Five Skincare Tips I Have Learned Recently + Product Recommendations
Learning about skincare is a lifelong journey, so let's look at what I've learned so far...
*This post contains affiliate links.*
*This post contains affiliate links.*
I
am no skincare guru, and I am still learning a lot about skincare,
but I love taking care of my skin and making sure that it feels great
both inside and outside. I have also noticed that over the last year
and a bit, my skin has never looked better - ever since I started to
take skincare seriously! So I wanted to share my tips with everyone
out here who's not a pro, but who wants to easily take care of their
skin and keep it healthy. These tips may apply to you, or they may
not: there is no one size fits all, but I hope that some of those
tips can be helpful or inspire you take care of your skin. These
are not scientific facts, only obversations of what worked for me -
hoping that it will work for you too!
NUMBER ONE: LOOK INTO THE PRODUCTS YOU USE
We've
all done it when we were younger: picked skincare products based on
their cute packaging or the fact that they were super cheap; not
really paying attention to the ingredient list, or what they actually
do for your skin. Of course there is a natural progression and we all
learn and get better as we grow, but I really think the sooner we
take skincare seriously, the better. I used to buy any product that
looked alright at the grocery store. This would lead to various
results: sometimes it worked out, sometimes my skin broke out. I went
from extremely oily skin to persistent dry patches, not really
knowing why. This must have to some extent been due to hormones (I am 25
now) but also the fact that I didn't really pay all that much
attention to what I put on my skin. After a while, I decided to teach
myself how to pick the right products. I read informative reviews and
chose products based on their ingredients, and what those ingredients
promised for the skin. Ever since I made this conscious decision, my
skin has regulated itself, feels much better and it changed down to
its type (my skin is not as oily at all anymore) and my pimples and
break outs have massively, massively reduced. In short:
check out ingredient lists and pick products that are trustworthy.
Don't settle for just any product because "why not, it can't be that bad."
NUMBER TWO: WHEN YOU FIND THE RIGHT PRODUCTS, STICK TO THEM
It's
great to discover new brands, new products and formulas, but I would
say that using the same products over a length of time really helped
me achieve a nicer skin. For over a year now I have been using my The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% toner for exfoliation, and I always reach for it with the
same enthusiasm as I did when I first got it. It's great at keeping
my skin bright and clear. This doesn't mean I will use this same
toner forever now, of course, but I plan on using it many more months
and once it runs out, I may try a different product - after great
research, as suggested in number one. So think about the few products
that you've used recently and that have made a real difference on
your skin, and keep them around! I would say that for people, like
me, who are not keen to discover new products and swap their routines
on the daily, then this is the best course of action - to stick to
what works for some time, before changing up products in your
routine, especially if you want to change up a few at the same time.
NUMBER THREE: CONSISTENCY IS KEY
Do
I even need to say this? You should always make sure to remove your
makeup properly every evening, even when you come back from a night
out or just can't be bothered. You can't take great care of your skin
one week, and give it up the next. Like every good routine, you need
to be consistent to see long-lasting effects. Find the routine that
works for you, with the right products morning and evening, and make
sure you stick to it. This doesn't mean you have to do a full
20-minute routine every day - I am far from doing that myself! But
even the smallest of routines, with only a couple products if that
works for you, needs to be kept up to work long-term. Think about it
as investing time and care in yourself.
NUMBER FOUR: TO CREATE AN EASY ROUTINE, USE SINGLE INGREDIENT PRODUCTS
Recently,
more and more brands have been putting the ingredients of their
products at the forefront, which I think is great. You need to know
exactly what you're putting on your skin, and personnally I will more
likely look into a product called "Hyaluronic Acid Serum" than one called "Beautiful Glowy Plump Visage
Miracle". I like that some brands are favouring "non-nonsense"
products and marketing now, with products going straight to the
point, with relevant "how to use" instructions and even
(when we're lucky) the percentage of the key product(s) notified -
especially great for acids and vitamins. I find that using products
with a main ingredient in them, such as a HA product, a Vitamin C
product, a Retinol product, an SPF, etc. makes it easier to build a
routine, if you're still not 100% familiar with which products you
should get and what multitaskers would work for you. Listen to your
skin and find out its needs, then you can look into the products that
you should use. I love The Ordinary and The Inkey List, they are
great for non-professionals like myself who need straight-forward
advice and want to know what products to use, when, and for what
purpose, very easily. Keep reading so see my current favourite
"no-nonsense" skincare products, I've listed them down
below!
