I’m going to say this and then run and touch lots of wood.
Right are you ready…. * drum roll *
My skin is looking the best it has in a very long while [ plump, clear and spot-free ] and that’s something I NEVER thought I’d be saying at 48 years old and with my skins history.
As long term readers [ I love you – thanks for sticking with me] will know I suffered with acne in my early 20’s and I have been plagued with spots well into my 40’s. We have a love / hate relationship … and some mild scarring.
I’ve always taken care of my skin but last year I really upped my game and … tah-dah I think it’s paying off. [I’m touching a lot of wood here and typing!]
I’m also carrying on like I did last year and I will NOT be working with any brands that approach me [ no matter who they are] and insist that I post a selfie on my instagram while holding their product! I’ve already had 2 such requests.
Until I have tried a product for a few months to see whether it’s any good I cannot make promises to endorse it on any of my social media channels . Its unrealistic to think anybody would agree to do so!
So here are some of the products I think have made a difference to my skin. Some of the products featured have been bought by myself . I’ve also been lucky to have been gifted some. For clarify purposes anything gifted will be marked with an *
MARIE REYNOLDS London – Restore formerly Dermabiome – £68.00
You are probably bored of me mentioning and wittering on about this mask but Dermabiome [ which has recently been renamed MRL Restore…. ] is maybe my favourite mask EVER. My skin adores it. After I remove it my skin feels soft as a babies bum and looks so radiant.
The price point may seem slightly more expensive than you may normally pay for a face mask but the pot will give you a guaranteed 19 masks, which if you use once a week should last you over 4 months, and believe me its worth the extra pennies.
I have posted about this before in detail // HERE
Tracey’s Winner for Mask of the Year 2018 !
CLINIQUE – Clarifying Lotion 3 [ combination/ oily skin] 200ml – £18.00
This was a discovery I made fairly late on in the year after Clinique , John Lewis Sheffield hosted their first blogger event. It is described as a-comfortable non-drying exfoliator that helps create clear, glowing skin.
Clinique has been around forever. It’s a brand that my mum loved, used religiously herself and introduced me too.
When I was younger I would pinch her products and play daft when she questioned why everything was running out so quickly ! As I got older I was drawn to and intrigued by other seemingly more ‘hip’ brands. Like most good things however it was inevitable we would be reunited at some point.
Morning and evening after cleansing I swipe a cotton wool pad soaked in lotion all over my face and neck. It makes my skin feel super clear and ready for my next stage – serum / moisturiser. Since I’ve been using it I’ve not had so many breakouts.
Intensive Eye Concentrate – 100ml £58.00 R&R Eye cream -100ml £45.00 *
I have them … but I am not overly wrinkly around my eyes; I think that’s down to good genes and the fact I started using an eye cream at 16. I say eye cream … it was actually Vaseline [ great as a lash conditioner too]. I am slightly obsessed with delaying an onset of wrinkles and crows feet around my eyes … but I fully encourage laughter lines!
At my age I think it is inevitable that I will have some but both of these eye creams have helped keep further lines and wrinkles at bay. I tend to use one in the day and one in the evening.
DAY – Multi Action R & R Eye Cream
This eye cream has a colour-neutralizing apricot tint to instantly brighten under-eye dark circles which is ideal for day-time use.
I apply it to my orbital bone and gently pat in . It sinks in wonderfully, my skin feels well moisturised without any greasiness.
Evening – Intensive Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles.
I have been using this for several months now and have reviewed it // HERE
I tend to chop and change my cleanser depending on how my skin is feeling on that day.
I have featured a few cleansers [below] that I love. These are ones that don’t break me out , that I use regularly but maybe not everyday. Starting with 2 cleansers I like to take my time using :
MERUMAYA – Melting Cleansing Balm 100ml £18.50
On application it melts from a balm to an oil to successfully remove all make-up and grime.
As with all Merumaya products it smells delicious and is a pleasure to use. I love to use this when I have a little time so I can take my time and enjoy my cleansing routine.
MARIE-REYNOLDS – Goji Mallow Cleanser £32.00 *
Much the same as above. A beautifully light cleanser that smells lovely and is a pleasure to use. It’s got a texture like marshmallow. Gorgeous.
It locks in moisture, reduces inflammation and is just an all round goodie. Can be used on all skin types.
MERUMAYA – Mineral Cleansing Paste 100ml £18.50 [ vegan ] *
For days when my skins feeling congested, oily and lack-lustre I grab the above.
It has got exfoliating properties that leave my skin feeling super clean. Its packed with skin essentials minerals – zinc, magnesium, copper and silicon and its very healing. I’ve noticed there are less black heads and blocked pores on my nose. It’s maybe not as luxurious as the Melting Cleansing Balm but it’s a power horse in its own right.
I used to shy away from serums and facial oils; it felt as though I was over-loading my skin with products and as I’m prone to break outs that is the last thing I wanted.
In 2018 I made a few discoveries that do the exact opposite- don’t break me out but leave my skin feeling wonderful, clear and plumped.
INNER SENSES – Deep Blue C Facial Oil 30ml £42.00 * [97.5% Organic and 100% Natural]
For use on acne prone skin.
It contains natural antiseptic and healing ingredients, including Black seed, Pomegranate, Turmeric and Tamanu.
It is advised that you use it both day and night but I tend to stick to just the evening. I apply 2-3 drops and massage it in using either my hands or if I’m feeling special my copper wand. It’s another product that smells delicious. I have a ‘thing’ for nice aromas.
It calms any irritation I may have , reduces scarring from previous spots and helps keep further spots at bay. My skin loves it .
I would go as far as to say this was the beauty find of 2018 … for me anyway. That’s the thing with skin care it’s very personal. What suits me may not necessarily suit you but I hope you enjoy and find my recommendations useful.
ONE TO WATCH :
CLINIQUE Clinique ID – £36.00 *
I’ve only been trailing this for a few days so I can’t really comment on its performance, but I love the concept of customising skincare to suit your specific needs .
There are 3 base Dramatically Different Moisturisers [ 2 creams and 1 jelly] to choose from and 5 cartridges which contain concentrated actives to tackle several different concerns. You insert the cartridge into the moisturiser and each time you pump equal measures of both will be dispensed. Genius.
I was pleasantly surprised at the cost. £36.00 sounds very reasonable, I envisaged it being at least double that.
If you are in or around Sheffield, pop into John Lewis, Bakers Pool where I am sure the lovely ladies at Clinique would love to talk to you about Clinique ID in more detail and discover your ID.
So there you have it, some of my favourite skincare bits and bobs from 2018. I’m in no doubt I will have forgotten something and as soon as I press publish I will remember !
Is there anything skincare related I should be giving a whirl this year . As always I would love to hear your thoughts.
Tracey x
- Contains some affilated links which means if you click on the link I my receive a few pence. As always all words and opinions are strictly my own.