Let's Talk About: SKINCARE - Nouchaline

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Let's Talk About: SKINCARE

I talk about fashion and beauty all the time on my blog, but I don't think I've ever done a proper post on skincare before. I've become a little obsessive with my skincare routine lately, and have finally found a formula that works for me, so I thought it would be a good time to have a little chit chat about it.



My skin is not clear or perfect in any way, but I've been doing my best to improve it and I can definitely see the results. Before I delve into the products I use, I want to talk about a couple of things to keep in mind. My skin (all over my body, not just my face) is very weird. Whenever I have any form of injury on any part of my body, it takes a long time to heal and ALWAYS leaves a stupid scar. Being a very clumsy kid, and possibly even clumsier adult, I have accumulated my fair share of scars. Ever since I can remember, I've been very insecure about the scars on my body and up until my late teens, they were my main concern. Then one day, my face started to breakout and my insecurities of scarring shifted to my face. There was a point in time that I would die before I even thought about leaving the house without foundation or concealer because I was was THAT insecure about the marks all over. And even though I still do love the look of a flawless foundation face, I currently don't feel like crap if I leave the house without it. How did I FINALLY get to this stage?

RESEARCH 

I can't even count how many skincare videos I've watched and how many SkinCareAddiction threads I've read to help me understand what products I should use, when to use them, what to avoid etc. When I first started getting into this whole skincare thing, I was the most confused puppy. My high school Chemistry teacher (hiii Mr. Tony Fares!) can vouch for me when I say that Chemistry was never my favorite subject in school so when it came to reading all the ingredients on the back of a bottle, I felt like an idiot (salasitic acid say whaa?). But over time, I began to learn about the silly sounding chemicals and their functions,  and I must admit that I feel like quiet the smartypants when I'm reading a random article about the subject because I actually know what they're talking about! There is nothing wrong with admitting you're clueless, you can always learn and become cluefull (KAH, ok... I'll stop).

TRIAL

After you've done your research, had some form of communication with a dermatologist, and have figured out what skin type you are (I'm normal with oily tendencies) it's time to test out products. If product X worked for Sarah, it doesn't mean it will work for you. If Jane uses ten products, it doesn't mean that you should too. It's not the number of products you use, it's the ingredients in the products and your skin type. Thankfully, I don't have particularly sensitive skin so this stage was not horrible. Going to the skincare section of a supermarket or the pharmacy now gives me almost the same high as going to a makeup counter or seeing new shoes.

 GROW UP

Very obvious thing to state, right? When I was younger (not that I'm THAT old just yet), I used to fuss over every single little blemish that was on my face, and trust me there was a lot of blemishes to fuss over. I used to look other people's face and be envious of their flawless skin, or their ability to cover it properly. Over time, I found the right foundations and learned how to cover the flaws. After even more time, I began to understand the importance of actually fixing the problem and getting over the "flaws". So what if you have a pimple or a little scarring? Who cares? Even people with clear skin have a breakout every now and again. There are honestly more important things to worry about. All you can do is make an effort in nourishing and protecting your skin. Stop worrying about what others might think about your face, if they don't like it then let them look away :P


THE PRODUCTS

After a really long post, we get to the juicy bit. Here are the products I use. There will be days when I'm too lazy to do every single part of my routine, but for the most part I try to be consistent.

Elizabeth Arden "Visible Difference" Day Cream, Lush "Mint Julip" Lip Scrub, L'Oreal "Revitalift" Night Cream, Retacnyl (Retanol), The Body Shop "Aloe Soothing Day Cream", Origins "Urgent Moisture", The Body Shop "Tea Tree Oil". 

Cleanser: Teen Derm Gel by ISIS Pharma . I have not heard anyone talk about this product before. But my dermatologist told me to use it when I was around 17 years old and it has been doing a great job at cleansing ever since. (A couple of my other favorites are Lush "Let the good times roll", Cerave Hydrating Cleanser, The Bodyshop Tea Tree Foaming Facial Wash ).
Make Up Remover: Barbara Gould, and Simple.
Retacnyl (Retinoid):  If you're in the states, then you need a prescription to get your hands on it (unless you use a product with a very fine trace of it, Murad make a couple of products in case you're wondering). Basically, this is magic but should be used properly. Please do you research and talk to a doctor before using this product. 
Sunblock: ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS WEAR IT! NO EXCUSES YOUNG LADY OR CHAP! I currently use Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer Dry Touch SPF 50 and I like it... it dries fast, doesn't have a horrible smell and is not greasy.
Masks: Lush "Catastrophe", St. Ives "Clay Firming Mask". This is usually a weekend treat on a Sunday. I've tried a TON of masks but these are the ones that I always go back to. 
Spot Treatment: Tea Tree Oil. Whenever I feel like there's a spot that's still not fully developed, I dab some Tea Tree Oil on it and it's usually gone by the morning (or at least doesn't develop further). I've only found Tea Tree Oil at The Body Shop and Lush in Lebanon (Grease Lightning) , but in other places you can get generic pharmacy brands. 
Lip Scrub: Lush Mint Julips has been my favorite for a really long time now.
Lip Condition: Origins Urgent Moisture. This is meant as a moisturizer for all over, but I love it for the lips before bed. I wake up with the perfect soft lips!


SMALL FACTORS TO KEEP IN MIND


The things you touch and interact with could be the reason you're breaking out. They're kind of "duh, in your face" things that are so obvious that you don't even consider it. 

  • Keep your phone clean. I always wipe with some form of antibacterial cloth to make sure that the crap that's on my phone doesn't end up on my face.
  • Keep your hands clean and stop touching your face. (This is such a hard habit to break!)
  • Change your sheets and pillow case very often. 
  • Deep clean your makeup brushes once a week, and use a wipe every time your use them. 



What are your thoughts about skincare?
What are your favorite products? DO SHARE!

You can ALWAYS hola at me on: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 

PS. I ain't no dermatologist or any form of medical expert, I'm just a gal who is sharing opinion based on research and trials.
PPS. Sorry for super long post, I like to write ok?

6 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 17, 2014

    Loved the post! good to know you somehow figured out your current routine, I still am in the search mode :D
    http://playingwithfashion.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeayy thank you! The search mode can be fun though :P

      Delete
  2. Great routine dear!! It's very similar to the mine one!

    XOXO!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love the last tips you gave; especially the one of the phone, because no one actually thinks about it but it's so true!

    L, xo.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Exactly! Those things cause more damage since you don't pay attention to them.

      Delete
  4. i love lush lip scrubs!

    from helen at thelovecatsinc.com

    ps. there's a cute Dahlia trench coat giveaway on my blog at the moment, click here!

    ReplyDelete

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