These are awesome for oily, pimply skin: Bioderma Sebium Global Cream and Pore Refiner

I've had these Bioderma creams for close to a year now but I did not, until recently, discover just how awesome they are. I randomly found them in a pile of half-forgotten beauty products and decided to go for it out of a mild curiosity. So glad I did! These are possibly some of the best skincare products I've found for dealing with oily and pimply skin. Seriously.

Why, you ask? Let's start with the Bioderma Sebium Global Cream (P1,318). This moisturizer-slash-treatment is designed to help regulate oily skin and to decrease the appearance of blemishes. It contains powerful alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) such as citric acid and salicylic acid. These ingredients stimulate cell turnover and thus help fade away dark spots more quickly. 

After a few weeks of using the Sebium Global, I've noticed that my face is less oily on the t-zone. I still oil up but there's just less of it! Most importantly, this dries pimples in a couple of days when used twice a day. I have to warn you though that this stings like hell when you have open cuts or fresh pimples. The acids are strong in this one, but it works.

The texture of the SG is very light, almost gel-like, and gets absorbed by the skin immediately. It smells pleasant and clean, plus a little goes a long way. The purpose and effect of this cream reminds me of my Holy Grail Estee Lauder serum, the Clear Difference (that one also has salicylic acid) but the price tag is friendlier. A bottle of that Estee Lauder serum costs upwards P5,000; this Bioderma one is P1,318. It's not the exact same thing, but it does the same job, so do the math.

Do I use this everyday? I hesitate to call it a moisturizer since I have combination skin; this can dry out my skin too much if I don't have pimples or excess oiliness. I loved using it in the last few weeks since I had some stubborn hormonal pimples, but now that my skin is back to normal, it's too drying. I would keep this within reach for the day when my hormones strike again! Or just overly hot and humid weather. Which, as you know, happens all the time anyway.  

Overall, I highly, highly recommend the Bioderma Sebium Global Cream for oily and troubled skin. The price is nice too even though the quality is comparable to high-end skincare. I love it!

Now let's discuss the Bioderma Sebium Pore Refiner (P1,748). This is actually a treatment, but is well-loved by the Internet as a primer. It is designed to refine the skin and smoothen pores, while regulating the oiliness of the skin. It's main ingredients are pore-filling silicones, followed by salicylic acid and plant extracts. 

It is suggested to be used on the T-zone or all over the face. If you're using it as a primer, apply it on the center of your face only. If you're using it as a treatment, apply it as well on the cheeks and forehead.

I love this because it does keep my makeup intact the whole day. I don't retouch as much when I have it on! It also makes my foundation look extra smooth. It's so comfortable to wear due to the light texture and clean scent, so even when it's hot, my makeup doesn't feel like a mask.

The Pore Refiner doesn't feel like your typical silicone primer. It feels gel-like, with very little of that slippery viscous texture that silicone-heavy products have. It's more effective when used on top of the Sebium Global, which is why I feel it's worth investing in both to get the best results.

Do try out the Bioderma Sebium Pore Refiner if you're looking for a silicone primer that 1) won't break you out - it's for sensitive skin  and 2) works to keep your makeup in place while treating your skin for realz. Some primers just make your skin look temporarily nice, but the Pore Refiner should have long-term effects if you use it long-enough and with compatible skincare. If I haven't said this before, I'm crazy about it! Definitely purchasing this and the Sebium Global when I run out.

But wait, where do you buy Bioderma skincare? Not everything is available in their Watsons branches (I know of only the one in the SM Aura Department Store) so you have to check from their derma distributors. You can also find some Bioderma best-sellers on Zalora. I think that the Sebium Global cream can only be had from dermatologists.

I hope these Bioderma products will help you as much as they've helped me recover from my hormonal pimples. ^_^ Let me know if you've tried these!