Skincare, Melbourne Cup and Skin Cancer

Melbourne Cup

Wow...!  What a great Melbourne Cup it was!  I love any chance to frock up.  I picked up this beautiful dress a few years back from Charlie Brown at DFO Brisbane Airport, when they had a store there.

And wearing a fascinator while at work – yahoo!

But the highlight of the day was watching Michelle Payne, our first female jockey, win the Melbourne Cup.  That made for the best Melbourne Cup race that I’ve ever watched.

Skincare

At present (it changes constantly) my greatest love is skincare.  I really had no clue about skincare 12 months ago.  What a sorry state of affairs!!  Before then it was pretty slap and dash so the fact that my skin is as good as it is, is mere luck and good genetics.

Who did I learn from?

So it started with Caroline Hirons.  I think she was featured on another YouTuber’s video and I was intrigued.  Caroline is from the UK, a former beauty counter worker, facialist and now full-time blogger and vlogger.  She's in your face, honest and doesn’t care what anyone thinks.  Her scathing reviews on facial cleansing wipes, foaming cleansers and anti-cellulite creams are legendary.

I also started following Sali Hughes, again from the UK, who was a makeup artist and now writes for UK’s The Guardian and is a blogger and vlogger.  She wrote a book called “Pretty Honest”.  The book cuts through the crap (sorry) about skincare and the beauty industry.  For me it was a great read!!

I then decided also to read Kate Somerville’s book (she has a line of skincare available in Mecca Maxima).  Again another great read.

So what did I learn?

I learnt that skin is complicated and there’s no one-size-fits-all.  What I do know is that my skin is pretty darn good for my age.  It’s oily (which makes it shiny but that means I won’t age as quickly than if it was dry), it has enlarged pores (that goes with my oily skin), it has some fine lines (duh I’m over 40) and burns quickly when exposed to the sun.

What I do now that’s different

I take care of it for a start.  I try to never go to bed with makeup on.  I double cleanse if I wear makeup and sunscreen (which is pretty much every day).  I used to think one cleanse was enough!  I also exfoliate.  Well I used to do that before but I used a physical exfoliant and from what I’ve read they are pretty harsh and drying which just causes my skin to oil up even more.  I now use chemical exfoliants and embrace the slight sting.  I also use a serum morning and night followed by a moisturiser.  I had absolutely no idea what a serum even was but what a difference it made.  I have also embraced retinols and acids – glycolic, lactic and others.

So what's the outcome of all of this?

By far my skin texture is now smooth like a baby’s bum (well not quite).  I don’t get any breakouts like I once did.  Blackheads, whilst still a work in progress, are virtually gone and the way my makeup applies is just so much better.  I also think that my fine lines are looking less prominent and my skin glows like never before.  I'm really happy with the condition that my skin is in now.  Okay it does take a bit more of an effort but the results are well worth it.

Where to next?

For now I’ll keep on reading blogs and watching YouTube videos from my favourites and from some of the skincare companies I’m a fan of.  In an upcoming post I will give an example of my skincare routine and post some photos on Instagram (@stylebylisap).  I will keep trying different products as it’s amazing the impact different things have on my skin.

What’s my greatest tip?

For me I wish I had exposed my skin to the sun far less when I was young (my parents are surely laughing at this).  I guess from around my mid 20s I started to really get serious about sunscreen but now I am what I would call pretty obsessive about sun protection.  I wear 50+ every day (winter included) and if I’m out in the sun a lot (like on vacation) I will literally wear a wide brimmed hat and an umbrella for extra protection.  For me the sun is the bad guy and I’ve had a few sunspots removed and I’ve just had my second BCC (basal cell carcinoma) removed from my face this last Thursday – ouch! Right now I'm sporting a black eye and some swelling from this procedure.

My favourite products?

Bioderma (for removing eye makeup only - Priceline) My daughter has stolen this bottle a few times (naughty, naughty!) and somehow it has ended up in her stash. She loves it cause it's the only product so far that hasn't irritated her eyes.

Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm (love it as a first cleanse - Myer)

First Aid Beauty Milk Oil Conditioning Cleanser (great as a second or AM cleanse – purchased online from Beauty Bay)

Biologique Recherche Lotion P50V (chemical exfoliant, not for the faint-hearted, used once or twice a week at night – purchased online from Laguna Day Spa in Sydney)

First Aid Beauty Radiance Pads (chemical exfoliant pads, used nightly unless using the above exfoliant or the exfoliant below – purchased online from Beauty Bay)

Alpha-H Liquid Gold (exfoliant treatment, this makes my skin tingle, used once or twice a week at night – purchased online from Beauty Bay)

Indeed Labs Retinol Reface (retinol treatment, used once or twice a week at night before serum and moisturiser - Priceline)

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Dynamic Hydration Power Serum (used after cleansing in AM and acid toning in the PM - purchased at CVS in New York but have found an Australian stockist)

Kate Somerville Oil-Free Moisturiser (used after serum, with the best dispenser in the business - Mecca Maxima) My daughter adores this as well but she has been warned not to touch it.

It's important to note that these products suit my skin type but they may not suit yours.

As you can see I don’t follow any one brand as that doesn’t seem to work for me.  I do like to mix it up!  It's all a bit of trial and error.

Until next time xx

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