My Holy Grail Skincare Products.

Here goes, my first official blog post. I thought I would begin by going back to basics and start with my go to products for healthy, clear skin after-all all great make-up begins with well prepped skin. I am a complete product junkie and having worked for high end beauty retailer SpaceNK for three years I have since developed an expensive and refined taste in skincare products and I have to say since ditching the face wipes (yuck! don’t get me started!) the difference in the texture and clearness of my skin has been unimaginable. So this is my pared back list of products that I use on a regular basis, if not daily and really work for me. Enjoy. 

Eve Lom Cleanser. 

This is such a cult product it wins pretty much every award going and while the market has recently become completely saturated with balm cleansers this one has been going for over 25 years and is a complete one pot wonder as it not only cleanses but also tones and exfoliates. I have been using this cleanser every evening for much over 3 years now, I’ll admit I have occasionally strayed but I always go back. Eve Lom does recommend her signature massage technique which involves various movements mostly to encourage lymphatic drainage, particularly good if your skin is very congested or lackluster. I tend to do this if I fancy a real pamper or if my skin is looking a little dull but mostly my evening cleanse takes me just a couple of minutes. There is something about this product that makes people go “oh I don’t have time for that!” ask yourself why not? I enjoy the ritual of cleansing my skin, it means I have to spend less time concealing the following day and will make the aging process much more forgiving in the long run! I use a thumb nail sized amount on dry hands and massage onto a dry face, the balm turns to an oil. It is even gentle enough to remove stubborn eye make up. I then add a little water and the product becomes milky, finally using a Muslin Cloth and water as hot as I can handle I steam over my face and then pull away all product. Voilà! my skin is clean without that horrible tightness you often get after cleansing and I feel totally relaxed and ready for bed. 

Clarisonic Mia. 

My Clarisonic is looking a bit old and tired now, I’ve had it a good few years and after seeing all the snazzy new additions to the Clarisonic family I’m thinking I might need to get an upgrade, however! It was one of the first real investments I made into my skincare regime and I haven’t looked back. It is a sonic cleansing brush, much like an electric toothbrush but for the face. It osolates, feeling like a gentle vibration, up to 300 times per second giving a really deep clean and helping to soften and smooth skin. Since using my Clarisonic the texture of my skin is smoother, it sloughs away dead skin cells so my skin is brighter and more radiant and blemishes are much fewer. I use mine every morning with a foaming cleanser, which brand-wise has varied a lot over the last few years. It could even be used with a balm based cleanser such as the Eve Lom one mentioned previously, however for me the build up of make-up on the brush was a total turn off and so I stick to using it in the a.m when my skin is clean and so a foaming cleanser is more appropriate. I ensure I replace my brush head every 4 months for hygiene reasons, this is really important and keep it off my shower floor to prevent a build up of bacteria. There have been a couple of high street sonic brushes launch recently in an attempt to rival the trusty Clarisonic: No.7 and Olay to name just a few. Unfortunately as with everything, you do get what you pay for and these more budget buys seem to have more of a rotating action to the brush which is actually pretty abrasive and over time could cause sensitivity and even redness so beware! I think everybody needs a Clarisonic, use it everyday, twice a day, once a week however you want to fit it into your routine you’ll notice the difference. 

Kiehls Midnight Recovery Treatment. 

I always use a oil of some variety at night time which may make some of you recoil in horror imagining waking with a greasy face and huge blemishes, actually it’s the complete opposite. I have very oily/combination skin and using an oil nourishes my skin where needed and actually stops oil production in places where I can be a little shiny. This oil is my favourite of the lot, it contains a wonderful mix of essential oils including Evening Primrose which is known for its ability to reduce inflammation and redness. It contains Omega-6, These Fatty Acids stimulate skin cell production keeping skin fresh and plump and finally Lavender which is what gives the product it’s beautiful smell making it such a relaxing product to use before bedtime. It actually aids a deeper sleep which in turn gives you even better skin! Give.Me.More! This product is so potent 2-3 drops is plenty and so it just keeps going!- my last bottle stretched way into the 6 month mark making it actually pretty good value.