Friday 17 June 2011

Some skincare favorites

I have somewhat awkward skin- It's very dry and sensitive, but is also prone to blackheads (around the nose) which I think are down to blocked pores, not oiliness; and occasional spots  (mainly on the chin and jawline) which are either hormonal or the result of a reaction. I also have eczema on my eyelids and around my eyes. Since the age of around 13 I have tried so many skincare products to try and get my skin sorted. For a long time I fell into the 'trap' of thinking that my spots and blackheads were a result of oily skin that needed harsh products to get under control; needless to say it didn't work, and probably made things worse because my skin often reacted badly. Then around 3 years ago I discovered YouTube videos and blogs (and became immediately addicted) and I learned the error of my ways.

I came across Neutrogena Visibly Clear range by (a happy) accident, it was on the Boots skincare 3 for 2 and I picked up the Blackhead Eliminating daily scrub, not expecting miracles having heard very little about it on the internet. This was about 2 years ago, and though I've tried a few other cleansers since then, I've always, always come back to this product (must be true love).





Because it's a cream formulation, it doesn't strip the (very few) natural oils I have in my skin, unlike some products I've tried I don't feel the need to moisturise 10 seconds after washing my face! Its cleanses my skin really thoroughly (if I'm not wearing much make up I don't bother removing it before washing, this will do it for me) and the small exfoliating beads, along with the salicylic acid in the product really seem to get rid of dead skin and take care of my blackheads without leaving my skin feeling raw and over-exfoliated :) It's sold for £4.07 (for 150ml) at Boots

I like lots of the other Visibly Clear products too- I'm currently using the Pink Grapefruit cream wash (sold at £4.49 for 150ml). The smell is amazing- very citrusy (who would've thought!) which is great for waking me up in the morning- and the cream formulation seems very similar to that of the blackhead eliminating scrub. There are no magical exfoliating beads so I use a Facial Buffer Sponge, by Botanics (£2.75 at Boots), to provide some exfoliation- I find this can be too hard on my skin if I use it too frequently, so I usually only use this in the mornings (or not at all, if my skin is feeling particularly sensitive).




I am also a lifelong fan of the St. Ives Apricot Scrub (£4.19 for 150ml). I actually don't remember a time this wasn't in my bathroom (my Mum always loved this long before I did) It can be a little harsh if you're not careful, but I use this around once a week in the shower and it gets rid of dead skin cells and leaves my face refreshed. It's also very good for dry skin all over the body, I almost always use a little on my knees and elbows, and often on my legs/ all of my body :) My sister loves this too, which is why we have the Blemish Fighting variety- she is 13 and rather spot-prone and oily.




Another current favorite of mine is the moisturiser I'm using; despite the face that it's only 64p I really like it. I bought it on a recent trip to Asda, thinking that if I hate it I can use it on my body- and hey, it's only 64p!




It has quite a thin/runny formula which means it sinks in well, and doesn't leave my skin feeling greasy. The vitamin E it contains is good for your skin, and while it's not a miracle 'holy grail' product, it certainly does the job for me (impressive considering how dry my skin can get) and is super-kind on my purse :)


What are your skincare favorites?

                                                                                             
                                                                                               xGretalRabbitx

2 comments:

  1. I just found this post while I was searching solution for my blackhead problem.. which luckily seems to be exactly the same as yours. I also have very dry and sensitive skin, and can't seem to get rid of the blackheads on my nose and the area around it. I'm definitely going to try that Neutrogena daily scrub! Thanks for the review :)

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    Replies
    1. It has worked wonders for me, and I hope it'll do the same for you :) Glad it was helpful for you!
      xGretalRabbitx

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