Skin Secrets

Even before I completed a beautician course last year, I had an obsession with good skin. Plagued by problem skin in my early teens (a bit like rosacea), when it finally began to clear I wanted to keep it that way and never go back to the embarrassment that was my old skin. After years of trying products that keep my dry skin hydrated and are gentle enough for my sensitivity; I've compiled a list of what has worked for me and that I'd recommend for people in the dry/sensitive skin category. 

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish

I have probably been using this cleanser for the past four or five years and genuinely don't think I will ever stray away from it. Not only is it gentle on the skin, but when it is removed with the muslin cloth not only does it leave your skin feeling clean, but it gently exfoliates without irritating. I can't recommend it enough and if you want to see my ramble on my love for it click here. 

£13/15e

Liz Earle Instant Tonic Boost

Again, this is a product that I've been using for years. It works as a toner and can be used after cleansing to close the pores and remove any excess makeup still left on the skin, leaving it ready for moisturiser; or it can be used throughout the day to freshen up (especially on planes!)

£11/13.25e

Oilatum Natural Repair Cream

This is one of two of the best moisturisers I've found for my skin-type. Not only does it instantly relieve any tightness but manages to keep the skin hydrated all day and is the perfect base for under make up. It contains natural ingredients and is free from fragrances, preservatives and emulsifiers. 

£8/10e

La Roche Posay 50+ Anthelios XL Melt-in Cream

My introduction to this product came when a woman in work told me that while she was waiting for her face lift, she was recommended by the plastic surgeon to wear this suncream everyday. Laughable? Yes. But she was bloomin' right. This suncream creates a velvety film on the skin, keeping it hydrated all day but also acts as an anti-aging product due to its high factor spf. It is free from perfumes and is paraben-free.

£14/17e

Estee Lauder Idealist Serum

This is a serum perfect for younger and those with dry skins. Its partner product Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair works well too, but is nowhere near as hydrating. This can be used in the morning for a burst of hydration under moisturiser and then at night to keep the skin hydrated. While it does have perfumes in it (citrus), it leaves the skin feeling velvety and has never caused a reaction in my skin. 

£38/45e for 30ml

Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator

Again, this a product that is extremely gentle on the skin. If you use the Cleanse and Polish, the need to use the exfoliator will be less frequent as you are exfoliating with the muslin cloth. But this is for days when your skin feels dull and needs a little 'pick me up'. It doesn't hurt the skin, and uses small granules to gently exfoliate. 

£11/14e for 70ml

Elave Intensive Cream Moisturiser

This is the second of my favourite moisturisers and is a lot richer than the Oilatum. It can be used in the morning and at night, but needs a few minutes to sink into the skin. It instantly relieves the skin of feeling tight and leaves it moisturised for most of the day. I prefer to use it at night, as it is thick and takes a while to seep in. 

£5/7e

Xen Tan Perfect Blend

While this isn't skincare, it is a tan that doesn't cause any irritation and doesn't dry out the skin at all. If you moisturise regularly it lasts about a week on the skin. 

£38/40

Have you tried any of these products? 

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Liz Earle, How I Love Thee (Dublin Event)

Liz Earle held an event over the weekend to celebrate their third birthday in Dublin and to promote their products. Like the little Liz Earle fiend that I am, I jumped at the chance to make an appointment and learn more about the brand I obsess over and try out the few products I haven't already bought.

Since I have been using the LE products for years, I thought I would opt for a hand and arm massage instead of the skin consultation. Because, lets face it. The Liz Earle skincare range makes up the majority of products I will ever let touch my face. Not only did the women who work there create a lovely, warm atmosphere but they discussed the products used on me in a way that wasn't pushy.

My hand and arm massage was completed by the lovely Rosana, who talked to me about some of the new products in the range and the different ways to use them. She used the amazing Superbalm moisturiser on me, and although The Mother has it, I had never realised its different uses such as rubbing it into the cuticles to make them uber soft. Will be stealing that off The Mother so!

They passed around the most delicious cupcakes I've ever tasted, had beautifully fresh juice flowing and massaged my blues away. And if that wasn't enough we were given gorgeous goody bags containing a mini Cleanse and Polish, Instant Tonic Boost and even the Liz Earle fragrance sample, all perfect for travelling. A massive thank you to all the ladies who worked there, I had a fabulous time!

You can buy Liz Earle products at the Wilde and Green shop in Milltown or online here.

