#breakouts

[chasgow]

VKTMS, Breakouts, Red Rockers at Mabuhay Gardens, San Francisco August 1981.

[sulky-valkyrie]

Happy Friday!! For DADWC, maybe "I thought you said we had something worth fighting for- was that just another lie too?" for Anders/Nathaniel? 🥺

haiiiiiiii Gin, have a sequel to this for @dadrunkwriting

screenshot yoinked from this video, which is a delightful animated banter compilation

Trusting you was a mistake.

Anders’ parting shot and rage in his voice would've broken Nate's resolve if Loghain hadn't grabbed his elbow.  This contingency plan had been his wretched idea, brought up last night while they'd listened to his frantic pacing one room over.  Anders had said getting Karl out was the goal, that he'd burn the city down to see him free, so Nate had agreed to it as a last resort.

A last resort.  Not a bargaining chip to be tossed out at the merest hint of disagreement.  He barely heard, barely cared about Loghain and the Knight Captain's conversation as they walked through the same gate Anders had been dragged through moments before.  

“There's a list of the recently Harrowed in the Knight Commander’s –”

“Not necessary,” Loghain interrupted.  “I want someone seasoned.  A known quantity.  Already trained, not some barely housebroken robe barely able to tie his boots.”

Anders was more than that, you bastard.  He is more.

The Knight Captain cleared his throat.  “Traditionally, Wardens recruit from the Circle those who haven't yet proven themselves assets due to the risks of losing such valuable skills.”

Nate opened his mouth to snarl that they aren't assets, they're people, but Loghain stepped on his foot, grinding his mailed boot against the bone with an insincere apology, before sighing at the Knight Captain.  “A spirit healer should more than make up for any loss of revenue.  I want a list: men who've been Harrowed for at least five years with no disciplinary history.”

“Men only?” The Knight Captain's eyebrow arched up curiously.  “Are they better Wardens than women?”

Nate briefly entertained a fantasy of watching Velanna melt his eyeballs from his sockets as Loghain made up some drivel about recruitment quotas.  In truth, men made less dangerous Wardens, not better ones, but darkspawn breeding habits simply weren't a thing to discuss with the uninitiated.  

The Knight Captain sighed and changed course.  “Elsa would know best.”

“A moment.”  Loghain paused to fish a sealed letter out of his pouch.  “Give that to our former companion.”  He glanced at the Knight Captain.  “I assume he's been taken to your holding cells?”

The wax seal was imprinted with Brosca’ own signet (a stylized middle finger) and it wasn't addressed to Anders, but Nate.  He took the letter and he hid a frown.  This hadn't been in the plan.  In fact, they'd barely had a plan at all: trade Anders for Karl if they had to, then break Anders back out.  Details hadn't been important when they'd discussed hypotheticals last night, but now, the hypotheticals had become practicals, and only Loghain seemed to have any idea what was going on.  “Yes, ser.” He glanced at the Knight Captain, then quickly away.  The expression on his face when he'd cast that smite on Anders had been nothing short of cruel glee, more sickening to see than the way Anders had gone gray and stumbled into his captors’ grip.  “Where are the cells?”

“Up the right, down the hall, and on the left.”

Nate beat a hasty retreat.  An older Templar with steely gray hair was guarding the cell, though guarding it was a generous description.  He sat on a chair with his back to the opposite wall, arms folded, and head tilted to rest against the stone.  “Ready?” he asked without opening his eyes.

“For what?” Nate asked.

The Templar sat up in shock.  “Then you’re not…” he trailed off as his eyes traveled over Nate’s Warden armor.  “My mistake.  Knight Templar Emeric, at your service.”

What the void is going on?  “I’d like to speak to An – the prisoner.  In private.”

Emeric didn’t argue with him, just stood up and nodded crisply.  “Take your time.”  With that, he walked out.  What the void is going on?

