One of my greatest regrets in life is waiting until I was well into my 20’s before really committing to a proper skincare routine. Back in the day, I used to do nothing and my skin showed that neglect. These day however, my skin is so much better and these are the products that I credit to that improvement. And yes, I do change up my skincare routine on a regular basis (my mask list alone is massive), these are just the products that I have been using for at least the last few months.
STEP 1- Pre Cleanse
My level of pre cleansing usually depends on how much makeup I’m wearing at the time. Nine times out of 10, it’s just mascara and concealer. And for those occasions, I’ll just use my Garnier Micellar Oil Infused Cleansing Water. The oil is very effective for breaking down my waterproof mascaras, while the micellar water gently cleanses my skin. For when I’ve gone full glam however, I do like something a little more heavy duty. At the moment, I really been loving the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm. I take a small amount between my fingers and rub it all over my face. I will then use a makeup remover wipe to take the dissolved makeup off of my face.
STEP 2 – Cleanse
I usually cleanse immediately after my shower, when my pores are nice and open. My cleanser of choice for the last few months has been the Skinstitut Glycolic Cleanser. It has Glycloic acid in it which helps remove dead skin cells. It also contains Tea Tree oil which helps soothes acne. No matter what cleanser I use though, I always use my Clarisonic to apply it to my face. I have been a devoted Clarisonic user for almost 3 years now and the difference it has made to my skin is definitely noticeable.
STEP 3 – Mask It Up
I usually do a mask in some form at least 3-4 times a week. And while I have plenty of mask favourites, the two I have been using are both super affordable and can be found at the drugstore. Firstly, The L’Oreal Pure Clay Detoxifying Mask. I do have a preference to Clay based masks and this is easily in my top 5. It dries down quickly and it’s one of those masks that you can see the oil pulling out of your pores. My other favourite is the Garnier Pure Active Intensive 3 in 1 Anti Blackhead Mask. This is actually pretty cool as it is a 3 in 1 product, but I more often than not use it as a mask. Unlike the L’Oreal mask, this has little scrubby bits that help give my skin a little exfoliation and I’m especially fond of this mask now because with it being a bit colder, my skin does get a bit flaky and this just helps with that. I also like doing the occasional sheet mask. And for those times, The Skin Republic sheet masks are my favourite. I’ll usually buy a bunch while they are on sale and I’ll use one every couple of days. They are great during winter because they give my skin a little extra boost of hydration, while still providing other skincare benefits depending on which one I use.
STEP 4 – Eyes
This is the one step that I neglect the most, but I have been making it a point to remember to use an eye cream every single night. I’ve currently been cycling between the Neutorgena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream and the Ole Henriksen Uplifting Transformation Eye Gel. These are both products that I like but I can never tell if they are actually working.
STEP 5 – Treatments & Serums
I have been using three different serums in my skincare routine as of late. I use The Ordinary Salicylic Acid to help calm my breakouts, The Ole Henriksen Truth Serum to help both fade my acne scarring and brighten my skin and a few drops of the Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate for overall skin repair and improvement. This has been my wonder trio for the last few months and I have noticed a huge difference in my skin since I started using these together.
STEP 6 – Moisturise
My very last step is moisturising my skin. The moisturiser I have been using is the Burt’s Bees Nourishment Night Cream which I got in my most recent BellaBox. So far, I have really been enjoying it. A little bit does go a really long way though.If you use a pea sized amount, it soaks in very quickly and it doesn’t make my skin feel heavy. Most nights, I will just leave it like that, but because it has been quite cold at the moment and my skin has been drier than usual, I will follow up with an oil. My oil of choice has been The Jojoba Company’s 100% Jojoba. This has been a long time favourite (I recommended this during the Priceline Skincare Sale). It’s also great for just using on it’s on as a moisturiser, which I often do. My final step is a pop of lip balm right before bed. For nighttime, I have been obsessed with two lip balms in particular. The Mecca Cosmetica Lip De-Luscious and the Lanolips Multiuse Lip Ointment. Both of these are fab because they are slightly thicker and they soak into the lips super well.
And that is my face! Let me know what your nighttime favourites are below!
Cheers and love
Emmie xo.