Skin!!

Hello,

I have combination skin too and it can be a big pain. With your skin feeling itchy with makeup its possible you are either allergic to whatever they put in that particular brand you used, or your skin is just not accustomed to makeup yet. I do wear make up but it is a case of finding the right makes for you. I used Johnsons make up remover and face wash once and came out bright red and irritated! Never again!

My routine is a garnier pink grapefruit scrub, it smells lovely and is gentle enough to use frequently. I rub it in my skin gently concentrating in the worst areas (nose foreshead etc) and rinse well, pat dry. Then I use a simple oil balancing moisturiser. Always moisturise else your skin looses too much oil and can over produce to compensate. At night, I use superdrug's own brand of make up remover wipes. If I have a shower or my face feels like it needs a wash I then use the pink grapefuit again. Either way, I then use the Simple toner to remove any remaining make up or cleanser. It is amazing however thorough you are there is always something on the cotton wool, often fluff from towels or a stray cat hair ? but sometimes there is still a bit of makeup left! Since using it my skin does feel better and it too lasts ages as you don't need much on a bit of cotton wool. Moisturise again, we have hard water where I live.

If you are thinking about wearing makeup, I would suggest getting some free samples from makeup counters and playing now before your wedding so you know what suits you best. I have done the rounds in Boots and Superdrug and wasted so much money over the years so on a whim I went to the counters. I am currently using an oil controlling primer from Estee Lauder and their double wear foundation. Well worth it, it lasts ages as I don't need to keep touching it up like the cheaper brands, it actually stays put! I have a sample from Elizabeth Arden which I have high hopes for, the Clarins tester was not for me and smells funny...

It sounds like a lot but it isn't when its a routine. Some people use more some use less. It's just a case of finding what suits you better and unfortunatley it is trial and error. I would recommend Simple's products as they are middle of the road cost (unless on offer) and they are gentle on your skin.

Good luck.

Alpha H was developed for people with bad skin problems. I bought sme cleanser wash and liquid gold for my daughter who has polycystic ovarian syndrome which causes skin problems and her skin is amazing with it. I don't have bad skin but tried it anyway and still saw an improvement. I order it from qvc which can allow us to use it for 30 days and still and it back f we didn't like it! It definitely didn't go back. Well worth a go. N

If you can stretch to it I would highly recommend Dermalogica, my make up artist recommended it to me after I contacted her about how to improve my skin for the wedding. I was shocking before similar to you wipes or an Aldi face wash was pretty much it! I went for a consultation & bought all the products they recommended it cost about £200 altogether but it was so worth it! After a couple of weeks I stopped wearing make up everyday as my skin had improved so much I finally felt confident without it, I love the products and will definitely continue using them! Xxx

I personally only use wipes when I'm travelling or in desperate times, but then my skin is very dry anyway. You might want to try using a gentle cleanser instead - either one that needs water to rinse, or one that doesn't like micellar water. I never use toner as I cleanse with water and don't feel I need that extra step, but if you do want to use one, make sure it's alcohol free.

If you decide to use a scrub make sure you are only scrubbing oily, flaky areas every day. if your skin is like this (for me that's only my nose), you can get away with a daily scrub. Otherwise a more gentle cleanser is better.

I agree that you should try using a light moisturiser, and make sure it has spf15 minimum. If I ever have blemishes I use pure tea tree oil on them - I find it's very effective.

Hope some of that helps!

Ditto re dermalogica - their ultra calming cleanser is amazing and really toned down my skin when it flared up. I would stop using face wipes and only have them as an emergency.... Check out www.carolinehirons.com - it's a really good blog with some good cheat sheets on improving your skin care

Ditch the wipes! Take your makeup off with a creamy cleanser (Boots cheapo cucumber one is fine) and cotton wool pads, then cleanse again with a cleansing balm and take off with a hot flannel. Every few days use a scrub instead of the cleansing balm. Then moisturise.

I have combination skin, I use Soap and Glory face wash: http://www.soapandglory.com/face-soap-and-claritytm

I have lots of blackheads so use this to control them: http://www.boots.com/en/Soap-Glory%E2%84%A2-Scrub-Your-Nose-In-It%E2%84%A2-Special-Pore-Refining-Formula-AHA-Facial-Scrub_1364174/

I use micellar water to take my make-up of and this made a big difference, I found eye makeup remover too greasy

xx

This sounds strange but I had the same concern and following advice I found online smothered my face in sudocream every night. My skin has never been better and it was such a simple and cheap solution

There's a lot of stuff out there - just look at everyone's (brilliant, yet all different) comments above. To add to the mix: I recently started using Liz Earle products and have noticed my skin improve a huge amount. To also add to the mix: I tried Dermologica for a while and found it absolutely ripped my face off. Clinique as well.

[I have combination and semi-sensitive skin, and tend to get regular (hormonal) breakouts on my chin]

All I can suggest is go to a big Boots or department store and get all the samples you can. Use them all one-by one for a month or so to get a real feel as to whether they work and what they do for you.

You could also pay and get some skin analysis done at a spa or beauty clinic - although be aware that they'll probably try and push their own products on you.

Hope that helps!

Thanks everyone - lots to go at!!

Am going to go and get some samples and then ask for it all for my birthday and Christmas!! Hahah!

Thanks again,

Jess

xxxx

My skin is awful too. Combination is very tricky but I get really bad spots on my chin and I've been so worried.

Make sure you cleanse, tone and moisturise with very gentle products. Ditch the wipes they're evil! It sounds like your skin is really sensitive. I use body shop aloe vera products and they are very gentle.

I also went to my GP and have gone on a long course of antibiotics, my skin is so much better now xx

Mineral make up may help, stay clear of some ' blemish solution ' stuff it can make it worse, your skin is individual to you. It may be worth for products like Clinique patch testing them.

I was always told never to use wipes. They don't remove your make up completely and you're just smearing the make up and dirt around your face! I use Dermalogica pre cleanse which you put on dry skin and rub to break down the make up or dirt/oil. I then wash this off and use a face wash. This leaves my skin squeaky clean.

I also find that using an exfoliatior a few times a week helps. I have recently purchased the Clarins face oil which I use a few times a week to rehydrate my skin. They do different ones for different skin types.

It sounds like you may benefit from gentler make up. Perhaps get some samples for Clinque which I'm pretty sure are hypoallergenic X