Moisturising

Hi there once again my peeps!  Moving right along, with this blog comes the third installment of my Serious Skin Care program, featuring the products I personally use in my strict daily anti-ageing skin care regime.  This time, I am going to hit you with the Moisturisers that I use, when I use them and my thoughts on each one.  I have pretty much developed a love/hate relationship with moisturisers over the years, because, as anyone with oily skin would surely understand, finding one that is not too rich or heavy can be like finding a needle in a haystack; very scarce to say the least.  I find it particularly hard during summer, due to the vast humidity here in tropical North Queensland, when thick creams and sweaty faces do not seem to agree, as sweat glands go into overdrive causing skin to become even oilier.  I don’t want to even think about how many moisturisers I have used or tried over the years (far too many to fathom), which have caused me me look like I have just jumped out of a deep fryer, eww.  Yep, there is nothing worse than the ‘greasy face’ effect or the suffocating feeling of a heavy moisturiser encasing your skin and unable to absorb.  Still to this day, I have only found a small selection of moisturisers that work for me, most of which, currently remain in my skin care program, after all they are so hard to find, so I'm not about to let them get away too easily :)

AM

Alpha-H Clear Skin Daily Hydrator Gel

I have only been using this moisturiser for a few months and after my first application and test drive all I was allured. Where have you been my whole life?!  I have never really thought about using a moisturising gel before, nor have I really noticed anything available on the market, in the way of gel based facial moisturisers.  However, let me tell you now, if you have oily skin, then you would undoubtedly experience the same dilemmas that I face when trying to finding the right moisturiser.  Well, mark my word, this is exactly what you ARE looking for, the oily skin moisturiser to surpass all moisturisers!  I use this primarily as my daytime moisturiser; however, it’s perfectly fine for night time use too.  The botanical formulation, infused with natural essential oils such as tea tree and eucalyptus, has a complimentary aroma that is refreshing and invigorating.  Just a pea-sized amount of the super lightweight gel is more than enough to evenly apply over my whole face and neck. It absorbs quickly with no tacky residue and leaves my skin soft, smooth, completely nourished and glowing with radiance (not the pesky, shiny glow often seen reflecting off the foreheads of us oily skinned beauties, nope, this glow is one that radiates pure health). It makes for the perfect base under my makeup, providing a matte canvas that my foundation can easily adhere to, bringing a welcome relief in comparison to foundation sliding straight off my greasy mantle, LOL. The gentle, soothing gel is also suitable to use if my skin is all red and irritated, offering a calming relief without exasperating the problem.  I love this Alpha-H Clear Skin Daily Hydrator Gel, so much so, that I could do a song and dance about it, hehe, but seriously, though, I really can’t sing its praises enough!  A ‘must have’ or at least a ‘must try’ for anyone who is sick of the oily skin blues and can't find a way out; this is your escape route. :)

PM

Simplicite Lemon Night Crème

I have been using this night cream for the past 9 months and it’s the first night cream that I can safely say, doesn’t leave my skin coated in a layer of oil upon waking up of a morning.  I usually prefer a slightly richer moisturiser at night, because after all, who is going to see me while I am sleeping, so a bit of shine isn’t a huge drama, but when it's so oily, to the point where you could cook an egg on it, then it just goes beyond reason.  This night cream has become one of my favourite moisturisers, with its gorgeous lemon scent and creamy butter like texture; it is a sheer pleasure to use. It's nourishing and conditioning, but not too rich or heavy, making it perfect for my oily skin. As well as offering hydrating benefits, it also helps to clarify my complexion and reduce the appearance of blotchiness and discolouration. I have noticed less roughness, a softer skin texture, tighter pores and fading areas of pigmentation, revealing brighter, more radiant skin. I believe with longer-term use, I will also see fewer wrinkles as my existing fine lines have started appearing softer.  The all-natural formula makes it my PM moisturiser of choice, on alternate nights, when I use my Clarisonic PRO Sonic Skin Cleansing System.  The Simplicite Lemon Night Crème is, in my opinion, a hidden gem, with not too many people aware of the Simplicite brand or the highly effective, natural range of skin care products they offer, so I feel the need to ‘shout out’ to the world, how awesome it really is!  Plus, it’s an Aussie special, born and bread here in Queensland, with products that are tailored to suit our climate. Its no wonder I love my night cream so much and wouldn't hesitate in recommending it, 5 star product!

