For as long as I can remember, my skin has always been my biggest insecurity. In school, I was one of the first to get breakouts and it really knocked my confidence, especially when I was around others who didn't have any skin issues whatsoever.
Being teased and the constant shame of not having perfect skin left me extremely desperate and when I say I tried everything - I really mean I tried everything. I estimate I have spent upwards of £800 on skincare over the years and none of it worked.
When you're young, understanding how to take care of your skin is difficult. When I was 15, I didn't even know what my 'skin type' was - or what that phrase even meant in the first place. I was left feeling pretty confused about what to put on my skin for it to improve - I was a total skincare noob.
My last resort was medication from the GP which surprise - also didn't work for me. I certainly wasn't patient enough to stay on dermatologists' waiting lists for upwards of six months either.
Five years on from the beginning of my mission for amazing skin, I finally found the best products that work for me and my super oily, breakout prone skin. Some super affordable and some a little more expensive, but totally worth making the investment in my opinion.
I do still have a long way to go in my skincare journey however, as I'm writing this I'm almost slightly shocked I am even writing this article - my younger self wouldn't even dare to dream of having the skin that I do now. These are some of the products that have transformed my skins appearance, and hopefully they will help you in one way or another too.
I know what you're thinking - and I used to think that paying £32 for a cleanser was crazy too. This cleanser was recommended to me by aesthetics nurse, Maddie Bryce when I expressed my skin concerns to her, I amazingly saw results within just a few weeks. My skin went from super oily and clogged to looking super clean and fresh. I have been using this cleanser for a little under a year now and I don't think I'll ever go back!
I do agree that it is on the pricier side of skincare products however, it is clinical grade and a little of this product goes a long way, since I started using this cleanser I've only bought three bottles - so it does last a really long time. I think it is totally worth it.
I have always been very wary of Neutrogena products and all drugstore skincare in general. I don't think that all drugstore skincare brands are bad, but it is just very difficult to dig out the select few products that will actually improve your skin, as more often than not, drugstore skincare can make your skin even worse than it was in the first place.
That's why I was really shocked to find many had experienced literal skin miracles when using this face wash. I like to double cleanse, especially when removing makeup I've been wearing all day long - just to make sure there's nothing left behind on my face.
I think this face wash is the perfect pairing with another product in order to double cleanse, especially if you're using any medical grade products too. It's great at deep cleaning your face without being too harsh, it contains vitamin C too which gives your skin a super supple look and glow.
I recently discovered Aveeno lotion when I was desperate for something that would help alleviate my dry and flaky skin during the winter months. Yes, it's main purpose is a body lotion however, it's been one of the best moisturisers I've ever used on my face.
It's a great non-greasy formula and I personally find it really hard to find intense moisturisers that don't break me out. I've literally lost count of how many moisturisers I've tried that have left me with the worst breakouts, irritation and congested pores. I can definitely recommend this for people who need an extra moisture boost during the colder months.
The Inkey List has recently gained an immense amount of attention on social media and has been selling out everywhere. I don't think I have heard one bad review about any of their products either - so I had to try it out for myself.
Since I already had good, simple base products down for my skincare routine and had cleared my main concern of blemishes, it was time for me to work on texture and the overall appearance of my skin. Due to years of multiple skin correction treatments and extractions my pores were rather large, especially for someone as young as me - it didn't help that I was neglecting them.
I saw a video on TikTok reviewing this specific glycolic acid toner. The video showed before and after photos and within the space of a week there was a dramatic difference in their pore size. I knew it had to be too good to be true, especially for £6.99, but it actually wasn't.
I literally saw an improvement in my skin overnight after using this and I have 100% fallen in love with this toner. My pores are much less noticeable (especially when wearing makeup), the overall texture of my skin has improved and my pores are a lot less clogged too.
I did notice that overuse of this toner can cause a lot of dryness and irritation, so I stick to using it only 3-4 nights a week, depending on how oily my skin is that day. I'm so glad I found this product and it definitely is a new staple in my skincare routine.
This is still a very new product to me but again, I saw overnight results with this product. Mandelic acid is a gentle, peeling solution which claims to improve the skins texture - and it does just that!
I have been using this peeling solution for a little over a week now and the difference in my skins appearance is insane. I used to have a lot of texture and bumps over my cheek and forehead areas but now, they have completely evened out.
Despite this being a peeling solution, it doesn't cause any irritation at all and is very customisable - you can reduce the strength of the product by mixing it with a little moisturiser, just until your skin gets used it. The Ordinary seriously never miss when it comes to skincare.
Boots are known for their own brand of affordable and good quality products. When looking for a new gel moisturiser this one surprisingly came up as one of the best rated on the Boots website.
I really love this product for prepping my skin before makeup. It keeps my skin super hydrated all day long and adds a really nice natural glow. I even love putting it on with no makeup whatsoever as it enhances your natural skin to look really radiant. Given that it is a gel moisturiser too, it's cooling on the skin and great for reducing puffiness and also contains niacinamide, which is great for clearing up blemishes. What's not to love?
Another product that took the internet by storm were these pimple patches - so naturally I wanted to see what the hype was all about.
As someone who has quite severe breakouts around my time of the month, I found that these worked the best at eliminating breakouts within a day or two without over-drying the area. I love these pimple patches because they literally suck out all of the gross stuff from within the blemish and they help me avoid touching the area and making the breakout even worse.
These are definitely another staple product in my skincare routine, I don't think I could live without them.
*All images courtesy of brands*
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