Nate unfolded the letter as soon as the jingle of Emeric’s armor faded down the hall.  Another paper was inside, unaddressed and sealed.  Nate tucked it behind the message as he read Brosca’s blocky handwriting.  And read it again. 

Carta smuggles lyrium in through Templar barracks.  Been paying out my own pocket so they smuggle some other things out too.  Find the one who knows about Harrith. Give the other letter to Anders.

Did Brosca plan this?  Or just plan for it?  Did Loghain know?  Is that why he insisted on coming along?  The Commander hadn’t even been at Vigil’s Keep when they’d left, so he must’ve had the letters already.  

With more confidence than he felt, Nate approached the bars.  “Anders, I’m getting you out.”

The cell didn’t even have a bed.  Just two stools and manacles embedded in the walls.  Anders sat on one of the stools and stared at the ground.  His left arm hung limply at his side, shoulder still dislocated, and, even in the flickering torchlight, Nate could see a bruise darkening his cheek.  Maker, he's been in custody barely twenty minutes.  “Fuck off, Howe.  Just take Karl and go.”

“Loghain's taking care of that.”  I hope.  “And I'm taking care of you.”  I hope. 

“Taken care of me enough, I think,” he snarled.  “Don't worry, they'll finish the job.”  He hiccuped and covered his mouth as he shuddered.  “They must lace their magebane with something; even if I had mana, it'd be hard to cast when I feel like I might throw up any minute now.  Good thing for the both of us, I guess.  Asshole.”

Nate held up the smaller letter.  The movement caught Anders’ attention, and he glanced up before flicking his eyes away with a scowl.  “Brosca sent this.  For you.  Loghain had it.”  He tossed it into the cell.

Anders watched it flutter to the ground but made no move to pick it up.  “Don't want it.  Don't want anything from you.  Or them.”  He turned away, wincing when his arm brushed the edge of the stool.  “You didn't have to come.  Neither of you.  Could’ve just let me go, and probably got the same result: me, gone.  But no, you had to tag along, and for what?  Just make sure they did it properly?  You going to stay and watch the branding?  Report back that the infamous apostate and troublemaker is done for?”

“It wasn't –”

“You said you cared, Nate,” Anders interrupted softly.  “That we – that Karl and I had something worth fighting for, and, Maker damn me, I believed you.  When did it change? Or was it always a lie?  Would you rather see me dead than with anyone else?  Was that it?”

Nate rubbed his face.  “I'm trying to get you out, Anders.”

“You fucking put me here.”

The clank of Templar boots startled them both. “Just read the fucking letter,” Nate hissed before turning around.

It was Emeric again.  He was sweating and his cheeks were red, as if he was unused to running.  “I said take your time, but the Knight Commander is not happy about your choice of conscriptee.”

Nate glanced down at the message again.  “I’m looking for someone who knows Harrith?”

“Thank the Maker,” Emeric sighed.  He pulled out his keys and unlocked Anders’ cell.  “Nothing to be done about the magebane, I’m afraid.  Or your arm.”  He frowned as Anders stood up.  “Or your face.  Wilmod and Mettin are… overzealous.  It wasn’t like this when I joined.”  

As he stepped out, Anders muttered something that sounded like, “heard that before.”  The letter was in his hand and open.  He didn't look pleased about its contents, but Nate couldn't care less what he thought as long as it got him out.

That said, he couldn’t simply ignore his injuries.  He pulled a small healing potion from his pouch and held it out.  Anders stared at it for a few moments then rolled his eyes.  “The void am I going to do with that when I can't use my fucking arm?”

Asshole. “Generally, you drink it.”

Emeric shooed them down the hall.  “Keep going, lads; the tunnel is behind my wardrobe and it gets harder to move myself every year.  You know, I haven't done this since Maddox's – nevermind.  Used to be one or two a month before Commander Stannard and her roll calls and mandatory counts twice a day, and when Maurevar was doing it, we could slip out one a week to the Collective.”  He paused at the door.  “Harrith visited when he was dying.  Lyrium, you know.  It kills us all eventually, either from too much or not enough.  They told me everything.  The Carta, the Collective, the deals.  It's never been enough, but it was the best we could manage.  I took it over…  oh, about six years ago.  Easy money, I thought.  But it wasn't.  Instead I just see all the mages I can't help.  The ones the Collective doesn't know about.  The ones who can't pay the Carta for protection.”  

