June Favourites

As it is the start of summer my skincare has been focused on light textures, sun protection, and hydration. I really recommend looking after your skin in the summer as heightened levels od UV can lead to darkening of acne scars and accelerating the look of ageing.

Skin

Body Shop skin defence £16

When I saw this was going to be released it was around the time I was looking for a new moisturiser, especially one with a high SPF. Initially, my thought was either an SPF from a french brand or the Body Shop vitamin C moisturiser but when this came out I couldn't resist.

It has a light texture which Is great for summer as I find mattifying can be too dry and other moisturisers too thick. This essence that turns to a water provides a light texture and doesn't leave a white cast. It's SPF 50 pa++++ whilst also containing anti oxidants such as vitamin-C which provides a good all round protection. I recommend to anyone looking for a new SPF this summer: this is your match!

Superdrug Clearly Youthful Cream Cleanser and Serums

I first tried this range a while back when I bought the night serum and although I liked it I didn't really use it much until recently. After that, I used the cream cleanser, which if you've seen my review you probably know I liked it and I've been using it a lot, most nights in fact.

After liking the cleanser I decided to go back to the night serum but also try the day serum. The night serum boasts 2% salicylic acid, lactic acid, and tetra peptide. It does talk of other ingredients but most of that didn't really interest me. The day serum has less salicylic acid but has mattifying and hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid. I've really come on board and introduced these serums into my daily routine and have seen a difference in my acne.

I recommend this range for anyone with acne or people below the age of 25 concerned about ageing
.

Sure Max Protection

I find a lot of deodorants irritate my skin but recently I've found the perfect remedy: dimethicone. Found in many skincare products and my under arms have been much less itchy with the added bonus of being an anti-perspiring and barely scented.

Plants and Fashion

An obvious pairing I swear.

Recently my favourite colour is khaki. I try and stay away from just buying clothes in one colour and try to get variation but I admit I've been buying rather a lot of khaki. This shirt is from Asos as I found it in the sale. The sale didn't have many other things I like but I am quite picky, Id rather buy very little then a lot that I don't wear or wear because I bought it even though I don't actually like it. The top was from topman, I decide Id go for this summery yellow as it thought It was a happy colour and went with a lot that I already own.

The plants are all from Tesco, ranging from £3 to £4 which is a bargain for succulents. It's nice to see succulents so available as I used to only be able to find them at Wilko and select garden centres. One tip with the aloe is to take out the baby plants and plant them in smaller plants else it will getter proper crowded. The smallest plant does not have a drain hole so I've been watering it really carefully. If you find you over water plants Id suggests you stay away from that one. Recently I've noticed they've changed the pots... which is rude.

Books

Stephen King: Finders keepers

I've read a couple Stephen King books before. His latest books are always easy to find at supermarket book sections so they're almost always an impulse buy, unregretfully. His books for me are always an easy read as they're interesting and unlike many books I find I can't often get the plot halfway through which makes them so exciting. Finders keepers is no exception. It's an immersive tale of a boy who finds a hidden stash of money and when the owner comes looking for it, it all kicks off. Really worth a read whether you're new to reading or not.

Caitlin Moran: Moranifesto

Caitlin Moran is funny and interesting and such a great writer. She writes for the Time's magazine but If you don't what to buy that then this will be a great read. It's a collection of all her brilliant articles from the last few years, ranging from funny to inspiring to serious to introspective to funny again. I couldn't read it faster. It covers topics such as life, politics, and popular culture. She,s someone I aspire to be and write like.

That's it for my June favourites. For July and august I'm sure to be basking in the sun (protected) and relaxing.

Clearly Youthful AHA/BHA exfoliating cream cleanser

Why It interested me?
I originally saw this on Instagram and very quickly decided I needed it and I've liked other products in the range before such as the night serum. At the time when I saw this product I was looking for some new cream cleansers and the idea of a nonphysical exfoliating cleanser excited me.

How I used it?
The directions recommend using a cotton wool pad and sweeping it over your face. Don't listen to that as washing with water is important for exfoliation. I used warm water and a muslin cloth. Unlike a physical exfoliator, I think you could use this as often as you like just use it a bit less if your skin gets irritated or you're using other AHA's (you're probably fine with BHA's).

