Skincare is a subject that is very dear to my heart & it's taken a long time to find the right kind of products for my combination skin type. British skincare brand Vitage recently challenged me to ditch my well established skincare routine & try out their products for a whole month instead. Normally I would recommend only introducing one new product at a time in order to minimise the chances of irritation but I decided to throw the rule book out of the window & take a chance on Vitage. Why did I do such a thing? Well Vitage's products combine the power of science & nature. As well as plenty of antioxidants & vitamins they feature some of my favourite actives such as salicylic acid, glycolic acid & retinyl palmitate. I know from past experiences that my skin reacts well to these ingredients & nothing on the ingredient lists stood out to me as 'bad' either. The entire range is very gentle yet incredibly effective & that's exactly what I look for when choosing new products. Vitage sent me a full skincare regime based on my skin type & after some thorough testing I can wholeheartedly say that I love these products!
Now I do have to admit that I added in a couple of extras to finish off my skincare routine. I couldn't possibly give up my Una Brennan Vitamin C Cleansing Oil as I still needed something to remove my makeup. Vitage also don't have any kind of toners in their range so I spritzed on some of my beloved La Roche-Posay Serozinc after cleansing too. Otherwise I completely stuck to using Vitage products & they've had such a positive impact on my skin.
The first step in any skincare routine is cleansing so let's start with the Revitalising Daily Cleanse. I always double cleanse my skin & my preferred method of cleansing is an oil followed by a gel. This is a really gentle cleanser with a unique cream/gel formula. It doesn't contain any SLS so it doesn't become overly foamy, it simply emulsifies on contact with water & washes away daily impurities. I love the way this makes my skin feel, fresh & smooth but not taut. It features Brazilian green tea extract & bitter cherry which replenish the skin whilst calming any redness & irritation. The soothing blend of aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, panthenol & glycerin imparts softness and hydration. I wish more cleansers were like this, rich in potent natural ingredients that really help to nourish the skin. The bottle is huge & comes with a handy pump dispenser. A little goes a long way with this stuff. You only need one pump to clean your whole face so it will last for months & months!
The product that I was most interested in trying is the Correct & Perfect Skin Serum. This serum has a very lightweight silky texture & would be great for anyone with blemish-prone skin. Salicylic acid is the key ingredient here as it helps to unblock pores & reduce sebum production. It also contains glycolic acid, retinyl palmitate & zinc which combined help to increase cell turnover and promote healing. I normally use two pumps on my face, focusing the serum on my most problematic areas. You can use this several times a day but I stuck to just using it at night underneath the moisturiser. I think it really excels at bringing active blemishes to the surface & eliminating them quickly. It wasn't quite as effective on my closed comedones though as my skin is used to a higher concentration of salicylic acid. However for anyone who doesn't use already a lot of actives, this product would be a great addition to your skincare routine.
I think that my favourite Vitage product has to be the Age Defence Power Skin Repair. This is a brilliant anti-ageing moisturiser that can be used both day & night. I normally use a different moisturiser for the day & a dedicated night cream but this product just works so perfectly that it's the only moisturiser I need. Half a pump is about the right amount for me as it is fairly rich. It really helps to refine the texture of your skin making it feel supple & baby soft. The moisturiser is intensely hydrating and offers anti-ageing & anti-inflammatory benefits to all skin types. It contains retinyl palmitate which is a gentler version of retinol so it effectively treats both lines & blemishes at the same time. The potent cocktail of vitamins, plant extracts, hyaluronic acid, blackcurrant seed & rosehip oil really packs a punch. Together these ingredients help to repair the skin making it firmer, smoother, calmer & much better hydrated. Along with the mask I think that this moisturiser has had the most visible effect on my skin. It's definitely a luxury moisturiser but those high-performance ingredients are worth every penny.