He shook his head as he walked to the edge of the wardrobe and pushed.  It barely shifted an inch, and he sighed as he glanced at Nate.  “That Warden strength might come in useful right about now.”

Nate stuffed Brosca’s letter in his pocket, then moved next to Emeric.  “Where's it going?”

“Just away from the wall.”  Emeric stepped back and grabbed a lantern.  

It scraped on the floor as Nate shoved it across the room to reveal a stone archway.  It looked like the opening had been plastered over years ago, and he ran his fingers over it skeptically.  “Your entrance is lacking.”

Anders snorted.  “That's what she said.”

“You think a smuggler tunnel would survive if we just hid it with furniture?” Emeric chuckled.  He turned to hand the lantern to Anders, frowned at his limp arm, and set it down on the desk.  “It's a rune.  Designed by one of the first mages Maurevar helped.  Said he learned it from the Wardens.”  He pulled a knife off his belt and slashed his hand.  “Responds to lyrium infused blood, so only a Templar can open it.  And no Templar would be foolish enough to wound himself in the presence of an apostate, of course.”  He cut the back of his wrist, then smeared it on his fingers before touching them to seven spots on the wall.  It glowed green, then vanished into mist as he gestured toward Anders.  “The tunnel leads down to a small harbor.  Take the skiff and follow the shore away from Kirkwall until you reach a cave marked with dwarven carvings.  The Carta know the boat, and will take you wherever you need to go.”

Nate grabbed the lantern.  “Let's go, then.”

Anders shook his head.  “Get Karl out.  I'll meet you at the inn, Andraste willing.”

“You're just – what if it's a trap?” Nate spluttered, then glanced at Emeric.  “No offense intended, of course, just – Anders, are you certain?”

“Get. Karl. Out.”  He pressed the note into Nate's palm.  “We'll figure the rest out later.  Or not.  I don't care.”

He looked down.  More blocky script.

If he doesn’t bring you back, he dies.  My word as a thief.

“Well,” Nate mumbled.  “And here I was thinking death threats were behind us.”

Anders grinned sadly.  “Welcome to the Wardens.”  With that, he ducked under the archway and disappeared into the dark.

[saturnbellfromhell]

SKINCARE HOLY GRAILS

So today's post is something a bit different than my usual. If I'm not reading and exploring astrology, I'm wrapped up in my robe doing my skincare. I've had a tough year with many breakouts, even though I've never had problems before. After many trials and errors I've come to make the routine that has helped my skin tremendously! I still do battle some hormonal breakouts and dark spots, but they are fading away as we speak. So today I'm sharing some tips and tricks, holy grails and routines that helped my skin flourish!

❕I want to add a disclaimer that I am by no means a cosmetologist nor dermatologist. If you can, I highly advise you to visit a dermatologist to help out in the skin department.

With that being said I'll firstly talk about a routine called SKIN CYCLING before we get into the products.

🤍Skin cycling is a process where you literally "cycle" products so you don't breakout. This is also an amazing tactic if you're adding a new product to your routine. My skin is highly reactive and sensitive, so by just putting something with a new ingredient on my face everyday, it will cause severe purging or even breakouts. I've had this happend when using salicylic acid. I would read how it's good to purge and waited a month and the breakouts kept coming. It was painful and ugly. So I decided to skin cycle and I've never had a problem with salicylic acid ever again.

My cycle consists of 4 days:

1. Normal skincare

2. Normal skincare

3. Exfoliation night

4. Recovery night

You go back and forth with your exfoliation and recovery nights and normal skincare. I find that by doing this my skin is never dry, patchy or iritated. For each of these days I have different moisturizers.

