Confession: I thought when I left my teenage years I’d left acne behind, along with blue hair mascara. Sadly, that’s a vision far removed from reality, and while I’m fast approaching the end of my twenties, I’m still suffering from skin blemishes.
I’m one of the lucky ones, in that my blemishes don’t appear all that regularly, or in groups, but still – spots are a pain in the face, there’s no two ways about it!
I was set a challenge, to stick to a skin care routine using the VICHY NORMADERM range for one month to see how my skin would respond to some real love and attention!
I thought the hardest part would be actually sticking to the routine (luckily, I was wrong!). After a long day I can be very lazy and just opt for a wipe, (I know, I know), but I was determined, and after the seven day mark, here’s how I’m getting on …
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The Products
I’m trialing the full NORMADERM range, so I thought at the outset that this might involve a large number of products, which added to my fear of being able to stick to the routine. In reality, what it amounted to was a cleanser, toner and moisturiser every morning and night, as with any routine, a scrub and mask each used once or twice a week for a few minutes, and a specialised treatment for blemishes to be used whenever necessary. It took more time to make a morning coffee!
Morning:
Normaderm Deep Cleansing Purifying Gel
Normaderm Purifying Pore-Tightening Lotion
Normaderm Global Anti-Imperfection Hydrating Care
Night:
As above, but replacing Normaderm Global Anti-Imperfection Hydrating Care with Normaderm Night Chrono Active Anti-Imperfection Night Cream
Once/Twice weekly:
Normaderm Unclogging Exfoliating Gel
Normaderm 3-in-1 Mask
As needed:
Normaderm Hyaluspot
Over the coming weeks I’ll be looking at one or two products in more detail, first up is the Normaderm Deep Cleansing Purifying Gel and the Normaderm 3-in-1 Mask
Normaderm Deep Cleansing Purifying Gel
This daily deep cleanser is step one in the skincare routine every morning and night. It’s suitable for both men and women with combination oily skin. Once my face was wet with warm water, to open pores, I worked the product into a lather and massaged my face lightly, avoiding the eye area. Once the cleanser had time to do its job I rinsed with warm water and patted my skin dry.
This product is ultra-gentle, perfect for temperamental skin, but still strong enough to remove excessive oil, preventing future spots. The fresh light scent and non-oily or sticky formula was a bonus. A great start.
Normaderm 3-in-1 Mask
Masks are a tricky business when it comes to oily, acne-prone skin. Some are so drying that the skin increases the production of sebum, completely defeating the purpose. This clay however, worked a treat. I used it on the Tuesday night of my first week. I applied a thin layer and left on cleansed skin for 5 minutes, after which I removed it using warm water and my fingertips. The triple action formula cleanses, exfoliates and mattifies. The clay and soothing agents made for a real treat for the skin, and the skin-freshening effects lasted for three days afterwards.
Week one: The verdict so far…
I’ll admit to being somewhat lazy in advance of the challenge, and signing up to completing a proper skincare regime every day, no cheating, was a little daunting! However, it really only takes a few minutes, and the difference means it’s certainly worth it. After just over a week the difference in my skin has already convinced me to change my ways. The products feel great on my skin, are gentle but effective, and while I expected it to take much longer for the regime to make a visible difference, my skin feels fresher and cleaner, and looks it too. A great start, and I’m looking forward to seeing what changes week two will bring!
Try it for Yourself:
If you too suffer from blemish-prone skin, and would like to try out the NORMADERM range for yourself, you can find more info on VICHY products and buy them online here.
