My Skincare Regimen

This is a post on my skincare regimen. I use products from Philosophy, Superdrug's own brand, Simple and Neal's Yard.

Cleanser

Superdrug's tea tree cleansing wipes for sensitive skin

When I've had my makeup on for a full day, I like to thoroughly cleanse my skin at night. I've been using these tea tree cleansing wipes, which contain natural tea tree oil and camomile. The packet says that these wipes contain a milder extract of tea tree oil and soothing camomile extract to gently cleanse and refresh skin by removing dirt, excess oil, make-up and other skin impurities, helping to promote a clearer, spot free complexion. It also says that tea tree is a natural antibacterial agent known for its antiseptic healing properties.

These wipes remove my make-up very well, and yes, they do leave my skin feeling refreshed and clean! I'm not sure if they've made my complexion any clearer or any more spot-free though. I still get a few little spots every once in a while. But they do their job!

Philosophy Purity Made Simple one-step facial cleanser

I have been using this cleanser for around a month now, and I really love it! It's a one-step cleanser, meaning it's supposed to replace your eye make-up remover, make-up remover, cleanser and toner. It contains very natural ingredients, as all of Philosophy's products do, including many different types of plant and fruit oils. It says that it 'hydrates as it melts away make-up', which is entirely true! This is probably due to the nourishing natural oils and glycerin. it's quite thick in consistency, and very smooth. If I haven't removed my make-up with a cleansing wipe, I apply a quite generous amount onto my dry face and massage it all over, and then wet my hands a little and continue massaging. Once rinsed off, my face is completely make-up free, soft, smooth and doesn't feel tight at all. If my make-up has already been removed, I use a pound-sized amount of this and apply it onto my wet face. 

Although this cleanser is supposed to replace toner as well, sometimes I like to use a toner afterwards anyway, just to make sure that every trace of make-up is removed.

Toner

Simple Kind to Skin soothing facial toner

This is my third or fourth bottle of this toner. It's really great! It contains 3 skin-loving ingredients: Chamomile, witch hazel and allantoin. Chamomile is supposed to gently soften and soothe, witch hazel helps tone and tighten pores, and allantoin softens and protects. Like all of Simple's products, this contains no perfume, no colour, and no unnecessary or harsh chemicals, so it's perfect for sensitive skin! I apply a generous amount of this onto a cotton pad and wipe it all over my face in upwards and outward motions (as Simple advises). 

Exfoliator

Neal's Yard rehydrating rose facial polish

Around once or twice a week, I use this exfoliator to exfoliate my face. It's supposed to exfoliate and enrich normal to dehydrated skin. I got this in the winter when my skin was drier, but now that it's a little oilier, I still use this and it has been working fine! This contains anti-oxidant rich milk thistle and aloe vera combined with gently exfoliating wild rose seed powder, and claims to leave skin smooth, enriched and revitalised. I have to say that it does just that! My skin is left really soft, smooth and very supple. It's not really necessary to moisturise after this, because it's that moisturising, but I like to anyway :)

Moisturiser

Neal's Yard Power Berry Daily Moisture

I use this moisturiser in the mornings. It claims to boost radiance and protect youthful skin - which I assume means that it's not as suitable for more mature skin. It contains antioxidant-rich acai, bilberry and goji berry, and helps to fight the effects of free radicals for brighter, dewy-looking skin. 

Now I'm not sure if it makes my skin look any brighter or more dewy-looking, but I like the fact that it contains many antioxidants, which are very important in a city like London, where pollution is all around us! The scent of this is quite funny... to me it smells like Baileys liqueur! I didn't like this much at first because of the scent, but I've grown used to it. This gets absorbed by my skin very quickly. It's very light and runny, and makes a great base for make-up.

Simple Kind to Skin hydrating light moisturiser

I use this light moisturising at night, because it's slightly richer than the Neal's Yard one. It contains 2 vital vitamins and 2 skin-loving nutrients. The vital vitamins are pro-vitamin B5, which actively restores, softens and smoothes, and vitamin E, which moisturises to improve skin condition. The 2 skin-loving nutrients are glycerin, which hydrates and nourishes, and borage seed oil, which renews and regenerates. 

This is a great basic daily moisturiser. It is absorbed quickly and is also a great base for make-up (because I sometimes use this in the mornings in place of the Neal's Yard one - depending on my mood!). Again, this Simple product contains no perfumes, colours or unnecessary or harsh chemicals. 

I have been following this skincare regime for quite a while now, and my skin is doing great! It never feels dry or tight, it looks pretty dewy and healthy, and is becoming more even day-by-day (when my acne went away I was left with a considerable amount of hyperpigmentation on my face). 

So that's it for today! Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend :)