Garnier skincare - Before and after.

Firstly I'm sure you will all be glad to know that I am feeling a lot better and can finally get back to some good honest blogging. Now if you follow me on twitter you may know the other day I had a break out of spots, this was not unsurprising considering how ill/sweaty I got - I'm sure my body was more concerned in fighting the flu rather than spots. However this gave me a great opportunity to try out the Garnier pure active range and get some before and after photos to show you how my skin is doing since using the products.


So here is my skin as of 48 hours ago:



As you can see I struggle with spots around my mouth and on my chin. These spots tend to begin under the skin, working their way to the top where they become red and sore.

Now I used all 5 products in the garnier pure active range in this little experiment so will take a moment and go through each product individually before showing you the results. The garnier pure active range is a little difference to other medicated skin ranges because it contains 2% of salicylic acid - the highest amount out of any brand. This acid is supposed to not only fight spots but remove red marks and scars which often are more noticeable than the spots themselves. This brand is also a relitively low priced, ranging at between £4-7 for each product, and avaliable at most chemists/supermarkets. I would say this product is ideal for anyone with acne and oily prone skin - the acid itself is a very drying ingredient and so with that in mind be careful when trying out this range, maybe starting with 1 product and if it suits your skin adding to the range (which btw, is what I have done as I was a bit worried about it drying my skin out to a crisp - which luckily it hasn't).

1. Garnier blackhead scrub.

When we were at the Garnier event we were advised that this product is designed to be used weekly, rather than daily, as a skin treatment to deep cleanse and exfoliate so I started off with this the other night and I have to say it works well as an exfoliator - the beads gently remove impurities and my skin felt very fresh after use. However I wouldn't use this more than once a week personally as I fear it would be too harsh on my skin. As for blackhead clearing, well I wouldn't say it has made a huge difference yet- but it's not too bad of a result for 48 hours!




2. Deep pore wash.

Garnier claims this gentle wash will refresh the skin whilst preventing spots and fading marks. After using this morning and evening I can say that it is indeed very refreshing (wakes you up in the morning!). It lathers into a foam and removes any make up. I thought this stuff was going to be like most medicated spot washes and leave me with dry, tight skin. However I was pleasantly surprised to find this stuff didn't dry out my skin and it was left feeling smooth. When we were at the talk Garnier told us about how they like to use the natural power of plants in their products to enhance their products and this wash contains extract of blueberry (or so the website says) and I think those natural ingredients do make a difference setting Garnier apart from other medicated washes on the market.

3. Toner
I have to be honest, I didn't like this product. Firstly I am sceptical about the idea of toners, I can't help but feel they are an unnecessary product in the skincare industry and this has confirmed my view. I use this after the face wash and don't think it makes and difference to my skin apart from making it smell of alcohol. This is claimed to mattify the skin but I didn't find it did this either, and to be honest the wash removes enough oil to not need any further mattifier. Sorry Garnier but this stuff isn't for me.





4. Moisturiser.
This stuff is great. I was initially sceptical about this moisturizer; no SPF, contains salicylic acid and has a lightly alcohol based scent. However it is wonderfully soothing on the skin and is completely mattifying. I love to use this at night - when I wake up my skin isn't covered in all and I am less likely to have a spot lurking. I am nearly out of this and do plan on re-purchasing when I run out. The only thing I would say is if using this as your daily moisturizer make sure you team it with a primer or foundation with SPF. Also I would not recommend this to people with very dry skin - this is certainly designed for oily skin and that's where it works best.



5. Spot stick.

Now a lot of people were worried about contamination with this product, that bacteria may get back into the stick from the roll on. Now whilst a small amount of bacteria may get in the acid in this product will kill anything it comes into contact with. Plus I think the steel ball roll on design is a lot more hygienic than the sponge or fabric applicator that most on the spot treatments are designed with. Anyway, moving on, what do I think of this product? I love it. It's got a great design, you get plenty of product for your money and makes for perfect application whenever you need. I take this to work and will happily use this in the office because firstly it doesn't have a strong scent when used (don't you hate it when you have a tea tree or witch hazel roll on stick that stinks the room out when you are using it!?) and it dries clear almost instantly. Love, love love!

Ok, so that's the range, now the important bit - does it actually work? Lets take a look at the after photo:


This was taken after I had come in from work so hence the oily skin and no make up! So can we see a remarkable difference? Erm, no. The spot above my lip is still there and has got a little bigger, however the 2 little ones about it have disappeared. Also the spot on the lower left side has decreased in size a redness a lot. So, the result may not be amazing but there is a positive difference - which I am feeling very happy about. I am going to continue using the Garnier range and will post an updated photo of the results towards the end of the week.

Now, don't forget I have only been using these products for 48 hours, so considering this fact I feel that they have worked extremely well - I am particularly impressed about how well they reduce the redness of my spots. The conker above my lip would be as red as an over-ripe tomato left it its own devices, but whilst it has increased in size the colour makes it a little less noticeable. Lets see if we can get rid of it by the end of the week!

So has anyone else tried this range - if so what do you think of it? Let me know, would love to get your thoughts on it.

xx