What did I like?
As I said before it is a nonphysical or nonmechanical exfoliator meaning it uses acids instead of grains, charcoal or plastic beads... which I much prefer as they give a much better and nondamaging exfoliation. The BHA is great for acne and blackheads and the AHA (lactic acid) is good for evening skin tone.

What I disliked?
It can be slightly irritating if you have already irritated skin but if you have sensitive skin and this is the only AHA/BHA you use it shouldn't be a problem.

Who's it for?
Anyone. The Clearly Youthful is for people looking for clear skin and anti-aging but many of the active ingredients they used can help many skin type. If you have sensitive skin and you're looking for an AHA or BHA then this wouldn't be a bad choice.

Where can I get it?
Superdrug £3.69
http://www.superdrug.com/Skincare-Offers/Superdrug-Clearly-Youthful-Cream-Cleanse-150ml/p/296601

L'oreal Extraordinary Clay

What is it?
This is a range of hair care products aimed at oily hair.

Why it interested me?
When is saw the range I was excited as it was aimed at people with oily hair which for me is a constant struggle. The majority of shampoos and conditioners aimed at oily hair are over stripping then not very conditioning leaving dry hair. What most interested me was the hair mask.

What did I enjoy?
The shampoo is nonstripping meaning it makes the hair feel clean rather than dry but I don't find it suitable for everyday use so it was a definite joy to use. Likewise, the conditioner leaves the hair feeling smooth and manageable without making it more greasy and it's not thick so you don't need much.

What was the mask like?
The mask is thick resembling nothing I've used before but the most precise way to describe it is similar to a thick cream cheese yet creamier . The smell isn't the nicest and is slightly offensive but it doesn't bother me too much. You apply it the same you would apply hair dye to roots by sections and It only needs to be left in for 5 minutes although I didn't find that leaving it in for any longer had any adverse effect. It was easily rinsed out by warm water in the shower.

Was my hair any less oily?
I didn't feel that the hair mask was especially helpful. I didn't feel that it left my scalp noticeably less greasy and to pay for something extra alongside my usual shampoo and con I expect to be wowed. It's good for hair that hasn't been washed in a while and I will probably use it at least weekly but like almost all masks I'll presumably forget about it and chuck it away when I'm cleaning out. The shampoo and conditioner are some of my favourites and would defiantly recommend.

Would I repurchase the range?
Most likely yes although I will probably omit the mask.

My Favourite 5 Cleansers for February 2016

Here are my current 5 favourite cleanser that I've been using the most for the past few months.

How I cleanse

First I wet my face. Use about a tea spoon of water all over the face, you want to feel damp rather than wet to give slip when you use the cleanser. Apply cleanser to face and massage for a minute as this gives time for the active ingredients to work and get the blood flowing. Massage upwards along the cheek and jaw and in circles on the forehead and middle of the face to follow the muscles. I often use a muslin cloth in the evening but you can use a flannel or just water. Pat dry with a towel. Do this twice a day.

Nip + Fab Glycolic Cleanser

This is a good light cleanser, one I often use in the morning. It has a refreshing citrus scent and includes olive oil to leave skin balanced and hydrated but greasy or oily,  a great no nonsense cleanser with a pinch of glycolic acid. 

 

Id recormend this for any skin type. £8 but you can often find it half price.

Vichy Normaderm Deep cleansing purifying gel

Another light cleanser that I mostly use in the morning. I can't describe the scent, its not offensive or bad but its not my favourite. It contains salicylic and glycolic acid although it won't be anywhere as affective as a leave on product. Its a stronger cleanser but its not necessarily drying.

It recormend this for normal to oily. £11

Super Facialist By Una Brennan Anti Blemish Cleansing Wash

This is a great brand that feels and looks more expensive then it is. Its a great not drying and non irritating face wash. It contains both salicylic acid and vitamin B3. It leaves skin feeling clean and is wonderful and great for a relaxing facial massage, a cleanser I wouldn't want to take off. One of my favourite all time cleansers I couldn't recormend this more.

It recormend this for normal to oily. £8 and its more than worth it.

