Cleansing & Clarifying for Sensitive/Intolerant Skin

Posted on Sunday 26 April 2015

To achieve a flawless makeup look, you need to ensure you are working with a smooth base. I have noticed that no matter how much makeup I pack on, it never looks good when I am dealing with 'bad' skin texture. I am a huge advocate for investing in skincare; having a routine suitable to your skin type is imperative. And so, I welcome you to the first post in a three-part series covering everything skincare for sensitive or intolerant skin. First in the series we will discuss cleansers, exfoliants and clarifying masks.

As a teenager my skin did not cause too much trouble; I never struggled bad acne-prone skin. I have however, always had sensitive skin. I remember my mother saying she could never use just any detergent when washing my clothes, and how often I had itchy rashes on my skin simply from sitting on the grass. A few weeks into using my first ever MAC products, which I got for my 16th birthday, my face started breaking out in these tiny blister-like bumps. I stopped using MAC, but still struggled for almost a year with this reaction that kept coming back as soon as I used any product on my face. I could not use any sort of make up or skincare product, other than Cetaphil. Eventually I found an ointment that seemed to get rid of this reaction and slowly I could work more products back into my routine. To this day I occasionally get reactions from new products, so I have to be careful about what I put on my face (not that this stops me from testing beauty products). Over time I have accumulated products that have become staples in my skincare routine, and so I wanted to share these with any readers that also have sensitive, reactive or intolerant skin.

A product that regular readers have heard me go on and on about is the Bioderma Sensibio Micelle Solution. This is a magic cleansing product that gets rid of the toughest makeup, yet does not sting my eyes or irritate my skin. It is a clear liquid that I squeeze onto a cotton pad and wipe over my face to remove makeup. I use this product both in the morning - to get rid of any dirt that accumulated overnight - and in the evening - to remove my makeup before cleansing. In the evening, I follow the micelle solution with the Philosophy Purity Cleanser. I am quickly becoming obsessed with this brand and if it wasn't for the price I would own a lot more of the products. Purity is a cream cleanser, marketed as a 3-in-1 product as it is meant to replace your makeup remover, facial cleanser and toner. This is the first cleanser that I have used since Cetaphil, and I love that provides a REALLY good clean. Yet my skin does not react badly to.

Moving on to exfoliation; the removal of dead skin cells to help rejuvenate skin. There are many processes for exfoliating, which include scrubs, chemical exfoliants, brush cleansers (i.e. clarisonic) and microdermabrasion. I am yet to try the latter but I regularly scrub my face. The only abrasive scrub that I reach for is the St.Ives Blemish Control Green Tea Scrub. It is rather gentle for an abrasive scrub and contains salicylic acid, which works wonders to prevent, reduce and help clear blemishes. The green tea extract adds to its the blemish fighting properties and also smells really good; this is one that I reach for when I have breakouts caused by hormones or a bad diet.

A second way to exfoliate which is not abrasive, is using chemical exfoliators (it's not as scary as it sounds). Witch Hazel is a toner rather than an exfoliant but has the same purpose. It does contain alcohol and can be a little drying on the skin, but helps to dry out blemishes and tighten pores. I must admit I sometimes skip this step, but when I do use a toner I apply it on a cotton pad and swipe it over my skin after a shower. Previously I have been quite hesitant about facial peels, however I have been testing an at-home peel and have only noticed good results. John Plunkett Glyco Peel* contains 25% glycolic acid which is meant to refine pores & fine lines and also reduce surface discolouration. It is meant to be used as an overnight treatment but because of my sensitive skin I do remove it after a few minutes. I do find my skin to look a little red and sensitive after using the peel, but in no way aggravated. Although I have not seen a miraculous change in my skin after using these peels, my skin does look more radiant, refreshed and smoother.

Facial masks have many different purposes to suit your skins need. Next week I will share a few of my favourite calming and hydrating masks, but for now lets focus on the cleansing masks. My favourite is  with no doubt, the Lush Mask of Magnaminty. I was actually advised against buying this product by the Lush team member, as it is meant for blemish-prone skin. I bought it anyway as I had read reviews and was curious about the product, turns out I love it. This peppermint mask works wonders on troubled skin and smells delicious too! It can also be used on the body for anyone that suffers with blemishes on their back. The Yes To Tomatoes Clear Skin Facial Cleansing Mask was one of the first masks I owned (not this particular tub though). It is a smooth consistency and contains lycopene (from tomatoes) and dead sea mud which helps to draw out impurities. This is a thick white paste that I'd usually apply before a bath so it has time to dry on the face. I find it helps to reduce blemishes and smooths out my skin when I'm having issues with my skin texture. A mask very similar in consistency is the Palmer's Purifying Enzyme Mask. This contains natural kaolin clay and papaya which is also used to draw out impurities. I might do an in-depth comparison of these products in a separate post because right now they seem pretty much the same to me. Both work well deeply purify and cleanse the skin.

Lastly I wanted to mention the Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub. This sugar scrub exfoliates the lips & removes all the dead skin cells and is a staple product in winter as my lips get very dry and chapped. P.S it tastes/smells delicious and because Lush is all natural it's ok to get it in your mouth!

Let me know if you have any skincare suggestions for sensitive/intolerant skin or if you have any questions. Make sure to check back next Sunday for products that help to calm, moisturise and rehydrate the skin!

*Products that I have received as a PR sample. All opinions remain unaltered and I am not obliged to review these products.
  1. I love that St Ives scrub!! :) x

    www.katinalindaa.com

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    1. It is a great product, and one of the most affordable too!

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  2. Just about to crack open Purity by Philosophy and I am so excited to hear you love it! I've recently started using Witch Hazel again after years of not using it, and I must say it's a great toner. xx

    Daniela | MissNewBeauty.net

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  3. Oh I love Bioderma, such a makeup removing lifesaver!

    http://thesundaymode.blogspot.com.au/

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