Skin Care Products... What I'm Keeping & What I'm Trashing

Over the last two/three months, I have experienced several horrible breakouts on my facial skin and my initial thought was that I was using products that were not suited for my skin type. However, I know that my cleanser and moisturizer are perfectly suited for my sensitive/oily skin as they are specifically targeted for such a skin type so I stopped using certain 'in between' products and this together with other little lifestyle changes have helped me restore my skin slowly. 

This is going to be quite a lengthy post, as I will be dealing with skin care products (I will be doing a separate post about the other changes). 

So, let me introduce you to my skin care stash first...

To some, this may be very little, to some it may seem just right, to others it may come across as too much. I'm with the latter group. Therefore, I decided to be ruthless and pick out the products which I use mostly and more importantly, the ones which deliver results over the others that are just taking up space in my drawers or they simply do not cut it for me any more.

I will be starting with the ones I constantly repurchasing first.

I use the Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel twice a day, namely, in the morning as soon as I wake up and before I go to bed.  I like this cleanses because I only need a small amount and it foams up into a soft lather that is gentle enough to cleanse my skin and remove excess sebum without drying out my skin and it is also very effective at removing make-up.  Now that I have restricted the products I use on my face, I can tell for sure that this cleanser doesn't break me out.  Another product from La Roche Posay that I use twice daily is the Effaclar Mat Sebo-Regulating Moisturizer (formerly Effaclar M).  I like the new format of this moisturizer for travel purposes but otherwise the formula hasn't changed apart from the fact that it can be used as a make-up base.  This moisturizer does an excellent job at keeping excess sebum production at bay and my make-up doesn't melt away in the heat. As for pricing, I don't think these products are expensive especially at how long they last and their performance (€9.90 for the cleanser, 200ml & €12.14 for the moisturizer, 40ml).  The only issue I have with LRP is that it is not a cruelty-free brand yet but it is the only one that has a range specifically targeted for my skin type.

I like the feeling of clean skin that only exfoliation can give you so I make sure to exfoliate at night (after I cleanse) every single day! I use Nivea Visage Young Smooth It! Mild Exfoliating Scrub which is suitable for everyday use thanks to it's fine granules (it also serves me as a double cleanse to make sure that all traces of make-up are gone and it also helps keep clogged pores at bay).  It leaves my skin peachy soft and has never broken me out. I am very loyal to this scrub and I think this is my 100th bottle! Yepp that is how much I like it! Always make sure to use a mild scrub if you want it specifically for everyday use as over-exfoliation can lead to more sebum being produced, hence more spots.  Also, rinse a scrub off with cold water to close the pores.

The last product that I use on a daily basis is Rose Water as a facial toner/skin refresher.  This has been a skin saviour for me as it hydrates and tones the skin in one swipe. I use the one by Roberts and I always make sure to have some with me in a spray bottle especially during the hot summer months to refresh my skin on the go.

Lastly, for the products that my skin can't go without are the twice-weekly-treats known as deep cleansing face masks.  My favourite all over face masks are from Montagne Jeunesse and I always have a fair stash of them so that I can pick out whichever I feel like using. Currently, I am enjoying this Very Berry one which leaves my skin smelling and feeling refreshed and clean.  For my nose, I like using a peel-off clay mask from The Face Shop and I like how it gently peels away black-heads and unclogs pores for a brighter complexion.

So, with the keepers out of the way, here are the products which I will not be repurchasing and am trying to finish:

From Nivea I have this Refreshing Cleansing Lotion and Toner. I use the cleanser to remove any traces of eye make-up and the toner to soothe my upper lip after I wax.  As for make-up remover, I will be resorting to all natural olive oil which also conditions my lashes and once this toner is finished I will use Rose Water instead.  The same goes for the Witch Hazel skin toner as it seems to be drying out my skin too much.  

I bought the Bioderma Sebium H20 because of all the hype surrounding it in the blogsphere but I don't like non-rinse formulas so since I still have to cleanse my face just the same, I might as well skip buying it again.  The same thing applies for these make-up remover & exfoliating pads.

Now, on to the product which I will be throwing away for good.

Starting with Jojoba oil.  I had bought this as Jojoba oil is a common ingredient known to diminish blemish scars and it is also an astringent.  However, I don't like the smell of it and the oiliness of it.  Also, after a few uses I didn't see a difference in my skin any more so in the trash can it goes.

The e.l.f. Zit Zapper and the Witch Blemish Stick will follow suit because I don't think the packaging is at all sanitary.  While I like the Witch Blemish Stick a thousand times more for smell and results, I still think that the way these products are presented accounts for more spots to develop.  What I mean is that rubbing a roller ball applicator over a zit will cause bacteria to accumulate on the applicator and spread the infection to other areas; not to mention contamination of the product.  The same goes for the stick format of the Witch product.  You can always apply such products with a clean q-tip but why would you want to carry q-tips with you when these products were designed for on-the-go use?

And that brings an end to my skin care products stash purge.  Do you use any of these products?