Calling Caroline Hirons fans

[KosherBacon]

So I've discovered her blog thanks to you lovely ladies, however I have hit a wall. Its here if you are interested. The products she recommends are soooo expensive, but I like the logic of her method.

She says you should think about how much you spend on a handbag and shoes and that is wear we hit a stumbling block. In the past year I've bought one pair of shoes for £20 in the Banana Republuc sale combined with a voucher!

So fans of her double cleanse, double tone, moisturise method, what products do you use? The more purse friendly the better. I'm finding she recommends lots of cleansers, a few key toners but I'm really stuck on moisturisers and ingredients to look for.

Hi Kosher, I love Mrs Hirons.
You can use coconut oil as the cleansing balm, then second cleanse with Balance Me face wash (currently free with Glamour Magazine, the magazine costs £2). Balance Me moisturisers are good value and approved of by Caroline Hirons I think! Something I do is whenever I splash out on something from say Clarins, is to make sure they give me lots of free samples!

Thanks, nigellasguest.

Emma Hardie balm is lovely and I love anything Alpha H do.

I'm currently using Clinique's Take the day off balm which is cheaper, nice but not as luxuriating on the skin, imo anyway.

I've used some expensive moisturisers that she's recommended but never gone back for a second tube as they've never been that good.

I always use Dr Haushcka [sp!] rose day cream in the winter as it's brilliant for dry skin, she doesn't really rate Haushcka but it's great for me.

I recently bought a pot of Lauders new Advanced Night Repair on her recommendation, it is brilliant! after three days use my skin already looks more glowy.

I do take more supplements and swear by fish oils, these are relatively cheap to buy and have really helped my skin.

Thanks for the tips. I'm just so stuck in moisturiser.

I'm so pleased I've found this thread! I've also recently discovered Caroline H and she seems fab indeed.

I'm 43 and don't really have problem skin but I think now is the time to start looking after it. I don't believe you need to buy really expensive products though, especially if you're trying to eat well, and don't smoke etc. I'm also upping my supplements, and have begun taking Perfectil Plus (a cheaper version of Immedeen, but it's got lots of good stuff in and is usually on a 3 for 2 at Boots)

Caroline's routine looked good at first, but then it struck me that it's a lot of products to use before you've even put a scrap of make up on...

Kosher, my suggestion for moisturisers to try is Melvita, a mid price French brand that does lovely skincare (about £20 for a good moisturiser), and there's a good one in Boots called Superfacialist by Una Brennan. I have the Rose version of this, it's fantastic, and £13.

Ooh, just discovered that the Melvita Extraordinary Waters are also exfoliating toners, in that they have hydrawotsit acid in them, and they're £14. Get in!

I'll keep my eyes peeled for the Melvita stuff.

Oooo I have recently started following her and have just begun to use the Clinique take the day off balm and the Clarins exfoliating toner. I tend to use the toner just a night and a gentle one in the morning - sorry to hijack OP but is double cleanse the same cleansing routine twice (so balm up then wipe off twice) or am I being a bit thick?

I'm a fan of Caroline H too. Steben, I think she recommends using 2 different cleansers for the double cleanse if you can afford it, so an oil then a balm for example, or a gel then a balm. But it's still fine if you just use the same cleanser twice.

I'm another one struggling with what moisturiser to use though, at the moment am using up the light avene one until I can find one I like. I'm liking the sound of the Una Brennan one.

Can someone explain why you should cleanse twice please? Doesn't it strip your skin?

Wow, I've just looked at the Melvita website. They make claims based on testing on 20 people. The nurse in me does not like that!

Thanks Madame - I am not 100 per cent as to why we should double cleanse - I suppose to be extras clean and give the skin extra nourishment??

I think that 21 for the Clinique balm is reasonable and for the siZe it looks like it will last ages. I really want to try the Emma Hardie one. OP I know that QVC sometimes does specials of her stuff so you could keep an eye out - that way you could split payments and if you didn't like it send it back.

On her recommendation I am also very close to ordering the hydrolayon (sp) serum.

I actually have a 15ml tub of Emma Hardie balm that I am currently using. I used to use the Clinique Balm all the time and I am not sure why I stopped (probably due to the cost).

The rationale for the double cleanse at night is the first cleanse removes makeup and the second one cleans the skin.

I do want to try out the Hydraluron cream too. I do think that I am congested and dehydrated, rather than being oily or dry.

I've also got a tester of the Clarins toner to try out.

I have done a rummage through my cupboards and found some Elemis stuff that I wasn't using either- their cleansing cream(a bit like cleanse and polish) and apricot soothing toner.

I keep harking on about it but I am really stuck on a good moisturiser. She recommends avoiding ones with silicone in, but I do quite like my Clinique Dramatically Different Gel.

