The best products for tacking dull and textured skin & a Cult Beauty Discount Code!

Yesterday I told you that I have dry and irritated/reactive skin but guess what? They aren't my only skin concerns! My skin is also prone to being dull (something that can happen no matter what your skin type, but is particularly prevalent among those of us with dry skin) and I also have some texture issues (is there anybody without texture issues? If you've ever had spots, sun damage, visible pores then chances are you know what I'm talking about!). Today, I want to talk you through the products that I find very effective in tackling these issues. Again, I want to remind you about my 15% discount code: CBXBLYM valid until midnight on the 23rd Feb and to keep reading until the end for details on the giveaway!

If you have dull skin, it is essential to use some Vitamin C products because they really do brighten the skin and I have two in my routine: Sunday Riley C.E.O. C+E Micro-Dissolve Cleansing Oil* and Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum*. The cleansing oil literally dissolves makeup and sunscreen, making it perfect for a first cleanse, however I don't find it suitable for my eye makeup as it really stings! It contains Vitamin C as the name suggests but also AHAs and BHAs (acids) to reveal brighter skin so it works for both of my issues. I find that a little goes a long way with this product and the pump is particularly useful to prevent waste. The serum is a very clever product - it contains 15% THD Ascorbate, which is an oil-soluble form of Vitamin C, and it only converts into L-Ascorbic acid once it comes in contact with the skin, which means that it is a much more stable version of Vitamin C than that found in most products. Used regularly, the result is luminous, glowy skin! It absorbs quite quickly and layers well with other products in my routine.

I have a number of products that work well to address the issues of both dullness and texture because once deeply exfoliated and renewed, the result is glowing, bright skin. I don't use all of these products daily but they are in my weekly rotation. First up is Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel Pads, which I first mentioned on the blog last November. These pads contain glycolic, lactic, malic, citric and salicylic acids as well as resveratrol and a host of other anti-aging ingredients. Despite the combination of acids, I actually don't find these pads harsh on the skin at all. I tend to use them as part of my night time routine in rotation with other acids. The first pad really exfoliates the skin and the second pad re-hydrates and balances the skin. I have noticed a huge improvement in old scarring since I started to use these pads. Sunday Riley Good Genes is a lactic acid treatment and it really is a wonder product, suitable for so many skin conditions from acne scarring to hyperpigmentation. It is very gentle on the skin, yet so effective at improving texture and brightening the skin - you can almost feel the dead skin cells being eaten away! This can be used either morning or night, under moisturiser or as a mask (I personally wouldn't use it this way because I feel it would be a waste of product to wipe it off!). Some people complain about the scent but it doesn't bother me in the slightest and I would still use it even if it did because it's so effective!

My favourite face mask ever is Oskia Renaissance Mask because it does it all - deeply cleanses, exfoliates and hydrates. This peach coloured mask contains natural fruit acids and lactic acid, all of which combine to reveal glowing, bright, smooth, soft and hydrated skin. It is peach in the pot but when you apply to the skin, it turns white as you massage it in - that's when you know it has started to work so you leave it for around 15-20 minutes before removing and rinsing. This has been a constant in my skincare stash for 3 years now and it is one of those products that I can never be without because it gives all of those results without irritating the skin.

At night, I have a choice of 3 products: Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil* (which I talked about in yesterday's post), Omorovicza Acid Fix and Sarah Chapman Overnight Facial. Acid Fix contains a combination of glycolic, lactic and salicylic acids so it exfoliates not just the surface of the skin as the salicylic acid is oil soluble and can penetrate more deeply than the other two, making it suitable for all skin types but particularly blemish-prone or combination skin. I apply it to clean, dry skin and follow up with a moisturiser. It is so gentle on the skin and the results can be seen the morning after use - smooth, even skin with refined pores. Finally, Overnight Facial is a product that I have repurchased a number of times over the last few years (see my Brand Focus here). This is a brilliant product for dull skin and for those whose skin shows signs of lack of sleep and fatigue (most people?!). It nourishes, brightens, firms and soothes the skin and really does give the effect of having just had a facial - who doesn't want to wake to glowing skin?

Two of the Sunday Riley products that I mentioned: Luna and CEO Serum can be purchased in a set, which saves some money and is a good way to try both without the individual spend. Everything I've talked about in this post can be bought from Cult Beauty and don't forget that they have also very kindly given me a 15% discount code to share with you - CBXBLYM valid until midnight on the 23rd Feb. It can be used on orders over £20 but there are some brand exclusions (listed here). If you wish to order any of the products that I have recommended, the only brand exclusions are Alpha-H and Sunday Riley. It can also be used on other products on the site - it doesn't have to be skincare alone!

Now on to the competition! You can win a consultation with one of Cult Beauty's Skin Specialists and a skincare regime tailored to your needs. To enter you need to follow Cult Beauty on Instagram, share an image showing what your particular skin concern is, tagging @CultBeauty and using the hashtags #ThisIsSkin and #SkinCareMonth There will be 5 winners chosen and the giveaway runs until the end of the month, so you still have 7 days left to enter!

Have you used any of these products? What's your main skincare concern? I'd love to hear!

Don't forget to enter my Charlotte Tilbury Bronze & Blush Giveaway here.

Thanks for reading! 

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All products are bought by me, unless otherwise stated. This post is not sponsored, however some of these products were kindly sent to me - they are marked with *. Opinion is always my own.