My Evening Skincare Routine!

I am so sorry that I have neglected my blog this week, I have been overloaded with school work and revision!

 

I thought that I would share with you the products that I use before I go to bed. I am not 'dead set' on these products and am open to changing up my routine(as you know, I love experimenting with new products!). But at the moment I am content with my routine as I feel that my skin is satisfied! These products are not necessarily 'budget friendly' or 'natural friendly' or very accessible for that matter, so there is definitely room for improvement! 
I was very lucky this Christmas to get some Clinque products from my Ouma. She bought me the 3-step skincare for Dry Combination skin (2) (Click here to buy!). I am really enjoying using them all but my favourite product is the clarifying lotion. It is an exfoliating toner that you sweep over your face with a cotton pad. It feels a bit tingly but is really gentle and removes dead skin cells. It makes my skin feel smooth and completely clean and ready for my moisturiser. The moisturiser is a gel and is really light but very hydrating. I also recently had a Clinique skin consultation and the lady said that it is perfect for my skin because it is not too oily but still moisturising enough to combat my de-hydrated skin.

   

I like to use the facial soap with my TreSonic (Click here to buy!). It is a really nice mild cleanser so when I use it with the TreSonic, my skin doesn't feel too sensitive afterwards. My mum kindly bought me this sonic facial brush for my birthday! I have only used the normal skin (apposed to sensitive skin) cleansing attachment and the silicone moisturiser attachment. I am really enjoying using it in the bath a few times a week. It massages the facial soap into my skin and effectively smooths a rough complexion. I also find that it thoroughly removes make-up and any grime from throughout the day.

I remove my eye make-up with the 'Amie Bright Eyes Very Gentle Eye Make-up Remover' (Click here to buy!). It is really gentle (as the name suggests!) and has 96% natural ingredients which is excellent especially for a product that you use around your eyes. It is also very effective at removing my mascara, eye shadow and pencil eye liner (although I don't know how it would fair with gel/liquid eye liner or waterproof mascara). At the very end of my routine I use the 'Naturally Thinking Eye Bright Cucumber & Aloe Under Eye Cooling Gel' as my eye cream (Click here to buy!). It is lovely and soothing under my eyes and I find that it helps for those times when you are so tires that your eyes ache. I can't say that I see any difference in my under eyes but I do not need an eye cream for fine lines or puffiness (thankfully!). Yet again it is a natural and organic product which is perfect for the eye area. 
I put a thin layer of the 'La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo' (Click here to buy!) on my T-zone under my moisturiser. This reduces the appearance of my blemishes and clogged pores. I find that it works best on below the skin spots or spots that haven't come to a head yet. I do feel it working on my skin but I am not as excited as I though I would after seeing all the hype online but I am determined that I will like it more the more I use it. Also, I have noticed that there is a new formula that I am tempted to try!
I then use the  'Clinique Anti-Blemish Solution Spot Clearing Gel' (Click here to buy! - I think this is the right one???) after my moisturiser. It is amazing. It completely dries out broken skin spots so they just flake off and disappear! It seems to quicken the development of spots so they disappear almost overnight! It is quite strong and should only be used directly on my spot because I would imagine that it would completely dry out your skin and strip it of its goodness! But I have only just incorporated it into my routine (I forgot that I had it from my birthday!) and I absolutely love it and have already seen a massive improvement in the appearance of my teenage T-zone break-outs!

In terms of treatments, I have quite a few that I enjoy using and switch them up all the time. I do not use these products every day (or night ha!) but just as a special skin treat! At the moment I am enjoying to use the 'Balm Balm Hibiscus Face Mask' (Click here to buy! - currently 15% off!). It comes in a powder as you can see and you add a couple of drops water to make a paste. After I have applied it to my face and let it dry a little, I massage it into my skin to give it an exfoliate. I really feel that it deeply cleanses and purifies my and makes it feel amazing! I also really like the 'Good Things Deep Clean Blackhead Exfoliator' (Click here to buy!) as a beaded exfoliator. It is really effective yet not too abrasive and has no horrid ingredients. Please see my previous post all about this great brand!
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you found this useful!                    

