My Skincare Routine and the Products I Love
May 2021
I truly believe that good skin health begins from within and a good diet, good sleep, and good hydration make the most noticeable difference to my skin health (alongside avoiding smoking and sticking to very moderate alcohol intake). For more specifics on this, take a look at my free downloadable 7-day meal plan (with lots of extra tips), in partnership with Sarah Chapman Skinesis. This gives a starting point to see just how to put together a sustainable, skin-healthy diet. Of course, a week is just the beginning, but I do hope it’s a handy guide. As always, if you have any concerns about your skin health, please discuss this with a medical professional, and if you feel that you may have specific dietary issues that are contributing to your skin problems, I would strongly urge you to work alongside an appropriately qualified nutrition professional. Having said that, I have also learnt the importance of a good skincare routine in addition to a consistently healthy lifestyle when it comes to finding my glow.
I’m not a huge beauty buff, but I do love to try new products and revel in the opportunity I get from time-to-time to pamper myself a little bit. Over the years, I have been through different phases when it comes to beauty. While I do generally look for more natural products still, there is so much green-washing and inconsistent use of terminology, I am much more interested now in efficacy, experience and how something makes me feel while using it. My skin has changed a lot over time, and now I am focused on good hydration and support as I am not getting younger!
So with that in mind, I thought I’d talk through my routine with you and share the products that I find myself turning to time and time again.
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1. Cleansing Oils & Balms
Cleansing has been the biggest lesson for me with my skin care and this is what I spend the most time doing. I do one cleanse in the morning before my shower and a double cleanse at night. If I have been wearing eye make-up I will remove this prior to cleansing with Neal’s Yard Make Up Remover and reusable bamboo make up pads.I don’t like to use soap based cleansers as I find them too drying. So I use a good oil cleanser and I really go to town with massaging and spending time at this stage, which is something I learnt from Sarah Chapman (I highly recommend watching this video of her demoing how to properly cleanse). The cleansing oils that I turn to time and again are Ultimate Cleanse by Sarah Chapman Skinesis and Rose, Geranium & Apricot Cleansing Oil by Votary or this gentle cleanser by Trilogy if my skin is feeling very sensitive. A budget option that I really love is the Oat Cleansing Balm from The Inkey List. I have a stack of face cloths from the White Company that I generally use to remove my cleanser (I buy them in the sale).
2. Hyaluronic Acid
This is my next step and has literally become my best friend over the last few years as my skin has started to age and get drier. It is light and quickly absorbed but it instantly soothes and I notice the difference in my skin’s hydration when I use this consistently. The hyaluronic acid products that I have tried and liked are Brightening Hyaluronic Serum by Votary, Intense Hydrating Booster by Sarah Chapman Skinesis. Triple Hyaluronic Acid by Beauty Pie, Hyaluronic Acid + B5 by The Ordinary and Ideal Moisture Level Serum by Twelve Beauty. All of these make my skin feel amazing.
3. Serums
Next I’ll use a serum, I really do love them! I have tried a few and will switch around what I use according to what is going on with my skin. A couple of times a year I’ll use this live probiotic serum by Esse. It’s expensive, but a little goes a long way and has made the most significant difference to my skin of any product I have tried. One bottle can last me for ages. Other serums I love are this one by Twelve Beauty, Sarah Chapman Skinesis Ultra Recovery Booster and this budget-friendly Vitamin C Serum from The Inkey List.
4. Oil
Even though my skin can get oily and is prone to blackheads, it is dry and I can get rosacea breakouts as well as very sensitive and sore if I get very stressed and run-down or when the weather turns colder. So I rely on a good oil to soothe and calm, which I gently press into my skin. I might use a facial massager or this cooling rose roller if I have time. There are so many lovely oils to use. I adore this one by Slow Ageing. The seasonal oils by De Mamiel are utterly gorgeous. I love that they are seasonal, although this does mean there is sometimes a bit of a wait until the next batch is available. This oil by Votary is a favourite as are the morning and nighttime oils from Sarah Chapman Skinesis. The one that I probably have used the most over the years is Trilogy Rosehip Oil because it is a bit more affordable. Oils can be pricy but you just need a couple of drops so I find they last well.