I would firstly recommend if you're starting off to just find an amazing cleanser, moisturizer and spf cream. Later you can add on, experiment with serums, retinols etc... If you have a damaged skin barrier be sure to stick to soothing cleansers and moisturizers. Don't beat your face, it will not be forgiving...trust me.

🤍Some of my tips&tricks I've learned over the years:

▫️Do your night routine atleast an hour before going to bed, so the products doesn't just end up on your sheets.

▫️Change your bed sheets every 5-7 days, I change every 5 days, but a week is totally fine.

▫️Stop touching your face after touching your hair. Your hair has many natural oils and putting it on your face afterwards can cause a breakout.

▫️Double cleansing is a must in the nighttime routine, especially if you wear makeup or work in a dusty environment.

▫️Really learn about your skin before getting into skincare, you have to know  what you're dealing with. This is the biggest tip I have. The more you know your skin, the better products you'll find for your it.

▫️I know this is a classic one, but diet is really important. Even though I'm not that sensitive to this, I know many are. Dairy, fatty foods, fast food, snacks, soda, sugar and alcohol can have a huge impact how your skin treats you. By all means this DOESN'T mean you can't eat anything. Cut one out and bring it back to see if there's any change. For me I eat sugar only on special events and I watch out with my alcohol intake.

▫️Put different moisturisers on different parts of your face. In my nighttime routine I have two moisturizers one that I put on my oily parts and the other that I put on my really sensitive and reactive parts. This one is a personal tip and it helped me a lot. Since my cheeks are so dry I can't use the same moisturiser on my cheeks and my chin ,my chin is very oily, has whiteheads  and is prone to a lot of breakouts. My chin can take stronger ingredients and even fragrance, but my cheek area is strictly for soothing creams with no perfume whatsoever.

🤍HOLY GRAILS

So I'll put the products into 4 sections, because I use them separately.

1. Morning Holy Grails

🤍 The Holika Holika Aloe Cleansing Foam

This product is the one I repurchase every month or two. If I had to choose the product that saved my skin, ding ding she gets the reward. It takes off makeup, cleanses your skin without it feeling stripped away, it leaves such a glow afterwards. I'm obsessed with this cleanser. It's also suitable for me in the summer and winter!

🤍 Cerave Hydrating cream-foam Cleanser

This one is a classic in the skincare community, because it does what it needs to do! I used this cleanser for 2 years until buying the Holika one. Cerave is the best big store brand for me. It never caused any damage to my skin, it's dermalogically tested and all their products are fragrance free. Simple, inexpensive and good. A good starter cleanser in my opinion.

🤍 Skin 79's Calming Aloe Vera Gel

You can see a pattern, aloe vera is the ingrediant for me! This gel has been a staple in my routine for atleast 3 years. It's an amazing layering moisturizer in the winter and daily moisturizer in the summer. It's fresh and light on the skin. Helps with dark spots and makes skin appear so bouncy!

🤍 Cerave Daily Moisturising Cream

Also another classic one, but I haven't found my perfect morning cream to date. This one is also fast and simple. It's lightweight, has hyaluronic acid and is really easy to use. It keeps the face nicely moisturized threw the day! This one is more of a summer moisturizer or if I'm staying in. The one labeled dry to extra dry I get in the winter!

2. Nighttime Holy Grails

🤍 CORSX Snail 96 Mucin

It's a little bit on the pricer side so I only use it before sleeping! It's amazing for repairing a damaged skin barrier and just the glow you get afterwords! Also amazing for recovery days.

🤍 The Effaclar Duo(+) from La Roche Posay

This is the star of the show! If I had to pick a favorite cream it goes to this one! This cream absolutely changed how I looked in a matter of 2 weeks. It exfoliates dead skin cells, reduces the look of dark spots and is very gentle! Highly recommend this even though it's also on the pricer side, but it's worth it.

