A pretty bold statement to make but here it goes. . . I have never had great skin. Since I can remember I have suffered with hormonal acne, congestion, dehydration and dryness. It felt like a constant battle trying to improve its appearance, swimming in a pool of products that I’d spent thousands of pounds on, yet still being no closer to achieving that flawless glow I had always wished for. Hours upon hours I would spend reading beauty magazines, searching through blogs and watching the latest influencers telling me that this was THE product that was going to change my skin, but it never did. There were times I was frightened of putting anything onto my skin incase it clogged my pores further and times that I’d throw 398725 products and the kitchen sink into my skincare routine in the belief that one of them would surely solve my skin concerns. Don’t get me wrong, I know that skincare isn’t the only solution and generally for anything to work well, it should coincide with other factors such as lifestyle tweaks such as following an anti-inflammatory diet, exercising regularly and sleeping with a silk pillowcase to name a few.

I felt defeated, any confidence I had in my own skin was almost non-existent, remembering times when others would make comments about how poorly and pale I looked without makeup on. It felt awful but hey, I could just cover it right? And that’s exactly what I did, for longer than I care to admit, I masked my complexion with fuller coverage foundations so that I could feel comfortable.

That was until six months ago when I finally thought ‘enough is enough’, I was ready to start that journey into great skin again so I visited a skin specialist, who provided me with a free, no obligation consultation and skincare plan. Although I didn’t commit to all of the products recommended, within just FOUR weeks, my skin looked brighter and smoother, I stopped using fuller coverage foundations and switched to using tinted moisturisers for everyday wear and it felt incredible but I had only just dipped my toe in at this point. The next stage was to work on the acne and congestion that I’d been so desperate to clear for many years and there was one product that stood out amongst the rest, one product that changed the game in my regime, that had finally taken control of my breakouts, it had finally given me the skin I’d always wanted.

That product was called Niacinamide.

What is Niacinamide and what are the benefits of using this product?

Also known as nicotinamide, is a form of Vitamin B3, an essential nutrient. It works with the skin to:

• Visibly minimise the appearance of larger pores

• Improve it’s barrier against the elements

• Minimise inflammation caused by acne, eczema and other skin conditions

• Regulate oils which is particularly beneficial for dryer skin types to help retain moisture and prevents oilier skin types from being over-productive

• Minimise the appearance of fine lines and pores

• Diminish dullness

• Improve uneven skin tone including pigmentation

The list could go on. It really is a magical ingredient that does it ALL.

If that wasn’t enough it is also great for every skin type, even those who are sensitive as it tends to be quite a gentle ingredient and one that also tends to work well alongside other products / ingredients so it should fit well within your skincare routine.

There are a variety of different strengths available, however research suggests that products containing percentage of five tend to have the most positive results (this is the percentage I use within my regime), higher percentages are available, though be mindful that this could potentially cause the skin to become irritated. If you are hyper-sensitive or if you’re using alongside Retinols and Acids, it is important to monitor how your skin reacts and adjust if your skin begins to feel or look dry and irritated. It may be beneficial to start off with a product containing a lower % of the ingredient or begin by introducing the product slowly and building up your skins tolerance to the product.

Results should be visible within as little as four to six weeks when using the product morning and evening. Isn’t that amazing? This is without doubt my hero product but no product is enough on its own, this should be used as part of a regular routine.

Finally. . . Here are my results. . .The before and after photos from using this product (alongside others) for three months. They speak for themselves! I think if nothing else, you can see the difference in my confidence between these photos and although I still do suffer with hormonal acne, it is much more controlled, the lines on my forehead are minimised, scarring and pigmentation has been reduced and my complexion overall is brighter.

If you would like to book your very own skin consultation or to place an order for PH Formula (which is the brand I’m using currently) you can contact Amber at Cosmetics Doctor.

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