My skin can be quite fussy when it comes to sun protection. I hate anything that looks greasy or has that horrible sunscreen smell. They're often the worst offenders for causing breakouts too. Naturally I was a little bit worried about trying the Skin Defence SPF 30 but my fears were soon allayed. It feels extremely lightweight & absorbs very quickly without any greasy residue, smell or white cast. It doesn't pill when layered with other products & generally feels comfortable to wear. Best of all it doesn't break me out whatsoever. I was expecting the worst but I am super impressed with this product! As well as providing SPF 30 with UVA/UVB protection, this sunscreen is packed full of antioxidants to soothe & care for the skin. I'm really glad that Vitage make a separate sunscreen as so many other brands don't bother. It's such an important step especially if you're trying to prevent the signs of ageing. Apparently this is one of their best selling products. The formula is fantastic & you get a massive 100ml tube so I would highly recommend checking this out if you're looking for a good facial sunscreen.
Vitamin C is such an important ingredient in skincare. Anyone with dull skin should definitely be using it somewhere in their skincare routine. The amazing Vitamin C Radiance Mask would be a great product to start with. This is a clay mask with a difference. It instantly brightens the skin giving it a gorgeous radiant glow. Most of the ingredients are very hydrating so it would be perfect for anyone with dry or dehydrated skin. It contains things like glycerin, cocoa seed butter, aloe vera, sweet almond oil & hyaluronic acid so it doesn't crack on the skin like some clay masks do. The clay along with zinc & retinyl palmitate help to clear up blemishes & refine skin texture. I've been using it once or twice a week & my skin is always left feeling super soft afterwards. My pores are minimised & any fine lines get plumped up again. It really helps to improve my complexion & even out the tone of my skin.
Since the initial 30 day trial period I've carried on using every single one of these products. Any skincare products that combine scientifically proven active ingredients with natural botanical extracts just seem to work really well for me & these products from Vitage are no exception. Although it's been quite nice to stick to a simplified skincare regime, I've added in a few more things that I already owned just to tweak it slightly & make things perfect. My skin was really missing the Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid. I'm prone to closed comedones on my forehead & without a dedicated BHA product in my routine, they can get quite bad. The BHA liquid & the Age Defence moisturiser are a match made in heaven and my skin has never felt so smooth before. I'm really glad that I decided to do this skincare challenge as I've found so many new products that I truly love! Vitage products can be purchased from Courthouse Clinics nationwide or online from Effortless Skin.
Now I do have to admit that I added in a couple of extras to finish off my skincare routine. I couldn't possibly give up my Una Brennan Vitamin C Cleansing Oil as I still needed something to remove my makeup. Vitage also don't have any kind of toners in their range so I spritzed on some of my beloved La Roche-Posay Serozinc after cleansing too. Otherwise I completely stuck to using Vitage products & they've had such a positive impact on my skin.
The first step in any skincare routine is cleansing so let's start with the Revitalising Daily Cleanse. I always double cleanse my skin & my preferred method of cleansing is an oil followed by a gel. This is a really gentle cleanser with a unique cream/gel formula. It doesn't contain any SLS so it doesn't become overly foamy, it simply emulsifies on contact with water & washes away daily impurities. I love the way this makes my skin feel, fresh & smooth but not taut. It features Brazilian green tea extract & bitter cherry which replenish the skin whilst calming any redness & irritation. The soothing blend of aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, panthenol & glycerin imparts softness and hydration. I wish more cleansers were like this, rich in potent natural ingredients that really help to nourish the skin. The bottle is huge & comes with a handy pump dispenser. A little goes a long way with this stuff. You only need one pump to clean your whole face so it will last for months & months!
The product that I was most interested in trying is the Correct & Perfect Skin Serum. This serum has a very lightweight silky texture & would be great for anyone with blemish-prone skin. Salicylic acid is the key ingredient here as it helps to unblock pores & reduce sebum production. It also contains glycolic acid, retinyl palmitate & zinc which combined help to increase cell turnover and promote healing. I normally use two pumps on my face, focusing the serum on my most problematic areas. You can use this several times a day but I stuck to just using it at night underneath the moisturiser. I think it really excels at bringing active blemishes to the surface & eliminating them quickly. It wasn't quite as effective on my closed comedones though as my skin is used to a higher concentration of salicylic acid. However for anyone who doesn't use already a lot of actives, this product would be a great addition to your skincare routine.
