Hey guys,

So you know with my previous post where I spoke about my Dermaplaning Experience (click here) I have now adventured further and tried out a skin peel. Skin peels have always fascinated me but I've always been nervous to try them as my skin is prone to breakouts so didn't want to irritate it further. However, I found this local girl on Instagram who is a Facial & Skin Specialist (@Facialvibez) and her content is unreal. I can be quite anxious meeting people especially around my age and the fact I have to have my skin bare but Becki was the most loveliest girl, so welcoming and quite chatty so I felt at ease. 

Process

1. Double Cleanse
2. Painless Peel - Buffs away any dead skin cells that can clog pores & lead to future breakouts
3. Skin peel - Choice of 3
4. Toner
5. Hydrating Mask
6. Eye Cream
7. Hydrating Serum
8. Moisturiser/after cream

The 3 peels Becki offers are 3 different but superficial ones. Firstly, there is a Refresh peel. This is aimed at skin rejuvenation including; ageing, fine lines, sun damage and skin laxity. The second peel is a Glow peel. The glow peel is aimed at hyperpigmentation. And the final peel is a Pure peel. This is the peel I opted for which is targeted at people who have oily, combination, sensitive, acne prone or congested skin. 

The Pure peel consists of 20% salicylic acid, 12% lactic acid and 12% glycolic acid. Blending these acids together creates the perfect peel for those who want to:

• Reduce acne
• Improve skin texture
• Reduce inflammation
• Reduce blackheads, pores & comedones
• Reduce fine lines & wrinkles
• Helps with skin ageing

As previously mentioned these peels are light and superficial; therefore your skin doesn't shed like the extent of other peels. My appointment was at 8pm which was handy as my skin had its treatment and could continue to hydrate itself within the night. 

Before the peel

Before the peel

Glycolic Acid - This type of acid exfoliates the epidermis & stimulates the growth of new skin. It safely removes the outer layer of dead skin cells helping fresh new skin come to the surface. This AHA is the most effective in getting to the deeper layer and stimulating the collagen production cells.  This is recommended for ageing.

Lactic Acid - Is basically the same of Glycolic acid but a lot more gentle and less irritation. Lactic acid gently exfoliates the dead skin cells away. This acid helps to get skin brighter and glowy as well as helping pigmentation. This recommended for dull, dehydrated or dry skin.

Salicylic Acid - This acid is great for unclogging pores, breakouts, congestion and inflammation. This acid helps to breakdown the bacteria that causes these problems aswell as reducing redness and blemishes. This is recommended is you suffer from spots.

(Source: Caroline Hirons)

After Care Process

Each peel are very light and require no down time. Becki recommended to keep my skin care regime very basic. For the following week I made sure my skin was hydrated throughout the day as one of the effects of the peel is that your skin will feel very dry, flaky & tight. The products I used was:

• La Roche Serozinc Toner Spritz
• Neutrogena Water Gel Moisturiser
• Neutrogena Eye Cream
• Vichy Idéal Soleil Oil Free SPF 30

Top: During the 5 day period Bottom: 5 Days after the peel

Cost

Usually Becki charges £50 or a course of 4 is £180 but she regularly has deals and discounts on so I actually got my skin peel for £40. For September she has discount of if you book for a Sunday appointment you can get £5 off any treatment or if you and a friend book in you can both get £10 off any treatment. I think these deals and discounts are unreal. Who doesn't love a bargain?! 

Would I recommend a skin peel?

Superficial ones? 100% yes. The whole process start to finish felt amazing. My skin is a week down the line and feels so hydrated, glowing and I have noticed the red marks on my cheeks have massively reduced. I definitely do need to go again to try and reduce a few more red, deep scarring left from spots. 

I am actually booked in for this weekend but for 'The full works' facial. I'll let you know how this goes in my next post :) 

Hey guys,

During this pandemic I have used this time to stop wearing makeup and just let my skin heal and 'breathe'. I wouldn't say my skin is bad but with these masks I have noticed a lot of congestion around my cheeks and chin. It has made me so self-conscious and overthink like 'omg I can't go out', 'omg are they looking at my skin' etc. When the rules were relaxed slightly I decided to go for my first dermaplane facial to see if that would be any good for the skin. As I have always worn makeup whether it was for work, a night out, going out in the day and not been in a proper skincare routine; I think my skin was having a massive purge of all the years I have not looked after my skin properly. 

What is Dermaplaning?

Dermaplaning exfoliates the outer most layer of dead skin cells, peach fuzz, hair and vellus in order to allow a new layer of skin come through. It uses a thin blade to gently remove the epidermis (top layer of the skin). It is painless and you can usually see the results straight away. Dermatologists usually recommend getting this treatment once a month. 

