Acid exfoliators.. where have you been all my life?!

I have spent many years of my life thinking my skin would only be really clean by using an abrasive exfoliator. Until only quite recently, I have realised that it has actually been doing my skin more harm then good. Whenever I used an exfoliator with beads/particles, my skin was nearly always left red and irritated. I don’t have particularly sensitive skin so I never really knew why that happened. It was also the reason that I had little bumps just under my skin, I would continue to use the exfoliator to try to get rid of these… a never ending cycle really! On top of that all that, scrubbing my skin made any existing blemishes more tender which nearly always lead to scarring as a result… great(!)

 A little while ago I just stopped using abrasive exfoliators altogether. I finally realised that more gentle, but effective, cleansers would make my skin feel clean and refreshed but never left feeling stripped or tight. Balm and oil cleansers removed with a muslin/flannel in the evening and cream or gel cleansers (some foaming cleansers.. not all!) in the morning are now my skincare routine essentials. It took me a while to get used to not literally scrubbing my face, years of habit I guess! I have to admit, I did recently buy the ‘indeed labs powdered exfoliator’ and even though this is a very gentle exfoliator I have noticed my old skincare concerns starting to appear again.

 Nowadays I choose to exfoliate my skin by using liquid products which contain AHA’s (glycolic and lactic acids) and BHA’s (salicylic acid). If you have read my post on Alpha-H’s Liquid Gold (containing glycolic acid) you will know how much this has transformed my skin. I still continue to use it every other night and definitely notice a difference if I don’t use it for a while. Everyone who reads Caroline Hiron’s blog will know how much she raves about acid exfoliators.. and she is never wrong! They really are the most effective way of brightening and smoothing skin by sweeping away dead skin cells. As some acid exfoliators can be quite potent, your skin may feel quite tingly but should never feel burnt. Therefore, if you do have sensitive skin then I would suggest using mild versions of BHA’s to begin with.  It’s also really important to hydrate the skin after use as well as using an SPF on top during the day (this should be done anyway!). Below are some products that I have used and/or would recommend;

 

Alpha-H’s Liquid Gold (obviously!) - £31 for 100ml/£45 for 200ml

Clearasil daily clear superfruit refreshing pads (I like to press these pads on my skin as opposed to swipe it across my face.. they are a bit scratchy!) - £3

Clinique’s mild clarifying lotion (a very gentle but effective exfoliator, keeps the skin balanced) - £16.50

Biologique Recherché's Lotion P50 - £52 (the ultimate acid exfoliator! Quite hard to get hold of, but you can order it through BR’s UK website)

 Nip+Fab's glycolic fix night pads extreme - £15 (currently on offer ar Boots for half the price)

Pixi's glow tonic (an afforardble but highly rated product) - £18

Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner  (to be used once or twice a week) - £25

First aid beauty's facial radiance pads (can be used daily) -  £22 for 60 pads 

Aveda Botanical Kinetics Exfoliant - £18

I hope you found this post helpful! As always I would love to read your thoughts and comments! :) 

Xoxo 

Mini review: Clearasil Refreshing Superfruit Pads

I first heard about these pads from the skincare guru that is Caroline Hirons and soon started to see other skincare bloggers use them too. I haven’t used a Clearasil product in a few years, I always associated them with only catering for teenage/spotty/oily skin types so I thought it would just be too harsh and overly drying for my skin. However, I saw them on eBay for £2.50 (including delivery) and quickly snapped them up!

 

The product is described as ‘gentle exfoliating pads help prevent blemishes for radiant skin day after day.  Containing a blend of raspberry & cranberry extracts, known for their antioxidant properties and Vitamin B3.  These exfoliating pads are infused with a refreshing fragrance you will enjoy using every day’. The formula also has 1% salicylic acid included.

 

The pads come in a tub and are pre-soaked with an exfoliating ‘waffle’ like texture. There is a quite a strong fruity scent which some may be put off by but I personally don’t find it offensive. They are suitable to use morning and evening but I only really tend to use them in the morning after cleansing as they feel refreshing on the skin. They do a good job of gently treating any current blemishes (with the help of the salicylic acid) and keeps the skin in a nicely balanced and smooth too. I don’t find these pads to be drying, instead my skin feels quite soft and plump after use. There’s a slightly sticky feeling at first but this soon goes away and gives a really nice base for layering your moisturiser on top. My only gripe is that the texture of the pad is quite rough so it feels scratchy.  I therefore dab the pad on my skin on rather than swipe it across my face. I like to hold down the pad on any blemishes to let it really soak in.

