Then, within a blink of an eye, a single grey cloud suddenly appears among the pure white variety, with an intention to unleash misery upon the world below. Seconds later, light loses its grip on the sky as the darkness takes over and pulls the once-glorious array of sunshine to pieces. The first spots of rain pelt down from the heavens above the angered clouds, giving an indicator to what lies ahead - and is destined to cause catastrophe after catastrophe to those inflicted by the impending storm.
And, at last, what the world has been dreading and waiting for within an impatient ache arrives: a storm. Rain falls like tears onto the ground, soaking it beyond what even the most weather-mad could predict, as a rumble erupts from the sky. Whether you have been caught unaware outdoors or are hidden in the safest corner of your house, no place could offer shelter from the anger being lit alight many colourless clouds away. All previous traces of light and happiness have melted into the darkness which rages on, making us wonder when its unforgivable reign will come to an end.
Or, if such a theory was applied to more understandable scenarios, when will my spotty nightmares have its final laugh?
On the off-chance that you are clueless as to why I liken a touch of the spotty blues to atrocious weather, please don't feel afraid about stepping back in time to your teenage days - or giving more thought to what it feels like to be a teenager in this modern era! While I am now legally allowed to get my hands on more 15-rated films than I ever dreamt of, drawbacks still exist when it comes to my skin in general.
Keeping my skin in all areas under school occupies me as heavily as a full-time job which, if it wasn't for my obligation to attend school, would be classified as my working occupation. From milk-free diets to basic cleansers, I've tried my hand at various diets and products on the market, yet it has often resulted in bucket loads of disappointment (and, if precious luck wishes to push me over the edge, another spot to complete the prized collection).
If spots and oily/dry patches of skin ceased to exist right now, my teenage years would be a dream come true; growing up, gaining independence and learning tons of new things are among the most exciting aspects of being a teen! But, unsurprisingly for girls, I take a keen interest in my appearance and have a duty to take care of myself, a job of which extends to my skincare regime. Imagine my facial expression (and the red bumps covering it) whenever my skin is having a bad day - needless to say, all hell breaks loose!
These tales have been told time and time again which, against all hope, has often left no lasting impression on my skin. Even now, suspicious bumps are found, yet not even the best cleanser on the market could prevent them from popping up - despite the words being unable to console me in my most miserable moments, c'est la vie! Some people get spots worse than others, regardless of their eating habits (whose links to acne were proven long ago) and skincare routine. It feels like a slap in the face when another spot rises to the surface, which makes my efforts to care for my skin absolutely useless. But what can I do? Crying produces germs which, if not wiped away or cleansed afterwards, harvests yet more spots. Stress or throwing the biggest hissy fit of all time don't help your hormones, unless you are keen to produce more pimples - which is the last thing you want!
Anyway, life is not always focused around the amount of whiteheads covering your forehead, though it sometimes requires great effort to pull your head away from the mirror. If you are using products which are cleaning your skin effectively, you won't be tossed like a bag of potatoes (or, as a final resort, some prized chocolate truffles) into the naughty corner for not trying hard enough. Even staying loyal to a product which neither improves nor worsens the condition of your skin is still alright; within time, your skin should hopefully stabilize to a healthier state of its own accord.
This is where the H word enters the equation: hormones mess about with everything when you hit puberty. It just so happens that mine are crazier than my kittens' mischievous antics and, therefore, are the underlying cause of my skincare misery. As I pray for every day, time is a great healer which, as my most testing years as a teen fade further away, will benefit my skin. For now, I don't know when I'll wake up one sunny morning, glance in the mirror and be taken aback by the sight of the clear-skinned girl reflecting back at me. It might be tomorrow, next week or in several years' time, but I know that it will come one way or another. If most teenagers leave acne behind where it rightfully belongs, surely I will do so, too? I have to, or else!
In the meantime, I'd like to introduce you to some skincare beauties, or rather what I regularly use on my skin. Three of the four chosen beauties (what a prestigious honour it is!) are from the same range and contain the same ingredient, whereas the other beauty is specifically a hand cream. Had Bart not been mucking about when I was taking pictures earlier, I might have chosen a few more products, but never mind... Perhaps kittens are equally interested in skincare like we beauty-obsessed girls!
