Skincare for Oily Skin - The Bane of my Life

Skincare is something I have a deep-rooted obsession with, and it extends to a foundation addiction.
I have very oily skin, and find that makes me more prone to large pores, spots and blemishes. On top of that, the oil my skin produces means that my foundation rarely lasts more than a few hours without the shine creeping through. I'm on a lifelong mission to make my oily skin become normal skin, and products are what I use to help get me there, so I'll let you know what I like, and I might slip in a couple of dislikes too! These are my opinions, and everyone's skin is different, so if I like or dislike a product, it doesn't mean it will affect your skin the way it affected mine.

Cleansers are just one of those things which you can buy and buy, and to be fair, I've not found any I hate using. I personally feel like a cleanser is a cleanser, as long as my skin feels clean then it's done the job. At the moment I'm using Clinique Liquid Facial Soap for Oily Skin, and I'm also using Fresh Farmacy from Lush, and I can't fault either of them. I like to switch it up and use multiple cleansers at the same time so my face doesn't get bored!

I also exfoliate a couple of times a week, and I'm currently working my way through a tube of Boots Skin Clear Ultra Deep Pore Facial Treatment Scrub which works well for me. Most weeks I will also use a face mask, and I found a great one in TK Maxx called Quick Fix Facials Anti-blemish Mud Mask. It was only £4 for a tube, which you can (supposedly) get 10 uses from, and it feels really nourishing, my skin feels super soft afterwards but it's not harsh at all, a great one if you've got sensitive, spot-prone skin.

Next come the toners. My favourite toner is Clinique Clarifying Lotion 3, which I'm actually out of at the moment! I can't really afford to buy more either, stupid small student loan! I would note that this toner is quite harsh, so if your skin is really sensitive maybe opt for something else, but I love the fact that my skin feels clean and tight after using it. So when I'm not using Clinique, I opt for Garnier toners, I like the ones with the Salicylic Acid in, because it helps to fight spots. Salicylic Acid is something which I often look for in facial products because it can dissolve dead skin cell build up in pores and encourages the shedding of the top layer of skin which prevents the pores from becoming congested.

Even if your skin is very oily like mine, it's very important to moisturise! Always remember that keeping your skin hydrated starts from the inside, and you should make sure you drink plenty of water each day. But there are also some great products available to add some moisture from the outside. I really like Seaweed Mattifying Day Cream from The Body Shop and Enzymion from Lush, these are my current go-to products of a morning. Seaweed Mattifying Day Cream sinks in like a dream, its more of a gel consistency, but nonetheless is moisturising and mattifying. When I first used Enzymion I was unsure about it, it left a residue on the surface of my skin which isn't something I like, however I do like the smell and the feel of it, and my make-up lasts just as well using Enzymion as it does when I use Seaweed Mattifying Day Cream.

Of an evening I usually opt for a serum, because I'm more likely to exfoliate or do a face mask at that time, and I just want something which will help my overall complexion while I sleep. For a little while I have been using Freederm Daily Complex which claims to visibly improve the complexion of spot-prone skin. I can't say I have seen a great difference since I've started using it, but it still makes my skin feel smooth and nice. However I won't be using it for a little while now as I've just purchased Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Serum, and according to the packaging I'll be able to see a visible improvement in my complexion in 2 weeks. Supposedly, glycolic acid regenerates collagen,thickens the epidermis and dermis, and evens skin tone. I've only been using it for a few days, but it's more gel-like than the Freederm serum, and smells citrusy, so I do quite like the formula. But only time will tell if it can live up to the claims it has made!

I'm not sure how I feel about primers if I'm honest, but I've got 2 on-the-go at the moment; Benefit Porefessional and MAC Prep + Prime. By the time I've cleansed, toned and moisturised, I generally feel my skin's ready for make-up without a primer, but I do like to use these if I'm having a no make-up day to improve the overall look of my complexion.

When it comes to foundation, I've tried SO many! At the moment I have 2 favourites; MAC Studio Fix Fluid and MaxFactor Face Finity All Day Flawless. Studio Fix Fluid is very full coverage and matte finish, I'm really happy about the shades they offer, they go very pale which is exactly what I need, I'm shade NW13. With Studio Fix Fluid I also use MAC Pro Longwear Concealer, which is my favourite concealer ever! It's my morning saviour for dark circles and blemishes. When it comes to high street, Face Finity All Day Flawless is my favourite, not as full coverage as Studio Fix Fluid, but still a decent amount, and it's just easy to apply. Also, it's primer, concealer and foundation all in one, so no need to buy loads of products if you're looking for a foundation you can slap on in a morning rush!

In contrast I've got 2 of my least favourites in the photo; Benefit Big Easy BB Cream and Urban Decay Naked Skin Liquid Makeup. The BB cream claims to leave a matte finish. It does deliver on this claim, it's such a light formula that somehow you look quite powdery with no coverage, and also, it doesn't last 2 hours on my oily skin. Definitely not worth the money. I had really high expectations for this, expecting light coverage, matte finish and good staying power, but that's not how it worked for me. The Naked Skin foundation was even more disappointment. It claims to have optical blurring technology (whatever that means) to blur imperfections, but it just covers them like any foundation. Also, it claims to have a demi-matte finish, and it did just after applying, but it didn't last. However that's not the worst part; the formula separated when my skin started to go oily and I looked very blotchy and awful, I was so embarrassed!

If you have any questions just drop me an email, and also please email me if you could recommend any products for my troublesome oily skin; kateannharvey@gmail.com
Thanks!