My Skincare Routine

Hello everyone!

I'm sorry I didn't post last week, I had a lot going on so I wanted a small breather and take some time off for myself. On a more positive note, I am now back and I wanted to do a post on my current skin care routine because it was so highly requested. Those of you who have read my blog for a while now, know that I have acne prone oily skin and my main concern are dark spots that are left behind from a blemish. So the products that i'm going to mention are obviously catered to that. Also, I just want to apologize that most of these products are high end (most as in...all except 2) so I am very sorry if these items are not in your budget. It's just that I have tried many products for my skin over the years and this is what I have found to work the best for me.

So let's get started.

For both morning and night I like to use the Shiseido Ibuki Purifying Cleanser. I've mentioned this in one of my "monthly favourites" before. It's a creamy-thick cleanser that foams up once you add water to it. I like that it gives me a really deep cleansing and removes any left over makeup that I may have. I also like to actually cleanse my face twice with this, I just find that by cleansing my face twice I really get rid of all impurities and by doing so, I noticed that I don't get blemishes as often.

After cleansing, once or twice a week I will use the Rituals Brightening Face Exfoliator with Lotus flower & Moringa extract. This product has a similar consistency to lotion with very fine exfoliating grains (?) in it. The best I can describe it is that it's a lot more fine than the St. Ives exfoliating apricot scrub. This product has helped lighten my dark spots significantly and removes any dull/dead skin cells effectively. It leaves my skin very smooth and because it's like lotion, when I step out of the shower it doesn't leave my skin feeling stripped or tight.

For toner, I use the Garnier Pure Control Acne Astringent Lotion.  A lot of people tend to skip the toning step but I think it's important because a good toner will remove any impurities left behind from your cleanser if you do a crap job cleansing and it will also restore the skin's normal pH balance. This toner does both and it also helps soothe blemishes when they are present.

After cleansing and toning, of course the last step is to moisturize. I actually like to use two different moisturizers.

During the day, i'll use the Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture for combination skin. I know I dont have combination skin but I really like this moisturizer for day time. It's light and dries quickly. A little also goes a long way for me. It's a good everyday, "student budget friendly" moisturizer that will do the job.

At night, I use the L'Occitane Divine Creme which I believe I mentioned in my "May Favourites". It's a rich, luxurious moisturizer that is simply amazing. It has a lot of ingredients in it that are very beneficial to the skin. My overall complexion has improved since using it. Of course it also helps lighten my dark spots which is always good in my books. I like to use this one at night as opposed to the day because it's a lot thicker. I like to have my skin soak this up undisturbed. I find that if I wear this during the day, because it's a thicker cream, my face will become oilier quicker because it's being exposed to impurities, sweat and the sun, so it's just not nice to
wear during the day.

A few times a week I will also do a face mask. The one I use is the Origins Clear Improvement Active charcoal mask to clear pores. I did a full review on this product a few months ago so you can read on how I like that HERE :) .

And that's it!

That is my current skin care routine. Leave a comment below telling me which product you love most in your skin care routine or any suggestions you'd want me to write a post on in the future :)

Until next time

Love,
Kristie