Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Spots & stripes
I was fortunate enough to be a pimply teenager. I say fortunate because my skin required a lot of work, and I formed good daily habits which I still have today.
This is how particular I am with my skin. When I was house sharing with my bestie when we were 19, she was under instructions that if ever I came home late and went to bed fully clothed, she was to pop in with a bowl of water and wash my make up off, which she actually did once - god bless her.
I had my first facial at 13 with a giant of a German woman called Barbara. She used Dr Eckstein which I think you can still buy. My mother took me to the chemist and I got my first lot of skincare that same year. It was Juvena. It made the world of difference and there began my love affair with all things cosmetika.
You name it, I've tried it, but it has been many moons since I handed money over fist at a department store counter. Skincare now involves a lot more precision, research, secret sourcing and less giant pots with shiny gold lids.
I thought I might share some of my favourite finds with you, in case you're interested. 
My favourite foundation is this one.
It's Givenchy Subli'Mine Sculpt Light with an SPF 20. Don't thank me, thank Nigella, that's who recommended it. It looks a bit pastey when it first goes on, then it seems to change to match your skin. Weird but good stuff.
I also use this under it.


It's Laura Mercier's foundation primer, which is like gap filler for your face, and it helps the make up to stay on longer. Clarin's good old Beauty Flash is good too.
In the past year I have discovered tinted moisturizers, although I've always known about them, now I wear one every day. I like this one.


It's the md formulations one, and Laura Mercier makes an excellent one too.
Hold onto your hats, this is the big one. Zorac is by prescription only and I think it is actually meant to treat sun spots, but it's also used cosmetically to even out skin tone and get rid of sun damage. V good. But you have to wear loads and loads of sun block during the day, and a hat....and carry a beach umbrella over you if you've got a spare hand. There are a few of these products and they go by different names. I can't help saying Zorac with a Darth Vader voice.


I also mix my own night treatment by breaking open a vitaman E oil capsule, plus an evening primrose oil capsule and a vitamin A oil capsule, then mixing it with a another powder capsule called Ascorbyl Palmitate (which is hard to find in stores, but available on-line). You mix it to a fine paste and massage it into your face. You can leave it on for a few hours or over night. You'll wake up looking like a five year old. It can really only be used for a week or two at a time and only two or three times a year.
See how devoted I am to the cause....mixing my own potions.
At the moment I am in that magical time of life where I am now fighting spots and wrinkles (spots & stripes) at the same time. I'm glad I didn't know that was coming!
In my late teens I also took up sun bathing as a hobby, and would dowse myself with oil. Then I'd lie in the midday sun, turning occasionally, like a rotisserie chicken. Apparently, sun damage doesn't really rear its head until after the age of fifty. I'm expecting tears, even though by then I would have spent the past thirty years making amends.
Now I've shown you my great discoveries, I'd be super interested to hear any of yours. Do tell....

14 comments:

  1. A cause dear to my heart Madam.
    I also try lots of different products and am trialling the Invisible zinc suncare range which seems pretty good. Another goodie is 50+ La Roche-Posay from the dermatologist.
    I've given up on foundation (yet to discover one I like) other than light mineral powder and find Nude by Nature lovely. Might give the Givency a try.
    Recently started using Moo Goo skincare products and love to bits. Even the husband is converted and uses every day. All natural and divine.
    Alas I cooked myself on the beach as a youngin and had my first BCC removed at 34, with ongoing dramas ever since. Lets just say I'm paranoid about staying out of the sun!
    xx

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  2. That's all very handy information. I've seen the Moo Goo and thought it looked good. Will try.

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  3. love this post!!!

    I do not moisturise my face. Too oily! Don't even use an eyecream these days. I never thought I'd be fighting wrinkles and pimples either.

    I am going to get back into retinol products once baby is born.

    I was a committed baker up until recently. I know I will pay the price for this.

    I think a lot of it is genetics.

    Maybe one day I'll get botox and surgery.

    I love clinique and chanel makeup and nars of course, and mac.

    I cleanse with a rosewater cleanser that's Aust made whose name I forget.

    I rub moisturiser and oils all over the bod though, just not ye olde collapsing face.

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  4. You're a bit of a trailblazer too FF.

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  5. I saw on the UK Show How to Look 10 Years Younger that you should cleanse your face twice (so you really get all of the make-up off) - I have been doing this now for about 2 months and my skin has been amazing. Not skin but I love Klorane Dry shampoo great for spruicing up your hair in between washes and perfect for this hot weather we are having.

    India

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  6. I laughed reading your post. Skin care has always been a 'thing' of mine as well. Unfortunately I have very sensitive skin so the numerous products I experimented with in my teens ended badly. Today I swear by, and only use, Dermalogica skincare products although I may have to give your home made concoction a go. Happy skin-caring! Ange

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  7. I'm going to give that double cleanse a try. Have never heard that one before.

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  8. Hi
    Re deletion can you let me know the date? There are no washing powder posts I can see! There is one about watching Capitalism doco but no mention of anything else? Pls email me at fauxfuchsia@live.com.au and let me know. x

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  9. The double clense tip and many other hot tips are from make-up artist , Lisa Eldridge. Her website is fab. http://www.lisaeldridge.com/

    I am going to try the Givenchy Sculpt Light - thanks for sharing.

    India

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  10. Yes - a great post! Loving the Aesop range. Love their Oil Free Facial Hydrating Serum. Love their Fabulous Face Cleanser and love mixing it with their Tea Tree Leaf Facial Exfoliant for a lovely exfoliant. I have been using Hourglass's veil mineral primer - but since having second baby have tightened the spending and have tried L'oreal's Studio Secrets primers and like them too.

    Using Natural Instincts sunscreen and Ego's Sun Sense range - but still looking for a really good sunscreen with no stickiness and no fragrance.

    Thank you will look into Givenchy as I'm just about to go searching for new foundation.

    Would love to mix my own potions but with very little people just lucky to get dinner on the table - but hope to experiment down the track.

    Thanks again!
    mary

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  11. PS: Have you visited Sarah Foster: Style and Life? She did a great makeup workshop post on her blog. She has great tips too. Mary

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  12. I swear by Boots no7 Perfect and protect intense beauty serum - it really smooths out the skin. i have to stock up whenever I go back to the UK. It's like Clarins Beauty Flash balm, but better!

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  13. I use SKII and I think it is very good. Unfortunately though and really frustrating is that I had to buy a separate spf cream because the moisturiser didn't include it. I am not as good at putting on spf and am now trying to leave it at the front door to remind me. S

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  14. i use this in shade 656 and really like it :)

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