I'm really loving the REN Clearcalm Cleanser after the Clinique take the day off. I do a double cleanse using these at night, followed by Clarins exfoliating cleanser,then Liz Earle toner, Clarins Lotus Oil and a random not brilliant moisturiser I'm using up.

In the am I just use the REN cleanser followed by LE toner, Hydraluron (which I think has made the biggest difference to my skin overall) and the same moisturiser.

My skin in oily, sensitive, congested. This has made more of a difference to its appearance than anything I've tried before.

I think CH suggests you avoid products with mineral oil. I've often seen her recommend REN products as a marginally less expensive price point than some others. I'm trying to buy as much as possible at boots using double point deals etc. where possible so I can pick up some products for free!!

I love the Hydraluron, it's my best addition to what I'm putting on my skin, it sort of makes my skin feel really clean and then much softer once moisturiser over the top. I'm considering the Pai geranium and thistle moisturiser.

Tip - you can get Hydroluron from Ebay for around £6 or £7 cheaper than in Boots - I've bought it from Ebay twice now and it is definitely the real deal.

I'm using the Clinique Take the Day Off balm at the moment. I bought it from a delightfully named site called Cheap Smells

I can honestly say it's very good, but exactly the same effect and feel as coconut oil (good quality about £7 from Waitrose or just buy from Amazon when there's a deal).

My absolute fave is the Emma Hardie. I've got through 3 pots now. You have to fork out around £30 for this but I love it. It does last a long time, and I love that it feels so luxuriant without being laden with perfumes and mineral oils and stuff. I have acne prone combo skin and it has never brought on any spots etc. But neither has coconut oil!

The key is cleansing incredibly thoroughly to remove all makeup etc with the balm or oil. Then use a lighter wash to make sure the skin is actually clean as opposed to clear of make up. If you haven't worn make up, there's no need to double cleanse IMO. Just remove the balm or coconut oil with your flannel (just a cheap normal flannel, not one of those special cloth things).

For the second thing to wash your skin, I recommend Cetophil. All my DDs use this too, it's around £8 for a bottle (not actually a bottle but a dispenser thing with a pump) and you only need to press the pump dispenser thingy ONCE and lather in your hands with water and wash face. So it LASTS much longer than many cheaper things anyway and is really really good. Just use that for morning cleanse too.

I have been looking for a day moisturiser for a while - I am currently doing cleanse with take the day off, followed by Clarins gentle toner (use exfoliating one in pm) then Decleor neroli face oil and Lancôme uv expert SPF 50. I have been looking for a factor 50 day one for a while and I have to say I am loving this one. V light - but it does say on the packaging specifically tested on Asian skin. I am not Asian but am v pale. It's a big seller in Japan apparently.

Hydraluron is actually going for nearly £30 a tube on eBay! I wonder why as its only £25 in boots!

That hydroluronic stuff is brilliant. I am not getting much sleep at the mo and using that once a day before my moisturizer, my skin looks amazing. I also use much less moisturizer as a result. It is expensive but since you only use a tiny amount, it lasts ages (and the tube is properly flexible so you can get it all out - my pet hate)

I have the una Brennan rose facial scrub and TBH am not a massive fan. The smell is a bit artificial. I wouldn't buy it again. Love Neal's yard rose facial oil though. Not too oily, lovely to put on before bed.

I am dying to try that exfoliating toner from France that she is always talking about - P50? But even though there is now a UK stockist my confidence was shaken when she said the formula has changed. She doesn't sing its phrases to the same extent anymore.

One thing I don't do is buy products which you have to dip your fingers into over and over again for months which is why I won't touch the Emma Hardie balm. I prefer products in tubes. I'm probably just being paranoid, but I feel even if you have spotless fingers each time that the product will be loaded with multiplying bacteria after a week!

I second Melvita products - or the rosewater in particular. I got one in a Glossybox and it was gorgeous stuff. I'm currently using up the Clarins Conforting toner then I'm buying another one. I also really like Bioderma as a make-up remover. Some people think it's oily, but to me it just feels like very refreshing water. Would definitely repurchase.

at the Hydroluron [sp]? on Ebay prices! I honestly have bought it on there for around £20 with free p&p. Perhaps people are on to it a bit more now. Seems crazy though to bid over the price it sells for in Boots!

The P50 is by Biologique Recherche and the original one is the 1970 which is no longer available in Europe but you can get it from the US. You can get the P50V and P50W over here still.

PomBearArmy I know what you mean about dipping your fingers in - I think it's ok for a cleanser as long as your hands are scrupulously clean but why wouldn't they be? And the lid is kept tight shut. Moisturiser I would want in a tube though as it's doing more than just cleansing but that's a completely unscientific viewpoint!!

That's a good point about the cleansers actually, they do come straight back off! I'm faithful to Cleanse & Polish anyway though.

I love Caroline, I tend to follow the principles where possible but adapt where necessary. I use the Soap and Glory Hot cloth cleanser with Pixi Glow Tonic.