Maskne begone!
Foreword
I get asked about my skincare routine on a daily basis. While it is uplifting to hear positive feedback from my beautiful readers and Instagram friends, truth is that I experience problematic skin days just as much as everyone else does. However, I did discover a couple of amazing products that help me maintain a healthy balance. In this post I am going to focus on my current cleansing routine, featuring a couple of favorites from Caudalie.
Curious? Then please keep on scrolling
My Skin: dry, sensitive
All products mentioned in this article are: Clean🤍 Gluten-Free🌾 Vegan🍃
Step One
So long pollution and grime
Caudalie Make-Up Removing Cleansing Oil (28 USD; Made in France) – has been my go-to “first step” cleanser for many moons now. It melts away makeup, all while keeping your skin soft and semi-hydrated. If you have been reading my blog for a while (hugs!), chances are you already just how much I adore this product.
The reason why I love this oil-based cleanser so much is that it removes both your face and eye makeup in one go. Gentle, made of excellent green ingredients and always effective. This is the best formula (that I have discovered in my blogging years) for people with not only easily irritable skin, but also extra sensitive eyes. Make-Up Removing Cleansing Oil does not blur your vision, damage your lashes or leave a heavy, sticky residue/film on the skin like most balms or oils do. It breaks down all kinds of makeup in seconds (even the most waterproof or generally stubborn formulas), leaves your skin feeling refreshed and ready for the next step in your cleansing routine.
Step Two
Panda who?
Caudalie Micellar Cleansing Water (28 USD; Made in France) – is a beautiful, soap-free and antioxidant-rich micellar water solution that will lift impurities and soothe your skin.
From my experience even after using a heavy-duty oil-based cleanser, often times I still find makeup residue around my nostrils, underneath my eyes (we are all familiar with the mascara panda face) etc. Nothing dramatic, but obviously you do not want to just leave it there. Instead of using Make-Up Removing Cleansing Oil again, I saturate my cotton pad with micellar water and swipe it over entire face and neck. Usually there is little to no makeup on the cotton pad, but it is reassuring to know that at this point my skin is 90% clean.
Unlike most products of its kind, Micellar Cleansing Water actually feels hydrating and, in my opinion, it is the most gentle formulation that you can use to remove residual makeup around delicate eye area. I do not recommend using it to dissolve mascara or gel liners though. That’s what you have Cleansing Oil for.
Step Three
It takes two to tango and sometimes three to cleanse
Caudalie Vinopure Pore Purifying Gel Cleanser (28 USD; Made in France) – is a gel based, natural Salicylic Acid cleanser that is formulated to purify your pores and help calm down any active breakouts or blemishes.
Although it is technically designed for people with oily or combination skin types, I find the formula to be gentle and non-drying enough to be used by someone with dry skin as well. Naturally, by the time you have used Cleansing Oil and Micellar Water, your skin should be perfectly clean and ready for serums and creams. But with the pandemic and this whole maskne madness, I do not mind adding a third “preventative” step to ensure that I do not break out after literally sweating under a piece of fabric on my face all day.
Vinopure Pore Purifying Gel Cleanser is an unsung hero in the world of antibacterial cleansers. It is refreshing, non-drying (thanks to Grape Seed Polyphenols) and is perfect for reducing redness, inflammation or preventing any unwanted spots from appearing. If that wasn’t great enough, little goes a long way with this guy, so you do not need much of it at all (one tube will last you ages).
It might not miraculously shrink the size of your pores, but will certainly act as a non-abrasive “vacuum” cleaner, penetrating deep into them and keeping maskne at bay.
Final Thoughts
On my skincare journey I have realized that having a proper cleansing routine (even if you have the driest skin ever) was crucial to keep everything healthy, glowing and radiant. Ever since I have discovered these Caudalie products, my skin feels and looks much happier than ever before. I breakout less and never worry about makeup residue clogging my pores. I obviously go for more of a mild, hydrating liquid cleanser in the morning (to remove excessive oils or remaining night-time skincare), but this trio here has been a true hero squad as far as PM routine goes.
What do you guys think about these products? Let's chat some more in the comments!
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Purchased products and PR samples; full disclaimer here