The Cost Of Skincare
Why must, even though they are of differing volumes and frequency of use, all skincare products run out at once? Today is a run down of my favourites, & a request for you to share yours.
I had a facial this week. I paid a humourless Danish Lady who smelt of Dove soap and cigarettes £80 to perform an excavation of my face, before proceeding to give it a “workout”. The workout consisted of fishhooking, nipping, pummelling, and some sort of apparent attempt to attach my lower lip to my forehead at one point. They say a woman is forced to abandon her dignity during childbirth, and while I don’t know much about such things, it is surely similarly humbling to have Danish Lady brandish a vial of gunk that you have squirrelled underneath your epidermis, albeit unknown to yourself. I walked in a 5/10, and walked out a 3, but Danish Lady said there is a chance that with my new skin I might level up to a 6/10 within 48-72 hours so that’s good, She looked pleased with her work by the end (although still disapproving of my face - my pores, my choice, lady) so that’s also something.
Anyway, she recommended I start using something called a glycolic cleanser to prevent myself becoming a dirt bird once again. She didn’t crack a smile when I said glycolic? systematic? hydromatic?…(it’s the opening lines of “Grease Lightning”, duh), which I was quite proud of given the mortification due to the gunk, facial assault and quick turnaround of the joke. One woman’s vial of face gunk is anothers shit joke, I suppose.
So can anyone tell me if they use one of these glycolic cleanser yokes and which one if so? Is there a specific glycolic cleansing aisle in Boots, or is it more of a Space NK job?
Somewhat aside, here is a rundown of what I do use on my imperfect face - a reference to this post earlier in the week that you should really read. Danish Lady is surely rolling her eyes at the thought of me recommending anything and making a note to pummel me harder as punishment the next time, but they definitely all play a role. Here goes:
Once/twice weekly:
Dermalogica Multivitamin Thermafoliant & Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery mask - £65 for 75ml each
These definitely do something good. I can’t be any more specific than that, something good happens from the neck up after I use these.
Dermaplaners - £3.50 for a 3 pack,
Essential these days. If you know, you know.
Cleansing:
No 7 Cleansing Balm - £12.50 for 150ml
Does the heavy lifting of the first cleanse, getting all the makeup out of the way before I go in to clean my skin with…
Estee Lauder Perfectly Clean Cream Cleanser (£28 for 150ml) OR Cerave Cream Cleanser - £15 for 200ml
I enjoy using either of these with a face halo, and before my trip to Danish Lady I considered that they do quite a good job, but looks like they are going to be substituted soon for the glycolic cleanser which I hope will have skin and therefore life altering properties.
Clarins clarifying lotion - £25 for 200ml
Again this does something good. And I like that I can rub it around my face with a cotton pad and confirm beyond reasonable doubt that my face is clean. I need that hard evidence.
Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream - £28 for 100ml
I like this for a morning, pre gym, face wash and seems to waken my face up.
Serums and Moisturisers:
Estee Lauder advanced night repair eye cream (£56 for 15ml), & Estee Lauder advanced night repair serum (£89 for 50ml)
To be honest Im not sure these really do anything other than make me feel like Im doing something proactive to prevent the descent into decrepit oldladysville, but they seem a good idea, and who am I if not someone who throws their money away foolishly on advertising campaigns and societal pressures?
Clinique moisture surge day cream - £42 for 50ml
Now this, I love. My skin loves it too. It is good stuff and it’s not as horribly expensive as other moisturisers out there,
Clinique Moisture Surge Night Mask - £40 for 100ml
Out of loyalty to my day cream, I use the night time version too, but it doesn’t capture my heart in the same way. Open to suggestions on this.
I make that £454 for the total stash if it were bought in one go, and I’m repurchasing many of them this week/next. Some, like the masks, I get 6 months out of, whereas some, like the eye cream it’s more like 6 weeks. I’d argue that it is a case of the the gender pay gap striking again, although I’m sure the obvious counter to that is that men have skin too. However, the counter to that counter is that they don’t have the same intensity of societal pressure or scrutiny on their looks, although granted, that is slowly changing.
So yes - two questions: does anyone use one of these glycolic cleaners and can recommend, and what else do people use on their faces that is a good idea?
Reply in the comments here if you can. That way you share the love with other readers.
Thanks in advance!
Back Wednesday with A LOT of summer dresses.
Until then
Big Love
Una
x
There is only one that I recommend, and I’ve tried a lot. This is the gold standard for me. Start using once a week and then go to twice a week if you tolerate it. It’s bloody amazing https://www.lookfantastic.com/alpha-h-liquid-gold-exfoliating-treatment-with-glycolic-acid-100ml/10243506.html
Try inkey list / ordinary for a basic glycolic - I don’t use personally but friends / folk online swear by them!