Clear Skin Anti Acne Skin Care Routine

My Current Skin Care Regimen: Clear Skin and Banishing Acne

Since treating my acne, I put together a really gentle skin care regime. I was initially prescribed the Cetaphil products but have continued to purchase ever since - it's the most gentle product and doesn't break me out in the slightest. 

I feel like I've really perfected my skin care regimen now and that it really helps keeping acne at bay and keeping my skin in good condition. 

1. Remove all makeup before cleansing. Tip! Soak a cotton pad with makeup remover (I use No.7 make up remover), gently press onto eye area and hold for 30 seconds. This allows the oil based remover to break down mascara and eyeliner (pm)

2. Massage Cetaphil Cleanser into dry skin (am and pm)

3. Use warm water to wash face and pat dry with a clean towel

4. Soak a cotton pad with Abi’s Home Made Toner. Toners are used to remove the cleanser residue and to prepare face for moisturising

5. I apply a pea size amount of Epiduo to my chin and wait for this to dry (pm ONLY!)

6. I apply Clinique All About Eyes eye cream by tapping gently under my eyes

7. Finally, use Cetaphil Moisturiser on face and neck. I mix this 50/50 with a different moisturiser: For morning I use Nivia Visage Day Cream with SPF 15 and for night I use No7 Essential Moisture Night Cream

If I have any break outs, I spot treat with tea tree oil. I exfoliate with No7 Microdermabration Exfoliator once a week

Hope you've found this helpful, I'd love to hear about your skin care regimes in case I fancy changing things up!

Review Chanel Lipstick Rouge Coco

Review Chanel Lipstick 

Rouge Coco 

20 Rose Cométe

I was looking for a lipstick with a pink-ish hue but of a nude persuasion. I think I swatched 20 lipsticks in Debenhams before finding this lipstick; Chanel Rouge Coco in shade 20 'cométe'.

It is a really creamy luxurious formula, not overly opaque but not sheer either. It is very hydrating and feels very comfortable on the lips.

The colour pay-off for comete is reasonable, I have to put two or three coats on to achieve an opaque pink sheen. There is a definite shimmer which shows up as more of a sheen than glitter. The colour is quite a cool pink, almost lilacy. 

The Chanel packaging is beautiful as always, the bullet feels and looks expensive and classy. I love that they impring 'Chanel' into the shaft of the lipstick. 

This  lasts for quite a while so in terms of re-applying through the day, it is probably required every four hours (what an incredibly subjective estimation, obviously this depends on how frequently you're drinking, eating and kissing!). This may not be what you'd want as there's something really cool about whipping out a Chanel lipstick for an application in a little flip mirror! 

They cost £24 in Debenhams, although I waited for the 10% beauty sale before purchasing (I'm thrifty like that). I probably won't repurchase as I'm not all that in love with the colour but I do rate the formulation highly for being so creamy and hydrating. 

*Disclaimer* 

This is not a paid post, all my opinions are my own

How I lost three stone in two months

How I Lost Weight Really Quickly

*Disclaimer* I am not a nutritionist, I do not advocate losing weight this quickly deliberately as a healthy thing to do. Always consult a doctor before attempting a dramatic weight loss. 

Background information: With a daily calorie intake of 1800 calories a day and exercising for 30 minutes five times a week, I maintain a UK size 10 (US 6) dress size. I'm 5ft 9 and weigh 135 pounds (just over 9.5 stone). I've been this way since I was 13.

Before (I'm sucking in here) and after 

I used to live in Australia and towards the end of my stay, I gained a considerable amount of weight. This was due to not doing any exercise and eating far more than I was burning. I would buy cooked chickens and strip bits off to dip in mayonnaise quite frequently, ate pizza and grilled cheese sandwiches all the time... I'd make a huge batch of risotto intending to spread it over a few meals for two, I'd end up eating gigantic portions, having seconds and finishing it two days. I was also drinking quite a lot of beer (the national beverage of our friends down under)

My parents came to visit me and were outspokenly shocked about my weight, and so they should have been: I was living an extremely unhealthy lifestyle. I reached the grand old weight of 12 and 1/4 stone (171 pounds). Because of my height, I feel like I got away with it a little bit. Unfortunately I literally have no photographic record of myself at this point because I was, to be frank, embarrassed. 

Approaching maximum weight

Apparently I was greedy enough to eat my friends

I arrived back in England with quite a bad case of acne and a lot of weight to lose. I immediately joined a gym, downloaded the calorie count app (highly recommended) and started a strict diet. 

