Skincare routine

I said I would do a post going fully into my skincare routine so here it is! Before I mention the products I use I wanted to explain how my skin used to be before I got interested in skincare. I did basically the minimal when it came to looking after my skin I’d wake up wash my face and then put a moisturiser on, and during the night I’d wash my face however there were several times where I would sleep with my make up still on my face, which I soon realised was a big no no. Because I have dry skin I’d have to put perhaps two or three layers of my moisturiser so it didn’t feel like my skin was literally screaming for water, but this only clogged my pores while also making my skin look oily. I used to get huge pimples and they would be so painful that I wasn’t able to touch them, they were also filled with pus and they’d be on my face for around a week, these were probably due to the fact I wasn’t cleansing my skin properly. Around the perimeters of my face I had loads of acne and acne scarring. One day I decided enough is enough let me start actually taking care of my skin (this was around September time), and since then my skin has changed completely. Not only is there no more dry patches, my acne scarring is fading slowly and pimples? I don’t even know what they are anymore.

For me skincare is fun, I like to try lots of stuff and see the way my skin changes for the better while also finding out about the ingredients. I think skincare is also a great tool for self care, it’s great spending 10-20 minutes on my skin every morning and night. It’s calming and you feel like you’re doing something for yourself that helps you feel more confident!

Now to my actual skincare routine, I try to follow the 10-step Korean skincare routine, if you want to find out more about it then this website has a really nice and simple breakdown about what it basically is. I’ve really been liking it because basically the idea is using many different products to target each problem rather than using one product to target everything, which does make sense.

Day time skincare routine 

Step 1 – First Aid Beauty face cleanser

I got this as a present for Christmas and when I say it has changed my life please know I’m not lying. You apply it to your damp skin and then massage it while it starts to slightly lather, then all you have to do is wash it off. It makes my skin feel clean but the most amazing thing about it is that unlike any other cleanser I’ve used before it doesn’t dry my skin out. Usually after I dry my skin I need to apply something on my face immediately for moisture but when I use this I could usually leave my skin without any product and my skin wouldn’t feel dry at all. Also it doesn’t have a particular strong smell which is always a bonus.

Step 2 – La roche-posay soothing lotion / Pixi glow tonic 

In the morning I only cleanse once and move straight to exfoliating and toning. I mix one drop of my pixi glow tonic with 2 drops of the la roche-posay soothing lotion and apply it to my face. When I used the pixi glow tonic on its own I felt it was way too strong and made me break out slightly after that I started mixed with the La roche – posay soothing lotion I felt it was just right for my skin. The pixi glow tonic contains glycolic acid which is a chemical exfoliant and is more suited to dry skin types, it also has anti-inflammatory properties and therefore it is meant to reduce  break outs which I used to get frequently as I didn’t properly cleanse my face. When I used it on it’s own I found that while it did break me out it did however make my skin look a lot more healthy and after using it for several weeks now I’m pretty sure it is also the reason why my skin is evening out a lot more. The La roche-posay toner hasn’t made a drastic difference to my skin but I do like to use it with the pixi glow tonic as they balance each other very well.

Step 3 – The ordinary Hylaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Serum 

The ordinary is a brand that I’ve only recently came across however I’m really excited to try the rest of their range. I bought the Hylaluronic acid serum and the Niacinamide serum (which is step 4) they come in little glass bottles and are very affordable, which is really refreshing when most items that contain those ingredients can be around 20 pounds and up. Hylaluronic acid is a water retention molecule and can hold up to 1000 times it’s weight in water, it’s really popular in moisturising products and it’s one of the ingredients  I look for when buying products. I bought the Hylaluronic acid to improve the dryness of my skin. This serum contains different molecular weights of Hylaluronic acid which is meant to allow not only surface hydration but also to penetrate the skin and allow hydration there. I use around 1 to 2 drops and pat it into my face, I find that this serum has quite sticky texture to it which I’m not the biggest fan of however it does go away after a few minutes or when I start layering other products on top. I think it is a really good moisturising serum and I will repurchase when I run out.