Foundation Favourites Part 2

3. Rimmel Wake Me Up Make Up Foundation

This foundation has excellent coverage and makes your skin look flawless. It claims to give you a 'radiant glow' which I definitely think it does. It is a much thicker consistency than the 'Match Perfection' one and I find that I get the best result with a flat foundation brush. I also feel like it is really hydrating and lasts well on my skin. I bought this foundation after there was a lot of hype about it on the internet. Some people were saying that it makes you look too glowing and that it is a foundation that it only suitable for the summer. I wear this foundation all year round and feel that the luminosity is very subtle. The only thing I would say is that I would say is that I own the lightest shade and it is slightly too dark for me, so the shade selection could be better! Click here to buy!
2. Max Factor All Day 3In1 Foundation

This is the foundation that I have re-purchased the most. It is not too dewy and not too matt but just a really lovely all-round great foundation. Like the 'Wake Me Up' one, it makes your skin look flawless and blends really nicely. It claims that you do not need to use a primer with it but I find that if you don't, it looks a bit cakey. However I don't feel that I need to use a concealer with it  as it seems to blur imperfections and even out my skin tone to disguise any blemishes that I may have! Click here to buy!  



And the winner is....................1.Max Factor CC Cream

It's funny that last place and first place both went to a CC Cream! This one is completely different from the L'Oreal one; it does not come out green or make me look orange! It feels like a whipped formula that blends into the skin effortlessly. I wasn't expecting it to have a good amount of coverage but it really does. It is also buildable but I find that one coat gives me a lovely porcelain, flawless finish. I feel that my skin looks its best when I am wearing it! It colour corrects amazingly and is 'infused with skincare ingredients' which makes my skin feel moisturised and look radiant. The only criticism I have is that it doesn't have a pump and yet again I always end up wasting some. But apart from that, it gives a beautiful finish that enhances your skin's natural complexion. Click here to buy! 
I hope you found this useful! Thank you so much for reading! Please feel free to comment with your feedback and I would love to hear your foundation recommendations!   



 

Foundation Favourites

In my opinion, foundation is the most important part of your make-up. I do a lot of research on which foundations I should buy and are very rarely disappointed. I thought that I would rank the foundations that I own in order of preference! P.s I have pale, pink toned, combination skin!
6.L'Oréal Paris Nude Magique CC Cream Anti-Redness

I bought this foundation last year as I thought that it would prevent me from going red at school. I also have really rosy cheeks and I hoped that it might help to tone that down and even out my skin tone. The first time I used it was a morning before school and I remember nearly missing my bus because I was frantically trying to wipe it off with wet wipes and kitchen towel; It made me look like an Oompa Loompa! It comes out of the tube a green colour but once you rubbed it onto my skin it went orange! There isn't a shade selection and this foundation is meant to fit all skin tones, but it definitely didn't fit mine! If I'm feeling extra conscious about my redness, I sometimes dab a tiny amount onto my cheeks under foundation, but I am so worried that I am going to look really tanned or orange that I rarely use it at all!
5. Revlon Colorstay Make Up For Combination/Oily Skin

This is the foundation that I use the most because before school I want a high coverage foundation that I can apply nicely and quickly with my hands. My pet hate with beauty products is if they don't have a pump; I always end up putting way too much on the back of my hand every time! I have tried applying it with a flat foundation brush and a buffing brush and didn't feel like it blended nicely and I didn't like the result; I think this has something to do with the formula as it is very thick and has high coverage. I do not need concealer when I am wearing this foundation and it lasts all day! It is my most expensive foundation and I am not sure whether I would re-purchase it. Click here to buy!

4.Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation

This foundation is my most recent purchase and I was amazed at how cheap it was (£6.99)! It is quite a watery formula and it gives you a lovely light, natural, luminous complexion. I love it because it feels light to apply but actually gives a good amount of coverage, without looking like you are wearing any make-up! I normally use a buffing style brush to apply it and you need one pump max. to create a healthy, even base. For Christmas, I was sooo lucky that my present from my parents was a MAC make-up master class in London. I was able to try a MAC foundation - I think it was the MAC Studio Fix. I feel that this foundation looks similar to the MAC one on my skin.  Click here to buy! 

Check back tomorrow for part 2 where I reveal my top 3 foundation! Thanks for reading!