My favourite Summer skincare!

Summer is lovely, it’s my favourite time of year, I must admit! But it can be so tricky for your skin, and there’s so much that can go wrong. But, I think by having a good solid skincare routine morning and night, it goes a long way to help avoid these problems.

A lot of problems seem to happen on a younger skin I’m afraid, is it that you tend to know your skin better when you are older or you have simply found a way to balance and help your skin problems? I know even though I had extremely dry, lumpy patches when I was a teenager, I also had blocked pores and sometimes spots!

My skin was so dry and tight (could have been the Palmolive Soap!) that I started using my mothers Elizabeth Arden cleanser, toner and moisturiser when I was about 11. My skin improved overnight and that’s when my love of all things beauty started! And it definitely became my ‘thing’

Me, in my teenage years! 🤣

Of course, we all know the drill and the basics - cleanse, tone and moisturise. Without that, I truly believe you don’t stand a chance. So from that starting point you can add and embellish your routine to whatever your mood takes you and how your skin feels really from day to day, month to month and year to year. I always double cleanse, serum, oil, moisturiser and eye cream. I also extend everything down my neck to my chest (décolleté) area. Also at night I give my face and neck a really good massage with a Rose Quartz Gua Sha (£9.99). Do you know them? A curved piece of rose quartz. They are a marvellous bit of kit, just a few minutes really lift the face. I get mine from Superdrug, and I’ve used it for a few years now, simple lifting movements from the centre outwards up to the hairline.

I definitely use so much more product than I ever used to, I’ve got the time and the inclination to see what makes a difference on my skin now.

So first things first, cleansing! I start off with an eyemakeup remover, normally a bi-facil one that you shake to mix the oil with the liquid. It takes off your eye makeup in a wizz.

So I’m still using Skin Hydrating Milk Cleanser by Revolution (£7.99) it is a lovely, easy, thin milky fluid that you can just slosh (for want of a more technical term) on, massage it all over your face, eyes and neck, add a little water and then rinse off or wipe off with a damp cloth if you prefer. It leaves my skin super clean and soft. But it would be so much better if it had a scent! I use those cute little cleansing pads from Primark. I’ve also recently been using the Cleansing Butter from Primark (£3.00)  which is bit like an old fashioned cold cream, thick, creamy, soft and luscious on the skin and l’m trying out the Weleda Cleansing Balm (£13.50) which is a balm which turns to oil and then emulsifies with water. It can also be used as a nourishing mask, leave on for 10mins then rinse off. Delicious scent and gorgeous product.

The second cleanse is always with a micellar water, at the moment it’s the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water (£6.50). Why a second cleanse and why micellar water? Well your first cleanse will start to break down daily grime and makeup but not completely remove it (hence you will be susceptible to blocked pores or spots) and I use the micellar water as a skin tonic and cleanser. If I’m away I only use the micellar water but twice, brilliant, magical stuff!

My next step is a face serum. I won’t tell you what to use, because frankly there are millions out there from budget to expensive and everything in between. I would say decide what your budget is and go from there. A good place to start is somewhere like a large pharmacy like Superdrug or Boots. They are really helpful and will give you loads of ideas and options, rather than going to your nearest beauty department in your local store, or somewhere like Space NK unless of course you don’t have any real budget!

Whatever, I use I always use a Hyaluronic Serum (£4.99) the one I’m using now is by Balance and it’s smooth and easily absorbed, I always

And you’ve guessed it, I always, always finish with a SPF (in the morning), come rain or shine, Summer or Winter. It takes a few knock backs of funny pigmentation that you need removed because it’s either getting bigger or it’s bleeding, before the message really sinks home, and you use it every day, at least factor 30, layering a good amount on top of the skin so it protects and sinks in (I use at least a couple of teaspoons), and never over wintering your SPF otherwise it will totally loose it’s power. What am I talking about, if you use it every day then you won’t be over wintering it! 🤣🤣

So, go forth and make your skin the most fabulous it can be! X

it because it gives me a super feed of deep moisture, and then I select a serum that addresses any skin problem that I have! So, at the moment I’m using something for my darker pigmentation patches or put another way, uneven skin colour. Age and sun exposure! Whoops! 🥺 it’s the Biovene Glow Bright Vitamin C serum, (£1.99) which I love because it’s an easy gel, easy to apply, and it sinks straight in. If I run out and don’t use it, I notice a huge difference. This really helps with my pigmented, uneven tone along with a daily SPF 30 also by Biovene (£3.99) The gorgeously scented one that smells like apricots, both by Savers!

The next thing I never, ever miss out on, otherwise I would be like a prune! Is a face oil. Of all the ones that I have tried, and that’s including the pricey ones by Darphin and Decleor, my all time favourite has to be Huile Prodigieuse by Nuxe. Why is it so good? Well it’s a dry oil, so it sinks in like a dream, it smells light and gorgeous, and it make a sublime difference to the skin. Your skin will glow, look plump and look so much more youthful. It comes in 30ml (£12.50),  50ml (£23.00), and 100ml (£33.00). Currently you can buy it in M & S (their beauty department is a hidden treasure trove!), online everywhere, Amazon etc and of course everywhere in France and at all their airports! Buy it!

But, if you happen to be in Aldi, casually looking down the centre isle while you are pretending to get your potatoes, look out for their Wonder Oil 50ml, in their Lacura range. It’s a very good dupe of the Nuxe, same size, almost the same texture and smell and it’s £4.99!

Now on to creams and moisturisers, where do I start! I’m totally in love with the Weleda Skin Food Rich Moisturiser £15.95or the Aldi Dupe by Lacura! 🤣I know I bang on about fragrance but this is such a fresh scent, it’s a total joy to apply. In a tube, and always handy. They also have a light one too, which is equally yummy if you don’t need anything richer or the weather is very hot. I currently have loads on the go that I’ve brought to try out and some of my favourites like the Aldi Lacura Caviar Day Cream (also in night) £6.99 and a dupe for La Prairie at over £100. This is a delicious cream, soft, smooth and silky, makes your skin feel glorious and the Revolution Miracle Cream at Superdrug for £12.99, (a very good dupe for the Charlotte Tilbury)

I’m not one of those girls who poo poos eye creams, I have used one for years now, admittedly I was a bit late to the game, maybe in my 40’s, but I truly believe it’s never too late! I’m definitely not about to slap on my moisturiser around my eyes and risk the awful puffiness that you will get when the cream can’t be absorbed (because it’s too thick and not made for the delicate skin under the eyes). I will only ever use a proper eye makeup remover and a kosher eye cream! I do always prefer a pot, so I can get to the cream quickly, I know they talk about contamination, but wash you hands before you get your eye cream or use a q-tip! If you are really concerned! I use an eye cream morning and night and just pat a bit under my eyes (a grain of rice, is a good measure!). I’ve been using the Pro Miracle Eye Cream from Revolution (£6from Superdrug, Boots, Amazon) on and off for years now, I love it, the texture, smell and absorption. There’s nothing not to like (I also think it’s another Charlotte Tilbury dupe!)