Monday, January 11, 2016

My Skincare Routine

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For years I've gotten comments and emails off and on about doing a post based on my skincare routine. I never did because besides a bout of teenage acne, I had pretty good skin, and up until November 2014 it was simply soap, water and moisturizer...nothing fancy.

Things changed drastically in April of 2014 when I decided I needed to accelerate my hair growth. I have long hair but its always been really thin and early last year I started to see ads about a particular vitamin which could not only grow your hair at a stupendous rate but it could also make it thicker and  fuller. I bit the bullet and signed a contract with the devil aka Hairfinity.

I used Hairfinity for only two months and in that time my hair grew...yes, but my skin also fell apart. I started to break out and it wasn't a light smattering of spots or the standard one or two zits when Aunt Flo is on her way...but huge, rep destroying pimples, all over my face. At first I didn't connect the facial apocalypse I was undergoing to the vitamins I was taking but after reading reviews on the internet and hearing personal testimonies, it dawned on me that it was Hairfinity whodunnit.

Even after I stopped taking Hairfinity I continued to break out horribly for the next 6 months. Things came to a head at about October 2014 when I went on holiday to Las Vegas and the dry desert air joined in increasing the havoc my skin was undergoing. At that point I knew drastic measures had to be put into place and finally, reluctantly decided to map out a skincare regimen.

I really didn't want to use anything specifically for acne as I was trying to avoid the dependency issue (hello Proactiv), so luckily, at that time my mother had just started using Olay's range of Regenerist products and even though I had never considered using anti-aging products while in my twenties (read my Genevieve article about making a case for starting anti-aging products before you actually need it HERE), I decided to give it a try and within 3 months, my face had cleared up to the extent I was going about bare-faced 24/7 and even went for a visa appointment without a smidge of makeup. I kept getting compliments about how clear and even-toned my skin was. I'm now the biggest believer in adopting a good skincare routine and STICKING to it, because you can't be flitting from one to the other, you need to stick it out, a lot of products take a bit of time before you start to see results.

This is basically the routine I adopted and I am still using currently




MORNING


Crusader Soap



I swear by Crusader soap, like I can stake my life on its skin clearing abilities. I started using Crusader when I was about 14 or 15 and had really awful teenage acne and I've used it ever since. it can be really harsh so if you have very sensitive skin I won't advise you use it without the recommendation of a dermatologist, but it works wonders for me. For the first week or so after I started, my skin got super dry and started to peel, basically I was a mess. But by week 3, what lay underneath all the dry skin was revealed and it was pretty damn perfect.




Olay Regenerist Detoxifying Pore Scrub




Its a scrub and cleanser in one and detoxifies with deep cleansing and exfoliation, without drying out my skin. Its also really great for diminishing pores. Its pretty much the mildest, most effective scrub I've ever used.






Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Serum
Now this is where the anti-aging magic comes into place. The serum is supposed to make your skin firmer and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Now on an older person with actual wrinkles, you'd easily be able to judge its effect,s but I'm still at baby's bottom facial level...so no wrinkles and my skin is still super elastic. I did notice my skin tone evened out very quickly, but I can't judge the firmness at all. But I know if I stay ready I never have to get ready.



Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream Moisturizer

This baby is very rich and my skin literally feels like its drinking water when I'm applying it, and at the same time its oddly light. So my pores don't feel clogged and my face doesn't have that shiny, oily feel. Its supposed to "delay the need for a cosmetic procedure", so I guess while everyone else is at Dr. Miami sorting out facelifts I'll be eating ice-cream :)



Olay Regenerist Eye-Lifting Serum
Standard Regenerist format; it brightens the skin around the eyes and leaves skin looking firmer, reducing fine lines and wrinkles. This actually kicks butt when it comes to those pesky bags. Bad news is its not sold on its own and I usually buy it in a 3-step pack with the Microsculpting serum and moisturizer, but I think there's an EyeSwirl eye cream which does the same job.




NIGHT


My night routine is heavier on the cleaning side because I'm usually taking the day off...




Aveeno Ultra-Calming Makeup Removing Face Wipes


These wipes are the heavyweight of face wipes. I don't like using alcohol based wipes as they tend to be really harsh on my skin, but oil based wipes can make my face feel very clogged. So these strike a nice balance between the two. The name is prophetic, they're actually very calming and they take EVERYTHING off without leaving your skin super dry or super oily.



