My skin care regime is an extremely valuable time for myself. As well as it being time for me to relax and apply luxurious products to my skin, it is also time to really look after my skin. Your skin is a vital organ in your body and acts as a protective layer so it is important that we look after it. For the majority of my teenage life, I have struggled so much with my skin. My skin began to break out pretty much at the beginning of secondary school and I am still using treatment for it. Not only have I experienced break outs for the past five-six years of my life, but I also have combination skin so I have to manage oily and dry skin. I also feel like my skin is very translucent; by this I mean that every imperfection is extremely visible because I have fairly open pores and redness around sensitive areas. I can’t wait for the summer each year so that the sun can really help to extract the excess oils from my skin to help minimalise my break outs and balance out the colour of my skin so that I feel confident to wear as little make-up as possible. Over the years I have tried out loads of different skin care products to help my skin. Lots of people don’t see the point in spending lots of money on these types of products, but personally I feel that it is important to find the right type of product for your individual skin and usually the better the product the more expensive it is. I have had experiences with drug-store products that have irritated my skin and caused visible damage so I feel very justified to explore higher quality products that are more trustworthy for my sensitive skin.
Cleansing
Cleansing is such an important part of your skin care regime, especially if you wear make-up each day because you need to ensure that you have removed all of the dirt and bacteria that clogs up your pours to let your breathe. One of my favourite products is the Liz Earle cleanse and polish. This product contains natural active ingredients including Beeswax, Eucalyptus Essential Oil, Cocoa Butter, Chamomile Essential Oil/Extract and Rosemary Essential Oil/Extract. This product is perfect for any skin type and is so gentle on the skin. For when I am feeling lazy, I use make-up wipes by Garnier. Usually I use two at a time to really make sure that everything has been cleaned from my skin. Another product I am using at the moment is the Rodical bee venom cleansing balm. This ingredient is a natural skin protectant that soothes, hyrdrates and conditions. It also offers anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral benefits making it helpful in treating skin irritation. Another cleansing balm I love is the Emma Hardie moringa cleansing balm. It quite literally melts on your skin as you massage it around your face and not only helps to re-hydrate the skin, but it also uses moringa seed extract, wild sea fennel and vitamin E, to minimise the appearance of open pores, while orange, neroli and mandarin oils work hard to rejuvenate and revitalise. After I have cleansed, I pour a few drops of the garnier toning rose water to make my skin feel fresh and awake.

Exfoliating
My skin becomes dry quite quickly around my nose and under eye area. The dead skin cells surface frequently if my skin is dehydrated and doesn’t have enough moisture in it. I exfoliate my skin around three times a week with the Oskia micro exfoliating balm. This product is incredible; it has tiny grains that do not irritate or damage my skin yet it works perfectly. When mixed with water, the balm transforms into a soft milk that effortlessly removes grime and unclogs pores, rinsing away to leave skin feeling revived and fresh. It also stimulates collagen production.

Moisturising
To help reduce the dry areas of my skin, I moisturise twice a day. It is also important to moisturise after exfoliating to ensure moisture is put back into the skin. At the moment I use the Simple replenishing rich moisturiser. I have also recently become interested in clay masks; lots of beauty bloggers are currently promoting them. I thought I would try this moisturising clay mask that I got in New York last week from Sephora.


Hydration and serums
When my skin feels dull and tired, I like to use a serum to re-energise and refresh it. After I have cleansed and moisturised I add some Caudalie brightening and hydrating serums. I also like to use vitamin oils as they are amazing nutrients for the skin. I had a tester for the Kat Burki Retin-C treatment complex which work by promoting skin cell turnover, allowing for new cell growth. I also love this Nude rescue oil. It helps to repair and refine texture for satiny, flawless skin. Some people think that if you apply oil to oily skin that it will just make you more oily, however the opposite happens. Oil molecules are attracted to each other so when you apply this oil to your skin, it extracts the un-wanted oils from your skin.

Priming
For people like myself whose skin becomes shiny and oily throughout the day, priming is a must. I use the Emma Hardie protect and prime which moisturises, primes and protects your skin from the sun. It smells divine and is light weight, non-greasy and contains a unique light diffusing formulation to help prime the skin and even out the complexion, and blur the appearance of fine lines and pores. I also use the Laura Mercier hydrating primer for my dry skin. As well as helping dehydrated skin, this non-comedogenic formula also contains vitamins A, C and E that act as antioxidants to protect against the harmful, aging effects of the environment. I also like to use the Thisworks primer because it plumps the skin and I like to have a dewy feel to my skin. If I want to wear a primer that adds instant glow, I use the Becca Backlight primer. Backlighting acts as an instant filter, creating a diffused, soft-focused radiance that blurs imperfections and allows your complexion to catch light in the most gorgeous way.

Break outs
Over the years I have tried out numerous products to help treat my break outs. I have been prescribed plenty of creams and solutions by my doctor, all of which never really helped that much. Although my skin is so much better, I am still not comfortable enough to go out make-up-less. I am mostly left with scarring and marks from my break outs which is what bothers me the most. For when I get blemishes, I dip a cotton bud into the Malin and Goetez sulfur paste and it does a really good job at preventing the spot from developing. For scarring, I use lemon juice as it is a natural bleaching agent and it also has some mild exfoliating properties due to its acidic nature. I also like to use honey because it is naturally antibacterial and full of antioxidants. I have been trying out this brightening serum by Sunday Riley which targets dark spots and discolourations.

Night time
At night I repeat all of the morning steps where I cleanse and moisturise. Sometimes I add a mask. I usually apply the Ren wake wonderful night time facial because it rejuvenates and brightens up my skin for the morning. The AHA lactic and glycolic acids combine to exfoliate the skin texture and promote natural cell rejuvenation, while also working on uneven cell pigmentation. The glycogen, magnesium and omega oils act to energize and revitalize in a subtle massage process. The sodium lactate gently raises the skin’s pH to attract water and promote hydration. To help me feel calm and relaxed when going to sleep, I spray the Thisworks lavender spray over my pillow and duvet. Sleep is vital for mind and body. I also use the stress check on my pulse points which works as a soothing rescue remedy wellness product that helps relax the senses and ease breathing. Rescue remedy is also good for relaxation and calming.