1. The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser (£5)
As a self-confessed lover of the oil produced from the leaves of melaleuca alternifolia, I was thrilled when I came across this bargain buy on The Body Shop website, who specialise in natural beauty care and are openly against animal testing. I'd previously been using a foam cleanser, so I decided to give this one a go - which, from the onset, greatly improved my skin! You just chuck some water onto your face before scrubbing your face with a coin-sized dollop of cleanser, then rinse it off with a facial cloth. From the first use, I noticed a tingling sensation on my face which, unlike the cleanser I'd be using before, was stimulating my skin - and doing much more than just wiping off make-up! At first, I did fly into panic-mode because my face broke out, but it calmed down after a week or so.
I won't promise a complexion which, from the moment you try it, will be completely banish your spot woes, but it will neither irritate nor worsen your skin. Everybody is different and, for me, I'll be sticking to the Body Shop's range of cleansers!
Rating: 4/5 (one star lost as I'll be switching to the facial wash once I've run out of the foam cleanser, due to its better value for money).
2. The Body Shop Skin Clearing Lotion (£8 for 50ml)
After rinsing my face with the foam cleanser (above), I apply a lotion depending on what time of day it is. For the morning, I usually wash my face with water - the foam cleanser is only used in the evening, in order to prevent over-stimulating my skin - then I apply a small dab of this clearing lotion over the blemished patches.
When squirted out of its tube, the lotion is quite a thick formula and looks like a gel. However, it blends wonderfully onto your skin and sinks in within no time - the lotion is rather dreamlike!
As for the results, it maintains the condition of my skin and soothes any sore spots, which is great if my skin ever feels a bit sensitive. Since I ran out of it a week or so ago, I've been dabbing some pure tea tree oil (from the Australian Bodycare range) onto my face, a product of which is beneficial for acne-inflamed skin. That works just as well and has such a pleasant scent (which bugs hate!), but I'm definitely sticking with the clearing lotion in the future.
Rating: 5/5
3. The Body Shop Blemish Fade Night Lotion (£9 for 30ml)
Fade, fade, fade away, I whisper under my breath as I take one final glance at myself in the mirror before bedtime. Like the title suggests, this night lotion aims to banish blemishes and aid me in my ambition to make all ugly spots fade away.
Unlike the clearing lotion, this one is creamier and, if it was not for its slight yellowish colour, would resemble a dollop of whipped cream. Only a pea-sized squirt is enough to cover the affected areas, then you blend in it before letting the lotion work its magic.
But is it magical enough to help my spots? As the show-stopping finale after the foam cleanser taking to the spotlight, the night lotion works well with my skin and has benefited my campaign against spots. My skin feels baby smooth after putting on some lotion, and also smells really nice. And, unlike the clearing lotion, it lasted quite a while, despite the small size!
Rating: 5/5
4. Lush Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter (£6.50 for 50ml)
From the moment that I caught a whiff of its scent, I knew that an eternal love affair had begun. Knocked off my feet by its gorgeous offering of lemony zest, my life would not be complete without a tub of this buttery beauty!By pure luck, I had encountered it whilst on my last day at school, in which I reported on other pupils' activities. One group were having a Lush party and, to my delight, this cuticle butter was the star of the show! Before leaving the room, I had coated every inch of skin with this butter, and sniffed my fingers at any opportunity - I smelt tastier than the juiciest lemon drizzle cake! After telling my (lemon-loving) mum about it after coming home, we ordered several tubs and, within days, were getting a burst of lemony goodness at home! Only a tiny amount is needed - hence the relatively small size - then away you go! I love putting it on before going to bed each night, so I wake up smelling fresher than our (lemon-scented) washing up liquid; even sniffing it is a perfect pick-me-up!
Rating: 5/5 (I would go all the way to a million, but five out of five is good enough).
No comments:
Post a Comment