"Eve Lom Cleanser" or "Why I no longer wash my face twice a day"

So at the end of September I used up the last of my Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser, an absolutely wonderful foaming gel cleanser (sorry Caroline Hirons, I know foam is naughty) and decided to take a risk and try out a different one.

After a few grim days of using Avene Gentle Gel Cleanser - not very good at removing eye makeup, even worse at keeping skin clean - I made the trip to Space NK to ask for advice. As Space NK ladies are wont to do, she pointed me straight towards Eve Lom's legendary cleanser. I bit the bullet, handed over £55 (!!!) and headed home.

This new routine takes at least twice as long as a cleanse with the Kiehl's gel, not to mention the fact you have to actually use a muslin cloth. I hate the feeling of the balm on my skin, I hate the feeling that I might not have got it all off with the cloth, I hate using a cloth. I hate that it doesn't get all my mascara off. I hate using it so I use it, like, twice every three days. My skin got a little worse over the first few days of using the cleanser but after a go with Origins Clear Improvement Mask everything is looking fine. Not great, but definitely fine. I've only moisturised twice since I started using Eve Lom, mostly because I feel like my skin would get too greasy after using both the balm and a moisturiser as the balm does leave it looking glowy. So basically, my skincare routine has kind of fallen apart. At least the stuff (apparently) works as an exfoliant.

Bottom line, I will be powering on with the Eve Lom because it cost an arm and a leg, I will definitely post about it again once I finish it to give my final opinion, but I suspect I'm about 20 years too young to be using a balm cleanser. My skin is still relatively teenager-y and this formula probably isn't the best fit.

Skincare update + Clear Improvement Mask review

While I was away my skin started acting a little confused, so I'm pretty much over my tinted moisturiser phase. It got spotty and yet drier than usual. I washed my face with Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser twice per day and ended up using Bobbi Brown Eye Cream on my cheeks and occasionally on my face as my normal moisturiser (Clinique Superdefense) started to go funny about three days after I left home. I also used Clarins Wrinkle Control Sun Cream SPF30 if I was spending more than a few hours in the sun. My sister, who is very sensitive when it comes to body sun creams, got on really well with the Clarins cream. Although my body is fine with sun cream, my face tends to get greasy whatever SPF I put on it (I used Lancome Genifique Face SPF30 while on holiday earlier this summer and didn't really get along with that) even though I didn't really sweat a great deal while in Europe.

I wished I'd brought my Good Things Five Minute Facial Mask with me for a bit of grease relief. On my previous holiday I used it a couple of times to even out my skin's texture as it had started to go slightly bumpy.

When I came home I went to my local Origins counter - while it's going to be a challenge to break up with chemical-laden makeup, I am making a vague attempt to go more natural with my skin and hair care - to get me a new moisturiser and something to sort out my problem patches. I came away with (as I said in my previous quick post) the super-lightweight Balanced Diet Moisturiser, £24, and much praised Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask, £22. 

I used the mask last night on my problem areas and saw some improvement immediately after I removed it. I had about 6 spots each on my forehead and chin and a couple on my nose, along with the classic redness. After the mask the redness had almost completely gone, and this morning half the spots have completely dried up. Fantastic stuff. The Origins lady recommended using it twice per week, which I'll probably do until my skin calms down, when I'll start to use it once a week. So far, so good with Balanced Diet as well. Considering trying an Origins cleanser when my beloved Ultra Facial runs out, but I'm not sure I can bear to part ways with Kiehls.

Initial thoughts: Good Things Five Minute Facial Mask

This is an inexpensive clay style mask with the benefits of avocado, goji berry, green clay, kaolin and willow bark. It claims to make skin "clearer, brighter and smoother, all at the same time". It can be bought from Boots for £5.99 - it's currently on 3 for 2 with loads of other skincare, body products, vitamins and more so now's the time to snap it up if you want to try it for yourself. I completed the 3 for 2 deal with Effaclar Duo by La Roche-Posay and Witch Blemish Stick. I actually bought two blemish sticks by mistake, so I hope they work out for me.

