LA ROCHE POSAY EFFACLAR DUO[+]

Quite a while ago, you may have read my rave-review about the La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo, and when the time came to repurchase, I thought it would be a good idea to give the reformed and improved Effaclar Duo+ a whirl.

The new product costs a little more, coming in at £15.50 rather than the £13 for the original, but it includes some new ingredients which are supposed help reduce and diminish scarring - something I have an issue with along with blemishes. Since using this, I have noticed a small difference in my skin and everything seems too have faded a little and reduced in size.

I use this day and night (not every day) either underneath my moisturiser or alone if I have a lot to clear up. It is a gel texture, but isn't drying - it's actually fairly moisturising and doesn't fee uncomfortable alone. To be fair, texture wise there aren't all that many differences apart from the fact that I feel more open to applying this all over the skin rather than with the original, I would tend to take it just down the T-Zone and affected areas.

Have you tried any reformulated products and really liked them?

NATURAL LOOKING CONCEALERS

Concealing is one of those steps I enjoy in my makeup routine - delicately tapping on precise dots of product really is quite satisfying. But sometimes, the end result isn't as satisfying, especially when you look like a you have caked on your concealer with a paint brush, which is why I have been on the hunt for new additions to my collection that look a little more natural.

For under eyes, on top of something a little more heavy duty, or alone, my favourite offering is the KIKO Natural Concealer in 01. As the name suggests, it is natural, and very fresh looking. It is brightening, a little dewy and has a more pink tone to counteract any more darkness under your peepers. I am almost out of this, which is a shame because I live rather far from London. Maybe an online order...

For both blemishes, under eyes, and a little dewy highlighting, we have the Sheer Cover Conceal & Brighten Trio which offers 2 shades of concealer, and a light cream to highlight, which brings the glow to a new level. The concealers have a fairly light coverage, but can be built up to cover blemishes and banishes some of the under eye darkness you may have.

One which has been gaining more and more use from the Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer. I have recently rediscovered the Serum Foundation from the range too, and the two go hand in hand for a natural base. This is fairly yellow, but once blended just matches seamlessly to the skin. I'd give this one a  medium coverage status, with a satin finish, but not one that looks or feels drying in the slightest. A new love perhaps?

I am a bit of a concealer junkie, I confess. I am predicting that we'll be seeing another concealer-centric post fairly soon...

ORIGINS CLEAR IMPROVEMENT MASK

I'm sure you all get tired of me complaining about how my skin is rather bad, but it seems that here we are again. But, I know most of you have heard the story (main characters: my face, and a ton of spots), sI ove I will just get onto the product that I have found to help me out a fair bit.

I love face masks, and when one promises clear skin, I'm all ears. The Origins Clear Improvement Mask has been on my wishlist for quite some time now, and when I got it in a trio last Christmas, I knew it would be love.

At first, I thought this would be a clay like mask, but when you squeeze it out and start applying the mask, it is like a thick gel, but then hardens after some minutes of waiting, but you don't get that cracking, clay effect which I actually like. I'm not sure whether this is meant to happen, or that my imagination has just run wild, but it almost feels a little warming on the skin once it is applied - correct me if I am wrong (I probably am).

The morning after using this, I feel like my skin looks much clearer. If you know me in person, you will know (Megan knows the best), that my skin looks much worse because I have awful scarring, and when you actually touch my face there are barely and bumps which is an annoyance. But this seems to reduce redness and the size of any spots I have and then any new scars (I have finally gotten over the fact that my old scars won't be going anywhere any time soon) and faded slightly too.

I think once I have finished this bottle, I will have to buy another, because using this weekly on Sundays just seems to get my skin ready for the upcoming week...

BEATING THE BREAKOUTS

My skin is something that drives me crazy. Some people worry their skin looks bad because they have a one single blemish on their cheek, in their hairline, or on their chin, and it makes me quite conscious of how they think mine looks, if theirs is 'awful'. I take various steps to keep the breakouts at bay, a stop to the spots if you will, but nothing really works.

My skin is problematic, and oily in most areas, bar the cheeks (lets say combination). Spots everywhere, at least a handful a day (not new ones, my spots linger for days), and scarring more purple than the worst dark circles I have ever seen. I know it is a teenage thing and I cannot wait for the days I will have clear skin again (fingers crossed), but frankly, I see less and less fellow blemished people by the years...just me being paranoid?

Masks are the way to do it with blemishes. The first offering for me is the Super Facialist Tea Flower Pore Purifying Clay Mask which is a budget friendly £8.99 high street option. This just smells like it is clarifying, but not stripping on the skin in the slightest. The other is basically the same, which is the A'kin Express Purifying Facia Masque*, just more expensive at £16.50, so opt for the Super Facialist one if you can. I am hoping to get the Origins Charcoal Mask soon too, so hopefully that'll work wonders for my skin.

To be quite honest, the Lush Tea Tree Toner has been in my collection for quite a long time now, and I am just trying to finish it off. I'm not sure what this does blemish-wise, but it does feel quite refreshing to spritz on the skin before moisturising day or night. It costs £3.95, and has mainly natural ingredient too.

Treatments are where it is at currently in the skincare world. As much as I would lust over that glorious bottle of Esteé Lauder Advanced Night Repair on my shelf, my tight budget won't allow it, so for now, I will bear without. For me, it is the all famous La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo which is a light, yet moisturising gel which unclogs pores and all that jazz. Then, it is the recently acquired Spa Find Perfect Purity Dermabalance Spot Treatment*, which I wouldn't recommend for dry skins, as this kind of dries on the blemish and pulls out all the nasty stuff to the surface. This is a brilliant overnight treatment.

That was your tour around my breakout busting squad, but lets just hope the bad skin will be gone soon and these won't get picked off the shelf so regularly. 

 

SUPER FACIALIST BY UNA BRENNAN TEA FLOWER DEEP CLEAN MASK

I am on a mission. A skincare mission, to achieve a clearer, less spotty/blemish consumed face. I have been shopping around, and buying some skincare from... the higher end of the drugstore? The La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo arrived on my doorstep today, so we'll see how that works out, but for now, let's focus on this mask.

This doesn't directly claim to help blemishes, but instead to purify, unclog pores, and basically, is like 'a home detox in a bottle'. At first I was skeptical, you only leave this on for five minutes, but boy, does it get tight on the skin when it is working it's magic, but slather on the night cream when you're done, and you are fine.

 I use this twice a week, and I can see some difference, my cheeks look more radiant and the blemishes and scarring fades by a small amount, I think this paired with the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo could work for me - ill let you know how it goes. 

The smell? I can't put my finger on it, but it is...weird. It isn't anything I can't bear at all, nor something I would choose over the smell of sweets, but let's be realistic and have some futility.

If you want a pick me up for your skin, this is something to consider, and for £8.99 it is worth the try before you go for the higher end stuff because, it's not going to break any banks.

Lauren x