Cleanse, WHAT and moisturise? The Elusive 2nd Skincare Step!

Remember growing up and being told that the skin is acidic and soap is alkaline and never the two should meet?  That an alkaline soap would not only get rid of make-up and grime but strip away the skin’s natural acid mantle and leave the skin susceptible to irritation, infection, dryness and dehydration?  That the only way to restore the natural balance of the skin was to use a toner but they contained alcohol and dried the skin out?  Thankfully how times have changed.

Nowadays, cleansers including soap formulations are so gentle, that the skin’s pH can relatively recover quite nicely on its own so another question mark for you…is there still any need for a toner (or whatever this second step is calling itself nowadays)?

Personally, I love to use something else after cleansing.  They make me feel super clean and I like to think my skin is now in tip-top condition to receive the serum.  I believe that they take care of the skin after the cleanser has washed away all the good and bad impurities on the skin (after a night’s sleep and after a day’s worth of cosmetics).

I first started using a toner when I was a little girl (because that’s what you did) and I have a feeling that it was Boots’ Cucumber Toner - which you can still buy (funnily enough, I can’t stand the smell of cucumber any more so the thought of it makes me shudder).   Clarins got me hooked in my twenties and I used to use their green one for combination skin and the art of toning became the favourite part of my skincare routine. I used to love blotting my skin with a tissue after use and then popping on my eye cream, serum and moisturiser.  Another favourite was (and I am going back a decade or more here) was a toning spray I used to buy regularly from Superdrug (their own brand), in a pale blue bottle, with butterflies or swirling bits on it - I really liked the smell.

Until one day, I stopped toning.  I can’t remember when I stopped but it’s only over the last few years that I started using one again (well, let’s not call it a ‘toner’ this time, as it’s more of a lotion).  I noticed at the time, that L’Occitane were heavily advertising their Immortelle Divine range and I excitedly cut the voucher out of the magazine which was offering a free sample of their Divine Lotion and marched into their lovely boutique. Tickled at the generous sample size (50ml), I couldn’t wait to try it.  My God, my skin (and my HUGE pores) looked better and it felt amazing after using it so I went out and bought the full size bottle (€49 for 200ml – lasts ages though).   I think it was the first product that I thought was really doing what the blurb said it would do.  Divine Lotion contains Immortelle.  It’s a flower that never fades when picked so imagine all its properties still working after being removed from its natural habitat.  What I initially noticed was that my skin was plumped up and supple, literally after the first go.  It took on a natural radiance and living up to its name, it smelled divine.  So, there you go, I was back into the groove of my skincare routine and haven’t looked back since.

Then, I worked for Shiseido and I noticed that it wasn’t cleanse, tone and moisturise; it was cleanse, soften and moisturise.  This lotion softens the top horny layer of the skin (stratum corneum, if you want the Latin) so allowing the next product to penetrate deeper into the epidermis and work its magic.  At present, I am using the Benefiance WrinkleResist 24 Softener which is designed for women 40+. This Benefiance softener is not only softening the skin and keeping it supple, this range targets wrinkles - making the ones you have less visible (with the help of Bio-Hyaluronic Acid) and making sure that future ones are resisted (protecting against UV).  Also I have to mention again Shiseido’s Future Solution LX range, which is the ‘bee’s knees’ and includes a softener that gently exfoliates, cleanses out the pores and gives a fabulous radiance to the skin.  Its €99 but so worth it.  If I had the money, it would be a constant on my bathroom shelf but sadly I don’t.

So would I save or splurge or not buy at all?   Well I have fallen in love again with the second step of my skincare routine so there’s no way I’m giving it up (again) and I will continue to purchase my divine Divine Lotion (or if I win the lotto – haha - Shiseido’s Future Solution LX Softener….I can alternate).  I do consider L’Occitane a ‘splurge’ at €49 but the bottle lasts ages.  If you want to go for something cheaper, then there are many decent toners and lotions out there with fabulous ingredients that will do the job just as well but at the end of the day, this second step product is being left on the skin (unlike a cleanser) so personally, I would definitely buy the second step product but save on the cleanser (unless you want your cleanser to do more).  It all depends what you want from your second step but its an important one.

Thanks for reading.  If you have any comments, then please do get in touch.  Until next week then…

My Current Cleansing Favourites

In today’s market, we are literally spoilt for choice as to what type of formulation we want to remove the day’s muck off our faces; gels, creams, oils, foams, emulsions, washes, microcellular waters…it can be quite overwhelming.  Four factors to consider before purchase: your skin type, your skin concern (if you have one), your texture preference and your budget – once you are aware of those then you know what you’re looking for.

