a little bit of this

makeover scans via unknown

Soap and water, is all I'm using currently to cleanse my face. Lather up Dove's Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar with a small sponge and then rub the foam all over with the ring finger (being the gentlest). Sweep some toner on face. Some benzoyl peroxide 5% at night. Moisturize.

image via Hairvine.com

This has got to be the simplest routine I've ever had. It sounds really strange of me to use a soap targeted towards people with sensitive skin because I don't have sensitive skin. In the past, I've only used cleansers with 2% salycylic acid (such as Biore, or Neutrogena, and I've even tried the Clinique 3-Step System which was super expensive) due to my very oily, acne-prone skin, but surprisingly Dove's beauty bar has not broken me out yet, and has actually cleared my skin when added to my routine. It rinses away completely, without any residue, and makes my skin feel wonderfully soft, even without moisturizer. (I stopped using Biore's 4-in-1 Self Foaming Cleanser 'cause it did NOTHING for me, and instead of clearing my skin, made me break out even more.)

I can't believe I've never even thought of just using soap as a facial cleanser, until a friend told me about the benefits of such simplicity; thanks, Sarah! (Like, have you ever met people with amazing skin, and their secret is something as basic as splashing water on their face every morning and night, only wear makeup on special occasions, and use moisturizer? Mind-blowing stuff here, I know.) The less chemical ingredients in your cosmetics, the better.

Anyway, I'm going to use this routine for the next while. It's incredibly cheap, which is another plus. Fingers crossed for clear skin!

There is also a lot of discolouration (i.e. red, brown marks) on my cheeks from zits-of-Christmas-past, and I've been doing some research, trying to find the simplest, cheapest way to treat them. I'll keep you guys updated.