Olay Regenerist Regenerating Cream Cleanser





I love the way this cleanser cleans really deep while exfoliating. It not harsh in the least and my skin always feels really soft after use.




Crusader Soap






Olay Regenerist Detoxifying Pore Scrub







Olay Regenerist Regenerating Night Recovery Cream
This basically penetrates my face to regenerate my skin while I sleep. I don't joke with my night cream and once I've put it on the chances of my leaving my house drop to nil. Its like liquid gold, every drop is precious.


You can get the Olay products on jumia.com HERE

I've never been able to find the Aveeno face wipes in Nigeria, so I usually get it from Target or CVS in the US. If anyone knows where I can get them please share. Thanks!
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...and because skincare is necessary from the inside as well as the outside, I also take a daily vitamin called Perfectil



You can find Perfectil at any reputable pharmacy, Medplus or Healthplus especially

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A skincare routine is very individual and what works for one person may not work for another. I was very lucky that the first batch of products I tried worked for me and I didn't have to go the test and repeat route. But for many people, you may have to try lots of different products before you find one that's perfect for you.

It is generally advised to consult a dermatologist and get a skin test to determine what works for you.

That's pretty much it. It may look like a lot but its actually very simple to follow. I'm very lazy when it comes to taking care of business and if I can knuckle down and do this daily, anyone can.

Love and Light xx


photo credit: olay.com, beautystat.com, aveeno.com, amazon.co.uk
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10 comments

  1. Wow, everything you use is Olay.
    I used to use all one brand (Clean and Clear) when I was a teenager, but ever since I hit my twenties, it hasn't worked that well for my skin, and I've had to experiment with a whole bunch of different brands to get my acne under control. I think you're the first person I've seen in a loooong while that uses everything from one brand. Your skin is gorge so maybe I should try going back to old faithful Clean&Clear.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like order in my life, hence the one product range. A bunch of different products will just upset my eyes, lol. Plus I figured I might as well use everything from one brand for maximum effectiveness.

      Thank you mama xx

      Delete
  2. thanks for sharing... very informative. i remember commenting a few years ago, asking what you used, and you said it was shea butter. whatever you use sure works because your skin glows. cheers

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I still use shea-butter as a body lotion but only during harmattan or when I'm outside the country as its really heavy.

      On regular warm days I use Olay Total Effects Moisturizer.

      Thank you :)

      Delete
  3. Thanks for sharing Adaku!! you have great skin!!

    I had a similar experience! I have pretty good skin, but after taking Biotin pills for "longer hair" my skin freaked out. This horrifying experience really got me to buckle down on skin care and now its no joke...night cream, anti-agin serum, you name it. I get compliments on my skin, makeup or no makeup, which is just the best feeling ever. I often joke that I will be the grandma with silver gray hair and no wrinkles.

    In all my experimentation, here are staple products for my dry/combination skin:

    1. Shea butter (life given-I use this morning and night as a final coat of moisture)
    2. Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel with Aloe (toner and/or hydrating mist over makeup or when skin feels dry)
    3. Dudu Osun (It can be drying, so I recommend using it once in a while. It clarifies your skin like no other)
    4. Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum (this thing gets my skin glowing! removes dark spots)
    5. Caudalie Day Perfecting Fluid (okay spf and no white finish but I am still searching for a higher spf that doesn't have a white finish)
    6. Clarins Double Serum Complete Age Control (anti aging serum, will find out effects when I am 50, but makes my skin glow)
    7. Clarins Hydraquench Cream (moisture!)
    8. Caudalie Vinoperfect Cell Renewal Night Cream

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you!

      These biotin pills are scary. Th sonly vitamin I've been able to take without any adverse effect is Perfectil. It just agrees with me.

      Great routine, shea butter is the truth!

      Delete
  4. Pretty simple and I agree with you on being consistent.
    I like that you're not a product junkie... at least it seems so.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lol, nah not really. As long as Olay doesn't go bankrupt or something, I'll probably use these products till I'm old and grey.

      Can't be arsed to be trying different things up and down

      Delete
  5. Sigh. I'm allergic to Olay. Tried it and and woke up with little ripe postules all over my face. I've steered clear of it ever since.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Perfectil perfectil perfectil hmmmm, I've tried d perfectil max but my body system didn't respond well with it I had scalp itching and body itching and a burning sensation arnd my neck

    ReplyDelete

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