My French Revolution

No I’m not talking about a Les Miserables political esque revolution, nor am I talking about a tanned six foot French model, although if you know one then send him my way.

My revolution or should I say revelation comes in the form of French skincare. For years beauty gurus have raved about our European sister’s expertise when it comes to skincare, and I have finally latched onto their ways. I have torn myself away from my beloved Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, Toner and Skin Repair Moisturiser, and from the results I’ve seen,  I honestly wish I had done it sooner.

That’s not to say I dislike the Liz Earle range, far from it. The Cleanse and Polish is a staple in my family, everyone from my Nana to my Mum to cousins use it. I’ve been using it since I was 17, and it worked like a dream for my dry skin; it’s gentle and the creaminess leaves skin feeling clean and soft. I would recommend it for most skin types, apart from if you have  overly oily skin then you may need something a bit stronger. So if you’re looking to try a new but trusted cleanser then I can’t recommend this one enough!

However after nearly three and half years I noticed my skin started to break out and took a long time to heal, it felt tight and was becoming flaky even though I was doing the religious ‘cleanse, tone and moisturise’ twice a day. At first I thought it was because I had spent five weeks working in London for More! magazine, and the combination of sun, commuting on trains and tubes, air conditioning and the heat were causing my skin to react and break out.

Whilst working for the beauty desk at More! I was lucky enough to be sent to Saks to test a new facial performed by Kirsty Jewson, Head of Beauty for Saks, also known as my fairy godmother. The three step facial routine we have been taught to believe for years was actually ironically my skin’s downfall.  Kirsty explained to me that skin doesn’t actually need toner nor an overload of moisturiser, what we should be doing is ‘cleanse and protect’ and if needed to do a treatment in between the two.

My skin was examined under a purple light, and all three layers- epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous fat layer were scrutinised. I knew I had dry skin but I wasn’t quite expecting to hear the results. I have deep dehydration in the dermis, particularly around the eyes which if I don’t repair over the next few years then it will lead to premature aging. I also have impaired lipids, so I don’t hold moisture particularly well in my skin, hence the dryness, but also lipids are responsible for keeping the collagen, vitamin A and E, and water together, so again this extreme dehydration can lead to premature skin aging, which quite frankly as a beauty girl scares the hell out of me. Because the lipids in my skin are impaired, turns out they have been since birth, I have to make sure I put the extra effort in looking after my skin. My fairy godmother’s solution; hyaluronic acid, acai berries and vitamin E supplements.

In short hyaluronic acid is naturally found within skin tissue, which keeps it moist, flexible and agile, resulting in improved levels of moisture retention therefore making wrinkles and dehydration less prominent and extending the youth of skin. Hyaluronic acid will be listed in the ingredients on your products but it does have a few other names such as; sodium hyaluronate, sodium hylan and hyluran.

So my quest to find the perfect skin serum with hyaluronic acid to add to my skin care routine was indefinite. I spent a long time researching serums, the concentration levels and which were best for my skin type. Then I came across Caudalie’s S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum and I fell in love with the first of my French skincare products.  The serum claims to restore moisture balance in the skin and after a week of using it I’d noticed a difference. My skin which was previously dull looking is now glowing, my skin is softer than before and it had made my skin both look and feel more plumped. I’m hoping that’s the collagen being given a reboot. You only need about half a pump for the whole face, serum’s are different to moisturisers in that less is more, and it smells divine! It’s got hints of mandarin, cucumber and citrus so it’s a real boost in the morning.

Other French skincare brands I have recently been trying and loving are La Roche-Posay , Avéne and Lancóme.

La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar Duo is a corrective product that unclogs pores by dissolving the blocked dirt and oil. Recently I had been having frequent break outs which I haven’t really had since I was about 15, and this has sorted my skin out so quickly and effectively that I am desperate to try more from the range. Apply twice a day all over the face or if you prefer in just targeted areas after cleansing and within as little as 24hours you will notice a difference. As I previously mentioned my skin was taking a long time to recover from spots, it could be anything from a few days to two weeks, but now my skin is hardly breaking out. La Roche-Posay is specially developed for sensitive skin. The Effaclar range is developed for oily skin but I would recommend this product for anyone who is suffering from breakouts and wants to see dramatic results. If you have overly dry skin though then I would advise just one application a day.  If you want to read more about the ranges click here http://www.laroche-posay.co.uk

Micellar cleansers are great at making you feel you like you have really clean skin after removing your make-up. Lancóme’s Eau Micellaire Douceur and Eau Thermale Avéne’s Lotion Micellaire are perfect for sensitive skin-types. Cleansers with micelle technology, such as the iconic Bioderma, dissolve the make-up and impurities on the skin without drying it out.  For me the Lancóme is more effective at removing mascara as the Avéne is perhaps a little too gentle for stubborn mascara, especially if it is waterproof.

Finally, another product from Avéne that I love and will remain ever-present in my make-up bag is the Eau Thermale Thermal Spring Water. It comes in a spray can and is perfect for after you’ve removed your make-up and before/after any treatments such as face masks. It feels so refreshing on the skin, but not that too cold refreshing that gives you goosebumps, and it can be used over make-up if you need a little pick me up mid-afternoon. It reminds me of water version of E-45 cream in that it can be used to soothe razor burn, sun burn, rashes and redness.

So there we have it my French revolution! If you have any products you think I should try then let me know, I love trying new products out. I have a few that I need to use up first but once they’ve been lovingly used I will be venturing further into the French skincare industry. So keep an eye out for future skin care routine posts. 

ps I'm wearing Essie Nail Lacquer in Aruba Blue