Last month my skin had hit an all time low. It was dehydrated, dry and full of blemishes due to eczema. I had tried pretty much everything (including Eve Lom and Creme De La Mer) to no avail.
Then I discovered some Avon gems. If you saw my last post with the before and after picture I am sure you were expecting the creams to have cost a fortune and be from some fancy "Botox in a Bottle" type company. Trust good old Avon to come up with the goods!
Here is the before and after again so you can see un-retouched, shamefully true examples of my skin 4 weeks ago and my skin now. I might have sobbed a little at the "before"...Maybe. You also have to excuse the brows. I am growing them out completely so I can get them threaded and looking a bit fuller.
Before.............................................After 4 weeks use |
The first is Avon Clearskin Professional Clarifying Toner Pads and while I was looking for a link to buy them I have discovered they are now no longer available so I am ALL KINDS OF GUTTED! You can see the customer reviews about just how great the were here. They may still be available from a representative though as I am not sure if this is just because they have sold out. I am going to substitute them for the Clearskin Blemish Clearing Deep Cleansing Cloths and hope for the best. Especially brilliant as all the Clearskin products are half price at the moment.
Even though these little pads are meant for toning, I find they are wet enough to clean and gently exfoliate my skin leaving it very clean and fresh. They dont leave a residue or any oil behind and while my skin is still slightly damp I smooth on my moisturiser.
Rose moss calms sensitive skin |
During the day I use Solutions Sensitive Botanicals Gentle Day Moisturiser SPF20 as my skin does have a tendency to break out and just be generally all over the place. This contains rose moss which is really good at helping sensitive skin stabilise and you can feel the cooling effect of it right away. It smells like cucumbers, but it isnt over powering and goes away really quickly. The SPF 20 is great for extra day time protection (you should still be applying a sunscreen with UVA (ages) and UVB (burns) to get the best protection).
Skincare GOLD... |
"Intense moisture to help your skin replenish its vital moisture reserves. Use nightly. Day 1: Immediately, skin’s moisture levels surge by more than 400%. Day 5: 86% of women agree, skin feels uplifted, stronger and more elastic.* Day 10: Skin looks supported and more resilient. Day 14: Skin looks up to 5 years younger. Pro-Sirtuin TX Technology formulated to stimulate sirtuin youth proteins and activate remodeling proteins to repair advanced signs of age damage. Gold Polypeptide Complex engineered to help replenish skin’s moisture and maintain its youthful structure. Gel formula. 1.7 fl. oz. "
I say: "ITS FREAKING FABULOUS! GO AND BUY IT!" Ahem. In all seriousness, it feels funny when it goes on the skin. Its gel texture almost melts and feels a tiny bit grainy. It leaves a film on the skin, but it isn't unpleasant and you can instantly see and feel a difference. It does contain some AHA so I have been taking extra precaution with sun protection. AHA gently removes the surface layer of the skin so can make you more prone to sunburn.
Its also worth noting that I do cleanse once a day in the shower by using Embryolisse Lait-Creme Fluide (not the concentrate). I use one pump, rub it all over my skin then rinse with water. However, I have been doing this for a good while and it wasn't until the above routine that I noticed any difference in my skin. So there you have it. The steps that have genuinely changed my skin for the better.