Going to skin school for Dermalogica's new #facemapnation campaign.

Dermalogica #facemapnation

#Facemapnation is Dermalogica's new Australia wide campaign to educate the nation about our skin's health. Using a combination of ancient Chinese diagnosis and modern skin therapies, Dermalogica will map your face and analyse your skin under bright lights and a very scientific looking set of magnifying glasses to find out which area's are causing concern. After you skin has been assessed you will be taught how to use their products combined with a healthy lifestyle to boost your skins health. 

To learn more about the campaign Dermalogica sent me back to skin school, scrap what I thought I knew about my skin and start fresh. Skin school is a lot relaxing than normal school because you get to have facial, yep way better than a boring uni lecture! My skin lesson was with the super beautiful and knowledgeable Skye from Dermalogica, who was an amazing teacher answering all my big and little questions. All Dermalogica therapists have been trained to know about any skin woe you might have, you will definitely be in safe and knowledgeable hands at whichever spa or counter you visit to get face mapped. Here are a few of my favourite things I learnt during my time at skin school:

- Even though my skin is quite oily it is dehydrated, especially across my forehead which I need to keep hydrated at all times to prevent premature lines forming.

- Being shown how to use the products is so beneficial, far better than buying a product online and then just rubbing it in any which way.

-To make your gel cleanser work most effectively work add water to it so it becomes bubbly and this lifts any dirt or make up off your skin rather than working a straight gel into your skin which clogs pores.

-Include your ears and neck when you cleanse and moisturise! The poor ears and neck get left out of your skin care regime but they need some lovin' too.

-Facial massage will tighten your facial muscles and I would much prefer a massage to a face lift. -Using a combination of light and oxygen therapies on my skin brightened my complexion of any old blemish scaring and dark spots.

-Being taught how to use products is what you miss out on when buying products online, and I really have noticed a difference to my skin since I have implimented all of the tips I was given.

-Dermalogica facials are amazing! Totally worth the splurge, my skin was glowing for weeks after.

These are the products which Skye recommended for me to start incorporating into skin care routine and my skin has been loving them:

CLEANSING:

Special Cleansing Gel $49.95

This cleanser is life changing, for reals! Combining the Special Cleansing Gel with the new and improved the way I wash my face, I'm pretty much ruling at the cleansing game!

Multivitamin Thermafoliant $73.50

Wowzers! I would never have picked this product for my skin, but I absolutely love it. The physical  exfoliation of rubbing the beads on your face whilst the warming sensation of the chemical exfoliant gets rid of any dead skin. My skin feels polished smooth after using this product.

HYDRATING:

Skin Hydrating Masque $56.50

I have tried this masque and loved it in the past but had forgotten how amazing it was also I was only previously applying it once in a while or whilst on long haul flights. As advised by my amazing Dermalogica Therapist Skye, I have been applying it 2-3 times a week for 1hour at a time after cleansing it has zapped moisture into my skin.

Ultracalming Mist $48.50

I'm officially converted to hydrating facial mists after staring at Skye's beautifully hydrated glowing skin during my facial at Dermalogica, I asked her what was her favourite product was and she said it was the Ultracalming Mist which she sprays on her face throughout the day and after cleansing, then again post moisturising to lock in the moisture.

How do you get YOUR face mapped by Dermalogica?

Either book into your local Dermalogica Spa or Counter for a one on one consultation with an amazing therapist who will advise you on personalised treatments and products for your skins need. Speed Mapping is also available online HERE! by answering a few questions about your skin, your answers are analysed and products are recommended to treat all your skin concerns.

FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM! @beautegazette

xx Nella

Twitter @beautegazette

Facebook HERE!

Instagram @beautegazette

Google +  +Nella van veenendaal 

Bloglovin' HERE

TUMBLR HER

** I was kindly gifted these products for blog consideration. This did not, in any way, influence my opinion on the product. Please refer to my policy and disclaimer for more information.

Zit Zappers

Are you suffering from spots? Do you need help to zap your zits? Whether it is the change in season breaking you out or if you suffer from hormonal spots around your period there are products which can help. They are not magic but if applied before you go to bed then by morning the spot should have calmed down and not be throbbing and sore or feel like it is growing into a volcano. If you are suffering from acne or a skin condition these products aren't going to work on your skin, you need to see a dermatologist. These are purely for single spots and need to be applied directly on the pimple and a very small area around the blemish with a clean cotton bud not fingers.

Here are a few products I have tried and tested on my spotty dotty problems in the past:

1. Benzac Benzoyl Peroxide 10% $15.99 / 50gm

10% is the strongest of the Benzoyl Peroxide creams, you can also get 2.5% and 5% treatment creams. These creams are very drying so don't put it on any areas other than the pesky spot. Although the peroxide totally kills all the bacteria in your blemish it can also stain clothing and pillow cases if you apply at night might be best to sleep on a towel to avoid ruining your favorite Laura Ashley pillow shams - trust me I am speaking from experience.

Benzac AC is available from Chemists

2. Sudocrem $4.70 / 30gm

If you have pimples which are just sore underground mine fields which never come to the surface no matter the amount of squeezing or torture this might help. It contains 17.5% Zinc Oxide which is a drawing agent, I put this thick white cream on stubborn spots over night and by morning there still will be a spot but it is not red and sore and it will have come to a head of gross.

Sudocrem is available from Chemists

3. Clinique Acne Solutions Spot Healing Gel $32.00 / 15ml

This is the lightest of all the treatments containing 1%Salicylic Acid which will dry out pores over producing oil, it also contains a tone of alcohol which isn't the best for your skin. I use this gel combined with other treatments as a final step and wipe the effected area with a cotton pad.

