My new treats

Been a busy couple of weeks..getting back into work mode..getting up early, sleeping early...oh how I miss summer (I'm a teacher). Well since being back in England, my skin has declared war on me. I've been forced to try new skin care products that have surprisingly been working (I think).

Organic Tamanu oil: I've been really wanting to try oils on my face because of the hype they have, so I researched which ones have been effective for other people with similar skin to mine. Jojoba oil is one that got good reviews, but is also said to cause breakouts. Tamanu oil is said to be "a soft, smooth oil that has the capacity to promote the formation of new tissue, thereby accelerating wound healing and the growth if healthy skin." It contains the following fatty acids:  Linoleic, Oleic, Stearic, and Palmitic. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-neuralgic, antibiotic antioxidant properties. Used to treat many things, including acne. At first I put it all over my face in the night, but then realized I should really only put it where necessary. It's dried out and decreased pimples I have overnight without making the surrounding area dry. Not all my pimples have decreased overnight but it's definitely working. Great stuff!

Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre: I've been using this as a night cream and it really moisturizes without feeling greasy. I put on the tamanu oil in certain spots and put this cream over on my entire face. I think this is a good moisturizer that does its job without irritating the skin or causing any breakouts (so far!). I would recommend this to anyone who wants a basic moisturizer that actually moisturizes. I had a few dry spots on my cheeks and since using this the dryness has gone down considerably and I've only been using this for the last week. It's not a miracle product but it definitely works much better than many things I've used.                                       

MAC Prep+Prime Face Protect SPF 50: I hadn't bought a primer in a very long time. The last one was years ago by Lorac. I would get tons of samples from Sephora and just end up using them. I like the silky feel this gives the skin and it blends over the skin very nicely. I do need to make sure my skin is moisturized like crazy, because this primer does nothing for any dry spots. I noticed a difference when using this primer compared to not using anything. My mineral foundation definitely lasts all day when I have this on. I've used tons of primers and this is one of the good ones. The worst was probably Benefit Porefessional Primer...my skin ended up drier and flakier after putting that on. Thankfully, it was just a free sample. 

Avene Cold Cream Ultra Rich Cleansing Gel: Because my skin was getting drier but can also be acne prone and sensitive I thought I would use a gentler cleanser in the morning and my Kiehl's Blue Herbal Gel in the night. I found this at Boots and I figured since it's for dry skin it would work for me. I've been using it for the last 2 or so weeks and so far it's worked well. Because I only use it in the morning, I'm not worried about it having to take off makeup. I'm just looking for a good, gentle cleanse and this does the job. The best thing about this is that it isn't pricey...it's a big bottle and I'm sure it will last for a looong time.