Firstly, I’d like to apologise to my regular readers for my
long absence. I wanted to change the
types of things I wrote about on The Make-up Darling as I realised it might be
quite boring for readers to repeatedly hear about what I’m up to and I also
felt like I was alienating a whole audience that weren’t budding MUAs but just
interested in make-up and cosmetics. I
know there are a lot of blogs out there that give reviews on the my myriad of products on the market, and I don’t
want to just become another product reviewer but I do think some people may
find it interesting to know which products I use, both personally and in my
kit.
I have decided to write this blog post about my personal skincare routine. Skincare has become really important to me in recent months, since I developed a severe case of atopic eczema towards the end of last year. The eczema covered large areas of my body, but most distressingly, it covered most of my face, neck and scalp too! The eczema was even around my eyes and made them swell. The eczema was itchy and darkened to the point where my face was a completely different shade to my neck and body. Some days, even washing my face with water was too painful, and putting make-up on was near impossible. Even brushing my hair was painful and I began to lose hair at my temples where the eczema was particularly bad. I became so depressed that most days I didn’t even want to be seen in public and wondered whether I would be able to continue being a make-up artist: after all, people expect professional make-up artists to look a certain way and I felt like I looked like a monster.
I always thought I cared for my skin well. I washed my face
morning and night with a good facial cleanser, and used a toner and
moisturiser. I always thought my skin was really oily, and often used quite
strong cleansers and toners, and oil-free moisturizers to try and combat
this. It wasn’t until I became a make-up
artist that I considered that my skin might actually be severely dehydrated and
that my facial skin was producing excess oil in order to try and hydrate
itself. When the eczema flared up, my
skin suddenly changed type and became visibly dry. It was the first time that I
actually missed my oily face!
After months of dermatologist’s appointment, allergy tests,
blood tests, creams and lotions- both prescribed and bought on a whim or
recommendation- I learnt that I really have to listen and look at my skin. Now, rather than just using any old moisturizer
on my face, I really look at my skin every day. If it is looking particularly
dry or starting to feel like a flare up may be happening I use completely
different products to I do when my skin is looking a bit more oily or
congested. I am also now obsessed with
facemasks! Whereas at one time a facemask used to be a something I did to treat
myself, normally accompanied by a large glass of wine and a chick flick, now I
slap on a facemask at least once a week.
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| My skincare products |
The picture above shows all the products I regularly use in
my skincare routine. I’m not going to lie- my skincare routine takes a few
minutes longer than it used to (on average it takes about ten minutes; maybe a
little longer if I’m wearing heavy eye make-up or using a facemask), but it’s
so worth it to have clearer, eczema-free skin.
It’s an ongoing process and I’m always trying new things, but here are a
few of my star products that I think have helped me (Please note: I have bought
all of these products myself and have not been paid to endorse them- so it really
is my personal opinion that I’m giving):
1.
Cetaphil Cleanser: Cetaphil cleanser is a really mild cleanser,
especially formatted for sensitive and dry skin. It’s great because it removes
dirt, make-up and impurities without drying out the skin. Loads of MUAs swear by it because you can use
it on anyone without worrying that they’ll be allergic to it. I can use this
even when I have a flare up and it doesn’t irritate it any further.
2.
Pixi Glow Tonic and Vitamin Liquid: on days when
I feel my skin is not so sensitive and in need of a bit of mild exfoliation, I
use Pixi Glow Tonic to remove dead skin cells and then the Vitamin Liquid serum
to brighten the skin. As a result of the
eczema I had a lot of hyper-pigmentation and I think these two products have
help to combat it.
3.
Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and
Rose Water: I love this facial spray. I
use this when my skin is feeling dry or sensitive as a toner. I spray it on and then immediately apply a
moisturizer or oil to lock in as much moisture as possible. I have a couple of Mario Badescu products and
think they could fast become one of my favourite skincare brands.
4.
Baobab Body Oil: Although this is a body oil, I
actually use this on my face. I love this oil and think it’s really helped to
smooth the skin and get rid of some of the discolouration. It’s made from the seeds of the African
baobab superfruit and is full of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. It is a little bit pricey but totally worth
it and I am tempted to start using it on my whole body.
5.
Facemasks: It’s hard for me to choose just one
facemask as I am always using different ones, depending on the state of my
skin. Dior’s Hydra Life Beauty Awakening
Rehydrating Mask is more like an extra
moisturiser as you don’t have to watch it off and I use this when my skin is
looking a bit dry and in need of a bit of plumping. I use Korres Wild Rose Instant Brightening
Mask to help fade dark marks. Recently, I’ve started trying Lush’s
facemasks. I like the fact that they
have all natural ingredients as I’m trying to stay away from parabens and harsh
chemicals even though tests have shown that I am not allergic to anything.
I know that there are lots of
factors that contribute to healthy skin, including diet, lifestyle and exercise
but for me, self-analysing my skin and picking products to suit seems to be
helping a lot. I think it is definitely worth a try if you are suffering from
any skin complaints.
