Any advice for à newbie?

[velvet_kicka]

So I have very surface dry skin, very prone to clog and get blackheads. I occasionally get spots and have larger pores on the sides of my nose. My skin needs some deep cleaning without being dried out, I tend to like cleansing oils and creams more than foaming cleansers. I'm 34 so I also want to even out the skintone and get some good moisture. Any suggestions? I currently use weleda's cleansing milk and Tea tree toner from Lush, which works ok, but I need to exfoliate to prevent blackheads and clogged pores.

[JenW]

I would sample the Apricot Cleansing Oil.

For the exfoliating the pores, I would try the BHA Toner. Use it about every third day and work up to every other. Most people use it in the evening.

I would try Green Tea & Aloe Serum for general hydration.

[velvet_kicka]

Thanks for the input! So, serum as the only moisturizer or is there any other good, non clogging one that gives decent moisture? If I use the toner every other day, could I use one if the others in between? Will probably get some samples, but am grateful for suggestions

[JenW]

As far as a moisturizer goes, ours are a little different in that they are an oil in gel formulation that is usually easier on the skin than traditional emulsifiers that can contribute to pore clogging. I would try a few. Firming Moisturizer and the Emu or Raspberry (the last two might have a strong earthy scent, so they might not be a good choice if you are scent sensitive) are all good choices. Really, the bulk of the hydration the skin needs comes from water based products and the 'moisturizer' needs to have a heavy enough oil base to seal the hydration in. All in one moisturizers tend not to work as well because both the oil and water phases are applied at the same time and don't allow much time for the hydration/water phase to actually sink in before the seal from the oil phase is set. If you need more hydration, the most hydrating serum is Oatmeal Serum.

BHA is not so much a toner as an exfoliator. Try the Lavender pH Balanced Toner for everyday use.

[velvet_kicka]

Soooo, I've tried a few samples now and like them all... but now I just can decide on which ones to get full size...
I will definitely get the apricot cleanser and the BHA toner, and probably the lavender toner. I just can't decide on which seum and moisturizer to get. As far as serums goes, I've sampled the green tea and aloe and the oatmeal and while I like them both (but the green ta aloe seems more "calming" and somewhat pore refining), I think the green tea and aloe isn't moisturizing enough, I've tried it under both the emu moisturizer and the firming moisturizer, but feel it's not mositurizing enough. Is the oatmeal serum the only serum more moisturising than the green tea and aloe? I like the oatmeal serum, but am concerned if it might cause acne or clogged pores in the long run? As for moisturisers I have tried the emu, the firming and raspberry. I'm leaning towards the emu, but haven't tried the raspberry enough to be sure. The firming is quite nice, but sometimes it just feels too tight...

Is there anything else I should try for my surface dry, black head prone, sensitive, fair skin or should I just go with the oatmeal serum and the emu mosturiser?

[catlover]

Awesome sauce is great,it moisturizes really well and I find I dont have to use a separate moisturizer on top it also brightens my complexion. Its also good for acne prone skin as it has anti bacterial properties.Its loaded with anti- oxidants which is also great as it helps fight signs of aging. A lot of girls on the site have praised awesome sauce , give a sample a try

[JenW]

Soooo, I've tried a few samples now and like them all... but now I just can decide on which ones to get full size...
I will definitely get the apricot cleanser and the BHA toner, and probably the lavender toner. I just can't decide on which seum and moisturizer to get. As far as serums goes, I've sampled the green tea and aloe and the oatmeal and while I like them both (but the green ta aloe seems more "calming" and somewhat pore refining), I think the green tea and aloe isn't moisturizing enough, I've tried it under both the emu moisturizer and the firming moisturizer, but feel it's not mositurizing enough. Is the oatmeal serum the only serum more moisturising than the green tea and aloe? I like the oatmeal serum, but am concerned if it might cause acne or clogged pores in the long run? As for moisturisers I have tried the emu, the firming and raspberry. I'm leaning towards the emu, but haven't tried the raspberry enough to be sure. The firming is quite nice, but sometimes it just feels too tight...

Is there anything else I should try for my surface dry, black head prone, sensitive, fair skin or should I just go with the oatmeal serum and the emu mosturiser?

As far as I know, the Oatmeal is the most hydrating. I don't think there should be an issue with clogged pores on this one more than any other. You could always try the Oatmeal and Emu for a bottle full and then change it up later if you need to.