Hi all,

I am getting married this October and was looking for some advice about what skin products you use/recommend?

I am prone to breakouts and I have a 'shiny' appearance to my skin. I have used loads of different products to try to help my skin but nothing really seems to work. The blemishes when they arrive are sore and red and I would just love to be without them on my wedding day and have a 'shine free' look that will last for as long as possible.

Also what foundation do you use? Powder or liquid? What do you think is better?!

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks, Sarah x x

hi, have you tried elemis, what is your actual problem, i could do an on line consultation,

Hi

Im an elemis person to.  You should try Elemis Shine control.  Deansami, do you work for Elemis?

I love elemis, most amazing products. The moisturiser is amazing and the enzyme wash and the masks and the oils and OMG the treatments at an elemis salon.  Need I go on - amazing!

no, however i work with the product, very closely, im the hairdresser, but quite well trained as i sell alot, i was quite concerned about her sore blemishes, cant decide if these are dry or oily, waiting for reply, i was thinking that sos cream might be good for soreness, i totally agree with daily shine controll, but pro colagen is great for makeup base and gentle rose exfoliator for sensitivity, i think most of the sensitive products would be good

have you triad hot stone therapy, i love trienzyme facial wash, and pro collagen marine cream, makes a 40 year old look 20, lol

oh yeah it is great.  there is a spa near me that uses the products and I luv em but don't rate the pro collagen marine cream - it is the other moisturiser I rate.  I stopped using it ages ago as it wasn't anti-aging but have gone back to it because it is so good.  first discovered them on QVC and haven't looked back since.  Aaaah, my qvc shame has been released lol

Hi deansami,

Thanks for your reply. To be honest I have never heard of Elemis but prepared to give anything a go! Where do I get it?!

My blemishes are sore when they first pop up and usually become whiteheads which just look so horrible! I do have dry patches on my chin area but the rest of my face is 'shiny'. The blemishes are on my forehead, nose and chin when they pop up and occasionally on my cheeks. Is this helpful info, not sure what else to put really!

Thanks, Sarah

do you use moisturisin day and night cream, i also think it depends on if you like to have the feeling of something on your face, sometimes i do and sometimes i dont, the whole trienzyme range is expensive but very good, try it

sami

first you could use rosepetal cleanser and lavender toner, try day and night cream for normal/combination, see how you go for 2months with that, you may find that you skin will worsen first as it brings the blemishes to the surface, if you feel like this is not working too much then try whe whole try enzyme range, it resurfaces the skin, elemis is v expensive however its v good, elemis is only normally sold in top salons, hair or beauty, be prepared to spend at least 100 pound, good luck

also have you tried a tinted moisturiser as a base, then maybe a bronzer or blush over the cheeks, therefore your allowing your skin to breethe, try estee lauder, tinted moisturiser, it the one with the micro beads in it,

Hi

Saks Hair and Beauty salons sell Elemis and also do the treatments

I swear by Clinique Superfit Foundation. It is oil free and long wearing. Over the top I use Clinique Stay Matte Sheer Pressed Powder that is also oil free.
It is designed for women who wear make up 'at the gym' :-D
I work on a boiling hot neonatal intensive care unit so I need make up that will stay on and not run down my face and this has never let me down.... It is about £35.00 for the two but worth every penny......

HTH,
Gabrielle x

I have had a similar sounding problem as I have oily skin prone to breakouts and shine, and started getting red spots under the skin which were sore. As I was getting desperate I took a friends advice and started using Clarins products for oily skin (cleansing wash and light moisturiser for my skin type) and it made a big difference. Although expensive the products seem to last a long time and it is great to have virtually no breakouts after years of problems. It suits my skin anyway. I really hope you find something to help.

thats were i work, are youthere too

Hi Sarah - I bought some Elemis and have never used it - I'm an Olay girl and if it works why change right??

Anyway - if you like I can post this out to you, it's got balancing lavender toner, balancing lime blossom cleanser (both 200ml) and 15ml liquid layer sunblock, 15ml pro-collagen marine cream, 15ml pro-collagen lifting treatment (neck and bust) and 15ml pro-collagen oxygenating night cream.

if interested pm me your address, and how about a donation to your local shelter??

Still in original packaging from when I bought it with leaflet etc

and congrats on your forthcoming wedding!

Liz 

Congratulations on your forthcoming wedding!

If you are prone to breakouts then I suggest you visit yor gp just to make sure it isn't acne, if it is then there are topical solutions or antibiotics that can help calm it down and get rid of it by then.

The next thing is to find something that suits your skin, and the most gentle ones I have found are Rene Guinot & Clarins these are the only brands that don't make my skin break out. And a rene guinot facial will also help loads too.  Don't wear make up every day as sometimes with a sensitive skin your face needs a break, always cleanse tone and moisturise morning and night too.  Remember what suits one doesn't always suit another so it might take a bit of time to find the right one for you.