Medik8 Hydr8 B5 Serum

I first discovered Medik8 and this serum about 15 months ago, when at the time, I had never tried, or even seen, for that matter, a hydrating serum.  Initially, I was a bit sceptical about how it could possibly be comparable to a normal moisturiser and apprehensive it would leave my skin an oily, greasy mess, like certain other products, but my concerns were quickly quashed.  This clear serum comes in a small bottle with a dropper to disperse the almost gel-like fluid. It has no scent, it’s extremely lightweight and it is 100% non-greasy, even on my oily skin. Yippee, I am so thrilled to have encountered such a unique product, because I was previously on the ultimate search for a moisturiser to use at night, which would adequately hydrate my skin, minus the accompanying morning 'horror' face, coated in a layer of grease. This serum is the perfect solution to my lifelong dilemma.  It feels cool and soothing upon application, whilst sinking straight into my skin with no sticky, tacky residue, leaving it plump, super soft and full of moisture.  Medik8 Hydr8 B5 Serum compliments my nightly skincare regime exceptionally well, almost as if it were developed just for me. ;)  Every second night, I incorporate a high strength Vitamin A skin care treatment into my routine, which is used in conjunction with my ASAP Daily Facial Cleanser.  These highly potent products, prompted me to pursue a simple, moisturiser that is gentle and kind to the skin, whilst doesn't interfere with the active ingredients featured in the previous steps.  The calming relief provided by the serum feels instantly soothing and helps to alleviate any sign of facial redness.  It keeps moisture locked in overnight, so that when I wake in the morning my skin always feels comfortable and looks healthy.  Over time, it has helped improve the suppleness of my skins texture and overall it's firmer, plumper and more nourished.  Conclusively, a beneficial anti-aging moisturiser for my oily skin, delivering impressive results as it guides me down the path to achieving a more balanced, youthful, radiant complexion.  If you haven't tried a hydrating serum, then do yourself a favour and make it a point to do so; it’s unlike any other moisturiser and maintains to produce even better results!

Well, that wraps up the regular moisturising products that I use in my skin care routine.  Based on my skin type and the climate where I live, I stick with these moisturisers all year round and don’t bother adapting to cater for each season.  I also use various SPF moisturisers as well, but I decided that I won’t mention them here and instead will proceed to list them in my Sun Protection product line-up.  Considering all of my SPF products are actually multi-tasking, SPF moisturisers anyway, rather than targeted, stand-alone sunscreen products, which unlike their non-SPF counterparts, I do chop and change and adapt regularly, so it kind of makes sense to keep them separate, well in my books anyway, hehe ;) 

It took me nearly forever to discover which moisturisers suited me best, after decades of being at war with my skin, always using the wrong type of moisturiser.  A common mistake is confusing dehydrated skin with dry skin, however, dry skin is a type, just like oily skin, whereas dehydrated skin is a condition and as I discovered myself, even oily skin can get dehydrated too! Getting skin concerns/types mixed up often leads to opting for unsuitable products, hence my situation, either making things worse or never getting past first base and forever struggling to get better skin.  Unbeknownst to me, my ‘oily’ skin would occasionally suffer from dehydration, fueling my belief that I had combination skin, when in fact I didn’t.  Having finally determined my correct skin type (better late than never) I began choosing relevant oily skin moisturisers that in turn worked in my favour to support my skin.  When deciding upon a moisturiser, any external factors need considering, such as seasonal requirements.  That is, do you possibly need a richer moisturiser during the cooler months than you use throughout summer…etc?  If so, you need to adapt your skin care routine accordingly.  Once conceded, feel free join me in arming yourself with a suitable moisturiser, which will harmonise with your skin :) 

We all should implement a moisturiser into our skin care regime regardless of our skin type; all skin types need some form of hydration and we all want one that works!  Which moisturisers do you use? What can you recommend?  I would love to hear your thoughts :)

 All images in this blog are generic.