The Perfect Pair

Like a good skincare junkie I am constantly looking up new products, using different things on different days and one of the best uses of my time? looking for product concoctions which might end up being even better than their predecessors! Sounds fun?

That does not mean those experiments cannot go wrong and one definitely has to know one’s suitable ingredients before attempting a mixelogy, but once I hit that sweet spot its yay! all the way! Some things to be wary of, never mix two strong clay masks, the skin may just end up very sore, and never assume your skin’s resilience. If its sensitive or easily prone to irritation and breakouts, tread very very carefully!

Needless to say this is a totally unnecessary exercise which you should attempt only in case you are as crazy about skincare as I am or have too many products than you know what to do with! #FirstWorldProblems galore!

Aesop’s Parsley Seed Masque Clarins Blue Orchid Facial Oil

This is comes out in times of trouble (read breaking out with no reason!). The Aesop masque (for the umpteenth time!) is a firm favorite when I have to battle my pores and purge them out gently but thoroughly. Usually my face is left a little drier than I’d like post usage but that also gives me an opportunity to inject as much moisture back in as I want! I always follow it up with an oil and more often than not its the Clarins Blue Orchid Facial Oil. This oil is labelled for “dehydrated skin” which I just assume I have at all times. Also, using this makes me feel I get more value for my bucks!, dehydrated or not-dehydrated everyone can do with MOAR hydration always!

Irrespective of the season, my skin seems to drink up this oil really quickly once I apply it post the masque. I can tell the difference from regular days to post-Parsley-Seed-masque days, as usually it takes a minute to settle down before I can put my head on the pillows. The whole oil massage sesh after a clay mask sesh feels like a treat and I end up with very soft and calmed skin in the morning after.

Estêe Lauder Advanced Night Repair Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask

I am not going to go into details of my love for ANR as its well documented in the annals of the blog (read). Its my best bet for awesome skin inspite of its less than ideal formulation and silicone heavy ingredient list. Somehow this one just works! This is my routine on “meh” days when my skin needs TLC but I am too lazy to move a finger! I cleanse then pat ANR on my skin and as soon as it’s absorbed, I go over with a moisturiser on top. That moisturiser is (more often than not) the Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask (review), which is basically just an intense moisturiser sans the oiliness of an industrial strength moisturiser. Its creamy, absorbs quickly and seems to almost form a cover/shield on my face thus sealing everything that I put before it. The serum and the mask together make regular days feel anything but regular and I wakeup with pretty much no redness or dry patch on my face! “Miracle workers” is what these two are together!

REN Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial Pai Copaiba Deep Cleanse AHA Mask

Now this is where things get pretty nonsensical! Both of the above masks are certainly capable of delivering fantastic results on their own, but on an adventurous Sunday evening a couple of weeks back I just couldn’t talk myself out of this idea! My blackheads were being extra stubborn even after an application of the REN mask so I decided I needed a second go. Instead of using the REN again I picked up my tube of the Pai Mask and applied it generously all over. In about ten minutes when I washed off I was smitten with what I saw in the mirror! Glossy glossy skin, I kid you not! I am hoping this wasn’t a fluke and to prove that I am prepared to give this a go again but damn! did it do well! I am still trying to figure out the Chemistry behind this and why, if at all they should work. Rest assured I’ll report back soon!

I have been really loving the REN mask as a simple exfoliator about once a week and its hard to quit! The satisfaction of seeing dead skin cells ball up under your fingers is something I CANNOT put in words! Its probably too expensive to be just an “exfoliator” but what works, works, right?

Have you had any experiments go right? Tell Me!