Then venture to one of the large dept stores, and have a make up lesson, these usually cost about £10 which can be exchanged with a purchase after the lesson.  I find Mac, Dior & Bobbie Brown are great for make up and ideas.

:)

I used to suffer from quite bad breakouts. Wasnt acne but every now and again i would get some real nasty looking spots.
My cure is going for a sauna once a week - really really helps, Nivea day cream in the morning and nivea night cream before i go to bed (about £9 a pot so not too bad-lasts ages) and cliche but true, drinking lots of water. I've really noticed a difference. I started this regime after chrismtas and had noticed a huge difference. Also, avoid make up as much as you can as this can block pores and cause a build up of oils.
Boots, superdrug and suchlike do blotting pads. Small pieces of paper (looks like tracing paper) which you rip off from the pad and rub on your face to remove oil. Works well and the paper goes see through to show you the removal of the oil.
Think preparation is the key. Start eating healthier and drinking water now, put on cream religiosly and try to go to the sauna regularly, by the time your wedding comes your skin will be glowing!!!!

I second the sauna suggestion,or steam room,even better.But make sure your face is sparkling clean before entering,and clean/rinse with cool water afterward.
What about pro-active,has anyone ever tried it? I've been thinking about it for my daughter who suffers the odd breakout, but wanted to talk to someone who has tried it first.
Anyone?

Never heard of it Ktee. Is it a cream. Doctor gave me some cream once calle pro-oxyn or something similar. Used it for a while but it dried my skin ut really badly. Also, got a little bit on my wallpaper and it bleached the colour out the paper. Thought if it can do that to wallpaper what is it doing to my skin...stopped using it soon after!!

i can't speak for elemis (never tried it), but i've used decleor in the past, which was lovely stuff. I'm using lancome these days though (my sis in law works for them, so i get a nice discount :D), and it really suits my skin it has to be said-i very rarely get spots. Their "mousse clarte" is by far the best 'face wash' i've ever used, and it last forever. Philosophy's worth a look too (used that in the past too, before lancome). Why not pop down to a department store for some advice? If you have some empty pots, most will give you samples. Or you could buy from QVC-they're brilliant at returns if it doesn't work out. As for makeup, if would recommend prescriptives for a base-their foundations are amazing. But as for mascara, lancome again. Fabulous!

iv heard of m-active, any good?

I agree with Gabrielle on the Clinique front, their foundations & powders are FANTASTIC!  they stay on for hours & hours & don't leave your skin feeling heavy & clogged as I've found other foundations too.  The girls on the counters tend to be really helpful & you normally get lots of freebies thrown in if you spend a fair amount.  As Freds Mum mentioned blotting sheets are a great way of getting rid of the shine & excess oil, Clinique (I don't work for them honest!) do some great ones as do MAC & Sephora's own brand ones are pretty good too!  If I'm not going to the States you can find them on ebay!!

I go to a Spa once every 3 months & they use Elemis & Thalgo products, however I find them a bit over powering & also a tad too expensive for me.  You can however find their products a wee bit cheaper from lookfantastic.com.  You have to register but you get a small discount on nearly all the brands they sell which includes Elemise, Thalgo, Aveda & lots more! It's also fab for hair care!

It's a worry when you get married cos you want to look your best all day, I'm not looking forward to it! My hair especially has a tendency to go flat after a few hours!!!  Good luck on your special day!  Hope what I've wrote helps!

Huge fan of Guinot for cleansing etc (find a salon for a facial and you won't look back !). That's what I did and once you know what works for you there are a number of websites to buy the products a bit cheaper. Like lots of things they may seem dearer than high street brands but they do last longer as you don't seem to use as much.
I agree though with Clinique Superfit liquid makeup. I wear it everyday, even at the gym - always looks smooth even after exercise when I'm hot and bothered !.

Val

im another clinique addict,they are great and there skin care range is perfect for my skin.ive got weird skin,it can get greasy on my t zone but be quite dry at the same time.i use to get breakouts quite alot aswell,i only get the odd one now.
i use the foundation called almost make up its just like a mosituriser and of course i use clinique pressed powder. i work in kennels so i quite often get slobber,rain and allsorts on me but i still have to be presentable enough to see people coming in i put a tiny bit of powder on my nose at lunch but thats all.ha that sounds quite posh "powder my nose" he he

I have oily skin also and tend to get "hormonal" breakouts on my chin area during that time of the month..I use Decleor and they are fantastic...but everyone is different and I would recommend that you go to salon and book a facial that way they can see your skin problems face to face and advise you what to use, plus although your own skincare regime is important I find that a facial makes all the difference! :-)

Well, I'm certainly not an expert on this, but my teenage daughter has recently been using Liz Earle's cleansers etc.  and I have to say I was impressed - normally, I'm a soap and water person.

I've got really sensitive skin and have in the past been referred to dermatologists, had patch testing and been on antibiotics for two years.  Anyway, I now use Dermalogica products, which were produced by dermatologists, and they are brilliant.  I haven't had any problems with them and my skin is good.

