I'm a huge fan of changing up my skincare routine - probably a little bit too often but I think that there are so many amazing skincare products out there that I can never decide which ones to use! My skin is extremely fussy and at 23 years old I'm still trying to find the perfect skincare routine for me - I am really enjoying my current routine, although this weekend I used a product which has caused a huge breakout and change in my skins texture so at the moment I'm fighting to get it back to normal!
So the first thing I usually do is remove my eye make up - I do this separately because I wear quite stubborn mascara (and sometimes eyeliner) and I find it much more gentler on the eyes to use a seperate remover first - at the moment I'm using the Clarins Eye Make Up Remover which is a biphase cleanser (oil and water duo) which you have to shake to activate. These are my favourite kinds of eye make up remover as I feel the combination of oil and water help to remove the most stubborn of products. I apply this on a cotton pad and just work into the eyelashes gently to remove. I've also tried eye make up removers from The Body Shop, Vichy, La Roche Posay which I think are all great too!
My next step is my actual cleanser and at the moment (and for a couple of months) has been the Decleor Micellar Oil. Micellar products are a huge thing at the moment and I never really noticed a difference when I was using a micellar water however the minute I started using the Micellar Oil I noticed a dramatic difference in the texture of my skin and I absolutely loved it! I started with a sample size and made my way to the Decleor counter the second the sample ran out! I use a couple of pumps in the palm of my hand and work it into the skin - this acts as a make up remover and kick starts your circulation to boost the skins radiance - I then use some water to turn the oil into a cleansing milk and further cleanse deep into my skin.
I then follow with the Benefit Refined Finish Facial Polish which is a facial exfoliant - I use this a couple of times a week just to get rid of any dead skin cells. The Refined Finish contains natural clay and seaweed extract which really helps to purify the skin.A great thing about this product is that you can lather up and leave it on as a mask - a real two in one! Once I've used this, I use the Decleor Micellar Oil again just to clear my skin of any excess microbeads that are left on the surface of the skin.
Once I've done a second cleanse - I pat my face dry and use the La Roche Posay Serozinc which is a spray on zinc sulphate toner. This is designed for oily, blemish prone skin and the way I like to apply is just to spray my entire face and leave to sink into the skin. If I get spray happy, I'll pat away any excess with a dry towel. When used religiously, I really see results from this - I'm not particularly oily but I am extremely blemish prone and that's the side to my skin that I absolutely hate so I love finding products that are aimed at blemish prone skin that actually work!
After toner, I use a serum. I find serum such a luxurious product to use and to be completely honest I didn't need to test many before I found one that I loved - I've tried serums from Decleor, Bare Minerals, Benefit and the Nip + Fab Dragons Blood Fix is by far my favourite. I've been using this for months and I'm on my second bottle now! I just apply two pumps to my fingertips and rub into the skin, leaving to sink in. This contains hyaluronic acid which leaves the skin hydrated and plump, velvet flower which enhances moisture and dragons blood which comforts and restores through hydration. A serum allows any moisturiser to penetrate deeper into the skin and really supercharges your skincare and I really feel the effects of this one!
A night cream I've absolutely fallen head over heels in love with is the Decleor Aromessence Neroli Hydrating Night Balm. This balm works at night to maintain the balance and radiance of tired looking skin. I apply the tiniest amount as I find the scent can be particularly potent at first (I'm not used to all of these natural products and a lot that I have tried have been heavily fragranced) although I have found that the scent does have an impact on my sleep. It contains essential oils of Basil to purify and heal the skin, Neroli to soften and Camomile to prevent the appearance of dark spots and to calm the skin. It also contains Tonka Bean to boost micro-circulation, and a combination of plant oils including avocado, hazelnut and beeswax which helps hydrate and repair the skin. The Night Balm is 100% natural - the product itself is quite a thick consistency, and you do have to wash off in the morning however it leaves you with the most amazing radiant complexion in the morning!
I follow up with my current eye cream which is the Nip + Fab Viper Venom Eye Fix which you can read about here - I also use a little bit of the Witch Blemish Stick on my blemishes (yes, Witch Hazel is an astringent so it is drying on the skin but it works for me and has worked for me for years and years) to really help calm redness or dry them out ready to disappear for the next morning.
Skincare is hugely important for me and I'm still fighting to find my perfect routine which leaves me with perfect, glowing, hydrated, clear skin - so far natural skincare is a winner for me! It's a long long battle - not only do you need good skincare but a pretty good diet and lots of water!
