Current Skincare Routine: March 2015

It’s been absolutely ages since I shared my current skincare routine, and the reason for that is because I’ve spent months fine-tuning it to try and get it to the point where I’m pretty much happy with it.  Whenever I’ve considered writing up my routine in the past few months, there’s always been something I haven’t been too happy with so I wanted to make sure the flaws were removed before I shared my current skincare loves.  I will say, the big change for me recently is that I’ve started adjusting my skincare on a daily basis depending on how my skin feels, meaning I change things up depending on whether it’s leaning dry or spotty – more on that below.

If I’ve worn make-up I’ll remove it with the L’Occitane Shea Cleansing Oil.  I’ve reviewed it here and this is the same bottle, so it definitely lasts and I still love it just as much now as I did the day I started using it.  It cuts through make-up leaving skin feeling clean and soft.  I use three pumps worked all around the face before introducing a final pump for the eyes.  I then use a cloth or flannel soaked in relatively hot water to remove the oil and the makeup.  Next I’ll decide which cleanser to go for depending on how my skin feels, which will be the same for either the morning or evening cleanse.  If my skin is feeling congested or broken out, I’ll go for the Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Cleanser which is a very gentle, acid-based cream cleanser that feels absolutely lovely on the skin.  It barely foams and instead feels quite calming, but it leaves skin feeling soft and smooth without that horrid stripped feeling.  If my skin is leaning dry I’ll go for the REN Rosa Centifolia No1 Purity Cleansing Balm which I reviewed here. This is a rich balm that feels lovely on the skin and it reduces any tightness my skin is prone to when it’s dehydrated.  A couple of times a week I’ll also use the Chidem Beauty Moisture Therapy Cleansing Balm – which I reviewed here – as a quick, nourishing treat which will go in place of my second cleanse.

A lot of people think toners are a waste of time but I honestly couldn’t do without them – my skin often feels a little dry and tight, so hydrating toners are my best friend! After cleansing I use Biologique Recherche P50; in all my skincare routine run-downs this is the one product that stayed constant as it’s truly unbeatable for effective exfoliation.  I use this after cleansing and I tend to give it 10 minutes or so before following up with a hydrating toner, which will either be the L’Occitane Shea Gentle Toner or the Murad Hydrating Toner.  I’m currently leaning more towards the Murad one as it leaves my skin feeling really nourished (so it’s particularly great for post-shower when my skin feels horrendously tight) although the L’Occitane one is wonderfully gentle too.  If I have time, I’ll use my YOSO Pro to apply either of the hydrating toners.

Next up are the treatments.  The two serums I’m rotating are Caudalie Polyphenol C15 Anti-Wrinkle Defense Serum and the DermaQuest Stem Cell 3D Hydrafirm Serum.  The reason I’m using both every other day is because I like them both, but I don’t want to use them at the same time, plus the DermaQuest serum is extremely expensive at £220, so I’m trying to make it last for as long as possible as it is annoyingly good – it’s such a deeply hydrating serum that completely corrects and signs of dryness and dehydration, meaning I wake up with skin looking plump and really hydrated; if it was cheaper I’d use it every day, especially as it doesn’t give me spots.  The Caudalie serum is pure antioxidants which I really like the idea of as it defends against free radicals whilst also providing my skin with a hit of skin-smoothing vitamin C.  Consequently, the next day my skin feels and looks noticeably smoother and more even in tone.  The Murad Blemish Clearing Solution – review here – is something I use on any areas that feel congested or any newly felt spots (especially anything that feels like it might be soon to appear) which I apply once either of the above serums has dried.  I use about half of a 5p and I work it into spots/spot-prone areas, which I then leave to dry as well.

I use a day cream and a night cream, but the day cream isn’t pictured because I could not find it yesterday when I took the pictures – very annoying as I looked for ages and I only used it a few hours previously! The day cream is Dermalogica Active Moist which is one of the few oil-free moisturisers I’ve used which actually feels hydrating rather than those rubbish gels you get for oily skin that don’t do anything.  If you’re spot-prone but suffer from dehydration then Active Moist is a really good choice and well worth trying.  In the evening I use my much raved about Clinique Moisture Surge Intense which is another product I keep coming back to.  It’s rich, thick, extremely hydrating yet you can literally cover your face in layers of this and it won’t give you spots.  If I need a little more hydration on days when I haven’t had enough sleep/feeling rough/having a bad skin day then I add a few drops of the Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Booster to either moisturiser as it just adds a touch more hydration.  If you have a moisturiser that you absolutely love but find sometimes it isn’t quite hydrating enough, stock up on this booster and just add a few drops whenever you need it.

My finishing touches come from the awesome bareMinerals Mineralixirs Eye Nourishing Oil Balm which I’m about half way through; it do love oils and balms and the idea of applying such things to the delicate skin under my eye still pleases me immensely.  This is a hydrating, softening and lovely feeling product that I really enjoy using – here’s my full review.  Lips are taken care of with the L’Occitane (them again!) Ultra Soft Balm which I reviewed here.  It smells yummy and softens lips wonderfully, plus it’s such a bargain and it can be used for all sorts.

I hate saying things like this as it almost always backfires, but my skin is looking the best it’s looked for a long time.  The inflammation is really reduced, as are breakouts, and whilst I’m still prone to dryness and dehydration, the above products allow me to quickly correct this; I find all my skin issues are a lot less problematic when my skin feels balanced and well hydrated, so hopefully I’ve cracked it…

*Mostly PR Samples