The skincare tips that made a difference!

I always maintain….I don’t wear makeup to cover up anything, even though that is how it started out. Some days, I can look like a homeless troll, bags under my eyes, texture, pimples…naked, I don’t care. Other days, I can also have enough makeup on for 7 people, I don’t care. Makeup is therapeutic and expressive for me, not a cover up. However, I started thinking….is homeless troll it for me? Can I not do something to remedy this crap skin situation of mine? Can my skin not spark joy too? With all these questions in mind…..I realised, what you put in, is what you get out. Okay skin is an asshole, because you can treat it how well….if it wants to show you whose boss, IT WILL. So maybe what you put in, actually isn’t what you’ll get out….But I’m going to die trying!

My skin has improved a lot….but redness, scarring from pimples, slight texture and occasional breakouts is still an issue for me. Today I want to share the skincare tips that have made a difference in my skin. They’re not revolutionary by any means, but maybe something as simple as changing your cleanser or upping your water intake can make all the difference for your skin too!

DISCLAIMER: I’m no skin guru and have no training, though I’d really love to do a course if at all possible one day. These are tips I’ve been given, tips I’ve practiced and what has worked for me. 

Water

I know…..whatever Simone! Gals…water is honestly so important for nourished and hydrated skin! Just upping or decreasing my water intake…within a few days I can see a difference…either way. When I drink too little water, my skin immediately becomes dry and feels so lifeless and bleugh. Once I’m on my ‘2L a day’ train…my skin feels plumped up, hydrated and healthier. I don’t say water is a miracle cure, but it makes a difference in my skin! I needed to start with this one and I truly truly believe in it!

Soort Soek Soort

That just sounded better in Afrikaans to me. lol. It roughly translates to ‘same looks for same‘. Okay….what the diggins does that mean?

I went to see a skin therapist at OptiSkin, Freda, and she asked me to bring ALL my skin care products with me to our appointment. I don’t think she realised she was dealing with a beauty blogger at the time. Basically, I needed a shopping bag to lug all my goodies there! Freda looked at everything and she said….you have AMAZING products, everything is great, but your skin is confused. She asked me to, from that day…try to make a concerted effort to use up what I could and to use products from the same brand where possible. Sometimes, the formulas are engineered to work better together……so using my Vichy with my Elizabeth Arden may be annoying my skin.

Less reactive skin

This may not be the case for everybody, but once I went that route, I saw a decrease in my breakouts and just a general improvement… My skin wasn’t/isn’t as reactive anymore. I finished up my Dermalogica Cleanser and moisturiser that way as the first brand to use up. I’m currently finishing up my Vichy Normaderm range…then I’ll be moving over to Elizabeth Arden. Not to say I don’t still mix up the brands that I use…I do, but I am more conscious at this stage of what I’m using.

SPF

I’m not going to get into this topic again, as I did a full blog post on this a while back. The Sun is the biggest culprit of pigmentation and ageing. SPF helps us against that battle, so I make sure that I use an SPF every single day on my skin. Rain or shine! I’ve seen a reduction in the dark pimple scarring I used to get. The breakouts are now more pink, so I feel they’re easier to treat and have a better chance of fading one day…..

Related post: Sunscreen is a must, even in Winter! 

Routine

Having a skin care routine is important…and so is staying committed to it. I believe in cleansing…. and double cleansing! I never go to bed with makeup on, in fact my makeup comes off as soon as I get home. For me, it’s important for my skin to breathe…. so I also go makeup free more than I’d like to admit, considering what my blog is about. lol.

Day time

1. Cleanse
2. Tone
3. Moisturise
4. SPF

Night Time

1. First cleanse (If wearing makeup)
2. Second cleanse with my Clarisonic
3. Tone
4. Eye cream
5. Serum
6. Moisturiser

There are suggestions as to if serum goes first or last….I’ve tried both ways. Do what makes sense for you. There are also nights I use Retinol, then I adjust my routine accordingly.

Peels

In 2018 I started going for peels at OptiSkin to treat my breakouts. Specifically, I was going for the Lamelle Beta Plus Peels.

Beta-hydroxy peel, salicylic acid, is excellent for removing pimples, and it also drastically calms inflammation in inflammatory acne.

I went for these peels every 2-3 weeks I think and I did a total of 5. I saw a DRASTIC reduction in breakouts….and in fact I think in 5 weeks I had 1 tiny pimple. Unfortunately, these are pricey and I can’t afford them at the moment…and now, 1.5 months later, I feel like I really need to go for one 🙁 My hope was that once we sort the breakouts out, I’d start doing peels for pigmentation. I highly recommend you see a skincare therapist at a reputable skin clinic (like OptiSkin #NotSponsored)  and let them guide you on suitable peels. I really think peels are an amazing investment into your skin!

Gals…that is it from me for today! I still have a long way to go, and some days, looking in the mirror, I can’t see the progress, but I can feel it. My skin is healthy and in fact, when I (used to) go for facials…I am told my skin is in good condition…to me that’s most important. Honestly though, almost 40….pimples…you can not do this to me! Isn’t there a cut off age for this rubbish?? Urgh….. Anyways…I fight this battle daily…and hopefully in my 40’s I’ll be claiming to have better skin than I have ever had in my life 😉

What are your top skincare tips? Would you like a more in-depth skincare routine post…with actual products used? Let me know in the comments! Don’t forget to subscribe and follow me on social media, so you never miss posts and giveaways and all the good stuff 😉

Thanks for reading!