skincare routine- broken down

I find the subject of skincare, one which is hard to talk about, simply because what products and techniques may suit your own skin, could cause havoc on someone else's, so bear that in my mind when reading my routine!

I've been following this routine for a couple of months now, and it works really well for me. My skin is combination but lately has been oilier than normal with yucky spots (hormones!), and some of these products are specifically targeting that.

I adore make-up and its something that I have battled with as it does clog the pores,  in the evening I need a cleanser which will remove every last bit of make-up. PLEASE PLEASE if you take one thing from my blog do not go searching for a product that leaves your skin feeling squeaky clean, this tends to be a  sign that you are using a product to harsh and that it is removing all the the oil (some oils are good oils) completely from your face, this is completely counter-productive if you have oily skin! Your body will over-produce oil and put back twice as much  in your skin causing even worse acne/spot problems!!

La Roche-Posay, Effaclar, oily/sensitive skin £10.21

La Roche-Posay is a french skincare company who specialize in sensitive skin, personally my skin isn't sensitive however I am always look for products, especially  cleansers which  are soap free, alcohol free, paraben free and colorant free and this product is all of those! It purifies helping eliminate impurities and excess sebum , making it perfect for oily skin  and at £10.21 its a bargain!!
available at Boots

Estee Lauder- Advanced Night Repair

Will do a separate blog entry on this new product but it is worth the £65 price tag, its much better to spend more money on your serum then your moisturizer, so if you are counting your pennies remember to think about serum first. In brief it is an upgrade from the original night repair formula,  I never used the original formula however I was drawn to this product when I heard that not only does it repair the skin but it also purifies, making it ideal for my skin-type, in fact this product works with every skin type and can fit into any skincare routine easily.

Vichy, Normaderm, Mosturiser £9.65

Another french skincare brand, Vichy's Normaderm range is specifically made to target problem skin, this mosturiser feels fresh on the skin whilst still hydrating, Not only has this reduced my pore size but it miraculously reduced the redness of any spots I do get. It has an amazing fresh smell. This mosturiser has diminished the appearance of spots whilst also keeping my skin hydrating which means its not over producing oil! Like all products its something you need to try and see if it works with your skin but for me its a fantastic buy.
available at Boots

No7- Beautiful skin, Cleansing water £9.00

Because i'm so conscious of removing too much 'good oil' I use a cleansing water in the morning, again this particular one from No7 is for normal/oily skin and really refreshes me upon waking. Its gentle and quick which is something that's very important in my morning  routine but it also does the job leaving my skin feeling clean and awake.

Manuka Doctor- Apiclear, Skin Treatment Serum £18.99

Bee Venom is an ingredient which at the moment everyone is raving about. Manuka doctor uses bee venom in all of their products, making them perfect for older women or those who are worried about fine lines and wrinkles, it gently plumps the skin giving the appearance of healthier more youthful skin. Their range Api Clear is for people with problem skin, the products contain propolis which has powerful antibacterial properties and a manuka factor of 18+ (will do another post on manuka honey.) I use this serum in the morning as its not too thick so glides on easily and seems to seep quickly into my skin, also because of the plumping effect it can really help with making me look alive when I'm hungover or have had a severe lack of sleep. 
Available at Holland & Barrett


MY BEAUTY REGIME STEP BY STEP

Night

1. Remove make-up with La Roche-Posay, Effaclar: splash face with warm water (don't use boiling water it will damage your skin) and lather the product into skin, concentrate on the t-zone area, then remove with a warm flannel or a muslin cloth (this will also remove dead skin cells), making sure it leaves no residue. If I've been on a night out or have worn a huge amount of makeup that day i will repeat the process.

2.  Next I apply my Estee Lauder- Advanced Night Repair, by gently massaging the product all over my face excluding the eye area. I use my fingertips to really work the product in making sure I'm moving in an upward direction and not pulling on the skin too much.

3. After leaving my serum to seep into the skin I then apply Vichy Normaderm moisturizer, again following the same technique I used with step 2.

Morning

1. Upon waking I remove my flannel from the fridge where it has been chilling overnight and apply it onto my face, this helps to reduce puffiness and awakens my skin.

2. I then apply No7- Beautiful skin cleansing water to my skin using cotton wool pads, moving from my t-zone outwards and upwards, this product doesn't need to be rinsed, making it quick and simple to use.

3. Next I apply my morning serum Manuka Doctor- Api Clear skin treatment serum. I use the same application technique as i used when applying my nighttime serum and moisturizer.

4. Lastly I apply Vichy Normaderm moisturizer and then apply make-up if needed straight on-top, some days when my skin is particularly oily I skip the morning moisturizer, but with winter approaching I highly recommend it!