No matter what age, what gender, what ethnicity you are, let’s face it (no pun intended), we all have skin concerns! For as long as I can remember, my skin concerns have always been 1) combination skin (extremely oily T-zone) 2) occasional acne outbreak and 3) sun exposure. Since my teenage years, I’ve been on the hunt for skin care products to help me address those exact issues. Sometimes, I would luck out and find the perfect product. However, as seasons change and unfortunately, with age, my skin tends to require different products to treat or prevent the same set of challenges. Therefore, I’m never really done when it comes to keeping a lookout for great items to add to my skincare routine – it’s an ongoing and evolving journey!
A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to stay at the beautiful Langdon Hall for the Garnier #SkinActiveRetreat where I was able to learn first hand about the skincare innovative and technology that SkinActive has to offer. I also received advice from Garnier’s Skin Expert, Dr. Noah Wieder and a personalized skincare prescription to aid me in battling my skincare troubles.
If you can relate to some of my concerns, read further to see my personalized skincare prescription!
My Skincare Prescription
SkinActive Clean+
Garnier offers so many different products under the SkinActive brand. To treat my excessive oily T-zone and battle my occasional acne outbreak, I was recommended to use the SkinActive Clean+ products including:
- Clean+ Shine Control Cleansing Gel (used twice daily)
- Clean+ Impurities Eliminating Scrub (used two to three times weekly)
- Clean+ Pore Purifying Clay Cleanser + Mask (used two to three times weekly)
All three formulas above are infused with Charcoal which draws out impurities such as oil and dirt, like a magnet. The gel cleanser is suitable for daily use and dissolves dirt, excess oil and makeup. When massaged onto skin for several minutes, a ‘cool mint’ sensation develops!
As for an everyday moisturizer, the Garnier SkinActive Moisture Rescue which also has SPF 15 was thought to be a great choice for me. It’s perfect worn under makeup and has a nice lightweight finish.
SkinActive Ultra-Lift Miracle Sleeping Cream
I’d be lying if I said I’m not obsessed with this Ultra-Lift Miracle Sleeping Cream. I first applied this during our overnight stay at the retreat and in the morning, I experienced increase in hydration and radiance. When used over a period of time, it is said to reduce wrinkles and fights signs of fatigue. I’ve been using this product for the last two weeks nightly, and absolutely adore it. I typically find night creams (creams in general actually) to be quite thick and heavy. However, the texture of this option reminds me of smearing a layer of whipped cream over cake – it’s smooth and velvety.
SkinActive Micellar Water
If you haven’t tried the Micellar Water (Waterproof Makeup) – you MUST! It’s an all-in-1 cleansing water that dissolves waterproof makeup, cleanses, and refreshes. You may have seen a version with a pink bottle cap, which is just as good, but this blue capped bottle removes WATERPROOF mascara, cleanses skin, eyes and lips without rubbing or rinsing. The micelles (read about the technology here) capture and lift away dirt, oil and makeup without over drying.
The ridiculously awesome part about the Micellar Water is that it is completely oil free. Oil free makeup remover is extremely important to me especially when it comes to eye makeup because I have lash extensions and anything with oil is a definite no-no!
I’ve been using these products for the past 14 days and have seen visible firmness, more radiance, and most importantly, less oil in my T-zone. In addition to incorporating these skincare products, I have also been test driving (not shown in photos) Garnier’s SkinActive Skin Renew BB Cream for Combination to Oily Skin .
This BB Cream formula offers an anti-shine finish, minimizes look of pores, hydrates and brightens. I have been using it as a standalone product layered on top of the Moisture Rescue moisturizer and found that it provides just the right amount of coverage. It glides on smoothly, and has a bit more of a liquid consistency as oppose to a creamy or mousse-like texture. Just to note, the BB Cream does not come with SPF, therefore if you’re planning to stay in the sun for an extended period of time, I recommend applying Ombrelle Ultra Light Advanced Weightless Face Lotion with SPF 60 first. I’ve been a longtime fan of Ombrelle’s sunblock products as they are lightweight and caters to all skin types including sensitive skin.
2 comments
Hi Natalie,
I always use Garnier products when it comes to beauty and skin care because they are effective to my skin inside and out. From treating my acne, facial mask, moisturizer, serum, eye cream and more are from Garnier. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Natalie,
I always been in searched for products that will help me with my T-zone as it is been really oily especially during summer days.That is why I avoid going out because the heat of the sun does not only cause me oily face but is also damaging the skin. Since this Garnier SkinActiv is effective to your T-zone, I want to try this one too. I hope I can end up just like you -to have better skin.