ELEMIS

Morning cleansers play a very important role in my daily skincare routine. Not only do they have to gently cleanse the skin and provide skincare benefits, I also like them to be soothing and uplifting to make me feel better as I am just not a morning person.  This is a review for some of my all time favorite cleansers for morning use, and they are all lotion/cream type as they are gentle enough for all skin types without stripping the moisture off.

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Elemis Rehydrating Rose Petal Cleanser –  I am a big fan of this luxury spa brand, and this is my favorite product from this line (my 5th bottle!). If you love rose scent, you would absolutely fall in love with this cleanser. It smells like the most delicate fresh roses just cut from your garden, and makes you feel so relaxed and pampered when you use this cleanser in the morning. It has a very lightweight milky texture, and feels very gentle on the skin and makes your skin feel silky and supple after use. It is not a heavy duty cleanser (not for removing full makeup), but good enough for taking away the oil and dirt build-up from overnight.

THREE Balancing Cleansing Milk – Another heavenly scented cleanser that I am obsessed with. THREE is a luxury organic Japanese beauty brand, and this cleanser is made with a blend of premium skin nourishing essential oils and purified bamboo and rose flower water. It has a creamy milky texture, does a great cleaning job (can also be used as a makeup remover) that melts away all the dirt and makeup and replenishes the skin’s moisture at the same time. It is gentle but also has some purifying properties that help to balance the oil and moisture of the skin. My skin feels supple and hydrated after use. More information can be found on THREE website.

IPSA Premier Line Cleansing Creamy Paste – I love exploring premium Japanese skincare lines, and this is another luxurious cleanser that I splurged on. It is a lather free cleanser in an interesting creamy paste texture. Though this premier line targets at anti aging and face lifting, I find this cleanser to be very refreshing and hydrating. It feels creamy but light weight on the skin, and it has a slight minty sensation which helps to make me feel uplifted in the morning. It contains enzymes so it helps to dissolve dirt and provides a very mild exfoliation to the skin.

Antipodes Organic Hallelujah Lime & Patchouli Cleanser –  Last but not least, I wanted an affordable and readily available cleanser that is just as good as the expensive ones as mentioned above.  After testing a whole bunch of them, my favorite is the Antipodes. It has this expensive invigorating aromatic scent, and it cleans and cares for the skin at the same time which makes it a great morning cleanser. This product is best to be used within 3-4 months, as with most organic products that have a heavy base of oil, the scent changes slightly over a period of time after it opens. This is normal (just like cooking oil) and is probably a good indication that this product is all natural and contains no preservatives! Currently 40% off in Australia here.

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My other recommendations that are not shown in the picture include the Decleor Aroma Cleanse Essential Cleansing Milk and the Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Cleanser. They all work very similar to the other ones – gentle, soothing, and rinse off without residue which is what I look out for in a good cleanser!

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If Part 1 of my skincare routine is all about keeping my skin soft and hydrated, then part 2 is all for a smooth and congestion free complexion. Congestion is probably  my biggest skin concern – I have been battling with it  (mainly the nose area and some pores on the cheeks and chin)  for years! I used to go for facials (for extractions) at least once a month – although it really helped to keep the pores clear, it was just a temporary fix as my pores would be blocked again within weeks. I also noticed that my pores were enlarged over time. For years I have been seeking every possible way to keep my skin congestion free as well as have my pores minimized. This is the routine I have been following and I have noticed a significant improvement in my skin.

The best thing I have ever done for my skin was to stop using the products that are designed for oily skin. I had oily skin so I was told to use the oil controlling products at every cosmetics counter I visited.  These products were so harsh to my skin that they completely stripped the natural oil, and as a result my skin became even more oily. The day I switched from these products, my skin completely went back to normal – I didn’t have to blot my face throughout the day anymore!

Other than taking care of my skin in the right way on a daily basis, these are the products I use probably once a week to keep my complexion smooth, radiant as well as helping the prevention of  blackheads and whiteheads from occurring.

EXFOLIATORS – twice a week

I am quite addicted to using exfoliators as I love the smooth feel of the my skin afterwards. I am currently using the Cosmedicine Self Adjusting Exfoliator – my all time favorite..sad that this brand has been discontinued…Glad that I have recently found Elemis Skin Buff which is just as good, love the extra fine granules. The Kiehl’s Epidermal Re-texturizing Micro Dermabrasion is not a bad product, but I find it doesn’t make the skin as smooth as the other two exfoliators.

