Starting Out: Skincare
27.8.13
After chatting with a couple makeup shy friends, I've been itching to do a "starter makeup kit" series for a while now. But stumbling upon #theSOproject tag on twitter, and a slight nudge from other bloggers, I decided to take part in the series. #theSOproject, or officially known as the Starting Out Project, was created by Stephanie over at Steph's Inside Voice. Spanning over 10 weeks, it's basically a huge makeup starter kit, covering skincare to foundations, from blushes to mascara. And this way, you'll be able to pick up one (or two) items a week, rather than going to Boots or Target and practically buying the whole makeup aisle because you need to "build up your collection all at once". Anywho, enough with the ramble and let's get on with the show!
Skincare is one definitely not in my comfort zone. I feel like I'm still finding what works and what doesn't work for me. I didn't get into skincare until recent years and am still stumbling my way through. I have, however found a few products that has worked for me and are great basic starter up products.
A good cleanser is a must have for me. I was suffering a breakout when I picked up the Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash. It contains salicylic acid that does help me with soothing redness. I use this twice a day and paired with the medication I got from my doctor, my skin has healed a great deal.
I don't use makeup wipes and don't believe that washing my face can remove my makeup alone. But on the days that I'm wearing heavier makeup, I do like to follow up after with the Philosophy Purity Cleanser in place of the Neutrogena wash.
I'm a toner kinda gal. I know, I know, a lot of you are probably questioning if a toner really works. But from personal experience, I think it does. On the days that I skimp on toner, I feel like my skin doesn't absorb my moisturizer that well. So call me a firm believer. I declared my love for the Super Moist Toner with Hyaluronic Acid before, but I figured it'd be plain mean of me to tease you guys again with a product that most of you probably have no idea how to get your hands on. So again, going with the Neutrogena theme I have, the Skin Clearing Toner is great for soothing the redness and does help with breakouts.
Next, I'm sure if you've been around beauty blogs, you'll know what's coming up next. Moisturizer. Not only does it hydrate your skin to provide a great base sans dry skin, it also locks in the toner, further maximizing it's benefits. I have to admit that I haven't tried a lot of highstreet moisturizers as most of mine come from shopping trips with my mom. My pick for the time being is the Krystelle 24-Hour Hydrasilk Cream and the name is no joke. It's deliciously hydrating and I can almost feel my skin cells bloating up due to hydration. It doesn't feel heavy or greasy on the skin, and definitely checks all the boxes on my list. Not pictured but another love of mine is the Neutrogena Hydroboost Hydrating Gel. I was hesitant to mention this as, again, I'm pretty sure it's an Asian limited product. But the gel like texture makes it lightweight and perfect for the summer time, all the while not skimping on its hydrating benefits.
Last but not least, sunscreen. I used to loathe sunscreen. The smell is disgusting, it always leaves a shiny yucky finish, and always feels heavy on the skin. But after seeing a disturbing photo of how quickly the skin ages sans sunscreen, I've been nagging myself (yes, I do talk to myself. And quite frequently so) to find one that works. I remember using the L'Oreal Longlasting Icy UV Protector on my vacation to the Maldives last year and not hating it, so I dug it out of my stash, made sure it didn't have that yucky "you should've chucked this in the trash yesterday" smell, and tucked it into my morning skincare routine as the lest step.
I could go on with my exfoliating picks and serums, but I'll leave that to another time (maybe). In the meantime, there you have it, my picks for a good starter up skincare kit. But keep in mind, I have acne-prone, semi-sensitive, combination-oily skin (wow, that's a mouthful). What might work on me might not on you. On a somewhat similar note, I've just started using the Clinque 3-Step Skincare Routine and so far, I feel like my skin is more than happy with the routine. I haven't been using it long enough to assess, but as a skincare brand, I guess it wouldn't hurt to drop by their counter and experience their products. Back to this, have you tried any of the mentioned products? What are your recommendations for a good skincare starter kit?
Next week on #theSOproject:Foundation Concealer (Sorry, got a bit too excited there)
A good cleanser is a must have for me. I was suffering a breakout when I picked up the Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash. It contains salicylic acid that does help me with soothing redness. I use this twice a day and paired with the medication I got from my doctor, my skin has healed a great deal.
I don't use makeup wipes and don't believe that washing my face can remove my makeup alone. But on the days that I'm wearing heavier makeup, I do like to follow up after with the Philosophy Purity Cleanser in place of the Neutrogena wash.
I'm a toner kinda gal. I know, I know, a lot of you are probably questioning if a toner really works. But from personal experience, I think it does. On the days that I skimp on toner, I feel like my skin doesn't absorb my moisturizer that well. So call me a firm believer. I declared my love for the Super Moist Toner with Hyaluronic Acid before, but I figured it'd be plain mean of me to tease you guys again with a product that most of you probably have no idea how to get your hands on. So again, going with the Neutrogena theme I have, the Skin Clearing Toner is great for soothing the redness and does help with breakouts.
Next, I'm sure if you've been around beauty blogs, you'll know what's coming up next. Moisturizer. Not only does it hydrate your skin to provide a great base sans dry skin, it also locks in the toner, further maximizing it's benefits. I have to admit that I haven't tried a lot of highstreet moisturizers as most of mine come from shopping trips with my mom. My pick for the time being is the Krystelle 24-Hour Hydrasilk Cream and the name is no joke. It's deliciously hydrating and I can almost feel my skin cells bloating up due to hydration. It doesn't feel heavy or greasy on the skin, and definitely checks all the boxes on my list. Not pictured but another love of mine is the Neutrogena Hydroboost Hydrating Gel. I was hesitant to mention this as, again, I'm pretty sure it's an Asian limited product. But the gel like texture makes it lightweight and perfect for the summer time, all the while not skimping on its hydrating benefits.
Last but not least, sunscreen. I used to loathe sunscreen. The smell is disgusting, it always leaves a shiny yucky finish, and always feels heavy on the skin. But after seeing a disturbing photo of how quickly the skin ages sans sunscreen, I've been nagging myself (yes, I do talk to myself. And quite frequently so) to find one that works. I remember using the L'Oreal Longlasting Icy UV Protector on my vacation to the Maldives last year and not hating it, so I dug it out of my stash, made sure it didn't have that yucky "you should've chucked this in the trash yesterday" smell, and tucked it into my morning skincare routine as the lest step.
I could go on with my exfoliating picks and serums, but I'll leave that to another time (maybe). In the meantime, there you have it, my picks for a good starter up skincare kit. But keep in mind, I have acne-prone, semi-sensitive, combination-oily skin (wow, that's a mouthful). What might work on me might not on you. On a somewhat similar note, I've just started using the Clinque 3-Step Skincare Routine and so far, I feel like my skin is more than happy with the routine. I haven't been using it long enough to assess, but as a skincare brand, I guess it wouldn't hurt to drop by their counter and experience their products. Back to this, have you tried any of the mentioned products? What are your recommendations for a good skincare starter kit?
Next week on #theSOproject:
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