5. Cream
I have found that using a good facial cream is the step I most need to lock everything in and keep my skin hydrated. Sarah Chapman Skinesis Comfort D-stress Cream is the best one I have used and once again, it lasts for ages as I only need a tiny amount. I also love this one by Slow Ageing and Beauty Kitchen’s Really Radiant Moisturiser. I am a huge fan of this brand and it was the winner of the sustainable product category that I chose for the Natural Health Beauty Awards.
6. Eyes
I don’t get along at all well with eye creams so I tend to not use them. My eyes are very sensitive and can get really puffy with creams so I just lightly massage instead. If I need a little extra de-puffing, a teaspoon kept in the freezer does wonders to wake up my eyes and I always use these eyelash curlers, even if I am not going to wear eye make up.
7. Lip Balm
I’ll finish my routine with some of this lip balm which really is the best one I have used and it lasts and lasts. It’s such a brilliant product. I keep one in my make up bag, one on my desk, one in my handbag… I can’t recommend it more.
8. Face SPF
In high summer when I know I’ll be outside outdoors, I’ll add Heliocare SPF 50+ Face Sunscreen after my cream. This brand was recommended to me by Sarah Chapman and it has been the one product that doesn’t trigger outbreaks for me in the same way that some other sunscreens have. As I am out in the garden a lot, I also always wear a sunhat. But read on to the make-up section as I also use make up with SPF all year round.
8. Masks and Occasionals
Once a week I’ll do a face mask. I love them and consider them a real treat. Mostly, I want extra hydration and plumping and other times I want a bit of exfoliation so I have several on the go that I use as and when I need. Evolve Miracle Mask and the 5 Minute Miracle Mask from Beauty Kitchen are both good value and really make me glow. Otherwise, I absolutely LOVE the Votary Intense Overnight Mask and these ones from Sarah Chapman Skinesis.
8. Supplements
Of course, I am a huge advocate of beauty blossoming from the inside, supported by a consistently healthy lifestyle and good hydration. However, I do intermittently take a few supplements to try to support my skin, as and when I feel I need them. Hyaluronic Acid by Wild Nutrition has been reported to reach the skin surface in clinical trials, helping it to stay soft and supple. If I’m not eating much oily fish, or my skin is very dry, I may take an Omega-3 supplement too, such as Life & Soul from Bare Biology or the new Biomega 3 from Beauty Pie. I have also recently started taking Ultimate Collagen from Ingenious Beauty which was sent to me to try.
As always, please speak to your GP or an appropriately qualified nutrition professional prior to starting or changing any supplements. My personal supplement regime may not be safe or appropriate for you.
9. Make up
I have barely worn make up over the past year, but even before that, I definitely lean towards a more natural-look. Having an enthusiastic little one to look after in the mornings is also not conducive to an elaborate make-up routine. But, I have to say that since trying Trinny London make-up, especially this BFF Skin Perfecting Cream which has SPF in it, I have been pretty blown away by how quick and easy it is to quickly do my face. I am a total convert (and this is absolutely not an ad). Take a look at their online Match2Me service to find your recommended products and colours. Brilliant!
Discount Code: For a 20% discount with Bare Biology use code AMELIA20 at checkout via the Bare Biology website.
Although you may notice that there is repetition in a few of the brands mentioned, this post is not sponsored and is entirely authentic. These are the products I have in my cupboards, buy for myself and use regularly. However, some links are affiliate links which means that I may earn a small commission which helps me to cover the costs of my website and social media. There is no extra cost to you if you buy through these links, so thank you very much for supporting if you do, as every little helps to keep my content coming for free.
I was thrilled to recently be featured on Shop My Shelf as one of their trusted experts. Click hereto take a peek at my shelves, what’s on my desk, what else is in my make up bag and some of my other favourite things.
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