My evening routine is an enjoyable moment, a little idyll in an otherwise hectic lifestyle. I love taking my time, massaging the products into my skin and appreciating all the different textures and smells. I can not express to you how much this ritual relaxes me and how therapeutic I find it.
When testing I try my hardest to stick with the same products for certain periods of time as otherwise if find that if you chop and change it can be far harder to do a full and in depth test as there can be so many variables that could affect your skin and therefore the outcome. However, as you might have noticed through my blog and Instagram, I’m a fully confirmed skincare junkie and I just love trying different products and sometimes I am just not strong enough to resist. These particular products though I can honestly say, with hand on heart, have all been used (and abused) so I can give a completely fair and honest review.
Understanding the needs of your skin is not easy and I went through a tough period with my skin. I had spots along my jawline as well as micro cysts and dilated pores but thank god this period is over for now. I am definitely not saying my skin is perfect and I still get bad periods but far less than before. So the first step I took on this journey was to attempt to understand ingredient lists, then slowly I swapped conventional skincare products to natural alternatives and next I started learning how to layer my skincare products properly. Slowly but surely I started to see real improvements with my skin and I was so happy (In case anyone is interested in my particular specifics I have a combination skin type with dry cheeks and oily t-zone). So what are these products that I’m currently loving?
Cleanser – This is the most important step in your routine. Never, ever fail this step even if you are tired after a long day at work or have been out clubbing or even feeling too drunk to do it……..just do it! It will only take a few minutes and your skin will thank you! Cleaning your skin properly is essential as all the products you will apply afterwards will absorb far better and give better results. Every evening the first thing I do when I get home from work (before lying on the sofa and doing nothing^^) is to cleanse my face thoroughly! First, I remove my makeup with Denovo Jelly Makeup Remover which I have been using for 4 months now and is sadly coming at his end. I absolutely love this product and need to rebuy it now before it runs out! I have done a full review of this product in detail here. One little tip I have found is that if I do run out I just use Jojoba oil in the interim until I get the chance to restock and to be honest it works wonders for the price. So I massage the product onto my skin and remove it all with a with a thick warm damp cloth! (if you’re looking for a good cloth then I would advise trying the one from Emma Hardie as it’s the best). To make sure everything is removed properly I use a cleanser, generally a gel formula. I have been using the same one for a while, the Juliet Skin Brightening Gel Cleanser which I keep rebuying because it leaves my face clean, fresh and smooth after every use. It also smells amazing and lasts ages! I massage and remove with the same warm, damp cloth I used to remove my makeup. I make sure to always rinse out this cloth thoroughly before use! I adore this method as it serves two purposes being amazingly relaxing as well as removing any traces of makeup!
Exfoliating Lotion – I honestly think this might be the step that changed everything for me! Exfoliating my skin every day with a glycolic acid lotion left it in a much better condition! I bought bottles and bottles of the Glow Tonic from Pixi and I will never not have one close to hand! I apply a few drops to a cotton wool pad and sweep it all over my skin. It’s very gentle and doesn’t irritate at all. I have been struggling with spots all around my jawline for years and since I added this product to my routine I have barely had a single one (apart from a specific time of the month that we all know and love)! My skin is smoother and brighter and I am starting to worry that I can’t live without this product!
Toner (spray hydrate) – After exfoliating my skin I spritz some hydrating toner over it. I really like the one from Herbivore Rose Hibiscus as it has a nice light smell and a refreshing feel. It contains beneficial ingredients to hydrate and soften the skin; Coconut Water, Aloe Vera,Hibiscus Flower Extract, Rose Hydrolate and Witch Hazel. I really like the simplicity of the packaging as well as it’s so elegant. When it’s really hot I like to leave this in the fridge overnight and take it with me on my way to work and spray my face (in the non air conditioned tube) to freshen up. It makes my journey a lot less painful^^. It’s very fast to absorb and isn’t sticky at all.
Eye Cream – Before applying a serum I like to apply an eye cream. I know lots of people say it’s a pointless step as the serum or moisturiser does the job but I believe that the eye contour is such a fragile area, where signs of aging show first, that I prefer to give it some extra care. This might be specific to me because I have really dehydrated skin in this area but I would still advise the same to everyone else. I’m always looking for eye creams loaded with anti-aging ingredients and antioxidants which the eye serum ‘Luminous’ from Andalou Naturals seems to have. It contains hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, coffee, Goji and green tea which are all beautiful ingredients to help smooth fine lines, stimulate circulation and reduce puffiness. It’s a very nice lightweight serum which is easily absorbed and I like the brightening effect it gives. Sadly I haven’t seen any differences on my fine lines but I live in hope, I’ll just have to see in longer term if it has an impact on this particular area.
Serum – I love the Denovo brand, every single one of their products contains a great selection of ingredient and all smell great, well the ones I have tried at least. This one Serum Illumine has a really nice summery smell that I can’t resist lingering over and sniffing for few seconds every time I apply it. This product seems to meet all “my check list’’ requirements; nice ingredients, nice smell and nice packaging! Happy days :). I would actually go as far as to say that this product is absolutely beautiful. It’s a blend of white mulberry which is known for its brightening properties, beta-carotene which gives a natural glow to skin and fruit acid which helps to exfoliate/remove dead skin cells that sit on the skin. It’s a nice combination of ingredients that really add radiance to the skin and I love the gel texture which is very refreshing and penetrates quickly into the skin. Even just a few drops are enough to cover the entire face and the neck. I will definitely purchase this again soon however I won’t panic yet as I have a few other serums I have to test first but I can quite confidently say I doubt I will find any better than this.
Moisturiser – Last but not least the final step is always to seal all these products with a moisturiser so I apply the night cream from Organic Surge. I’m usually much more of a facial oil fan but seeing this product in TK Maxx for a couple of pounds I couldn’t resist testing it! This night cream has a potent rose smell which I don’t really like but it does disappear a few minutes after application. It’s quite a rich cream but it doesn’t feel heavy on the skin. It contains nourishing Argan oil, Safflower oil and Damask Rose Oil. I like blending a few drops of tomato seed oil with this night cream to add a bit more of this natural glow that I love. I’m not sure how to translate it but in french we say ‘’bonne mine’’ which kind of means a healthy glow but if anyone can suggest a better translation then please let me know.
To sum up I am a huge fan of products that absorb quickly, give a refreshing feel and a natural glow! Exfoliating lotion is key to beautiful skin so if you don’t do this step yet add it to your skincare routine! Oh and of course, cleanse, cleanse, cleanse! Your skin will be happy :). So this is my personal routine at the moment which is working wonders for my skin but if you have any suggestions about how I could improve it i would love to hear from you. I hope that this gives you some tips and ideas that you start to incorporate into your routine and if so then please tell me in the comments if you notice any changes, both positive and negative!
