Troublesome skin

Like many, I suffer from dry skin on my face and body if I don't moisturise pretty immediately after washing. However, recently I started suffering from hardened dry, tight skin on my face underneath my eyes, the edges of my nose leading down to the edges of my cheeks and at the bottom of my forehead. I did what most people would and exfoliated it and layered on the moisturiser however it wasn't getting any better. And so I examined what I was using. I am a bit of a cosmetic and skin care freak in that I LOVE getting new products but I too can not afford the nicest of brands and often, with make-up, with revert back to the cheap foundation that gives amazing thick coverage for a night out but perhaps is not the best for my skin. Even though I have MAC and Bobbi Brown foundations, I tend to go back to Rimmel Lasting Foundation which is cheap and doesn't fade. BUT I've seen the downside. Combined with a recent sun holiday and exfoliating too much, this has made my skin lifeless and sore.

So I went back to a brand I simply adore and wish I could afford to spend more on: Origins. From the smells to the packaging, I just love the way these products are branded and the way they really suit my skin. The customer service is always excellent too (OK I know they want to sell products) but you can sometimes find places are snooty and Origins is always very personable. I was listened to for a good 5-10 minutes and my skin was examined. I was given a thorough facial and various products were tried to see how my skin reacted. They listened to my skincare routine and pointed out where I was going wrong, and the salesman even recommended other brands for specific areas of dryness that he thought I could benefit from- he knew his stuff.

But I did what I often do- I succumbed to the charms but I have not looked back. In less than a week my skin is radiantly glowing! The dryness and stinging have disappeared and texture is smooth and clear.

 Twice a week now I exfoliate with Modern Friction 'Nature's gentle dermabrasion' but be careful- although this is excellent it STINGS YOUR EYES if you accidentally get any in which is normal.£29.

I then use Dr. Weil Mega Mushroom Skin Relief serum which is excellent at calming redness and any sensitive areas. It literally took the stinging sensation that I had been feeling away within seconds. The salesman described this as a skin primer. Two squirsts is enough. £46.

I then layer on a thin layer of Perfect World moisuriser which feels gorgeous on your skin and moisturises in really nicely. It smells really nice too which is a plus. £31. This can be used day or night although a night cream is probably more suitable (but pricey). They did give me some samples of their brand new night cream coming out though which was great.

However, each day to simply clean my face I use Tesco's Senstive Face Wash which is really light on my skin and doesn't irritate at all. And for 75p, who's complaining?