I have tried many different skincare routines for my normal to oily blemish prone skin and mostly have been disappointed with the results. In the past I have tended to concentrate on finding products that are supposed to get rid of spots and I think this is where the problems lay for me. The products cleared up my existing blemishes (as it promised to do) but it didn't reduce the amount of blemishes I got in the future or how frequently I got them. It felt like I was going in a frustrating cycle of getting spots, treating and healing them, almost having clear skin and then BAM more spots!
Because of this, I decided a different tactic was needed and so I instead tried to concentrate on what I thought was causing my spots. Of course things like stress and THAT time of the month can't be avoided but there were some other causes that I thought contributed to my bad skin. Firstly, I have quite large pores on my face, especially my cheeks (where I get the majority of my spots) so I thought that maybe my spots were due to clogged pores. My face can also be quite shiny at times which suggests that it's a bit oily, this could also be another cause of the spots. With this in mind I headed to Boots to try and find a skincare routine that wouldn't break the bank but would address my problem areas.
Despite the apparent colour scheme, this is not a pre-made skincare set. We have Simple Clear Skin Oil Balancing Exfoliation Wash 150ml £4.29, Sanctuary Exfoliating Pore Refiner 100ml £10.50, Sanctuary Pore Refining Toner 150ml £9, Simple Clear Skin Oil Balancing Moisturiser 75ml £4.27 and Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Clear Blemish Gel 15ml £14.
I decided on the Simple products because their products tend to be gentler on the skin and in the past I haven't been too nice to my skin. I was so pre-occupied with getting rid of my spots that I would use harsh chemicals on it so now I wanted to apologise and make up for my mistreatment of my skin by being kind to it for once. These products had oil-balancing qualities to them and also help to clear your skin so I thought they were perfect. Not to mention that the small price tag made them absolute winners in my eyes! The exfoliating wash is not very abrasive which makes it perfectly fine for everyday use, twice daily. You're face doesn't feel dry after using the scrub and looks and feels a lot cleaner and the moisturiser makes my skin feel soft but doesn't feel greasy at all.
The Sanctuary products were a bit more pricey but I was drawn in by the fact they focus on clearing and minimising pores which was a problem area for me. I use the Pore Refining Toner everyday after my Simple face wash, spraying it onto a cotton pad and sweeping it over my face. The toner is not strongly scented of alcohol like others I've tried and so doesn't sting my eyes or nose likes some have done in the past. It actually smells okay (although I could not for the life of me tell you what it smells like). The Sanctuary Exfoliating Pore Refiner is a bit of a luxury product for me. You can use it for up to 3 days a week but not on consecutive days and it smells quite good! This scrub is abrasive, which I like, and when it's on your skin it actually feels like it's doing something. It leaves it feeling tingly and rejuvenated and just a lot more open. It leaves me feeling squeaky clean and my skin feels super duper soft the next day.
The last product is Clinique's Blemish Gel, which I didn't actually buy in that Boots trip but already owned. It's the only product I use specifically designed to zap spots because old habits die hard and I still want all my spots to be gone as soon as humanly possible. This gel is very pricey but it just happens to be the one I already owned, I have used others including Clean & Clear Advantage Spot Treatment Gel 15ml and Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Spot Wand 3.5ml which both worked wonders for me and were considerably cheaper.
My skin has felt a lot clearer and brighter since I've been using this routine. People have commented on how great my skin looks and I have found that I can get away most days with not wearing foundation but just a dab of concealer under the eyes and some powder to set it. When I do get the odd break out (which are more infrequent now) they are dealt with very quickly and effectively. I have to admit I'm fairly impressed by the results and proud of myself for putting this routine together!
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