One thing I did find broke my skin out is stuff you spray on your hair before you straighten it.  If I got even the tiniest bit on my skin, I would have a horribly sore spot in hours.  I worked this out myself after the two years of antibiotics, the dermatologist visits and the patch testing.

I've heard Dermalogica stuff is very good, a few of my friends use it & swear by it.  I think alot of the time it's trial & error with skin care, only problem is you spend a fortune of buying & trying all this stuff only to find it doesn't work/suit & then you end up with a bathroom full of half empty bottles!!! D'oh! Wish they all did trial samples I'd have a lot more money & space in my house!!!

Was reading in a Now or Closer magazine ( i think) about Denise van Outen. It says she uses a Zeno. Basically you use it to zap the spot when you feel one coming.
See below
http://www.myzeno.com/

where can you buy Decleor products? i had a pamper day at hotel and spa last week and i had a facial 1st one ever oh i was wonderfull and they used these products, also are they expensive,

You can buy Decleor products from Salons, some Department stores, EBay and on QVC. and off their website!

Also try here http://www.lookfantastic.com/beauty/decleor as some products are slightly cheaper than buying from a store.  I buy a lot of hair and skin products from this site, so can recommend them.

thankyou, ive had a look at site i just wished now that i asked her what she used as there are so many.

There was an article in one of the top magazines that ALDI's night and day cream match any of the top expensive brands. My daughter is a manager for Clinique at House of Fraser Lakeside, so I have been using clinique, but I thought I would check Aldi's out, low and behold the shelves were empty LOL. seems everyone else read the article.

just been out and treated myself to Clinique superfit foundation and pressed power, i work a 12hr night shift and aways wear full make-up cant wait to try it out.

Thanks for all your posts. You have been a great help and I am trying a few new things out so finger crossed for my big day in October!!

I treated myself too to the clinique superfit foundation and powder after a few posts on here. I went to Debenhams and the lady was really helpful in there. Used it today for the first time as I have been doing the housework and been out with the dog (got caught out in an April shower!) and it definately seems to be less shiny than the make up I have been using so will wait and see how it goes.

Will be interested to see what you think also tessisbest.

After following the posts on here, I have had Clinique superfit written down in my purse for over a week, as soon as I run out of current foundation I'll be visiting a Clinique counter, please post how you get on with it to those who have purchased it, as I am more than interested in your feedback.

well used the Clinique superfit foundation and powder the the first time today its been on all day still looks good and my face is definatly less shinny than usuall. but still not put it through the night shift test i will let you know though back in work tomorrow

well make up is on and im to do the dreaded 12hr night shift. i will let you know how it bares up.

Excellent! Look forward to hearing how it did! You are definately putting it to the test with a 12 hour night shift, poor you!

Do you apply the foundation with a brush or your finger tips? Do you put anything on you skin before the foundation and how much do you put on, 2 pea sized amounts or more? I can never seem to get it just right. I squeezed the bottle this morning and got loads come out! What am I like!

Sarah x

I look forward to hearing about it too!  I use a brush to apply my foundation but never have much luck with application, always slides off my face if I'm hot or get too stressed at work!  Ooh I do hope we've found a product that I can actually use??

Be aware that brushes and sponges etc, used to apply make up have a shelf life and should be cleaned/replaced regularly....as should make up You could be applying the best make up in the world but if you are doing so with dirty (or even shared) brushes you are more likely to get spots.
:-)

I wash all my brushes once a week with a gentle face wash, I store them correctly too, I'm just useless with make up, last year for my daughters wedding I had a professional make up and I can really tell the difference on the photos, so really pleased I did so.

hqhair.com and strawberrynet.com also sell decleor-i used to get mine from hq hair, but stawberrynet's cheaper.

tessisbest-i first tried decleor after filling in their send us your questions form (i just asked what they would recommend, explained about my skin, what i've used in the past etc-this was after using clinique which wrecked my skin, ut each to their own), and they sent me 5 samples of different things-face wash, toner, day and night cream, and also one of the oils. Might be worth doing the same and see what happens?

well here goes..... used the foundation and powder went to work had a really busy night and yes it stayed on all night and still looked acceptable when i got home at 8.30 the next morning, it had been on for 17hrs in total. there was definatly less shine on my face, so all in all i was very please with the product, but theres always a but eh!!! the foundation that i was wearing before was L'OREAL INFALLIBLE 16Hrs and that also lives up to its expectations so i would say the overall the clinique is best for less shine and didnt look so heavy as the loreal, so i shall be staying with clinique.. i also use a facial srub twice a week and always moisturise  before getting into bed, i dont always moisturise before applying the foundation, oh and i use my fingers to aplly it, beware alot comes out very fast. hope that helps.     MUNKEEMOJO= thankyou sooo much for your help regarding the decleor products i will definalty use that site when ive finished my shifts and will let you know how i got on,,