I haven’t written anything about skincare for a long time, however now that my skin is better than ever I think the products I’m using are worth a separate post. 

My skin is combination and acne-prone with acne scarring (which has almost disappeared, keep on reading how). Every other day I use tretinoin prescription-only ointment that helps with acne, although it sensitizes my skin so I need to be very careful with what products I use. 

Everyday skincare 

For both morning and evening cleanse I’ve been using Clinique Liquid Facial Soap Mild which cleanses well without stripping the skin and leaving it dehydrated. If I’m wearing makeup, in the evening I double cleanse by removing my makeup first with The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil. 

After cleansing it’s time for a moisturizer. I don’t use any toner – my skin prefers a routine as minimal as possible and a toner is an additional product that could potentially be irritating. 

I recently discovered a truly amazing day moisturizer which I definitely would like to share with you. Cicapair by Dr. Jart is perfect for those with combination but sensitive skin prone to redness or just those of you who don’t like to wear makeup. In the jar it’s a green moisturizer with particles of red pigment that could look worrying, however it blends in perfectly and oxidizes to skin color, working like a very light, skin-friendly BB cream. It evens out the skin tone and is a skincare product in one, which saves you one step in the morning. It also has SPF 30 so they really didn’t forget about anything!

In the evening, if I’m not using retinoids I reach for Aesop Fabulous Face Oil instead of a cream. It visibly improved my skin texture in the past year, making it look healthier, firm and nourished. If I have any blemishes forming I go for Mario Badescu Drying Lotion spot treatment which is truly a holy grail product. Not only it can dry any blemishes really fast but if you use it on post-acne dark spots it fades them within a few nights. The only other way I know to get this good results in this short time is to have laser, which is FAR more expensive. I tried many products and home remedies for dark spots and nothing compares to this powerful treatment.

Pamper session

Of course everyday skincare is not everything. Once or twice a week I do a deep cleanse and an anti-aging or brightening mask. 

My exfoliant of choice is Moroccan black soap which works as an enzymatic peel. You rub a bit between your hands, apply on your face like a mask and leave for around 10mins when it literally melts off dead skin cells. After exfoliating I use a Korean sheet mask, some of my favorite being by Holika Holika, Missha or PureHeal’s. I just make sure it doesn’t contain silicones (pore clogging) or alcohol (drying and pro-aging). I prefer those that are nourishing (like PureHeal’s Propolis and Rose Callus), brightening (Holika Holika Pearl mask being my favorite) or anti aging (Missha 3-step mask with collagen). 

If my skin feels a bit dull or clogged during the week I’ll repeat the process, replacing Moroccan soap with Sephora white clay mask which deeply purifies the skin but is also very gentle. 

Do you use any of the products mentioned? What are your holy grail skincare products?