 

Overall, I am impressed with this product by Clearasil, it’s great to see an effective formula at a budget price making it amazing value for money. If you are new to acid exfoliating/toning, I would really recommend them and they are gentle too so would suit most skin types.

As always, please feel free to leave any comments of questions!

XoXo

Alpha-H Liquid Gold - Perfect skin in a bottle

I follow many skincare and beauty bloggers and I have seen the Alpha H Liquid Gold mentioned everywhere! I did my research on the benefits and also it's ingredients and having read so many reviews that raved about this product that I just had to try it.

 

The product is described as ‘A powerful overnight serum. An 'overnight facial', the pioneering formula is a phenomenal, leave on, 'sleep in' liquid peel, which swiftly (and dramatically) revitalises dulled, ageing skin that's lost its lustre, whilst gradually lessening the visibility of fine lines, wrinkles, enlarged pores, blackheads, blemishes, pigmentation, scarring and redness. In fact, there's virtually nothing this skin care miracle can't accomplish.’ 

It's basically a chemical exfoliation which resurfaces the skin using acids so it's different to a scrub exfoliator which contains particles or beads. I much prefer using a chemical exfoliator as I find a scrub exfoliator too abrasive, it makes my blemishes more red and sore. I'm also more likely to get scarring as the skin gets damaged in the process. Alpha H state that it is intended for ‘mature, sun damaged, prematurely ageing and acne-scarred skin’ but I would say it is suitable for all skin types except those with sensitive skins.

 

With a description like that, needless to say, I had very high expectations. I decided to go for the 200ml size (priced  at £44.95) and I purchased it online from Beauty Bay, and yes I know, it’s not cheap! Firstly, I love the packaging. The bottle has smooth matte finish and feels premium. The product dispenses via a pour cap which lets to control how much you want to use, you wouldn’t want any to go to waste believe me! It is a clear liquid with quite a strong acidic smell which is to be expected as it contains glycolic acid as well as liquorice extract. To use the product, you simply pour onto a cotton ball/pad and sweep across the face and neck area too. I like to press down my cotton pad for a few seconds longer on my problem areas. To get the maximum benefits, it’s best not to follow with any product such as a serum or moisturiser on top. It is recommended by Alpha H that you use the product in the evening for 3 to 4 times a week, or every other night. I must admit it is addictive and you may be tempted to use it more regularly but as it’s so potent it best to follow this recommendation. I would also like to highlight the importance of protecting your skin with SPF products, you should be doing this any way but it’s even more essential if you are using this product. I recently had a microdermabrasion facial so I stopped using the liquid gold for a while beforehand as it’s probably not a good idea to put my skin through a chemical peel and then blast it with an abrasive treatment on top! 

Now let’s talk about my experience of using the product for nearly a month now. On the nights which I use the liquid gold, I like to use a really mild cleanser before applying the product. The first time I used it I definitely felt it tingling away on my face! That same feeling occurs every time I use it and must admit sometimes it does get quite intense but it soon goes away. On the morning of the first night using the product, I was very impressed. I honestly don’t think I have come across a product that had worked so well and so quickly too! My skin appeared much more brighter and radiant and if did an amazing job of smoothing and refining my skin. I was instantly hooked and couldn’t wait to use it again.

 

Just before I started using the product, I had lumps on my forehead, I mean actual lumps! They were unlike any blemishes I had before, they were so stubborn and refused to either come up or go down and this went on for a couple of weeks (I blame it on having a recent diet of an excessively indulgent food !). However, it all changed after I used the liquid gold. It took a few applications but it totally got rid of these lumps and left no dark spots whatsoever. I really wasn't expecting this to happen and I realised that was worth every penney I spent on it! I also noticed what a wonderful job it has done on a few dark spots on my skin. I had a mark from a blemish near my cheek area which has been around for months but just a few weeks of using this product it's almost invisible now. It's really great to know that when I get a blemish, I have a product which will work its magic on making it disappear! The overall texture of my skin is now soft, smooth and looks as though it's been polished! My skin is looking the best it has been for a long time and I still notice a glow every morning when I use it. 

Have I raved about it enough yet?? In amongst all the love I have for this product, I have just one thing which makes me every so slightly disappointed. I have noticed that it does make my skin more oilier then usual. I think others have experienced this too. I'm not sure why this happens and how to stop it but luckily I don't have very oily skin so I can get away with using a mattifying primer or powder on top. However, I have also read that it's works really well for oily skin types so I really think it depends how your skin behaves when using it. 

As you can probably tell, I can't recommend the liquid gold enough! I think everyone should have a bottle and have the pleasure of using it just like I do. 

I hope that this product review has been helpful! Please let me know if you have any questions, I would love to read your comments and experiences too!

Xoxo