I have always had dry skin. Eczema plagued me as a child and though I have outgrown the rashes and itchiness, dry skin remains and I use the equivalent of an ocean of moisturiser every year. While my daily routine involves sorbolene (unperfumed) and expensive cleansers teamed with cheaper nightcreams, my skin has recently decided to revolt and I have been left with a forehead that resembles the Sahara desert. I’ve tried numerous lotions and potions – but to this point, nothing is working.

I turned to more extreme measures. Advice from friends introduced me to a number of new bits and pieces – a body shop cream that smelled divine but worked no better and Rosehip oil that did nourish but leaves me with a ‘just botoxed’ look. My wax therapist issued me samples of a Dr Spiller cream but with a price tag of over $100 for the full size tub, even those results were hard to prove.

Enter RY.com.au, or Recreate Yourself. This site is a beauty and haircare hub, selling such products as Dermalogica and GHD – brands we all know and trust. But the list doesn’t end there. A quick look around the site reveals Clairns, Redken, Ultraceuticals, OPI and L’Oreal – among others!

I spoke with Elle from RY.com.au as she attempted to diagnose my skin issues. She suggested I needed a nice rich moisturiser to help out with the dryness, BUT also that I needed to start a gentle exfoliating routine.
 
For a moisturiser, Elle recommended Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance, the richest standard moisturiser in the Dermalogica range. Alternatively, she suggested Dermalogica AgeSmart Super Rich Repair, one step up in the moisture stakes and designed for extremely dry skin.

I was worried about my make up not sitting on these products, given their high moisture content, however I was then educated on the importance of exfoliating. That slippery feeling I was worried about will happen with most things that I put on my skin because the products are not penetrating the surface of the skin. It seems likely I have a build up of dry, dead skin cells, and product will just sit on top of these until I embrace exfoliation. (eek!)
 
Elle recommends Dermalogica Skin Prep Scrub (if I wanted that feeling of a gritty exfoliator) or the Dermalogica Gentle Cream exfoliate (if I didn’t!)

As much as I would like to see improvement overnight, this is not the way of the world and given skin cells turn over and renew at a rate of about 28 days, I am going to need to hang in there for a little bit before things start to get better. They do say patience is a virtue!!

The Dermalogica products are reasonably priced and contain no fragrances or additives that are not good for my skin. Fingers crossed that in about 24 days I will be able to give you good reports!!

RY.com.au offers free shipping to Australia if you spend over $50, has a salon in Queensland to cater to all your hair and beauty needs and the best bit? Most products are up to 25% off the RRP! There are lots of other gems – products for men, phone ordering and a fun blog – but I’ll let you have a look at the site yourself and see what best suits your skin or hair type.

As for me – I’m heading off to exfoliate and moisturise. Watch this space for the verdict in 24 days!