Two Brands I Always Come Back To When I Want to Restore My Skin
I had that recently and although on the face of it my skin wasn’t too worse for wear, I could notice that the texture of my skin was more uneven than previously and was slightly irritated. What’s worse was that I couldn’t actually pinpoint which products may be the culprit as I just had too much going on.
That’s when I know it’s time to strip it back to the basics. For me that means turning to my failsafe options and to those brands and their products that have worked for me in the past.
Those two brands are Dermalogica and Clarisonic and you can find out more about my favourites and how I incorporate them into my cleansing routine to help restore my skin back to normality.
Dermalogica
This well-renowned brand is known for its extensive line of skincare that is free from the common irritants that can cause breakouts and their simple yet effective range is designed to improve skin health.
Whenever I’ve visited a Dermalogica counter I am always impressed with the service level, care and time the staff take to really understand your skin type with no pressure to buy their products. What I also love is that they even confess in their marketing that they aren’t necessarily the prettiest looking products, but they are confident that their ingredients and products work. I have to say, I agree and below are three favourites.
The Precleanse
An oil-based cleanser is the perfect remedy to help restore my skin back to normality since it ensures all traces of makeup and impurities are removed.
As well as makeup, this gentle cleanser also effectively removes SPF, waterproof mascara and pollutants which so often build up on the skin and result in clogged pores.
I apply two pumps of this onto dry skin and take the time to really massage it into the skin, concentrating a little more on those stubborn areas like around the nose and forehead. I then wet my hands and massage the face some more to create a white, milky emulsion before rinsing off.
As you know, double cleansing is super important and this aptly named Precleanse is the perfect addition to my skincare wardrobe.
So with that first layer of dirt and grime removed, I move on to the next stage…
The Special Cleansing Gel
After the Precleanse, I always follow up with this clear foaming gel. This gives the skin a thorough cleanse, digging deep into the pores to clear away all impurities.
I love a good foaming cleanser and the Special Cleansing Gel does not disappoint. Whilst most can leave the skin feeling dry and tight, this cleanser retains the skin’s moisture balance and even has mint and lavender to help calm and soothe the skin.
My skin is left feeling refreshed and clean but most importantly without that dry feeling. It only takes a small amount for this to lather up very quickly and should last about 6 months.
This is also my favourite cleanser to use with my Clarasonic, which I’ll talk more about later on and all in all I really rate this cleanser.
The Daily Microfoliant
This award-winning, cult favourite exfoliator is always the first thing I reach to when my skin needs a bit of TLC. We all know how exfoliating is good for the skin, but overdo it and the results are not so good.
Luckily, this exfoliant is gentle to use on a daily basis and since it’s a rice-based formula, it doesn’t feel harsh like your other more abrasive exfoliators. If you want to find out how it works then be sure to read this Skincare post.
Around half a tea spoon of powder mixed with water to create a paste is all that’s needed to help buff away those dead skin cells as well as gently polish the skin. There’s even a supercharged formula available by way of the Daily Superfoliant but in all honesty I prefer the original version.
Clarisonic
The Clarisonic first launched back in 2004 and I still remember the flurry of excitement. With patented sonic frequency of over 300 movements per second, their cleansing brushes and devices are up to 6x more effective at cleansing the skin than hands alone, and that’s just in 60 seconds!
Of course a number of other similar devices that are just as effective as well as cheaper have come into the market since then, but I’ve been loyal to my Clarisonic Mia for several years. It’s what I would describe as a game-changer and my absolute go-to when I need to restore my skin back to it’s normal state of health.
The Clarisonic Mia
I love using this with the Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel at least twice a week, replacing my normal exfoliator when I do.
My skin has never felt softer and this provides immediate improvement in my skin’s texture, whilst also helping moisturisers and serums absorb with ease. All you need is 20 seconds on the forehead, 20 seconds on the nose and chin, and then 10 seconds on each cheek and there’s a timer at each interval so you know when to move to the next area.
I often get asked if I think the Clarisonic is worth it and I always say without a doubt. The Mia is by no means cheap at £130 but it’s less expensive than the full-blown version and in reality all you probably need.
Being consistent with my skincare routine and the products I use whilst gradually introducing new products is definitely the key for me. If I use too much at once, I start to see the negative effects on my skin more quickly than I used to previously. And as always, sometimes simplicity is best and coming back to what I know, like the products mentioned above, helps.
I’d also love to know what your failsafe skincare products that restore your skin back to normality after a “bad spell” are so drop me a note in the comments below. x
