My skin care routine... because everyone wants to know... :)

Over the years I have become a makeup/skincare junkie. I never leave my makeup on at night. Get monthly facials (this has been in the last year) and love trying out new makeup products. Skincare products I’m less liberal with. I like to know the ingredients, if they will suit my skin.

I have tried using multiple cream cleansers. I love to think that I’m not stripping my skin of natural oils. I dislike that SLS (sodium laurel sulphate – a foaming agent) is used in cleansers. SLS is used in most toothpastes. I found out I was allergic to it, after years of enduring canker sores. I switched to a natural herbal toothpaste… voila! No more canker sores!

So I thought: if this is what it does to my mouth… it can’t be that great for my skin. Right?! So I tried different cream cleansers, with no luck. They simply don’t do the job for me. I have oily/combination skin. I was speaking with my aesthetician (beautician for the Aussies!), and she said I need more of a gel/foaming cleanser for my skin. Doh! So I’m still using Dermalogica’s Special Cleansing Gel. It works for me… I have been using it for years now, thanks to the recommendation from my friend S.

So, despite my dislike of SLS, I’m sticking with my cleanser for now. One product I have found that I love is Sothys toner which is alcohol free. And, after trying many expensive brands of moisturizer, for me Olay’s Cream moisturizer for sensitive skin is a winner.

When it comes to eye creams, I use Kinerase intensive eye cream in the mornings. It doesn’t moisturize as well as it reduces puffiness. Sometimes I put that on first, then a richer eye cream. I love Progres by Lancome for night time. A golden oldie with no real claims. Albeit expensive, it is a thick, rich , perfume-free eye cream that moisturizes the sensitive area well. Its also great after a night of crying when your eye region is extra dry:)