Current Beauty Regime: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, L'oreal Anti-shine Icy Gel with Embryolisse, Vichy, Nivea and Shu Uemura

Hello hello!

I don't usually discuss about beauty products since i don't test out that many of them but i think it would be a good idea to share the ones i've been sticking to for the past few years.

My 27-year-old skin data are basically:

- combination to oily; my face feels tight after cleansing but would turn oily after a while on the T-zone

- prone to little spots around forehead and chin; not too often though

- prone to nasty bumps along cheekbones; this only developed two years ago after i used an anti-aging range from a respectable brand

- blackheads on the nose and around it

- unknown skin condition where super tiny bumps form in random spots around my face and cannot be removed (note: looking around for a supergood dermatologist that won't cost a lot to check this out)

My skin has been very nice to me lately and it is because of the products i list down below. Unlike before, i'm now quite the loyal product user; once i know it works well on my skin, i try not switch to anything else as my skin really doesn't like being a guinea pig! 

Here are my favourite products for throughout my day.

Morning Routine

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

- There are two types of Cetaphil cleanser sold in major pharmacies in Malaysia: for all skin types and for oily skin. I've used both but i don't notice any significant difference in using either so i find no use in using the more expensive 'for oily skin' one.

I just bought a new bottle of it and was surprised to read the instruction at the back.

It doesn't mention anything about rinsing the cleanser off. Isn't that odd? You're supposed to just wipe it off with a cloth after applying it. I must say i find that so odd that i've discarded that piece of advice and have continued to rinse it off anyway.

L'oreal Paris Hydrafresh Anti-shine Icy Gel

- This moisturiser (not gel, i don't know why they're calling it gel. i guess it's gel-like cream...?) claims to be "durably hydrating & mattifying icy gel". I agree with the words "durable", "hydrating" and "mattifying"; L'oreal definitely delivered those things with this product.

Other moisturisers i've tried would just turn shiny 5 minutes after application but i am extremely happy with the mattifying power of this one. I don't have to worry about it being compatible with foundations either; this works fine underneath any primer and foundation i use.

Night Routine

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre

- Sadly, oh-so-sadly, this brand isn't available in Malaysia, nor anywhere near Malaysia (as far as i know and have Googled). This is actually my last tube and i know i will be extremely bummed once this tube runs out.

I've tested some night-time moisturisers that are available locally but they're always too greasy and would result in spots. So, please, if you have any suggestion for a good night-time cream that wouldn't result in spots (i mind the greasiness less), do recommend it to me, pretty please! I do prefer pharmacy/drugstore products, but if you're using some sort of a miracle high-end night cream, i'm game for it too. Just leave a comment down below and i would be ever grateful.

Vichy Normaderm Nuit

- I tried Vichy Normaderm's range back in Paris but it didn't fare so well on me, but i have since stick with their night cream. It has salicylic acid as the active ingredient, which helps in maintaining the blackheads on my nose.

I apply this only on my nose and Embryolisse would go everywhere else.

The downside? Of course, this, too, isn't available in Malaysia. I'm a little comforted by the fact that i can find some creams that contain salicylic acid in the pharmacies here; hopefully they could work just as well in combatting blackheads!

Removing Makeup

Nivea Refreshing Facial Cleansing Wipes

- My older sister is a part-time model so she was the one who taught me the best yet simplest way to remove makeup. First, it is crucial to get rid of all eye gunks first: eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara and whatnots using a facial wipe. I always use two wipes to properly clean my eyes as i used waterproof makeup a lot. 

I like this Nivea one as it smells nice and it does the job. I've used makeup-removing wipes from different brands before but i somehow developed bumpy, painful spots with them. Miraculously, after switching to Nivea (and maintaining usage of other products), the spots stopped appearing.

Shu Uemura Skin Purifier

- Cleansing oils are always incredible at removing makeup and i especially like the ones from Shu Uemura as they work the best. There are a few different coloured bottles of cleansing oil in Shu Uemura; i use the pink-hued one, which is supposedly the most suitable for combination skin.

I would use one or two pumps of the oil, massage it all over my face and under my jaw, wet my hands and massage my face again until the oil turns milky white, and rinse off with water. Almost a 100% of your makeup can be removed this way so that's amazing and incredibly time-saving.

I used to use this straight without using the facial wipes first but my sister Fiza told me that was a bad idea; as amazing as cleansing oils are, they don't necessarily work well on your mascara and eyeliner, especially the waterproof versions. 

I learned this the hard way too; about two years ago i got myself an eye infection. The doctor told me it was because all the dirty goops and gunks from mascara and other eye makeup accumulated in my eye and caused the infection. NOT attractive, so, yeh, lesson learned!

So those are my favourite products in my daily beauty regime.

If you use or have used any of the products i mentioned here, what do you think of them?

Share with me your trusted products too!

xxoo

Please click on the g+1 button at the bottom of this post if you like my post here! Won't cost you a thing and I'll be ever so grateful <3