🤍 La Roche Posay Lipikar Baume

Another La Roche product, because they are so good in my eyes. This moisturizer was introduced by my brother who has eczema and dermatitis. I used it on my cheeks one time and feel in love. It is a winter cream since it's very inriched. It's not heavy on the face and I use it if I've been out the whole day and the wind ate up my skin. It does wonders for my hands and knuckles since they are prone to being extra dry aswell. It's also good for recovery days!

3. Exfoliation Holy Grails

🤍 Cerave SA Soothing Cleanser

This cleanser is really rough on skin if I use it everyday, but every 4th day it does the job! I can tell it helps clear out my whiteheads and blackheads. I use it on my T zone area every 4 days and on my cheeks every 8th day, since they are so sensitive. Once I learned how to properly use this cleanser my skin has been doing amazing.

🤍 Aztec Clay Mask

A very popular product and I get why! This clay mask is better for me in the summer since it is so intense. I mix it with water and leave it on 5-7 minutes.

🤍 Inninisfree Pore Cleaning Clay Mask

I found out about this clay mask last summer and I can't describe how much I adore it. It's a more gentle clay mask where you don't feel any pulling sensation. I use this one in the winter more since it is so gentle. Highly recommend this aswell!

4. Recovery Day Holy Grails

🤍 La Roche Posay Lipikar cleanser

This cleanser is very rich and soft, I stay away from it on a daily basis because it's too heavy for everyday use. This cleanser is for very iritated and dry skin. I use this after my exfoliation night to bring back some moisture to my skin. It's extremely soothing and good for people with dry, itching and sensitive skin.

🤍 La Rosay Posay Cicaplast Baume B5+

This is a skin savior! Also it's a little pricey, but since I don't use it very often it's worth the price. This cream is amazing in recovery, to repair the skin barrier and for any anomalies. For example for the past week I've been down with the flu, after wiping your nose 1001 times the nose area can become quite inflamed, red and iritated. After using this two days in a row you can't even tell I had a runny nose, it's that amazing.

- just to be clear I have combination skin that is very dry mostly so a lot of these products are not for acne prone skin. The only products I would recommend to oily and acne prone people are the aloe vera, snail mucin and the effalcar duo!

🤍Hope you enjoyed and if ypu have any questions, I'll anwser them all in the comments!

Xoxo Numa

[soovyclub]

6 Steps How To Get Rid Of Hormonal Acne Looking for ways to get rid of hormonal and cystic acne? Here's how to reduce breakouts and achieve a clearer complexion and boost skin health. https://www.soovy.club/blog/how-to-get-rid-of-hormonal-acne

[lotionsandlipsticks]

My current go-to products for breakouts 👇

My breakouts are largely under control due to the contraceptive pill, but that doesn’t mean I’m completely immune to some during that time of the month. While I don’t get the typical painful and deep breakouts that I used to get, when my skin decides to play up I usually suffer from small whiteheads or little red bumps instead. Here are the products I’m currently reaching out for when I need to give my skin some extra special care✨

1. A niacinamide toner

Niacinamide is probably my favourite skincare ingredient of all time, as it gently reduces inflammation and excess oil on the skin without causing irritation. I’m currently using a niacinamide toner by Q+A, which thoroughly hydrates your skin while calming down your pimple party. I prefer to use it once a day at night-time simply because it’s slightly too heavy for the day, but if you have drier skin than me then twice a day would be great for you!

2. A zinc serum 

Zinc is another fab ingredient for breakouts, as it tackles bacteria on the skin while also reducing oil. My current zinc product-of-choice is the zinc serum by Q+A, which sinks into the skin so quickly and has a lovely, light texture. I like using this in the morning when my skin needs just a little bit of extra nourishment before my moisturiser, without feeling too heavy or tacky on the skin. 

3. A salicylic-based spot treatment 

Now, I’m not a massive fan of salicylic acid in general  for all-over use as my skin tends to react pretty badly to it, but using a targeted spot treatment always seems to do the trick at banishing breakouts in a jiffy. My all-time favourite spot treatment is the Advantage Spot Control Treatment Gel by Clean & Clear which uses 2% salicylic acid, and it starts to soothe any swelling in record time. 

