Second times the charm right?
If you have been following/reading my blog, you will know that I tried out the Clarisonic Mia a few months ago. I absolutely had a horrible experience and after over a month of using it, I decided that I had had enough and returned it. Well, ever since I stopped using the Clarisonic, my skin has never been the same. I had a bit of regret going through all of the purging and giving up too soon. It was always in the back of my mind that I didn't give it quite enough time. In my mind I figured over a month was way way way too generous of a time frame, but I think I stopped right when my skin was about to go over the peak and start to improve. I was trying to do shortcuts all over the place, I was trying all of these different things to try and bring my skin back to its normal self without shelling out the money for something high end like the Clarisonic. When in reality, I ended up spending a lot of time just super frustrated with my skin when I was approaching it the wrong way entirely. So about 3 weeks ago, I cracked. I went in to Sephora with my friend Heidi and we were just having an awesome time looking at all of the stuff we have been dying to try. I knew going in to the store that I definitely had the intention of repurchasing the Clarisonic, but paying for it without cringing was what I was having trouble with. I don't ever spend that kind of money on myself, it is a rare experience! But, I have to say I had such an amazing experience and learned new things; thanks to my new favorite consultant, Erin! Erin was so well informed and that made me so much more comfortable with tackling this second try prepared. First off, the Clarisonic comes with a sensitive head brush. This was news to me. The first time I purchased the Clarisonic, the consultant told me that she would recommend me purchasing the sensitive brush separately. Good thing that I didn't! I would have bought 2 of the same head brushes for nothing! Not only that, but even the sensitive brush was way too abrasive for my skin. I mean looking back and comparing the sensitive brush and the delicate brush, they are so different. I am so thankful that Erin told me this information. All I really needed to do was change brush heads instead of giving up. My skin is definitely in the purging stage now after almost 2 weeks of using the Clarisonic again, but it is no way near how bad and horrible the purging stage was originally. I am getting a few breakouts, but I can tell that the texture of my skin is slowly making improvements. Before trying this for the second time, I felt like all of the nasty gunk was just trapped below the surface of my skin everywhere. Now my skin is feeling lighter, cleaner and less oily. I will keep updating how my skin is progressing now that I am trying this Clarisonic again, so stay tuned!
Another reason why I think this time I am having better success with my skin improving is because I went in to Sephora and I told Erin that I wanted a game plan. I told her I wanted to be prepared for the purge stage and that I wanted the best products to help me. I mean, come on. I'm shelling out $119 for the sucker, I might as well invest in my skin and take care of myself! Another thing that I noticed in between my times using the Clarisonic, my skin got increasingly oily! I have oily skin, but I have never had to reapply a mattifying powder on my face multiple times throughout the day without looking like a disco ball. Erin showed me Philosophy's Hope In a Jar Oil Free Moisturizer. I love love love this stuff! You literally only need just a little bit and your skin just soaks up the moisture right away. I have never had my skin feel so soft, clean and not oily! My skin stays pretty matte throughout the whole day and I have noticed that my purging hasn't been as harsh when I use this moisturizer. Erin also suggested using the Philosophy Microdelivery Purifying Peel. I will write a more extensive review on both of these products, but this was so worth the $40! It has made a wonderful difference in my skin.
My skin has also been adjusting better this round because I haven't been invading it with so many products with salycilic acid in them. While it is good in taking care of acne, I don't want to bombard my skin more than I already am. My skin isn't red and screaming at me and while I am getting breakouts, they seem to go away much faster and again, the texture of my skin is getting restored to what it used to be.
I will write again in a few weeks on how my skin is progressing and I can't wait to share with you all. This definitely has opened my eyes that skincare is super important to me and that it is an investment! Also, when a product isn't working a certain way, switching up what you are doing can make a world's difference. So if you are frustrated like I have been, don't give up! There are other ways to alter your routine to give you the results you are looking for. All I can say is that I'm glad I gave the Clarisonic a second chance!
Always,
Aimsters XO
Showing posts with label Skincare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Skincare. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Olay Pro-X Advanced Cleaning System
So..........
