Aloha!
Catching your shiny complexion half way through the day, waking up to yet another spot, blocked open pores and coming home to realise you've lost half your carefully crafted eye brow. Sound familiar? I have always had problematic skin and feel as if I'm on a never ending quest to find something, just SOMETHING that will actually make the slightest bit of difference. You see I like to imagine my skin is a dress. A dress that I'm going to have to wear for the rest of my life, if this were the case you'd look after it right? Now there are a flood load of brands specifically formulated for spot prone skin; the likes of Freederm, Clearasil and Garnier Pure Active... I'm sure there are many people that would swear by these products but in my experience, I've found that these potions contain chemicals and micro-beads which are too harsh on your skin and often, in my case, make it a whole lot worse. At this point I was willing to try anything and that's when I turned to the Body Shop and before I knew it, one small bottle of tea tree lead to the whole range and these are my top 6!
A little goes a long way with this gel like formula and it even comes in a gentle foam version. I use it twice a day and after six weeks, I still have half the bottle left. It cleanses whilst removing impurities, leaving your skin smooth and soft, without drying it out. What I love the most is that it makes your skin feel squeaky clean and is very refreshing to use; perfect for waking you up in the morning!
Okay so I'm a BIG toner fan, to the point where I'm worried if I forget to use it (irrational I know). When you cleanse your face your pores naturally open which makes it easier to remove the impurities. However, if you moisturise without toning beforehand, you run the risk of the dreaded large pores. Toning helps to tighten the pores and prevent any nasty bacteria or make-up clogging them up. I bought this toner about a year ago and absolutely swear by it, this light and slightly tingling formula is the ultimate refresh and doesn't leave a residue.
I usually apply this at night time, I wouldn't say it's a miracle product but if I already have blemishes it certainly helps to calm my skin. I've used other products in the past which arguably do heal my spots but these often dry my skin out. This lotion delivers light hydration and I find after use my spots are noticeably less red/ inflamed and on extra troublesome days I'll use it under my make-up as it has mattifiying shine control properties (they also do another lotion specifically for night time).
Before I apply my make-up I always use some kind of pore minimiser. Whether it's Maybelline's Pore Eraser or Benefit's POREfessional, it's a must have for me. Pore 'erasers' are great for a quick fix but if you actually want to solve the problem, rather than masking it, I would definitely recommend this. This doubles up as an mattifying primer, is infused with tea tree oil and minimises pores. Since using this I have definitely noticed a difference in the size of pores, even when I'm not wearing make-up.
I love face masks, not even to improve my skin but just as a way to relax. The only trouble with me is I forget I'm wearing them and before I know it my skin feels tight, irritated and the mask begins to crack. This mask however, is unique as it doesn't dry out and I absolutely love that. It's thick consistency tingles for a bit when you initially put it on so it feels like it's 'doing something'. It also absorbs excess oil and soothes irritated skin, perfect for when my face needs a little pick me up, I'm run down (or hungover). It's not the easiest of masks to wash off but with warm water and a flannel you're skin will be feeling soft, supple and hydrated.
So this lip gloss type applicator allows you to perfectly pin point the blemish. When I first tried this, it didn't look like anything had actually transfered onto my face but in the morning the blemish had reduced in size, was less red and had completely dried out. Plus it's a lot more discrete than a massive blob of Sudocrem.
Of course, if you're not a fan of the tea tree scent I would like to highlight that obviously these products smell like tea tree but the scent isn't overpowering. I actually find it quite fresh and after a while you do get used to it. Plus for the sake of a few minutes I think it's totally worth it. This range has made such a difference in my skin quality and I don't have to worry about any nasty chemicals. It's suitable for sensitive skin, I don't have as many spots and my skin it less oily. Ah, the power of tea tree!
Neeks ☯
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