Smash Incase Of Emergency Skincare Round 2
-this post contains PR samples-
The first edition of this post came out a few years ago now and it’s been something that I’ve referred back to so many times that I thought it was about time that I finally wrote a follow-up. These are the products I like to turn to whenever my skin is in real need, whether that be down to a breakout or if I’ve not been taking the best care I possibly could and they bail me out each time. And in a dream world, I’d keep this roundup in a glass box mounted in my bathroom with a little hammer to break the glass when I needed them but obviously, as satisfying as that would be it’s highly impractical so I’ll keep them in my mirrored cabinet for now instead…
FOR A QUICK REFRESH
For when I’ve been somewhat on the ball with my skincare routine, in general, I like to reach for a manual exfoliant once a week. And even though I prefer a chemical out of the two I can’t deny the results of giving your skin a good scrub, although not too hard mind you as I don’t want to break any capillaries. An extremely pricey scrub that I’ve used for years comes from Goldfaden MD (gifted sample) and it’s absolutely brilliant and unlike anything else, I’ve never used in terms of formulation. Instead of traditional beads, this product contains crystals and they’re incredibly fine, which thankfully means you only need very little to see the benefits of using this. So often when I’ve used manual exfoliants in the past they've often left my complexion feeling a little sore and dehydrated but due to the inclusion of hyaluronic acid in the ingredients list of this scrub that isn’t the case when using this. My skin is always left feeling so much smoother and softer and I find it particularly good to use if I’ve got some pesky breakouts as it seems to help with those somehow. As I said, I'm a lover of a liquid exfoliant day to day but a good scrub like this immediately refreshes my complexion making it look so much better and of course, there is nothing like applying makeup after using this.
FOR WHEN YOU’RE feeling a little blurgh
I’m sure we all feel a little 'blurgh’ at times and if you’re anything like me then it immediately seems to show in your skin. For those days and also when I’m feeling a little bit lazy then I reach for the Purifying Facial Peel Mask from Manuka Doctor (gifted sample) and it’s been one of my favourite masks to reach for in the past year. It’s designed to help with congestion which is something I find myself struggling with quite a lot, especially if I’ve worn makeup all week so using this once or twice really helps keep on top of it. Not only do I love what this does to my skin after I’ve used it but it’s such a fun product as it’s a peeling mask. You apply it like you would any other mask but when it dries down you peel it off the skin and it's unbelievably satisfying. It’s a bit like when you get a new phone or laptop and you get to peel the protective cover off the screen and I don’t know anybody who doesn’t enjoy doing that. You might think having to peel it away from the skin might cause some type of aggravation but I’m always left with a very happy complexion afterwards. It manages to get everything out of my pores with ease and if you’re not a fan of traditional clay mask then it's a brilliant option as it's so gentle.
FOR WHEN YOU’RE FEELING LAZY
As much as I love my evening routine and getting to stand in my tiled kingdom of a bathroom sometimes I cannot be bothered with my whole cleansing ritual. And this is where the ultimate lazy girl essential comes in… Bioderma (gifted from a previously paid campaign). Although it’s unlikely, if you’ve not heard about this glorious product then let me give you a little insight. It’s a micellar water that removes makeup like a dream, this version is for oily skin but I don’t find it to be drying in the slightest. This stuff is even removing the Benefit They’re Real mascara at the moment and we all know what a nightmare that is to get off your lashes. I use this to remove makeup when I can’t be bothered to use a proper cleanser and I also like to use it before I workout just to give my skin a quick refresh. It will never replace a ‘real’ cleanser in my routine but it’s an absolute staple in my routine when I want everything off my skin with minimal effort.
FOR WHEN YOUR SKIN NEEDS A SERIOUS DRINK
Dehydration is a real issue for my skin all year round even though I typically lean on the more oily side of the spectrum. So I love nourishing masks that can help inject that moisture I crave so badly and typically I like to use overnight masks. A product that I’ve used before and not had a good experience with is the Origins Drink Up Intensive Mask (gifted sample) but I’ve recently started using it again and I’m absolutely obsessed with what this does to my skin. Now, I’m not sure I’m using it in the way that you’re supposed to but the way I’ve found this works well for me is to use a peasized amount and massage it in like you would a moisturiser. That way I still find I’m getting the moisturise that I crave, seriously it’s so thick and rich it’s an instant comfort and I imagine will be an absolute dream in the real cold months. But it’s not overloading my somewhat spot prone skin which I think might have been the issue when I used this originally. And the smell, again it wasn’t something I was fond of the first time I slathered this on my complexion (I’m beginning to wonder if I had a bad one) but now I can’t get enough of the stuff.
FOR WHEN YOU NEED a quick fix
For the days where you’ve not got enough time to do a mask but need a quick pick me up and you’re feeling a little spotty the Clinique City Block Purifying Mask & Scrub (gifted from a previously paid collaboration) is a wonderful product to reach for. I typically use this in the shower and apply it as soon as I get in so I can get maximum results without really doing anything as this can be used as a scrub as well as a mask, so if I’ve not got the time to leave this onto set then I’m still getting a good scrub from it when you wash it away. It gets everything that's lurking in my pores out with ease without making the skin feel dry which can be the biggest battle when it comes to any deep cleansing product and the scrub is gentle but effective. The City Block range in general from Clinique is something that I absolutely adore as it’s targeted towards dealing with the harsh effects the environment can have on our skin and even though I reside in the countryside my skin can still feel a little rough if I’m out all day.
