I’m a total skincare junkie and while the Leaf could spend hours browsing in HMV, you’ll find me in Boots checking out the latest miraculous blemish treatment.
Effaclar: my skin saviour?
But there’s nothing worse than getting excited about a product that promises to get rid of your skin woes to find that, a few weeks on, you’re more red faced and pimpled, and your bank balance has taken a beating, too.
Well, meet the girl who has an unfortunate belief that “the product” is out there for me…somewhere. I recently thought I’d found it and sat on the tube on the way home beaming at the prospect that it was “the one”.
But two months on I felt like a spotty teenager. Not only had it set me back £10, but I now had a breakout that made me cringe when I saw my reflection.
About a year ago when I started this blog I talked about how my usual skincare routine was no longer working and that I was determined to find one that actually did what it said on the tin. Well, this is what I found:
Effaclar by La Roche Possay
My skin saviour for the best part of a year, Effaclar cleared up my aggravated skin and when used with Zineryt topical solution (prescribed by my doctor) I was actually pleased with the results.
But what started as a match made in heaven turned a bit stale. The Zineryt made my skin really dry in places so I decided to reduce how much I used it to once a day. I also decided to give Clarins skincare a go after asking about it in Debenhams. It was hard saying goodbye to my beloved Effaclar but I thought the grass could be greener on the other side…
Result: good for sensitive, blemished skin. I found that my skin got used to it after a while so decided to try something else.
Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Tamarind
I’ve never used a cleanser before that has made my skin feel so cleansed and soft! In short, this cleanser was really worth the money – £17 (ish) – but, again, we got bored of each other and decided to go our separate ways. But, it’ll always be dear to me…and who knows, we may meet again.
In all seriousness, I was told by the Clarins skincare advisor that even though I do have combination / oily skin, this cleanser was probably too drying for my skin and could be increasing my sebum production, therefore giving me more spots. I’m still not totally convinced she was right but at the same time I couldn’t justify paying out for another one when I heard that! (Yes, I’m easily influenced.)
Result: a great cleanser that made me feel like I’d had a facial every time I used it. But I still had spots. The search continues…
Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Cottonseed
Again, a really lovely product and perfect for dehydrated and sensitive skin. BUT, once my skin had regained its optimum moisture level it became a bit too heavy and after returning to the Clarins advisor for more samples, I had to accept this and move on. It was hard, but it just wasn’t “the one”.
Perfectil vitamins and Effaclar by La Roche Possay
I knew we’d meet again! Yes, after a year of battling with my skin I have decided to make amends with old friends and return to Effaclar. So far it has been okay but rather than give up immediately, I have decided to get a helping hand in the form of skincare vitamins.
Perfectil says it is the “UK’s No1 skin, care and nails formula” so I thought I’d give it a go. I’m a little bit concerned that one tablet contains 667% of my daily recommended amount of pantothenic acid, but I’ll try anything twice. I’ll keep you posted!
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