Regular readers of this blog will know that my skin is not the most pleasant of creatures, going wayward at the slightest provocation and breaking out whenever is feels like it. I've tried many things over the years, from the big daddy of acne medications (Roacutanne) or over the counter remedies and all sorts of blemish medications and pimple gels. I've recently discovered a no brainer simple skincare routine that makes a major difference to my twenty something skin (it's important to know the age of the skin you're dealing with) and would like to share it with you.
Here's how it works.
Step One: A gentle creamy cleanser used booth morning and night.
I've been enjoying using the Bvlgari Radiance Cleansing Milk. It's really gentle and creamy and doesn't irritate the skin at all. I like to prewash first with it, before using it with Step One and a Half., so my skin is extra clean.
Step One and a Half. The Clarisonic Plus sonic cleansing system from Selfridges.
When my skin is congested it's important to keep it as clean as possible, but to do so in a gentle non abrasive way as it's so prone to breaking out and I want to avoid that. using a soft cream cleanser with the Clarisonic is ideal as the 300 movements per second of the brush head help cleanse the whole skin of grime and dirt, whilst being surprisingly soft and gently. the trick is to make sure the brush head is always very wet- never use it dry. This deep cleanse helps remove dirt build up and gets rid of those frustratingly clogged areas around the nose- every bit as good as a facialist!
Step Two: A spot treatment gel- Ginvera Green Tea Zit Treatment gel
Follow up your deep cleanse with a targeted spot treatment, I'm very happy with Ginvera product as it helps dry out and nasty pimples as well as remove them, and if you catch an emerging spot it will be gone by the next morning. You do have to be patient, as skin turnover takes around 3-6 weeks depending on the person, but stick with this Salicylic acid enhanced gel and you will see results.
Step THREE. A high quality moisturiser- Creme de la Mer, The Moisturizing Lotion
Don't forget to moisturize just because you're using a pimple gel. Sure, your skin may be overproducing sebum and you want to stop this, but pimple gels dry out your skin an d then you will have spots AND flakiness- not a good look. Use a high quality product that's full of good ingredients, and avoid AHA's etc- that's not what you need now. I LOVE love the Crème de la Mer lotion as it's very soothing on inflamed skin, and is ideal for when the weather is turgid as it soothes and softens, as well as hydrates. You need to toe a fine line between rich and oil free, and you'll find what works for you soon enough, but the CLDM range is a great (if pricey) place to start.
