I've been absent from blogging for well...almost all summer actually. It sort of got away from me, but I can tell you, this Fall I'll be writing full force again. Get ready for some fancy new posts and some new kind of blog dedication!
I'm back on here today to talk about a very select few of my all time favourite beauty products. I picked only these four products, because they're all skincare or base products, which have lead me to find my most beautiful skin. All of these I have used daily and continuously for over three years, with a little swaying for the trial of new things in between. (Which can't be helped. I'm a Cosmetician! I have to try it all!)
Growing up I had THE WORST skin. So much oil and so much acne. I know everyone says that, but all I ever remember is being made fun of for that reason, so to me, it was kind of a big deal at the time. I honestly never dreamed my skin would be considered clear and I would receive compliments on how smooth my skin was. Little does everyone know... haha!
It didn't get there overnight, and it's still something I work hard at every morning and every night. For someone who is interested in claiming their own brand new skincare routine, my advice is find a good regimen and stick to it. Don't cheap out and get sub-par skincare and please, please do not use makeup to cover up what you don't like on your skin. Skincare CAN help you. Whether it's prestige, (some) mass drugstore or prescribed. Do not give up and do not cut corners! Do your research thoroughly. If you can't get the answers on your own, ask for help. There are professionals out there who know what they're talking about, I promise.
I've tried so many things out there to tackle my skin over the years. Some work, others don't. These things are by no means the be all end all items I would use. I have a few I know I can swap out if I need a change. Trust me, the things that are right for you are out there too.
I've been very lucky to find favourites in almost all areas, but mostly I can credit that to being around a lot of testers all the time. For my skin I always test for texture, colour and coverage. I like what I like.
1 - I'll start with what gets applied first - my moisturizer. I used the Neostrata Smoothing Cream in Level 3. This has been my go-to product for such a long time now. It's is a Glycolic Acid based cream, which is made from sugar cane. What is does is act like a physical exfoliator on the surface of your face, eating up dead skin cells and impurities, leaving your skin untouched and smoothe hence the name "smoothing cream." This product is very gentle, especially compared to other exfoliating products with Vitamin C based ingredients for example. It is always something that is recommended, but it can be quite harsh. There is no control there and they often leave the skin irritated, making way for redness and allergic reactions. This moisturizer is like having a gentle daily mask or microdermabration. With this, I don't have to go out of my way to do special treatments on my skin. It's already built into my simple daily moisturizer. Since using this product, my skin has become clearer, my pores have tightened, the whole appearance is smoother and brighter and best of all my makeup goes on like a dream. For anyone interested in trying this product, they are currently reformulating all their Glycolic creams in Neostrata. I've been told they'll soon be fully available, but right now they only have the lower levels 1 and 2. If you find you are sensitive to AHAs or you've never used a product of this type, it is always recommended to start with the lowest level of Glycolic acid and work your way up to get your skin used to the specialized ingredients. (Level 1 is 4%, level 2 is 6% and level 3 is 8%.) This product lasts me about a year before I have to replace it. How amazing is that?!
2 - Second is Lise Watier Sun Smart. This is by far my favourite thing. I don't know if I could ever stop using it. Sun Smart is a universal UV sunscreen with an SPF of 30. Sunscreen is extremely important to me and even if it wasn't, (Hey, I know a lot of people don't wear it still, but you should!) you're going to use an exfoliating product like Neostrata's Smoothing Creams you MUST wear one to protect your skin. Not wearing one will not only leave your skin unprotected while your skin is extra sensitive from exfoliation, it will also reverse the effects of the cream. Don't waste your money! It also has an incredible silky oil free texture. Now usually I say oil free doesn't matter. Oil free things can still be oily and weird, but this thing can mattify like no other, while keeping your skin baby soft and smooth. Because of it's texture it's perfect for swopping out with your everyday primer. In fact I never even think of it as a sunscreen. I always consider it a primer with added benefits. So there you go; two products in one. And if you didn't think it could get any better, it has also done away with a lot of my acne and cut down my oil production significantly. A good primer will do that for you! This tube can last me anywhere from 4-6 months usually.
3 - Next is a fabulous Foundation which has really done wonders - the Lise Watier Teint Mousse Matifiant in Porcelaine. This foundation has a very similar texture to the "primer" above and is the perfect match for it. It's smooth, easy to apply, and also helps cut down on common skincare issues like oil and acne. When applied, it's finish is matte and silky with what I would classify as a medium to full coverage. As someone with extra pale skin, I find it impossible to find the right shade of foundation. They just don't make them that light. Sure it's easier in lightweight foundations like BB creams or tinted moisturizers, which can blend out right away, but I prefer to have a fuller coverage. Full coverage foundations are not kind to the lightest of skin and you can tell right away if you have the wrong colour. Ladies and gentlemen, please choose your colour wisely. This is the perfect shade of pale. I always recommend it for fair-haired or red-haired people with the lightest of skin tones and it always pulls it off and steals the show. I can't even tell you how many people I have made happy with this foundation over the years. Including myself! This foundation can last me anywhere from 6-9 months.
4 - For my base products I tend to stay away from mass wall products. They are usually made with lower quality ingredients than prestige or the carefully controlled derm products. and are generally not tested outside of their own companies. I'm not saying all mass is bad to use. It's definitely not. I use a great deal of these products myself, but it's just knowing which ones are better than others. We have been lucky in recent years, because these companies are stepping up their game and recognizing that their clientele are more interested in ingredients and raising the bar on their routines. We're asking for more and they are listening. That's why you're seeing higher prices for what you would've considered cheap brands before.
My fourth product is a mass one, which I can say works better for me than any concealer I have ever tried. Mass or prestige. This is the Loreal True Match Touche Magique Concealer in C-3-4-5. I don't know how I ever lived before this product came out. Certainly my dark circles were always more prominent. This is a lightweight liquid concealer with a brush tip with incredible coverage. Not only is it the prefect amount of colour to hide anything you need to hide, it's also light reflecting. Which means light particles bounce off of it, creating the illusion of lighter brighter skin. It's a miracle worker for dark circles and hides acne and discolouration with ease. I will use this concealer forever, and will always recommend it for anyone who tells me they've given up on concealers. This one can last from 5 to 6 months.
Okay that's all for my lesson today! Haha. I'm going to continue to do these posts, because I know there are tonnes of lost people out there wandering their local beauty departments in confusion.
A few key points to remember are to always apply your product correctly. Blending it wrong or failing to follow the directions can make all the difference between a bad application and a good one, which will ultimately make your opinion on whether or not you would use it again. So always check that you're using it right and if you don't know, ask. Another good tip is that almost everyone uses waaaay too much of their products. If you want to get the most out of your money and products, you should be using much smaller amounts. You only need a little bit for them to be effective. The biggest overuses that happen are with skincare, but this can also happen with cosmetics. Always remember, it's easier to put more on if needed than to take it off. In the end you'll find you'll have everything for longer, making your pricier go-to items all the more worth it in the end.
I hope some of this helped you and if you have any questions about these items or any others, feel free to ask! I'm always more than ready to help out or take on a problem! If you have any products you can't live without, let me know! I love hearing what everyone else is using.
Thanks everyone!
And remember, you'll be finding me on here more often now!
Marissa xo
