I think I'm probably more interested in buying skincare products than makeup, this is mainly due to never having nice skin (oversized pores, bleugh!) so my skincare routine is important to me.
I also think it's important to change your routine regularly, as your skin can get used to certain products. There have been products that have made my skin look amazing for a couple of months and then suddenly, they just don't have the same affect anymore so I move onto something else.
The picture above shows what I'm using at the moment, I try to rotate what I use so I have a couple of exfoliating washes as well as a couple of cleansers, moisturisers and face masks.
This is just a fraction of my collection, but these are what are working best for me at the moment.
If you've read my last few posts, you will have noticed that I've become a massive fan of Liz Earle recently. And to anyone who has tried Liz Earle products, you will know how amazing they are! The products that I have (shown above) are Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, Liz Earle Skin Tonic, Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser (sample size) and two muslin cloths. I love that Liz Earle is made up of all naturally sourced ingredients, and that it works! I usually use the Hot Cloth Cleanser at least once a day (usually at night), and I think it's the best cleanser I have ever tried.
The Skin Tonic is also a great toner, but I don't use this every day but I find the three products work really well together.
This is a new range from Neutrogena, and I have to say my favourite so far. For those who haven't tried it, I would absolutely recommend. I exfoliate every three days or so, I used to do it everyday because I liked the way my skin felt afterwards but I have a feeling this was irritating my skin and making me break out. I have both the day moisturiser and the night moisturiser; the day moisturiser, although really lovely to use, does take some time to absorb into skin so if you're in a hurry I would avoid this and use another product. I think it's best to wait until moisturiser is fully absorbed before applying makeup otherwise foundation etc. doesn't apply as well and can slip off during the day.
The night moisturiser is wonderful, I can tell it's working and the "multi-defence" properties help to get rid of any dry patches. Also, all three products smell so good!
I'm sure everyone has heard how wonderful the Sanctuary skincare products are, and these are two of my favourites. The Warming Microbrasion polish has tiny little beads which heat up when rubbed into the skin, which is an amazing feeling. It acts as a face mask too, the heat opens your pores and leaving the mask on for a few minutes means the product thoroughly cleans pores. Amazing!
I also have the Polishing Hot Cloth cleanser, which I have had for a while - pre Liz Earle! I do like this product, but I don't feel it works as well as my Liz Earle version.
I probably only use this once every two weeks, and the heating mask once a week. Both are great products, which brighten your skin making it more radiant.
This little collection here is what I use every now and again, just for a change. I have always loved Bliss products, especially the Foaming Face Wash (I also have a full sized version) which has tiny little exfoliating beads to smooth skin. The face mask is also great, it has two sides (a blue and a yellow) which you mix from two separate pumps to form a green mask which you apply to your face. By mixing the two, this activates the exfoliating enzymes. I like to use this once a week or so to thoroughly clean my skin.
Other products I use occasionally are Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash, which I only have a small bottle of. I use this a few times a week in the shower, it used to be my favourite face wash but I don't use it so much anymore. I've gone off the smell a bit too, but it doesn't linger on your skin for long. This is a really nice wash, I think it helps clear up my skin too as it's quite gently and soothing.
I think everyone has heard of the Vichy Normaderm Anti-Imprefection Hydrating Care moisturiser. I only use it at night as it calms any break outs and gives a matte appearance to my skin, reducing the amount of oil. I've been using this for a while now, I used to use it every night but like I said, I like to rotate my products. I think this must be a Russian brand as when we were in Russia, there were so many adverts for this. I would recommend this if you do suffer from breakouts, I think it helps a lot.
I don't use it in the morning as it doesn't work well with foundation, but it works well overnight.
I also sometimes use Soap & Glorys Scrub Your Nose in it, but I haven't seen any fantastic results so I've only used this a few times.
The Body Shops Facial Brush is meant to be good for your circulation, it is to be used with a cleanser or face wash, and gently swept around the face in circular motions. Personally, I find this quite abrasive so I only use it once every two weeks, but I do feel like my skin is brighter after a few uses.
The Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream is somewhat of a cult product, I use this when I have dry skin and sometimes as a lip balm. It does work well, but I don't often get dry skin so I never really find myself reaching for it too much.
So, that is my skincare range at the moment! If you'd like any more information on any of the products, let me know in the comments or email me.
