I have been struggling with dry and acne prone skin over the last few years. Most people associate acne with oily skin, but dry skin can be acne prone too. My skin has changed a lot in my 30s much to my dismay. I partially blame medications, but hormones are also playing a role. There's a meme that floats around on social media that goes something like this ''Women have a 10 step skincare routine and our skin looks worse than a man's skin who washes his face with the same soap he uses on his b*lls'' and I laugh because it's true! But I'm here to share my current three game-changing cleansers that have made a positive impact in my skin!
Pictured Below: Salud Cleansing Honey Oil ''A gentle and effective oil cleanser to help rebalance and renew your skin to achieve a smooth, glowing finish.'' - Salud Shoppe
I have always been a skincare and makeup connoisseur. Once I turned 30 I began trying to undo the damage I did in my 20s by not taking better care of my skin. My biggest skincare regret? Not wearing SPF using tanning beds in my teenage to late 20s years. I also never wore sunglasses and regret that too. I have spent the last several years diving into research on skincare products and testing countless products along the way. I have found some exceptionally effective skincare products, some that were mediocre and others that I would not recommend to anyone. If you're going to spend your hard earned money on skincare products I believe the products should perform. You have an endless array of skincare options. We don't have to settle for mediocre skincare. Having a great marketing budget with beautifully curated Instagram feed does not equate into efficacy or real life results. I also don't buy into the (insert celebrity or influencer here) hype because that also doesn't mean a product is efficacious. I want to see data. I want to see results. If I'm paying $75 for a serum and it doesn't perform I'm more than happy to go to a competitor with my $75 and get a product that WORKS. Do I expect miracles with my skincare? No. Let's be realistic here - topical skincare will only go so far. Some of the celebrities and influencers you see promoting products have had cosmetic work done by a dermatologist, at a MedSpa, or even a plastic surgeon's office. Good work (Botox, fillers, Sculptra, etc) is not obvious. Good skincare is complimentary to any in office treatments, and any good doctor or aesthetics nurse will confirm this. I'll revisit in office medical treatments in a future blog post. However, effective topical skincare can improve some skin concerns such as dullness, dryness, acne, help reduce the visible signs of aging, improve hyperpigmentation, etc. Having dry acne prone skin feels like a double edged sword. However, I FINALLY found a fantastic skincare routine that has been exceptionally healing and restored my skin barrier. Additionally, some of these products are backed by clinical trials proving efficacy. Have you noticed dehydrated / dry skin makes wrinkles and fine lines look more obvious? Hydrated skin appears smoother, bouncier with fine lines and wrinkles appearing less noticeable. Although I have fine lines and wrinkles I prefer mine to look less obvious due to my skin being well nourished and hydrated from high quality skincare! You can shave a few years off your skin's appearance simply by using products that promote a healthy skin barrier, impart a youthful glow and ensuring that it's well hydrated. You can drink water all day (I certainly do), but effective skincare will make a significant difference! Have you ever looked in the mirror and noticed the skin around your eyes looks more crepey? It may not be due to your wrinkles worsening rapidly, but instead due to dryness emphasizing the appearance of wrinkles. You may be able to improve the crepey appearance of your crow's feet by finding products that restore hydration back to your skin!
I enjoy mixing skincare from different markets. I use medical grade (fancy way of saying skincare with active ingredients that have been tested in clinical trials), clean skincare, organic, holistic and natural products. I also like a few products from lines like Boots No7! I still get occasional breakouts, but it's under better control. Acne is often managed not necessarily cured in all situations, and I've learned acne can be managed fairly well with the right skincare! One of the reasons I do not test out countless foundations like other skincare bloggers and YouTubers is because I do not want to destroy my skin by introducing products that may contain ingredients that my skin doesn't react well to. I have a few foundations that I know my skin tolerates and I stick to those (I'll do a post on these later). However, now that my skin has improved I go without foundation more often than I ever have in my 30s! Now I understand why people say ''Skincare first, makeup second.'' I still have an eternal love affair with makeup, but foundation is optional these days. I fell in love with Katie Jane Hughes makeup application. Katie's makeup looks typically feature skin like makeup and a colorful story on her eyes, cheeks and lips. This is a trend that I hope stays indefinitely!
Here are a few of my current skincare favorites that have played a critical role in restoring my skin barrier, reducing acne, improving hydration and decreasing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on my face:
Cleansers Pictured above (left to right): Linked Below underlined
Skin Better Science Oxygen Infusion cleanser is fantastic for acne prone skin and hyperpigmentation. While it is labeled for ‘’normal to oily skin’’ I am able to use it on my dry skin. This has been my go-to cleanser for the last two years! This is a ''medical grade'' skincare line and you have to purchase it from an authorized provider. I purchase mine from Medical Day Spa of Chapel Hill and The Look by Laurel
This cleanser is a fantastic first cleanse product to remove makeup and SPF. However, I have also used it as my only cleanser at night too! It has a unique consistency that comes out as a gel and turns into an oil (it's gentle and your skin will feel so hydrated afterwards). The probiotics in Glowbiotics skincare works to bring balance back to acne prone, dry, and irritated red skin. I am a Skinfluencer with Glowbiotics and have a 20% off discount code for anyone who would like to receive 20% off your entire purchase. Code: Meranda20 (I have purchased from Glowbiotics for years and for me it was a no brainer to partner with this medical grade skincare line that I have repeatedly purchased from). Glowbiotics is a medical grade skincare company meaning their products are tested in clinical trials!
WOW! Just WOW! I have tried numerous pure cleansing oils and this one blew me away! I use it to remove makeup, including eye makeup, and SPF. It’s incredibly gentle and yet somehow effectively removse dark eye makeup effortlessly! I simply put a little oil in my hand and gently rub it over my eye area with my fingers. I do not pull or tug (the skin around the eyes is VERY delicate and needs to be treated as such). I allow it to sit for a few seconds and then use water to rinse off or use a cotton round to gently wipe off eye makeup. The smell? It’s truly divine — almost Heavenly. It doesn’t have a chemical fragrance, but instead one of natural honey. I have already decided I will keep this in my skincare collection, always. Check out the ingredients in the Salud Honey Cleansing Oil:
The Salud Honey Oil Cleanser has replaced my micellar water for removing eye makeup (unless I'm traveling when I'm forced to simplify my routine). I enjoy the IsDin Micellar water and still use it when I travel as it's very easy to pour into a travel bottle. But the Salud Honey Oil Cleanser leaves my skin so hydrated, soft and naturally glowing that I fell in love with the formulation! You know a skincare product has worked exquisitely for your skin when you tell your family, friends and everyone on social media that it's fantastic! And now I've written a blog post to share it with all of you! The Salud Instagram is linked here. No, this blog post is not sponsored by anyone. I wish! I'm simply sharing my top cleanser skincare finds with all of you because these products have improved my own skin! Sharing is caring.
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With love, MerandaXo
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