Current Skincare Routine!

 

One thing I have learnt about skincare is that just because something costs ten times more, it doesn't necessarily mean its ten times better.

A high price tag doesn't necessarily mean you will have perfect skin after using it, skin is such an individual thing, everyone has different skin types and sensitivities and your skin may react really well to a face wash that causes your friend awful breakouts. Over the years I have tried a mixture of drugstore and higher end skincare and have finally a skincare routine which I am happy with and that works well with my skin. Some of these products are higher end and some are drugstore ranging from just a couple of pounds to the pricier at about £16.

Clinique Facial Soap
I have used this for a while now and really do love it, I think with higher end skincare you do pay for the customer service, so when I first began looking at Clinique they told me what skin type I was and helped advise other products which would suit my skin type too. I have combination skin and so obviously picked up the products designed for combination skin, I usually use this once or twice a day depending on what I am doing and just use it in the shower or with a flannel. I really like this face wash as out of all the ones I have tried over the years it isn't drying and leaves my skin feeling clean but not that 'tight' feeling. When I bought this I was a little worried about exfoliating my skin as I used to use a face wash which contained an exfoliant in it, however Clinique recommended their Clarifying Lotion which is step 2 in this range.

This facial soap retails at £16.50 from Clinique (Buy here)

Clinique Clarifying Lotion
This is the second stage in the routine which is a gentle exfoliator, it's strange because it doesn't look like a standard exfoliator which is gritty but is just a clear liquid, so understandably I was a little apprehensive at first. It works instead by de-flaking the skin to remove dead skin cells (sounds so gross but it works), and I feel like my skin feels so smooth and not too tight afterwards! I used to use this twice a day after washing my face but began to find that my skin was getting a little too dry and I reduced exfoliating to just a couple of times a week which has worked out so much better for my skin.

It also retails on the Clinique website at £16.50 (Buy here) 

E45 Moisturiser 
I feel like many people (including my past self) feel like using moisturiser will make your skin oily and it will lead to spots, but this is the complete opposite! With moisturiser I still stand by the good old E45, it is so moisturising and sometimes I feel like I only need to use it once a day because it is so moisturising on the skin. It does take a long time to set into the skin so I tend to leave my skin for a while in between applying my moisturiser and my foundation. Hygiene wise I don't really like using a pot but its not the end of the world. The other great thing about E45 is that it can also be used on the body as well, so its so multi-use!

Using E45 will only set you back a couple of pounds and can be bought here for £4.20 (and it lasts FOREVER!)

Garnier Micellar Water
This product is literally my favourite thing, I have loved this micellar water since it was first released and even after trying various different brands, I will always go back to my trusty Garnier Micellar water. It's so gentle on the skin and really good at removing makeup, even They're Real mascara, and we all know how hard that is to remove! It literally costs a few pounds and seems to last forever as you only need a small amount each time.

It can be bought from Boots here for £3.00 (Currently on offer, normally £4.99)

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser
I absolutely love this product and it is 100% worth all of the hype, it is a makeup remover and cleanser which is based on quite natural ingredients, so it doesn't smell overly fragrant. The actual product comes with a muslin cloth and essentially what you do is rub the product all over your dry face to remove makeup and dirt and then use the damp cloth to remove all of this. I tend to use this once a week if my skin needs a bit of a pick me up and it just leaves the skin feeling so nice, refreshed and clean, plus it is amazing at removing makeup!

It can be bought from the Liz Earle website here for £15.50

A couple of things I have definitely learnt over the years is that money isn't always reflective of a products effectiveness on your skin and sometimes skincare is a case of trial and error and seeing what works out best with your skin. Let me know your favourite skincare products and any recommendations you have in the comments below! 

E x