I know that I had previously tried the Clarisonic Mia and I didn't have the best results. My skin has never fully recovered since using the Clarisonic a few months ago. Being the little testing guinea pig that I am haha, I was not ready to give up completely on these cleaning systems. I have been intrigued by the Olay Pro-X Cleansing System for a while now. It is super affordable compared to the Clarisonic. The Pro-X is about $28 at Wal Mart and other drugstores nationwide whereas the Clarisonic Mia (the most inexpensive version of the Clarisonic) is about a whopping $160. Here is what I have observed in my few days of using the Pro-X. The brush is much much smaller than the Clarisonic. The Pro-X just has a single, small circular brush head. The Clarisonic has a dual brush head, if that makes sense. (The head is ciruclar, but the outer part of the head rotates at a different speed than the center of the brush head). The Pro-X has 2 different speeds, but honestly I can't tell much difference between the two. It is battery operated, and unfortunately doesn't have a charger like the Clarisonic does. Like the Clarisonic, it is waterproof, so you can use it in the shower if need be. I like how the Pro-X is much smaller than the Clarisonic. Not like the Clarisonic is huge or anything, but the smaller the product, the more portable and easier it is to travel with!
Here are my thoughts about my experience so far. Well, unfortunately, I am going through the skin purging stage, again. This totally sucks. But, with any skin cleansing system, this is bound to happen. So far my skin hasn't had the same skin purging reaction as it did to the Clarisonic. With the Clarisonic, my skin turned into cystic acne, with deep breakouts everywhere. With the Pro-X, I have my impurities surfacing, but not nearly as extreme as I had experienced with the Clarisonic. Even though my skin is purging, each day my skin is improving overall. I can actually see some results! So even though it kills me to have my skin breaking out, the end result is hopefully in near sight. I only use the Pro-X once a day, in the evening. This is important for me because when I wear makeup, I want to make sure that I am going to sleep at night without a trace of makeup left on my skin. I also don't want to use it twice a day because I have sensitive skin and that would just be way too much for my skin. I put a pump of Purpose Facial Cleanser directly on the brush head. After I use the Pro-X, I also cleanse my face with oatmeal. (I have a post about using oatmeal as a facial cleanser...please read if interested on the process) After I get out of the shower, I use extra virgin olive oil as my moisturizer. I use a pretty liberal amount and I use small, circular motions to work the oil into my skin. Extra virgin olive oil is so amazing for your skin and no, it will not clog your pores! In the morning, my skin is soft, well hydrated and I have noticed the redness in my skin has greatly reduced since doing this routine!
These are my experiences so far in the first week of using the Pro-X. I will keep you updated on how my skin takes to this cleansing system compared to the Clarisonic Mia! Hopefully my findings might give you some insight and maybe you'll want to try this affordable cleansing system too.
Until next time,
Always,
Aimee XO
I know that I had previously tried the Clarisonic Mia and I didn't have the best results. My skin has never fully recovered since using the Clarisonic a few months ago. Being the little testing guinea pig that I am haha, I was not ready to give up completely on these cleaning systems. I have been intrigued by the Olay Pro-X Cleansing System for a while now. It is super affordable compared to the Clarisonic. The Pro-X is about $28 at Wal Mart and other drugstores nationwide whereas the Clarisonic Mia (the most inexpensive version of the Clarisonic) is about a whopping $160. Here is what I have observed in my few days of using the Pro-X. The brush is much much smaller than the Clarisonic. The Pro-X just has a single, small circular brush head. The Clarisonic has a dual brush head, if that makes sense. (The head is ciruclar, but the outer part of the head rotates at a different speed than the center of the brush head). The Pro-X has 2 different speeds, but honestly I can't tell much difference between the two. It is battery operated, and unfortunately doesn't have a charger like the Clarisonic does. Like the Clarisonic, it is waterproof, so you can use it in the shower if need be. I like how the Pro-X is much smaller than the Clarisonic. Not like the Clarisonic is huge or anything, but the smaller the product, the more portable and easier it is to travel with!