NUMBER FIVE: DON'T TOUCH YOUR FACE TOO MUCH
I will preface this by saying that I am very guilty of touching my own face all the time, and by writing this I am committing, with you, to trying to stop this bad habit! Touching your skin with most likely dirty hands is not good, especially these days where we are fighting a virus - we get all sorts of nasty stuff on our face by touching it. Let's make a conscious effort to stop that. Easier said that done, but it can be a little challenge to set yourself. I know that for some weird reason I always, always absent-mindedly touch the sides of my face when I'm thinking, close to my hairline, and by coincidence (or not...) it is the area where I tend to get small pimples the most regularly. I touch my phone, then I touch my skin - not a great combination! So I need to stop myself from doing that. And maybe you should too, if you have the same problem as me. Let me know in the comments if you can relate to this!
MY FAVOURITE BLOGS TO FOLLOW FOR SKINCARE ADVICE AND REVIEWS:
DoctorAnne is
the place to go for detailed reviews with lots of details about
product ingredients, their use, their effect, how to pair them, etc.
Anne is always ready to answer questions from her readers, and she
backs up her reviews with her research, scientific facts and studies,
and her own experience using the products. She's helped me more times
than I can recall!
JasmineTalksBeauty is
another great blog for thorough product reviews. Jasmine tries out
products from so many brands, and I often learn about new brands
reading her posts. She is a great source of information if you're
looking into changing your routine or creating a brand-new routine,
and looking from new brands to discover. Jasmine also blogs about
makeup and is just as knowledgeable in that regard, so bonus points!
THE CURRENT SKINCARE PRODUCTS IN MY ROUTINE:
I
have a very small skincare routine. Mostly because I don't like the
fuss and enjoy easy and quick steps - same in my makeup habits and
routine. However I can say that these few products have really made
my skin so much better. Clearer, moisturised (farewell dry spots and
excessive oil production!) and this, on the long term - which is the
most important for me.
Avene Clearance Mask: Avène is a French pharmarcy brand, and they have
amazing products for face, body and hair cake. Their body soaps are
wonderful and make you skin silky smooth, and so does their Clearance
Mask. It is a face mask that I use every 5 days or so. I leave it on
the face for between 6 to 10 minutes. It has a few tiny grains for
exfoliation, but so few that it is very gentle. It leaves the face
super moisturised and clean.
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution: This toner is quite
popular among skincare blogs I think, and for a reason! Ever since I
started to use acid exfoliators I have preferred them to physical
ones, and before this one I used the Pixi Glow Tonic, which is also
awesome. The Ordinary is a wonderful brand for cheap skincare that
you can trust, especially when you start out. I use this toner every
other day (thanks to DoctorAnne's
advice!) and it is great to clear out the skin.
The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid: Ever since I started using HA it has made
a big change in my skin, it's much smoother and plumper, especially
under my eyes and between my eyebrows, where I would usually get
wrinkles of expression. I love the texture of this HA, it's a clear
gel that sinks into the skin nicely.
The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Hemi Squalane: Squalane can be used on your face but also in your hair. This one is natural, however squalane can be produced synthetically or from animals - both of which I of course wouldn't recommend. Squalane is a derivative from one of the natural components of sebum, hence why it can be used on the skin and the hair. It helps calming and softening the skin, which is great when you use a toner like I do. The texture is comparable to water and you only need a few drops for the whole face, making it a great product to keep in your routine on the long run.
My Clarins Relaxing Sleep Mask: My Clarins is Clarins's 'little sister' in terms of skincare. This sleeping mask doubles as a simple night cream. I have never used it as an actual mask, but use it every night as cream. It is very soft and not heavy at all, and leaves the skin so moisturised - I used a sample of it this winter, and in a couple days the few dry patches I had from the cold had disappeared. This cream is great, and also cheaper than your usual Clarins cream - also good to consider. I found this cream in Sephora.
What are the skincare tips you've learned recently? Let's share in the comments to help each other!
Lots of love,
Julia x
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