Well this is month 2 of using the Ordinary Retinol 0.2% in Squalane.  You can read my first post here. which explains what Retinol is used for in skin care, precautions and my results after month 1.  I doubt I will have anything significant to report in month 3, but if I do I will update my blog again.

My skin is dry/oily combination in winter and I have sun damage on my forehead, fine lines at the side of my eyes, my under eye area is dry, furrows between my eyebrows and deep creases on my forehead.

So, again the most noticeable result for me is that the skin on my cheeks looks fresh and new.  This is because Retinol increases cell turnover and regeneration.

I have also noticed some reduction in the darker skin (caused by Melasma) on my forehead.  However, I have also been using the Ordinary's Vitamin C 23% in the day and Alpha Arbutin day and night.  These also help to reduce hyperpigmentation, so I can't say which product has proved most effective in doing that.  My guess would be the combination of all 3: Retinol, Vitamin C and Alpha Arbutin.

The fine lines around my eyes look the same as do the deep furrows between my brows and deeper wrinkles on my forehad.

About 7 weeks in to using the Ordinary's Retinol 0.2% in Squalane my skin felt tight and dry during the daytime even with extra moisturiser.  So I cut back to using it every other night and applied Neal's Yard Wild Rose Beauty Balm over the top of my Retinol.  This did the trick and my skin stopped feeling dry and tight.  I have continued with the every other night approach and on the nights I am not using the Retinol, I just use a serum (topic for another post as I use a few) and the Ordinary's Natural Moisturising Factor to moisturise.

As I am now 1/2 way through the 30ml bottle of 0.2% Retinol, I have purchased the next strength up which is the 0.5% Retinol in Squalane.  

My Current Routine:

Daytime: Cleanse, Tone, AM & PM Alpha Arbutin on my melasma patches and the Ordinary's Matrixyl with Hyaluronic acid on my lines and wrinkles,  Moisturise with an SPF Cream.

Night Time:

Cleanse, Tone, Retinol 0.2% in Squalane and Wild Rose Beauty Balm or

Cleanse, Tone, Vitamin C 23%, Moisturise or

Cleanse, Tone, Anti Ageing Serum, Moisturise.

I use a mixture of cleansing balms, milks and facial washes to cleanse and a mixture of floral waters, moistursing or acid toners and anti ageing eye creams, serums and face creams, SPF creams and some creams with very simple formulas that are just there to moisturise.  I will write a blog post at some point and talk about the products in more detail.  The reason I use so many different products is because I like to switch things up, love trying different products which in down to earth terms means that I am just a skin care junkie lol.  Also on some days my skin needs more of 1 type of product than another and also because I don't want my skin to get used to using the same products all the time.

If would like to purchase the Ordinary's Retinol 0.2% it is only £4.20 for 30ml!  I buy my products directly from their site and shipping to the UK is about 4 days time although there is currently a notice on their website which says orders can take up to 10 days.  Shipping is free after £25 min spend.

If you would like more information on the rest of the Ordinary's products, please click here to read their Regimen Guide.  Also if you email them with your skin care concerns, they will send you a suggested routine.

Until next time

Zoe

x

PS Do you need help with your at home skincare routine?

Check out my Skin Care Guide - only £5 - Ebook PDF

• Identify your skin type and skincare issues
• Create a skincare routine suited to you
• Help you choose products that are suitable for your skin type and skincare issues
• Key information on common skincare issues and which products can help: acne and breakouts, dehydrated skin, dull skin, hyperpigmentation (uneven skin tone), mature skin concerns, rosacea and redness, sensitive skin.
• A to Z glossary of over 40 popular, effective skincare ingredients 

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Happy April Fool's Day!

This month is National Stress Awareness month so I will be writing a series of posts around this important issue.

Stress can build up for a number of reasons and tends to be caused by a variety of circumstances such as:

Too much to do   Lack of Time          Financial Worries                Workload
Job Uncertainty   Family Troubles     Relationship Breakdowns   Bereavement
Moving Home     Urban Life              Conflict at work or home    Isolation
Redundancy         Retirement              Going to University            Planning a Wedding
Pregnancy            Becoming a Parent  World problems and so on…

Long term chronic stress manifests itself in many different ways and can have a negative impact on our physical, mental and emotional health.

Some of the common effects of long term stress include:

Headaches, Physical and Emotional Tension, Muscular Aches and Pains, Digestive upsets, Exhaustion, Hyperactivity, Anger and Irritability, Feeling Overwhelmed, Anxiety & Depression Over thinking Insomnia, Loss of Concentration Reduced ability to make decisions, Brain Fog and more.

In terms of the Holistic treatments I offer they are all deeply relaxing and soothing for the Mind, the Nervous system and your Emotions. 

If you have physical aches and pains caused by tension and your energy levels are depleted, then Swedish massage is your best choice. 

If you have tension, aches and pains and/or your nerves feel frazzled, then an Aromatherapy massage with essential oil blend to soothe your body and relax your nervous system would be more suitable.

If stress primarily affects your emotional state, then I would advise Reflexology, Reiki, Bach Flower Remedies or Crystal Healing.  Reflexology is also useful for people with multiple health conditions as each system (e.g digestive) and organ (e.g liver) is stimulated during a treatment.

I also make customised aromatherapy products which will be personalised for your individual needs.

Ok that's all folks stay tuned for further posts on Stress relief this month.

Until next time

Zoe

x

Note: If stress is causing you physical and/or mental health problems please visit your GP.

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