Image by @designbyaikonik
I think we can all agree that summer was hectic, fun filled and chaotic! Now my skin is paying the price for it. Breakouts have been the theme recently so I’ve been delighted to explore some old favourites and relearn how to support my skin barrier.
Starting things off strong with a body breakout and allergic reaction, that resulted in post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, with a hint of post inflammatory erythema. The month of August was dedicated to finding a body lotion that helped moisture and soothe my inflamed skin. After trying no less than six body lotions, I was pleasantly surprised when I dug out my Naturium Bio-Lipid Restoring Body Lotion from my skincare archive! Naturium is definitely a brand to watch as they make their way from across the pond to the UK. The Bio-Lipid Moisturiser is an ode to efficacious simplicity, containing squalane, triglycerides, panthenol and sodium PCA; all of which work harmoniously together to nourish and hydrate the skin.
One of my most recommended products is the Face Theory Lumizela 15% Azelaic Acid Serum, better known as ‘magic in a bottle’ to my community. Azelaic acid is such a star ingredient that fails to get its flowers, from dealing with breakouts to pigmentation, azelaic acid does it all. I particularly favour higher concentrations of azelaic acid for the hyperpigmentation benefits that are not accessible at lower concentrations. Face theory has made the genius blend of 15% azelaic acid with a small amount of salicylic acid and colloidal oats. Colloidal oats help to smooth and hydrate the skin whilst salicylic acid joins azelaic acid to exfoliate and smooth. Lumizela does take some getting used to, as some people report a slight tingling sensation upon application; to mitigate this I advise people to apply a small bit of moisturiser beforehand to create a buffer.
Finally, we have one of the coolest facial exfoliants that I’ve come across in a while, the Tatcha Rice Polish! Physical exfoliants stopped being trendy a while back, but like many I longed for the sensation of a scrub that would not completely destroy my skin barrier. It is no surprise that I am featuring Tatcha skincare again in my list of favourites, as Tatcha knows how to put a twist on a classic skincare product. The rice polish is by far one of the most customisable parts of my routine which makes it all the more exciting. Should my skin air on the drier side, I simply add more water to my rice polish solution to ensure that there are less scrubbing particles; the reverse is applicable when my skin is more oily.
September seems like it has a lot to offer the beauty world and I will be keeping my eye out for all the gems!
