When it comes to presenting a face that looks first class, the secret is in the skin care. As you know from my previous posts on the topic, it is as much about what you put in as what you put on your skin. So when it comes to the old argument about where to spend your cash, good quality skin care wins out for me over makeup every time. This is not to say that it needs to cost a fortune, but I do believe in buying the best you can afford and doing your research to make sure that you know what you are really getting in those fancy packages.
Here is what I am using at the moment…
The Neutrogena eye makeup remover is an absolute lifesaver! With the amount of eyeliner I use put together with eyelash glue and all manner of colours, it can be a big job to get it all off. I came across this one in a moment of desperation after many of the fancier brands had failed to handle the job. It is a two part type of liquid that has to be shaken before application, but then removes EVERY trace of eye makeup within two gentle passes!
My other super skin care secret is a salon product range called Sothy’s. It is a french skin care line and has done the most amazing job of restoring my skin to great condition after I gave it a bit of a beating. I used to get broken capillaries all across my cheeks and it wasn’t until my beautician put me onto the Sothy’s range especially for this that they healed and stopped occurring. The Beauty Milk has a light texture and is fantastic for cleansing the whole face slowly, gently and retaining the moisture without ending up “squeaky clean”. (In case you’re wondering, squeaky clean is actually a very bad thing for your skin. If it squeaks it’s in pain!)
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I also use the Sothy’s “Morning Cleanser” which is fabulous for a deep clean and does the trick after a day of heavy makeup, like photo shoots and such. I spend the time to remove my eye makeup first, then massage this one in for about two minutes. I also use a fresh, warm wash cloth it ensure that every remaining trace of makeup is removed. It is a good idea to add something as simple as a flannel washcloth to your daily cleansing routine as it provides a super gentle exfoliation and helps to clean the areas that can be left out if you just splash with water (like the hairline).
I cleanse my skin morning and night and always follow up with a gentle toner. In this case I’m using the Sothy’s toner as I like to stick to the same brands for the best results. This toner is specifically designed for skin with fragile capillaries, so it doesn’t make the issue worse. I’m also one of those people who bruise very easily, so I know I have to be careful with how I treat my skin.
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A few more from Sothy’s as I also use their day cream and Secrets eye cream. One of the tricks to keeping your eyes looking good that I am glad I learnt at a young age is NOT to use moisturiser around your eyes! The moisturiser increases the water content in the cells which stretches out the cell walls. So it is like inflating and deflating a balloon each day. Not a pretty picture.
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I talk a lot about wearing sunscreen on this blog, and many of you have asked which formula I use that is non greasy and goes very well under makeup to still keep it looking matt. This is the one – Sun Sense Daily Matt Formula by Ego. It can be found in most chemists and I think Priceline also carry it. It has a fantastic texture that is absorbed quite quickly and is perfect for face and neck. It is a little more expensive than the regular kind, so I keep this one for my face and use a regular 30+ for the rest of my body. And if you’re wondering, yes, I use these all year around not just in summer.
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I do regular at home facials at least once a week, and use a stronger exfoliate once a week to help renew the skin surface. There are a few different products I use for this type of regime but this Bubble Peeling by Shills I bought in Singapore simply because I loved the packaging. I’m not going to recommend a particular exfoliating product because I find that this can be a difficult area for a lot of people, particularly if you have very sensitive skin. After a good clean and exfoliation, I also like to use a deep cleansing mask and the Vitality Mask from Sothy’s has lasted me for a good twelve months.
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The Palmer’s body oil is one of my all time favorite products that I use almost everyday. I believe it is designed as a bath oil, but I apply it all over my skin after a nice warm shower and let in soak in. It has a somewhat chocolaty smell and makes you skin super silky. It’s inexpensive, quickly and easy to put on (but don’t use too much!) and leaves you feeling far more strokable than before.
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Last but no means least is the Paw Paw ointment. This stuff is fantastic for lip conditioning, but I only ever use it at night. I know a lot of people like to apply this all day or under their lipstick, but I find that as it has a low melting temperature, it cause lipstick to bleed! So I stick to using it when I’m sleeping so my lips are all plump and kissable in the morning. And the Vaseline? Well this stuff is handy to keep around for all manner of things but two in particular. Using a little Vaseline on your eyebrows helps to keep them in shape and nice and glossy. The other trick I use this for is on my teeth to stop my lips sticking, but only if I’m doing a particularly long photo shoot or something of that nature. You can’t always grab a drink on the catwalk, so it helps to know that you’re not going to have any lipstick malfunctions.
And that is all the basic skin care products I’m using at present in a nutshell. If you have any specific questions about these please feel free to shoot them through, but remember I can only give you generic advice on which products I like and not the perfect thing for you. The Internet hasn’t quite reached the touch and feel level just yet!
It’s just perfect. Dark, spiced and a...
