We’re entering the season of fresh, glowing skin which is honestly my favourite thing about the summer. I will admit, prior to lockdown, my skincare knowledge was extremely limited and I stuck to the products that I have been using since the start of my teenage years (mostly soap and water which makes me cringe to this day) , but I have taken the time to educate myself on what products work well for my own skin type and what ones will help with other skin types as all of our routines will vary. I also discovered that skincare doesn’t have to cost a fortune, which I am glad about since I cannot afford to keep up with a fifteen-step routine using expensive products (especially not in the current situation). This is why I have decided to offer some guidance and direction on what skincare items might be useful for all ages and skin types at an affordable price that you can maintain day to day. It is so important to look after your skin and keep it looking healthy, but I also understand how it can seem really time consuming and unnecessary if your skin is already looking fresh without a routine. To be completely honest, I have spent an awful lot of money attempting to perfect this, but I now have a polished routine that has some key, inexpensive items that are extremely effective.
To start us off on our skincare journey I wanted to offer a little bit of insight on my own journey and what was and wasn’t working for me personally. I will admit I threw myself into the world of skincare too quickly and did fall victim to the popular trends that I saw plastered all over my social media feeds; I went straight online and ordered a large amount of products from the brand Mario Badescu (if you’re not familiar with this brand it’s hugely popular online and has a wide range of famous products) to trial which ones were effective. In hindsight, I should have and would recommend doing some research prior to purchasing full size products just to see what the general opinion is of the brand and also to see if any skin care specialists have offered guidance on how effective or damaging the product can be. I bought a selection of products consisting of a cucumber facial wash, strawberry facial scrub, Vitamin C serum and hyaluronic eye cream. I phased these items into my routine (never replace your current items all at once in case your skin doesn’t adapt well). After trying these products, I culled the ones that did nothing for my skin and kept the items that gradually improved the overall appearance such as the cucumber facial soap and the Vitamin C serum. Now this is where things get interesting, after buying and enjoying these items, I came across a skincare specialist called Hyram who posts videos on skincare tips and the negative ingredients that damage the skin. He suggested that the brand I had brought from contained a large amount of fragrance in many of its more popular products and, whilst this didn’t affect my skin, I found some better alternatives in case I started to see bad effects in the long term. For the record, I haven’t got rid of my other items because I don’t want to create any unnecessary wastage, but I am instead waiting until I run out of the older products and then I will replace them with these newer, better researched products.
Let’s discuss these holy grail products that are worshipped in the skin care community. I have tried all of these but one so, for that one, I can only recommend based off thorough research of the product but I will include an update on my skin progress in a future article when I have been using it for a good amount of time. Ladies and gentlemen, I have to tell you about The Ordinary (because I’ve pretty much told everyone else who will listen to me) ; this brand is the best skincare I have come across since taking an interest in the industry and the results speak for themselves. There are many products from this brand that have been highly recommended by specialists and I would love to talk about them. My current favourite products by this brand are the glycolic toning solution and the cold pressed borage seed oil; these names are quite intimidating at first, but I promise they work miracles (it’s like Christmas has come early with these beauties). The toning solution, which I have been using for around seven months, three times a week, has evened my skin tone and created a glowy finish every time I have applied it. The borage oil does make you look like you’ve been covered in water when applied but it sinks into your skin and provides that much needed hydration and moisture; please be careful though as it’s better for those with dryer skin like myself. Despite the heavy consistency it makes your skin feel moisturised overnight which is always a winning trait. This company also sells a peeling solution that is recommended a few times a week to clear the skin and help breakouts. It does look as though you’ve had a vampire facial (I would rather not explain this one but feel free to have a look) but from my research it has mind blowing results for a lot of customers which I will put to the test when I trial the product next week.
Whilst I may not be a skin care guru just yet (do watch this space), I have become educated on this topic and I have loved trialling a small amount of the products available out there, which I will continue to do in the near future. Let’s all be skincare queens this month and get that glowy skin ready for our socially distanced outings!
Happy pampering until next month.
Molly Dutton
