I adore skin care. It's definitely on par with my make-up obsession - you should see my chest of drawers, overflowing with all the products I've bought to try! As I'm getting older, I've definitely become more conscious of my skin care routine. I've started noticing minute changes to my skin (little smile lines, for example) that I know are the dreaded signs of aging. I totally believe that, where skin care is concerned, prevention is the key - so I've been using anti-aging products since I was about 16! Nothing expensive, obviously, but as I've gotten older I've started spending more on it for better, higher quality products and ingredients. I use a serum morning and night as well as an eye cream, and I try to do face masks depending on what my skin needs every week. I ALWAYS take my makeup off and do a double cleanse (once to remove makeup, once to deeply clean the skin) using a hot cloth for removal, followed by whatever moisturiser my skin most needs that day. The best skin advice I can give is to LISTEN to what your skin needs - I'm generally oily but dehydrated, so I'm constantly using products to deeply nourish and moisturise without clogging pores or dulling the skin. I'm prone to blemishes where I get most oily - around my chin - so I use a cleanser with 2% salicylic acid to ensure I'm really cleaning my skin out. This, of course, strips it a bit so it's important to then replenish all the good stuff. Anyway! I like to change up my serums so my skin doesn't adapt and get too used to a product - I came across this one by Pacifica called the Sea Change Future Youth Serum.
Here's the spiel: "See a change in the appearance of your skin. For all skin types! DETAILS: Change the appearance of your skin and make the signs of aging insignificant in your future. Visibly firm, lift, hydrate, and brighten skin with potent native floral cells and marine extracts. Formulated without: animal ingredients (including carmine, beeswax and lanolin), animal testing. FD&C colours, mineral oil, parabens, phthalates, petroleum, propylene glycol, SLS, gluten, peanut oil and other ingredients you don't want on your skin." As I've said, my main concerns are to keep wrinkles at bay, to keep my skin soft and spot-free, and to get rid of redness (which I've always had naturally). This product sounds right up my street - I adore sea extracts and ingredients as they're always done wonders for my skin in the past! I really love the packaging - the colourful box, the lightweight pump (ideal for taking away) - perfect!
I've been using this morning and night followed by a moisturiser for the past couple of weeks and my skin definitely feels fresher and plumper! It smells fresh and light, it absorbs fairly quickly and sits nicely under my moisturisers. I would definitely buy this again, particularly to use a daytime serum (I generally wear something heavier at night as I don't mind going to bed looking all oily, plus I don't have to worry about make-up sliding or going patchy!) For only £19.95, it's an absolute bargain considering it's a serum! I can't say I've noticed any difference to the tightness or fine lines on my face, but I'm not too surprised - the price suggests it's not got the ingredients to combat these difficult problems. If you want a serum that will brighten and protect, however, this is the one for you! It's one I'll definitely be repurchasing! You can find it HERE Meli X