 |
| This picture doesn't belong to me, just for your information |
Disclaimer: this is my own routine with products that are adapted to my skin type and to my needs. I have an oily/combinaison type of skin but really dehydrated with rednesses, texture and pores (I used to have very large pores but not anymore) but despite my oily skin, I don't have any acne and never had so this isn't a routine for acne prone skin. My routine includes a lot of AHA/BHAs products. If you have a very sensitive skin, you should probably avoid it.Step 1: Double cleansing.
Double cleaning is necessary when you are wearing make up. Of course, I don't double cleaning every day because I'm not wearing make up daily. But when I do, I even triple cleanse. Is that good? I honestly don't know but I like to feel so clean. For my first cleanse, I use a cleansing oil and then, I wash my face with my daily face wash.
Products used I use the Seaberry Skin Nutrition Cleansing Oil from Fresh, it retails for £34. I love it a lot, I love the smell, the way it removes my makeup, the clean sensation I have once I removed everything. Then, I double cleanse with one of my face wash. As I have few of them to avoid my skin to get used to the same one, I'm not going to review this, even briefly. But I'm using the Soy Face Cleanser or the Sugar Strawberry Exfoliating Face Wash, both from Fresh. I also use the Glow Tonic Cleanser Gel from Pixie. I don't like to stick with one cleaning product because I don't want my skin to get used to it.
Step 2: Toner.
Using a toner will balance the pH level. It's an important step and it's one of my favorite of the entire routine (no I'm lying, my favorite is the facial roller but it's a tool and not a product). I noticed a huge change since I'm using a toner. I used several toners and the one I'm currently using is definitely my favorite so far.
Products used For the past 11 months, I used the Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution from The Ordinary, this retails for £7 and it's definitely my favorite. I used up 3 bottles of this one. Unfortunately, I didn't have another one so I bought the Glycolid Acid Toner from Boots. I only used to for two weeks at this point but it's not a bad one. It does the job!
Step 3: Essence.
What's that thing? That was my first thought a year ago when I saw the release from Fresh. An essence is a liquid product between a toner and a serum. It hydrates the skin and apparently, helps the products to be more effective. That was definitely something I don't regret adding to my routine. It's a very pricy product but you don't need a lot so a little goes a long way. This was the missing step in my routine.
Products used I'm using the Black Tea Kombucha Facial Essence from Fresh, it's amazing, I love the smell of it but it's so pricy, the 250ml bottle is £85. But a little bit goes a long way as I already said. No regret.
Step 4: Serum.
Normally the step after the essence is to use an ampoule, I personally don't because I don't feel like I need it. A serum is a concentrated formula who targets specific issues. Remember when I said toner was my favorite? Well, I lied. I love this one more but it's because of the product, I wrote a full article about it.
Products used For the past months, I've been using the Good Genes serum from Sunday Riley, expensive af but my favorite. Still retails for £85. You can find the review here. But I'm almost at the end of it, so I'm back to my Lactic Acid 10% + 2% HA from The Ordinary at the moment, which cost 6£.
Step 5: Eye cream.
It's the step I forgot almost every day. I don't even know why because I really need it but I never do it. The skin around the eye area is the thinnest, it needs to be hydrated.
Products used I'm using 2 different product for my eye area. The first one is the Purity Eye Gel from Philosophy, it retails for £17.50. The second product I'm using is the Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG from the brand The Ordinary. This one costs £5.80. It's liquidy, more than a gel or a cream.
Step 6: Moisturizer.
This step is important, of course. You need to hydrate your skin no matter if you have a oily skin or not. Not hydrating an oily skin makes it more oily.
Products used At the moment, I am using the Caudalie's Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid and I really like it so far. It cost 25£. Twice a week, I'm now using the Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream, so far I love it a lot. But quite expensive as it cost 62£. But you don't need much.
Step 7: Night oil.
I love night oils. It's the last step of my routine (before lip balm but for the skin you know). I take few drops in my hands, I warm up the product and then I'm applying it by pressing it onto the skin very gently. Optional step: I use my Rose Quartz face roller to massage the skin, this has benefits on your skin like stimulate the blood flow or tense the skin as well.
Products used For years now, I've been using the Midnight Recovery Concentrate from Kiehl's, this one is £38. It smells amazing. I don't know if this made a change on my skin but I like it anyway.
Step 8: Lip balm.
I have very dry and crusty lips at the moment. I exfoliate 2 to 3 times a week and I apply balm all the time but it's not enough. I use a lip balm and a night mask. Nothing changes. I hope it's going to feel better any time soon.
Products used I've been using Rêve De Miel by Nuxe for years. I used up 3 or 4 pots of this one. It's my favorite. It's around £10 or so. At night, I'm using a lip mask, it's the Lip Sleeping Mask by La Neige. Depending on the retailers, this could cost up to £20.
The next article will be the in-depth personal opinion on this where you'll discover my mask, exfoliators and other products on the second part of this article, otherwise, it's going to be too much. Please, note that the second part of this article will arrive in the next few weeks. It's really long and I know it can be painful to read that much words.
In the meantime, feel free to join the community on Bloglovin' so you won't miss any articles!