Dr. Organic Tea Tree Face Wash

Containing organic tea tree this is a great and affordable way to invest in organic skincare. Its one I use when I break out. It smells of tea tree and is gentle on the skin.

I recormend it for normal to oily skin. £7.

Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser

Another wonderful smelling thick cleanser. I use it whenever my skin is dry or irritated and it very gentle and leaves the skin feeling perfectly moisturised. The cloth is a bit harsh the first time you use it but its leaves the skin feeling incredibly smooth. After the first use I knew that I was hooked. It does contain cocoa butter but in a cleanser its awful for acne although I find I do have to limit my use of it thought. 

Id recommend for dry skin. £6 but often half price in Superdrug, again: more than worth it.

Best BHA: Stridex or Paulas choice Clear

BHA's should be the basis of any acid tone for oily skin, acne and clogged pores. A BHA is salicylic acid and it clears pores, works on discolouration (red or brown marks) and reduces inflammation. Products can range from £1 and up but today I'm going to be comparing 2 alcohol free options.

Alcohol and denatured alcohol (alcohol denat) is in many cheap products, the problem is it damages and irritates the skin but also dries out skin which leads many people to think it helps with acne (it doesn't). If you've ever used a product with alcohol after shaving or on broken skin you will know it hurts. Alcohol is best avoided especially when high up on ingredient lists, avoid products where you can feel you face getting tighter.

Stridex Max VS Paula's Choice Clear

Stridex (£8) is sold in many US drug stores, sadly only available on Amazon in the UK. It does contain irritants such as methanol and detergents (ALS).  Get them here.

Paula's Choice (£22) is sold only online. As far as irritants go... its a clean slate!

How to useStridex is pre soaked pads, for PC you need to soak a cotton round. I usually only soak half a cotton round as I find that's enough to wet my face and not waste any. Use both after cleansing before anything else.

How it leaves the skin feeling
Stridex does leave my skin feeling dry, although it doesn't irritate much but I find using an AHA cream over to sting more then usual. PC is a different story, it could be water for all I know as it doesn't dry me out at all.

Effectiveness
I used stridex first for a month and found it did help a bit towards acne control but it didn't really work enough. PC on the other was great, after about two weeks I noticed I wasn't breaking out even though I had run out of benzoyl peroxide.

Conclusion / TLDR
PC is the clear winner. There's not much to say other than it left my skin looking great without drying or irritating. After using this I will definitely try the stronger strength or use their original BHA liquid.

A Practical Guide to Acne

As someone who's had acne and who's researched it a whole lot, this is my straight forward, no nonsense guide to acne.

Myths

• You can dry out Acne. It doesn't really work like that, if you dry out a spot, you're not drying what's inside the spot, your drying out the skin around it. This can make it more angry and more prone to scaring.
• A daily scrub will help. Imagine the grain of sand in your scrub and compare it to the size of your pore. There's no way it can possibly remove the dirt from it, and if it was big enough how would it get back out of your pore?
• It's sugar isn't it? This is where people split. Acne can happen for a number of reasons, I'm not saying sugar is or is not a trigger for breakouts, but a healthy lifestyle never hurt anyone.
• Baking soda, Apple cider Vinegar and Lemon Juice will solve all my problems. Never put any of these things on your face. Constant use of any of these things will make your face irritated as they are not the right pH for your face. Stick to properly formulated products.

Treatments

The ones that work the Best:

• Benzoyl peroxide: Anti-Bacterial. Recommended to be used at 2.5 - 5%, I recommend only at night and always where sunscreen of SPF 30 and above.
• Salicylic acid: Acid exfoliant + Anti-Bacterial. Recommended to be used at 2%, if you find you skin sensitive to it you can use 0.5 - 1% and work your way up to 2%. Recormend product: Stridex. 

The ones that don't work as well:

• Tea tree oil: Anti-Bacterial. Not as good as Benzoyl peroixde.

Skincare Routine

What should skincare routine be made up of? I break it down into 3 Steps.

