My Skincare Routine

I've really gotten into skincare lately, and I've found that keeping all of my products in a dedicated container makes it so much easier to maintain my routine.

I keep my face masks and spot treatments in there as well, as it saves me scrambling to find it when the time comes. Keep in mind that this post is a stack of mini skincare reviews, so is quite word heavy. Feel free to dip into the ones that interest you most if it is too wordy!

 

Garnier Clean Sensitive Eye Make-Up Remover

I must admit I'm not loving this as much as I've enjoyed other eye makeup removers. It doesn't sting my eyes, but it takes a lot of rubbing to remove my eye makeup. It leaves my eyes feeling a bit tight, so once I finish this bottle I'll be moving onto a different eye makeup remover.

 

Bioderma Crealine H2O

I've raved about this before here, but suffice to say this is a permanent fixture in my skincare routine. This is my second bottle (the first was PR provided) and I also have a mini for when I travel. This sweeps away my face makeup before cleansing so well, and is perfect for sensitive skin. I use this after I've removed my eye makeup to prep my skin for cleansing.

 

Avene Cleanance Soapless Gel Cleanser*

I keep this cleanser in the shower, and use it after the previous two products to deeply cleanse my skin. I like gel cleansers as they're thick and seem to clean my face really well. I slather a squeeze of this on and cleanse, before adding a bit of water which emulsifies it. It's easy to wash away, and though it leaves my skin a little papery (it is meant for skin oilier than mine, but works wonders on breakouts) it keeps my skin in a clear, happy condition.

 

 Kiehls Cucumber Herbal Alcohol-Free Toner*
This toner sample works well at soothing my skin, but as with many toners it is hard to see proper 'results' from this step of cleansing. I use this after hopping out of the shower, to prep my skin for serums/moisturiser. I've since moved onto a different Kiehls toner, but I think I prefer this bright green bottle of goodness.

Uriage AquaPRECIS Eye Contour Care*
This eye cream sinks in super fast, and while it is moisturising I don't find that it is too heavy and it doesn't cause milia under my eyes. I love tube style eye creams, and this one is lovely.

Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate*
This is something I use every second night to nourish my skin. I find it keeps my skin hydrated without adding any oiliness to the surface, and though it takes a little while to sink in, waking up in the morning with soft skin is worth it. I recently had a twitter chat with others who have used this as I was wondering if my results were truly from this concentrate, and all signs point to yes as they love this stuff!

Avene Cleanance Anti-Shine Regulating Lotion*
I find that this really does help keep shine at bay, but because I also have dry patches on my face I need to use more nourishing creams at night to maintain moisture levels. It sinks in very fast and is a gel-like lotion, which smells pleasant and is nice, affordable and French!

Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion
I shake this up really well before applying every second night, mainly to my forehead and anywhere I'm suffering from bumpy skin and cystic acne. The alcohol scent of this knocks me for a six, but it works oh lord does it work! It takes a lot to impress me, but my smooth forehead high fives Mario B. for his hard work!

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion
I use this as a spot lotion to stop pimples erupting, but since I've switched medications and begun using the Avene cleanser, this has pretty much been left untouched! Never thought I would see the day, I was burning through this stuff quite fast but am still happy to have it on hand for 'that time' of the month. I use this with a q-tip, without shaking, and dip the tip into the bottle so that it is soaked in the liquid and some of the calamine lotion. You end up getting into bed with pale pink spots on your face, but it is worth it the next day.

Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub

 Most of this just gets eaten, but I use this lip scrub every now and again to slough off dead skin and keep my smackers smooth. Chris always asks why I can't just use my toothbrush like he does, but I think he is just jealous of my sugar hit.

 

 The Jojoba Company Botanical Hydrating Face Mask*
This gives my skin a tremendous hydration hit (without making it shiny!) and I love the way it dries on my skin. It feels a bit tingly, which I attribute to the re-renergising aspect of it, and I love how soft my skin feels the next day. I am going to repurchase this when this tube is finito.

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque
This famous masque is great at calming breakouts, so I tend to use this when my skin is acting up. It sort of brings out the blemishes, which in turn allows them to heal quickly and get off my mug sooner- a definite win! This is super minty and cooling, and I purchased it in this haul.

Alpha-H Gentle Daily Exfoliant*
Best exfoliator I have used, hands down. Gentle but sloughs off the rough skin, is fruit derived which I like in my exfoliators. I can use this often without a problem, and tend to use it once or twice a week depending on how my skin is acting.

 

I also keep mask samples in my skincare box, as well as cotton rounds (for toner and Bioderma) and cotton tips (for spot lotion) in a reuseable cotton tip box from Priceline. I like being able to lazily clean my face each night and know what to use, it stops me from switching up my skincare too often, and allows me to see the benefits of what I'm using right now. These photos were taken some time ago, so I have made quite a dent in all of these since! I haven't begun using that Ponds cold cream just yet, but I like to keep it in there anyway.

How do you store your current skincare?
Have you tried any of these products?
What do you think of my 'skincare box'?

*Marked items were sent for review. Honesty, always.