by PJ on Friday, December 8, 2006
in -Chanel, -Estée Lauder, -Lancôme, -RMK, -Shu Uemura, all about Japanese cosmetics, skincare, skincare - cleansing/toning, skincare - moisturizing/others, stash focus
I don’t have naturally perfect skin. It is a bit sensitive, a bit oily, and a bit dry underneath all at the same time. These are the products that really work for me and help keep my skin in its best possible condition.
Morning:
Johnson’s Sensitive Facial Wash
Shu Uemura Refreshing Lotion
Estee Lauder DayWear Plus SPF 15 for Oily Skin
Chanel’s Soin Tendre Levres SPF 15
No7 Uplifting Day Cream SPF 15 (something more emollient for my neck)
Evening:
RMK Cleansing Oil (if I wear makeup during the day)
Johnson’s Sensitive Facial Wash
Shu Uemura Refreshing Lotion
Lancome Hydra Zen for Normal to Dry Skin
Rose & Co. Apothecary Rose Petal Salve (for lips)
I try to keep the routine simple. I don’t use an exfoliator or a moisturizing mask regularly. I have them and I use them when I need to. They are SOS products that I only use several times a year.
I don’t switch between products in different seasons. I simply apply a more generous amount of moisturizer in winter.
Also, I don’t use an eye cream. Eye creams are a complete marketing myth. A well-formulated moistuizer should work on the entire face, and there is no need to have another moisturizer that usually costs three times more than the facial moisturizer in the same line (in terms of unit price). I don’t have dark cycles, dry lines, and puffy eyes, and I don’t own an eye cream.
In terms of skincare, I think simpler is better. Cleansing, moisturizing, and sunscreening are all you need.
Just a reminder really. I’ll (try to!) make it short.
First of all, wear sunscreen EVERY DAY, regardless of the weather or whether you need to be outdoor for a long time. If you can see any daylight, UV rays are present and you need to use protection. I know it means you have to wear sunscreen every day for the rest of our lives, but it is human beings’ fault in the first place to have ruined Nature’s ability to shield UV rays. So we have only ourselves to blame.
Secondly, apart from proper UVB protection, which the SPF represents, UVA protection is equally important. UVB rays burn our skin and both UVA and UVB rays cause skin cancer as well as accelerate the aging of the skin (by damaging collagen fibers).
Thirdly, a sunscreen with proper UVA protection should have at least one of the following five ingredients:
zinc oxide
titanium dioxide
avobenzone (aka Parsol 1789 or butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane)
Mexoryl SX
Tinosorb
(from Paula Begoun’s website, and go there for a very comprehensive guide on sun protection)
Do learn to check the ingredient list of the sunscreen product (or any skincare product, actually) you buy. If a sunscreen product does not have any of those ingredients, it is NOT something you should pay any money for.
I got a sample of this about a year ago. I tried it on the back of my hand and I felt it was too greasy even as a hand cream. I didn’t know what to use it for so I just put it away, and I kept wondering why so many people recommended it on magazines.
I thought of it a couple of days ago when my L’Occitane nail and cuticle cream was running out and when my Dior nail cream was no longer good enough for this cold weather. I have been putting it on before I went to bed for a couple of days and I am amazed with the result. My cuticles look moisturized despite the daily housework, and I think it might be even better than the L’Occitane one, which I have been using for the past two years.
I am seriously thinking about buying a full-size one (50ml) when the 5ml sample runs out. It costs 19 pounds in the UK, which I thought was fine. (It is cheaper than the 15-pound 30ml limited edition, in a small glass jar, which will be out soon.) However, I almost fell off my chair when I found out that it only costs $16 in the US. I am aware that American brands, like Clinique and Estee Lauder, are more expensive in EU, but not like this! It is more than doubled here!
But a 50ml “cuticle cream” for me will last for ages…so I will just have to get it for myself……
I don’t have naturally perfect skin. It is a bit sensitive, a bit oily, and a bit dry underneath all at the same time. These are the products that really work for me and help keep my skin in its best possible condition.