4. Aloe vera gel 

When my skin is having a bit of a moment, I can’t bear the thought of using creamy, occlusive creams in the daytime as it feels like I’m smothering my skin. So in these moments of need, I turn to aloe vera gel. The one I’m using right now is by Atlantia, which I bought in Spain last year but any pure aloe vera gel will do. It has a super light texture, absorbs pretty quickly and keeps my skin looking dewy without being greasy, and any good aloe vera gel product should do the same for you too! 

What are some of your holy grail breakout products? 👀  

[teenage-mutant-ninja-freak]

could we plz have the turtles react to their s/o being super self conscious after a pre-period acne breakout and they hate how they look, try to hide their face etc?? ty ur blog is LIT 🔥

Thank you so much!! Also I get really bad acne too, so I understand how hard it can be xox

Leo

So you don’t normally wear makeup around Leo

but tonight as he comes through your window you’re hurriedly slopping on as much foundation as you can

“what are you doing?”

“nothing, just don’t- don’t look at me yet I’m not ready!”

he kind of chuckles a little and walks over to gently take your hand and stop you

“so ok, I know I don’t look my best but it’ll go away when my period is over I swear!”

he looks at your face and smiles, leaning in to kiss around your chin where most of the acne is forming

“don’t be silly and take that makeup off. You look just fine, doll”

he makes a point to spend the rest of the night kissing you all over your face and telling you that he wouldn’t change you for the world

Raph

Ok so you get to the lair in makeup, just the full beat

which is unusual for you after a long week

but Raph just compliments how good you look and how well you’ve done your makeup and forgets about it

that is until you go to bed and you won’t take it off

“yer gonna get foundation all over my sheets. Take that shit off!”

you say you can’t because you’re having a breakout at the moment 

he gives you a fed up look and tilts his head to the side as if you say “really?! like you think I care”

“If you don’t take it off, I’m getting the hose and spraying you down...”

so you finally do and kind of cover your face as you leave the bathroom telling him not to look at you

but he rips your hands away from your face and stares down at you

“damn, you made it sound like it would be bad. It’s a few pimple, so what?”

he’s just so unfazed by it that it calms you down quite a lot

he just tells you to get your ass in bed and stop being so dramatic

Mikey

So you get tot he lair with your hood up and the draw strings of your hoodie pulled close so that pretty much just your nose and eyes can be seen

“this a new look? Are people doing this now? It looks weird”

you tell him “no, I’m having a pre period breakout and I look terrible”

he sees this as a challenge and is immediately on you pulling the hood away as you scream at him not to

he smiles when he sees you 

“there’s that pretty face!”

“Mikey, shut it. I look like a pizza”

he tells you that he loves pizza and loves your face!

“hey, I’m green and scaly and you still love me. A few pimples isn’t gonna stop me loving you. You still look beautiful”

he really means it, with those big puppy eyes looking into your soul

so you just smile, thank him and try and feel a little better about yourself

Donnie

Donnie gets to your place and you keep the light slow and don’t really look at him so he knows something is up

finally he just straight up asks “what is going on?”

you tell him you feel embarrassed because you have this pre period acne that you can’t get rid of

he laughs a little and tells you he used to get acne as a teen so it’s nothing he hasn’t seen before

“come here, let me look at you!”

he takes your face in his hands and kisses your forehead before looking down at you

“it’s nothing to be insecure about, loads of people get it and beside it doesn’t take away from how gorgeous you are, darling”

he does give you a little advice tho

to cut out dairy before you’re gonna be on your period and to wash your face in the morning and before bed to help stop it getting quite as bad

“that’s what I had to do and it made it easier”

you spend the rest of the night with him giving you adoring looks and occasionally just saying “so beautiful” under his breath

[makeuptips-]

Acne Cleansing Tips Best Cleansers for Acne

Skin with acne requires a special type of attention, whether your acne is caused by hormones, diet, genetics, makeup (or wearing a mask!) acne can be a stubborn skin concern. Cleansing is an essential step to help reduce acne, but it's not as simple as washing your face with a cleanser and some water. From scrubs to acids, and the double cleansing method; when it comes to acne, cleansing the skin is important.

