The Sunday Triple Threat Facial

Like many a beauty blogger, I just love me a good face mask. There's nothing better than having an excuse to be completely self-indulgent for 10 minutes and knowing that you're doing your skin some favours. Nothing. So the prospect of three consecutive face masks, as proposed by Anna of Vivianna Does Makeup, sounded absolutely dreamy.

Into the bathroom I went, slapped the products on and enjoyed a pretty darn good bath in the process... My masks of choice were three of my current favourites: Lush Mask of Magnaminty, REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask and Origins Drink Up 10 Minute Mask to Quench the Skin's Thirst. Not only did my face smell amazing for 30 minutes (even the boyfriend agreed...), my skin was actually looking pretty darn good this morning.

I've already raved about the Lush mask as it's one of my all time favourite skin care products, but when used with the REN offering, magic happened. To be perfectly honest, I could have stopped here, but a hit of hydration never goes amiss with my combo complexion. The Origins mask left my skin looking and feeling nicely plumped up and ready for a good night's kip. Now that's what I call a Sunday.

Saving Face

Things have been a little bit hectic around my face of late... For some reason, my skin has been incredibly aggravated and areas that have been calm and acne-free for about a year have flared up. We've all been there and there is nothing more frustrating. So, I've up my water intake and busted out the big guns and have gone shopping. Obviously.

In an attempt to clear my face up, I've repurchased two cleansers: the Emma Hardy Amazing Face Lift and Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm and REN's Clearcalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser. These are two old favourites that do not irritate sensitive skin, yet do a fantastic job of keeping things clean and clear. I've already mentioned these two cleansers on my blog before, but they really are staples in my skincare regime and are worth every penny, in my opinion at least.

Next up, I've invested in a couple of treatments. I've always found that acidic treatments have done wonders for my skin when it's been at its worst. I've tried two options and both seem to be doing a good job of calming everything down. The first is another product by REN; this time their Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask. I've been wanting to try this for a while now, but the price tag has always put me off. However, desperate times call for desperate measures. I've only used this once, but I'd say that it lives up to what I was expecting so far. It's a good mask. The other comes from Elemental Herbology. I ordered their Oily Skin Starter Kit in their January Sale, as I was eager to try the brand and it was a very good bargain. My skin isn't oily as such, if anything it's combination dry/blemish prone/eugh, but there were a few products in the kit that appealed to me. One of these was the Facial Glow Radiance Peel, a four minute treatment that buffs away at dead skin to buff away dead skin and raise the skin's pH, making it a more hostile environment for acne-causing bacteria. I've used this three times and have been really impressed with the results. It's helped with scarring and has greatly reduced inflammation.

I've also been busting out the clay masks to try and eliminate impurities. Origins Clear Improvements is always a good choice, as it doesn't irritate my sensitive skin but makes sure that it is nice and clean. I'm also a long-time fan of Lush's Mask of Magnaminty, a tingly peppermint based mask that exfoliates and calms inflamed areas. The ingredient list is great and it isn't at all pricey, so this is also a relatively guilt-free option. I've also tried Elemental Herbology's Facial Detox Purifying Facial Mask, which I've also really enjoyed. It's one of those masks that really digs the grime out of your pores, which has especially helped the skin on my forehead. I've definitely noticed a reduction in blackheads since I've been using it and a little bit goes a long way. I'd definitely consider purchasing the full sized version.


Finally, the pièce de résistance in my spot fighting arsenal has been another product from Elemental Herbology: their Perfect Clarity Blemish Minimiser. Oh my word. This is hands down THE best blemish buster I have ever used. Amazing. You can actually see the redness and size reduce within a few minutes, and blemishes actually disappear overnight. The catch? It's £25 for only 2.5ml, so if you're using it every day it will only last a couple of weeks. I've already gone through one tube and have nearly finished another, which will be heartbreaking. It's a great product, however, and is great for tackling hormonal spots. Definitely a pay-day treat.

Spots, I'm ready for ya. 

Skincare // The Breakout Kit

No one likes them, no one needs them but, let's face it, spots happen. The question I'm always left wondering is, however, what to do about them. There are so many products out there in the market and many of them claim to do pretty much the same job, but only a rare few ever seem to live up to their promises. Whilst not every product works the same for every person, these are my personal heroes.

Cleansers - For me, there are only two out there that actively help fight breakouts: REN's Clearcalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser (£18) and the Acne Facial Cleanser from Mario Badescu (£14.95). As much as I love a good balm/cream cleanser to keep my skin hydrated, I've fallen back on these two for the past year or so and am on my third tube of REN's offering. Impressive stuff. The Acne Facial Cleanser is quite tough to describe in terms of its texture. It almost feels a bit like a gel-oil hybrid so it does a great job of removing your makeup whilst containing ingredients such as salicylic acid, thyme extract and hyaluronic acid to get your skin back into tip-top condition. I've always found that this does a great job at clarifying the skin and keeping spots at bay. The REN cleanser almost feels like a face mask and you can really feel its clay content working. This is definitely one of my 'holy grail product's because it just works.

