It's only taken me 26 years to find my ideal skincare routine, and I'm sure it will change again. I find that so many different factors influence my skin. Dublin air is great for my skin, lots of wind, not too much pollution, but also, not a lot of sun. When we lived in London, I found that I got a lot of breakouts and my t-zone was extra oily from the pollution and probably the heat in the Underground. Since coming back to Dublin my skin is much clearer. I am also on Cerazette contraceptive pill, which obviously affects hormones, which can affect the skin, but I have never had any issues with it.
I would definitely say I have combination skin. My t-zone gets quite oily, especially if I'm wearing makeup and my cheeks and eyes can get quite dry, especially in the colder months. So here is my warmer months daily skincare routine that I have recently perfected, for now.
I start the day with a shower and wash my face in the shower with St.Ives apricot scrub. I use the 'original' or the 'blemish control', whichever is cheaper when I'm restocking, they're very similar.
After my shower, I swipe my toner over my face, avoiding the eyes. I use the Clinique "Anti-blemish solutions" toner from the three-step system. I use the cleanser from this set if my skin is having a particularly spotty time, but I don't use the moisturiser as it's too drying for me.
Next, I go in with my moisturiser. At the moment I'm using the Oh!K Beauty "Chok Chok Glowing Moisturiser". I like this moisturiser for the warmer months because it is light and fast-absorbing, yet still super hydrating.
Around my eyes and lips, I pat in some Glossier "Bubblewrap" eye and lip plumping cream. I started noticing a few tiny little wrinkles popping up around my eyes and mouth about a year ago so I decided it was time to add an eye serum to my routine. I like this one. It smells nice and feels really hydrating.
Next, I smooth my SPF over my face. I'm using the Glossier "Invisible Sheild" right now, it smells divine and doesn't give flashback in photos, thank god.
If I'm wearing makeup, I'll remove it with the Primark balm-to-oil cleanser and a facecloth. I then use Garnier Micellar Water to remove the residue and finish it off with the same Clinique toner.
My top tips for blemishes:
Drink lots of water, like I'm talking at least two litres a day. Hydration is king. I recommend investing in a water bottle you really like and make sure you're filling it up enough times throughout the day.
Take off your makeup. Never go to bed with makeup on. Ever.
Change your bed sheets often. I change mine about every two weeks.
To target bad breakouts, I use the Clinique "Clinical Clearing Gel" just on the areas that need it. This dries out any angry spots overnight.
Another breakout targeting product I use is The Ordinary Niacinamide and zinc. This one is a little gentler than the Clinique one, you can apply this over your entire face to prevent breakouts and to target them. It's also super affordable and lasts so long.
Dry Lips Tips:
I literally always have dry lips. All-year-round. I also have a very strong sense of smell, to the point where some flavoured lip products make me gag. So I have compiled a list of lip products I swear by.
EOS Vanilla-Mint lip balm: I've used this for years, I love the way the mint makes your lips tingle a bit. It's nourishing and refreshing, but not overly scented, and affordable.
Sephora Coconut Lip-balm: This one is a little bit tricky to track down if you live in Ireland or the UK, but it is my all-time favourite lip balm. Smooth and subtle with great hydration without the overwhelming scent.
Glossier Balm dot com: This is a relatively new product for me, but I really like it. I especially like it for dry patches on my knees and elbows. It comes in eight flavours, including one unscented, which is a win.
Lanolips 101 Ointment Fruities: A lip balm that looks like a glorious gloss. It's super hydrating but looks good too! And smells like peaches! Also available in an unscented formula.