PHOTO COURTESY HONEST BEAUTY

Skip Scrubs

Scrubs which exfoliate and remove dead skin cells can seem like a good thing for those with acne and blemish prone skin, but they can often do more harm than good. If you have prominent acne on your skin, it’s best to avoid cleansers containing scrub ingredients (such as beads, coffee granules or other coarse ingredients).These ingredients can irritate & disturb acne, causing bacteria to spread over the skin and become pushed deep into the pores. Instead, opt for a chemical based exfoliant containing enzymes and acids such as AHA (alpha hydroxy acids) and BHA (beta hydroxy acids).

PHOTO: EVANGELINE SARNEY

Incorporate Acids

Saliyicic acid a BHA (beta hydroxy acids) glycolic acid an AHA (alpha hydroxy acids) and other ingredients in this acid category work to exfoliate skin and lift away dead skin cells. Salicylic acid is an intense treatment which dissolves oils and works to deeply clean pores, making it perfect for those with acne. Other ingredients providing similar benefits include witch-hazel, and tea-tree oil, both of which have anti-bacterial properties. Low concentration AHA’s & BHA’s are a gentler alternative which are best suited for acne-prone skin and keeping acne at bay.  Choosing a cleanser which incorporates these ingredients can assist in clearing up acne and preventing future breakouts.

Avoid Harsh and Drying Cleansers

Many foaming and cleansing gels can be fantastic for oily, congested, and acne-prone skin, but be sure to inspect the ingredient lists. Some cleansers geared towards oilier skin types can be loaded with harsh chemicals and surfactants which strip skin of natural oils. When a cleanser strips skin of its natural oils, it often results in a "over drive" process occuring. When this happens, the skin over produces oil to compensate for any natural oils which have been stripped away (thus creating more acne!) Instead try a gentle cleansing gel, and avoid soap-based cleansers, notably those with a high concentration of sulfates.

 PHOTO: EVANGELINE SARNEY

Double Cleanse

Double cleansing is one of the best things you can do for your skin, regardless of your skin type or condition. If you regularly wear makeup it’s incredibly beneficial to first cleanse with a cleansing oil, balm, or gel. The first cleanse in your skin care routine will break up heavy makeup. If you have oily and congested skin don’t be afraid of cleansing oils. The simple rule of science (oil is attracted to oil) can actually regulate oil production, helping to reduce excess oil and acne.

PHOTO: EVANGELINE SARNEY

Finish with a Micellar Water

For the second step in your cleansing routine, a micellar water is undoubtedly one of the best products you can use. With specialized technology, micellar waters contain special micelles which become like a “magnet” for makeup, oils, and dirt. Even after you’ve already cleansed your skin, you are likely to be surprised by the amount of left-over makeup a micellar water can remove from the skin. It’s important to note you must use a cotton fibre to apply and cleanse with micellar water for the best results. Micellar water also has the added benefit of toning the skin and regulating the pH balance to ensure skin is at optimal health.

 RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Micro-Peeling Purifying Gel (contains Salicylic Acid)

Caudalie VinoPure Purifying Gel Cleanser (contains Salicylic Acid)

Murad Blemish Control Clarifying Cleanser (contains Salicylic Acid)

Weleda Blemished Skin Purifying Gel Cleanser (contains Willow Bark)

Tata Harper Nourishing Oil Cleanser

Boscia MakeUp BreakUp Cool Cleansing Oil

Bioderma Sebium h2o Purifying Cleansing Micelle Solution Micellar Water

Avene Cleanance Micellar Water