Dear SKM, thanks for that great post! I was wondering if you could tell me where you get the Sothy’s items from? I have not seen those in the shops before. I like the idea of the toner for fragile capillaries, I have very fine skin and problems with capillaries so this product is a great idea. Many thanks, Maria, aka Vintage Suburbia
PS I also use the Sunsense sunscreen, a great product
Maria: Sure thing! Sothy’s is only available in salons (I’ll email you the detail of where I go) but you can find your closest one by calling their head office. They have a whole range designed for fragile capileries and depending on your level of damage which products you’ll need. I swear by the major improvements their products made to my skin. And YAY for Sunsense – a fantastic cream!
I always love to see what products other people use! I definitely need more Palmer’s things. I’m currently trying to buy only cruelty free/ethical products, which can also be difficult when you want quality, at times.
-Andi x
I love Sothys too! I also use Vaseline & the Palmers Cocoa Butter oil!
I’m a recent convert to your blog and always fascinated by other peoples skin care routines. My skin also bruises easily and gets broken capilliaries. Is Sothy’s hard to find? Maybe you could post a link of where to buy it. Oh and I swear by Vaseline on my lips overnight- makes them lovely and soft.
Jess: Sothy’s is an in salon product, which means you have to find a beauty salon that stocks it. Best way to do that is ring the head office in your city and they’ll direct you to your closest location.
Hi SKM,
love your blog and all your tips – I just wanted to let you know that vaseline (and every other product containing petroleum jelly) is actually really bad for you.
I used to be addicted to chap stick (also full of petroleum jelly) – because it fakes a moist appearance but quickly wears off, making you reapply all day. I switched to Burts bees products – really good and affordable and 100% natural. Petroleum jelly is what it says it is: petroleum, and i wouldn’t want to rub petrol on my face, so why would I use petroleum jelly?
Sorry for this to sound like a rant but i did a major university assignment on plastic and petroleum products and it would scare you to know how bad they are for the planet and ourselves.
Kirsty: Yes, you’re right and that’s why I don’t use it on my skin. I use the Paw paw ointment for my lips. The Vaseline is for eyebrows to help the stick together and shine as well as to put on teeth to stop the lips sticking to them. It doesn’t sound too fantastic when you think you are putting petroleum by product into your mouth (however infrequently), but then the amnount of other suspect ingredients I end up eating in my lipstick anyway kind of makes it a moot point. Thanks for making the point though.
Thanks for the list, SKM! My MIL has Rosacea, and the Sothy’s line looks like it might be a good one for her to try.
i am loving your site! Your hair is so fab! I wrote a few blogs so similar to yours…I just found my perfect red lipstick too! haha
Eek, tell me more about not putting moisturiser under your eyes. I didn’t know this, why didn’t I know this? Here I was thinking I was beating the crows feet! What about actual eye moisturisers, are they okay? Thank you
Jen: Yes, when I say don’t use moisturiser I mean not the one you use for your face. Eye creams or gels are a different product.
Do you find it okay to exfoliate with sensitive capillaries? I’ve always been told not to exfoliate (but sometimes do, because I like the way it makes my skin feel).
I’m dying to try the Sothbys now but am on a spending freeze.
Kathryn: Yes, I find exfoliating fine, but it has to be a very gentle type and not a scrub. My favorite in the Sothy’s range is called “gommage” and basically it is a biological base which adhears to your skin, then dries and before it is almost dry you just gently rub it of and it takes the dead cells with it.
Hi, Which Sothys products would you recommend especially for the broken capilliaries?
Michelle: The best thing to do is to consult with your Sothy’s beauty therapist to find out what they recommend in the range for you, but the ones I used were the range called Clarte Confort. Their serum was particularly helpful.
I used to love the Paw Paw ointment, but I found that I had to reapply it more and more often, and that it didn’t moisturize my lips very well – it only made them feel moisturized when I had it on. I eventually stopped using it. And you are so right about the low melting point – I went for a walk in summer with a tube in my handbag, and when I went to put some on it all gushed out like water! Gross.
The Sothys range is just beautiful (a recent jaunt to a day spa introduced me to the lovely range earlier in the month!) but it can be a little expensive for everyday use.
I admit that whenever I have the chance at duty free i indulge in a tube, or three, of Clarins beauty flash balm. nothing beats jetlagged skin like that miracle cream.
I also use the Sun Sense moisturiser but the warning label holds true: may cause a stinging sensation! particularly true after exfoliating. but still the best light sunscreen that goes on smoothly and cleanly.
hey there,
this may be irrelevant to your blog post. but by any chance, do you know of any trustworthy hair stylists around in melbourne? i dont seem to be able to find one ):
Samantha: Yes I do, but I’ll need more specific information as to what you need and location.
i’ve got really thick and natural wavy hair. i do need to have a hair cut monthly to maintain the shape and stuffs like that. but, i was unable to find a reasonable hairstylist to be able to cut according to the waves of my hair. you know….when you’ve wavy hair, and if the hair stylist dont follow the flow of your hair, you will end up having ends that sticked out everywhere after every shower, and it looks rather untrimmed.
so yea, if you know of any good ones….probably somewhere near the CBD area of melbourne, if possible.
