Basically, at the start of the year, I became fed up with my skin and the lowered standards I had for it. A "good skin day" for me was probably a terrible skin day for the average person, and I was determined to find something that would finally clear up my skin, even out my skin tone, and impart some radiance into it. I decided to take a risk and change up almost my entire, existing skincare routine at once.
Say hello to my new skincare army:
Biore Triple Action Astringent
St.Ives Apricot Scrub Blemish & Blackhead Control
Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil Fresh
Carlson Norwegian Cod Liver Oil
Swedish Skin Apply Rejuvenation Serum
Swedish Skin Intensive Anti-Wrinkle Moisturizer
Swedish Skin Anti-Aging Eye Cream
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo
My Morning Routine
In the morning, I alternate between washing my face with the Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil one day and the St.Ives Apricot Scrub the next day. This way, I end up exfoliating every other day, a frequency that is ideal for my oily, acne-prone skin.
I then apply a thin layer of La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo to my entire face (except for my cheeks since I almost never break out there...knock on wood!), let it settle into my skin for a few moments, and if I'm going to use moisturizer that day, I'll finish off with the Swedish Skin Intensive Anti-Wrinkle Moisturizer.
I pat the Swedish Skin Anti-Aging Eye Cream under my eyes and apply my makeup.
My Night Routine
I first remove my makeup with makeup removing towelettes (I'm not too picky as to which brand it is), then I wash my face with the Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil.
I then give my skin a deeper clean by using about 5 cotton balls total and swiping the Biore Tripe Action Astringent across my face and neck.
After that, I apply a thin layer of La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo and once that's settled in, I massage the Swedish Skin Apple Rejuvenation Serum across my face and neck, concentrating on my forehead and around my eyes.
Depending on how dry my eye area feels, I may or may not pat on the Swedish Skin Anti-Aging Eye Cream.
The Carlson Norwegian Cod Liver Oil is a part of both my morning and night routines because I take a teaspoon of it with either breakfast or lunch and also with dinner. Cod Liver Oil is high in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E, so it's great for your skin and hair, among other things. As with all supplements, I encourage you to do your research before choosing to take it, rather than trying it blindly based on others' recommendations.
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If you compare my current skincare routine to the routine I was following in my previous skincare post, you'll notice that only two products remain the same: Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil and St.Ives Apricot Scrub. I swear by the Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil and it's the best facial cleanser I have ever used! I'm currently using the last few drops of my second huge bottle (450ml/15.2 fl.oz.) and am sad that I can't afford to repurchase it at the time being, so I'll be turning to Cetaphil for a while. As for the St.Ives Apricot Scrub, it has a cult following and for good reason, although LUSH Ocean Salt will always hold a special place in my heart!
The La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo is one of my new HG skincare products. It's a paraben-free corrective and unclogging anti-imperfection (imperfection= euphemism for blemishes) care that is super gentle and non-drying. I jumped into using it twice a day and didn't experience any dryness or discomfort at all. Rather than being a spot-treatment, Effaclar Duo works to keep your pores clear and unclogged to prevent future breakouts.
I decided to give Swedish Skin products a go after hearing rave reviews about them from Alex. My first Swedish Skin experience before even receiving or having time to try out my products was their excellent customer service!
Without going into the details, I had an issue with the package of goodies I purchased and after expressing my concern to them, I received a prompt, friendly, and helpful email that quickly fixed my problem and made everything right again. I later found out that my problem had been the fault of Fed-ex and not Swedish Skin at all, so I was even more grateful and impressed that they were so quick to take responsibility to ensure their customer was satisfied. Based on that alone, I'd be happy to order from them again.
As for the products, I love the Anti-Aging Eye Cream! It's smells fresh and is light but very moisturizing without being greasy. It's creates the perfect canvas for under-eye concealer and powder and retails for $19.99. The Apple Rejuvenation Serum claims to fight aging and wrinkles, increase skin elasticity, even out skin tone, and reduce discoloration and retails for $23.99. It's probably also a result of other things as well, but I definitely have experienced more even skin tone and fading of my acne scars since using this fresh apple-scented serum. Lastly, the Intensive Anti-Wrinkle Moisturizer retails for $23.99 and smells of fresh cucumbers and is light, non-greasy, and great for normal-combination-oily skintypes. It's a nice moisturizer but nothing special, in my opinion. I'd definitely repurchase the eye cream and the serum but doubt I'd repurchase the moisturizer, as I believe I could find something comparable for a more affordable price.
I wanted to write this updated skincare post because, without sounding too dramatic, my skin has done a complete 180 since using this new skincare regimen! My skin has not been this clear, smooth, supple, or even in years...literally years. My only regret is since I started using so many new products all at the same time, I'm not sure where the credit is due.
I believe that my clear skin is mostly a result of using the Biore astringent in conjunction with the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, since the facial cleansers I'm using have not changed. As for the vast improvement in my skin's texture and tone, I believe the credit goes to the Carlson Cod Liver Oil and the Swedish Skin Apple Rejuvenation Serum.
If you have any questions at all, please feel free to leave them for me in the comments below :)
Just a word of caution: I'm not a doctor or a skincare expert and while the dramatic change in skincare products didn't cause my skin any adverse reactions and I've greatly benefited from this particular skincare regimen, I cannot guarantee that anyone else would see the same effects or benefits as me. I just wanted to share with you my own, personal experience :)
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