Hydraluron From Indeed Labs - The Every-Skin-Type Must Have!

We've all been there, freaking out over oily skin and reaching for the harshest, most stripping products to get rid of it. Truth is, when you remove all of the skin's natural oils, it goes in to overdrive and actually produces more oil - it's a vicious circle. It wasn't until I started getting interested in skincare (and frustrated with my own skin!) that I researched and found this out, and my whole skincare routine completely changed. I am now as gentle as possible with my skin, and I have seen massive improvements as a result. 

One thing that I thought my skin would never ever need was hydration. Afterall, with naturally oily skin and twice daily application of moisturiser, surely that's enough? Wrong. Standard moisturisers cannot penetrate the skin deeply enough to provide sufficient hydration, and as many of us oily skin girls are very frugal with moisturiser application anyway, this leads to dehydrated skin. Dehydrated skin cannot repair itself as efficiently as when it's hydrated, leading to numerous skin problems.

Hydraluron by Indeed Labs contains hyaluronic acid, which can penetrate to the deeper levels of the skin, and therefore delivers thorough hydration to your skin, where it really counts. Infact, it can hold up to 1,000x its weight in water, making it an incredible ingredient for hydrating and plumping the skin, as well as refining the overall texture. I use Hydraluron in the place of a serum at the night, so after cleanser and toner (Serozinc for me, review here), but before moisturiser. It disappears in to the skin within a couple of minutes and that's it. You don't necesserily wake up the next morning and think "Wow!", as if you were using Alpha H's Liquid Gold. Instead, it's more of a gradual effect. Your moisturiser will glide on to your skin, it will glow and feel plump and youthful. I have noticed that breakouts calm down and heal twice as fast as before, which is amazing as the red marks left behind after spots are, in my opinion, more annoying than the actual spot! Hydraluron is also supposed to be fab for smoothing out fine lines, but I can't comment on that as I don't have any.

I think Hydraluron would be beneficial to everyone - hydration is so important for preventing facial ageing, and preventation is better than cure, right? 

Have you tried Hydraluron?

xxx

Avene Cleanance Exfoliating Mask - Review

Chemical exfoliators are a hot topic in the blogosphere as of late. Gentle, low concentrations of those such as glycolic, salicylic and lactic acids, which gently remove dead skin cells and renew the skin, tend to be favoured for problem skin as they minimise the irritation that physical exfoliators can cause. Following my success with Avene's whole Cleanance range, I was eager to try the latest addition to their acne-fighting arsenal, the exfoliating mask.

I love to use face masks twice a week, as they are the perfect excuse to ensure I get a little bit of time to myself to relax during a busy week. Combining effective yet gentle AHA and BHA with kaolin, this absorbant mask is perfect for detoxing and renewing sluggish skin. It also contains miniscule grains to manually exfoliate the skin. I must admit, it took me a couple of uses to even realise they were there because they really are that small and gentle! Although it isn't branded as a multi-use product, I think it would also be perfect as a gentle exfoliating cleanser if you don't have time to use it as a mask.

The mask dries up any impurities extremely fast, while refining the texture of the skin and leaving it silky soft. What really sets this mask apart from others is how it doesn't dry solid leaving your face feeling cemented and uncomfortable. Instead, after washing off, my skin feels lightly moisturised, and not tight and dried out like many other masks. Of course, it does contain acids so always follow up the next day with at least spf 20 (which you should already be doing!)

Since using the mask, my scarring has definitley reduced, my face glows and the texture is a lot smoother. For a really intensive treatment when my skin is playing up, I like to mix the mask with a pea sized amount of Avene's spot treatment, Triacneal (reviewed here). They really are a dream team when used together, and my skin is a lot calmer and has been put back in its place by the following morning. All in all, another fantastic product.

If you are suffering with acne, I strongly recommend you give the Cleanance range a go. It is very affordable and the products are fantastic - the reason my skin is now under control. I always have the range on standby for skincare emergencies and will continue to repurchase them. You can buy Avene's cleanance mask from Boots for £15, or Escentual, where it currently has 10% off.

Have you tried anything from Avene?

xxx