Z is for Zit Zapping

I have never had the best skin. Growing up, I was one of those teenagers who had a huge amount of spots that just seemed to appear on my face as soon as I hit puberty, and never left. 

It wasn't easy at all. Nearly all the girls in my year at school had perfect skin and perfect hair, and there I was with a mess of ginger hair on my head (the teenage years were incredibly frizzy because my hair just couldn't decide if it wanted to be curly or wavy,) and a load of red pimples on my face. 

Although my skin has cleared up a lot since being a teen, it isn't perfect. I am still really prone to breakouts and sometimes I have zits of DOOM that just don't ever seem to go away. Add to that scars from previous spots, and I tend to look really red and feel really self-conscious. 

On one of my frequent trips to the Lush shop in Liverpool, I got talking to one of the shop assistants. I had read a lot about their face masks online, but needed a bit of guidance on what to go for, because my skin is a) combination and b) incredibly sensitive! 

She recommended to me the "Mask of Magnaminty" which is designed for acne-prone skin. She also recommended "Coalface" to try alongside the mask. 

Mask of Magnaminty contains a range of ingredients that help combat breakouts and perk up the skin. I use it about 1-2 times a week, focusing on problem areas on my face. I apply a thickish layer to where I have spots, leave for 5 minutes, then rinse off. It always leaves my skin feeling zingy and smelling minty-fresh!  The mask really helps to reduce inflammation, and push my skin in the right direction to start looking better. It's not harsh on the skin at all, and is a perfect skin-pampering product. 

Coalface is a solid cleanser that foams up when you use it with water and apply it to the face. It is designed for oilier skin, and acts as a cleanser and an exfoliater in one. Because I have combination skin, I only use Coalface once a day (usually at night) as it does dry out the drier patches on my face. Since using the cleanser I have really noticed a difference in the clearness of my skin. I still get spots, but my acne scars have faded, and my skin looks brighter and happier in general, and it always smells fantastic after I use the cleanser!

Using these two products together has really made a difference to my skin. I'll probably always suffer from spots, but having good quality, effective products that I can turn to in times of trouble really makes me feel a lot better about it! 

What's your skincare routine? Are there any other Lush products you have tried? 

Ginger x