CLICK HERE for my Current Winter AM Skincare Routine
Hallo ha everyone! Hope life is treating you (and your skin) well. I know it’s been a while since I updated my skincare regimen on the blog (Empties not included!) and believe me a lot has changed! I’m going to do a more detailed post soon on what I would term my skincare “gamechangers” but first I wanted to get this post up on my PM routine because a few people have been asking for it. For reference purposes, I have oily/combination/sensitive skin – yep all’a’dem! And in the winter, my oily combo sensitive skin also gets quite dry. Seriously? Go figure. But I have found a way to manage these issues and come out on top, or looking fresh and with smooth, glowy skin if I do say so myself. So here is the first part of my Game Changing Skincare routine – the PM routine.
1. CLEANSE – Cleansing is a really important component in any skincare routine because this is where you take off the grime of the day so you have a clean slate to work with for the rest of the routine. Done wrong, you end up piling on more stuff onto your face without properly cleaning it, which can lead to clogged pores, then acne and other skin concerns. Yes, cleansing is serious business. I am learning to use cleansing oils and balms on my skin as they are less drying on the skin than facial wipes. I won’t lie, I still reach for the wipes on and off but I am getting used to using the cleansing oils too. Really love the Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm and the Aesop Parsley Seed Cleansing Oil is very nice too. As a headsup, if you are looking for a natural alternative, use coconut oil to take off your makeup – you’re welcome!
2. DOUBLE CLEANSE – Next step is to cleanse again but this time with a foam cleanser. This is just to ensure that all the residue of the makeup has come off. It’s really important when you use a foam cleanser to use something gentle on the skin that is not too stripping on the skin and leaves your skin feeling clean, smooth and soft. Not tight! I made that mistake before, not realising that if your skin feels tight after washing it, it means it’s dry! Clinique’s oily skin facial wash and Simple’s Moisturising Facial Wash are my current faves. A natural alternative here – Black African Soap!
3. TONE – The toner serves multiple purposes which include an extra and final step to the cleansing process but also adds back moisture into your skin after the cleansing process. Toner is also usually the first step in my routine where I start to address my particular skin concerns. When I feel like my skin is quite dry and needs some TLC, I use my Pixi Rose Tonic, which is gentle and moisturising and smells gorgeous. If I need to exfoliate because I am potentially facing a breakout or my skin is just looking a bit dull, I go in with my Pixi Glow Tonic which contains 5% glycolic acid and is amazing at gently exfoliating my skin leaving it brighter and smoother. Truly a gamechanger! An honourable mention goes to the Aesop Anti-oxidant Facial Toner – reliable and gets the job done. Natural alternative – rice water or apple cider vinegar
4. DOUBLE TONE – So this is a bit of a cheat but I really think it makes a difference to my face. I tone twice because I think it is just adding more moisture to my skin and honestly, I don’t think more moisture is a bad thing. Works for me anyway!
5. SERUM/ESSENCE – This is probably my favourite part of my skincare routine and I would argue, the most important. The serum is the item that is geared to specifically target skincare concerns whether acne or dryness or hyperpigmentation etc. Serums I am loving right now are The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% which has totally changed my face (!!!!!) and Biologique Recherche P50 Lotion which is a new addition to the regimen but a gamechanger nonetheless. Of course I can’t use the acids everyday, so it’s more like twice a week at best. The other days I use Mizon Snail Repair Intensive Essence, Mizon Snail Repair Ex Ampoule Regeneration Total Solution Care and Aesop’s Facial Essence. All good everday products that do the ting!
6. MOISTURISER – Time to seal in all the good work I’ve just done on my face and I put on a few blobs of cream all over my face and then massage in with gentle circular motions. Gets the blood flowing and prevents wrinkles and saggy skin. My current night moisturisers are Clinique’s Superdefense Night Cream and The Ordinary’s Argan Oil. As an alternative (to keep things interesting), I will sometimes use a sleeping pack instead of a night cream especially when I just need a bit oomph on the moisture front. I am down to the last of my Laneige Firming Sleeping Pack – literally scraping the bottom of the tub! Then I have an old tub of Etude House Collagen Sleeping Pack which I never finished so I will use that. Can sleeping packs expire? Hmmm question!
7. EYECREAM – I have finally started taking eyecream seriously and now apply this religiously as my final step in my nighttime routine. Honestly, I don’t know what it’s doing or whether it’s already too late for my eyes, but I am applying anyway and hoping for the best. No excuses anymore! I’m using Clinique’s All About Eyes. So far so good!
Well that’s my lot, a lot, I know but there it is. Let me know if you use any of the above products or any cool skincare products you’ve started using lately – share the wisdom!
