The Skincare Routine That Rescued My Skin

This last year I've been picky with what I put on my skin. Nothing harsh. Nothing unnecessary. Nothing unnaturally scented. Nothing that's been tested on animals. Has my nit-pickiness and high standards been worth it? Yes, oh yes. I've always had bad skin. Not terrible, but bad. Mild acne, redness, dry skin,.. you get it. My skin just always lacked that "glow". I never woke up in the morning  and liked what I saw.

I've tried and tested near enough every drug store brand from Simple to Dermalogica and nothing worked. So I decided to take things into my own hands. Why was I trusting products with illegible ingredient lists the length of my arm? The answer to me seemed logical: Ditch these companies. Ditch the harsh chemicals, stop funding animal testing and start doing things for myself. 

My research has made me discover some amazing brands: Lush, Neals Yard Remedies, Balm Balm, Arran Aromatics, Lily Lolo and Honeypie Minerals, just to name a few. I also discovered that sometimes the best thing for your skin is lying in the kitchen cupboard: olive oil, coconut oil, honey, turmeric, oats... These are all ingredients I use often on my skin. Over the last year I have completely changed what I use on my skin and have watched acne disappear, redness fade, texture improve, and I can barely remember what an oily T-zone feels like. My make up applies much better and I also like how I look barefaced. So without any further rambling, here is the skincare routine that rescued my skin!

Morning

I try to start my mornings off with a short jog. Yes, exercise helps the skin, so try to get moving every day. Afterwards I wash my skin and mildly exfoliate with my DIY facial scrub. It contains oats, lavender and chamomile which soothe and soften my skin. When washing your face, always start with warm water to open the pores, and finish with cold water to close the pores.

I apply a few drops of my DIY facial oil to moisturise my face. This is currently a blend of jojoba, grapeseed, rosehip, lavender, patchouli and frankincense oil. I change the ingredients every time it runs out to suit my current needs, but a blend of jojoba, geranium and lavender is a great starting point for everyone. My recipe for this is here. Also, please never moisturise with oil on a dirty face or it will just seal in the dirt and make your face break out. Always cleanse beforehand. I point this out as people are always coming back to me complaining that oil broke them out. "Do you cleanse beforehand?" I ask. "No". 

If I'm wearing makeup I give the oil a few minutes to sink in, then wipe the excess away. I then apply pure aloe vera gel as a primer. I've only just discovered how great this stuff is. It's quick to dry and smooths the skin wonderfully. The first few times I used it I felt like I'd just gotten a face lift.  It's great for skin and is the best primer I've used for my makeup - it also helps my brows stay in place. 

I then do my makeup and I'm set to go. I use a mixture of products from Honeypie Minerals, Lily Lolo and Everyday Minerals. I won't go in to my makeup routine just now - perhaps in a future post!

I set my makeup with a rosewater spray. If you're prone to acne, witch hazel is a great alternative. I personally love the smell of rosewater and just wanted something to give me a burst of moisture and "set" my makeup. It gives my makeup a glowing, airbrushed finish (or as close as I'll ever get!).

I try and make sure to drink plenty of water during the day to keep my skin hydrated and looking good. Water is so important for good skin and this is why I count it in my skin care routine.

Yes, it's the same with food.  Make sure you're eating your fruit and veggies. You think 5 a day is enough? That should be your minimum. I never realised how important these were until I started eating more, so eat up as many different colours as you can. It's worth it in the long run and I have my skin to show for it.

SPF is also something you have to consider. Yes, even in Scotland we have to protect our skin from the long term damage of the sun. Especially us paler girls. My mineral makeup has a natural SPF, so when I leave the house I always try to have some on. If your makeup doesn't have an SPF, look into finding a cream with an SPF rating. I personally prefer my mineral foundation over an extra cream, but it's up to you. Just protect your face from those rays - you'll thank me when your less wise friends begin to wrinkle.

Evening

I like to cleanse my face in the evening rather than right before bed. I heard once that you should always wash your face before 10PM as that is when your skin starts repairing itself. Despite the many flaws in that statement (Time zones? Body clocks? Daylight saving hours? Doesn't the body repair when you're sleeping?) I've always preferred to cleanse the day off before it's too late.

I use my DIY facial cleanser to remove makeup. I massage the oil into my skin then wet a cloth with warm water and sit it on top of my face for a few minutes. This is called "hot cloth cleansing" and it is amazing.  The oil cleanses away any makeup, dirt or whatever I've managed to get on my face that day  while the hot cloth opens up my pores and "draws" the dirty stuff out. I then wipe it all away.

Twice a week I follow this up with a face brush and a face mask. I don't use the face brush in the morning as the harsher exfoliation (compared to me DIY face scrub) leaves my skin rosy. It is brilliant for getting rid of dead skin and leaving my face baby soft - no need for harsh scrubs or micro beads, yay!

Now that my pores are open it's the perfect time to tidy up any facial hair. I recently learned how to thread hair myself, and have used this technique to rid myself of any dark chin or stray brow hairs. My trusty tweezers are there for anything else that's too stubborn to move. 

My go to face mask is organic set honey from tesco, but a few other ingredients have made their way into it now. I add turmeric to help with redness and cinnamon for it's antiseptic qualities (but only a little as I hate the smell and taste). If my skin needs some extra loving I'll add in a dollop of aloe Vera.  I mix in a little cornflour to turn the honey into a paste to stop it dripping off my face. I leave this on for about 20 minutes before washing it off with cool water.

I then massage some of my DIY facial oil into my face.  I also use my DIY acne oil on any spots on my face or body. If my skin is feeling particularly dry (from not drinking enough water, being in the sun or drinking alcohol) I'll follow up with my nettle cream from Caurnie Soaperie.

And that is my daily skin care routine for an average make up-wearing day. I don't actually wear make up most days, so the routine is even simpler. So if I'm not wearing makeup and it's not a "facemask" day, the routine is more like this:

AM 

wash with DIY face scrub

moisturise with DIY facial oil

PM

cleanse with DIY cleansing oil

wash with DIY face scrub

moisturise with DIY facial oil

    

It may seem a lot, but in reality it's quick and low maintenance. It's also fairly cheap. I use the same ingredients in most of my DIY recipes, sourced from either the supermarket or online. 

When I started this routine my skin did take a few months to adjust. I had overly oily skin for a while and it seemed like every time I solved a problem another appeared. Once I got through the transition period I was amazed with my skin. I rarely get spots, my redness and dullness have dramatically reduced and my skin is as smooth as a babies bum. I have more of that "glow" I envied in others and I wear far less makeup. My own devised routine made up of DIY scrubs, masks and facial oils has done for me what big branded, drug store "miracle" products could not. More so, it has healed the damage they have done (bar a few spot scars that are still fading). 

So if you're having skin problems, want to shake up your routine or want to start using purer products, give this routine a try. The best thing about DIY skin care is that it can always be adapted to your own skin, but this routine works great for me and could be a great starting point for anyone.

All photos that are not my own sourced from pixabay.com

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