Updated Daily Skincare Routine

Hello lovelies!


Now I must confess I'm not one of those people who enjoys slathering on millions of fancy products every morning and night and has beautifully glowing, baby soft skin. And unfortunately I'm not blessed with naturally perfect skin so I can't afford to have too many lazy, go to bed without washing my face nights. But frankly I can't be bothered faffing about with products I have to read the back of to know what they do.

I tend to have red, clogged pored, dry and bumpy skin. When I say bumpy I don't mean pimply I mean little bumps that come up from under the skin. Usually I don't have many problems with my skin but when I can back from uni my skin was in a state.

So give my skin a reboot I've decided to gently exfoliate in the mornings following up with a replenishing gel and then a hydrating gel. In the evening times I just switch up my exfoliator for a gentle gel cleanser as I don't tend to wear much stubborn make-up that can be tough to remove.

Then (if I can remember/am bothered) I'll try to do a mask twice a week either to unclog my pores or to clarify my skin.

Cleaning the up the skin

I always go for a safe, gentle gel to leave my face feeling clean and refreshed without being too harsh. Simple is always a good choice if you happen to have sensitive skin.

I've recently been trying out some REN products and I'm really enjoying them. My skins noticeably softer and less bumpy after using the rosa centifolia gentle exfoliating cleanser and it isn't too drying at all.

Post wash repair

I use the REN clearcalm 3 replenishing gel cream after I wash my face for a more balanced and brighter skin tone.

I haven't been using any traditional cream moisturisers lately, instead opting for a really hydrating serum from Avène. 

Pamper night masks

If I feel my skin is a bit red and looking tired and damaged the REN clearcalm 3 clarity restoring mask does a great job of making my skin feel nourished and giving it a healthy glow.

I also use the quick fix facials exfoliating scrub mask to de-gunk those pores and give my face a good scrub.

After a term at uni my skin was suffering from stress and work and breaking out left right and centre but after switching up my skincare routine I feel there's been a big improvement and hopefully if I don't get too lazy I'll try keep it up. I think the key is to keep it simple.

Thanks for reading,

Ciara xx

My Daily Skincare for Sensitive and Normal Skin

Hello lovelies!

Lately I've been getting quite a lot of problems with my skin due to stress and starting back to school where undoubtedly my hands are covered in germs and dirt and which gets transferred to my face when I touch it. So I thought I'd do a post about the type of products I use to keep my skin clean and healthy.

Please note I am not a beauty pro so most of the products I use are pretty basic and may disgust those of you that know their skincare products.

Overall my skin is pretty normal apart from the occasional red blemish and redness around the nose and cheeks so I don't really use any specialised products. However the skin is very sensitive and fragile so it is important to use natural and gentle products so as not to damage or irritate your skin.

My first confession is that in the morning I don't actually wash my face. I know I know many die-hard skin fanatics will cringe at this fact but personally I feel that my skin gets too irritated if I mess with it too much so it's best for me just to give it a wash at night and moisturise in the morning.  

For my cleanser I like to use Good Things Stay Clear Mango and Blueberry because it's full of anti-oxidants which are great for the skin and leaves my skin freshly clean.

 

After that I use a liquid exfoliator because it's less harsh on my skin than a granule one. The product I use is from La Roche-Posay and is from the Effaclar range. Apply with a cotton pad and smooth around the face in circular motions.

A toner is always handy to give the face a plump and healthy texture and also to remove any last remains of the day's make-up you may have missed whilst cleansing. A lovely and gentle natural toner is Rose Water and Witch Hazel which can be bought at any local pharmacy.

One of my saviour products which help reduce red blemishes and prevent spots is La Roche-Posay's Effaclar K serum. I like to use this at night and in the morning and could not live without it. As you can see from the photo I'm in need of a refill too.

 

Finally you've always got to moisturise the skin in order to keep it hydrated and soft especially during the cold months. My preferred moisturiser is a simple daily cream from No. 7  for normal/dry skin. It says daily but I like to use it at night too primarily because I find night moisturisers very heavy and tend to clog up my pores and make my skin more oily. This product is also hypo-allergenic and doesn't contain any nasty fragrances which can often chemically irritate the skin.

However when I think my skin is in need of a more intense treatment I have 3 other products I like to use.

For a stronger cleanse I like to use Vichy Normaderm Gel.

To tackle bad blackheads and spots I use St.Ives' Apricot Scrub which contains small particles which smooth away dead skin and deep rooted dirt. Since exfoliating the skin with a granule exfoliator everyday isn't the best I only use this product 2-3 times a week.

 

To combat the drying and invasive effects of a strong scrub I tend to use a slightly creamier and heavier moisturiser to prevent my skin getting too taught and dry. For me, Boots' brand Botanics Mattifying Day Cream with extract of willowbark is a good choice because it leaves my skin almost instantly softer and fuller.

So that's my usual skincare routine for the week, I hope it's given some of you a little advice on how to take care of your sensitive skin.

Thanks for reading,

Ciara.