Samantha: That is a really hard question to answer because the problem may be in the cut or in the way you’re styling it… I don’t know. One of the myths about naturally curly / wavy hair, is that with the right cut it will always look awesome straight out of the shower. For most people, no matter how skilled the cutter, this isn’t the case. I’ll see if I can find a curly hair specialist for you, but it sounds like there are a number of things to consider here.
yep..i got what you meant..
in fact, i did manage to find a good hairstylist who knows the right hair cut for me, while i was traveling to singapore then. Sadly, i don’t seem to be able to find one over in melbourne. ):
and yea..just get back to me if you can find one.. sorry to trouble you and thanks for your help (:
Ah! I’m not supposed to use moisturizer around my eyes?!? I have very dry skin…what else should I do?
Rachel: Ideally you should be using an eye cream / gel but not a moisturiser. They have different active ingredients and the moisturiser you use on your face isn’t suitable for the delicate skin around the eyes.
Thanks for these recommendations. I happen to have very bad broken capillaries on my face – cheeks, around nose, on chin…and probably need to get laser work done. But since I’m at the end of my Estee Lauder products, I might just try this Sothys out
Great article!
As a pale lady (UK based) I have been using sunscreen for years, & apparently look far younger than my years as a result.
It’s crucial to re apply throughout the day, whether wearing makeup or not. Re-applying the correct ammount will remove makeup. It can be a pain when you are out & about, having to avoid dust sticking to one. It’s a tricky art with many variables. Many folk think that layering spfs adds to a combined spf, which ain’t so, & also that mineral powders & make ups containing sun protection give adequate spf or top up. Not so!
We may think we are doing an adequate job, but the truth is, we won’t know if that is the case until about 20 years after, when aging sun damage shows up.
Mostly I carry natural wipes for hands & face, remove & re apply all but eye makeup if I am wearing slap. A pain, but have not found an adequate alternative. If makeup free, bit, bit of a freshen up & a dusting of powder to combat the almost inevitable dreaded shine.
I understand that Ms Von Teese removes & re-applies foundation during the day, & I bet the additon of sunscreen is part of the reason for this.
It amazes me what a dearth of info there is on this important subject.
I am sure you have some gems to share on the topic – it would be fab if you would do an article on it – pretty please!
Oh & can you recommend any good tinted lip balms?
I generally use spf carmex under lipstick. Did you know that gloss reflects more llight & therefore is a greater skin cancer risk?
Why oh why don’t more lip products contain spf?!
Oh & I forgot to mention those products which supposedly last for several hours.
Never been to happy with those. Generally very clogging, sticky, thick & ucky.
Australians of course generally have far better spf knowlege than we Europeans.
Hoping for some tips!
Toodle pip!
Violet: Thank you for all that and yes, I think here is Australia we have a lot more education about being sunsafe and how to do that. When I get a chance I’ll put together a list of the best products here.
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SKM, you are just fabulous. I’ve just discovered the blog and I’m in heaven!
I wanted to pass this along — for years I used baby oil on my legs instead of lotion. Then when baby oil gel came out, I used that because it tended to stay on much longer. I tried Neutragena’s body oil, but found that it didn’t hold in my skin’s moisture as well as the baby oil.
Then I discovered Dove Cream Oil. It’s a lotion with oil in it. But dramatically different than other “cream oil” products I’ve used, this stuff makes my skin feel like silk. For hours and hours! My husband comments all the time about how soft I am. I’m so impressed with the way it is able to hold in my skin’s natural moisture without behaving like a traditional oil.
Just thought I’d pass that along! Thanks again for a wonderful blog.
Jenny: Thank you! And thank you for the red hot tip – I will definetly seek some of that out and give it a try.
SKM, Thank you SO MUCH for all of the tips in this post! I have been applying moisturizer to my eyes twice a day for years! AACK! Now I know. And thanks for the Sothys recommendation. I have issues with capillaries as well and they make my face look a bit pinkish. I am running out to buy these products. Thanks again!
Sothys for the win!
I have very sensitive skin that turns red too easily.. plus some broken capillaries around my nose. I’ve never found any product as good as Sothys. I have quite bad skin pimple, blackhead wise too (thanks Dad!) and Sothys actually cleanses enough to combat this also. Alot of other ‘sensitive skin’ cleansers just don’t cleanse enough to stop pimples and blackheads.
I’m Australian, but I live in Denmark now and people here just don’t get the dangers of the sun. People have thought me strange for wearing sunscreen daily, ok maybe not in deep winter. The sun salon regulations here are so lax, it’s mind boggling. People have this idea that having a tan is healthy and makes them look better. Some people here do need UV light treatment for seasonal affective disorder, but that gets taken care of at a specialist not a $5 sun salon!
SKM, have you tried the Sun Sense tinted moisturiser? Is it any good? I’m trying to limit the number of products I put on my face…
NWN: Yes, I have, but I always use it over regular moisturiser not instead of. It’s great for days off, but mostly too dark for my skin.
Great post, I look like your post.
Using a good hair salon is key to great hair care. You can do to guarantee that you always receive the best hair cuts, latest professional techniques and stellar service is to choose the right hair salon. I am working on a hair extension project and your insight would help a lot !