So as far as beauty regimes go I'm pretty obsessive about having a good, effective skin care regime in place. Bad (and I mean bad) acne runs in my family and so my Mum instilled the
whole looking after your skin thing in me from a young age.
This seems (now I've got it all gathered on my desk) to involve a never ending array of products, but it's not as complicated as it seems honest! This is my routine for summer when my skin is marginally more oily than in winter. I consider myself to have combination skin this time of year whereas winter dries it out no end. I get eczema patches on my face at random intervals throughout the year no matter what I do and so I try to avoid perfumes in face products as I find these cause my eczema to flare up. This system works for me and my rather irritable skin and whether its this or just jumping the genetic bullet, I've managed to get away with just the occasional spot.
So here goes...step by step.
1. Make Up Removal
Some would say I over cleanse with all this, but I think making sure your face is as squeaky clean as it possibly can be one of the most important parts of skincare. Clearing all of your pores of make up and pollution accumulated
through the day is bound to stop your skin breaking out.
Garnier Clean Sensitive 2 in 1 Waterproof Make-Up Dissolver - £4.88
This stuff is brilliant if a little greasy (which is part of the reason I use wipes before cleansing) and I think this is at least my fourth bottle. It's oil based so forms two layers with the oil and water, shaking to mix makes this stuff literally a make up dissolver - it gets rid of (even if a few swipes are required) even my most stubborn waterproof mascara. It's non-perfumed and alcohol free - always a bonus for my skin.
Any old face wipes - at the moment I'm using these Skin Therapy Deep Cleansing Facial Wipes because they were on offer at the supermarket (Sainsbury's if anyone's interested 2 for 1 I do believe) and it turns out they're bloody good. These get rid of all foundation and other face make up and made little work of the red lipstick I had on today. Literally one swipe. Ever since watching Petrilude's skin care video on You Tube I've become a real advocate of double cleansing. It makes perfect sense - the first cleanse clears all the make up and the second really cleanses. These wipes are my first cleanse. I also find they get rid of the slightly greasy residue left by my eye make up remover.
2. Cleansing
This is where I do my second cleanse to really deep clean my skin making it feel fresh.
Lush's Baby Face - £3.87
My current favourite cleanser, this stuff is a solid, buttery bar that is preservative free and only lightly perfumed (and vegan!) I use it slightly differently to the method Lush recommend - I rub the bar all over my face which causes a layer of the bar to melt over my face leaving a slightly greasy (and shiny, which is great for me as I can see where I've already cleansed) coat of the cleanser on my face. I remove the cleanser using toner on a cotton wool pad. This cleanser leaves my face feeling wonderfully squeaky clean but moisturised at the same time (its full of lovely moisture rich plant butters) meaning you aren't left with that tight feeling in your skin.
Another favourite of mine (when my bank account is in better shape) is this:
Burt's Bees Orange Essence Facial Cleanser - £10.99
This stuff is worth trying merely for its smell - a wonderful orange scent that wakes you up in the morning but isn't too citrusy that it can't be used at night as well. Leaves my face feeling clean, smooth and deeply moisturised without feeling greasy.
3. Toner
I use toner to remove the Baby Face Cleanser but also if using my exfoliating cleanser I use this afterwards to ensure my pores are thoroughly clean.
Garnier Clean and Fresh Invigorating Toner - £2.08
This stuff is great, I got it because I couldn't afford my usual holy grail toner and have been pleasantly surprised. It's cooling and refreshing and really does its job. And at only £2 it's certainly worth a go.
Burt's Bees Rosewater and Glycerin Toner - £13.99
This is my absolute holy grail toner. It calms the redness in my face leaving my skin fresh and light and wonderfully airy. Loved this particularly when used with the Orange Essence Cleanser.
4. Moisturiser
I have three moisturisers on the go at the moment. One for night, one for mornings and one for extra special days because I'm trying to make my bottle last as long as possible before I get to replace it in duty free.
Nivea Creme - £1.04
My Nan had always used this and at 90 has the skin of a 60 year old. It's tried and test and above all wonderfully cheap. I'd only ever use this as a night cream because it is so thick and leaves the skin a little greasy after initial application. By the morning however this has been completely absorbed and leaves the skin soft and plump.
Garnier Ambre Solaire Face Protect SPF 15 - £10.95
I use this as my morning moisturiser because I like the protection the SPF gives and find that the Nivea Creme has left my skin moisturised enough from the night before. And this stuff is moisturising and gives my skin a nice sheen that doesn't look greasy at all. This is often on 2 for 1 in Boots so I stock up.
Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion - £25.45
Everyone has raved about this and if I had the money this would be my moisturiser day and night. I'm waiting for holiday time to replenish my supply (as you can see I'm nearing the very dregs of this bottle) but consider this a worthy investment. I've had this bottle since Christmas and consider the length of time this one bottle has lasted me (using everyday for 6 months) to make it well worth the £25 price tag. It's wonderful stuff - even though this is meant to be for dry skin I find it does wonderful work on both my patches of dry and oily skin. I'd be nervous about trying the gel - I'm not sure how my dry skin would react to it.
5. Exfoliation
Garnier Pure Deep Clean Foam Wash - £3.91
This is one of the few products I use which I feel dries out my skin and thus I only use it once a week or if I feel my skin is about to, or has broken out. This really does deep clean and requires some really moisturising afterward but deals brilliantly with any tantrums my skin is having.
St Ives Radiance Cleanser Apricot Cream Wash - £3.98
I often find exfoliators with beads too harsh to use as often as I need to, but these beads are suspended within a really rich moisturising cleanser which means deep but gentle cleansing and exfoliation. I use this every other day in the shower (whenever I wash my hair) and find this is often enough to clear my skin although I would have no worries about using this everyday. It's even gentle enough to use to get rid of any skin build up on the lips.
6. Lips
I've become something of a lip balm obsessive in recent years and feel lost without some form of moisturising lip treatment with me. I've been looking for that perfect treatment to use morning and night and I can definitely say that if I had to pick one product to use on both my lips and skin it would be this:
Lucas' Papaw Ointment - £3.65
This is a wonderful multipurpose ointment better known Down Under than in the UK as well as being a brilliant balm for lips is perfect for almost anything - I personally find this a great alternative for hydrocortisone cream as an eczema treatment. It provides initial relief from itching and then treats long term - this makes it great for things like bites too. I prefer this to creams to treat callouses and areas of dry skin on elbows because the ointment is more instantly moisture rich.
