It has taken me a while to come up with a skin routine that works for me, so I thought I would share this for my first post.
My skin has changed over the years and has gone from being very oily, to dry, and now to a combination of the both. I am generally quite dry on the forehead and oily around the T-Zone.
I have also suffered a lot recently with very red and inflamed skin in the cheek area. I have had this under control for the last couple of months with the help of Anti-Biotics which have really helped to balance out my skin. Along with the tablets and my routine I have managed to calm my skin down a lot and have finally got to a place where I have my skin under control.
I'm going to start off with my morning routine.
A.M.
In the morning a lot of people think that because they have removed everything the night before from their face, they can get away with a splash of water to just give their face a quick wash.
This is not true.
During the night you will have been sweating and you need to wash your face. Any make-up residue from the night before that hasn't come off will also still be there.
I begin with Cetaphil's Gentle Skin Cleanser
This cleanser is very gentle and perfect for use in the Morning.
- It doesn't strip your skin of any natural oils. Its very calming and not harsh at all.
- If you are taking any medication for your skin, or using any creams to target blemishes that are leaving your skin sore, itchy or dry, this cleanser will gently clean the skin without irritating this further.
- I wouldn't use this in the evening or to remove make-up as I find it too gentle for this.
- It's the perfect thing for first thing in the morning when you just want to give your skin a good cleanse without stripping the skin with anything to harsh or heavy.
- I apply this by gently rubbing it onto my skin and washing away with water.
It is available at Boots at £8.99 for 236ml, which is a very reasonable price.
( I got a pack of 3x591ml from Costco, at a very good price. I'm not sure how much they were but it definitely works out cheaper, if you are going to use this often it is worth it.)
Secondly I use Ren's Clarimatte Clarifying Toner
I had a toner in my Skin Routine a few years ago and then I became complacent and stopped using it. In the last year or so I have started to use one again daily and have definitely seen the difference.
Another thing that a lot of people do, (which is wrong) they use a Make-up wipe to remove their make-up and then use a toner to remove any residue left on the face. This is a waste of product.
(Don't use make-up wipes if you can avoid it, they may be an easy solution to removing make-up when you're tired, but they effect your skin in the long run. You are essentially rubbing dirt around your face with a wet wipe. )
Okay so back to Ren's Toner.
- This is an alcohol free toner that can be used day and night.
- This particular toner has helped to even out my complexion. It is actually an exfoliating toner that helps to remove dead skin cells, so its a two in one product.
- It contains Salicin which helps to reduce redness and swelling, which I was experiencing a lot of. I was constantly very red on my cheeks and this really evened out with the help of this product.
- It also contains Lactic acid which is great for acne sufferers as it helps with excess sebum.
- This toner is great for people with combination or oily skin.
- I apply this to my face with a cotton pad.
It is available at John Lewis at £12 for 150ml. Reasonably priced considering how good it is.
I then go on to use apply my serum. I am currently using Clarin's Double Serum.
This Serum is an award winning product. Some of them being the following -Best Anti-Ageing Serum - Harper's Bazaar 2013 Beauty Hot 100, Woman Beauty Awards 2014
Best Age Defying Serum - Cosmopolitan Beauty Awards 2013
Skincare Superstar - Grazia Beauty Awards 2013
When I picked up this product I was suffering from a break-out that left my skin inflamed and dry. I bought this product and the next day I saw a difference. Usually it would take more than one day for a product to take effect, and it may have been something else but I am convinced it was this Serum.
- Two in one function. There are two different liquids in different containers within the bottle. One is Hydric which is Water based and the other Lipidic which is Oil based.
- This product is very hydrating so will be great for any one with dry skin. It is good on all skin types though.
- It contains many different extracts which are targeting different aspects of your skin from hydration to firmness. It contains Hyaluronic Acid which is located in collagen. This helps to keep the skin hydrated and reserves water in the skin.
- This product also smells really nice, which is always a plus.
- Obviously is an anti-ageing product as-well.
- I apply this my patting it onto my face and neck lightly pressing the product into my skin.
It is available at a lot of places, Selfridges, Boots, Debenhams etc. Priced at £55 for 30ml which is more on the expensive side but it has definitely improved my skin, so it was worth it!
Eye Cream is next, with Bobbi Brown's Extra Eye Repair Cream.
I never wore an eye cream, but for a while I had been having trouble with applying make-up under my eye such as concealer as it would always be very dry.I went to Bobbi Brown where my concealer is from and they recommended this cream which has been working well. It doubles as a primer and a moisturiser, which is perfect for the under eye to give your make-up a great finish.