My skin type is combination (oily in the t-zone with HUGE pores and normal skin elsewhere) and my skincare concern would be that I suffer from dehydration – sorry, but I do love my red wine – so I prefer facial washes, gels and foams which address the oilier parts but don't strip my skin and that are hydrating too.  Once the skin has been cleansed, it’s normal to feel that ‘tight’ sensation but if the skin still feels tight after 15 minutes, then I would suggest trying another product that is more hydrating.

If you were to ask me if I would save or splurge on a cleanser, then I would opt for a cheaper one seeing as they don’t spend too long on the skin and your money isn’t literally going down the plughole.  The cleansers I have on the go at the moment are expensive (one from my time at Shiseido and the other is from Space NK - I went to a product launch and just had to purchase, like you do) but normally I buy my cheaper M&S favourite mentioned below.

I shower every morning so I want something quick to use and I like a facial wash.  So if I wasn’t currently using Shiseido, my first choice is Marks & Spencer's Pure Gently Refreshing Facial Wash (€8).  Not only does it smell like I should be in my local beauty salon but all the ingredients used in the Pure range are sustainable and responsibly sourced.  I am now quoting from the tube; ‘95% ingredients which are nature derived, 100% essential oils, eco-friendly packaging and manufactured in an eco-friendly factory.’ There are no artificial colours or synthetic fragrances and it’s free from parabens (artificial preservatives), free from silicones (silica is a natural product but once chemically treated, turns into silicone) and free from mineral oils (by-product of the petrochemical industry).  I use this in the shower in the morning and it gently purifies, revitalises, conditions my skin and importantly, I have never experienced that ‘tightness’ I was talking about.  I love it.

AND Seeing as I LOVE red wine, I was delighted last year when M&S launched an addition to their Pure range; Pure Super Grape.  Not only are grapes full of anti-oxidants (one of which is the miracle ingredient of the year – resveratrol) and brilliantly anti-ageing, M&S actually use the by-product of the grapes that are used in the wines they sell in store for this skincare line.  I am all for not wasting the grape.  Unfortunately, they don’t do a facial wash in the Pure Super Grape range.

My second choice is Shiseido’s Ibuki Gentle Cleanser which is a cleansing foam and I am currently using this at the moment.  As with all Shiseido products, a little goes along way so if you want to avoid a ‘Jacuzzi with bubble bath’ scenario on the face, seeing as it comes out of the tube like a worm, just use less than a centimetre of the product and lather it into the hands and then on to the face.  Seeing as it is expensive and I want to get the most out of it, I tend to give myself a good massage before rinsing it off.  Ibuki is a range for the 20’s to 40’s (ahem, I am a little out of this age-range but I feel it suits my skin) and helps to build resistance to external aggressors (sun and air pollution), resurfaces the skin (minimising the appearance of my HUGE pores) and hydrates.  I have been using this cleansing foam since December every day and am only half-way through the tube.  It’s an expensive €35 but it looks like it’s going to last me another 3 months so that works out at €6 a month….that’s not so bad, is it?  Shiseido actually go one better with their Future Solution Cleansing Foam (€65) and instead of getting 6 months, you can get a whopping 12 months out of this as you only need a tiny amount for it to foam up (believe me, I squirted too much out on the first squeeze in December and looked like Mother Christmas).  Future Solution combines premium Japanese natural ingredients with cutting-edge scientific technology and I have sampled all of this range and it is truly amazing – you will see a visible difference on the first application so if you have the cash, splash it.  It’s worth it.  Oh, I forgot to mention the 'Shiseido Squeak', as I call it - all their foaming cleansers make my skin squeak once they've been rinsed off but I experience no tightness, so I'm all for the squeak...

Now, I have to admit that I absolutely adore L’Occitane and my third choice is their Precious Cleansing Foam, which contains their infamous anti-ageing Immortelle extract (the flower that never fades even when picked).  The foam feels so luxurious on the skin and it gently eliminates all the toxins, the make-up and the grime.  The only thing I am not so keen on is the smell of the Precious range but with the cleansing foam, it’s being washed off so the scent doesn’t linger.  I have this in a travel size and use this for weekends away.  My next product purchase will have to be their Immortelle Oil Make-up Remover (€26) – am dying to try this.