My diet was pretty much the same every day: I found this incredibly helpful; the element of choice was a contributor to my Australian greed...

Breakfast: sachet of porridge oats with water. I then added a table spoon of home made unsweetened apple sauce and a sprinkle of cinnamon 

Lunch: A gigantic bowl of spinnach leaves, x1 tinned mackerel fillet, some mixed beans, 1/4 avocado, a tomato, a few chopped sundried tomatoes with a sprinking of mixed seeds and a dash of apple cider vinegar

Snack: As many raw carrots as I wanted with a side of as many strange looks from my colleagues as they could muster

Supper: A grilled chicken breast/salmon fillet with a baked sweet potato. Broccoli, peas and carrots 

Drinks: a gallon of water a day. Very occasional gin and tonic.  

I must say that the main reason for choosing this diet was to cure my skin, my weight loss was desired but the motivation behind the 'caveman diet' was to heal my acne. 

I absolutely had no dairy and no other 'proper' carbs than oats and a sweet potato, no take aways, I made everything myself. 

An actual mixing bowl full of this!

Exercise: I was going to the gym around five times a week. I would do 30 minutes power walking on maximum incline on the treadmill, then 120 sit ups, 5 minuets of planks, 45 minuets of resistance training then 30 minutes on the cross trainer. I was also using the power plate a lot which 100% rid me of cellulite. They are magic!

Since I wasn't with my family on Christmas day, I went to not one, not two but THREE christmas celebrations of my friend's families. I therefore had three giant sized christmas meals. Oh dear...

As a result I got down to 9 stone (126 pounds) within two months. I maintained this weight for around three months simply by cutting down my exercise, however, two factors caused me to ditch this extreme diet: 

1. I met my partner. Doesn't being in love make you not care about being thin so much?! 

2. My skin didn't get any better so I decided to stop being so obsessed with my diet and start enjoying the occasional pizza now and then. 

This was at my very thinnest. Alas, my arms will never be sticks, the weight loss was most noticeable on my legs and stomach. 

CalorieCount: I found this website and app SO helpful in keeping healthy during my weight loss. I was able to track what vitamins, minerals and food groups I was too high or too low on, how my weight loss was progressing and how many calories I was burning when exercising. I really really recommend this to anyone trying to lose weight or maintain weight. It also helps to record what you're eating because the act of having to write down your consumption makes you not really want to eat that Dairy Milk then write about it...

Emotional: Feeling fat made me feel really really unhappy with myself. I know that as a slim lady, I should not be allowed to say "I am proud of my body", but I really was and I am now. 

On the other side of things, being very thin gave me a bit of a smug attitude. And I was obsessed, I never went out for meals and if I did, I downloaded the menu before hand to check the calorie content of the meals. Weird and very time consuming. 

I started to just not enjoy food at all, eating was a motion to go through rather than something to be creative with and something to bond with friends and family over. 

Summary: I'm not back at my normal 9 3/4 stone, I still eat the same breakfast and a salad for lunch but I'm back to eating pasta, bread and all the other delicious carbs that I was forbidden before. I also eat the occasional chocolate bar and packet of crisps, however, I'm a firm believer in taking control of my own health. It's no one else's responsibility or problem as to what I eat. If I gain a bit of weight, I cut down on the treats, if I want to put a little more on, I actually up my exercise regime (it always makes me gain weight!)

I know that this is a very obvious thing to say but taking care of your body is REALLY important. You only live once so make the most of the body you have. Obviously genetics plays a part in our body types but if you're healthy and exercising regularly, I guarantee that you'll be happier and feel the benefits quickly. 

my current weight

Does anyone else have any weight loss stories to share? I'd love to hear them. 

Vitamin Supplements for Acne

Vitamin Supplements for Acne Treatment

During my pursuing of a cure for my acne, I dabbled in the obsessive and excessive taking of vitamin supplements. I probably spent nearly £100 on Holland and Barratt pills and at one point had to invest in a bigger pill box - I was taking that many supplements.

I heard about these as a cure through forums, research and online investigations. Whilst I will say that none of these worked for or against me in terms of my skin and my acne, many people have found great results with this form of treatment. Just make sure that you consult with your doctor (who will probably not advocate them but also will not be likely to tell you categorically not to).

Everyone's skin is different and thus, there are many different solutions for different people. I'm posting this to offer an option, not a be all and end all solution.

