Biz Time

It's been a year since my last skin care post (click) and I think it's time for an updated version. I haven't changed that many products actually, a lot stayed the same, nor have I experimented a lot in this year. I already found some great products last year and I kept using them. So I suppose I could even call them my holly grail products. My skin is combination to normal type with areas on my cheeks and forehead getting drier in colder months (I get dry patches there). I rarely get spots, in general I'd say about one every one or two months and even those tend to go away fast. However, some have left small red spots on my chin which are fading significantly slower. My skin had never looked better since I completely changed my routine last spring.

Starting with make up removers and cleansers. I still use Bioderma Sensibio H20, I'm on my fourth bottle in a row now. This might be the most recommended skin care product in the make up/beauty blogger community and for a good reason. It's very gentle, feels like water but removes all make up and does not irritate my skin or eyes. However, I do find it does not remove all of the waterproof mascara (actually it depends which one it is), so if I'm wearing waterproof mascara and I feel that Bioderma didn't get all off, I use Maybelline waterproof remover. It's oil based and I'm not really a fan of the oily residue is leaves, but it completely removes waterproof mascara. 

After make up removers I always use a cleanser and rinse my face with water. I just don't feel comfortable with just leaving all that remaining make up remover just sitting on my face. I need to feel that my skin is completely clean. I use different baby shower gels or soapless gels. Right now I'm using one of SauBär ones and I don't really like it. It's too thin and it's not a good shampoo either (it claims to be a 3 in 1, shower-shampoo-conditioner) as it really dries out the hair. Since they discontinued my HG Nivea Todddies gel, which I repurchased a dozen times in a row, I've used a lot of different cleansers. I didn't really like any of them, Neutrogena pink grapefruit one was particularly nasty, because it dried out my skin badly. But I got a sample of Skin79 O2 Bubbles BB cleanser and I loved it. It's on my wishlist already.

After cleanser I use Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum. I got it on eBay for half the price it's sold by our retailers, but it still cost an arm and a leg. I bought it sometime in Spring and I've got only about 20% left. My skin is definitely clearer, spots occur really rarely now (as I said before one per 1 or even 2 months) and if I get any they heal and disappear faster. In the first month using it, my forehead broke out like crazy. I almost stopped using it, but I pressed on and now my skin looks better than ever. It's meant to be used with a moisturiser as I find that itself is not moisturising at all. In fact if I use it on it's own my skin gets really tight after five minutes. Now that it's on it's last legs I really want to repurchase it, but it's so expensive. I'll probably repurchase it sometime, but for now I'll replace it with a much cheaper Eucerin Aquaporin light moisturiser (I got a few samples and I love how light, yet really moisturising it is).

I'm still using Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse dry oil as my moisturiser. I've been using it non-stop since last May and my skin looks so healthy, dewy, soft and all in all just really great. I had one 50 ml bottle for a year, because you only need a few drops. I recently repurchased a bigger 100 ml bottle that comes with a pump. Here is my original review. 

I've just recently written a review for self tanners which you can find here click. I use Clarins Liquid Bronze and Xen-Tan Transform light. The first is a light lotion and appropriate also for more oily skin types and the second one is really moisturising so I prefer it more for my skin type (it leaves my skin really soft even if I forget to use Nuxe oil). You can go really light with both, so to give your skin more of a glow than an actual deeper tan, or you can build it up by using it several days in a row.

As my exfoliator/anti-spot mask I use Dermalogica gentle cream exfoliant which has high percentages of salicylic and lactic acid. It's a brilliant product, you can find my rave review here. I bought it when my skin was acting up as a result of Estee Lauder Advance Night Repair's purging stage and it worked amazing. I still only have the small tube (I've been saving it like crazy) and I tend to use it as a spot treatment. It just dries those suckers right out. I'm saving for a full size tube.

My favourite spot treatment has been discontinued. It is PureSkin pure teint spot fighting duo by Essence. The concealer end is absolute rubbish, but the treatment end was amazing. It was a clear liquid and it didn't leave any dried gel type of things on top. It worked great and it dried the spots fast. Now I've been trying other ones (I'll advise you to stay clear of the new treatment from the same line by Essence as it's really bad) and nothing works the same (apart for the Dermalogica mask). I miss it, I've probably repurchased it a least half of dozen times. So far I purchased one from Balea and I hate it, and one from CadeaVera Young, which is just ok, I don't like the fact it's a gel that dries on the spot.