Here are my thoughts about my experience so far. Well, unfortunately, I am going through the skin purging stage, again. This totally sucks. But, with any skin cleansing system, this is bound to happen. So far my skin hasn't had the same skin purging reaction as it did to the Clarisonic. With the Clarisonic, my skin turned into cystic acne, with deep breakouts everywhere. With the Pro-X, I have my impurities surfacing, but not nearly as extreme as I had experienced with the Clarisonic. Even though my skin is purging, each day my skin is improving overall. I can actually see some results! So even though it kills me to have my skin breaking out, the end result is hopefully in near sight. I only use the Pro-X once a day, in the evening. This is important for me because when I wear makeup, I want to make sure that I am going to sleep at night without a trace of makeup left on my skin. I also don't want to use it twice a day because I have sensitive skin and that would just be way too much for my skin. I put a pump of Purpose Facial Cleanser directly on the brush head. After I use the Pro-X, I also cleanse my face with oatmeal. (I have a post about using oatmeal as a facial cleanser...please read if interested on the process) After I get out of the shower, I use extra virgin olive oil as my moisturizer. I use a pretty liberal amount and I use small, circular motions to work the oil into my skin. Extra virgin olive oil is so amazing for your skin and no, it will not clog your pores! In the morning, my skin is soft, well hydrated and I have noticed the redness in my skin has greatly reduced since doing this routine!
These are my experiences so far in the first week of using the Pro-X. I will keep you updated on how my skin takes to this cleansing system compared to the Clarisonic Mia! Hopefully my findings might give you some insight and maybe you'll want to try this affordable cleansing system too.
Until next time,
Always,
Aimee XO
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Update: The Oatmeal Cleanser Experiment
So.....
It has been almost 2 months since I first started using Oatmeal as apart of my skincare routine. Here are some of my thoughts on my experience thusfar!
When I first was starting to use the oatmeal as a cleanser, the only oatmeal that I had in the house was the Quaker Old Fashioned Oatmeal that cooks in 5 minutes. I noticed that with this oatmeal, the oats themselves were whole pieces. Why I bring this up is that because the oats were in fact whole pieces, it took slightly longer to get them to the milky texture in order to work them into my face. When I ran out of that specific oatmeal, I purchased the Quaker Quick Minute Oatmeal, which cooks in one minute haha hence the name! I actually seemed to like how this oatmeal worked a little bit better. Because the oatmeal was already broken down into smaller pieces, it was almost immediately when I was able to get the oatmeal soft and into the milky texture. Also, because the pieces were already smaller and broken down, when I added the water, the oatmeal felt much more soft. Another plus to using the "quick minute" oatmeal was that it was easier for the oatmeal to go down the drain, less of a mess!
The only difference between the beginning of my experiment and now is that I was my face with Purupose face wash before I use the oatmeal to soothe my skin. I have actually been having a lot more breakouts lately. I have been super stressed out lately, my hormones have been all over the place and honestly, I feel like my skin still has not recovered from using the Clarisonic. I feel like maybe my purging stage was not over and that all this excess junk is still sitting underneath my skin. So I will be trying some new remedies to try and see how my skin reacts! I am sick of my skin being horrible and all I wish is that it would go back to the way that it was BEFORE I was a genius and tried the Clarisonic.
My overall thoughts on Oatmeal as a cleanser are these. I think it is a great, affordable option for people that don't have acne prone skin! While I did see an improvement in my breakouts, the oatmeal didn't prevent my skin from new breakouts. I did see great improvement in the texture of my skin. My skin is much more soft since using the oatmeal and I have also noticed my skin has a more even tone to it. I have always had problems with redness on my cheeks and I have to say most of my redness is gone! This is probably the main reason why I continue to wash my face with the oatmeal. My skin isn't as irritated and it is nice that my skin has calmed down from the oatmeal. I have noticed that my skin has made a small improvement on how oily my skin was, nothing dramatic, but at least an improvement.
Hopefully my experience with oatmeal as a cleanser has given you some insight and has helped you maybe want to try it for yourself! At least it is a very cheap product to purchase and it won't hurt to try for yourself. Worse case scenario, you can just have some yummy breakfasts! :)
Until next time,
Always,
Aimee
It has been almost 2 months since I first started using Oatmeal as apart of my skincare routine. Here are some of my thoughts on my experience thusfar!
