My Current Skincare Regime

At the moment I'm trailing some new products to mix in with old staples, trying to find the best routine for me. My skin has been a bit up and down recently - blemish prone, scaring and oily some days and really dehydrated the next, it doesn't really know what its supposed to be doing. I'm putting it down to stress and the weather, but while I'm trying to figure it out I've been switching up my skincare to remedy the problems and also try to make my diet more healthy (essays are healthy eating's worst enemy!)

My morning routine is pretty simple. I start by washing my face with Simple's moisturising face wash, which I've had for a while and am trying to use up, followed by Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner that I got for Christmas. It smells lovely but doesn't match up to my favourite Boot's Botanics and I don't think its done much to balance out my skin so far. A full review will be up soon though once I've trailed it a bit further. Then a nice layer of much hyped up La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo to tackle the blemishes is applied as a day serum/moisturiser, followed by a little Neal's Yard Frankincense Hydrating Cream if my skin is feeling really dehydrated. Finally a blob of Clarin's Eye Contour Gel for dark circles and prep the area for make up applied with my ring finger.

The evenings are a bit more complicated but my favourite time for skincare. The majority of my make up is removed with a micellar water and cotton pads, at the moment I'm using one by La Roche Posay. Then the Balancing Lime Blossom Cleanser which came with the matching toner is used to thoroughly cleanse all traces of make up and dirt in conjunction with my new No 7 Cleansing Brush, my first foray into facial brushes. There will be a full review of this at a later date but at the moment my impressions of it are good. After using the aforementioned toner, I mix a few drops of Clarins Lotus Oil in with the Neal's Yard moisturiser for extra hydration. I am in love with this oil and cannot wait to give it a full review! Finally, any blemishes are zapped with Origins Super Spot Remover.

What are your skincare staples? xxx

Review: Neal's Yard Frankincense Hydrating Cream

Frankincense Hydrating Cream // £24.75 // 50g // All skin types

A while back I posted about my winter skin saviours and the products which are helping to battle my dehyrated skin during these cold months. This moisturiser is one of those products mentioned and now I've used it for a few months its a good time to do a review on it.

I chose this particular moisturiser as I wanted something hydrating yet which was suitable for oily skin types too. After doing some research and reading countless reviews I thought this would be a safe bet as it is formulated for all skin types, is organic, with a supposedly light texture. The packaging is lovely, although some people might find it unhygenic, I love the iconic blue glass pot which personifies Neal's Yard and it isn't too large for travel either.

When I first used this I wasn't bowled over for a number of reasons. Firstly, I wasn't the biggest fan of the Frankincense smell and I found the cream quite heavy and left a slight film on my face therefore only being suitable for use as a night cream. However, I persevered and have grown to like this. I only need a little bit of product to cover my whole face and as you rub it in you can feel the plant oils sinking into your skin. I sometimes use it in the day before make up if my skin is particularly dehydrated to create a smooth base but it is worth noting this moisturiser took a while to sink in before I can apply make up. This has definitely worked to hydrate my skin, but sometimes it can feel a bit too heavy. In regards to fine lines, I can't really comment as I don't have any yet luckily!

Overall, this is a nice cream but I definitely think it is more suited to normal to dry skin types rather than combo/oily. I prefer using this as a night cream as it hydrates my skin over night well but won't be suitable in the day when the weather warms up. 

Have you tried this product before? What do you like from Neal's Yard? xxx

Delights for Dehydrated Skin

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair // Origins Drink Up Intensive // Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish // Boots Vitamin E eye cream // Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief // Neal's Yard Frankincense Hydrating Cream

A few weeks back, I noticed that no matter how I applied my make up I always ended up looking cakey. Even the most moisturising of my bases were no longer dewy and just weren't sitting right on my skin. I realised that together with being ill, the colder weather and central heating, my skin had become dehydrated. As I have a relatively oily t-zone I would usually shy away from hydrating products, but I have learnt that there is a difference between dry and dehydrated skin. Combating the problem of dehydration can also help to balance out oilyness which is a plus point for me! I had a few products already in my arsenal but picked up a couple more to get me through the colder seasons.

For cleansing, Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish is a great natural choice for all skin types to take off make up and cleanse skin with a creamy formula including cocoa butter to nourish skin. The two part system keeps skin soft and radiant - this is my second bottle and will definitely always have a spare in my stocks. Advanced Night Repair is my serum of choice as it delivers hydration yet sinks in quickly and easily. It has quickly become a holy grail product for me and I alternate it every other night.

Over the top of my serum is a new purchase. My first product from Neals Yard (after hearing Hannah rave about them!) is the Frankincense Hydrating Cream, which I use as my night cream. It is rich and takes a little while to sink but a little goes a long way and I've been impressed so far. For a lighter alternative or as a day cream, I've been using a little pot of Clinique's Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief which I was previously using over the Summer. As it is a gel like consistency it is light yet hydrating and leaves skin smooth and primed for make up.

For an intense boost once a week or so I bought Origins Drink Up Intensive mask - I tried the original formula before and enjoyed it but thought this one would really suit me for winter. It smells amazing and again a little goes a long way. Finally, for my eyes is another new purchase, however this one is more purse friendly! Boots Vitamin E eye cream is my first eye cream in ages and I have been using this morning and night to help my concealer sit better under my eyes. Not the most amazing of creams but definitely not the worst.

That's my round up of what I've been using to treat my skin recently, what products would you suggest for this time of year? xxx