GLOW YOUR OWN WAY

      If asked about my favorite beauty slogan, I'd probably say "skin first, makeup second, smile always"; good job on that Glossier. Just like them, I believe that skincare should always come first, and you'll always be beautiful if you're rocking a smile. If you're using makeup to hide your imperfections rather than enhance your beauty, something is going wrong there. I understand that almost no one has perfect skin, I'm definitely far from it, but here are some of the ways I try to keep my skin healthy and glowing, and some sheer makeup products I use on the daily.

PREP

Glow Mud Cleanser (£18.00), Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream (£26.00), First Aid Beauty Eye Duty Triple Remedy (£22.10), Makeup Fixing Mist (£16.00)

      It's no secret that if you don't take care of your skin and prep it well, then makeup won't sit right. One of the first steps to taking care of yourself and your skin is to drink lots of water. Cliche? Maybe. But it's so so true. If your skin looks tired and sallow, or you're having more breakouts than usual, it could just be a case of dehydration. I feel like people in general are good at remembering to drink water when it's warm outside, but forget to in the colder months. Just get into the habit of taking a bottle with you everywhere you go; if it's constantly in front of you, you are much more likely to rehydrate more often.

      When it comes to skincare, when I think of glow enhancing products I immediately think of Pixi. I think that they do an amazing job with their skintreats range, and as you saw from my previous haul I picked up many things to try. I have been using their mud cleanser since that day and my skin loves it, as well as (of course) their Glow Tonic that I can't go without. I'm also really enjoying their makeup fixing mist either before and/or after I apply my makeup, as it sets everything in place while still leaving my skin looking hydrated.

      Other areas I like to prep are my lips with the Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream, both before bed and in the mornings. My lips chap like no other, so this heavy duty lip balm is fantastic. I also like to keep an eye cream at the ready incase I didn't get enough sleep, or I'm having particularly puffy under-eyes. This one by FAB is indeed fab as it decreases puffiness and it's color adds a brightening effect under the eyes.

CREAMS

Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream (£26.00), Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer (£34.00), Josie Maran Argan Infinity Lip and Cheek Creamy Oil Duo ($16.00), & Other Stories' True Bias Fuschia (£12.00), Kiko Contouring Pencil Set (£9.90)

      I have been going baseless a lot lately as I find my skin has been quite good, and having a tan blurs imperfections quite well. Little things that are always there, like acne scars, don't bother me too much. However, on days when I want some more evenness to my skin, I've been opting for the sheerest of the lot. My Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer in Fawn is a good color for when I'm tanned, so it's my go-to at the moment. Despite having the oil-free version, my oily skin can still look a bit greasy a few hours into the day. For that reason, I don't think I would repurchase this, but if you are someone who has drier skin I'd recommend checking it out. I've also been loving the Complexion Rescue by Bare Minerals in 06 Ginger, as the shade has the perfect amount of yellowness for my skin, and the texture is great. I do find it can sometimes cling to dry patches around my hairline though, so a good moisturizer is always needed underneath.

      Regardless of whether I wear a base or not, I also like to add color to my face to enhance the healthy glow. & Other Stories do fantastic blushes in general, and this cream one I have blends beautifully without any effort. I've also been experimenting with this Josie Maran lip and cheek oil, and I'm not sure how I feel about it yet as it's not so easy to work with. It can be a bit sticky at first, but once it dries down a bit it looks lovely, so I'll keep using it and see.

      I've also been pretty obsessed with this stick contour and highlight duo from KIKO. I have the lighter set of the two, and they blend into the skin so well. I was a bit scared to use a non-powder contour at first, but now that I have I might even prefer it. It gives the most natural shadow as long as you don't over draw it in, and even then you can blend it out so easily. I am definitely a fan.

POWDERS

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish (£33.00), Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow (£49.00), Hourglass Ambient Blush Palette (£56.00) 

      Now I know what you're thinking, powders and glowing skin don't usually go together, but that's not always the case. Here are some of my favorites for when I'm not feeling the fuss of cream products. Firstly, this Charlotte Tilbury setting powder is basically magic. It's great with or without anything underneath, and removes the grease without taking away the glow. I don't know what magic is in it, but I swear it's like airbrush in a compact. As with every other beauty blogger, I also adore the filmstar bronze and glow. Even though the bronzer is a bit on the warmer side, it still looks great as a contour for me, and since it's a bit shimmery it gives an inner glow and definition all at once. The highlighter in the set is also one of my favorites.

     The final product I have is the Hourglass blush trio which I have been addicted to since it's purchase. I definitely reach for it more than any of my other blushes, and the swirl of their ambient lighting powders with the blush pigment means it's give you healthy looking cheeks all day long. I love all the colors equally, and if you haven't tried out any hourglass products before, I'd definitely recommend a look at this one.

So those are all my tips, tricks and recommendations for healthy glowing skin on the daily, and I'd love to hear what your thoughts and recommendations are. 

PIXI SKINCARE HAUL

It really is no secret by now how much I love the Pixi Glow Tonic, so when I found out that they were expanding their skincare range, it's safe to say I was pretty excited. They have added a range of items from cleansers, serums, moisturizers, sprays and cleansing cloths. I finally got a chance to pop into the shop earlier this week, so here are a few of the goodies from the range that I picked up. 