When I first was starting to use the oatmeal as a cleanser, the only oatmeal that I had in the house was the Quaker Old Fashioned Oatmeal that cooks in 5 minutes. I noticed that with this oatmeal, the oats themselves were whole pieces. Why I bring this up is that because the oats were in fact whole pieces, it took slightly longer to get them to the milky texture in order to work them into my face. When I ran out of that specific oatmeal, I purchased the Quaker Quick Minute Oatmeal, which cooks in one minute haha hence the name! I actually seemed to like how this oatmeal worked a little bit better. Because the oatmeal was already broken down into smaller pieces, it was almost immediately when I was able to get the oatmeal soft and into the milky texture. Also, because the pieces were already smaller and broken down, when I added the water, the oatmeal felt much more soft. Another plus to using the "quick minute" oatmeal was that it was easier for the oatmeal to go down the drain, less of a mess!
The only difference between the beginning of my experiment and now is that I was my face with Purupose face wash before I use the oatmeal to soothe my skin. I have actually been having a lot more breakouts lately. I have been super stressed out lately, my hormones have been all over the place and honestly, I feel like my skin still has not recovered from using the Clarisonic. I feel like maybe my purging stage was not over and that all this excess junk is still sitting underneath my skin. So I will be trying some new remedies to try and see how my skin reacts! I am sick of my skin being horrible and all I wish is that it would go back to the way that it was BEFORE I was a genius and tried the Clarisonic.
My overall thoughts on Oatmeal as a cleanser are these. I think it is a great, affordable option for people that don't have acne prone skin! While I did see an improvement in my breakouts, the oatmeal didn't prevent my skin from new breakouts. I did see great improvement in the texture of my skin. My skin is much more soft since using the oatmeal and I have also noticed my skin has a more even tone to it. I have always had problems with redness on my cheeks and I have to say most of my redness is gone! This is probably the main reason why I continue to wash my face with the oatmeal. My skin isn't as irritated and it is nice that my skin has calmed down from the oatmeal. I have noticed that my skin has made a small improvement on how oily my skin was, nothing dramatic, but at least an improvement.
Hopefully my experience with oatmeal as a cleanser has given you some insight and has helped you maybe want to try it for yourself! At least it is a very cheap product to purchase and it won't hurt to try for yourself. Worse case scenario, you can just have some yummy breakfasts! :)
Until next time,
Always,
Aimee
Saturday, October 22, 2011
The Oatmeal Cleanser Experiment: Day 1
Yes, you read right! I have been inspired by two YouTubers to try this for myself, using oatmeal as a cleanser!
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| This is the oatmeal I used, right out of my cupboard! |
I personally really love oatmeal. I love to eat it and I like the smell and texture oddly enough. I took enough oatmeal to cover the palm of my hand. Clenching the oats in my fist, I held my hand under warm water to saturate the oats to make them soft and create a milky cleanser. Taking the wet oats, I gently rubbed them on my face in small, circular motions. Again, I feel a little strange liking the smell of oatmeal, but I really didn't mind it at all. The oats gently exfoliated my skin and I could feel that the texture of the oats was really getting my skin clean. The obvious downside to using oatmeal as a cleanser is that you have chunky oats all over your face! Not too sure that my sink enjoyed all those oats :) After rinsing off the oatmeal from my face, I immediately noticed that my skin felt clean, tight, refreshed and suprisingly brighter! After cleansing my face, I immediately follow with my moisturizer and I noticed that it felt like my moisturizer sank in to my pores much more than normal, which means that the product is working better for the skin! Now even though again, the mess I can see would be hard for some people to look past, so far I am willing to continue with this new skincare change to see how my skin progresses over the next few weeks of using the oatmeal. I will be checking in to give updates on how my skin has changed due to the change of using oatmeal as my new cleanser. I hope you follow me on this journey for what I hope to be a great new skincare breakthrough for me!
Until next time,
Always,
Aimee
**Here are the videos mentioned in this post**
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