Available from www.clinique.com.au

4. Mario Badescu Drying Lotion $26.95 /  30ml

This looks so old fashioned and like something my mum would have wiped on my mozzie bites when I was little. This is my current zit zapper of choice because it has so many zapping ingredients Camphor, Salicylic Acid, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide and Calamine. Application of this lotion is very specific, do not shake the bottle, leave the 2 formula's separated. Then dip a cotton bud into the bottle so that the you get the calamine to sooth the spot and the acid to kill the bacteria in and around the spot. 

Mario Badescu is available from www.meccacosmetica.com.au

5. Origins Super Spot Remover $19.00 / 10ml

Very high amounts of Salicylic Acid instantly starts to zap your horrible spot. It is a strong formula so after using this I always use some soothing and calming products to get the effected areas back to normal.

Origins is available from www.meccacosmetica.com

Look out for these ingredients when buying zit zapping products:

- Zinc Oxide

- Salicylic Acid

-Alpha-Hydroxy Acids (AHA'S)

-Benzoyl Peroxide

-Clay

-Sulfur

Clarisonic Review + Skin Care Routine Update

It has been 3 months since I started using my Clarisonic Mia and only now has my skin been stabilizing into some sort of normality. So I feel ok about doing an in depth review of the Clarisonic, my skin has gone through all the 'stages' of the first few months of starting using an electronic sonic skin brushing machine daily. I'm going to break it down zits and all for you month by month here goes:

MONTH ONE:

I had seen all these girls on youtube saying they were using a Clarisonic, Emily from Into The Gloss (probably the coolest girl in the world) she had one, then my friend Dane was like 'Who are you? You have a beauty blog and no Clarisonic?' so I picked one up. Feeling slightly like a chump sucker for paying $145.00 for a skin machine. Firstly I started using it with the cleanser it came with - Do not do that, also I didn't know you had to really wash the brush with warm water to soften the bristles before you go in on your face with it. So first results of the Clarisonic were a very raw red sore dry flakey face. By the third week I had mastered the application process and started using the Dove Cucumber Hydrating Face Wash with it, which was working well and I even started recommended the Clarisonic to friends.

Then dooms day hit mid way through week three : PURGING  PHASE STARTED - this is a well documented phase for the new Clarisonic user. Basically how the Clarisonic works is the brush head rotates using sonic technology, stimulating and clearing pores also brushing off a good amount of dead skin at the same time. When the pores are disturbed little bits of muck and dirt come to the surface and they can become irritated and infected = MASSIVE PIMPLES. Like bigger pimples than when I was a spotty teen. I didn't leave the house for days and googled remedies for hours at a time.

MONTH TWO:

Going into month two I was deep in Clarisonic depression thinking I had adult acne, but I kept going with two changes in place. 

1. I started using a very sensitive non foaming face wash with my Clarisonic the Elemis Sensitive Cleansing Wash, it contained anti-bacterial  properties to help the pores from being infected.

2. Toner came into my life - never before have I been a toner girl. My mum refused to get me the Clinique 3 step thing all the other girls at high school. The toner Mario Badescu's Glycolic Acid Toner closed the pores and also wiped off any extra bacteria lurking about. 

The rest of the month flew by my skin becoming extremely clear, glowing even if I do say so myself. Blemishes at bay, the texture of my skin had changed and become smoother and my T-zone was now less oily too. 

MONTH THREE:

I have cut down my Clarisonic use to once a day morning or night, but only once so that skin had enough time to readjust and recover. My skin is basically the best it has EVER BEEN! I still get cystic acne break outs - the sore pimples which never actually have top, I cannot stop these because they are caused by hormones. I am going to keep going with my current routine below and hope that my skin doesn't go through another 'phase'. 

CLARISONIC TIPS:

1. Rinse brush head well with warm water before you start your cleansing routine and clean with anti-bacterial soap once a week.

2. You can NEVER shrink your pores - its genetic. Sorry. But you can reduce the appearance by clearing them out. 

3. Do not use an abrasive cleanser with your Clarisonic, no scrubs. Stick to a gel or cream cleanser.

4. Although the Clarisonic is not marketed as an exfoliator - I stopped all other physical exfoliation and started using chemical exfoliants (AHA's) like the Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner.

5. Everyone should start with the gentle brush head, if you want to change brush heads, do lots of research beforehand.

CLARISONIC FRIENDLY CLEANSERS:

1. Dove Face Wash $5.99 Cheap and foams up when used with the Clarisonic

2. Elemis Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser $46.95 Very creamy and Hydrating

3. Decléor Aroma Cleanse  $31.45 Very very gentle - this will not remove make up at all.

4. Aésop Parsley Seed Cleansing Oil $55.00 Gelish and oilish this is great if you have acne which is coming to the surface.

5. Dr Bronner Castile Liquid Soap - Peppermint $25.50 No foaming agents and very organic - if that matters to you.

MY CURRENT SKIN CARE ROUTINE:
Step 1: Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser $15.40 To remove make up.
Step 2: Clarisonic Mia $134.95 with Elemis Sensitive Cleansing Wash $33.00
Step 3: Mario Basescu Glycolic Acid Toner $28.95
Step 4 Day: La Roche Posay Effaclar M Daily Mattifying Moisturizer $32.00
Step 4 Night: Antipodes Joyous Protein Rich Night Replenishment Serum $62.90