Big Ol' Red Face

Hello beauties!

It's getting to that time of year again when the leaves are turning red - and so is my face (and oily, to boot!). The red is so prominent that I'm one step away from becoming a myth told to kids who don't exfoliate and moisturise properly - that they too will one day turn into 'Big Ol' Red Face'.

But hoorah! I've found a set of products that have banished the redness and oiliness and have restored my skin to being acceptable in decent public. Which really was a big ask. No more 'Big Ol' Red Face' and more 'Relatively Clear Skin Girl'. 

During a lunchtime trip to Boots, I was moaning to my mate about my new red sheen when all of a sudden a cheeky 3 for 2 offer popped out of nowhere. My peepers came out on stalks and my bank balance glared at me until it saw the price and then congratulated me on finding a bargain.

Boots' Botanics range has always been pretty brilliant. Using the highest quality of plant extracts and in partnership with the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Botanics range is a wonder. The price tag doesn't reflect upon the products available - these are high end but without the eating spaghetti hoops for the rest of the month.

The three products I chose were from the range 'Shine Away' - Invigorating Face Scrub, Mattifying Foam Face Wash and the Mattifying Gel-Cream. These all have Willowbark extracts which, according to the back of the bottle - not my encyclopaedic knowledge of plants, is a natural source of salicylic acid and helps to clarify the skin. Exactly what I need.

With my new additions to my already crowded collection of half-full face washes I didn't really get on with, I created a new routine in order to combat the BORF (yeah, I like that acronym). Here's what my new skincare routine looks like (and a mini review for each product)

First things first (amarilis)(sorry, had to)(not sorry)

I've been using Sainsbury's own brand of Tea Tree make up wipes to clean up my mistakes. These are pretty good considering they're only a quid alongside being pretty thick, having loads of aloe vera, Pro Vitamin B5 and Vitamin B3. Since switching to these from Johnson's Make Up Be Gone wipes I can see a real difference - the Johnsnon's ones made my face even oilier after using and felt like my face needed a deeper clean afterwards. Plus they stung my eyes a few times. So if you suffer from the BORF, then I'd suggest the Tea Tree ones.

After a quick swipe and then a lengthy battle with my eyelashes, I pop my fringe back and dampen my face with warm to hot water (preferably with a bit of steam going on) to open my pores (ick) and scrub away. The scrub has a really refreshing but not over-powering smell, faintly citrus with a mix of flowers. It is a little coarse when rubbed on dry skin but when applied to damp skin it becomes far gentler and works around the face really well. It's coarseness was actually a deciding factor for me - little coloured bubbles of nothing really don't cut it for my idea of a good exfoliation. I have found that since using the scrub, my face is prone to fewer blemishes and feels both softer and smoother. It's recommended only to be used two to three times a week but I've been doing it every day for the past week or so. I'm going to cut down from now on though.

Then I do this

My skin's feeling pretty good right now so I go for the wash. One pump produces more than enough for each go. The wash is so soft and shares the same scent as the scrub. It lathers up like a dream and has a very light consistency due to the foaming aspect. It's very gentle all over, especially around the eyes and, like the scrub, does leave your skin feeling really clean and refreshed. This is perfect for everyday use and is a lovely way to wash the day's look away.

And the cherry on top...

Once I've had a good rinse with cold water and patted my chops dry with a face cloth, I'm ready for the final step to achieve clean face nirvana. Taking a finger print sized dollop of the gel and place it onto the bridge of my nose, cheeks, chin and forehead, working it into my skin. The gel is a very smooth and lightweight formula that feels moisturising but without the heaviness. Again, it smells just like the other two and once dry, makes your skin feel like how Galaxy tastes. It's the perfect finishing touch to a fantastic skincare range and always makes me feel like I've just had a crazy luxury facial.

Epilogue

The 'Shine Away' range really is something special for those who need a bit of help when it comes to oily skin. My skin feels so much cleaner and fresher and I genuinely feel a lot more confident after using this for just a week. I'm pretty astounded by the results I've had so far with my new routine and have even ventured out into the big bad world with only a primer as a base - I don't have any before shots, just imagine I had sliced beetroot over my face, but here's a selfie with just primer, mascara and my brows done.

I'm so glad I found these products and if you're wanting to get your mitts on them, they're usually in any of the bigger Boots stores and are currently on the 3 for 2 offer: Invigorating Face Scrub, £2.69, Mattifying Foam Face Wash, £3.99 and the Mattifying Gel-Cream, £4.99. Tell them Bitchy sent you.

Until next time, you gorgeous lot.
Bitchy M. x