Cleansing routine- please help!

[ScarfOfSexualPreference]

I'm approaching 30 and decided to take charge of my cleansing routine. For a couple of reasons- I'm losing weight, so wrinkles are becoming more visible, I'm drinking a lot more water with my current diet so my skin is looking a lot better and because my skin type seems to be changing, not sure why. I've alwasy had oily skin, either full-on oily or combination. I've been using Body Shop stuff for combination skin for a couple of years now and it's been ok but now I find the toner is stinging a little, the night cream (well, it's a gel) just dries me out.

So I popped into a department store and got a few samples and a begginer set from Clinique- spoke to the woman, she recommended the one for combination oily skin. I just used it now, followed the instructions, but I think I got it wrong- I still have panda eyes! I don't wear much makeup, just shadow and mascara and occasionally BB cream. And I've only been doing that since I lost some weight, so in the past few weeks.

So I need to ask- at what stage is the makeup removed? Do you do that first, then use the products? Or is the first, washing, stage meant to do it? I didn't rub it around my eyes. The second stage is clarifying lotion which says avoid eye area, then it's just moisturiser. I'm very confused!

Any advice or alternative products welcome, I am so new at this and I'm just lost. I can't spend too much money, I already spent £18 on this set which was just insane!

I don't wear make up but the cleanser should take of the grime. The toner should take off any residue left by the cleanser and also prep the skin for moituriser which is last.

I've tried clinique but find that the soap cleanser is fine but quite drying. The toner is cooling but stings and the moisturiser irritates my eyes even if I'm really careful to not let it go anywhere near them.

I've just been singing the praises of Liz Earle on another thread and I've used it for more than 10 years. I've sometimes tried other options like clinique but always go back.

Their cleanser is Cleanse and Polish and its one type fits all. It's supposed to be excellent for eye make up including waterproof mascara. You apply it to the face and around the eyes and then take it off with a mulsin cloth which is provided, which has been run under hot water and squeezed dry. Really good in my opinion. Then their toner is just very gentle and just lovely smelling and non stinging at all. I don't always use this but it is nice when I do. Then the moisturiser is called Skin Repair. You make the choice with this one. Either dry sensitive, normal combination or the light version.

I love the fact that you can use it around the eyes and that it doesn't irritate at all.

If you get it from QVC, they do a 30 day money back guarantee so if it doesn't suit you, you can send it back. You lose the p&p but that's a lot less than the cost of buying something you can't use.

I don't work for Liz earle or QVC, just think Liz Earle is great and QVC make it easy to try new skin care with a pretty much nothing to lose apart from P&P option which is great for skincare.

HTH

Thanks! Funnily enough, I was just reading a thread mentioning Liz Earle and was just looking at the site! I may have to give it a go.

I used Clinique for years and loved it but I don't know why I loved it.

Clinique say you need a separate makeup remover before using the soap, which seemed madness to me. I used just use any old cleanser at night and the Clinique soap in the shower in the morning.

The toner is stingy - which I used to really like - but might not be doing great things for your skin.

The yellow moisturiser is very basic, and not dramatically different at all. Clinique do a great line in additional moisturisers, serums and eye creams, all of which are much better than the basic yellow one.

I think with Clinique is that they marketed the "3 step" system back in the 70s, when it was a bit revolutionary, and it was so successful that they've stuck with it even though the rest of the world has moved on.

I love Liz Earle c&p but I live in canada and its expensive to ship out.

I just started the oil cleansing method after reading a thread here, it's going great so far. I have combination skin and the oil is supposed to combat the oiliness by dissolving without stripping. This means your skin doesn't go into overdrive making more sebum.

I have ordered some special oils but just started off with olive oil as that's what I had to hand. Google will give you a lot of info if you search for oil cleansing method (OCM).

Zacharey Thanks for explaining, that does explain the packaging, doesn't look like it's been updated in a while!

Jnice I'll look into the oil cleansing method, seen it mentioned a couple of times so may be good for me.