skincare post.

so whilst this is my personal style blog, i thought i’d make a post about my favourite skincare products to use. this year i have learned a lot more about the importance of having a good skincare routine, and how important it is to use good-quality products to look after yourself! so if you click “read more” i will post about a few of my favourite beauty and skincare products.

 

clinique superbalance makeup.

to start, this is the foundation that i currently use (and doubt i will ever switch from). for years i have struggled with finding the perfect foundation… up until i went for a consultation at clinique i didn’t even know what type of skin i had meaning that i may not of even been using the right products to begin with! i was told i have combination skin and this foundation works miracles. the coverage of mine is medium, meaning that it isn’t overpowering but you can build it up if needs be. it’s oil-free and it provides moisture and absorbs oil where required - absolutely perfect for my skin! this foundation comes in various shades, and for dry and for oily skin as well. when i used to wear other brands of foundation (i have tried many different ones) i used to break out literally straight after taking my make up off, however my skin has improved dramatically since using this. i find the finish is great and that my pores do not feel clogged, and that i rarely get spots after use. 

 

philosophy “the present” skin perfecter.

next is the primer that i use before applying any makeup onto my face. before doing some research i never even bothered to use primer as part of my makeup routine, and in consequence my foundation never lasted all that long, and it always felt horrible being on my face. i have large pores and this product helps to minimise them drastically - it’s something i have been very insecure about for a long time and it definitely helps me out when i put on makeup and do myself up. you can use it on its own as it’s clear if you do not want to wear makeup but i find it to be the perfect primer also. the product states that it also moisturises, however i prefer to use a little of my own moisturiser beforehand.

 

philosophy “purity” one-step facial cleanser.

i literally tried out this product over the last week as my aunt gave me a tester she had of it. previously i have been using “simple’s kind to skin cleanser” however i don’t feel that it’s particularly great for my skin - i find that there’s always too much, even if you only apply a tiny bit and that is it somewhat watery! this product however was lovely. i used a decent amount of cleanser (it states to apply generously) and it left my skin feeling ridiculously soft afterwards! never felt like that before after just applying cleanser. i like that you wash this one off after use over the simple one, which you left on your skin and i didn’t really like the feel of that. definitely going to buy a full-size version of this after the holidays!

 

origins modern friction gentle dermabrasion.

i have to admit, i don’t use this product that often purely out of the forgetfulness of my mind but when i do use it it works wonders and leaves my skin feeling super soft. i generally do it once every fortnight however you’re supposed to use it 2-3 times a week. i always feel that after giving my skin a good scrub then wash with this baby that it feels much nicer, and that it in general looks healthier. currently i’m using tester size bottles that i got from my aunt (she goes to skin care events all the time and i get lots of the goodies!) but i find that they are lasting me a long time as you only need a small amount. 

 

lush “buffy” body butter.

so recently i was introduced to the life-changing cosmetics brand that is lush. i really am not kidding. my friend got me some of this body butter and it is truly wonderful. i only started using it this week but it does wonders for my body - generally, i rub it all over my body just after i put conditioner into my hair and am letting it sink in. as it melts at skin temperature, i step out of the shower and use it so that it doesn’t melt in the shower itself. it exfoliates your skin, tones (though i haven’t been using it long enough to confirm this part) and moisturises at the same time! after you’ve used it all over you wash it off under warm water. my skin feels and smells absolutely beautiful afterwards! it literally feels like you applied body lotion all over yourself - i no longer bother with a lotion or liquid body butter as this does the trick in one go. definitely going to be a keeper (and i will love it even more if it helps to tone!)

 

bliss fabulous foaming face wash.

another perfect product that i have struggled to find for years is a good face wash. in the morning i always use one for blackheads (having large pores i find has made my skin extremely prone to blackheads… so lame) but i never like using it more than once a day as they are generally quite harsh on my skin. i got a tester of this and used it religiously over the summer, and it seriously cut down general breakouts and made my skin appear much nicer. it smells great and is oil-free (i hate using products with unnecessary oil in them), and after i used up my tester i couldn’t find anywhere that sold it! so i switched to another (which i think was called amie?). it wasn’t a bad product but it was nothing special… i found out that i broke out much more after i stopped using bliss and switched, and literally up until i found that john lewis had started selling it my skin was never the same. i got myself a huge bottle last month and my skin has gone back to being much clearer! whilst this face wash is a little pricey (as are most of the products i have ended up using!) i think it’s definitely worth it for good skincare. 

lush “imperialis” facial moisturiser.

my friend who worked for lush recommended this moisturiser to replace the one i was using by simple, which was no good for my combination skin. this one is perfect! leaves my skin feeling soft and moisturised, not oily at all! the smell is pleasant enough but very subtle, which is what you want with a moisturiser! it contains lavender which i find is a good ingredient for balancing oils (which makes it perfect for combination skin like mine!) i think i have found my perfect moisturiser after hunting for years!

 

lush “snow fairy” shower gel.

my friend also bought me a bottle of this just before christmas, and i ended up on the lush sale for two hours trying to get hold of more of this beauty (it’s only a product that they sell at christmas, so i wanted to stock up!) it literally smells AMAZING, like candy and sugar and candy floss… everything sweet and sugary! i have had compliments on the smell of it and i only use it as a shower gel so i guess it’s doing its job! i wish that lush would add it to their regular shower gel products as i think it’s perfect for all-year round.

 

freederm spot treatment gel.

so when i do get spots, this is the product i favour above the rest. i have tried MANY (when i was younger, i had terrible acne and the only thing that cleared it up was my doctor prescribing me the pill) but i find that this works best to clear them up within a few days. it doesn’t leave scars or anything like that, and i normally notice a difference overnight. the only thing i hate is that you get a teenie tiny bottle (10ml) for a relatively high price size-wise, but it works and similar products are around the same price for the same size so i guess at least it works for me.

that’s me finished for now. i am aware that i didn’t include a toner but i’m still trying to find the perfect products! i currently use the toner from the “simple kind-to-skin” range but it isn’t wonderful (i have to use a lot of it); if anyone has recommendations please send them along! regarding hair care, i need to do more research but i generally use anything for coloured hair as mine is, but my hair is in very good condition so i don’t really need to change much about that i don’t think. i also use volumiser as my hair is short and i find it goes very flat without it. i also fell in love with the soaps from lush, raided their sale and came back with “angel’s delight” (which i am currently using), “northern lights”, “candy cane”, and “sandstone”. aside from sandstone the rest are christmas products, however i think i will be set for the rest of next year soap-wise as i bought huge chunks as they were all 50% off and smell fantastic!

i didn’t go too far into detail i don’t think but will happy add more if anyone requests! i hope this helps some people out as i struggled to find a good routine for years (and from the previous paragraph, i still am regarding some products!)