• Cleanse, day and night: Cleansing is very important and must be done twice a day. If you wear make-up you can use a wipe but always cleanse after. Never use a scrub. Cleansing will not rid you of acne on its own, but if you don't cleanse any thing you treat your acne with will be much less affective.
• Treat, day and night: Use benzoyl peroxide at night and Salicylic acid at night and day.
• Moisturise and Sunscreen, day: Use an SPF of 30 or above in the day, every day, all year round. This is very important as Benzoyl Peroxide can pose a skin cancer risk if you don't use sunscreen. Even in winter. Moisturise if your skin feels dry, if your worried about breaking out from the moisturiser don't go oil free, opt for some thing like Simple's spotless skin moisturiser as it also has acne fighting ingredients.

Natural vs Chemical

Often the word natural is used to make a product more appealing but is it really better? The answer to that is complicated so I shall first go over each product in your routine then go over some specific ingredients.

Chemical means something made in a lab.

Organic vs Natural: what's the difference? Products that say they're natural most of the time don't mean they're 100% natural. In fact very few are. To be called natural they don't even have to contain much of a natural ingredient. Some products show what percentage of something is natural. Organic on the other hand means 100% natural unless its referring to a specific ingredient. Be careful when reading packaging. I will be using the word natural to refer to products that use natural ingredients for their main purpose such as active ingredients.

Cleanser

I don't often recommend using an acne cleanser unless you can pay a bit more to get something better formulated. In this case it doesn't matter whether its chemical or natural.

Moisturizer

This one can be controversial. Personally I use natural moisturizers as they break down on the skin unlike chemical ingredients although shea butter is best avoided as it takes longer to break down. A natural moisturizer is also good for supplying nutrition to the skin.

Treatment

In this category I'm grouping toner/liquids and serums/gels. Here are some ingredients that I like. Most natural and some chemical . I like them not because of their source but because of how well they work.

• Salicylic acid sometimes called Beta hydroxy (BHA) acid is natural as it come from willow tree bark. This is best as a leave on as will have a minimal amount of affect in a cleanser, especially a cheap one.
• Glycolic acid and Lactic acid sometimes called Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) are natural. The most important one for acne is Glycolic. They both help to fade and eventually can  remove acne scarring. This is also best in a leave on.
• Benzyl Peroxide is chemical. It work much better than Tea Tree and leaves your skin less drying. 2.5-5% works best. Not great for a cleanser as it can bleach clothing.

Nip + Fab pads are great as they contain Glycolic, lactic and salicylic acid.

Not sure where to start when looking for products? Follow my Blog for great tips that actually work.

Acids on the Cheap

If you're new to the concept, acids may sound scary but they're not. The right kind of acid can do great for your kind and they are a much better exfoliant than sand or plastic beads.

Glycolic acid

This is a great ingredient for acne and acne scaring. It smooths out complexation and can make you look more radiant. The main problem with budget skincare is that it can contain smaller amounts of glycolic acid and the amount often isn't specified. Also many cheaper products contain alcohol.

B. Revealed: Glycolic Cleansing Peel £7.99

Despite the name this product is neither much of a peel or great a cleansing. Despite that I still really like this product. It recommends using it for 3 minutes 2-3 evenings a week although I use it more as a mask every other night for about 10 minutes. I find that's enough to prevent a breakout the next day. Don't worry about using it too much as its a small dose of glycolic acid. I would go on how your skins feels, if it irritates your skin use it less. I would recommend this.

Naturally Radiant: Glycolic Overnight Peel £5.99

Again this is not much of a peel. As you can probably see this comes in a small 30ml tube. I bought this in the home that it meant it had good ingredients and lots of glycolic acid. I was a bit disappointed to find it contain alcohol can be drying. With constant and continued use I'm sure this will fade marks but I feel if you just spent more money you'd get a longer lasting more effective product. So I don't really recommend this.

Salicylic acid

This is a great ingredient for acne and is a must have to any acne skincare routine. Its the best acid for acne as it gets deep into the pores. Can be more irritating in cheaper products.

Deep Action: Pore Cleansing Pads x 40 £2.68

First of all don't use these to cleanse with. Much like wipes it doesn't properly emulsify and remove oil like a cleanser and water. I use these in the toning stage and these are greater for acne. I guarantee your will see at least a reduction. The down side is the amount of alcohol which will the skin and make it irritated easier. Always use a moisturiser after this. I would recommend this.