The Routine

This week on the blog is an important one. From today until Friday I'll be posting everyday about my Skincare Secrets - from face-mapping and ingredient importance right the way through to how eating affects our skin. I've been really getting into my skincare over the past six months and I feel like I've finally knuckled down on my routine and my skin is really seeing the benefits. Today's post is on the importance of routine.

Cleansing

It's so important to cleanse your face morning and night - it gets all of the gunk and makeup off our face and out of our pores. For this, I use either the Bioderma Micellaire Water or the L'Oreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Solution in the morning and then the Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm in the evening. I prefer a thicker cleanser before I go to bed because it really makes sure that the rubbish my pores have collected (makeup, oil, dirt) are out and my skin is really clean. If you forget to cleanse in the evening (we all do it sometimes!) make sure you change your pillowcases frequently so you aren't sleeping on a dirty, makeup-filled sheet.

Exfoliating

Exfoliating should be done sparingly - I'd recommend once or twice a week. Exfoliating removes the top layer of skin and gets rid of roughness, but too much can damage the skin. I like to use the St. Ives Apricot Scrub twice a week as my skin is sort-of sensitive and this makes my skin feel so fresh and plump. If you have acne, I'd recommend using an exfoliator with a small amount of salicylic acid in, for example the Avene Cleanance Gel Creme Exfoliator or even the Origins Zero Oil Deep Pore Cleanser.

Spot Treatment

Blemishes, they can be the devil in disguise sometimes! We've all had those times where we're attending a big event and we get a huge zit in the middle of our head the night before... Not fun. I've found the best spot treatment is the La Roche Posay Effeclar Duo, which I use whenever I get a spot or redness and this treats it within a matter of days.

Moisturising

To me, moisturising is the most important step in my routine. I love the feeling of fresh, plump skin and am a firm believer in that everyone should moisturise their face twice a day - you can never have too much! Even if you have oily skin, moisturising is a step you shouldn't miss. The skin is the largest organ in our bodies and we need to make sure that every inch of it is moisturised to be as healthy, plump and fresh as possible. They don't have to cost a bomb - the Simple Light Moisturiser is one of my favourites and it's under £5 but for a deep moisturise, I'd recommend the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream.