Paula's Choice Clear Pore Normalizing Cleanser and La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser, A Dual Review

You have to wash your face every day, twice a day. In the morning when you wake up to get rid of all the oily, sleep sweat and at night to get rid of the dirt and grime of the day. Sexy, I know. 

It is good to keep multiple cleansers on hand because your skin will need different products at different times of the year, as well as different times of the month. Hell, I'll even say different times of the day-you may not need something as serious in the am hours, as you may need at night. Depending on your day, if you wear makeup, where you live, your skin will have different needs.

Paula's Choice Clear Pore Normalizing Cleanser

Which brings me to these two guys. My current facial cleansers of the moment. Let's start first with Paula's Choice. I purchased Paula's Choice Pore Normalizing Cleanser because it has the words "pore normalizing" in the name and I am always trying to normalize my pores as well as prevent breakouts. This has a silky, gel like texture that foams up slightly. As with all PC products, this is fragrance free. 

According to the website:

This cleanser gently removes excess oil, dead skin cells, and makeup without leaving a trace. Use it day and night to curb breakouts without dryness.

• Acne Breakouts, Blackheads, Enlarged Pores
• For All Skin Types
• Reduces red marks & prevents redness

According to the packaging:

• Refreshes skin without causing dryness. *Not True*
• Reduces red marks & prevents redness. *Not True*
• Dissolves pore-clogging oil & dirt. *True*

This was a bit too drying for me. Within a few days of using it, I noticed a lot of dryness around my chin and mouth.  My skin was tight as soon as I washed my face and there was a bit of redness as well. I do think this will be a fabulous cleanser to use in the summertime when it is a bit humid out and you are more sweaty than usual. I will use this on days my skin needs a good cleansing or even just a couple of times per week to keep the pores in check but I do not think this is a good every day, two times per day cleanser for someone with normal/dry skin. I would jump on in, full force if I had oily skin. The price is right on this-$11 for 6 oz.

Paula's Choice Ingredients

Next up is La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser. This is a creamy, gentle cleanser with minimal ingredients and no fragrance. 

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser

I purchased this based off the great reviews I read online and the fact that there is no fragrance involved. I like the texture of this cleanser and it seems like it will take everything off including eye makeup. It is a little odd because it is a cream that turns into a translucent, oil like texture once it hits your skin. It is super gentle and I have had no issues with breakouts. Everyone should have a cleanser like this in their arsenal. 

According to the website:

Gently cleanses to remove makeup, dirt and oil on face and eyes. Can be rinsed or removed with cotton or tissue. *Don't use a tissue, use a warm washcloth*

• Surfactant-free formula with Glycerin to hydrate skin
• Fresh, milky texture
• Apply in the evening to cleanse skin or remove make-up

While we are talking about creamy cleansers, side note: someone had said to me, they didn't like a certain cleanser because they didn't feel like their skin was clean. People, listen up---Your skin should not feel squeaky clean. It should not be stripped to within an inch of it's life in the cleansing process. If your skin feels squeaky clean, you've gone too far. You risk damaging your skin's acid mantle which in turn will make your acne worse and your skin dull and dry. Trust me, for the health of your skin, you want a gentle cleanser and you do not want to strip your skin of it's natural oils. Your skin should feel clean and conditioned after cleaning. It's skin, not a kitchen floor. 

Ok, back to the subject at hand, my two complaints for this cleanser are as follows: First, it smells a bit plasticy. The downside of having fragrance free products is sometimes the ingredients don't smell that great. A lot of times a company will include a fragrance neutralizer so you cannot smell the stinky ingredients. Second is price, $23 for 6.76 oz. A little more than I want to spend for a cleanser. If it were 12 oz, that would be a different story. 

So I will mix and match these two depending on what my skin needs. Hopefully, it will be the perfect combination. So far, so good.

Ingredients

Lastly, I want to discuss Coconut Oil. I am a fan of Double Cleansing.

Basic explanation: cleansing twice. First cleanse, usually with a balm or oil, second cleanse with a gentle cleanser such as Toleriane Dermo. I have been using coconut oil for my first cleanse. Yes, the kind you cook with. 

According to Caroline Hirons *Skin Fcking Guru*, 

I am apparently doing the right thing: 

Pure coconut oil is around 50% lauric acid. Lauric acid is a fatty acid that is anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-microbial - so a good option if you have skin problems including random breakouts/dry skin/eczema/cold sores. It's also completely non-toxic - unlike a lot of products recommended for those symptoms. The only other substance that high in lauric acid is breast milk.

So there! You should jump on the coconut oil bandwagon, people! It's good stuff and works beautifully! While you're at it, you should jump on the Little Goddess bandwagon and subscribe to this rockin blog! Thanks peeps!

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The Art of Double Cleansing

So this is how washing my face usually went. 

Five minutes before bed I would use 2 pumps of my Aquanil cleanser, massage it around my face for 10 seconds fully expecting it to completely remove the 3 pounds of makeup that has been sitting on my skin all day, only to have a smeared imprint of my face transferred to my previously clean towel. 

Forget about my morning routine--pathetic. I would rinse my face off in the shower, maybe a splash of water in the sink-why use cleanser in the morning? Ummm sweat and oil maybe? 

