Long gone are the days when I used just any drugstore cleanser and my skin was feeling uber fresh & thoroughly cleansed. Apparently when you hit 25 your complexion changes quite dramatically - and so do its needs. And I might need to agree with it. In general terms my skin is now looking for constant source of moisture (otherwise it starts feeling extra tight), the pores are not as enormous as they used to be but on the other hand they sometimes feel a little tighter and the skin cleanse just needs an extra kick. Does your skin feel the same? 

 On an everyday basis I use the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water (read a full review here) which is great at getting rid of panda eyes and the general make-up slap you put on every morning. I use this every evening after I've washed my face in the shower. Back in my early 20's this would probably be enough. Now I've added a proper cleansing agent - Perricone MD Nutritive Cleanser. This paraben-free cleanser is super gentle (I have dropped using anything extremely harsh on my face because those products just make my skin incredibly tight and dehydrated), yet it makes you feel like you couldn't have washed your face any better when using it. It smells very soapy (but obviously doesn't contain an actual soap) and I wash my face with it every morning and evening. This cleanser contains two key ingredients - one being Alpha Lipoic Acid which is an antioxidant contributing to prevention of skin cell damage; and the other one being DMAE which is an almost miraculous chemical used in pharmaceutical industry to combat diseases such as Alzheimer's and autism. It is also used to boost energy, intelligence and extend life span of cells in human body - including the skin cells and therefore providing your skin with properties which slow down signs of skin ageing. Once my skin has been cleansed - this cleanser makes me feel extra posh so you might want to dab your face dry with a white fluffy face cloth (oh the luxury!) like I do, ha! The following step would be moisturizer of choice - I have currently been using the Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Jelly which gives my skin a lasting boost of hydration. 

 Now because it's summer and I'm not a fan of heavy foundations when there's even the slightest risk of getting sweat beads on my nose or forehead (yeah, don't say this never happens to ya!). I have been using the Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation almost every day for the past month or so and it's been top notch. When I first read the reviews of this foundation I was a bit skeptical - people describe it as magical and 'better than your skin' and what not. Surely a foundation feels like foundation once on your skin. Even the lightest BB cream and tinted moisturiser feels like something on my skin (which is not necessarily a bad thing, it's just what you expect). The No Foundation Foundation feels almost like nothing but what's the most impressive thing is that it delivers a whole lot of extraordinary results. It contains complementary ingredients to the cleanser - Alpha Lipoic Acid, DMAE and Vitamin C Ester. Specifically the Vitamin C Ester enhances what they call 'translucent coverage' of this foundation. It almost works as a foundation, bronzer & brightener in one. What I found a little tricky was the quest for a matching concealer - matching in terms of texture and consistency. The best I've discovered so far is the Stila Perfecting Concealer which is not as heavy as the likes of Bobbi Brown which I'd usually use. 

 You can get your hands on Perricone MD products in John Lewis (click here) which will be opening in Birmingham very very soon! Also, don't forget that tomorrow is the launch of Perricone MD No Make-up Skincare rage! Too exciting!            
Don't you just love when products have real ingredients which combat your worries rather than just water, alcohol and a bunch of parabens?