like he does, but I think he is just jealous of my sugar hit.

 
 The Jojoba Company Botanical Hydrating Face Mask*
This gives my skin a tremendous hydration hit (without making it shiny!) and I love the way it dries on my skin. It feels a bit tingly, which I attribute to the re-renergising aspect of it, and I love how soft my skin feels the next day. I am going to repurchase this when this tube is finito.

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque
This famous masque is great at calming breakouts, so I tend to use this when my skin is acting up. It sort of brings out the blemishes, which in turn allows them to heal quickly and get off my mug sooner- a definite win! This is super minty and cooling, and I purchased it in this haul.

Alpha-H Gentle Daily Exfoliant*
Best exfoliator I have used, hands down. Gentle but sloughs off the rough skin, is fruit derived which I like in my exfoliators. I can use this often without a problem, and tend to use it once or twice a week depending on how my skin is acting.
 

I also keep mask samples in my skincare box, as well as cotton rounds (for toner and Bioderma) and cotton tips (for spot lotion) in a reuseable cotton tip box from Priceline. I like being able to lazily clean my face each night and know what to use, it stops me from switching up my skincare too often, and allows me to see the benefits of what I'm using right now. These photos were taken some time ago, so I have made quite a dent in all of these since! I haven't begun using that Ponds cold cream just yet, but I like to keep it in there anyway.

How do you store your current skincare?
Have you tried any of these products?
What do you think of my 'skincare box'?

*Marked items were sent for review. Honesty, always.

12 comments:

  1. I love skin care posts like this! I love seeing what others use and maybe something will work for me! I need to get more of that Kiehl's midnight recovery complex-I did like it a lot and lately my skin is super dry.

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    1. @Tracy I love reading them as well, hearing about other peoples skin can be fascinating. I think I really like the midnight recovery concentrate, but I have so many other things to trial. No doubt I will return to it :)

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  2. So these are the secrets of your lovely skin! I'll have to check out some of these. I go through different products all the time and am yet to find HG products for myself.

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    1. @olgiepolgie Not sure I would call it lovely, it has its moments. I like to try new skincare as well, my skin is always changing so it is hard to find HG's, I agree. A few up there are def HG's though, Alpha-H Exfoliator and Bioderma <3

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  3. Am curious in knowing where do you get the Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque from ? Priceline ?

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    1. @Saumya I buy my Queen Helene from iHerb. They have Real Techniques brushes as well, and are really cheap. Free international shipping over $40, and I have a code for discount. "Use this code BEJ649 for $5 off first iHerb order, or $10 off if order over $40!"
      pretty good deal, I've used them a lot lately :) The mask is great for drawing out impurities

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  4. I really want to try the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate and Mario Badescu products! I do find that I have a few samples of skin care that I don't ever get around to using and have to consciously force myself to use. I think every makeup fanatic at some point turns their interest to skin care. After all, there really is a limit to how much makeup you can have, but skin care products usually get used up much quicker, and a nice base is everything when it comes to makeup :)

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    1. @sleepandwater It's a nice serum, Kiehls are nice and give samples if you want to try a small size like I have. Mario Badescu is the bomb, and darn cheap too! I really want to achieve that nice base, which is why I think I'm getting into skincare in a big way. Plus, it is nice for your face to feel sparkling clean :)

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  5. Mmmm that gel cleanser from Avene looks divine - something about the clear blue goo really appeals to me! I've just finished my bottle of Avene Eau Thermale Extremely Gentle Cleanser and it was such a lifesaver when my skin went through a crazy sensitive phase so I'm in the mood to try more of their products.

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    1. @Vita I love the clear blue goo aspect of it as well, so fun to play with! Avene, so far, have been very good to my skin.

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  6. Urgh - I wrote a comment before and it disappeared on me! Will try and re-cap!

    Love this post - love hearing about people's skincare routines! And thank you for doing a mini-review of each product - I much prefer that to just a list of products. Mostly because I'm a total skincare junkie who wants to hear every detail of why people use what they use!

    I've now added the Kiehl's serum to my wishlist - and you've further confirmed my need to purchase the MB Drying Lotion! It's been on my wishlist for a while, and I don't think my current spot treatment (Origins Spot Remover) is really doing much for me, so I think I'll be purchasing the MB very soon!

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  7. I love skincare posts! I loove the drying lotion and I'm really curious about the buffering lotion. I hate those cystic spots which take ages to come up! I also really want to try everything in that last picture, the hydrating mask, mint julep mask and the alpha-h exfoliator!

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I'd love to hear your opinion on this post! Please don't leave links in your comments, I always check out the bloggers who comment so there is no need :)

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