My Skin Care Routine

I recently received a message from a good friend of mine asking me to do a blog post about my skin care routine and also how I do my make-up. I thought I'd start out by doing my skin care routine, and then doing a little tutorial kind of thing next week on a separate blog post about how I do my day-to-day make-up. This will include photographs of myself doing my make-up so it's easier to follow.  Please note I know I'm not really a dermatological or make-up specialist but I do always try to look my best and take care of my skin properly, plus I thought this would be a bit of fun. 

Body Skin (arms, legs, belly etc)

Credits to 'Jessica's Journal' for the photograph. I was too lazy to take my own.

I am an avid fan of the Soap and Glory collection at Boots. These two products are great for showers and baths. Calm One, Calm All comes in a bubble bath form and also in 2-in-1 mixture of shower gel and body lotion. I usually use it when I have a bath. I pour a few drops of into the bath so I can soak in it and smell nice then put some more onto my body for moisture and soft skin. Clean on Me isn't as intense but has a lovely fragrance and is perfect for freshening up at the beginning of the day before you go to work or school. If you go to the gym frequently then get some of the miniature versions so you can freshen up in the showers.

The Righteous Butter is best used when coming out of the shower and before you go to bed. Again, it has a lovely fresh scent to it. It also works a treat when it comes to getting rid of dry and dead skin. It really plumps up your skin and makes it incredibly soft and flawless. If you have scars or stretch marks on your body, like me, apply Bio Oil (pictured below) first as this can get rid of scars, blemishes and marks within a fortnight and does a great job of fading them out. After you've let the Bio Oil sink in to your skin and dry, apply The Righteous Butter for a soft and sweet-scented finish. I've been doing this for the past two years and it works so well. Please do not apply Bio Oil to the facial region as it is a very strong chemical and can create a lot of blemishes as your facial skin is a lot more sensitive. Bare in mind it is an oil so if you put it on your face, it will give you extremely greasy and shiny facial skin. 

Facial Skin

Dermatologica is a skin care range based in the UK. There is a range both for adults and teenagers. Personally, I recommend the teenage products up until you are about 24 or so, although I do use one of the adult cleansers to remove my make up. You can find these products in stores such as Boots, Harvey Nicholls and Selfridges in the make-up and skin care section. They are quite pricey but it is amazing value for money. I was recommended these products when I was about 14 by my beautician.
Here are the products from this range that I strongly recommend and how I use them. They are all pictured above.

1. Wash Off- A smooth facial wash. I dampen my face with warm sink water, apply the face wash then wash it off again with more warm water. Afterwards, I pat my face dry with a towel.
2. Ready, set, scrub!- I was told you only really need to use this product around twice a week, three times a week at the absolute maximum as it is quite strong. I put a tiny blob on my hands and spread it across my face. I then use two facial sponges from Liz Earle Skin Care ltd. (also found in Boots and Selfridges) to scrub it off using warm water. Again, after this is done I pat my face dry with a towel. 
3. All over clear- This is a light spritzing product that you spray over your face after having a wash. It's basically a cleanser. It re-cleans your face and adds a bit more moisture whilst eliminating pores. If you are uncomfortable with spraying it directly onto yourself then just spray it onto a cotton wool pad or something then 
4. Bedtime for Breakouts- A gel that you put a small amount of on facial spots and blemishes. You only need a minute blob on each blemish as again, it's quite strong and a bit smelly too. If you put a tiny blob on your spots and blemishes each night they will be gone within a week or so!

These are the only products I've really used within the teenage range but I stick to them religiously and have never washed my face with anything else. If you live local to the Ashbourne area then pop into Georgina's Health and Beauty Salon as they sell small taster packages of the products and also the full sized products of both Clean Start (teenager range) and Dermatologica (adult range) products. If you book a facial here, they also use these products and they work a treat. I always feel so lovely and clean afterwards. 

If your New Year's Resolution is to improve your skin and complexion, go out and try samples of different skin products. You don't have to go out and try the ones I've recommended because different people have different skin sensitivity. I have very sensitive skin and these all work fine for me, but they may not work for other people with sensitive skin. Just go out and try different things, book facials with your local beautician (make sure they are properly qualified and that you're not just being a guinea pig for a standard level Hair and Beauty student) and ask them what products they are using and also where you can purchase them from, or if they offer free samples of the products they use. In most Boots stores they also have trained skin and make up professionals there. Don't be afraid to ask. They are there to help you!

Thanks for reading and happy shopping!! xo