Treatments - Whilst there are many not-so-great products out there for blemish-prone skin, there are also some gems. One of the best that I've tried (and have repurchased about four times now) is La Roche Posay's Effaclar Duo (£13). This stuff is amazing; an absolute essential in my skincare kit. Very similar is Cleanance K from Avène (£10.50), an exfoliating moisturiser that keeps your skin clear and may be more suitable for sensitive skin. From my experience, both sit really well under makeup so are as great for daytime wear as they are in the night. As for actual spot busters, my pick of the crop would have to be Aesop's Control Gel (£15). My blemishes tend to get really dry and flaky and many other targeted treatments only make this worse, so the spots are harder to cover. Control gel contains aloe vera, which is great to soothing and nourishing skin whilst also tackling the problem with sodium ascorbyl phosphate and salicylic acid. Genius stuff. If you have more of an issue with acne type blemishes or milia, the Buffering Lotion from Mario Badescu (£15.95) might be worth a try. This really works well at bringing them to the surface and clearing your skin out. It's taken me a good few months now and I'm planning on picking up another bottle ASAP.

Masks - I've always found that a good cleansing mask can do wonders for blemished skin and have long turned to Lush's Mask of Magnaminty to sort my skin out when it's being a pain in the neck... This feels incredibly refreshing and a little bit tingle-y "so you know it's working". It's got a nice and clean ingredients list and is a relatively budget option at only £5.25/£9.25, depending on which size tub you buy. Alternatively, the Super Facialist Range by Una Brennan has a great Tea Flower Deep Clean Pore Purifying Clay Mask (£8.99) is a good option for clarifying the skin, but it is quite heavily fragranced so it might be one for those with sensitive skin to avoid. A recent acquisition of mine is Origins' Clear Improvements mask (£22), which seems to be taking number one spot at the moment. My skin just feels so much clearer for using it and although it is only early days, I think it's safe to say we're onto a winner here. 

In addition, I think it's really important to look at what might be causing your blemishes. Not drinking enough water, having too much dairy and being stressed out can all contribute to bad skin so I'd really recommend thinking about that before you do anything else. I've recently started taking some supplements (am planning a post on this in a few weeks...) so this might be something to consider. Whilst there aren't any absolute miracle workers that will make a spot disappear straight away, these picks definitely help reduce the inflammation, dryness and size of blemishes so are definitely worth a try.

Skincare // The Emergency Kits - Cold Weather

Up until a couple of years ago, I was one of the lucky few who would maybe have one skin 'catastrophe' every couple of months despite a poor diet, not enough sleep and certainly no skincare regime. Those were the days...

These days, however, I'm considerably less fortunate and have many a skin-related woe. Dryness? Check. Blemishes? Check.  Sensitivity? Big ol' check. You get my point. As such, I've devised a few 'emergency kits' for when my skin is as its worst. Much of what I'm about to recommend I've learnt through various blogs (depending on how technical I'm feeling later, I might TRY and make a blogroll later today, how exciting) and through my own personal experience. Given that we're in the midst of changing seasons here in the UK, I thought I'd make my first emergency kit all about how to get your skin through winter.

Obviously, what works for one person might not work for another, which is something I cannot stress enough. Do your research, look at your own skin and think about what changed you could make to your lifestyle before you go and spend a fortune on skincare, no matter how hyped up a product may be. You'd be amazed at how much of a difference upping your water intake can make to your complexion.

The cold weather kit:

There's nothing quite like a change in the seasons to set your skin off on a mad one. For as long as my skin has been acne prone, the worst break outs have always come about at this time of year when the weather can be ever so slightly bipolar in the UK. To worsen the situation further, cracking up the heating has a nasty side effect of drying your skin out, brilliant. The solution?

Cleansing - I firmly believe that cleansing your skin properly is the most important part of a good skincare routine, regardless of the issue you're looking to tackle. Without a good cleanser in your arsenal, any other products you use just won't be as effective. In cold weather, I'd thoroughly recommend using a cleansing balm. Depending on your budget, there are plenty of options out there. If, like me, you're counting the pennies, the Botanics range at Boots has a decent offering in the form of its Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm. It's not the most refined balm out there and it does tend to leave a slight residue on the skin, meaning it certainly wouldn't be my first recommendation, but equally, it's not bad and is 97% organic (not that this guarantees a good product!). This balm is one of the few out there that is genuinely affordable, especially given that you can normally find it on some sort of offer in Boots, be it half price or on 3 for 2 so no complaints on that front from me. If you're feeling a little bit more spendy but are still unsure as to whether or not a cleansing balm will suit your skin, another option is the Merumaya Cleansing Balm (available from John Lewis), which at £15 isn't too unreasonable. This is much more emollient than the former option and does a great job of ensuring that skin is hydrated but also left feeling clean. The packaging is very travel friendly, which is never a bad thing in my books. In short, it does the job and it does it well. If, however, you're feeling a bit more flushed with cash and are looking for a bit of luxury, I give you two options. First and foremost, the oh-so-wordy Emma Hardie Amazing Face Lift and Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm. If you haven't heard of this, the chances are you've been living under a rock. It's pricey, at £34, but it's also effective and you can't argue with the results. It smells amazing, does a great job of removing makeup and can be doubled up as a mask and emergency balm for dry skin anywhere on your body. It's a cult product and a staple in many a skincare routine for a reason! Another more luxury option is the Aurelia Probiotic Skincare Miracle Cleanser. I've only just purchased this cleanser and so can't yet vouch for it entirely, but I've heard nothing but positive reviews. Again, it's not cheap at £34, but you get 120ml of product which should last you a good few months. From what I gather, it's more of a cream than a balm, but in theory you should be able to achieve similar results. As difficult as it can be to justify spending this much money on a cleanser, I do feel that it's worth it, even if they are more of an indulgence than a necessity.

