Annoyingly oily, acne prone and very sensitive. Three words that summarize the type of skin I have. It’s been years of experimenting on different products trying to find one that actually works for me. Many a skin care routine later, A luta Continua, I have had my good days with some products but also really bad days with most. Honestly, I almost gave up trying. I felt uneasy every time I walked out or looked at myself in the mirror. Was there a step I was missing out on? Why couldn’t my face behave? Day in, day out fighting breakouts, rashes, acne you name it. Well, ladies (and gentlemen), if you share in these and many more facial struggles, grab a seat and notebook I think we have found a cure.
It all started pale Westy. We walked in a group of four friends, to the new MYDAWA offices. They had barely finished relocating and everything was still not quite in place. We had come in, asking for some donations for a medical camp that we were planning in Kibera. Funny thing is, up to that point I only thought MYDAWA dealt with pharmaceutical drugs you know, the likes of paracetamols and the rest. I was shocked to know that they offer quite a large range of products from medical devices, health, and wellness, personal care that includes a wide variety of skin and hair care products. Long story short, we sealed the deal with the donations for the medical camp but that wasn’t my biggest take away that day. The customer service from the team was completely mind-blowing plus their recommendation once I told them about my skin struggles came from such a warm point. Moreover, they have crazy discounts, Kenyan as I am, I’m a sucker for a good discount. I ended up downloading the MYDAWA app that very day and just scrolled through their range of facial products. That is how I landed on VLCC products.
This company has a wide variety of products that are perfect for my type of skin. The face wash gently cleanses my face and is really good at maintaining a good oil balance.
Research shows that turmeric is actually one of the best products for oily skin and I would therefore highly recommend this cleanser. A good moisturizer is also key. Contrary to popular opinion, oily skin needs moisturizers and it is therefore recommended that you use a good one. The VLCC Honey moisturizer is really good but I would also recommend the Cetaphil oil control moisturizer. It deeply moisturizes your skin. It’s actually good for both oily and dry skin. Moisturizers work more effectively with sunscreen. Let us not fall in the web of lies that because of our dark skin we don’t need sunscreen. It is a vital product for your face. Did you know that too much sun exposure actually ages your skin faster? Grab the VLCC Sunscreen. It’s light and amazing on oily skin. Their lip balm is also enriched with sunscreen which also gives amazing results. Weekly I also make sure I scrub and mask my face as part of my skincare routine. The VLCC papaya and pineapple scrub not only smells amazing but is super gentle on my sensitive skin. The granules are tender on the face and thus don’t cause further breakouts. You need to be careful with the scrubs that you use, especially for people with sensitive skin. When it’s extremely rough it leads to further breakouts. I highly recommend this face scrub because of its tiny granules that gently exfoliate your skin. The strawberry and waterlily peel-off mask by VLCC leaves my skin glowing. It is also very refreshing. I also recommend the hydrating masks by Garnier in case you are not a fan of the peel off masks. Your skin needs to be hydrated and Garnier is one of those masks that deeply does this for you.
This skin care routine has been doing wonders for my face and the products are very affordable. Honestly, when COVID-19 broke out and movement was restricted I was so worried about how I will get my products since I had to move back home to Kisumu. However, I am more than happy that MYDAWA still delivers to my doorstep all the way to Kisumu.
They also still have amazing discounts that I often take advantage of. Sticking to my skincare routine and seeing results are one of the major things keeping me sane and occupied during this pandemic period. Did I also mention that it’s one of the few companies that actually have VLCC products in Kenya? Well now you know. Go ahead to their site explore and order.
6This post was written by Polly Okore. She is a writer and skincare enthusiast and a member of the M-kaya Initiative that carries out projects to elevate marginalized communities in Kenya. Connect with her on her social media handles: Instagram @polly_okore, Twitter @achieng_okore, Facebook Achieng Okore
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