Know Your Cleansers || A GUIDE TO CLEANSERS || Rivet Licker

Cleansers. Just soap, right? WRONG. Cleansers are the first step in your skincare routine, the step that gets the day off and leaves your skin prepped to receive treatment, but they're not a one size fits all approach. Your cleanser should be appropriately matched to your skin type and condition, because you don't want to be using something that dries your skin out when it's already dry, or worsens your acne.

This post is an adaptive revisit from a story I wrote a couple of years ago for another blog, but the information is absolutely more than relevant for my readers with some products for all budgets!

Molecule Madness || AN ABC-E GUIDE TO VITAMINS IN SKINCARE || Rivet Licker

In the middle of studying a combination of physical and organic chemistry, I found a break where I felt I could write a story on nothing other than vitamins, some of the organic molecules in our skincare. We need them to survive and we can't make a lot of them, so we get them from our food.

Vitamins in skincare do specific jobs, and some do similar things, but work for different skin types and conditions. Most act as antioxidants, where they bond to free radicals and prevent damage to our DNA. Breaking it down below, here we have a little guide to picking what kind of vitamin may work for your skin.

You probably don't have dry skin! || TRUE DRY VS. OILY + DEHYDRATED || Rivet Licker

TRIGGER WARNING: This post contains images containing minor wounds with blood. Reader's discretion is advised.

I don't think most consumers really understand what dry skin is. Is your skin lacking oil, or water? Probably water!

Looking like you're a bit flaky can be one sign of dry skin, but there's a difference between truly dry skin, and simply dehydrated conditions. Skin types are about how much sebum (oil) you naturally produce. Some may product a lot, some produce hardly any; it can be uniform, or it can be patchy (combination), it's not about how flaky or textured your skin is. Most people have the combination type, like myself – I have TRUE dry skin on my cheeks and a slightly oily T-Zone – however, this says nothing more than how much oil my skin is actually producing.

How to to get that post-facial glow at home! Facial Massage Technique

Have you ever had a really good facial where your skin looks and feels amazing, and you feel like you have been floating on a cloud? A facial involves more than just a therapist applying skincare, there is also the aspect of relaxation via human touch and a serene environment. Okay, so our homes may not be a sanctuary, but I can definitely give you a few pointers to get that glow, with your very own hands and products already in your arsenal!

Facials are more than they appear.

Why does your skin glow after a facial? One of two things - firstly, your skin is stimulated with products and touch. Secondly, you probably weren't aware about how dehydrated your skin may have been prior to treatment. Dehydration is a major contributor to dull looking skin, even when you drink the recommended amount of water per day. Hydration is a very hot topic on my blog because I experience TEWL (trans-epidermal water loss) very easily due to having unsubstantial oil flow (dry skin).

Travel Essentials: Rivet's packed her bags and gone to Melbourne!

If you are reading this between 28^th September - 4^th October 2016, I am currently away in Melbourne. I don't get to travel often, so when it is time to pack items to take for a stay away from the precious collection of dozens of beauty products, I'm generally useless. Here are the products I have managed to bring with me on this 6 day “I need to get out of Sydney for a few days, but not too many, because I'll miss my dog too much” getaway.

Reason 1 for visiting Melbourne.

Reason 2 for visiting Melbourne.

Melbourne is home to some of my family and many friends, including Simon Proietto of The Skincare Obsessive, my BFF in blogging and life.