I think that my favourite Vitage product has to be the Age Defence Power Skin Repair. This is a brilliant anti-ageing moisturiser that can be used both day & night. I normally use a different moisturiser for the day & a dedicated night cream but this product just works so perfectly that it's the only moisturiser I need. Half a pump is about the right amount for me as it is fairly rich. It really helps to refine the texture of your skin making it feel supple & baby soft. The moisturiser is intensely hydrating and offers anti-ageing & anti-inflammatory benefits to all skin types. It contains retinyl palmitate which is a gentler version of retinol so it effectively treats both lines & blemishes at the same time. The potent cocktail of vitamins, plant extracts, hyaluronic acid, blackcurrant seed & rosehip oil really packs a punch. Together these ingredients help to repair the skin making it firmer, smoother, calmer & much better hydrated. Along with the mask I think that this moisturiser has had the most visible effect on my skin. It's definitely a luxury moisturiser but those high-performance ingredients are worth every penny.
My skin can be quite fussy when it comes to sun protection. I hate anything that looks greasy or has that horrible sunscreen smell. They're often the worst offenders for causing breakouts too. Naturally I was a little bit worried about trying the Skin Defence SPF 30 but my fears were soon allayed. It feels extremely lightweight & absorbs very quickly without any greasy residue, smell or white cast. It doesn't pill when layered with other products & generally feels comfortable to wear. Best of all it doesn't break me out whatsoever. I was expecting the worst but I am super impressed with this product! As well as providing SPF 30 with UVA/UVB protection, this sunscreen is packed full of antioxidants to soothe & care for the skin. I'm really glad that Vitage make a separate sunscreen as so many other brands don't bother. It's such an important step especially if you're trying to prevent the signs of ageing. Apparently this is one of their best selling products. The formula is fantastic & you get a massive 100ml tube so I would highly recommend checking this out if you're looking for a good facial sunscreen.
Vitamin C is such an important ingredient in skincare. Anyone with dull skin should definitely be using it somewhere in their skincare routine. The amazing Vitamin C Radiance Mask would be a great product to start with. This is a clay mask with a difference. It instantly brightens the skin giving it a gorgeous radiant glow. Most of the ingredients are very hydrating so it would be perfect for anyone with dry or dehydrated skin. It contains things like glycerin, cocoa seed butter, aloe vera, sweet almond oil & hyaluronic acid so it doesn't crack on the skin like some clay masks do. The clay along with zinc & retinyl palmitate help to clear up blemishes & refine skin texture. I've been using it once or twice a week & my skin is always left feeling super soft afterwards. My pores are minimised & any fine lines get plumped up again. It really helps to improve my complexion & even out the tone of my skin.
Since the initial 30 day trial period I've carried on using every single one of these products. Any skincare products that combine scientifically proven active ingredients with natural botanical extracts just seem to work really well for me & these products from Vitage are no exception. Although it's been quite nice to stick to a simplified skincare regime, I've added in a few more things that I already owned just to tweak it slightly & make things perfect. My skin was really missing the Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid. I'm prone to closed comedones on my forehead & without a dedicated BHA product in my routine, they can get quite bad. The BHA liquid & the Age Defence moisturiser are a match made in heaven and my skin has never felt so smooth before. I'm really glad that I decided to do this skincare challenge as I've found so many new products that I truly love! Vitage products can be purchased from Courthouse Clinics nationwide or online from Effortless Skin.
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Geetings Caroline. You did really an awesome job for your readers and fans and especially for the perfect skin care product hunters. Yeah, skin is one of the concerning organs like our heart and lungs and to keep it fresh and beauty looking is needed the perfect suited brand that is really hard to find. Happy to know about the British Skin Care Vintage products and challenge. I got through the whole experiences and products features you spread over the page and excited finding some great ideas to pick up for test. Particularly I feel comfort with age defence power skin repair as it really helps to keep the skin age growth. Just one thing to know- can it help to repair stressed skin? Thanks in advance for your future update.
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