Why i always go back to clinique and living with eczema

I feel like last week i was a bit off the radar when it came to blogging, social media and just generally life, i spent most of my week at work or in bed and had a bit of a motivation block in all ways. One of the reasons for this, was my skin. And yes it sounds silly and yes it may sound like silly old me being over dramatic, but come on feeling uncomfortable in your own skin is the worst. I have always suffered from eczema from a very young age, and my friends and family will know that as i have got older in some ways it has got worse. So many people say 'oh you will grow out of it one day' but for me i just dont think that is the case. I decided to write a little more about it, not because i want sympathy, but i want anyone else to know that suffers with it, yes your are not the only one and yes it can be so rubbish but hey its just one of those things. No my eczema is not as bad as some peoples and yes i am thankful for that. But these days, the one place i tend to get a break out of it tends to be my face. So when i continued to get flare ups the last couple of weeks i thought it was about time i took the plunge and made a little splurge to get it back on track. A Couple of years ago i started to flare up really badly and it got to the point where i could barely even move my face or smile it just covered all of my cheeks, after seeing doctor after doctor and finally a specialist to see if she could help, she came clean and basically said, look you can't get rid of it, its simply something you have to keep at bay and live with. I was prescribed very strong steroid creams which bought it down a lot and i relied on those for a while, but really in the long term they aren't that great for you, will thin the skin and eventually make it worse. What you really need is simple products, a simple routine and a non fragrance routine to get you back on track and keep those pesky flare ups away. 

* Take the day off balm - Extra gentle Foam Cleanser - Clarifying lotion 1.0 - Dramatically different moisturising lotion - Moisture Surge *

So for me that means one brand that i know works for me and that is Clinique. I used it once before when my skin got really bad and although it means a little spend up for a while, i cant think of anything more important to spend my money on myself then on my skin. So like i said for me and for my skin, its all about the routine and not constantly mixing and messing with different moisturisers and cleansers. This can be hard, especially when you like to try new things and see if you can get your beauty regime that little bit cheaper, but its something sometimes i need to do. 

When i went to see the lovely lady on the clinique counter she pointed me in the right direction when i explained my issues and concerns. I told her i wanted moisture, and the three step routine that i know works so well for so many. 

So here are the products that i use. I use pretty much the same both day and night, except i skip the makeup remover in the morning and go straight into the cleanser for my skin. So at night, i first remove my makeup with the 'take the day off balm' this is super soft and non drying on the skin and honestly removes all my makeup so quickly and easily like no other. I then go in with the cleanser to clean my skin thoroughly, i use the extra gentle cleansing foam, with is very gentle on the skin and just removes any last bits of makeup or nasties you may have lurking. Once my face feels clean and squeaky i move on to the toner. For this i use the 'Clarifying lotion 1.0'. This is alcohol free and tones and exfoliates skin, which is great for eczema prone skin as it isn't too harsh or rough like some normal exfoliation. 

Now for moisturiser and for me this point is key. I first apply one or two pumps of the 'Dramatically different moisturising lotion' this is just super soft and gentle on the skin, fragrance free like most clinique products and very moisturising. For an extra boost of moisture which i always need i then put a light layer of the 'Moisture surge moisturiser' on top, just to lock in the mixture and repair any sore patches of eczema. And yes i am finally ready for bed.

It seems a lot and a little bit excessive but having used this routine for just over a week now the improvements in my skin have been great, and as far as my confidence goes its got a lot better in just a couple of days. I am sure i will only continue to see further results and it makes me happy and even a little bit excited to take my makeup off each day and do my little routine. 

So there you have it my lovelies, a little skin update and a bit of a background too, filters can hide a lot of sin's so i think its always a good thing to open up and be honest about things, you never know someone else out there may just need this blogpost as much as i wish i had found one to point me in the right direction. I will continue to update you guys and let you know of any other products that help, especially over the colder months that are heading right at us. I will back on Sunday with something a little more fun.

Thanks for reading my lovelies. x