Skincare
When I was about 10 years old ( and relishing in getting a day off school) I accompanied my mother to a dermatologist for something or another and although I have long since forgotten why we were there one thing has stayed with me: the moment the dermatologist grabbed my Casper white arm and complicated my skin while also warning me to always look after it and always wear sunscreen.
Growing up I took this advice to heart ignoring the jokes about the pallor like tone of my skin and wore sunscreen everywhere just thinking about how what those tanned beauties would look like once they hit there 30's. This lead to my obsession with all things skincare related.
Now I find it easy to leave the house without a speck of makeup on and dirty hair but find it pretty much impossible not to drench my skin in at least 30++ and to clean my face every night no matter how many glasses of wine I have had.
So as a way of showing off my obsession and also making an effort to make this blog just a tad more personal I thought I would go through my favourite products from my hoard:
(Top to bottom and left to right)
1. La Roche Posay Thermal Spring Water: There are times when I really don't know why I keep buying this. Sure its refreshing and it always makes me feel ultra clean but it just almost seems a waste of money and a little bit indulgent. Maybe I just should put it down to my inner snob who doesn't want common tap water to touch my face.
2. La Roche Posay Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Extreme Fluid: This seems like a pretty obvious product to have but sunscreen is truly a necessity. Nothing ages the skin prematurely more then sun damage and when you are as pale as me standing out for an extended amount of time in the sun even in Australia means tomato red skin. This is 50++ and although I don't really see the big difference between this and a 30++ formula when I slap this on I do feel like I am protecting my skin just that little bit better. It also doesn't help that this formula is moisturising without being oily nor shiny and sits fantastically under makeup.
3. La Roche Effaclar Duo: My skin is dry and sensitive by nature but sometimes, mostly due to a certain monthly visit or a long stretch of hot and humid Australian summer days, my skin tends to get some minor pimples, blackheads and whiteheads. When that happens I just slather this little tube of wonder over the affected areas for a few days and everything is cleared without making me look like a tomato or giving me desert like dry patches.
4. Aurelia Revitalise & Glow Serum: This stuff does exactly what it says it does: makes my skin look really fresh and creates an inner glow without the need to have a bun in the oven. I have only used this for a bit over a week but my pores are a lot smoother, the dry patches on my forehead and nose have mostly disappeared and my skin is less red and irritated.
5. Aesop Primrose Facial Hydrating Cream: As you can tell by the rest of this list I do prefer more natural skin care lines and it was local brand Aesop that helped start that trend in my skincare habits. When I originally started using Aesop about four years ago I had just about every product they offered but as I have got more into skincare this is the only product of there's that I still use on a regular basis. This is extremely moisturising and hydrating but also sinks right into my skin without any oily residue making it the perfect moisturiser for day and night. A little also goes a long way and I find myself only needing to repurchase about every 3 months which is pretty great considering I need a lot of moisture and, just like most things on this list, it also smells gorgeous.
6. Mario Badescu Facial Spray: Working in air-con all day does a number of any ones skin so having a little something to help refresh your face and wake you up is basically a life saver. Though I am pretty sure this isn't doing much to my skin except maybe setting my make up but it feels amazing and is always at the bottom of my handbag. It also doesn't hurt that it smells like turkish delight.
7. Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask: This is basically a hangover or crap day cure in a tube. Every time I drink too much and forget to look after my skin before crashing, have a cold or flu or it's been a harsh winter day I just smother my face with this and sit around sculling water until I feel and look like a normal human being. Not only does the tropical fruit scent help to revive me this stuff is a serious moisture surge for skin that hasn't been treated that well making it look plump and hydrated in a matter of hours (or overnight as the name suggests). It also comes out almost translucent and soaks in very quickly making it OK to wear to the supermarket on a lazy Sunday.
8. Aurelia Monday to Sunday Bamboo Muslins: As I have gotten into cleansing balms (like the Ren No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm discussed below) muslin cloths have become a must have for my skincare routine and these are great quality, machine washable, soft, natural and antibacterial and come in a very pretty box that looks amazing in my bathroom.
9. Bioderma Crealine H20: I don't think there is anyone in the fashion or beauty industry that isn't obsessed with this French pharmacy favourite and it is truly a product that lives up to the hype. Perfect for removing make up, as quick refresh after the gym or as a cleanse when your are on holidays or your skin is very sensitive it's the one skincare product that I have got my whole family addicted to (as you can see from the near empty bottle).
10. Ren No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm: I am someone who firmly believes that your skin doesn't need to be aggressively scrubbed nor slathered with a million chemicals in order to keep it clear and protected against ageing. So when it comes to cleansing I take the gentlest and most nourishing route: cleansing balms. I am not going to get in technicalities here but basically cleansing balms are massaged onto a dry face where there natural oils thoroughly melt away dirt and make up and then are removed with damp muslin cloths leaving skin purified but also very nourished and not irritated. I have been using the Ren version for a while now and it does everything it claims to do but its without doubt my obsession with this type of cleansing that keeps me using it. Actually once this tube runs out I might try Aurelia's Miracle Cleanser which isn't exactly a cleansing balm but works in the same manner.
11. Uspa Hydration Therapy Cream: This was actually a spare of the moment purchase when I got an Uspa facial at Spa Q in Sydney. It was the last product my therapist applied and it made my skin feel extra soft but not greasy and really needed a moisturiser for under foundation and hot summer days when my Aesop Evening Primrose cream is a little to heavy which it works perfectly for.
12. Ren Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask: As a suffer of dry and sensitive skin scrubbing away at my skin is big no-no but as I still need a way to really clean my face and get rid of dead and dry skin I have turned to this wonder product. This is marketed as an natural, bio active rinse-off peel that helps to renew the complexion, reduce fine lines and make skin more radiant by basically eating away dead skin with fruit acids. It does exactly what it says its going to do and although its not recommended for sensitive skin it only reacts with my skin when its super dry or I am sick making it the perfect alternative to a face scrub.