Summer / Fall 2013 Cleanser Collection

Caroline Hirons suggests having a couple of cleansers to use in rotation so I drafted my lineup a few months ago and it includes four products. I tried a good number of cleansers before finalizing my lineup, and I've been extremely happy with all of these products and my collection as a whole.

Cleansing Practices:

I cleanse once in the morning and twice at night. Unless there is something really urgent I need to tend to, I always wash my face to remove makeup as soon as I get home. I literally walk in my front door, put my stuff down, change out of my work clothes, and head to the bathroom to wash my face.

I don't have a system regarding when I use each of these products. I generally just go by how my skin is feeling or how I'm feeling. Generally I use a nickel-sized amount of product and lather using my hands. I focus mainly from my temple to along my jawline and underneath because those are my problem area for blemishes. After I'm done working the lather I use a wet muslin cloth to wipe away the lather while exfoliating my skin. Lastly I splash some more water on my face to get rid of any leftover soapy residues.

Products:

Cetaphil DermaControl Foam Wash / AM / Foam
I use this in the morning because it's really too gentle for anything other than washing off (please excuse this gross detail) whatever residue is built up during sleep. It leaves a barely noticeable thin film that serves to matte-fy my skin, which is great in preparation for the long day ahead.

Clean & Clear Essentials Foaming Facial Cleanser for sensitive skin / AM&PM / Gel
This is an amazingly gentle, light, refreshing cleanser. It leaves face feeling not squeaky and yet very clean and ready to breathe. This is my go-to cleanser once or twice a week in the morning and almost every night as my first cleanse or both cleanses.

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cleanser / PM / Cream
This is what I consider to be my 'big gun' as far as cleansers are concerned. It has ridiculous foaming power, and is an extremely effective cleanser. This is what I use when I've put my skin through a long day, or feel that my skin needs a sort of restart. It leaves my skin more squeaky clean than the Clean and Clear cleanser, but it is gentle enough to use twice in a day or everyday. For me, I tend to use this only once or twice a week because it can feel a bit drying.

Estée Lauder Perfectly Clean Multi-Action Cleansing Gelee / PM / Gel with microbeads
To me this is a mix of the Clean & Clear and La Roche-Posay cleanser because it starts off as a cool gel cleanser and as you work the product the beads pop and the cleanser foams quite a bit. I have started using this almost every Sunday night.

Do you also have a cleanser rotation or do you stick to one? What are your favorite cleansers?

Katherine

Wet n Wild Megalast: Club Havana

I am finally getting around to using the polishes I got from the Wet n Wild Megalast basket I told you guys about a few posts ago!

Color:

This is an opaque true orange polish. The first coat offers great color, but I prefer to use two coats on my nails because I like the vibrancy and almost gel-like look.

Clean & Clear Essentials Foaming Facial Cleanser for Sensitive Skin

Ever since I finished my Olay Total Effects 7 in 1 Foaming Cleanser I've been looking for a new gel cleanser to fill its spot in my cleanser lineup.

I have to admit that in recent years I've always skipped the Clean and Clear section of the drugstore because last time I tried a product by C&C my skin could not handle the super strength punch the cleanser provided. However, I decided to try this cleanser because I had a really generous coupon, it's inexpensive ($5.49), and Paula's Choice had a really positive review of it.

And my verdict?

Love/Hate: Politics

I thought this was highly appropriate, given what's actually happening in Washington right now...

"We sure used to be. We stood up for what was right. We fought for moral reasons, we passed laws, struck down laws for moral reasons. We waged wars on poverty, not poor people. We sacrificed, we cared about our neighbors, we put our money where our mouths were, and we never beat our chest. We built great big things, made ungodly technological advances, explored the universe, cured diseases, and we cultivated the world's greatest artists and the world's greatest economy. We reached for the stars, acted like men. We aspired to intelligence; we didn't belittle it; it didn't make us feel inferior. We didn't identify ourselves by who we voted for in the last election, and we didn't scare so easy. We were able to be all these things and do all these things because we were informed. By great men, men who were revered. The first step in solving any problem is recognizing there is one. America is not the greatest country in the world anymore."

Two Olay Cleansers with Micro-Beads

Olay is probably my absolute favorite drugstore skincare brand, so naturally whenever the need arises for me to replace a product or a new skincare need develops I naturally gravitate toward Olay products. I recently picked up these two products with high expectations.

Pretty in pink with an accent of metallic glitter

You've probably seen this combo everywhere on Pinterest...figured I'd finally try it myself!

Olay Total Effects 7 in 1 Anti-Aging Revitalizing Foaming Cleanser

I am so excited to do this empties / review post because I honestly think this may be my first completely used up skin product ever! I am somewhat notorious for buying a lot of products I never completely use because I always have multiple products per category. On top of that, I used to be terrible about following a routine so it takes me forever to work through a product. OK, confession: before I started wearing makeup, on some nights I'd go to sleep after just washing my face with water. I know, it's really terrible. But I'm totally reformed now, I promise!!

Before you dwell on what I just told you and I lose all credibility let's just talk about this product, shall we?

I bought this Olay Total Effects 7 in 1 Anti-Aging Revitalizing Foaming Cleanser a while back, before my new found obsession with skincare, and to be honest I never really saw this product with the same level of excitement that as my more recently purchased cleansers. I'm not exactly sure why that is--maybe because the packaging isn't as cute? However, time and time again I find myself reaching for this cleanser over my new ones. I guess to me, this is like that old frayed sweater you don't wear out to wow anyone with, but love wearing whenever you just want to be comfortable.

Hello October

Breaking Bad is over.

The government has shut down.

And it's October already.

I need to buy a planner. ASAP.