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.