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My Top Skincare Products

  • Writer: hollyframptonphotography
    hollyframptonphotography
  • May 13, 2020
  • 5 min read

I've been battling with my skin for years and lockdown has allowed me to magnify all these issues 10x more than I already did. As someone who has always had breakouts and sensitivity, I've come to find products that work for my combination skin type.


My breakouts regularly occur on my chin and jaw, to which Google has told me I may have something called 'Oestrogen Dominance'. Meaning my acne is down to hormones, not "washing my face" or "drinking enough water" (which isn't a thing, so stop telling people to drink more water to get rid of their acne) I have been to doctors and dermatologists multiple times in the past, but what they recommended has been too harsh or made my skin worse.





As honesty is the best policy, I am currently experiencing a break out that has been re-occurring for the last 5 weeks. Then it clears up for a week, and eventually comes back. It doesn't seem too bad in the images, but trust me it is so sore :( But thankfully the rest of my skin is finally clear, after weeks of trying to get back into a routine.


Anyways, there are people with much worse cystic acne in comparison to mine, and the effects it can have on an individual's self confidence can be straining.



DISCLAIMER: These products work for ME and that I can only recommend from my own experience. As someone with combination, acne-prone skin, these products may not be beneficial for everyone, just saying...


Also, these products have not got rid of my acne but have made the quality of my skin better, as well as reducing redness and irritation.


I've learnt less is more and gentle is better. So, these products assure I'm doing the right steps and giving my skin the treatment it needs!





M I C E L L A R W A T E R



MAKEUP WIPES < MICELLAR WATER


If by now you're still using makeup wipes, please substitute for some sort of micellar water. It seems like a simple alternative but it's super gentle and has been my staple for years. If my skin ever has a bad reaction or I'm too lazy to double cleanse, I use this with a reusable cotton pad and it removes everything!


TIP: You can buy the 700ml big bottles from Costco at 2 for £7




S U P E R F A C I A L I S T - V I T A M I N C C L E A N S I N G O I L



DOUBLE CLEANSE?


I take cleansing my face too seriously, which is why I do 2 types of cleansing or even 3. If my face is 'fully beat', I opt to use a cleansing oil on my dry skin to break down all that makeup, then wash off with a wet flannel. Which I then follow with a gel/cream cleanser, to be 100% sure all that makeup is off. I suggest this to everyone, but definitely to people who are prone to breakouts and have oily skin.


TIP: My last 2 bottles of this I got from TK MAX for £4 (hopefully stock will still be available when this is all over)




P A U L A ' S C H O I C E C A L M N O U R I S H I N G C L E A N S E R


FOR OILY/COMBINATION SKIN



I LOVE THIS CLEANSER


This is a gel cleanser from the Paula's Choice CALM line, where I have also been using the Restoring Moisturiser and the 1% BHA Lotion Exfoliant. The whole line has improved my skin immensely. However this specific cleanser has stood out amongst the others, as it doesn't strip your face of moisture and it leaves your skin so bloody soft. I apply it to dry, clean skin, then add water to emulsify and lather, simple.


SIDE NOTE- Paula's choice lets you buy samples and travel sizes, which is amazing when you don't want to waste your money on a full-size product, that you end up not liking.





D E R M A L O G I C A D A I L Y S U P E R F O L I A N T



I DON'T WANT NO SCRUBS


Put down that St Ives Apricot Scrub, and consider using a chemical exfoliant. This is one of my favourites and a little more expensive than the rest of my products, but there are so many different types of chemical exfoliants, in forms of toners, serums, and washes, that you can choose to suit you. If you do have acne, gently exfoliating will definitely help and unclog pores, preventing breakouts.


If you would like to know more about chemical exfoliants or what other products are on offer, the Beauty Within YouTube channel covers absolutely everything you need to know!

Beauty Within - Beginner's Guide to Chemical Exfoliation (AHA & BHA) -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzaei1orosM&t=662s




T H E O R D I N A R Y


HYALURONIC ACID 2% + B5 AND NIACINAMIDE 10% + ZINC 1%



HYALURONIC ACID (SHAKING HANDS EMOJI) NIACINAMIDE


When I started purchasing The Ordinary products, I had no idea what I was buying. There were so many symbols and numbers, that I'd YouTube a brief description and buy according to what I felt my skin needed.


So to save you from doing the Google search:


HYALURONIC ACID - A natural substance in your skin, that can hold onto 1000x its weight in moisture (basically make your skin hella hydrated)


NIACINAMIDE - Visibly minimizes pores, improve uneven skin tone, soften fine lines and wrinkles, diminish dullness, and strengthen a weakened surface. (basically liquid magic for your skin)


So yeah, what more could you ask for. These both apply like serums, and are so cheap.


TIP: Apply the Hyaluronic Acid on a wet/damp face to experience the best results.




L A R O C H E P O S A Y - E F F A C L A R D U O S P F 30



THIS IS MY 4TH TUBE


I have not yet found an SPF that works for me, so this is the next best thing, with the added benefits. It's an acne treatment which in the process unclogs pores, controls shine and reduces redness. If you do chemically exfoliate your skin, you NEED to apply SPF. This is to protect that baby layer of skin you have just exposed, and prevent UV damage to your skin.



And that's a wrap.


A lot of what I know is from personal research, YouTube, and speaking to people whose jobs revolve around skincare. I find, all these products have elevated the quality of my skin, but in order to find the route cause of my acne it will mean, taking another trip to the doctors. Shock.


My top YouTube skincare channels:



And thank you! if any of you have acne prone skin, i'd love to know what products you would recommend!


Holly xox

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