Purchasing skincare and perfecting a skincare routine can be difficult. There so many options, price ranges, skin types, etc! I never know where to begin.
My skin starts off dry but gets oily throughout the day, its fairly clear but very very sensitive. I have visible pores and occasionally get those big angry spots. Where's the product for all that?!
Throughout 2015 I discovered a few products that don't break the bank that work for me and keep my skin clean and calm. I use these products every morning and night and just find them to be super quick and hassle free.
The first product in my routine is the Neutrogena Visibly Clear 2-in-1 Wash/Mask. I have used this product for years now and it really helps to reduce the amount of blackheads I have around my nose and chin. I use this first to wash the majority of my make up off, this stuff cuts through Estee Lauder Double Wear like I don't know what! Once a week I will use this as a mask, I wash my face as normal, dry it off then smooth a thin layer of the mask all over my face and add a little extra to my nose and chin. As it tingles on your skin for 5 minutes, you can really feel all the gross build-up being pulled out of your skin. I love this product and for about £4 a tube (90% of the time, it will be on offer), its really worth it.
After I have washed my face I will use a couple of cotton pads and the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water to remove the rest of my make up. I love that this product is hypoallergenic and is suitable for "even sensitive skin". This made my life so much easier when trying to find a cleanser. In the past I have never been able to get on with any sort of cleansing milks or lotions, they all would give my skin a burning feeling. This product feels light and fresh and really gives my skin that sparkly clean feeling. Plus, the bottle lasts forever! I only used 2 bottles in whole of last year!
Finally I will use the Aloe Soothing Day Cream from the Body Shop to moisturise my skin. Moisturisers were always the one thing I struggled to find. A lot are perfumed so would not agree with my skin or some would advertise for sensitive skin but then would leave my skin feeling dry and flakey. Aloe Vera is notorious for its moisturising and soothing properties so when I saw this in the Body Shop I snapped it up quick so I could give it a go and I was not disappointed. It was a "where have you been all my life?" moment, I love love love this moisturiser. The consistency is nice and light so absorbs quickly and doesn't leave you with that greasy feeling. Body Shop also do a Night Cream in this range which I would love to try, especially after those days at work in the blustery cold wind. This moisturiser is £12 for a 50ml tub, which lasts me a fair few months because a little goes a long way.
If I have a spot, this is when I will use a cotton bud to dab a little tea tree oil onto it. I just find that this works quickest to calm them down and reduce the angry-ness.
Another thing I use frequently, which I mentioned in my winter essentials, is the Blistex MedPlus lip balm. I apply this in the morning, at night, throughout the day, I just can't get enough. For me this is the only lip balm that just works. Its not fancy and is about £2 a pot but I honestly can't recommend this enough. If you suffer with dry/chapped lips a lot, then I am begging you to give this a go.
Every couple of weeks I will add in 2 extra products to my routine. If my skin is feeling particularly grimey or if I've had a few spots that week, I will use the St. Ives Apricot Scrub. I use the gentle one that is for dry/sensitive skin. This really helps scrub away those germs and that nasty feeling you get when you've a breakout.
If I've been out in the rain and cold all day for work, I often get that tight feeling in my skin. To relieve this, I will carry out my normal skincare routine but replace my daily moisturiser for the Sanctuary Brightening Facial Moisture Boosting Mask. I will usually just run a nice bath, pop the mask on, lay there for 10 minutes then rinse it off gently. If I have a day off the next day I will smear a thick layer all over my skin and leave it on over night then wash it off with a muslin cloth the next day. Overnight, my skin will have transformed and feels so much better. As I don't use this mask that often, I will just buy it in sachets from Boots, 1 sachet will usually do me 3-4 uses if I keep it sealed up. Sanctuary look to have had a bit of re-shake and released a new product that is very similar, the 5 Minute Moisture Boost Mask, which I assume will do the same thing but I will give it a try and let you know as I can't seem to find the original one anymore.
I dream of using high end skincare and maybe one day I will but for now these products work for me perfectly.
If you have any recommendations, I would love to hear them so feel free to leave a comment below :)
