June Skincare Shake Up 2016

Who wants to see the skincare products I’ve been using during June? There’s a good mix of some long-term favourites that will be familiar if you’re a regular round these parts and some new and exciting bits that I think you’ll love. Let’s crack on with my June Skincare Shake Up. (It’s a long one, so get comfy!)

June Skincare Shake Up

When I try new skincare I experience a rollercoaster of emotions: I feel terrified that something will aggravate my rosacea and make me want to hide my face from the world for a week; I feel excited that I’m potentially going to find a game-changing product; plus I just really flipping enjoy discovering new products and finding new things to tell you about!

We’ll start with the products I use when I wake up. If you have any questions just let me know, some of these products are core while others are ‘nice to haves’ so leave a comment below if you need any clarification.

MORNING ROUTINE

First up is a cult classic that has featured on here a lot: Bioderma Micelle Solution. I prefer the one with the green lid (Bioderma Sebium H2O) usually, but I’ve been trying to use up the smaller sizes of the original shown below. There’s not a huge amount of difference between the two, but the green one is aimed at oilier skin types. I use this on a cotton pad to remove any dirt or oil from over night (I don’t wash my face with water in the morning as it can make my rosacea flare up).

The La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astrigent Micro-Exfoliation Lotion* was one of those products I mentioned earlier that terrified me – the words ‘astringent’ and ‘micro-exfoliation’ are enough to make me run for the hills but I’ve now been using this for a few months and I’ve had no reactions. I use it pretty much every morning, even around my eyes and it doesn’t sting or make my eyes water. I might do a whole post on different forms of exfoliation that work for sensitive skin, if you’d be interested in that? Let me know!

If you’ve seen my France beauty haul video, you would have seen this tube of goodness make an appearance. La Roche-Posay Effaclar K[+] is a serum that aims to regulate oil production and help with congestion. I’ve been applying this to my t-zone in the morning and have definitely noticed that my make up will last longer before I feel like I need to top up with some powder or do some blotting. It’s still early days (I think changing something like sebum production can take longer than a month) but I think this may be a winner.

Essences have had a ‘moment’ in the UK in the past year. In Japan, Korea and China this is a key step in a skincare routine and I really enjoy using them but let’s be clear – I don’t think they’re essential. It’s basically a cross between a serum and a water toner, that kind of consistency. I pour a few drops into my palms, rub my hands together and press my hands onto my skin. It adds an extra hit of moisture and makes my skin feel wonderful. So in summary, if you have time to spare on a morning or are struggling to get enough hydration into your skin then I’d recommend picking up the B. Refreshed Essence Lotion*.

I’ve been using two products from the Skincere range but I left one at my in-laws’ house at the weekend so it’s not in the photos. What an idiot. All of the products from Skincere are 100% natural, vegan, with hypoallergenic ingredients designed to soothe and care for the skin. They’re free from preservatives, alcohol, artificial fragrance, nuts, gluten, soya and dairy which is great news for my atypical skin and will be great news for some of my followers with allergies or intolerances. It’s also nice to see products aimed at super sensitive skin that still look pretty!

The below is the Skincere Facial Serum* which is a really light and fragrance-free product that sinks in very quickly, without being sticky or bobbling. Not shown is the Skincere Day Cream* which is also wonderfully lightweight and non-sticky. It makes a great base for make up as it doesn’t leave any residue on the skin or take ages to absorb. It also has a subtle tightening effect on the skin, which is rare to find: most skincare products with a focus on being natural don’t tend to have a secondary benefit such as anti-ageing. All in all, this is an exciting brand that I’m keen to try more from.

My SPF is unchanged again this month. This La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL 50+ SPF Cream* is just wonderful – it doesn’t leave a white cast on the skin, it doesn’t feel greasy, it doesn’t interfere with make up and it doesn’t smell rancid. Big ticks all round!

My evening routine may look extensive or over complicated but bear in mind that, again, some of these products are ‘non-essential’, ones that I add in because I can and want to, but they could be skipped if you don’t have the time or inclination.

EVENING ROUTINE

If you’ve seen any of my previous Skincare Shake Ups you will know of my love affair with cleansing oils. For years, because I have oily skin, I avoided any oil products on my face because I thought it would make it worse. What a fool! Oils have transformed my skin and I’d be lost without them, especially cleansing oils as nothing removes make up like it. I think the B. skincare range is one of the best on the high street. It’s really affordable, easy to find, vegan, and has a great range of exciting and innovative products. This B.Pure Micellar Oil* is a really effective make up remover that doesn’t leave my skin feeling tight, dry or with an oily residue. I massage it into the skin, really taking my time, then add a little water to emulsify the oil, continue to massage and then remove with a flannel.

I’ve been using two different products for my second cleanse this month, depending on how dry or sensitive my skin was feeling on that day. The first product was for days when my skin was feeling rough and uneven due to my dermatitis. I bought the balance me Cleanse And Smooth Face Balm on a (slightly tipsy) wander around Debenhams after a blog event when I saw it was half price in the sale. I didn’t actually realise it was an exfoliating balm until I got it home, but it’s so gentle that I haven’t had any issues. It’s a thick, oily balm with oatmeal pieces to gently exfoliate the skin. The grains didn’t upset my rosacea or make me flare up, although I limited its use to once a week.

