When it comes to my skin, I've always been super lucky. I've never had to deal with any majorly bad breakouts and even missed the stage throughout the wicked teenage years where spots can make us look like peperoni pizzas. Sometimes, during that time of the month or when I'm drunk and pass out before I've had time to grab a make up wipe, the occasional spot or two do like to make their appearance (my mum likes to tell me it's karma for being irresponsible). I really can't complain though, with a trusty concealer at hand, I can make those bad boys disappear within seconds.
It was a good few months ago now when my luck well and truly ran out! I had an allergic reaction to a cheap, high street cleanser which made my skin burn and shred from my face (no exaggeration)...the pain did eventually ease but my skin was left feeling SO dry! Wearing make up made me look positively awful and made me feel incredibly self conscious. Flaky skin with caked on foundation is not a strong look!! Before the allergic reaction, my 'daily skincare routine' consisted of a make up wipe lazily brushed across my face and a splash of water for good will. Oh how times have changed! In this post I thought i'd share with you my three holy grail products that brought life back into my damaged skin and that I now use every day as part of my new and improved skincare routine!
1 - Ultrabland cleanser | LUSH
The reaction left my skin super sensitive so I rushed to my nearest Lush store as a first port of call. Lush are notoriously known for only using natural ingredients and safe synthetics that aren't damaging to the skin. After explaining my cleanser drama, the lady who served me guided me through some of their products that are recommended to work best on dry skin. She was SO lovely and helpful; something else I really do love about Lush is their smiley service! As well as showing me a few demos of how to use the products, she let me take some samples home to 'try before I buy'. I returned just a few days later to purchase the real deals after already noticing differences!
One word to describe the ultrabland cleanser...A-MA-ZING! If I could only use one skincare product for the rest of my life it would be this! After a few days of using this cleanser, my skin didn't feel as angry anymore - the redness from the burning significantly reduced and all the flakiness completely disappeared! I use it every night before I go to sleep now and when I wake up in the morning my face always feels so soft and nourished. It's perfect for taking make up off with too! I tend to use a make up wipe first (only because I'm a heavy mascara kind of gal) and then ultrabland to make sure I've removed it all properly. I only bought the small tub (45g) and it seems to be lasting forever!
2 - Ocean Salt, face and body scrub | LUSH
This scrub smells exactly like vodka, lime and soda so if you're not a vodka fan or feeling particularly hungover, I wouldn't advise using it (warning - may cause feelings of nausea). For me it smells exactly like a summer's day sat chilling out in a beer garden...dreamy! One of its main ingredients is sea salt so I only ever scrub it gently into my face as I don't want it to be too harsh on my skin. For the same reason, I only use it every other day in the shower and that way I can use it on the rest of my body too. It eases so much of the redness on my face and leaves a natural glow, making me feel confident enough to go out in public without make up on. After use, I find myself stroking my soft skin for hours (that sounded a whole less creepier in my head). It's the perfect exfoliator!
3 - Express hydration body lotion | NIVEA
Is it just me who can't stand the feeling of a greasy moisturiser that takes forever and a day to absorb properly into the skin? GROSS. This Nivea moisturiser is the ultimate dream! I only use a very small amount of this lotion on my face before applying my make up in the morning and it absorbs almost instantly (a blessing if I'm running late)! It makes my foundation sit a lot smoother on my face and allows that smooth finish to stay all day. It also works wonders for making skin feel and look more hydrated!
The answer to dry skin is some TLC! I've used these products for over a month now and my skin has never felt better! During that period of time when I had horrendous skin, I felt equally horrendous. There's no denying that the way we look does play a role in how we feel about ourselves. I for sure can't afford those expensive products found on boutique counters in Selfridges, but sometimes paying even just a little extra is so worth it! More pricey skincare products tend to use more natural ingredients (which are so much better for our skin) and usually last a lot longer too as you never need to use as much! Obviously everyone has different skin types so make sure you do your research before purchasing!
Hope you've enjoyed reading this week's post - it's nice to share something a little bit different with you all! :)
Lots of love as always,
Beth x
Hope you've enjoyed reading this week's post - it's nice to share something a little bit different with you all! :)
Lots of love as always,
Beth x
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