Mud and Clay Masks for Combination Skin

As I have previously mentioned, I have a combination skin type - an oily T-zone when all the other areas are normal to dry (slightly sensitive too). Blackheads or comedones are commonly spotted on and around my nose area, which is an unpleasant sight for people to look at (I can't even stand them myself even if they're not very obvious). I learnt they are not gonna disappear completely and the only thing I can do is to minimise the pores. I find applying masks extremely useful to get rid of these blackheads, but you need to regularly use them due to their temporary effect. I particularly fancy mud and clay masks as they work effectively for me and I often saw immediate result. They both have pore minimising, skin purifying and softening benefits - very good for acne-prone skin. The only difference I experience is that mud mask often draws out excess oil more effectively than clay mask, thereby making my skin relatively tighter. 

My findings (application time: 15-30 minutes for each):

1. When I tried applying the mud mask all over my face, the oil excess around my T-zone was drawn out, but all the other areas (especially my cheek) became slightly dry. 

2. When I did the same thing with the clay mask, all the other areas were not as dry, but the oil excess wasn't as effectively drawn out. Maybe it would work better if I had more time to experience with this.

3. I started using the combination of both - mud mask on T-zone area (and neck, if necessary) and clay mask on other facial areas. I did get better result and my skin felt less oily without irritation. I did this 2-3 times every week at home. 

When I was at home, I tried Nu Skin's masks (they're not very easy to find in the UK, but pretty big in Asia). I used the Epoch Glacial Marine Mud (picture above) and Clay Pack Deep Cleansing Masque (picture below). 

I also tried Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Cleaning Masque (picture on the right), which is essentially a clay mask. It's good (it actually works really well in minimising pores), but I often felt like something's piercing my skin for the first 5 minutes after application. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to feel that way - definitely need to research more. I bought another brand of mud mask last week - much more affordable one called Dead Sea Spa Magik Mud Mask (picture below). It has stronger smell than Nu Skin's and it doesn't work that effectively. I actually felt that my blackheads didn't disappear, while the skin around my nose became dry. I'm not a big fan of this one so far.

The purpose of this entry is to share my own results and findings. I'm not saying you have to follow my way since it works differently for everyone. Some people might have easily irritated skin types, mixing might not be such a good idea. Let me know if you have other ways to reduce the blackheads. Thanks! 

My Journey with SK-II

Self-explanatory title. Just like any other girls, I find skincare a very personal matter (the demand is pretty inelastic haha). Certain products work for some people, but not all. My friends and some random people often ask how I've managed to keep my skin tight and healthy. I don't have an acne-prone skin. I haven't used foundation more than twice my whole life and make-up is not something I'm really good at. In fact, my skin's not as good as what people might have thought, I have pore problems due to my combination skin type and having blackheads is almost unavoidable sometimes. Anyway, I've only been using two brands of skincare products regularly, i.e. Clinique and SK-II. My love affair with SK-II started in 2006, when I started my first year in university. Expensive, premium skincare for an undergraduate student, I know. I had used Clinique for years and it was time to switch, a decision partly influenced by my mom. The picture above shows nearly all the SK-II products I own (I forgot the masks and cleanser) - my room is too small, can't find a place to take better picture so that will have to do for now. Don't get me wrong, I don't use all of them everyday. Here are only several products I use regularly. The steps might differ for each user.

1. Facial Treatment Cleanser. The daily facial soap/cleanser. I love its milky, creamy texture and it cleanses off the oily bit of my skin. It won't leave a very dry effect on your face. 

2. Facial Treatment Clear Lotion. This is like the toner, if you wanna call it in everyday's language. It's part of the cleansing process and personally, I feel rather refreshed after applying this with using cotton pads. 

3. Facial Treatment Essence. This is probably the ONE single product SK-II is very famous for. It's often called 'miracle water' or 'holy water'. I love it a lot as it keeps my skin fully hydrated, especially during the winter in England.

4. Facial Lift Emulsion. The ultimate moisturiser. I know SK-II carries different versions of moisturising lotion, but this is the only one that I've been using from the beginning. It's more expensive, but it does its job. When I'm really lazy, I just wash my face and apply this and skip all the previous steps - a bad habit (not recommended). 

5. Facial Treatment UV Protection. The SPF lotion. This is not available in the UK and is probably only available in Asia. I bought it from home. I apply it after step 4 every morning. 

6. Signs Eye Cream. I prefer this eye cream to Advanced Eye Treatment Film. It's very expensive for its size and honestly, I haven't seen much improvement yet. I have to blame myself for irregular usage though, but it does keep the skin below my eyes hydrated. 

I haven't been using the other products regularly, partly because I don't really use make-up products and there isn't a need to use the Cleansing Oil regularly. My friend told me it's important to use it if I apply the UV protection lotion - thanks for the advice, I should start using it. I also don't really make use of any night cream - one moisturiser does all the jobs for me, which is something I should look into more. I'm not sure how long I'll be using SK-II since now that I'm no longer a dependant, I'll need to spend within budget and SK-II is very expensive, especially in the UK. Some of its products are also unavailable in London (Harrods is probably its only authorised seller). Furthermore, there's a myth that one shouldn't be using the same brand for too long. Nevertheless, I can definitely say that I'm pretty satisfied with the skin results I've had with SK-II for the past 5 years.