Hello!
Today I'm going to be showing you the products I use for my skincare routine. I think that it is important to take care of your skin from a fairly early age, and especially in your teenage years, as it will help to reduce problems, will help to prevent aging and really boosts your confidence. I do get quite a few spots, but no serious acne breakouts, and I find that these products really work for me. If you do get bad acne and are not treating it, try to get hold of a medicated cleanser or spot cream, as these should really clear you skin.
It's really important to remove your makeup before going to bed. I don't wear foundation so I don't need a serious makeup remover as my cleanser does this. I remove my eye makeup using the Simple Kind To Eyes Eye Make-Up Remover and a cotton pad. Whilst this isn't the best product, it does remove all of the makeup and usually leaves my eyes feeling soft. I do find that it can irritate my eyes and cause watering on occasions. I have also used the Liz Earle Eyebright Soothing Eye Lotion, and while this isn't great for heavy makeup, it leave the eyes feeling fresh and rejuvenated.
Something which I should do more often is to exfoliate. I try to do this at least once a week, using the Good Things Deep Clean Blackhead Exfoliator. This has little micro-beads which help to remove dead skin, and fruit extracts to leave the skin feeling soft and clean. This doesn't irritate my sensitive skin and I find that it works quite well. I just massage it onto my face using my fingers and then wipe it away with a cloth/flannel.
Now I use my cleanser. I use the Freederm Facial Cleanser every morning and evening. I find it easier and quicker to use than other cleansers, and I think that is why I stuck with it. I found that within the first couple of weeks my breakouts started to reduce and clear up, although it hasn't been improving since then. The method is the same as the exfoliator: massage onto skin and remove with a damp flannel.
Instead of a moisturiser I use Bio Oil. I've not been using this for very long - only two months or so - but I'm already noticing improvements in my skin. It's a special oil which reduces uneven skin tone, dry skin and scarring. I find that it sinks into my skin well and gives my a healthy glow. It has got rid of dry skin patches and reduced small scars on my face. I would not recommend this for particularly oily skin, but for normal/dry skin and scarring, this is a must. It is not particularly expensive; it's not a cheap brand, but it's not designer prices either. I have the 125ml bottle which I share with my family, and each bottle usually lasts about 6 months. It smells great too!
I always make sure to apply my Soap & Glory Dr Spot Gel before bed. I've been using this for a long time - around 5 years - and it is still my spot cream of choice. It gets to work quickly, and in the first 3 months you can feel a slight tingling/stinging (this seriously reduces after a short while) as it fights the infection. Usually my spots are gone in around 3-4 days. It doesn't really increase redness, although it does make the treated areas of skin more prone to sunburn for a week after use, but this has never caused me any problems. I also love the packaging of this product as it is simple but stylish (I love most of Soap & Glory's packaging really - it's so fun and quirky!).
The last thing I do before bed is to apply Vaseline to my lips. I make sure to do this every night to keep my lips soft and prevent chapped lips in winter. My favourite Vaseline products are the original, Aloe Vera and Cocoa Butter lip tins, but I also like the Rosy Lips tin for daytime.
As well as all of this (which only takes me a few minutes in the evening), I try to keep my skin generally healthy. I do this by trying my best to drink lots of water (although this can be hard at times), getting lots of nutrients (through fruits and vegetables), getting a good night's sleep and doing exercise (although I am not a particularly active person). I find that eating an orange and drinking orange juice every day seems to help my skin, perhaps because of the vitamin C? I would like to eat more fruit and veg, and so over the summer I'm going to try to eat more salads and smoothies (not together). I might even do a blog post on my favourite yummy smoothie!
Thank you for reading! It was a long one today which I've been planning for a few weeks! These are things which I try to do every day, and have helped my skin and my body to feel healthier. I hope you like my blog and come back again!
Milly xx
