The Body Shop Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask / Sanctuary Spa Fresh Faced Purifying Wash /
Sanctuary Spa Therapists Secret Facial Oil / Rodial Glamtox Cleansing Balm
In my never ending quest to keep my problem skin under control I am constantly trying new products in an attempt to find ones that actually work for my skin. I mentioned last time that I’d found my perfect moisturiser & serum, but I still needed to find a really great cleanser & a night cream. These are a couple of products I’ve been enjoying using recently that are totally worth raving about.
The Body Shop Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask :
This is not a new find, but it’s probably one of my favourite masks & I’ve been using it for years. I find clay masks work really well with my oily skin, and I’ve tried all manner of them over the years from super cheap to extortionately priced & I still think this is the best. It does such a good job at mopping up excess oils & really deep cleansing, but never makes my skin feel dried out no matter how long I leave it on & it leaves my skin looking clean & refined.
Sanctuary Spa Fresh Faced Purifying Wash :
Sanctuary was never a brand I payed much attention to until a few years ago when I brought my Mum some of their products for her birthday & she raved about how great they were. I’ve tried lots of their products since then & have actually been pretty impressed with all of them. This is a standout for me though, because it delivers squeaky clean skin but it feels gentle too, without that familiar tight, dry feeling on your face afterwards.
Sanctuary Spa Therapists Secret Facial Oil :
After trying out a heaps of night creams I’ve decided my skin just doesn’t really like them, they’re too thick & rich and always leave my skin greasy in the mornings. Instead I’ve started using this oil layered under my usual Vichy moisturiser for added nourishment. Previously I was using the Clarins Lotus Oil, but I honestly think this one is better & it’s less than half the price too. It sinks in almost immediately & leaves my skin plump, soft & feeling really nourished when I wake up, without any greasy residue like the Clarins version left behind. I think the combination of this & the Rodial cleansing balm are also helping to control my oilyness, as my skin has been noticeably less oily since I’ve been using them. Both this & the face wash are currently 1/3 off at Boots too, making them even better value.
Rodial Glamtox Cleansing Balm :
I had a very generous sample of this in a goodie bag at the end of last year, it sat in my drawer for ages unused because I feared that it would break me out. The consistency is odd, like an oil in gel form that melts into a creamy oil when massaged into your skin. I finally tested it a few months ago & completely fell in love. Pretty much from the first use I knew I’d have to buy the full size, it removed every last scrap of makeup without the need to double cleanse and left my skin bright & glowy too, thanks to the amino acids. For years I had been using harsh soapy cleansers assuming that’s what my skin needed to battle the oilyness, but this has worked better than any of them ever did. Maybe my skin was just crying out for a more gentle cleansing routine & a little moisture? Currently I use this as my night time cleanser & the Sancturary one in the mornings, the improvement in my skin has been really quite amazing, all the clogged pores & little bumps along my forehead & jaw have gone, as well as most of the stubborn blackheads on my nose too! The one thing I don’t love is the price tag, though for me personally it’s 100% worth it for the results, I honestly could not recommend this enough. I did recently come across it on AllBeauty at almost half price, though I’m not sure if this is a permanent discount or a special offer, so I’ve ordered a replacement just incase!
Sam says
The oil sounds lovely,I have a bit of an obsession with face oils and a collection to go with it ha. I’m the same with night creams but I have found a couple of goodun’s from Antipodes and Trilogy. I find with night creams you only need a small amount too :)
FAIIINT says
I shall have to check those out, never tried anything from either of those brands & I always hear good things :) I definitely recommend the oil too, I’ve tried a few & it’s my favourite so far, I like it so much I’ve stopped testing others out!
Dawn says
These items sound really usefull!
x Dawn
http://www.wickedlypleasant.blogspot.com
Josie says
I love Sanctuary products! I’ve read so many good things about their facial oil. The Body Shop mask sounds lovely xxx
Hannah says
It was only last year that I discovered I really like Sanctuary products too, I have really sensitive skin and it’s the one brand that I receive in gift sets at Christmas that I can actually use without it irritating my skin and giving me a rash. The scent is really lovely too! I’ve not tried any of the skincare, but I’m going to have a little look on Boots in a minute especially since it’s on offer. I was thinking of trying out the Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel after reading some great reviews. My skin has been playing up a lot lately, and I use some of the Anti-Blemish Solutions range already so thought it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try :) AllBeauty used to be CheapSmells didn’t it, it’s great for discounted products but I don’t think they carry the same lines all of the time so you did right to stock up at that discounted price! xxx
FAIIINT says
My skin was never sensitive until last year when I had the whole contraceptive pill fiasco & it sent my hormones nuts & my skin super sensitive! I completely agree, they are a great brand when it comes to sensitive skin, not one product I’ve tried of theirs has ever irritated my skin.
I used to like the Clinique anti-blemish line when I was younger, but I feel like it’s a bit too harsh & drying for my skin now unfortunately, which is annoying because I did like it :(
I’m not sure if it used to be cheap smells, I actually hadn’t heard of it until I was looking for a link for this post. Glad to hear I did the right thing stocking up though, I may even order another if that’s the case, it’s too good of a saving not to!
Laura says
I am using the clarins oil for dry skin, the blue orquid one and it goes ok, my skin absorbs it completely. I heard wonders about The Sanctuary products, I have to give them a try!!
xXx
Blog: http://unspeakablethoughtsunspoken.blogspot.com
Shop: http://unspeakablethoughtsunspoken.tictail.com
Kylie says
I love the Sanctuary Spa Therapists Secret Facial Oil so much! Although it worked brilliantly in the beginning…my skin started to get used to it and effects wore off. I am giving it a little break at the moment. I think its the same with shampoo and conditioner xx
FAIIINT says
Mine does that a lot too with moisturizers especially, I wonder if that’s why I noticed a huge difference when I switched from the Clarins to this? I did initially like the Clarins one, but the Sanctuary seemed to make my skin way glowier, but maybe it’s because it was used to the Clarins one by then & it had stopped working as well. Hmm, maybe will start looking for a 2nd one & alternate between the two every couple of months, I don’t think I could be without an oil any more it’s made such a difference to my skin!
Mika says
I have extremely oily skin too! Finding the right products can be tedious and I’m on a new skincare regimen that seems promising so far but the oiliness is still ever present. The Body Shop clay mask sounds great (clay masks seem to be perfect for oily skin, no?), I’ll try that one out.
ODYSSEY says
I enjoy a good skincare post. Seems you’ve found some stellar products. The name alone – “Glamtox cleansing balm” – got my attention!