Skincare Routine

This has been a post I’ve been wanting to write from the start, what I spend minutes in the mornings and evenings doing. I kill so much time in the bathroom. A record being 45 minutes to take make-up off and brush my teeth. At home I’m lucky enough not to have to share my bathroom unless we have guests and my university room has its own sink. So I can spend as much time as I like just thinking about stuff.

My routine has changed a lot since I first started wearing make-up, it began with face wipes and slowly products were phased in and out. I don’t really have many ‘holy grail’ products. I pick and choose. I go from recommendations from other bloggers and YouTubers or just what’s on offer. The current sink clutter is looking distinctly French however. So here’s the details:

Morning

I begin by cleansing my skin with Good Things Stay ClearPurifying Cleanser. It’s free from parabens, mineral oils, sulphates and other things that just aren’t that great for skin. I rinse my face, massage this in and rinse it off. Some mornings I exfoliate with Botantics All Bright Face Scrub to get rid of dead skin cells. Then I spritz Botanics Rosewater Toning Spritz onto a cotton pad and wipe over my face. Another organic product that just gets the last grease and grime off my face. My current moisturiser of choice is the LaRoche-Posay Effaclar Mat. It’s supposed to regulate sebum production and is made for oily skin. It feels really nice going on and makes a nice base for make-up. I think it does stop oil during the day and I feel less greasy by the time I come to take my make-up off. It’s got salicylic acid and silica in it so not only can it be used as a primer it fights breakouts too. I also dab on some Good Things Bright Eyes Eye Cream in my attempt to fight dark circles.

Evening

I apologise for the terrible photo - I'll try take a better one

This time I start with eye make-up remover. After years using Body Shop Camomile eye make-up remover I moved on to Botanics All BrightSoothing Eye Make-up Remover. It’s oil based and you have to shake it to mix the two solutions before using. I find it does a fairly good job at getting everything off. I do the same cleanse and tone routine as the morning but sometimes I use a hot flannel to remove the cleanser. Then a dab of LaRoche-Posay’s Effaclar Duo, which is probably the hero product of the mix. My skin has cleared up so much since I’ve been using it. I still get bad days, but they’re nowhere near as bad. I have three tubes of this stuff kicking about. My night moisturiser is something I struggle with, I don’t want to use the Effaclar Mat again as I want my skin to breathe a bit more (not that it is clogging in the slightest) so I’m using Boots Essentials moisturising cream. I have to use the tiniest amount or I notice my skin breaking out. Not the most ideal. It’s also the only non-organic option, and I’m not sure this is purely coincidence.

Miscellaneous

I use these products morning or night, whenever I feel that I need them. My lips have been suffering so badly recently so I buff them with Lush’s lip scrub in Bubblegum before slicking on La Roche-Posay’s Ceralip LipRepair Cream. My lips are getting better but are no means perfect and I have a really dry bit on the side of my mouth that stubbornly remains. The other whenever wherever product is also by La Roche-Posay (they’re not paying me to say this, promise) and it’s the Effaclar A.I which I dab onto any breakouts to calm them.

Phew! Sorry for the huge length of today’s post but you can’t skimp on skincare. Tell me in the comments if you have any night cream recommendations for oily skin, I'd love to hear them.

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