Since we have no idea what really goes on when making these supplements, I'm going to make a wild claim that getting these vitamins from a healthy diet will be much 'healthier' than popping pills. My reasons for taking these supplements were that I wanted to attack my body with healthy vitamins from all angles so I combined the two.

*Disclaimer* I'm not a nutritionist or a scientist so these are not facts, just my opinions.
 C, D3,, evening primrose oil,  clear skin tablets, v

The following is a list of the supplements I've had experience with and their supposed benefits:

Vitamin A: Retin A (topical retinoid) and Roaccutane (or Accutane) are derivatives of vitamin A and are frequently hailed as the most effective treatments of acne. This vitamin protes cellular production and tissue growth and repair.

Since I couldn't afford to eat much red meat, I decided to start taking Vitamin A supplements. I was taking 32,000IU a day - far more than the recommended amount. I experienced no negative effects on this dosage but only continued with this for 3 months due to disappointing results.

Natural sources of Vitamin A are: red meats, eggs yolks, oily fish and leaft vegetables such as spinnach and kale.

Vitamin B: I took B3, B5 (pantathenic acid) and a B complex (not all at the same time) These are meant to reduce stress, improve the metabolism and improve circulation. I can't exactly remember how this links to acne, it's just something I was recommended. The pantothenic acid B5 is meant to improve our ability to absorb vitamin D (I'll get to that later)

I can't remember how much of this I was taking and I never documented my dosage but I know that it was costing me a LOT of money... I was taking 500ml of the Patntothenic Acid B5

Natural sources of vitamin B are: liver (disgusting) and salmon, vegetables, eggs and meat (I think that all foods are a source of vitamins, I may get bored of writing the same thing soon...)

Zinc: I started on 25mg and upped to 50mg eventually. I was recommended this by a beautician who told me she'd cured her acne this way. Obviously I am a sucker for supplements so I immediately went out and stocked up. It's meant to improve the appearence of scars and enhance wound healing. I'll therefore assume that it improves new skin cell production.

I believed in this remedy so whole heartedly that I only just finished using up my stocks. As with all these supplements, it made no difference to my moderate acne... But it's definitely a scientifically recognised treatment for acne.

Natural soures are: eggs, wholegrains and nuts.

Niacin: Niacin is known for its ability to promote blood circulation; it opens up the capiliaries and allows blood to flow more easily through them. This causes a 'flush'; a visable sign of the improved blood flow. The flush isn't dangerous.

I started my dose on 100mg and experienced no flush. The next day I doubled this dose and found that my face, neck and back were very red and flushed; not dissimilar to an unattractive rash. It tingled a little and made my ears feel really hot. It lasted for about 20 minutes, sometimes longer which was embarrassing if I took my pills before I left for work and arrived at the office looking like I'd run there from Africa.

I have no idea where a natural source is for this. Lots of really good results recorded about this vitamin, if you can deal with the flush! (There are non-flushing versions available but I always thought that the flush was a sure sign that the pills were working)

Vitamin E: I was taking 400mg for this, plus bursting capsules and using the oil topically to treat my dry spotty skin. It's meant to be an antioxident and enhances cell repair (I feel like I'm repeating myself now...)

I remember my mum giving me these as well as fish oil tablets when I was doing my GCSES. She assumed that these pills would suddenly replenish the information I lost by skiving lessons in favour of snogging my teenage boyfriend for antisocial, grade affecting periods of time. I digress...

I still keep a stock of these; I use them in manicures for moisturising my cuticles, I take them now and again for essentially no reason and I use them as an intensive moisturising mask when in the bath.

Natural sources of this are: nuts and broccoli (YES! I love brocolli. A florret a day keeps the acne away)

Vitamin D(3): Again, vitamin D helps acne by improving cell production and repair. It also helps with reducing scarring. I was specifically taking D3 for my skin.

Since I don't see much sun living in England, and I tend to wear SPF 50 on my face to prevent aging, I wanted to top up my vitamin D intake to help my acne. I know that lots of people use sunbeds to help with acne but I didn't really want to for the reason stated above. I started on 1000IU and increased until I was taking 4000IU. No difference to note with the increased dosage apart from it was more expensive.

Natural sources of this are: the sun, and milk.

Evening Primrose Oil: I started taking this to calm my PMS and menstrual cramps. As acne can often be hormonal, I assumed that this may help with my skin. I applied it topically to calm redness and took orally to help rejuvinate my skin. It also helps with improving hydration of skin.

I can't remembe how much I was taking, I found vitamin E capsule oil a better moisturiser for my skin topically.