PEELS – once every 2 weeks

My recent obsession. Peels keep my skin staying radiant and fresh for days. I have already reviewed the Philosophy Microdelivery Peel, it does what it claims to but I was on a hunt for a better product. Absolutely love my recent purchase of the Decleor Experience De L’Age Resurfacing Gel-peeling –  it is easier to use and it makes my skin silky smooth and luminous for days.

DEEP CLEANSING MASK – once or twice a week

At the moment I am using REN Multi-Mineral Pore Minimising Detox Mask. It is a gentle deep cleansing mask designed to reduce the pore size, combat blackheads and leave the skin decongested. It comes in a soft clay texture and it can be removed by rubbing it off with fingertips.

AHA and BHA – I use it whenever I see blackheads/whiteheads forming

I don’t have congested skin on my cheeks and chins anymore. But when everything else fails to keep the pores clear on my nose, I like to apply AHA and BHA on the affected area. I used to use Neo Strata AHA 15 in conjunction with Paula’s Choice 2% BHA – they work great but might be irritating for sensitive skin. The Avene Cleanance K with AHA and BHA is a more gentle version and can be used daily to help eliminate blackheads and other blemishes.

 

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This is a long overdue post as I have been requested to do a rundown on my daily skincare routine many times. Well the reason I’ve been procrastinating was because I had no idea where to begin! Between makeup and skincare, I am probably more passionate about skincare although I don’t talk much about it on this blog as often as makeup. I shop and go through lots of products every month. My approach is quite open-minded so I’m always open to try new things – I am not one of those girls who thoroughly check the ingredients before making a purchase. As long as I think the product will work for my skin type I’m always happy to give it a go.

Just some background information before I embark on my skincare routine. My skin is oily on the surface and dehydrated inside. If it is not well hydrated my makeup would appear just sitting on top of my skin whilst it still produces a lot of oil throughout the day. I also have pigmentation (freckles) across my cheeks. Other than that, I don’t have wrinkles, fine lines, and no signs of loss of firmness. My main goal is to keep my skin looking and feeling fresh, supple, moisturized, firm and plumped with no visible appearance of pores.

These are the products I have been using everyday for the past 2 months. Some of these are my holy grails, some of these are new products I have been trialing through, and I like the results so I have incorporated them into my daily regime. I tend to go for products that are gentle, lightweight and hydrating with some anti-aging benefits. Anything that is too rich and oily will cause congestion or even break-outs to my skin.

As you can see I am not loyal to any brands haha..I generally prefer high end brands for basic skincare but I also have a love for Asian drugstore brands for masks (I have tons of them!).

My Morning Routine:

I clean my face with Elemis Rehydarting Rosepetal Cleanser, then I apply SK II Facial Treatment Essence generously on my face, and pat my face till it absorbs. SK II Aqua Physics Serum is full of pitera and hyaluronic acid which keeps my skin supple and hydrated all day. Finish with Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Moisturising Gel. (probably the best product out of the entire white lucent range)

For my eyes I like to use La Prairie Cellular Revitalizing Eye Gel – have gone through tons of anti-puffiness eye gels and this is the only one that really works!

My Evening Routine:

I remove my makeup with the Eve Lom Cleanser with its muslin cloth – my HG cleanser, then apply the SK II Facial Treatment Essence liberally again. Serum is an essential item in my skincare routine – at the moment I am using the Trilogy Age Proof  Nutrient Plus Firming Serum and the CQ10 Booster Serum interchangeably.  Trilogy is one of my favorite organic skincare lines that is based in New Zealand. If you are into natural skincare I highly recommend giving them a go as they are affordable and really deliver what they claim to. Moisturizer is switched to the Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Moisturizing Emulsion W – it’s designed for nightime so the texture is slighter richer than the gel version.

I also use a different eye cream at night time – the Shiseido Bio Performance Super Eye Contour Cream keeps the fine lines at bay without being too nutritional for my age so it doesn’t cause any milia. Don’t forget to take care of the neck girls! I am using the Shiseido Benefiance Concentrated Neck Contour Treatment.

That’s it for my basic skincare. I use more products as special treatments throughout the week so there will be part 2, part 3….

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