Finally, in the evening (if I don’t shower again and use the above), I use Oskia London Renaissance Cleansing Gel (Space NK €35) after I’ve removed my eye make-up (with L’Oreal’s Absolute Eye & Lip) and I massage it onto my skin and it gently loosens my make-up.  Renaissance is a lovely smelling pink, thick oil-gel and contains Vitamins A, C & E, Omega 6, pumpkin enzymes, chamomile and rose.  After a few days of using it, you will notice that your skin is becoming softer and softer and more radiant.  The pumpkin extracts help to clean out my HUGE pores, vitamins A and C help the appearance of sun damaged skin and protect against environmental damage (the sun particularly) and gives radiance to the skin.  Well, I could go on and on and on about the benefits of Renaissance – it’s such a treat to use.  What makes this product for me is the texture, it feels so lovely that it’s a great excuse to give yourself a good old facial massage before bed.  I use it on dry skin to massage off my make-up.  The bottle says to emulsify it with water but I’m lazy when it comes to getting my face wet at night (as you know from last week) so I don’t bother and I WaterWipe it off instead.

Have a great weekend. Next week, it's the turn of the toning lotions - catch you next week?

youlittlebeauties.blogspot.ie

Wipes - A Dirty Word?

Okay, my name is Sally and I use…gulp, dare I admit it….use wipes to remove my make-up!

There, I’ve said it.  It feels good.  Actually it feels darn good!  Hmm, I’m teasing you somewhat because I don’t use wipes to remove my make-up, I use them to remove the cleanser that I’ve used to loosen the make-up!!  Sometimes at the end of the day, I can’t be bothered to get into the shower again or fill up a sink to wash my face (I make a terrible mess when I do!) so a wipe will do.  I know celeb make-up artists detest them but they are sooooo handy!

Before the wipe-phenomenon hit the planet, (which they literally have, sadly, as people are flushing them down the toilets and are responsible for loo-blocking and beaches/oceans being riddled with them!), back in the Noughties, I decided to use baby wipes instead – they are cheaper, larger and you can bulk-buy.  The only thing I didn’t like was the baby smell but they come fragrance-free now.  Skincare facial wipes I found (and still do) to be too stringent, drying and if they’re not moist enough then they drag the skin and don’t remove anything!

Now there is a new kid on the block - WaterWipes which are 99.9% purified water and 0.1% grapefruit seed extract.  It’s great to read on their website that there is nothing else in them (just check out their website – the company have listed a whole load of nasties that can be present in normal wipes – ugh!) so even if you don’t use them on yourself, at least you know that your little-un is protected.   They are Allergy UK approved and good for skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.  I have been buying mine from Boots at €2.99 for 60 wipes.

After I have removed my eye make-up with L’Oréal (see previous bog: Peepers), I cleanse my skin with a gel (you will have to wait until next week’s blog for that one!), massage that in and when I think my makeup is dissolving, I pull out a WaterWipe and sweep it across my skin.  As I don’t want to spread the grime around my face, I sweep first on my forehead, fold it over, sweep across cheeks and then chin, all the while folding it over so I’m using a clean bit of the wipe.  Seeing as I have a huge round moon face (private joke) and these wipes are huge, they are large enough to clean me!  Because these wipes are really wet – ha-ha, they aren’t called WaterWipes for nothing – I like to blot the skin afterwards with a tissue so it’s not drying my skin out via evaporation (like you would do after a toner anyway).

WaterWipes also produce a facial wipe as well so along with water and grapefruit extract of the baby wipes, you have some Dead Sea minerals in there as well (I don’t have enough space to write about the benefits of these minerals but they help to strengthen the skin, alleviate skin disorders, stimulate blood flow and eliminate toxins)!  To date, I haven’t tried these yet as I haven’t found them in a store but I think these baby WaterWipes are fantastic.

www.waterwipes.com

A little bonus blog ahead of tomorrow

OK, let’s discuss my favourite skincare and body brands as they will be cropping up throughout my weekly Friday Blogs; Marks & Spencer, Superdrug, L’Occitane and Shiseido.  When I start looking for a new product, depending on how flush I am money-wise, then I always check out L’Occitane, M&S and Superdrug first.  Seeing as I recently worked for the Japanese company, Shiseido, I can't not mention them - I have a few of their products still and have seen such a difference in my skin in a short space of time. The only set-back with Shiseido is that it's expensive but totally worth it (best way to try Shiseido is to book in for a facial - Clerys and Arnotts in Dublin have their own beauty rooms so you don't need to be on the shop floor in full view of everyone!).

