M is for Morning Skincare Routine

You can find information about the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge here or read the rest of my A to Z posts by following this link.

Today, as part of the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge I am sharing my Morning Skincare Routine.  I wrote about my Evening Skincare Routine at the start of this challenge (as my letter E post).

My morning skin care routine is a lot different to my evening routine and I like to focus on cleansing and preparing my skin for make-up preparation if I am going to work, or just cleansing my skin when I am at home.

I like to start my morning by applying a creamy cleanser, I find the Soap And Glory Peaches And Clean Deep Cleansing Milk to be really good for my morning routine as it doesn’t dry my skin out and leaves my skin soft.  I usually apply this product to damp skin with my hands and use my Facial Brush if I need extra exfoliation.  I remove the cleanser with my facial sponges.  I will use a flannel to remove if my skin is looking a bit dull as it can help to boost the skins circulation and help to further aid in exfoliation.

I use B Pure Micellar Oil to remove any residue left on my skin from the cleanser.  As this is oil based it really helps to moisturise my skin while removing any impurities.  I use tissue to blot my skin to remove any excess oils that are left over from the micellar oil.

Once I have finished cleansing my skin I then use this moisturiser from Tesco, it is a light moisturiser which absorbs well into my skin and contains an SPF.  This moisturiser doesn’t leave my skin greasy or any residue on the surface of my skin which is perfect for days when I want to wear makeup.

If my skin is starting to look and feel dry I follow my moisturiser with Superdrug Calm Skin Hydrating 2 in 1 Serum and Moisturiser, which I tend to apply on weekends rather than work days.  If I do use this on days when I intend to wear makeup I will apply the serum and then let it sit for around 10 mins (perfect coffee drinking time!!!) then I will blot my skin before adding a primer to my skin.  It’s not that this serum is oily or leaves much of a residue but in the past, when using different serums I have learned that my makeup doesn’t last as long if I skip the waiting and blotting step.

What is your morning skin care routine like?

 

E is for Evening Skincare Routine

You can find information about the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge here or read the rest of my A to Z posts by following this link.

The Blogging From A to Z April Challenge is in its 5th day and that means today’s letter is E!  Today I am going to be sharing with you my Evening Skincare Routine!

You can find information about the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge here or read the rest of my A to Z posts by following this link.

***This post contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links.***

My skincare routine of an evening is really different to my morning skincare routine and focuses on cleansing, exfoliation, face masks and rehydrating my skin.

My skin is fairly dry and flaky due to an underactive thyroid in part and also due to the office environment that I work in though my t-zone can be oily on occasion and I get stress related eczema around my nose and on my forehead too.  I get the odd breakout of spots and blackheads, this last week my skin has been pretty bad because of the weather.  I wear make-up every day that I am in work but when I am at home I don’t really wear any make-up unless I am going out or having friends around for an evening in.

In the evening I like to remove my make up using Dr Organic Rose Otto Cleansing Milk with my facial brush.  I like using my facial brush as it loosens all the make-up, dirt and dead skin cells gently whilst also improving the skin circulation, it is a really gentle way for me to exfoliate without being too harsh on my skin.  I follow this up with Dr Organic Rose Otto Toner which removes all traces of cleanser and leaves my skin feeling really refreshed and helps to prepare my skin for the next step in my cleansing routine.

I use my Garnier Pure Active 3 in 1 Clay Mask-Scrub-Wash 2 times a week as a face scrub.  I have been using this product for a few years now and really like that the scrub particles are made from pumice which makes it a more eco-friendly scrub than some others which use plastic micro particles.  The pumice is really fine and works wonders on the drier parts of my skin leaving my skin bright and soft and less prone to break outs due to the eucalyptus and salicylic acid ingredients.

On other days I use Calm Skin Soothing Facial Wash from Superdrug, using my hands to apply and Facial Sponges to remove with hot water.  This face wash really helps to calm my skin and is really gentle without any drying effects.

Once a week, after I have double cleansed my skin I use a face mask.  I prefer to use a clay mask and love Skintruth Equalising Face Mask (which I had as part of a skincare set).  This face mask is salon quality and I found out about the brand through the Beauty Therapy course that I undertook a few years ago.  This mask has been formulated specially for Oily/Combination skin and is perfect for evening out my skin tone and balancing the dry/oily areas of my face.  I use this mask when I feel that my skin is becoming unbalanced and more oily in my t-zone.  I also love N-Spa Skin Glow Mud Mask (which you can get in Asda) and will rotate use of this with the Skintruth mask.  This mask has a very similar effect on my skin and balances out the oily/dry parts of my face.

When I need a bit more moisture I really like Creighton’s Photo Perfect Get Ready Mask. (I bought mine in Asda but they don’t seem to have it available on the website, Creighton’s site have it here though).  This mask is a creamy/jelly mask and is not drying like clay based masks which is brilliant to use when I have super dry patches of skin that are in need of a lot of moisture.  I like to use this mask when I have a hot bath as the steam and heat from the bath really open up your pores and help the product to penetrate the skin.  This mask always leaves my skin looking healthy, glowing, moisturised and peachy soft.

I always remove face masks with my facial sponges and warm water and follow with Dr Organic Rose Otto Toner to remove any last traces of mask from my skin.

I like to follow-up with moisturiser and will use Nivea Soft after I have exfoliated or used a clay based mask.  This is a thick cream which absorbs well into my skin and, come the morning, my skin feels more hydrated.  I use Superdrug Calm Skin Overnight Face Mask once or twice a week and apply to the areas of my face that are starting to look dull and de-hydrated more than applying all over my face as I find this quite a heavy product for my skin, that said, it works wonders and sorts my dry skin, and eczema patches out really nicely!

I also use Superdrug’s Calm Skin De-Stress Balancing Facial Oil in place of a moisturiser, usually after I have used Creightons Photo Perfect Get Ready Mask as it adds an extra shot of moisture to my skin and keeps it looking calm and smooth.

***This post contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links.***