Elemis Skincare Routine (Guest Post)

Today is a pretty special blog post as it is the first Guest Post on my blog and I plan to do more. My lovely friend and flatmate has decided to share her favourite skincare products with us. I am sure you must have heard me mention her a few times on this blog and maybe seen her picture on a few occasions.

Remember my Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir and Peony and Blush Suede Fragrance--well, she bought those for me, isn't she a sweetheart?  She has really lovely skin although she never agrees when I say so but she does. One of the secrets to her skin, as she tells me, is the skincare routine and regimen she has stuck to for a while. She is a huge fan of Elemis which is perfect and works really well for her so I asked her to share with us her thoughts on these products. I do hope you enjoy this post and let us know what your favourite skincare product is. I would leave you to her able hands. You can leave her comments or questions below this post and she will reply. I have told her she needs to start her own blog but she keeps smiling and saying "Nah!!". Enjoy..

Guest Post- My favourite skincare products

I wish I could say that I have a huge selection of cleansers and toners on my bathroom shelf that I can dip into every now and again, but the truth is I only have two products that I have been using for the last year and a half or so. Let’s rewind a little bit to where my journey began. I have a pretty sensitive skin and suffer from eczema since I was about 12 years. I have tried lots of different products to find the one that agrees with my skin and would not cause any flare ups.

I am a big Jo Malone fan and swore by their skincare range until it was discontinued. Needless to say, this brought me great sadness. After many years of trying drugstore brands like Clean and Clear, Clearasil, Olay (the list goes on), I knew Jo Malone’s discontinuation of their skincare range meant I had to start the hunt for a new product all over again. Like any other desperate person that hears such news, I stocked up on my products before they disappeared off the shelves. 

My quest for a new face wash and toner started off with Clarins. Since I have such sensitive skin, I was recommended to use the Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Shea Butter which is for dry/sensitive skin. I am not keen on cream cleansers due to my skin being particularly sensitive to a lot of creams and lotions but I decided to give it a shot. About a couple of months into using the cleanser, I had a break out /flare up which is very unusual to anything I have ever had. I had really dark spots covering most of my forehead (sort of like scars from a pimple) and it wasn’t pretty! I continued using the cleanser but it seemed to make it worse at times and other time,  it didn't do much to help control the breakouts. Clarins have a lot of great products that work for other people. I eventually decided it was high time to found another cleanser that would work for me. And Voilà!! I moved onto Elemis. It was purely by chance and a distant memory of one of my friend’s constantly going on about how good their products are.

How the Elemis Fresh Skin Clear Purifying Face Wash works for me

I chose the Elemis Fresh Skin Skin Clear Purifying Face Wash because I needed something that would help control my breakout. This particular range is aimed at teenagers and 20-somethings, who generally have sensitive skins prone to breakouts. The main things that I love about this product are the fact that it’s not a cream cleanser and you get a really good foaming effect. It leaves my skin feeling fresh, really clean, but not dry which is a difficult balance to strike. It also has a pleasant citrus-like smell which is pretty delicate and subtle.

When I began using it, I saw a big difference within a couple of days. The dark spots on my forehead were visibly fading which I found incredibly hard to believe. But other people also noticed so that’s a sure sign it wasn't my imagination. The Elemis Face Wash coupled with steaming my face weekly improved my skin quite dramatically and moreover, all the dark spots faded within about 4 – 5 weeks. I have to admit; it just brightens up my face! I do swear by this cleanser and it has remained my favourite for a while now. The retail price is around £13 for 100ml which makes it fairly affordable. I do feel that it would work on different skins and you don’t need to be a teen or in your early 20s.

How I use the Elemis Blancing Lavender Toner

Lavender toners are usually my go-to products because I feel they are safe and you pretty much know what to expect. The Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner is quite gentle and works well with the Freshskin Skin Clear Purifying Face Wash. I find it mild which is how I like my toners. It doesn't have any alcohol or other harsh chemicals so you don’t get that stinging sensation that you sometimes experience with other brands. The smell of lavender is always a great added bonus, which helps relax and clarify the mind. I feel the toner just adds to the fresh, clean feeling when I wash my face. I’ve been using it for just over a year now and I will definitely be sticking with it. Price wise, it’s a little bit on the expensive side retailing at around £22.50 for 200ml but I think it’s money well spent. You don’t need to use lots because of the spray/nozzle container so I find that it lasts quite long. 

Overall Thoughts

I do plan to try out other Elemis products at some stage but for now these are the only two cleansing products on my bathroom shelf. They do a great job for my everyday cleansing and toning needs as well as on those occasions when I wear makeup and need a thorough removal! I hope you enjoyed this post and do tell me what skincare product you absolutely swear by?...xx