I've had a couple of enquiries recently about skincare routines and products from customers and I had written this post a while back so thought it was time to share it with you. I wanted to walk you through my own skincare routine – a few weeks ago I posted on social media about the products I use every day but this post will explain the logic in a bit more detail. This is by no means me telling you what routine to follow but more what's worked for me!
Those within the beauty community may find this routine too simple, but simple has totally worked for me. In fact, my skin has been so consistently good over the last year that recently I decided to buy some different products to see what I was missing out on. Big mistake…. they broke me out. So key learning: if you find a routine / combination of products that works for you and you're happy with your skin – stick to it no matter what anyone tells you, even if it goes against what I've outlined below!
I haven’t gone into much detail about the types of products to look out for as I’ve touched on some of this before – for more details check out my earlier post. I'm also planning a series of more detailed posts on each of these elements so watch this space!
My every day skincare routine:
Morning routine (less than 5 mins) –
- rinse face with water (my skin doesn't respond well to overcleansing so I tend not to do a proper morning cleanse - of course, do what works for your skin but if your skin is dry or sensitive, bear in mind that morning cleansing isn't obligatory in my book!
- apply alcohol free hydrating toner - this gently hydrates the skin and prepares it for subsequent products
- apply water-based hydrating serum (look for one which contains Hyaluronic acid for hydration / plumping and antioxidants for their protective effect - alternatively wait for mine as I have one planned!)
- light hydrating face cream (with a drop of face oil in the colder months) – I also use this cream under my eyes as it’s suitable for that area too*
*though I don’t personally feel it’s necessary to use a specific eye cream, it’s best to avoid heavy creams in the eye area – they can weigh down the delicate skin, contributing to sagginess. Additionally if the cream is too heavy it can clog pores.
Night time routine (less than 5 mins) –
- 1st cleanse: massage cleansing oil into face for about 60 seconds to loosen dirt / make up. Be thorough with this as oil cleansers are naturally gentler and won’t remove much if you don’t work the oil around the skin sufficiently. I personally prefer an emulsifying oil cleanser i.e. when the oil comes into contact with water, the oil rinses away (especially important if you have combination / oilier skin). Rinse well
- 2nd cleanse if needed (I don't unless my skin is feeling oily or I've been wearing a lot of make up): with a gentle water-based cleanser. Alternatively, use a cleansing milk but avoid anything harsh / stripping. Same goes for cleansing brushes - I wouldn't go near one as I think they're equally aggressive and I'd prefer to be more careful with my skin!
- apply hydrating toner (same product as morning routine)
- apply water-based hydrating serum (same product as morning routine)
- apply 3-4 drops of face oil straight after (applying to damp skin from the toner / serum helps lock in that moisture) & light eye oil (or you could use a light eye cream). I don’t feel I need to use a night cream with my oil but you can use both – especially if you have very dry skin
Once weekly (20mins) in the evening -
- apply an enzyme exfoliating /AHA mask to cleansed face for around 5 mins and rinse off. I don't use granular exfoliators / scrubs as I feel that they can be too rough for the skin if not used carefully. An enzyme exfoliator gently dissolves the skin cells to reveal new skin (hence the radiant effect). I know others use acids more frequently - my skin isn't used to this and I'm very wary of over-exfoliating as it can thin your skin and leave it susceptible to irritation and breakouts. At most I'll stretch to twice weekly, but like I say, find what works for you.
- apply a (bentonite or any other clay of your choice) clay mask to clean, damp face. Leave for around 15 mins, rinse off with warm water and follow with usual toner / serum / face oil
I try to do the exfoliating mask and clay mask on the same evening but can’t always fit it in so it’s fine to do them on different nights. These weekly treatments are really important to build in as they prepare the skin for other skincare products (face oils / serums / moisturisers) – ensuring that they have an easier time penetrating your skin and working their magic.
