ALL THE SKINCARE | AUGUST 2019 EDIT

 ***Disclaimer: This post contains gifted and non-gifted items. Links used are affiliate***

Texture-free skin care

I’ve been a little uninspired to write lately. But I am still here, mainly on Instagram and I continue to test, review, play and generally have the best time. I’m truly happy and that helps of course, but August was a funny little month. I came back from the best holiday I’ve ever been on, which caused my skin to freak out a little, bit going to lie. It was also my birthday month, full of nights out, hugging my friends, playing with makeup, working a little too hard, passing exams and chilling on the sofa with my cats. Life update is done, so let’s chat all the skincare I’ve used in August, and how I went from rough, textured & severely dehydrated skin to full-on glowing complexion in a matter of weeks. Here are some of my faves!

I came back from the Caribbean with a bit of tan, tons of texture and dehydration. Whilst I always care for my skin, I don’t think constantly swapping between different samples helped. Add sun, salty water, wind and I got myself into a bit of trouble. On my return, I reintroduced a stable skin diet of hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, retinol and AHA/BHA to fight texture and generally the feeling that my skin is just not right. 

In the evenings, I went for alternating nights with Medik8 Retinol 3TR - my personal favourite, super gentle but effective. It’s fast-absorbing and formulated with 0.3% retinol to decongest, resurface and restore radiance. It’s gentle but delivers a punch, first effects are shown after a few weeks but persistence is key. If you’re new to Retinol, I’d probably start with twice a week as it really is gentle but you want your skin to get used to it first. Then move on to alternating nights or even every night, if you so wish. I prefer to keep alternating my products, as I find that works best for my skin. 

♦Ingredients/INCI

Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Cyclopentasiloxane, PPG-12/SMDI Copolymer, Cyclohexasiloxane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinol, Lecithin, BHT.

Buy here | £29 for 15ml

When I wasn’t using retinol, I introduced Drunk Elephant T.L.C Framboos Glycolic Night Serum* into my evening ritual. Here’s a little disclaimer: this bish is used to acids, so my experiences may be different from those who only just started on that exciting journey. Formulated with 12% mixture of AHA (Glycolic, Lactic and Citric Acids) & BHA (Salicylic Acid) makes for a perfect evening treatment when you need to deeply exfoliate & resurface your skin. I don’t find it particularly tingling (again, I’m used to using acids in my routine) but actually really effective. The morning after I find my skin soft and radiant, which is all I want from active serum really. The actives here are buffered with hydrating and moisturising agents like aloe vera & allantoin, softening and antioxidant heavy fruit extracts (grape seed & raspberry seed to name just a couple). I find it gentle but if you’re only starting your acid story: I’d probably start with twice a week max & build up to more (and don’t forget about skin purging - read more about it here). 

♦Ingredients/INCI

Water/Aqua/Eau, Glycolic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Juice Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract, Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Buddleja Davidii Meristem Cell Culture, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Galactoarabinan, Propanediol, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Nitrate, Potassium Sorbate, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate

Buy from £76 (30ml) to £113 (50ml) on Cult Beauty & Space NK

When my skin reacts funny, I tend to go back to products I know it reacts well to. Dermalogica has always been THAT brand for me and Intensive Moisture Balance* is by far one of my favourite moisturisers ever. Dry skin favourite, I find it also works well for my normal -combo/dry skin. As I’m no longer on painkillers, my skin gone back to being mostly normal, sometimes dehydrated which makes it feel more combo to dry at times. Complicated huh? Not for this moisturiser. It’s antioxidant-rich, but not heavy at all and sinks in quickly whilst deeply hydrating and making it stay hydrated for longer. Oh and did I mention that it’s also soothing and gentle? Huge love. It delivers a stabilised vitamin C using its advanced liposomal delivery system, a way of of encapsulating less stable ingredients for ultimate results without worry they become unstable and well, useless. Vitamin C isn’t as potent as some other, but in conjunction with enzymes, ginkgo, vitamins A & E, coneflower (soothing), hydrocotyl (rich in amino acids, beta carotene and fatty acids), grape seed extract and many more to deliver ultimate hydrating and calming benefits to the skin while working hard to plump and reverse  and protect against further UV damage. It’s quite something! Whilst not the cheapest out there, you also get a lot of product, so you’ll be set for a while. And you can try without a hefty price tag too as they offer travel sizes on most of their products.

♦Ingredients/INCI

Water/Aqua/Eau, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol, PEG-8, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Lactamide MEA, Cetyl Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Dioscorea Villosa (Wild Yam) Root Extract, Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycolipids, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Phospholipids, Tocopheryl Acetate, Superoxide Dismutase, Sodium PCA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Disodium EDTA, Aminomethyl Propanol, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool.

Buy from Dermalogica UK and Look Fantastic.

Another Drunk Elephant classic: Luxury Virgin Marula Oil* has been a part of my daily routine. I must say, I now know what everyone’s been banging on about - it truly is special. It’s that type of oil that will make any oil hater into a fan, it sinks in super quickly even if not mixed, doesn’t leave heavy residue & works super hard at repairing the skin’s barrier. Whatever your skin concern, it’s the one for you. Acne, or dry, 20+ or showing the first (and so on) signs of ageing, psoriasis or eczema-prone, this antioxidant, fatty and amino acids rich oil appears to be beneficial for all. It features very low on the comedogenic scale, which means it won’t clog your pores - hurray! I use it on its own all over the face (even under eyes though rarely and on very dry under eye days!), add to moisturiser (my favourite thing to do - just check my daily PM routine Stories here) or a mask, or even as a lip oil - it’s truly a multitasker. Thanks to all the goodness inside this oil - you’ll be amazed by the results. 

♦Ingredients/INCI

Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil

Buy from £34 (15ml) to £61 (30ml) on Cult Beauty & SpaceNK

Finally, just a quick shoutout to my favourite (and only) lip balm I use and am even slightly addicted too. As you’re probably aware, I’ve never used to be a fan. In fact, I rarely used a lip balm but since getting fillers (check out my Stories highlights for my experience & sign up for consultation with Stuart at Dermoperfection when you’re in Birmingham next here - *gifted treatment*) I knew I had to change my lazy habits as it’s super important to keep the lips in tip-top condition to make sure your heal fast & your fillers don’t integrate and disappear too soon. Enter Image Skincare Ormedic Balancing Lip Enhancement Complex* instantly hydrates and keep my pout moisturised for longer. I feel this is where all others failed before: I like the instant healing properties of this lip balm. Even when I’m naughty and forget or wear a super drying and unforgiving liquid lipstick all week, it’s there to quickly get me back to beautiful healthy pout! It’s magic. It not only hydrated but also help diminish those pesky lip lines by supporting collagen renewal in lips and makes them look naturally full and beautiful. I am never without it! 

♦Ingredients/INCI

Palmitoyl oligopepide, Persea gratissima (avocado oil), (organic), Ubiquinone, Tocopherol (Vitamin E)

Buy here £25 for 7g

August skin care favourites

Thank You For Reading.

With love,

Full Disclaimer: 

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