I am really not the one to advice people on skincare. I am not a dermatologist or an aesthetician. I have problematic skin myself. I am just going to list what I use for my skin. But please note that everyone’s skin is different, people may be allergic or sensitive to certain ingredients and everyone’s skin care regime should be unique according to their own needs.

Problems with my skin:

I have combination skin with very oily forehead, shiny nose and very dry (almost flaky) around the nose and under the lips. My skin very acne prone – I am not among those lucky people who get pimples once a month. I pretty much always have acne, pimples, blemishes etc. I have dark patches on both my temples. My skin colour is very uneven. My forehead and lip area is darker than the rest of the face. I have extremely dark circles all around my eyes (both under the eyes and on the eyelids).

What I use:

My diet is pretty bad, I eat a lot of deep-fried foods and I am sure that is a big reason for my acne (as well as weight gain). Until I change my diet, nothing is going to cure my acne. So I use products that tend to keep the acne under control.

Skincare

Clean and Clear Morning Burst Purifying Facial Cleanser: It cleans the skin well. It doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin. Gives me an “awake” feeling after washing my face.  Overall, I like it.

Clarisonic Brush: It is Canadian $217 and honestly I think it is worth it. However, that doesn’t mean everyone should go and buy one. I had to save for a long time before buying it, so think of it as an investment. It is a chargeable spinning brush. You press the button and it runs for a minute. You can adjust the time with beeps every few seconds (you can choose how many) – read the manual carefully about this part. You have to change the head (the actual brush) every 3 months for best results ($25). They have 3 different brushes: sensitive, normal and delicate. I have the sensitive skin brush.

You are supposed to wet your face, put some cleanser on and gently move the brush with a circular motion. Don’t press it too hard. It cleans really well – skin feels super clean afterwards. The amazing part is that it is waterproof (the charger isn’t). So I can clean my face during the shower without worrying about any accident. They also make a bigger brush for body that is obviously more expensive.

Lancome Oil Control Mattifying Toner Oily skin: It is a toner, so goes on after cleanser and before moisturizer. The mattifying white solid component stays on the bottom, the liquids stays on top. You shake the bottle up, so the components can mix up. I apply it with a cotton swab, and it tightens up the pores.

Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion Normal to Dry Skin: Though it is a product for normal to dry skin, I like it a lot for my skin. A lot of moisturizes for combination skin are still too oily for my forehead and too dry for the flakiness on my skin. This moisturizer seems perfect for me. The trick is to apply only a little bit. At first, it feels very heavy but feels natural once the skin absorbs it.

Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Eye treatment: It does the job of an eye cream, but didn’t lighten the area as it claims. My dark circles are hereditary, so no cream is going to lighten them. I still wanted to try an eye cream that is moisturizing. It is very expensive, $60 and I will purchase a cheaper eye cream once I run out of it.

Shiseido Pureness Blemish Clearing gel: It is a spot treatment for acne. I apply it on the new acne spots, it dries them out and the acne goes away with 3-4 days. I really like this product though it’s expensive. It has become a must-have product for me.

Vaseline Healthy Hand and Nail Lotion: Since it is fall now, I use this almost every day. It instantly moisturizes my dry hands.