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Kiehl's Skincare Routine: Thoughts and Review

Hello lovelies!

I’ve been waiting a long time to post about this, and while I will be making a video about it very soon, that will be more of an overview of my entire skincare routine. So, I’ll take this opportunity to be especially rambly and detailed! Lucky you!

So first of all, let me tell you about my skin. If you watch my videos, which I’m assuming most of you do, you’ll know that my skin is incredibly acne-prone and sensitive. So many skincare and makeup products have broken me out or irritated my skin in one way or another. In terms of oiliness, my skin is combination-oily, but tends to get really flaky dry patches during the winter. In the summer, I’m a sweater, so I’m usually quite shiny... and blackheads are always a gross issue. 

So back in February, I decided that I needed a new skincare regimen. My Clean and Clear Continuous Control Acne Wash had done its job, but was starting to really dry out my skin and irritate it. So, I popped into a Kiehl’s boutique and asked them for help!

I came out of there with two new products: their Foaming Non-Detergent Washable Cleanser for combination or oily skin type, and their Blemish Control Daily Skin Clearing Cream Treatment. 

For 250 ml, this cost roughly $30 CDN

This cost around $35 CDN, but a little goes a long way!

So the cleanser is a liquid consistency, reminiscent of hand soap. I squeeze a dime-sized amount onto my Shiseido face brush and scrub gently for at least a minute. It foams up a little bit, but the amount of lather isn’t really something that makes or breaks a product for me- it often has little to do with how effective it actually is! 

The consistency of the cleanser

So 4 months later, I’m happy to report that my skin has ceased in its flaky ways, and is doing pretty well. A few other factors have caused breakouts, as is often the case with acne-prone and sensitive skin, such as changes in the weather/humidity, stress (final university semester = loads of it!), hormones, the wrong foundation, etc.

Small sidebar… One thing to mention is that this cleanser does contain parabens, specifically methylparaben and ethylparaben. Parabens seem to be the hot topic lately, so I thought I'd cover it a bit for those of you who are interested. There’s tons of research and information out there about parabens, so if you need to brush up on your chemistry, the information is readily available online. I’ll just say that parabens are very far down on the list of ingredients for this cleanser. It’s on my skin for about 60 seconds, then rinsed off, so, in my totally non-expert opinion, if I’m going to be using something with parabens in it, it makes sense to me that a cleanser is probably one of the best options, rather than a moisturizer that is sitting on my skin all day. Again, totally a non-expert, but I’m basing this off of quite a bit of Googling. And I think I'm a darn good Googler...

…Which brings me to the other product I bought, the spot treatment/skin healer. While I really do like this, it’s more of an all-over treatment rather than a spot treatment. It only has 1.5% salicylic acid. To be honest, it doesn’t have enough power to take down the kind of zits I get (painful, cystic acne. Yuck.), so I use it nightly on my t-zone, which is my most acne-prone area. For spots, I swear by Murad’s spot treatment, which uses sulfur and salicylic acid as its main active ingredients. 

The thing that I really like about Kiehl’s blemish control product is that it does actually help to heal the skin, as advertised. Previous treatments I’ve tried have made my skin feel very tight, and did nothing to heal the broken skin around the pimples. I find this product to be soothing, mild, and effective. Win!

So for my first foray into Kiehl’s skincare, I think I did pretty well! Two products that work for me, and don’t break me out. What are the odds?! Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket or something...

xox Chloe

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Beginnings: Bio Oil

Hi!

So tonight I embarked on a new journey... The Bio-Oil Journey... (**cue sappy music?**)

I bought a bottle of it at Winners (FYI they had it for $15 instead of $20!) and used it tonight for a face massage. My most recent breakout situation (see my Acne: Solved post) will no doubt leave me with some scarring to deal with... but not without me putting up a fight!

Bio Oil- photo from Google

I have been curious about Bio Oil for quite a while. A few times I've actually had it in my hand at the store, but never ended up buying it.

I've heard both glowing and scathing reviews on this stuff, so I'm going into this with an open mind. I don't have high expectations, but I don't have zero expectations either. I'd like to notice a difference/improvement, but I'm not calling for a miracle. Not all of my acne scars will be gone, and that's okay!

If nothing else, it works well as a facial massage oil! Haha :)

Have you tried Bio Oil? I'd love to hear about your experiences with it!

xox Chloe

EDIT/UPDATE: This stuff broke me out like crazy after a few days. Fail. 

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