So this is my updated skin care routine. I know it looks like I use a lot of products, but in fact on most days it's just three: cleanser, Estee Lauder serum and Nuxe oil. Thanks for reading!

As promised here is my post on my current skin care. First something about my skin. I have combination skin with oily T-zone, but otherwise my skin is normal. I also used to have very dehydrated skin with dry patches on my forehead, but now thanks to Vichy Aqualia Thermal serum they're gone. I never had a lot of spots or imperfections. My skin also doesn't tan and I have some freckles in the summer. In the last months I completely changed my skincare. Before I only used baby wash and CadeaVera Young moisturizer (which isn't that good btw), resulting in having loads of dry areas and patches. Since I changed my skincare, my skin looks so much better. In the last month my skin got so much better, I have no spots, no dry patches and my skin looks so much healthier (especially after I started using the aspirin toner and Nuxe oil).

I rarely use Neutrogena Visibly Clear Wash mask 2 in 1, simply because I forget, but I included it anyway. It's a great mask, contains kaolin and salicylic acid which makes it suitable for oily to combination skin. I love the fact that is comes in a big squeeze tube (I really hate those mini bags, there so messy) so it lasts for months. It makes your skin look so much more clear, fresh and healthier. Plus it's not that expensive considering how much you get, I think it's about 5 € for 150 ml and it's easily accessible.

Once a week I use a home made scrub with some baking soda mixed with a drop of water. I then very gently rub it on the skin (the key here is gentle or you might end up with a chemical burn) and than rinse right away (I don't tend to leave it on like some people do). I makes your skin so super soft, I'm still amazed. I don't use it too often because some reviewers on MUA said it can destroy your protective acid mantle. I already wrote about baking soda here.

Now to everyday stuff. For removing my make up I use my trusted Bioderma Sensibio, which is so incredibly gentle. It literally feels like water, it doesn't irritate my eyes and it also removes waterproof mascara. You can get it in pharmacies, 100 ml bottle is 7 €, 250 ml bottle is 11 €.

If I'm at home I currently use L'Oreal Perfect Clean for sensitive skin. It's ok, it's a bit thicker than your regular gel, but I find it a bit drying so I probably won't repurchase it. That rubbery scrub thingy is actually nice. 

When I'm in Ljubljana I've been just using honey (I have the one in a squeeze tube) as a face wash, simply because I'm too lazy to go and buy another baby shower gel. I've been using it for over a month and it's actually not that bad. But you might not like it, because it doesn't rinse of completely, even if you rinse vigorously it will leave a film. Personally I don't mind, because honey is an antiseptic, contains lots of vitamins and lots of other good things for your skin. I also use honey as a mask and leave it on for about 10 minutes and it makes your skin look so lovely.

After cleansing I use my home made aspirin toner. I so easy to make and it works amazing. You need an empty bottle, some aspirin and aloe vera. Mix 50 ml of water, 1-2 crushed aspirins (you really don't need more, because aspirin solubility in water is 100 mg per 100 ml at room temperature, so you'll be throwing pills away. I use one.) and a couple of squirts of aloe vera gel (I have the Sun Dance one). I suggest you read some review on MUA, if you need more information. I love this toner. My skin got a million times better after using it. Those spots that I had healed much faster and now I have barely any spots (they're minute anyway). 

Next I use Vichy Aqualia Thermal serum. I already wrote a review for it. I use one pump for my face. It got rid of my dry patches and my make up (foundation) looks so much better now. It's about 21 € and you can get it in pharmacies.

I mix Vichy's serum with a couple of drops of Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multipurpose Dry Oil, which I already raved about here. I adore it, I already wrote all about it in my review, but it just made my skin so radiant and healthy looking. In my opinion it works as good and even better than Vichy serum, the only thing is that you use a lot less of the oil that the serum so I'll keep repurchasing it (and skip Vichy serum, having both is just too expensive). Nuxe is also available in pharmacies, 50 ml cost around 18 €, 100 ml is around 30 €. I also use it on my body and hair, it's really a multipurpose product.

The last thing that I've been using only for a couple of weeks is the Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning for face and decollete (in that white L'Occitane bottle, I don't actually own a full size product). It's like a gradual self tanner and I love it. You apply it with a cotton pad, it doesn't leave my skin greasy, the tan is very even and lovely. I'll buy the full size. My cousin got it from feelunique.com for about 17 €.

So this is it. I hope you find this post helpful. Have a great day.