- Very creamy so you don't need a lot during the day but you can be generous with the amount in the evening.
- Sits great under make-up
- Hydrates the under eye, combatting any dryness you may have.
- Apply by working in a small amount under the eye with your fingers.
Priced at £42 for 15ml. This is pricey but I have had mine for a few months now and I still have a lot left. Your under eye is such a small area so you should only be using small amounts.
Lastly is my moisturiser. Eucerin's DermoPurifyer Hydrating Care.
I was recommended to Eucerin to help with redness and for a while I was using their anti-redness creams for day and night. I have now switched to their DermoPurifying range, although I do alternate between the two depending on how my skin is.
- This moisturiser has sebum absorbing particles, so it is good for people who suffer with oily and blemish prone skin. ( Good for Acne sufferers)
- It is light and sits well under make-up.
- Fragrance free and oil free.
- Apply like a normal moisturiser rubbing in all over the face and neck.
Available at Boots. £9.50/50ml.
I know that all seems like a lot but in all my Routine takes less than 10 minutes and is definitely worth it!
P.M.
In the evenings I use the same serum, toner and eye cream. On top of that I use a different Cleanser and Moisturiser and a balm to remove my make-up.
The same order applies apart from when I use an exfoliater, which I do 2-3 times a week. I will do this before my cleanser.
Clinique's Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm.
I don't like to use make-up wipes. I try an avoid them as much as possible, apart from after a night out when I really can't be bothered. I always wake up the morning regretting the decision.Balms are a great way to remove make-up and this one is excellent. Its a good all round product and will be fine on even the most sensitive of skin as it fragrance free and doesn't contain any essential oils.
- Starts of as a balm and will turn into an oil once rubbed in which is very gentle on the skin.
- It is good for all skin types and leaves the skin completely clean without stripping the skin.
- Massage the balm into the skin with your fingertips and wash away thoroughly with warm water.
Available at the usual Selfridges, Boots etc at £21/125ml.
Great value for money, you don't need a lot and it is a large pot. Great all round product.
When I do exfoliate I use Murad's AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser.
I tend to use this 2-3 times a week. This is one of my favourite products. For a while i struggled to find the right exfoliater, anything that was too nitty gritty really irritated my skin and cause it to become inflamed around the cheeks.
- Improves the appearance of skin, brightening it.
- Contains the ever important, Salicylic, Lactic and Glycolic Acid. These are great for any acne sufferers or anyone with blemish prone skin or enlarged and congested pores.
- Massage into the skin and leave for a minute before washing away with warm water.
I suffer from congested and enlarged pores and this product really does help.
It is available at Murad.co.uk for £34/200ml.
My evening cleanser is Dermologica's Dermal Clay Cleanser.
This is a little heavier and than the Cetaphil and is great to use in the evening after i've been wearing make-up to really give my skin a good cleanse.
- Contains Kaolin which targets inflammation, Green Clay which is great for clearing impurities but isn't drying to the skin. Green Clay is also an anti-septic which helps with congested skin.
- Cucumber, Sage are known for calming the skin. It also contains Menthol, which is one of the things I love about this product. It smells nice and its extremely cooling. When I have days when my skin is irritated the Menthol soothes any soreness I have.
- I leave it on for a minute or two before removing. Great in the shower, I leave it on while I wash my hair, giving the product time to sit on my skin.
- Dermologica offer free samples so go to their stands and ask for one and try it out for yourself.
I am fan of clay cleansers as they work really well on my skin. I previously used Ren's ClearCalm 3 Anti-Blemish Clay Cleanser which is also good. I recommend both.
The Dermologica Cleanser retails at £27.70/250ml or £48.50/500ml.
Lastly is my Night cream. Eucerin's DermoPurifyer Night Care.
- Contains Lactic Acid. Targets excess sebum, clogged pores and inflammation- all things I suffer with.
- Promotes better sebum flow.
- I haven't been using it for months but so far the results are good.
- Good for all skin types, particularly acne/blemish prone skin.
Available at boots £9.50/50ml.
Those are all the products I use in my daily routine. It looks like a lot, and I apologise for the essay but it doesn't take long to do my morning/evening routine and it has helped my skin improve a lot.
If you are one of those people who have good skin and just stick to face wipes and any random moisturiser, your skin may be fine now but you should definitely try to incorporate some of these steps into your routine to prevent any damage in the future.
Thanks for reading!
If you have any questions or queries about the post, you can e-mail me at beautytutors@gmail.com
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