Vitamin C: I have taken vitamin C supplements for as long as I can remember... My mum used to buy the chewy gummy ones that I'd blatently overdose on due to the deliciousness. I take these in the winter to prevent colds. Benefits for skin are that they boost the ammune system and (you guessed it), help skin and cell repair.

And for any pirates and sailors reading this, it also prevents scurvy.

Natural sources are: Citrus fruits and brightly coloured vegetables.

I still take these. I rarely have colds so that is either a result of a childhood of casual hygene and a resulting increased immunity... or that vitamin C tablets have more benefits other than being a delicious morning treat.



Hopefully this has been helpful? Probably not, it's all very vague and probably inaccurate. Let me know if you have tried any vitamin supplements to help acne and your results!

Epiduo Review Acne Treatment | How to Cure Acne

Epiduo Review 

Acne Cure 

Before and After

adapalene 0.1% and benzoyl peroxide Gel 2.5%

Background: Prior to being prescribed Epiduo I had used Duac (topical benzyol peroxide) and oxytetracycline (oral antibiotic). Whist these helped my skin a little, it went no where near curing it. I was an emotional wreck, I suffered two years under relentless skin problems. My self esteem was extremely low and I felt like I was running out of options. 

I had moderate acne including some cystic acne. It was extremely painful and persistent. At any time I would always have at least 8 active white heads and many red marks and scars. My dermatologist prescribed me this as a last resort before a course of Accutane.

My skin prior to Epiduo but during topical treatments

During Treatment: When I first started using Epiduo, I was using it morning and night. I assumed that if I used it twice as often my skin would recover twice as fast. By doing this I was completely ignoring the directions of my dermatologist. She is a doctor, I was a salesperson but I knew better because I'm a latent genius. The results... My skin was so chapped and raw that I was crying, my tears stung my sore skin and that made me cry more. 

I started using it as prescribed after that. Initially, my skin was very dry and very red (see photo below). My skin would go from visibly clearer, getting fewer spots over the course of a week... Then getting much worse again. It was really frustrating and disheartening. I kept thinking "I knew another topical wouldn't work, why can't they just give me roaccutane?!"

Wearing make up was a real issue, my skin was so chapped and dry around my mouth that foundation would chap off within minutes. That was really hard - my skin was very noticeably red but covering it looked worse. 

After about two months, my skin started healing and was relatively clear. I still had indented red marks and scars so I couldn't truly appreciate it. I started using exfoliation and lemon juice topically to fade the scars. Within three months I was totally clear

During treatment - red raw and chapped

 After: It's been 14 months since I started using Epiduo and since that point of my acne clearing, I can count the amount of spots I've had since on one hand. And I can always account for those (going on holiday, not drinking enough water or just plain not using Epiduo). 

I do still use this every night and I think that if I didn't, my acne would possibly come back. I'm not willing to take the chance... Epiduo really was my acne cure and I'd never be without it. 

I will add a *disclaimer* that everyone's skin is different and what was my cure may not be yours. Just be patient and know that there is an end to what you're going through

my skin now (2012)

Summary: I didn't have high hopes for this; I've used creams with Benzoyl Peroxide with much higher percentages. The active ingredients are adapalene 0.1% and benzoyl peroxide Gel 2.5%. However I highly recommend this, it made such a difference to my self esteem as well as the way that I look. 

The only downside is that I have to wait a while for it to dry before I apply my moisturiser. Solution to this is using a hair dryer on my face. 

In the UK it's available on the NHS for £7.65 for a tube which lasts me around three months. I will say that you only need to use a very thin layer, I've found that using a thick layer makes absolutely no difference other than it running out faster. 

Good luck with finding your cure for acne! 

There's more detailed information on the epiduo website: 

http://www.epiduo.com/pdf/PrescribingInformation.pdf

Edit: I've filmed and uploaded a video review to Youtube, please feel free to check it out!

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Review

Bobbi Brown 

Creamy Concealer Review

I've hit the pan!

Background: I have what I would term as mildly severe dark circle bags under my eyes. I get plenty of sleep, drink lots of water... Unfortunately its just genetic; my mum and my grandma both have the same thing. Additionally, the skin under my eyes is quite dry and tends to flake with concealers and foundations. It's all very attractive. 

If the eyes are the windows to the soul... I don't have a soul

Here are my bags prior to concealer. I am wearing an eye cream but it really doesn't make a difference to my zombie eyes. 

Coverage: Full coverage. 

Finish: I'm going to call a dewy finish, it's not matte but I need the creaminess to combat my dry under eyes. 

Application: I only dip my finger into the pan and warm between my ring fingers, then pat onto my dark circles to 'melt' it into my skin. It really is very creamy.

Durability: You ABSOLUTELY need to set this with a powder, it's so creamy that it will definitely settle and move around if you don't set it. Just for extra insurance I use Urban Decay De-Slick Setting Spray before, then use a Clinique pressed powder, then use a setting spray again. It usually lasts about 6-7 hours but as I'm a bit of a smiler it does end up settling and becoming patchy.  

Colour Range: As you'd expect, Bobbi Brown has a really good range of colours. The shop assistant matched me up and surprisingly I find this is a perfect colour through summer and winter. 

Packaging: I really like the packaging, it feels really High End. Unlike many hinged packaged products, it hasn't broken in my handbag. It has a mirror but it is so tiny I've never used it. 

Price: £18 for 0.5oz 1.4g; I've had this for nearly a year and used nearly every day so I'd say its very worth the price (I always say that about everything!). You can buy it in a kit with a setting powder but 1. I think there are better powders out there that aren't so fiddly and 2. Should the powder smash, which they often do, you'd have powdery creamy concealer - that's a bit oxymoronic don't you think?

After with Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer

Summary: As you can see in the above photo, it doesn't 100% cover my dark circles. I don't think anything would; they are very determined to be seen. However it's the only concealer that doesn't cause my skin to almost crumble away, it covers really well and lasts FOREVER. I'd say this is a great concealer for older skin types and those with stubborn dark circles. 

Clarins Eye Revive Beauty Flash Balm Eye Cream Review

Clarins Eye Revive Beauty Flash Eye Cream Review

Background: I have genetic dark under eye bags coupled with dry and sometimes flakey skin in that area. So I've been dealt quite a crappy hand when it comes to the eye area. 

My eye bags in all their glory

Overview: Considering the price, this is a painfully average eye cream. It's averagely moisturising and substandardly de-puffing (I am making up words now to describe this average eye cream...). I really expected this to be very similar to the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm but it is just not. I think the Beauty Flash Balm would make a far better eye cream!

Consistency: It's a relatively thin cream, not luxuriously thick like its namesake's Beauty Flash Balm. 

Application: It takes quite a while to soak in and when it does it doesn't leave my eyes feeling particularly moisturised. Just to use this up, at night I'm mixing it with 8 hour cream to thicken it. It doesn't 'revive' my eyes in any shape or form. 

Packaging: The squeezy tube is kind of annoying, yes you can control the amount you use but I hate that bit when you're running low and you cramp your fingers up just trying to get the last dregs.. The dregs which last at least a week!

Price: £25.20 for 20ml on Feel Unique; I think that is extortionate for such an (I'll say it again) average eye cream! 

Summary: I loved the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm, that's why I bought this eyecream. However I don't know how they can include the name 'Beauty Flash' in the title as I can't see how the two products are in any way similar. The Boots No7 eyecream is far superior and less than half the price (with a £5 voucher and honestly I never buy that range unless armed to the teeth with a voucher!)

Review Clinique All About Eyes Eye Cream Review

Clinque All About Eyes Eye Cream Review  

Background: I have genetic dark under eye bags coupled with dry and sometimes flakey skin in that area. So I've been dealt quite a crappy hand when it comes to the eye area. 

Overview: For me, this is the BEST under eye cream I've tried. It does nothing in terms of my dark circles but it does de-puff them in the morning times (I generally wake up with eyes not dissimilar to those of a new born hamster) and makes concealer application a piece of cake. 

Consistency: Almost gel like, very rich and extremely moisturising

Application: I use the tiniest amount on my ring finger, rub said fingers together to warm it up and gently tap under my eyes. It sinks in fairly quickly, leaves no residue to cause makeup to slide but keeps area really hydrated

Packaging: It's a small glass jar; which I prefer because I can easily scrape out the dregs compared to a squeezy tube

Price: £24 for 15ml; a pot will last me about 5-6 months with daily use. I have never ever paid for this with cash, it lasts the exact amount of time it takes me to save up £24 worth of Boots Advantage Card points. However, I'd definitely fork out the cash as I think its totally worth it

Summary: I use this over top of an SPF 50 as insurance against eye wrinkles. I can't say whether it prevents them or not, I'm not a scientist but I love it as a preventative method of my concealer flaking and drying. 

To compare All About Eyes to All About Eyes Rich, I've had a sample of the latter and I don't think it's anywhere near as rich or moisturising as the original PLUS it makes my concealer move around and settle.  

