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My Skincare Routine September 2017 : Use it up or lose it! Products I have emptied

October 9, 2017 Paris B 34 Comments

I shared my skincare routine last in August 2017, and said I’d make it a more regular segment here on the blog, if only for my personal reference, to remind myself of what works (and what doesn’t). What you may notice is that while the products will switch around and change from time to time, the structure of my routine remains pretty much the same, which is what makes it a “routine”.

In August, I was all about calming down my skin that was feeling sensitive. By September, my skin was calm and zen, and I was ready to play around again. But I set myself a goal.

I had a bunch of skincare that were either on their last legs, or almost expired, and I gave myself a challenge of either using them up, or tossing them out.

Happily, I ended up using up and emptying quite a few items, which made me very happy. I know it is odd to be happy about emptying a skincare product (I should be sad, as it means I have to purchase something to fit its missing hole in my routine) but I have other similar products waiting in line to take its place, and I was excited to have a go at them! 😀 #beautyjunkieproblems

So, here’s my skincare routine in September 2017 including what I’d finished, and I’ll tell you if I’ll repurchase them 🙂 Feel free to share your thoughts, or even your routine with me! I’m a nosy parker 😀

Let’s get your oil on! The Facial Oils I love, like and am on the fence about

September 8, 2017 Paris B 24 Comments

Facial oils are really hot right now. So many brands are coming out with their version of facial oils, and you know it’s a hit product when even mainstream brands get in on the act. I’d actually used rosehip oil many years ago, as a teen, but wasn’t quite educated on the best way to use it, so I really hated it because it was so damned sticky! I returned to facial oils a few years back, when I found that my skin was turning drier, and with a little trial and error, have worked out the best way to use them. I now love facial oils, and I’m always looking out for the next one to try!

I thought I’d give you a run down on the oils I’ve used (some older ones won’t be included as I no longer have or use them, so I can’t talk about them) to give you an idea of what sort of oils I like, and how I use them. It is non-exhaustive, as I have more to showcase in time to come!

Just briefly, despite what we might think, oils are actually good for our skin, not only dry skin, but even oily or combination skin types can benefit. You just have to find the right oil for your skin and that you feel most comfortable using. Naturally, drier skin types will benefit more from using facial oils, as it helps to rebalance your lipids and nourish your skin, so it stays more supple and moisturised.

Does it take the place of a moisturiser or a serum? Personally speaking, I’ll say no. I use a moisturiser or cream over my oils to seal them in. Opinions vary on this, where some people say that the oils go on last, but I’m sticking to my way, because it works for me both physically, and logically. If you have oily skin however, you may just want to end off with the oil and skip moisturiser, as anything else on top may feel heavy.

So, here are some oils that I use and how I use them, to give you an idea of where to start. Settle in 🙂 Please feel free to ask or share in the comments. I’m happy to talk about facial oils to anyone! 😀

My Skincare Routine August 2017 : Healing Sensitive Skin and Products I used

August 14, 2017 Paris B 31 Comments

I’ve been meaning to update my day and night skincare routine for a while (my last was in 2014!) Goodness, I hadn’t realised that it was so long ago! I’d been trying to write a post about my skincare routine for a while, but what with one thing and another, never got around to writing it.

I also get a lot of requests to share the products I’m using in my routine. The thing is, a lot of my basic routine remains pretty constant. The products change from time to time, depending on my skin needs, how I feel etc.

So, instead of just sharing my skincare routine once a year, which will change, I’ve decided to keep to an evolving skincare routine post. I’ll endeavour to share my routine every 2-3 months. It’ll give you an idea of what I’m using, how they work for me, how I use a product or fit it into my routine, and it’ll give me a point of reference as well. Also, it’ll allow me to highlight certain products that I may not dedicate a full post to. Win, all around methinks!

For starters, here’s my skincare routine that I’ve been doing for the past month or so. I had a much more complicated routine before this. But about a month ago, I noticed that the skin on both my cheeks were taking on a very bumpy feel. It wasn’t visible, but the texture of skin had changed, and any glow I had was gone. Naturally so, for the skin was uneven, even if unnoticable to someone else. I was very upset.

So, one day, I sat down, and stripped back all my skincare. Then, I built back a routine that was very simple and basic. Whether it was the products I used, or the routine I was on, my skin is now back to normal. Hurrah! 😀

The Kopara Golden Jojoba Oil takes gold for being an affordable multi-use product

July 24, 2017 Paris B 16 Comments

Jojoba – that’s pronounced “ho-ho-ba”, in case you’re wondering. But I’m sure you knew that already didn’t you?

Early in the year, I was offered by a local brand, Kopara, to try their Golden Jojoba Oil. What really made me say yes to them, were 2 reasons. First, they recognised that I preferred using blended facial oils, and yet they decided to take a chance. Second, this oil was very affordable, and I’m all for good quality, affordable products that are easily found locally.

Enter therefore the Kopara Golden Jojoba Oil – a no fuss, no muss, simple oil that has a multitude of uses. It took me a while to figure out what I thought of it, for, as I have noted often, my preference lie with blended facial oils, that I feel work better for my skin.

However, with the Kopara Golden Jojoba Oil, what I found was a very nice starter oil for those who may be just starting out with facial oils, and aren’t sure what to go for, or how to use them. Because it is affordable, and easily available locally, this is something I feel worth looking at, if you want to try an oil for the first time.

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