Serums - Okay, so a serum isn't a 'must have' for a lot of people, and for the most part I do believe that the simpler the skincare routine, the better the results. Saying this, when cold weather comes skin can really benefit from layering products, especially hydrating serums. Nothing I'm writing here is particularly groundbreaking, but it does work. Two serums come to mind when I think of hydration: Indeed Laboratories Hydraluron and Caudalie's Vinosauce S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum, the latter being my personal fave. Neither are particularly cheap, but both are great at locking in moisture. Hydraluron, one of the most hyped up products in the blogosphere, contains a high grade form of hyaluronic acid, which the skin naturally produces but in smaller quantity as it ages. This 'miracle' acid can hold its weight in water 1000 times over, so you can imagine its effects on your skin. In effect, it makes your moisturiser work harder. It costs £24.99 and can be found in Boots. It's often on one offer or another so this would be my more budget pick. The Caudalie serum is more expensive at £29, but I personally get much better results when I use it. It smells amazing, does wonders for dry patches (which I don't find Hydraluron actually does very well) and definitely keeps blemishes at bay. For me, this is a Holy Grail product and I hate being without it. 

Moisturisers & Oils - In general, I shun moisturisers in favour of facial oils. From my personal experience, they do a better job of maintaining a glow even in the toughest weather and are much more easily absorbed by the skin. If you are partial to a good cream, however, my firmest recommendations would come from the Una Brennan Super Facialist range available at many a larger Boots store. The Rose Hydrate Radiance Day Cream SPF15 comes in at a mere £8.66  at the moment due to an offer, but is normally priced at £12.99. It really does a lovely job of keeping yourself hydrated and comfortable in colder weather. If you're looking for something a little bit more heavy duty, however, the Neroli Super Lift SPF15 Day Cream may be something to consider. This usually costs £15.99, but is also on offer, reducing the price to £10.66. Quite frankly, this is a bargain. I'm also a big fan of the Crème Fraîche de Beauté Light moisturiser from Nuxe, and the Hydra-Calm Global Protection Day Cream from REN, which cost £25 and £27 respectively, both available from Marks & Spencer. If you are looking to try a facial oil, however, there are a myriad out there to try. I'd thoroughly recommend Boot's Botanic's offering, which is 100% organic and currently only costs £4.99 due to an offer, but usually is priced at a mere £9.99 - what have you got to lose in trying it? This is a blend of various oils, including sweet almond and rosehip. I find this to be great for keeping my skin feeling nourished and hydrated, whilst also eliminating any dry patches. Another great oil is Trilogy's Certified Organic Rosehip Oil, which is a little bit pricier but not by much - I found for it £11.75 at Escuentual.com. Rosehip oil works fantastically well on scarring and isn't too heavy, so if you also suffer from blemishes this may be the one for you. It does smell a bit funky - it reminds the boyfriend of chicken korma - but it's well worth it in my opinion. You can also mix oils with creams to make them more potent, so it's worth having both in your emergency kit. And don't forget your SPF!

Add-ons - Now the basics are out of the way, I often find that my skin really benefits from a little extra something every now and then. In cold weather, this means a mask and a good lip balm. My picks? Una Brennan Super Facialist Rose Intense Moisture Mask, currently £5.99, usually £8.99 from Boots, and the Nuxe Rêve de Miel Ultra Nourishing Lip Balm, £9.50 from Marks and Spencer. This is the one lip balm that I won't be without. I'm onto my fourth tub of the stuff and always stock up on it when I'm in France, anything to save a couple of quid! It really is the best I've ever used and I deem it to be 100% worth all the hype it receives. The Una Brennan mask is also a lovely, rose scented treat. The fragrance is quite strong, but this cream-style mask does a wonderful job at instantly plumping up your skin, so it's definitely worth a shot.

To round this essay-style post off, here's a summery of what you need: cleansing balm, hydrating serum  and a nourishing oil/moisturiser. With these in your arsenal, you should be able to keep your skin content no matter what this winter throws at it.