*hangs head in embarrassment*

Thankfully that has all changed.  My half assed attempt at washing my face was definitely contributing to my acne problems. Duh. 

Double cleansing is basically washing your face twice, first with an oil based balm to remove dirt and oil. Remember "like likes like", meaning oil and water don't mix but oil will be attracted to oil and lift it (and any makeup including mascara) right off of your face. Who should do this? Anyone who wears makeup or sun protection. If you have oily skin, do not be afraid. Plant based oils will not clog your pores and are perfectly safe to use. However, I would stay far away from mineral oil. That will clog your pores. 

The second cleanse can be a gentle, non-foaming cleanser (such as Aquanil, Cetaphil, CeraVe etc.) and is done to remove anything that had not been removed with the first cleanse. You can almost consider it an insurance cleanse. 

So here is how it goes now. Since my skin still reacts to products it does not like, I have not found a balm that I love (although I hear Clinique has a fantastic one that I may give a looky loo to), so I use coconut oil for my first cleanse. I used to use olive oil but coconut  works better for me. Take the coconut oil (or whatever you are using) and rub it all over your face, all over your eyes to lift the eye makeup, all over your cheeks, neck, everywhere. Then take a warm, damp washcloth and wipe off all the oil, dirt and makeup. If you don't have a wash cloth (you should go buy some, they are cheap), you can use those little cotton rounds. Next I take a few pumps of my Aquanil, massage it into my skin and again using my wash cloth, wipe everything from my face. There should not be a trace of makeup or anything left on your skin. You should be left with truly clean skin. Slather on some moisturizer and call it a night! I have even started properly washing my face in the morning with cleanser and a wash cloth. If you are going away on vacation and do not want to pack an oil or balm along with your cleanser, that's fine-just cleanse your skin 2 times using the same cleanser. 

As long as you stick to gentle products, you will not over cleanse your skin-we want properly clean, not squeaky clean. 

Everyone should try this! 

Your face will thank you for it

and then you can thank me!

So you're welcome in advance.

Happy Weekend Kittens!

~Jessica~

Jessica's New Skin Routine

Ok! So finally-this is the new routine!

I have always had a pretty simple skin care routine. In the morning I would rinse my face in the shower, dry it off and apply sun block. At night, I would wash my face before bed (religiously) and then apply either an AHA or BHA and be done with it. I was never one for pricey products or special serums because I was skeptical of the ingredients and felt they did nothing but break me out, so why spend the money. 

After being exhausted with my acne prone skin, I decided to visit the dermatologist (which you can read about here). The same week as my derm appointment, I stumbled upon a YouTube video featuring Caroline Hirons, a beauty and skin care expert from the UK. I started reading her blog, Carolinehirons.com and my skin and my way of thinking about my skin have been changed forever! According to Mrs. Hirons website, she is a globally qualified advanced facialist trained in over 100 brands and has trained teams internationally for top brands in the UK, USA and Far East. She now works as a Consultant to brands and retailers in the Beauty Industry. Caroline's immense knowledge, her no nonsense delivery and her incredible wit, make her blog a pleasure to read.

The first thing I changed, was my way of cleansing my skin. This has to be the single most important thing I did for my skin, and for that reason, it will receive it's own detailed post. Hopefully tomorrow.

So basically, I started double cleaning my skin at night which is washing your face twice, first with a balm to remove dirt and oil and then using a gentle cleaner to clean everything off. I will never wash my face any other way ever again and if you wear sun protection or makeup, you need to be doing this as well. 

The second thing I changed was how I moisturized my skin. I always thought it was ok to use a moisturizer with sun block in it. I was wrong. In order for sun protection to be effective, there has to be a substantial amount of protecting ingredients, which leaves little room in the formulation for moisturizing ingredients. So I have started using a separate moisturizer and Sun Protection. You should use moisturizers that contain emollients and humectants such as Hyaluronic Acid. Humectants take moisture from the air and hold it in your skin. This is what will give your skin that plump and youthful look. Also, look for moisturizers that contain vitamins and antioxidants as all of these ingredients work together to keep skin healthy and prevent it from aging. 

Lastly, I have started taking supplements. I have always taken vitamin D, now I have added Omega Fish Oils because they are amazing for your skin. I hope they help with my memory because I sometimes forget to take them.

This routine is still a work in progress. I am on the hunt for a good toner with skin repairing ingredients to hydrate and replenish. These are not the toners of our teen years (hello sea breeze!). I am also shopping for a nice anti-aging serum and I am working on reducing my sugar intake.

This may not seem like a huge amount of change but I have seen big differences in my skin these past few months. I don't know if it's the Retin-A or a combination of everything together but it's working. I know the double cleansing has had a huge impact on my skin. I have stopped using the Skineteca that I had reviewed, as well as the topical antibiotic that my derm  had prescribed.

So a BIG FAT THANK YOU to Caroline Hirons for all of the amazing information that she provides. Please take a look at her cheat sheets, they are incredibly informative. If anyone wants to read a well written, witty blog about skin care (besides this well written, witty blog), I suggest you give her a try.

Cheers Kitty Cats!