My Go-To Skincare Routine: Day Time

Welcome to my first beauty related post, so let’s get straight into it. I am asked consistently how my make-up looks so flawless, and the truth is, having a good base to start off with really does help. So today I am going to talk you through my skincare routine, obviously it differs from time to time and depends on season, so if you would like to see how it differs from season to season, I can do a post once summer comes around with the differences.

I will take you through the products I use daily in this post, and in the coming weeks I will post about my night routine and what I use weekly to pamper my skin. I am constantly trying new products, however, I am just going to mention my go-to products that I swear by and have used for the last year +.

First I’ll talk you through my skin-type as depending on yours, some of these products might not be the best for you.

My skin type is oily to combination. It can be sensitive at times, and sometimes I have red patches depending on the weather. In winter I can see some areas look slightly dry, however they aren’t flaky or rough, they just look slightly textured. I tend to breakout occasionally, when I do, around my chin area.

I had a phase where I would have a minimum of three spots on my chin at all times, however, that was around 3 years ago now. It lasted for just over 7 months, I changed up everything to try and work out what was causing it, or what was new that could have affected my skin. I found a product that helped clear my skin eventually and I still use it now.

IN THE MORNINGS;

Cleanser:

I start with washing my face in the shower. I use my *Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash, this is a gentle cleanser milk, that is used on a wet face. It has a delicate scent and you can use a very small amount. It foams up slightly and is super quick and easy to use. It really helped to clear up my chin spots. Chin spots are meant to be related to a hormonal balance, so I was recommended this cleanser. At first it made me break out more, but I continued use and after two weeks or so my skin cleared up and now I only get the occasional spot like everyone else.

Facial Cleansing Device:

It can be used with a cleanser tool or just your hands. I use a gift I received in my ASOS advent calendar in 2017, my *Foreo Luna, which is a little cleanser tool that vibrates and helps a product work more effectively and get into your pores. I find it is gentle enough for sensitive skin, but really clears and softens my skin texture before the next steps.

In the past I’ve also used a cleansing facial brush, mine was from *Vanity Planet and came with a few different brush heads for different levels of roughness. One for daily cleansing, one for exfoliating and a silicone brush for more sensitive skin.

Before Makeup:

If I am applying makeup I won’t use a moisturiser as this can make my makeup slide on an oily base, I know, very controversial. I always use a makeup primer, which is basically a moisturiser and a barrier between the face and the makeup, if you don’t use one, or a moisturiser before makeup you should really get one. I go between multiple primers, Becca Velvet Blurring Primer Perfecting Base, Becca Backlight Priming Filter, *Stila Colour Corrector, *Mac Prep and Prime, Fenty Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Primer, mostly, depending on what I feel I will need on the day.

I will always use a facial SPF before my makeup if I am going out in the daytime. I use one from Glossier which is SPF 35, it smells like chocolate orange and is a gel formula so is clear on the skin and quick absorbing. It isn’t sticky or slidy so works great on oily skin types as well as other skin types. It acts as an anti-pollution product for the skin as well. It works great for sensitive skin and is hypoallergenic, dermatologist-tested, non-comedogenic, paraben free, appropriate for all skin types, cruelty free, and vegan. You can get 10% off your first order by using my link. They have loads of great products, including their facial cleanser which I will be talking about in my night time skin routine post.

No Makeup Days:

On no makeup days, I will start with a toner, normally the *Pixi Glow Tonic, or for more oily days, the *Ole Henriksen Oil Control Toner (currently out of stock everywhere, sorry). Toner helps to remove any leftover makeup on the skin and help to close the pores after a steamy shower or cleanser/exfoliant.

Next up I like to use an essence, which just encourages the skin to take any other moisturisers/creams deeper into the skin. It is a great product and is super refreshing. It helps to deliver a deeper level of moisturisation to the skin, so when the skin rejuvenates over the month, your skin beneath will already be soft and smooth. My favourites are the Tatcha Essence, I use the one for normal to oily skin, but they have more for all other skin types. I also love the Vitamin E essence from Body Shop, which is a cheaper option at £10.

*The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 serum which is applied before heavier creams. Hyaluronic acid is a great ingredient for hydrating the skin without adding more oil to the skin, it’s the best way to hydrate the skin for oilier skin types as it attracts up to 1000 times its weight in water. This serum combines “3 types of hyaluronic acid with Vitamin B5 to offer lasting hydration and visible plumping of the skin at all levels of the dermis. Moisture retention, lipid barrier strength, and surface hydration are all improved, leading to smoother, softer, healthier skin.” It’s the perfect first step after cleansing my skin in the morning. It’s also great for drier skin types as the Vitamin B5 hydrates and heals dry and damaged skin by stabilising skin's barrier function and promoting the growth of stronger tissue.

I will tend to use my *aloe gel after this, I love aloe for it’s calming properties and it’s great for its antibacterial properties. It’s great as an after sun as well and can help prevent wrinkles. I have tried many different aloe gels, but this is my favourite as it isn’t sticky, sinks into the skin quickly and leaves my skin feeling great. It is also 99% aloe, so it doesn’t include a huge amount of other chemicals or smells like some other products, so great for sensitive skin. It’s the perfect size bottle and for £8, definitely worth it.

Onto moisturisers, if I’m feeling like I need some more moisturising I will use my priming moisturiser from Glossier, which you only need a small amount of, as it goes a long way. On my normal days I’ll use the Water Cream from Tatcha, as this is more of a gel base cream so I won’t get oily throughout the day with it. Perfect to use most days for me.

Moving onto lip balm, I love the Elizabeth Arden Lip Care Eight Hour Lip Protectant Tin, it works great, and is a more waxy texture than vaseline so has great staying power on the lips and providing care. If not, sometimes I turn to my Hemp Lip Stick from The Body Shop, or a mix of both.

Order in the pictures below (first row left to right, then second row left to right).

I’m sure there are a few other products I use, but at the moment these are the ones I use most of the time. I am rushing to finish this atm as my house is in a power cut, and my laptop only has a few percentage battery. If I think of any other products that I use I will add them once I have power again. For now I will leave it there. Thanks for sticking around for a read. I am definitely gonna invest in a portable laptop charger if they have them. Ciao for now.

If you were interested in any products I mentioned, they are all linked, except for the Ole Henriksen Toner, as it is out of stock, instead I linked the Oil Control Cleanser which is also great.

Some of the links above are affiliate links, if they have a asterisk next to them (*) this means I can make a small commission from a purchase of the product, to see what companies I’m affiliated with, check my affiliate and discount page. No pictures used in this post are my own.

Thanks for giving this a read, I’ll see you next Wednesday with a new post. Ciao for now.