My current skincare routine

Good morning lovely people!

This year my skin has been through a LOT; I did an Isotretinoin treatment for 7 months approximately and I burned my face in second-degree burns, during I was doing this treatment (check out this post to read the whole story). For the people who don't know what treatment I'm talking about, it's more known as Accutane and people with problematic skin can take it to banish acne, black-heads and scars. For me it worked really well, I didn't have a single spot during all the months I was taking it, but I do still have some scars.

During the treatment my skin was really dry so I used moisturizers for dry skin (like the Vichy Aqualia thermal, which is fab), which I can't use anymore because now my skin is oily-ish again and it's also really sensitive, that's why I recently changed my skincare routine a little and I'm pretty happy with it. 

Disclamer: Some of these products were recommended by my dermatologist, so I'm not assuring you they'd work the same for you because everyone has different skin types. But if you can identify with my type of skin, you can definitely give it a try, because they are all really good products.

Morning

1. Cleanance Clensing Gel (Avène)

This is one of the two things I haven't changed in my skincare routine for YEARS. It is the best cleanser I've ever tried, it's great for any kind of skin type really, but especially great for sensitive-oily skin. It's really gentle and can also help you reduce impurities without drying or irritating the skin, as it doesn't contain soap.

2. Thermal Spring Water (Avène)

This is the second product I haven't changed in my skincare routine. It is the most soothing and refreshing product you can spritz on your face. I usually apply this before my moisturizer, because it really calms and softens my skin.

3. Gel Plus Salicylic (Neostrata)

This is a great exfoliant gel for oily and blemish prone skin, it contains Salicylic Acid which prevents your pores from clogging and also does a really good job on moisturizing the skin, leaving a matte finish but still looking plumped and healthy. I've found it has really helped me with my acne scars, because since I started using it all the scars have reduced considerably and whenever I get a spot this (or maybe for the combination of all the products, I'm not sure) makes it disappear A.S.A.P.

4. Face Sun cream SPF 50+ (Solei, Boots Laboratories)

As my skin has been through so much and it's really sensitive, I must put on sun cream every-single-day, even on non-sunny days. I used to think that in cloudy days you don't have to put sun cream on, but no, don't be fooled my friends, you are still exposed to the sun. The sun is really bad for you and it's the main reason we get wrinkles or dark spots as we get older, so if just putting this on everyday I'll prevent that, I can survive being whiter than a ghost for the rest of my life, a ghost with really good skin ;) Any sun cream with a SPF 30 or SPF 50 will work, I personally use this one because it doesn't leave my skin with an oily residue, it just does the job.

5. Lip Balm #1 (Kiehl's)

You already know how much I love this product, but if you don't, I wrote a full review about it a few days ago, check it out here.

Night

My night skin routine is practically the same as my morning routine but without putting on sunblock (that would be excessive) and some other changes.

1. Liquid Detergent (Sato)

Usually at night I'm wearing makeup so to take it of I first use the Cleanance Cleansing Gel again, because it does a great job doing that and then I use this other cleanser, once all the makeup is off. This is a great cleanser for an oily skin, it's much harsher as it leaves your skin feeling a little bit dry but really helps with impurities.

2. Thermal Spring Water (Avène)

3. Gel Plus Salicylic (Neostrata)

4. Eight Hour Cream (Elizabeth Arden)

I use this on my lips and under the eyes, because it does a great job on plumping and soothing sensitive ares. During the night is the best moment to use your thick creams and balms, your skin loves and extra moisture.

Do you change your skincare routine a lot or do you try to stick on one for a long time? What is your favourite skincare product? 

How I repaired my skin (in two days) from a second-degree burn

Good morning lovely people!

So last Thursday I was sunburned pretty hard...
Story time: Last Thursday I went on a school trip which consisted on walking nearly 50km during two straight days. On the first day (and last day I was there) it was really sunny and there wasn't a lot of shade available, I applied sun cream on all of my body but I concentrated the most on my legs (which didn't get burned and are now white as snow). Later that day when we arrived at the hostel I was a little bit red but as the day went on I transformed into a human tomato (just on my face and arms, other parts were simply white). Then I applied some aftersun to my face, which made me feel as my face was burning, that's why I started to look for any cold thing I could put my face on, it was boiling. I went to sleep and next day when I woke up, I had blisters on my cheeks, nose and forehead; it was a horrible situation, when my teacher saw me she said I had a second-degree burn and I should see a doctor immediately.

How I repaired my skin in two days

1. First thing I did when I saw the situation that was going on in the mirror was to apply the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream on my face, which helped a little to calm down the skin. The skin on my arms was easier to repair as it was just a normal sunburn and only applying a normal body moisturizer (f.e. Kiehl's Creme de Corps) with a few drops of Argan Oil or Rosehip Oil a few times a day, next day were perfectly fine.

2. DRINK A LOT OF WATER!!! I know it sounds really cliché as they always tell you to drink water, but this really worked for me. You have to think that when you are sunburned you lose a lot of water and your body is dehydrated, so if you want the healing process to be quicker you MUST drink a lot of water in order to hydrated your body again. That day I literally drank 4 o 5 liters of water (TMI alert: Went to the toilet so many times I lost count).

3. Avène Thermal Water is the best thing you can spritz to your face for instantly refresh, calm and reduce the redness of your face. I applied it as an intermediate step between my face wash (which has to be one which doesn't agitates or irritates your skin, a great option is Avène Cleanance Gel) and my moisturizer.

4. As I've always had an oily complexion I've always used face creams which are specialized in mattifying my face, but lately my skin has been a little bit dryer so these kind of creams don't work as well as they did before on me, I find them drying. When I sunburned my face it was the perfect occasion to buy a new moisturizer for dryer complexions, so I bought the Vichy Aqualia Thermal Rich Cream, which is incredibly hydrating. I'll probably do a review next week, but for now I really like it and I really recommend it for dry skins or if you get sunburned.

5. Later that day I went to my dermatologist and he recommended to apply a lot of cold water on my face, moisturize my skin as much as I can with a thick moisturizer (the one I recommended before works perfectly for this) and then he recommended to products:

• Zamene (30 mg): These pills help you heal the skin surface from inside and really helps to accelerate the process. He recommended me to take them after meals in different portions, which I think it's different on every person, so if you are in the same situation I was, ask your doctor or dermatologist. I've been taking them for four days now, I'll probably take them for another two days and I'll be totally done.
• Suniderma (Galderma): This cream is specially designed to be applied directly to only the affected areas and help you with the healing process, reducing the blister's thickness quicker.

I hope these tips help you if you're ever sunburned (which I hope is never your case).

Remember: Always protect your skin from the sun with a good sunblock lotion preferably SPF 50 which you should reapply during the day, keep yourself hydrated drinking a lot of water, avoid long hours exposed to the sun but if you do wear a hat or something similar to protect your face even more, if possible look for the shade ;this should prevent you getting sunburned. 

This is my question for you: Have you ever been sunburned? If the answer is yes, how did it happen? How did you repair your skin?