Primarily, I like the fact that for years now, the above mentioned companies support animal-friendly causes and don’t test on animals (they don’t test their final products or the raw materials at development/manufacturing level) and M&S and Superdrug own lines carry the BUAV logo (the leaping bunny) on all their skincare, bodycare, make-up and household products (I use M&S anti-bacterial multi-surface cleaners and washing-up liquids). Shiseido officially ended its animal testing in 2013 ahead of the European Union animal testing ban.

M&S and Superdrug seem to replicate premium brands but the lotions and potions are such good value for money and some can be quite innovative too (red wine anyone?).  Seeing as I’ve always felt that ‘French is best’ when it comes to beauty (and I used to work for Clarins), I just love L’Occitane.  The smells, the textures, the vast range that they have on offer is second to none and the products really do work.  Plus, j’adore their boutique concept, especially when they're offering customers a glass of bubbly on entering!  My first L’Occitane product I tried was a sample of the Divine Lotion and after the first application, I noticed a difference in my skin – it was much brighter, smoother and supple – I was hooked and I ran out to buy the full-size bottle!

Recently there have been two other brands that have caught my interest; REN (UK) and BYPHASSE (Spain).  REN Skincare has been out there for a while now but I was lucky enough to sample their Beauty Shot not so long ago (amazing it is!).  REN equals ‘clean skincare’ and so only use 100% plant and mineral derived ingredients (no irritating synthetic stuff!) so that it promotes healthy skin that will ‘look younger for longer’!  They don’t test on animals and you can send your empties back to REN (by FREEPOST) and they will recycle for you!

If you read my first Blog regarding my love affair with BYPHASSE’s cotton wool pads then you would know that I was dying to try some more products of theirs.  So last week, I purchased their almond body lotion and their anti-cellulite gel and have been using them since 4 April.  I will let you know how I’ve been getting on when it comes to the Body Blog!  Seeing as the EU now has regulations against animal testing after 2013, BYPHASSE state on their website that their products are 'skin friendly and subject to current European Regulations'.

www.ie.loccitane.com

www.shiseido.ie

www.marksandspencer.com

www.superdrug.com

www.renskincare.com

www.byphasse.com

Pesky Pandas

Unlike last week’s post, where I was sharing with you a recent find, this week I want to tell you about a product I’ve been using since the 1990’s: L’Oréal’s eye make-up removers.  Before finding this product, I found removers made my eyes sting and run (rinsing my eyes with water afterwards was a pain!) so as soon as I found one that didn’t, I stuck with it.  The packaging has constantly changed over the years but thankfully they’ve never discontinued it!   Let’s stay with the 90’s for a second, a fabulous alternative to L’Oréal’s remover was Clarins’ Eye Make-up Remover Lotion.  I was working for Clarins at the time and I felt that it did exactly the same job – I obviously preferred a water-like formulation rather than a cream or gel. 

However, due to advancement in cosmetic technology over the decades - that nearly everything is now long-wear, waterproof, or water-resistant - I was noticing that my make-up wasn’t dissolving effectively.  I panicked!  The prospect of searching for another remover was daunting (it honestly had taken me years to find ‘the one’).  Thankfully, L’Oréal did have an alternative, their Absolute Make-up Remover Eye & Lip!  I was a bit nervous at first because the product is dual-phased (is that a word?) and I thought that the oily layer would irritate my eyes and leave an oily residue but it didn’t and I’ve been using it ever-since! 

The product is made up of two parts, one is a clear lotion which is the softening part and then it’s topped with a pretty blue layer (made up of gentle oils) that dissolve waterproof and long-lasting shadows, liners and mascaras!

To use, I give the bottle a good shake, mixing the two parts together and then squirt a generous amount onto my BYPHASSE cotton wool pad (of course!).  I then pop the pad onto my eye, pressing it very gently onto the skin, leaving it there for about 10 seconds, concentrating on my lashes also.  I then sweep the pad slightly downwards and out to the side.  For the under-eye area, I then fold the pad in half and use the straight side to just remove that pesky panda mascara smudge!  I then go back in with a soaked cotton-bud to make sure any mascara or liner left is gone, gone, gone. 

The most important thing about this product for me is that there is no greasy residue left that can irritate my eyes which I really thought might happen due to the oils but L’Oréal’s Absolute Make-up Remover Eye & Lip really does do what it says on the bottle!  

Various stockists, €5-€9