Aesop

Couldn't figure out what was causing my skin to flake as I am trying a bunch of new things (terrible idea!) But I have now found the culprit. This cleanser just strips my sensitive dry combo skin. I have not experienced in years flakiness putting on makeup but this got me there. Very strong herbal smell too. Going through the reviews I am not the only one flaking.

Blind buy and i regret it after one use. Great packaging, cute but I can't stand the smell. Most people love it but I find it to be medicinal and too herbal. It works and its a great size and everything but because I hate the scent I returned it. I find this to be a bit expensive as well and I feel there's cheaper dupes out there.

I have combination oily skin: my skin gets rather oily at my T zone but also my cheeks, but I also get dry skin on my nose (my nose skin is very sensitive, even blowing my nose a couple of times with balsam tissues triggers peeling skin), sometimes around my eyebrows, and if it's really bad also my cheeks and T zone/forehead. I've tried a number of different skin care products, to varying degrees of success. Now, the Aesop b triple c is supposed to be good for balancing out combination skin, hence the name. There are reviews that swear by this moisturiser, some of which have only been using it for a short time. I did wonder why I had seen no in depth reviews online via blogs or YouTube channels, and now I see why. For £85, you get a disappointingly small jar of product; eh, it's a thick gel, maybe it'll last. (Spoiler, I got mine about 2 months ago, only used what stayed on my finger tip when I dipped it once a day, and it's about 75% used up.) I don't have an issue with the consistency, it's interesting to have to warm up the product in order for it to spread, and once it has it doesn't take too long to sink in. I've seen reviews that say it works as a good base for makeup - this is questionable. My face has a shiny finish after application, so I have to rub it in further or dab off the excess, and I've definitely used products that give my makeup a more #flawless finish (more on that later). Well I'll forgive that, I suppose not every product can have everything. After applying makeup including setting powder and setting spray, I go about my day in my very non-strenuous office job. About 3 hours in from initial application, my skin is already oily, and I'm already blotting in the bathroom. Not a good start. I end up blotting 2-3 times a day to keep the oil levels down, my makeup isn't even and smooth, and it's generally just an unwanted and unnecessary faff. Not only that, my dry skin is drier than ever, with even my cheeks and forehead flaking away like there's no tomorrow. Especially with the weather getting colder as winter begins, my skin is absolutely suffering, it is not nourished and/or balanced at all! This has led me to become somewhat frustrated with this "balancing moisturiser" as I have not seen any positive effects since using it, and £85 is quite the dent in my bank account for something that blatantly doesn't work. I went back to my old moisturiser just for a comparison and my GOD is the difference staggering. I use the Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base; it smells delicious, is very moisturising and definitely more balancing than the Aesop b triple c. "Face Base" means it is a great base for makeup, giving a flawless finish all day long. Within 1 use after using the Aesop moisturiser for the last 2 months, the dry skin on my cheeks and forehead disappeared entirely - and it's more affordable. They are bringing out a 100ml jar for £62, and bear in mind the 50ml jar lasted me a full year! My advice - give Aesop a miss, there's a reason it has no attention from skincare experts. For combination skin like mine, go for the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish collection, followed by the Bobbie Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base for a complexion best described as "perfection".