Step 4 – The ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

This is probably my favourite product from my whole skincare routine. Niacinamide is used in anti-ageing products, it’s meant to reduce fine lines also it has anti-inflammatory properties so it’s really useful for treating acne and it’s also used to even out uneven skin due to extra pigmentation, e.g. sun spots or age spots. While I only got it around 3 weeks ago it has completely changed my skin, this, with the pixi glow tonic, has helped fade my acne scarring while also reducing the acne I had on the outside of my face. Like the Hylaluronic Serum it comes in a glass bottle, I use one or two drops on my face and pat it in, it can be slightly drying but that’s easily balanced out with all the other products I use after this serum. I’m already thinking of buying another one when there’s still 3/4 of the serum left because I’m scared that it will run out or it’ll be sold out when I need it.

Step 5 – Superdrug Vitamin E Facial oil 

I picked this up for £2 at Superdrug, I haven’t got much to say about it except that it adds moisturise to my skin and gives me a healthy sheen. I will probably try out more facial oils after this runs out, the one I’m currently looking at is the The Ordinary Rosehip oil, as Rosehip oil is meant to be one of the most effective oils out there.

Step 6 – It’s Skin Hylaluronic acid Moisture serum 

As mentioned before I’m really interested in Korean skincare, and due to this around November I bought some items from Jolse.com a shopping website that sells Korean skincare and make up items. One of the things I bought was this serum, it’s pretty light and doesn’t feel too heavy on my skin. It does the job and adds more moisture to my skin which is what I need, I do find that it seems to only hydrate the surface of my skin but I’m going to keep using it until it runs out and perhaps try out the Cosrx Hylaluronic acid Hydra power essence.

Step 7 – Simple anti-blemish moisturiser 

By the time I get to this step my skin looks glowy, it doesn’t feel dry, it feels clean and balanced. I use this moisturiser to seal all of this in, and it does the job, it adds a little bit of moisturise but the one thing I do find is that people with oily skin probably wouldn’t be able to use it as sometimes it can even be oily on me. I don’t think it has really helped my skin out in terms of controlling my acne. But it’s a nice moisturiser and it’s pretty cheap as well so I don’t mind it.

 Step 8 – Eau Thermale Avene Very High protection Emulsion SPF50 

This is the final step of my skin care routine, and it of course is sun cream. I wear sun cream every day (even in the winter) this is to prevent any further hyper pigmentation and just damage to my skin in general. This sun scream is ok, there’s nothing special about it, it’s sun cream. It isn’t too oily the only gripe i have is that it does leave a slight white cast on my skin which is pretty annoying so I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone with darker skin.

Night time skincare routine 

My day time and night time routine are pretty similar the only differences are that I use another cleanser before the First Aid Beauty face cleanser, and instead of using a sun cream I use a night mask, also it is during my night time skincare routine I use regular masks, currently I haven’t found anything that is really that great but once I do I’ll make sure to make a blog post about it.

The cleanser I use before my First Aid Beauty one is the La Roche-Posay Make-up Remover Micellar Water Gel, I apply it on damp skin rub it in and them remove it using a cotton pad, on days where I don’t wear makeup I’ll use it once before moving onto my other cleanser but on days where I use make up I have to usually use it twice to fully get most of the makeup off, it is an okay make up remover, it’s not very good at removing mascara and I feel like I have to put quite a bit effort to get rid of my eye make up, I’ll probably use it until it’s finished and then try out another one.

The night mask I use is the A’pieu Good night Water Sleeping Mask, it is another moisturising product. It has a really weird texture it’s not a cream but it’s not a gel it’s in the middle, and when you apply it to your face it’s like applying water to your skin. It can be sticky for a while after application which does slightly annoy me but when I wake up my skin feels soft and hydrated. The only issue I have is that it does irritate the skin on my cheeks, so after I apply it I feel a slight stinging sensation for about 5 minutes. However that is the only thing that happens and I haven’t yet had a break out or anything there.

This is my current skin care routine but there are several things I still want to change, one of them is that I’d like to add a vitamin C serum (perhaps one from the Ordinary line) to help fade my scarring and perhaps it might even target the hyper pigmentation. I’d also like to try more sheet masks and masks in general, I am thinking of buying quite a few from Jolse.

That’s it for now I hope my skin care routine has been useful!