THE DILEMMA

"WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS SKIN!?" is the usual internal, sometimes vocal, exclamation following a reluctant glance into my vanity mirror each morning. Regardless of how pathetic it sounds, the condition of my skin 95% of the time determines my mood for the day, which is not good news seeing as my skin rarely works in my favour. Perhaps it is punishment for pre-pubescent Lizzie teasing her twin sister over her newly acquired spots… of course until she too received the dreaded gift of "Spottymus Faceimus". Nevertheless, from the moment that first pimple appeared on my forehead, I was ready for the battle, a battle which has now been going for 5 strenuous years.... teenage skin.

Okay, okay, slightly over dramatic, but still, a bloody battlefield accurately illustrates my pursuit towards 'perfect' skin. I have tried everything from herbal remedies, to over the counter medication to please my diva skin, but still, nothing is quite good enough to calm her highness permanently. However, this obsession to achieve flawless skin has in fact turned into a passion of mine. Although it is no rarity for a girl of 17 to have an interest in skincare, over the years I have acquired a vast knowledge on the subject from the many hours spent experimenting with various beauty products of all price ranges. Let's not be mistaken, I am no beauty guru; I am the kind of girl who has her favourite products and tends to stick with them. There is no real difference between my normal day and night make-up: mascara, foundation and concealer - eyeliner when I am feeling particularly cheeky. 

I suppose I’m just not a very fussy person, or perhaps it is just out of pure laziness, but I have found in my time of watching various beauty channels on YouTube and reading numerous Blogs, that the majority are missing something essential: the ordinary girl. I may not have the skill to film an impressive Avatar make-up tutorial, or demonstrate how to cake yourself in ridiculously overpriced make-up, covering up all evidence of a human face, but hopefully I can offer useful, relevant advice on the products and routines which I have tried and tested. My skin is never going to be what I deem 'perfect', but that doesn't stop me from trying to reduce the redness of that volcanic pimple, or disguise that blemished area on my cheek! I am a normal girl, with normal teenage skin, with a normal teenage budget, trying to make the most of a seemingly impossible skin dilemma. If that sounds like you too, join the club and watch this space...