Teenage years wouldn’t be the same without those pesky hormonal imbalances that cause breakouts. To a greater or lesser degree, we have all experienced problematic skin, but many still have yet to establish a skincare routine with the right products for them. The result? – Not so great skin. Having great skin doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. There is no “holy grail” when it comes to products either; there are a variety that are worth your money and some which I’d stay clear of. I used to suffer from bad skin, but, by being consistent and trying out a plethora of products, I have found out how to keep those impurities at bay.
Here’s my guide of:
– Which types of products to use
– Why you should be using them
– When and how often to use them
– Specific products that I recommend
CLEANSER
Use: Twice per day (morning and before bed)
Why? Removes remaining make-up, pollutants, bacteria, dead skin cells and bacteria.
Products I Recommend:
Budget: Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Foaming Face Wash, £3.59
Mid-Range: Body Shop Tea Tree Foaming Cleaner, £5.00
Luxury: Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Cleansing Foam, £15.50
TONER
Use: Twice per day (morning and before bed) – after using cleanser
Why? Shrinks pore, helps restore PH Balance, tightens skin cell gaps (resulting in less contaminants entering the skin) and helps prevent ingrown hairs.
Products I Recommend:
Budget: Simple Soothing Facial Toner, £2.99
Mid-Range: Body Shop Tea Tree Facial Toner, £5.00
Luxury: Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Clarifying Lotion, £17.00
MOISTURISER
Use: Twice per day (morning and before bed) – after cleansing/toning
Why? Pollutants can dry out skin – strangely moisturizing helps prevent greasy skin, as if you cleanse skin without moisturizing afterwards the body reacts by increasing the amount of sebum it releases (this creates spots)
Products I Recommend:
Budget: Nivea Essential Light Moisturizing Day Cream, £3.99
Mid-Range: Body Shop Seaweed Mattifying Moisture Lotion, £11.00
Luxury: Unisex: Eve Lom TLC Radiance Cream, £45.00 or Men: Dior Homme Dermo System Repairing Emulsion, £37.00
EXFOLIATOR
Use: Two to Three Times Per Week
Why? Helps clear acne and blackheads, improves the texture of skin, decongests large pores and helps the absorption of moisturizer
Products I Recommend:
Budget: Garnier Pure Active 3in1, £3.00
Mid-Range: N/A (I’ve not found a mid-range product better than the above)
Luxury: Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser with Orange Extract, £20.00
OH SH**! Moments (spot corrector)
Use: When you’ve got a party/photoshoot/date and you’re more zit-ney than Britney
Why? Helps reduce the appearance of redness and swelling in minimal time, but too harsh to use on skin everyday
Products I Recommend:
Budget: Boots Teatree and Witch Hazel Spot Wand, £3.59
Mid-Range: Freederm Overnight Clearing Serum, £6.49
Luxury: Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel, £14.00 (if you can afford it, it’s worth every penny)
I hope this guide helps you navigate the skincare jungle. I’m passionate about finding simple solutions to seemingly complicated problems. Other products you can consider are facemasks (on occasion) and night cream/masks, but they really aren’t essential. One final thing: make-up wreaks havoc on the skin; so ladies, make sure you remove it properly.