Stages

The whole process is usually 50 minutes. Firstly, the specialist double cleansed my face to make sure there was no sort of product and so she could work on a clean base. The first cleanse was an oil based cleanser which gently broke down any pollution/bacteria/oils/dirt and skincare that was already on my face. The second cleanse was water based. Next, she toned my face, patted the face dry and then cracked onto the dermaplane. My specialist then applied a gentle jojoba oil which enabled the blade to glide smoothly across the skin. (I have heard some people use argan oil instead but think this is the specialist preference). 

Dermaplaning involves a thin blade (looks like a razor blade) in which goes across the taut skin slowly at a 45 degree angle. My specialist started one side of the face and began on the jaw line working up to the forehead. This usually takes between 20-30 minutes and is pain free. After this process, I then had a really hydrating face mask with some cold cotton pads on the eyes for about 15 minutes. Then it was finished up with a oil-free moisturiser and some oil-free SPF. 

I did notice that I went slightly red, which is a common non-issue after having a dermaplane. This subsided once I had left the salon. 

Benefits of having a Dermaplane:

• Primes the skin
• Improves skin texture
• Soft, healthier, dewy skin
• Brightens the skin and reduces hyperpigmentation
• Increases the absorption of skincare products in particular, serums
• Removes peach fuzz
• Makeup goes on so much smoother
• Triggers cell regeneration
• Pain free
• No downtime
• Suitable for all skin types
• Removes the layer of dead skin cells
• Fades/diminishes the appearance of fine lines
• Stimulates circulation and promotes blood flow - If you specialist also does an exfoliation stage

Second time I went for a dermaplane

• Foundation
• Concealer
• A little pot of blush
• Lip balm & lipgloss
• Compact of pressed powder with a mirror
• Mini mascara
• Mini travel brushes
• Eyebrow compact
• Travel size perfume

In my Evening makeup bag I store:

• Compact of pressed powder with a mirror
• Travel size perfume
• Breath mints
• Face palette (includes concealer, blush & bronzer)
• Lip balm, pencil and lipgloss

Chest of Drawers

In my little (but big inside) chest of drawers I have a spare drawer, in which I store:

• All skincare products
• Face masks
• Cotton pads/buds
• Manicure kits
• Tissues
• Medications - tablets when I get flu, cotton wool and bandages for ankle, vapour rub and inhaler
• Spare shampoos and conditioners
• Bath & shower products
• Spare brush heads for Rio Cleanser & Electric Foot Pedicure
• Spare flannels and loofahs 
• Spare toothbrushes

Bathroom Cabinet:

In the bathroom cabinet I like store the current things I am using in the bathroom:

• Toothbrush & toothpaste
• Tweezers (best to do it straight after a hot shower/bath)
• Razor
• Pumice Stone
• Rio Cleanser
• Electric Food Pedicure
• Current brush heads for Rio Cleanser & Electric Foot Pedicure
• Flannel
• Loofah
• Current face mask I am using
• Current bath products I am using (Lush products, bath salts etc)
• Facial Wash
• Facial Scrub
• Facial Toner (I keep these in Bathroom & Bedroom)
• A few cotton pads
• Body Scrub
• Body Moisturiser (I keep these in Bathroom & Bedroom)
• Facial Moisturiser (I keep these in Bathroom & Bedroom)

In the bag I mentioned at the begining I store:

• Makeup that I don't use on a daily basis
• Spare makeup which I don't need until the other product has ran out

Gym Bag

In my Gym bag I store:

• Compact of pressed powder with a mirror
• Moisturiser
• Deodrant
• Tissues & cotton pads/buds
• Hand sanitizer & cream 
• Face-cleansing wipes
• Lip balm & lipgloss
• Mini mascara
• Concealer
• Hair grips & spare bobbles

Travel Bag

When I am travelling I like to carry more than needed so I never worry about arriving somewhere and forgetting something. At the end of last year (well a few weeks ago) I invested in several small plastic bottles. This is because I always go to Wales and end up taking EVERYTHING with me and have like 1 mini suitcase and 4/5 bags full of stuff (and I don't end up using half of it.) I am going to label the small plastic bottles and fill them with my essentials such as; shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, moisturiser, etc. I also like to take samples or travel sized products with me as they save so much space in my bags. But in my Travel bag I like to store:

• Travel sized products - shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, moisturiser, detangler, hairspray, hair protectant, etc
• Makeup palette with my basics (concealer, blush, bronzer & highlighter)
• Foundation
• Eyeshadow palette (matte & shimmer (day & night sorted))
• Mascara & eyeliner (2 in 1)
• Eyebrow compact
• Compact of pressed powder with a mirror
• Makeup brushes (I keep these in their original makeup brushes kit)
• Manicure kit (tweezers & clippers)
• Lip balm, liner, lipstick & lipgloss
• Hairbrush, hair grips & bobbles
• Perfume in a mini/compact size

I think this concludes everything (I hope I haven't missed anything out - If anything comes to mind I will make sure to update this post.) Is yours basically the same as mine, or is it different? I would like to know, so make sure to leave a comment :)