Left to Right: Nourishing Cleansing Balm (£18.00), Glow Tonic (£18.00), Glow Mud Cleanser (£18.00), Hydrating Milky Mist (£18.00), Makeup Fixing Mist (£16.00)

The first thing I got was some more Glow Tonic for myself and as gifts, as mine was running out and I have a few friends who would love it. I then opted for the Cleansing Balm, as I love using this kind of product to remove my makeup at the end of the day. I've tried the Emma Hardy one, which I like-not-love, so I'm hoping this one will be what I've been looking for. It also came with a free cleansing cloth which is great. Next I picked up the Glow Mud Cleanser because I always double cleanse at night, so this could be used with the balm at night, or as my single cleanse in the morning. I'm generally a fan of mud masks, but i've never tried a mud cleanser, so hopefully this will be good for my combo/oily skin. The last two things I got were mists, one for myself and one for my friend. I got the Makeup Fixing Mist since I've been in need of a makeup setting spray, and sometimes no amount of primer or powder can get you through a hot and sweaty day. Finally, the Hydrating Milky Mist I got for my friend who has very dry skin, as she could use it as a hydrating toner step in her routine, or throughout the day to keep her skin refreshed.

I don't think I've ever been this excited to try out new skincare products, and I'm not exactly sure if that is a good or bad thing. I will let you guys know how I get on with the products once I've used them for a few weeks to help you figure out which ones are worth trying out.

MORNING SKINCARE ROUTINE

I LOVE skincare. If I went back in time and told my 13 year-old self this, she'd laugh at me. I used to dread doing a skincare routine when i was younger. I had pretty bad acne and wanted it gone, but didn't want to put in the effort of actually sticking to a routine for more than a few days. That all changed when i started using Murad products and they completely saved my skin. That, and starting to actually use makeup on a regular basis made me feel like I should actually put more effort into taking care of my skin. 

Flash forward to now and my skin has been pretty well behaved for the past year or two, mainly because i love having a routine now. I literally can not go to bed without doing all my steps, even if I'm falling asleep while doing them, they will be done. Today, however, I will be sharing my morning skincare routine. My night one is not all that different, but there are some extra steps and a few different products, so let me know if you'd like to see that too.

1. Cleanse

I like to use a gel cleanser in the morning as my skin loves gels, and I feel like it's really refreshing. I am currently using this Clean & Clear deep Action Gel Cleanser (£7.22) which I don't LOVE, but it's doing the job. I think i prefer there Morning Energy Shine Control wash though.

2. Tone

Surprise, surprise, this step features nothing other than my beloved Pixi toner. This has seriously done wonders to my skin, I can't go a day without it (probably from paranoia, but shh). I'm not going to go on about it too much as this already has a whole post dedicated to it which you can check out here.

3. Serum/Cream/Treatment

I don't think I've had anything as effective at keeping my spots at bay than La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo (£15.50). It basically stops me from getting any major breakout, and helps heal the little hormonal ones that slip through. I also think it helps reduce my oily t-zone and reduce scarring, while remaining totally non-drying. It's basically a miracle working product, and if you only want to use one treatment, you should go for this.

PS. I used to use Peptabright as a step before this to help fade acne scars, but most of my old ones have gone now, and with La Roche I haven't gotten any new major scars that I need to take care of. And my skin scars easily.

4. Moisturize

My final step is of course, to moisturize. I'm currently using Lush Vanishing Cream (£18.75) and I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand it smells amazing, and sinks into my skin REALLY fast, which I love for a morning moisturizer. However, since i have combo skin i don't feel like it's enough for my dry bits, and it doesn't seem to help with preventing my oily nose from appearing a few hours into the day. I'm almost done using it up now, and will switch to trying the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream, although i'm not sure if it'll be too rich to use as a daytime moisturizer. I shall see and let you know how i get on with it.

Of course, i also add SPF if i'm not going to be wearing a foundation that has one. Gotta keep the skin protected from the sun!

Let me know what your routine is like, and if you recommend any products for combo skin x

HOLY GRAIL TONER

Honestly, i'm a bit of a skincare addict. I've never had the best skin as it's always been quite acne prone, and after a spot has long left, a scar has taken it's place. So as you can imagine, i'm always on the hunt for products that will prevent spots, even out my skin tone, fade scars, and balance oils. I think i finally have it down to a nice routine that works for me - thank's to the help of Carolin Hiron's blog. But more on all of that later.

Today i want to talk (rave) to you guys about my favorite toner EVER. Yes, that's a bold statement to make, but this product has become a cult classic for good reason. Pixi's one and only Glow Tonic.

If you're thinking "meh, what's so special about a toner, they're not so important anyway" girl, are you wrong. Toner's are not there to remove traces of makeup (cleanser's job!) or close pores, but rather to balance out the PH, and help the rest of your products sink into your skin. I am all about acidic toners for a gentle exfoliation, and that's exactly what the Glow Tonic does. Their website says 'for normal to dry, dull, and aging skin' but i'm more on the combination-oily side and this works great for me. The key ingredients such as Aloe Vera, Witch Hazel, and Ginseng are great for all types skin, and the formula really does help even out and brighten everything. An annoying issue i had before this beautiful thing came into my life was those little pimply-bumps (so technical, i know) that you get around the hairline/on the forehead that just never seem to go away. However, after I incorporated this into my routine, both morning and night, it has almost completely made those bumps disappear, along with balancing my oils and making me look radiant rather than greasy. So if you haven't tried this out yet, i'd definitely recommend picking up a bottle ASAP. Available both in store (if you live in London) or online (ships international, i think) the £16 are WELL worth it.