How Escentual Tackle 3 Common Skincare Concerns

How Escentual Tackle 3 Common Skincare Concerns

 

Struggling with eczema, redness or excess oil? You aren’t alone – the UK’s list of skin concerns is a mile long. And it can feel overwhelming to know where to turn to for skincare help and recommendations.

Here at Escentual, we’re lucky enough to work with some of the world’s best skincare brands. This means that we’re also lucky enough to have access to their trainers, who share their expert knowledge with each and every one of us. That’s on top of the fact that we’re always sharing skincare tips with each other in the office, browsing social for the best tricks and trends, and keeping our eyes peeled for the best skincare to treat even the most challenging skin concerns.

If you ever overheard a conversation at Escentual HQ, you’d likely hear us discussing our newest skincare discoveries and our holy-grail products. And we thought it was about time we let you in on the secret! Read on for an insight into the top skin concerns of four Team Escentual members and find out how we tackle them…

 

1. Redness

Skincare Concerns Redness

What is your skin concern and how long has it affected you?

“I’ve dealt with having very red skin all my life. I was always told in school, ‘ooh you’re blushing!’ – even when I wasn’t (and as we all know, being told ‘you’re blushing’ makes it 100% worse and my face would turn beetroot red). I’ve learnt to live with my redness-prone skin over the years. As people don’t comment on it as much anymore, I even forget that my skin is red when I’m not looking in a mirror. But it’s still there – it’s something I always try to combat.”

What are your holy grail products to combat your concern?

“I am always looking for ways to cover my redness, so it’s definitely an on-going search for my holy grail products. However, my most-used trick is using liquid foundation on top of green tinted moisturisers. My favourite is the Pharmaceris N CC Cream SPF30 – I’m gutted I didn’t know about it years ago! It feels lovely going on. It has a soft and smooth formula that corrects skin and covers any redness using just one thin layer. A few dots blended with my hands is all I need to calm my redness, adding a touch of powder to set it in place or a light layer of foundation for fuller coverage. I also have very sensitive skin that’s prone to reacting, but this one hasn’t had any nasty effect on me.”

What are your top tips for others experiencing your concern?

“Other than the above products and opting for bronzer instead of blush, I would recommend making peace with your redness, if possible. Own it! If someone comments on your red appearance, just tell them (in a sarcastic manner) that you’re well aware. They can’t annoy you if you’re confident in your skin. Although it has taken time, I own my redness now and it’s the best remedy I can recommend.”

2. Eczema

Skincare Concerns Eczema

What is your skin concern and how long has it affected you?

“Since I was born, I’ve suffered from very severe eczema. As a child, it was mainly across my arms and legs. But, as I’ve gotten older, the flare-ups have predominantly been around my eyes and lips. In the last couple of years, eczema has mostly affected my hands and scalp, which can lead to hair loss and breakage.”

What are your holy grail products to combat your concern?

“It can be difficult to find products for my skin as it’s very sensitive and I’m allergic to a lot of the traditional eczema staples, like E45 or Doublebase. But thankfully, since starting at Escentual, I’ve been able to find a few solutions that work for me.

For day to day flare-up prevention, I love the REN Evercalm range. My favourites are the Overnight Recovery Balm (think luxury Vaseline) and the cleansing milk; I know I can count on them to soothe and calm minor irritation. I also like that they strengthen your skin barrier against external aggressors too – I’ve noticed my flare-ups are less frequent since using this duo.

For my body, the ingredient SLS is a trigger for my skin, which doesn’t leave many options when it comes to body wash. But thankfully, I’ve found the L’Occitane Almond Cleansing Oil. I love how it coats your skin in a silky-soft cocoon. Plus, it always makes me feel clean afterwards, which can be a struggle with some milk-based formulas as they can leave a residue.

For bad eczema days, my staples are the Pierre Fabre Dexeryl Emollient Cream or the La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm. They are great for applying a thick layer to dry patches, but they can also be used to repair broken skin or open wounds that form due to extreme dryness.”

What are your top tips for others experiencing your concern?

