How I Am Curing My Breakouts & Dry Skin

Unfortunately I have been graced with skin that is as dry as a desert. It has always been that way. And along with that, my skin is prone to break-outs. A combination that is not preferable. Many "acne-prone skin" products are tailored towards that which is also oily. I have found that they are generally very drying for my already dry skin so I have been stuck finding the right products for both my skin issues. And on top of both these issues, my skin is scarred from previous breakouts, especially along each of my cheekbones and my chin.

I believe, at least for the time being, I have found just the combination that is curing my spotty, scarred and dry skin, in just four products. I have used this skincare routine for the past three months and I have seen major improvements especially in the dryness and the breakouts. I do the same four steps every morning and evening, even after wearing make-up all day.

Step One - Cleanser/Make-up Remover

My first step is to use the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish as a cleanser. I take one pump onto my fingers and warm it up with both hands before applying it to dry skin in the morning. I massage it into my skin for around 20 seconds before running the cleansing cloth, also from Liz Earle, but you can use a flannel too, under warm water and gently wiping it off my face. Don't have the water too hot, you don't want to hurt yourself! But it does need to be warm to melt off the make-up.

If it is in the evening, I might spend a little longer gently rubbing it into my skin to remove the foundation, and even take it over my eyes. I find this product amazing at even removing stubborn mascaras and eyeliners with a gentle hand.

This retails for £26 at Boots for a 200 ml tube and £15 for a 100 ml bottle.

Step Two - Facial Scrub

After cleansing, with my face still damp from step one, I take a good sized dollop of the Neutrogena Spot Stress Control daily scrub and work that into my skin. I use circular motions to be lift any remaining make-up and dead/dry skin. Once I have worked it all in, I use a damp flannel to gently take it off again, or you can wash it off with your hands. I use colder water to close my pores after being exfoliated. Focusing it on the main areas where my skin as been flaky has really helped to cure the dryness, along with making sure that the breakouts are being taken care of. This product is gentle enough to be used twice a day, every day.

I would count this as one of my holy grail products for dry skin, because even though it is tailored towards "acne" prone skin, it is not drying of the skin due to its nature of being a scrub. I can't recommend this product enough for people with similar issues to me.

This 150 ml bottle retails for £3.69 at Boots and Superdrug.

Step Three - Moisturiser

Step three for me is to use a good moisturiser. This Neutrogena one is amazing for those of us on a budget, but a higher-end one I would recommend is the Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Silky Cream, which also works wonders. I take a generous amount of this and once again warm it up in my fingertips before applying it to my entire face, focusing it on the dry patches mainly—don't be scared to use more. This sinks into your face so quickly.

This 300 ml tub retails for £5.19 at Boots, whereas the Clarins one retails for £36 at Boots for a 50 ml tub.

Step Four - Oil

Now, this product I believe has changed my skincare routine the most. It is a blend of oils, including Grapeseed Oil, Rosemary Oil, Sunflower Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Canola Oil, and Soy Bean Oil, which work to soothe and re-hydrate the skin. Once my moisturiser has sunken in (I usually take this time to brush my teeth) I take a small amount on the palm of my hands and work them together for a few seconds before pressing them into my skin. Once I have covered my face, I begin rubbing it into my skin until it is absorbed, which takes about 20 seconds for me.

This product is mainly marketed as something to minimise the look of stretch marks, scars and blemishes, which I found has helped amazingly with the appearance of acne scars on my face. Along with this, the nature of it being an oil has doubled the amount of moisturising products I am applying to my face, helping my dry skin.

This 75 ml bottle retails for £5.69 at Superdrug and the 200 ml bottle retails for £12.99.

These four products are saving my skin. I have had many people tell me in the last few months, "your skin is looking so much better!" and I can safely say it is down to these four.