It's a pretty good size tube (100ml, I imagine this will last about 10-12 uses) and a sweet and slightly fruity scent that is familiar but I can't quite place. Thick and opaque, obviously, being a clay mask. It says to apply in a thin layer, but I ended up putting on quite a lot as it was difficult to smooth out evenly without any skin showing through. I left it on for 5 minutes as per the instructions but was aware of a slight stinging after about 3-4. The mask does harden, but not so much that you can't move your face or anything, as I hear some clay masks do. Funnily enough, I decided against posting a photo of the mask in action.

When I began to wash it off the skin underneath was bright pink - my first thought obviously was that I was having a horrendous reaction to the mask, which would be a first to me, as despite my dry cheeks/oily T zone and tendency to get very dehydrated, I've never discovered any ingredient sensitivities. However, the redness quickly went away. Since spotting a little slight sunburn on my chest, I've chalked the redness and stinging up to my sunbathing earlier*.

I wouldn't say my skin was noticeably brighter, but it didn't feel tight or dehydrated and I do think it reduced some of the blackheads on my nose and chin. Just to be sure, I reapplied the mask to those two areas - where I am worst affected by blocked pores - and noticed no improvement on the blackhead front, but my nose did look a little smoother and glowier.

It's recommended to use this mask weekly "or whenever your skin needs a quick, brightening boost". I suspect I'll need to use this after this weekend which I am spending in Berlin with some girls from university. I'll post my final thoughts when I finish the tube, and if I enjoy the mask there are plenty more products in the Good Things range for me to try out. Read more about the company here.

*note to self - SPF 25 in morning moisturiser appears to be insufficient. Oh dear.

Mini haul: skincare

Witch Blemish Stick, La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, Good Things Five Minute Facial Mask

Glycolic Acid

Further to my mention of Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner in my skincare routine post, here are some of my favourite informative pieces on glycolic acid and AHAs

What Is Glycolic Acid & Why Do You Need It? [Refinery29]

REN Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask [Into The Gloss]

12 Anti-Aging Skin Care Ingredients [totalbeauty]

Glycolic Acid: Is Buffered Better? [Dermadoctor]

How To Treat Wrinkles Around The Eyes [totalbeauty]

Malin + Goetz 10% Glycolic Acid Pads Review [Lipssofacto]

Liquid Gold And The Leap Of Faith [A Model Recommends]

And the dangers of over use:

Too Much Too Soon? [Into The Gloss]

The facials that ruin your skin [Daily Mail Online] (I know, I know)

Anti-Aging Retinoids: Pros And Cons [Marie Claire]

Is Your Skin-Care Regimen Changing Your Skin For The Worse? [Allure]

Skin creams face acid test [Telegraph]

Skincare Routine

I must credit Into The Gloss with getting me interested in skincare. Only after reading all the interviews with various French models and tastemakers did I actually research what toners are actually for, or how many steps I should have in my skincare regime, or the important of using SPF every day (very important.)

This is the "correct" order of product application:

1) Cleanse
2) Tone
3) Eye Cream
4) Serum
5) Moisturise

I wash my face once a day, usually in the evening, but sometimes if I'm too cold to get to the bathroom or if the girl who shares my bathroom is having a shower, I'll do it in the morning instead. Currently my skincare routine begins with Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser, which replaced their Blue Herbal Gel Cleanser on recommendation of the lovely lady at the Kiehl's counter at Jenners in Edinburgh. I thought the blue cleanser did a marvellous job but I have since discovered that my skin is combination/dry not combination/oily so I need something a little gentler.

Then I proceed on to Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner, but only on my T zone - I used it on my cheeks for about a week and became almost immediately drier and frecklier, so I stopped. I love my freckles but it was a little alarming.

The final step is Clinique Superdefense moisturiser with SPF 25, which I apply twice a day. I probably don't need SPF 25 while I'm asleep but the cream has anti-aging benefits too.

I am on the look out for a good scrub - despite the positive reviews, Mario Badescu's Kiwi Scrub did nothing for me, and I don't want to spend any more money on one until I can be sure we will get along. I also have a shortlist of eye creams that I'd like to try. I also worked through a sample of Guerlain Super Aqua-Serum, which was wonderfully moisturising and did make my skin a little brighter, but I just can't justify spending that much on a serum at my age.