Top Twelve Tips for Combating Acne

Top Twelve Tips for Combating Acne : How to Get Rid of Spots

*Disclamer* I'm not a dermatologist or an expert, these are merely the tips and tricks I learnt during my fight against spots and acne. These hints may be obvious, or useless! For me, the only thing that helped was a prescribed topical. However, these tips certainly help for healthier skin and a healthier body and may well help you.

Before

After

Drink lots of water! 

Don't go overboard, obviously. I used to drink a pink of water every other hour during office hours PLUS tea and coffee and evening drinks. I must have been consuming more than a gallon a day. I pretty much constantly needed a piss. 

Eight glasses a day is really vague, not everyone has the same size glasses scientist dummy! I would say 2 litres a day is plenty. Stay away from sugary drinks and alcohol (I should take that advice I'm such a ginner), not just because they dehydrate your skin but also because they're pretty bad for your body as a whole. 

Get Eight Hours Sleep

Body needs its rest. Will also help with stress levels. Stress can often be a contributor to skin problems, if you're well rested you're less likely to sweat the small stuff. 

Change your pillows and sheets 

At least every fortnight, better still every week. I used to have major grumpines with my partner about his laundry habits. Now I just take clean pillow cases round when I stay over. Pillows can harbour lots of germs so wash them occasionally too

Clean your phones

Where does your mobile go? Pocket, bottom of bag, tables, the floor...? And you press that thing against your face?! It's disgusting when you think about what grime must be on your phone... Just use a wet wipe to give it a clean every now and then. That goes for land lines as well. 

Don't touch your face

And if you have to, wash your hands first. Think about where your hands have been, handling money (that's been handled by god knows how many people first), stroking your pet (my dog rolled in fox shit last week but that's a whole nother absolutely traumatising story), opening a public bathroom door... 

Now I don't want to go Harold Hughes on you but if you're having problems with your skin, it's probably a bit sensitive so I'd advise treating your skin very delicately.

Also... DON'T pick your skin. That includes squeezing. No matter how tempting it might be, it will almost always look worse afterwards. It will just spread the bacteria and make your skin inflamed. Don't do it. I'm serious. 

Eat six a day

Try to make sure they're mainly vegetables; fruit contains a lot of sugar which is bad for your teeth. Spinach is great for iron, tomatoes for antioxidents, broccoli is f*cking delicious... If you want to look great on the outside a good start is to enrich your body from the inside. 

Get outdoors

My mum was actually prescribed a UV face lamp for her acne in her 20s. I'm not sure what the science is behind that but vitamin D levels are generally quite low; people spend so much time in doors and wear very high SPFs when they are outside. Vitamin D tablets are a good substitute but I find that being outdoors adds to my well being which in turn can reduce stress.

Keep active
Again, keeping healthy inside and out aren't exactly going to go against you when trying to get your skin clear

Cleansing is a separate step from removing makeup
I am CONSTANTLY chastising my friends and sister for this. I definitely used to be an offender; I'd use a soap to clean my face and that's it. What I discovered that when I started using a toner following washing my face, there would always be a grimy makeupy dirty residue on the cotton wool pad showing that I wasn't cleaning my face effectively. 
So, even if you just use something cheap olive oil or baby oil, use a separate makeup remover BEFORE cleansing your face; it's a much more fail safe way of getting all the days grime off your face.

THROW AWAY YOUR MAKEUP WIPES!

THEY HAVE NO PLACE IN YOUR FACIAL ROUTINE (in my humble opinion... I get a bit capslock happy when it comes to skin care). They don't do a good enough job on cleansing your precious skin and they are pften much more abrasive than your hands or a cotton pad and when your skin is sensitive, you don't want to be aggravating it. 

Clean your make up brushes

I used to never clean my brushes AND chuck them in my purse/handbag amongst all my other crap. How very naughty of me. Depending on your usage, I'd recommend cleaning your brushes every two weeks, and if you're taking them around in your bag, put them in a clean brush roll or cosmetic bag. 

Be patient
Something that my dermatologist told me is that skin is on a six week cycle. If you start doing something to treat your skin, you won't see the effects for up to six weeks. If you do anything to your skin, hang in there for the six weeks to find out if its effective or not. This is definitely the case with my skin and Epiduo... It just takes patience and staying positive, you will find the thing to help your skin eventually. In the mean time, deep breaths and keep smiling. 

*Other than the photos of myself, the other images are from multiple sources via google