CARISSA DISPLAYS: THE CURRENT SKINCARE SAVIORS

Hey lovers,

I know this space has been neglected. But before I begin to go on that repetitive, tirely apology thing - Let's just skip it all together. (I am sorry, though)

With my final semester approaching its end in a couple of weeks, that can only mean one thing: work. And as the wise Britney Spears once said, [I] gotta work bitch. Unfortunately, this increasing number of work and thus resulting stress is not doing my skin any favors, but quite drastically the opposite. Meaning that the big guns I keep in my top cabinet shelf which are mentally labeled 'use for skin emergencies only' had to be pulled, and boy, have I pulled them. I thought I might as well share some with you while most of us are in exam season anyways and don't have much time to extensively google "how to get rid of pimples fast."

I hope me popping some suggestions in your head will later delay (or better, cancel) your popping of the angry pimps' on your face. 

Here's the shortlist:

(from left to right) Leaders Insolution Vita Bright Skin Renewal Mask, Mario Badescu Seaweed Night Cream, Tea Tree Oil, Origins Clear Improvements Active Charcoal Mask, Aesop Resurrection Hand Balm, Balm Kitchen Green Tea Kissable Lip Balm, Frank Original.

So by the time my skin is starting to show its first signs of anger, I'd like to already have started with a clay mask to reaaaally pull all that dirt out. I actually own quite a number of those kaolin masks, but many of them either end up being too harsh, or not harsh enough. The Origins one is really perfect for me, though. If you've never really used a clay mask before, expect to see a lot of whiteheads or large pimples the very next day. Don't be alarmed, that's a good sign. It means that it has successfully pulled all that goo out of your pores and your pimples are now ready to be popped (or you can just wait 1-2 days and then say sayonara forever). Since it's those wash-off types of mask, I like to clean it off with the Frank Body Scrub with like a 3:1 ratio of water. It's pretty rough on the skin, but it does wonders. If your face is really sensitive, I suggestive to lay this one off a bit and instead invest in it to use on your body. It is, obviously, a body scrub anyhoo. I'm sure you've seen the posts about this scrub all over Instagram, and I swear, it deserves the hype. It actually really exfoliates without irritating my skin or leaving any scabs on my legs/body, and I don't know how to explain it, but it leaves some sort of oil - not a film - but a moisturized sensation (it's probably the coconut oil in the mix). I love to use this on my legs before I shave, or just if I feel my legs are getting a bit too dry for my liking. (Check the reviews on their secondary IG account as well, there are people claiming it cured their acne/eczema and stuff! I don't necessarily know if it has cured me, but it has gotten rid of a lot of my acne scars and dead skin so, thumbs up for me!) Since the clay can sometimes be too drying (and I like to leave it on even longer than I'm supposed to), I counter that with this Leaders Insolution Sheet Mask. I don't usually use the Vita Bright type - I don't really have any specific preference really - but I just use any kind of sheet mask that has moisturizing properties in it and does not contain large amounts of citric acid. See, not that picky. After I remove the mask and really let it soak into my skin for maybe around half an hour, I apply my Mario Badescu Night Cream that is just soooo moisturizing. It's not oily at all, but it has such a creamy, thick consistency. It's just those types of moisturizers that you really know is hydrating your skin but not breaking you out at the same time. Does that make sense????? Anyways, all I know is that if I use it at night, I always end up waking up with a glow. Before my skin absorbs the cream, I quickly dab on my trusty Tea Tree Oil on those really pesky, so-big-I-cry kind of pimps' and it always does the trick. There was a time when I used to apply that like a madman, and my face would always just end up being more red, irritated, and dry than before. I have learnt from my mistakes though, and now I'm a freaking ninja when applying this. I could probably teach a class. Remember: the oil is incredibly strong, so use on the large or whitehead-revealing pesks first. Handle cautiously, and you got yourself the best darn weapon there is. I swear, pimples be disappearing overnight with this baby. When all is done and prepped, I finish off with a lip balm. Not just a regular lip balm, but something so oily and nourishing I wouldn't dare wear it out. I'm currently in love with Balm Kitchen's Green Tea Lip Balm. Not only is it so moisturizing I can still feel slight traces of it in the morning, but it actually tastes and smells like exactly like green tea. And not the artificial sugary kind, the real deal matcha stuff. It is divine. I have like three other lip balms from their brand too, but none is as moisturizing as the green tea one (which is okay, because I wouldn't want them to be anyways - too heavy for afternoon usage). All their ingredients are natural and vegan too, so I love that. That is pretty much it for face stuff and my own d-i-y pampering + skin detox routine. The steps aren't that intricate, but it does the job, and I bet you'll be feeling a whole lot better after it (and so will your skin).

Oh, and also, I like to slab on the Aesop Resurrection Hand Balm all over my knees/elbows/hands before I go to bed. It makes them feel like a baby's butt the next morning, and who doesn't want that?

Good to be back,

C