On the days when my skin was feeling harassed or sore or just not happy, the Pai Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser* was a lifesaver. Whenever I tell people I have rosacea, one of the most commonly recommended brands is Pai. It’s renowned for being gentle, with no alcohol or other harsh ingredients and I wish I’d found it sooner as it is great. The cream cleanser smells amazing and is a pleasure to use as it’s so calming and soothing. It left my skin feeling soft and balanced and helped to calm any heat or discomfort on my skin. It comes with a dual sided cloth (one for mild exfoliation and the other to gently remove product) – I haven’t used this yet as I’m such a dedicated flannel user but if you’ve tried it and liked it let me know below.

Another new favourite from them is the Pai Lotus & Orange Blossom BioAffinity Skin Tonic*. There are a lot of toners that are basically nice-smelling water that feel vey refreshing (which is nice for those of us who flare up and feel hot) but don’t have any added benefits. So finding toners that have the calming and refreshing properties but also improve your skin is a dream. This one is aimed at drier, sensitive skin (I have oily skin) but I love it as it takes down redness, hydrates and makes my skin less tight. Plus the smell is divine.

You all know my obsession with Avène. In fact, I think it’s gone beyond obsession into dependence. Their products (especially their Antirougeur range) are so good that I have used them for years without issue and I know that whenever my skin is upset they will sort me out. I’d never used their Cleanance range because it’s aimed at acne-prone skin but when I was on the recent press trip to Avène they explained that this product below (Avène Cleanance Expert Emulsion*) is ideal for treating blackheads and congestion. There aren’t many products that I think can transform the look and feel of your skin in a month but this is one that I am seriously impressed with. The blackheads and rough-feeling blocked pores on my chin and nose are significantly reduced so not only does my skin looks and feels nicer and make up applies so much better.

My skin has been so temperamental this month and so when I’ve needed to give it a bit of TLC, I’ve been putting this on. The Avène Skin Recovery Cream* is a lovely product. If you have sensitive, reactive or allergies then this product is a must-try. We saw it being made in Avène and it’s produced in a completely sterile environment (exactly the same way that medication is made) and the strange bulky cap you can see below is another step towards keeping the product sterile. Because this cream doesn’t include irritating preservatives, they designed a patent protected D.E.F.I cap that would stop air, microbes and contaminants getting into the tube as you use it. So flipping clever! The cream itself isn’t heavy or sticky, it’s just a great way to look after unhappy skin.

On nights when I didn’t use the Avène cream, I used Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil*. Rosehip is a great ingredient to look out for if you have rosacea as it encourages healing (which means it’s also good for scars and stretchmarks). Oil can put some people off as it takes a bit longer to sink in than traditional night products but this is fast-absorbing and doesn’t leave a nasty, greasy film on the face. However, fair warning, it smells seriously funky. All rosehip oils have a distinctive scent but this one is very strong and it did put me off a bit. The results are great: my skin felt soft and looked glowing when I woke up, but fragrance has a big effect on me and I just didn’t look forward to using it every night simply because of the smell. Obviously I wouldn’t want artificial fragrance to be added to change the smell as this is a wonderful natural product that really works, but I wanted to include the point about the scent as I know that a lot of people are as sensitive to it as I am!

TREATMENTS

This month I’ve tried to up my mask use as my skin seems to be getting more dehydrated over time. I’ve been multi-masking as my skin has drastically different needs in each section. I’ve been applying the Sukin Super Greens Detoxifying Clay Masque* between my eyebrows, down my nose and on my chin to combat the congestion and keep it clear. When I was given this product, they told me to test a small portion on my skin as the active ingredients might flare me up, but thankfully it was fine, however I didn’t apply it to my cheeks or forehead where my rosacea is concentrated (just because I don’t have congestion there). Sukin are another wonderful brand who focus on natural, vegan ingredients, and a responsible carbon neutral stance….without being super expensive (hence the brand tagline ‘skincare that doesn’t cost the earth’).

The ingredients include kale, spirulina, chlorella and parsley to detox and purify the skin. It also has jojoba beads and bamboo to exfoliate, so I very gently massage some water onto the dried mask to lightly buff the skin before using a flannel to remove.

While the above mask is doing its thangggg (‘did you just say ‘thang’?’ NAME THAT FILM), I apply the Avène Soothing Moisture Mask* to my forehead and cheeks. This gives me a ton of moisture while also soothing my rosacea redness. This mask is great for anyone who struggles with irritation, itching, hot or generally unhappy skin and it’s one I go back to a lot. By the time the Sukin mask has worked its magic on my t-zone, the Avène mask has totally been absorbed (I told you I was dehydrated!), so I apply a thin layer of this all over my face. I never do a clay mask without putting a hydrating mask afterwards, otherwise my skin goes bananas. If there’s any product left after 15 mins, I will lightly tissue it off.

Phew! That was a long one… I didn’t mean to waffle on but I’ve tried and loved so many products this month and couldn’t wait to share them with you. Have any of my June Skincare Shake Up products made it onto your wishlist? What skincare have you been loving recently? Let me know in the comments below, I’m always after some skincare enabling!

Lex

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