Skincare Routine

My Skincare Products 

It has taken me ages to find a skincare routine that I am happy doing and that works well with my skin.  I always taken my make up off before bed and thought I did a fairly decent job, even after a night out.  However, I learnt otherwise when I started using Liz Earle.  I always take my make up off with a face wipe or with cleanser before using the Cleanse & Polish and no matter how thorough a job I think I have done, there is always make up left on the muslin cloth.  I am sure most of you will be aware of how the Cleanse & Polish System works but just in case you're not, this is what I do.

You don't actually have to take your make up off before using the cleanse and polish, it's just my personal preference.  

• I take one pump onto my hand and massage it into my face for about 30 seconds.
• Run the muslin cloth under hot water and rinse it out and just wipe the product off.
• I then rinse my face a few times with tepid water and pat dry.

After the Cleanse & Polish, I use the Instant Boost Skin Tonic.  I bought it in the spray bottle because I learnt that it lasts longer and is more refreshing on your face.  If you buy the liquid bottle and you apply it using cotton wool, you are essentially wasting the product on the cotton wool.  If you buy the spray, every bit of the product gets used where its meant to - on your face! Whenever I previously bought toners I always used to pour them into spray bottles and they do last twice as long.

After I spray this I normally just brush my teeth so that I can let it soak into the skin before applying my moisturiser.

I did for three months have the Liz Earle moisturiser that is part of the system but when it finished I decided that I wanted to try Clarins Hydra Quench Lotion.  I was given a tester and it was a lot nicer than the Liz Earle one.  I do think the Liz Earle moisturiser is a great moisturiser and I would definitely buy it again but I was drawn to the Clarins one because its meant to be good for your skin with hotter climates.  I think I probably just got carried away with the freak summer weather we had in England a couple of weeks ago! However I do think it is a fantastic moisturiser. It's light weight, it smells clean and it comes in a pump bottle.  However, on reading the guidelines properly it is intended for use as a day moisturiser.  

So I had to buy a night cream.  In my last haul blog you will see that I bought Vichy Normaderm Nuit, which is meant to visibly reduce pores and even out skin texture.  I've only used it twice so can't really comment on it yet, but I'll keep you posted.  

I also use an eye cream. At the moment I am using a nivea anti-dark circles one, morning and night.  I don't think its anything special and when I finish it I really want to get the Origins GinZing eyecream. I also have the Garnier eye roll on which I sometimes use in the morning.  I like how it feels on my skin but I don't think I would repurchase it.  Might try the tinted one though....

Finally, I use a conditioning lip balm all throughout the day.  I like Blistex Intensive Moisturiser for night and if my lips are really dry and I tend to always carry a lipbalm of some sort in my bag.  Currently I am using Softlips in French Vanilla. 

I do try and drink lots of water because I know its good for your skin, but I can be quite bad and some days I get headaches from dehydration! It's something I need to sort out! Think  I might try and get on some sort of water challenge...

Hope you enjoyed reading about my skincare.  If you have any questions or comments, please write them below.

Love and Kisses

Vintage Beauty

     xXx

Liz Earle Deep Cleansing Mask

I’ve been using the Liz Earle face system for a while now and have been really loving it.  It has reduced the amount of spots I get; my skin is much clearer and I feel happier about the way it looks.  I still get the occasional breakout due to those blasted hormones but overall my skin’s been pretty good as of late. Compared to what it used to be anyway!

It really is true, as I’m sure most of you will know, that when you’re skin is bad it can make you feel really low about yourself.  Ok, so you can apply makeup but it’s one of those things that’s stuck between a rock and hard wall.  You don’t want to apply loads of make up because it will clog your pores and give you more spots, but you feel like you need bucket loads to cover up all those spots.

I have learnt though that the spots you see on yourself are much worse than the same spots that other people see on you.  It’s part of who we are to notice a flaw and over exaggerate it.  Really, at the end of the day there is no quick fix, you have to be patient and treat your skin the best you can and hope for the best.  Unfortunately, unlike celebrities we can’t be having regular $600 oxygen facials and chemical peels, but that’s life! 

Anyway, I decided I would buy a face mask that I could use once or twice a week that would help to keep my skin clear.  There are quite a few in the Liz Earle range, but I went for the deep cleansing mask.  It costs £12.75 for a 50ml tube and it comes with 2 exfoliating sponges.  The colour is a really murky sea weedy green and the smell...well the smell is a bit strange.  I kind of like it though because it makes me think that it’s working those natural ingredients really hard!

1. Remove all make up and traces of dirt with Cleanse & Polish
2. Apply mask generously to face
3. Chill out with a magazine whilst the mask sets for about 15 mins
4. Remove with cleansing sponges
5. Apply toner and moisturiser
6. Reveal a nice fresh, clean face!

Like I said, I use this about once or twice a week and it really helps to make my skin feel fresh and rejuvenated.  It’s no miracle worker and it certainly doesn’t get rid of all your imperfections, but I wasn’t expecting it to. I do think that I might try and give myself a proper homemade deep cleansing facial and before applying this I might steam my face just to get all my pores open so that it can work deeper into my skin.

I do really love the Liz Earle products and I would recommend them to anyone.  From what I have seen in the beauty community it is a great all rounder, suitable for most skin types and the range they offer for certain skin complaints is fantastic.  When I have finished all my existing shampoos and hand creams I am going to try the ones from Liz Earle.  I think I have developed a little bit of an obsession.  Oh well, I think it’s safe to say I’m probably not the only one.

Top 5 Tips for a Clear Complexion

1. Drink as much water as you possibly can
2. Always remove your make up and cleanse your face thoroughly before bed and  don’t just use a face wipe
3. Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise! No one likes patches of dry flaky skin
4. Treat yourself to a weekly face mask, not only will it give your skin a boost but it will also give you some ‘me time’ to relax
5. Exfoliate regularly to get rid of dead skin cells and keep your skin looking fresh

Love and Kisses

Vintage Beauty

  xXx