“If you have an open wound or cut from your eczema, I’d recommend applying a thick balm and dressing it in a breathable bandage. This stops anything from entering it and also prevents you from scratching it.

I’d also recommend making sure you set time aside for yourself. A Lot of my eczema flare-ups are caused by stress-inducing events – take time to relax and look after yourself.”

Skincare Concerns Eczema

What is your skin concern and how long has it affected you?

“My skincare concern is eczema all over. I’ve had it since birth.”

What are your holy grail products to combat your concern?

“I have many holy grail products for eczema, so it’s hard to narrow it down. That said, I always have an Avene Thermal Water Spray nearby; it’s a lifesaver when you’re dying to scratch an itch but you know you shouldn’t. I suffer badly from eczema on my lips, so another must-have is the Eucerin Acute Lip Balm – one of the few formulas that doesn’t make my lips worse. Lastly, the QV Cream is always in my skincare stash; I apply it top-to-toe after a shower to keep my skin hydrated and my eczema under control.”

What are your top tips for others experiencing your concern?

“I have a lot. So much so that I’ve written an entire blog post with practical tips on living with eczema:

10 Things I’ve Learnt Living With Eczema

When it comes to eczema, it’s essential to mention the psychological effects, too. A bad eczema flare-up can hugely affect self-esteem, so it’s important to be kind to yourself. Make time for self-care, and love the skin you’re in – flare-ups will ease in time.”

 

3. Excess Oil

Skincare Concern Oily

What is your skin concern and how long has it affected you?

“Since going through puberty, I’ve struggled with oily skin – I used to have lots of white heads and breakouts, but I’ve since honed my skincare routine to target blemishes and even my skin’s texture. The extra oil is something I’m still trying to combat and – though my skin now has some dry patches – the majority of my face produces a lot of unnecessary shine.”

What are your holy grail products to combat your concern?

“I’ve learnt that extra-mattifying products that don’t hydrate aren’t always the best solution for dealing with too much oil. In fact, excess oil can often be a sign of skin dehydration. Healthy skin needs moisture – yes, even oily skin!

I always recommend starting your skincare routine with double cleansing – I use the Bioderma Micellar Water first, then the Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Cleanser. Then, oil-prevention begins.

The Caudalie Vinopure Toner is a holy-grail skincare staple for me. I immediately notice a difference in how oily my skin is if I skip this toner. I use Caudalie at night and the Kiehl’s Calendula Toner in the morning to calm redness and balance oil. I also love the REN Evercalm Barrier Support Elixir to keep my sensitive skin in check. The Elixir strengthens your skin barrier – and a stronger barrier means healthier skin that’s able to regulate oil even better.

Hyaluronic acid-based moisturisers are your best friends – especially in gel formats! Hyaluronic acid deeply hydrates without relying on a super thick creamy texture. I feel like I never stop raving about the Antipodes Baptise H20 Water Gel, but its non-greasy boost of hydration is unrivalled in my eyes.”

What are your top tips for others experiencing your concern?

“Multi-masking is my favourite skincare hack. I use different masks for different areas of my skin to add hydration where needed, whilst targeting blemishes and detoxing the oilier sections. Two of my personal favourites? The Caudalie Vinopure Purifying Mask and the Antipodes Manuka Honey Mask. Caudalie’s face mask reduces oil production without leaving the tight, dry feeling that some masks cause, so this goes on my nose and chin every week. Then, I love to use the Antipodes mask to hydrate as well as tackle spots on my chin – the antioxidants in honey make a great blemish-preventer.

In terms of lifestyle, I always have blotting sheets or powder on hand to reduce shine when wearing makeup. But, I’m also now a lot more confident in embracing a bit of shine – glowing skin is on trend, after all! I don’t obsess over having a totally matte finish anymore as layering powder over and over really isn’t better than a healthy glow, even if that glow is just a little bit oily!”

 

Over to you…

We’re always here to help so if you ever need a recommendation for your skincare concern, let us know over on our social channels by tagging @escentual.
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