Skincare Routine Update

In May, I decided to try out a skincare routine. I had never really paid much attention to my skin before, and I wanted to see whether following a skincare routine would make a difference to the health and appearance of my skin. I also had quite a lot of skincare products that I had hardly used, and I wanted to get some more use out of them.

Firstly, I did some research on Pinterest to find out what a good skincare routine should consist of. Based on my discoveries, this is the routine I came up with:

How did I get on with my skincare routine?

I managed to complete my skincare routine every morning in May, and most evenings (22 out of 31). Sometimes I got in late from an evening out, and I just didn’t have the energy to do my routine, or I wanted to prioritise getting more sleep. On these days, I just used cleanser to remove any make-up, and that was it.

When I missed an evening routine, I didn’t catch up with it on the next day. I simply moved on to whatever I would normally use on the next day of my routine. This meant that sometimes I missed a few masks or exfoliations in a row, but I don’t think that really mattered.

I have been using my homemade make-up wipes to apply my cleanser and toner, because this is a more sustainable option than using cotton wool. I had to make a lot more wipes because I have been getting through them fast! It takes a while to get them washed, dried and ready to use again.

While waiting for my face to dry between each step of my routine, I have tended to get on with other tasks. This means that sometimes my skincare routine has taken a while, because I spread it out!

Has my skin improved?

You are probably wondering whether this routine has had a positive effect on my skin! To be honest, I am not sure if my skin is any better. It feels softer and more moisturised than it used to, but I have still had some spots and blemishes. I’m not really surprised at this, because my face probably has to adjust to having various products put on it, some of which might not be right for my skin! I still have a lot to learn about skincare, and I think it will take time to develop my routine so that it truly benefits my skin.

What skincare products did I use?

Before the start of the month, I gathered together all the skincare products that I own, and sorted them out into the different types of products. I started by using the products that were the oldest, or already half used, as they would need using up first. I was glad to have the opportunity to use up some products that I’ve had for a while and may not otherwise have used.

These are the products I have been using this month:

Cleanser

Pacifica Cactus Water Micellar Cleansing Tonic. I like this cleanser and it is vegan and cruelty free!

Toner

I didn’t have a toner, so I did some research on how to make my own! I combined apple cider vinegar, tea tree lotion and green tea in a spray bottle. All these ingredients kept coming up in the toner recipes I found, and I already had them all at home. I am not sure how effective this toner is, but I like the fact that I made it myself so I know all the ingredients are natural.

Spot Treatment

Tisserand Tea Tree & Aloe Skin Rescue Stick. I got this product in the Cruelty Free Beauty Box [unfortunately now closed down] in April. It is made from 100% natural pure essential oils.

Moisturiser

Boots No.7 Beautiful Skin – Dry Skin Rescue. I have had this product for quite a while, as I got it in a free gift from boots. It is a mini tube and it doesn’t have the ingredients on, so I’m not sure how natural the product is. I wanted to use it up because it is quite old, but I feel as though it may be too rich for my face because it is meant to be ‘intensely hydrating’ for dry patches, and my face is not that dry. I decided to save this product for when I have dry skin, so I switched to the following:

LUSH Enzymion Facial Moisturiser. I like LUSH products and I had never tried this one before. I am liking it so far!

Exfoliator

LUSH Ocean Salt. I used up a pot of this.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Squeaky-Clean Scrub. This is another product that has been hanging around in my skincare collection for years, not getting used. Unfortunately, I realised that this product contains micro-beads, because I bought it before The Body Shop phased them out. Micro-beads are terrible for the environment because they pass through water filtration systems into the rivers and oceans, and get eaten by marine life. I didn’t want to waste the rest of this product, so I have been carefully wiping it off my face with tissues and putting it in the bin, to stop the micro-beads from getting down the sink! Luckily, The Body Shop have got rid of micro-beads from all their products now, so if I bought this scrub again it wouldn’t contain them.

Face masks

Avon Planet Spa Face Masks: Japanese sake and rice, and Mediterranean Olive Oil. I used these two masks from Planet Spa because I had sample sachets of them.

LUSH Don’t Look At Me – Fresh Face Mask. I love using LUSH fresh face masks, and this lovely bright blue one is no exception!

Serum

Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Serum. I received this product in a giveaway and I have heard good things about it. I’m a bit suspicious of the ingredients though because a lot of them are unnatural. Also, I am not keen on the smell of this serum. I will use it up though!

Eye Cream

LUSH Enchanted Eye Cream. I have had this product for years and not really used it, so it is quite old. I’m not sure that this eye cream does anything for me, but I’ll keep using it up until I get hold of a good alternative!

As you can see, I have been using products from a variety of brands, and some contain more natural ingredients than others. Because of this, I am not sure that the products I used necessarily go together and complement each other very well. It’s hard to tell which products are working and which aren’t, but I will learn with time and experience. 

I would prefer to use products that are natural, cruelty free, vegan and sustainably produced and packaged. As I use things up, I will repurchase the natural ones if I feel they worked for my skin, and replace the less natural and ethical ones with better alternatives. This way, I will gradually transition to a skincare routine that works for me, both in terms of ethics and what suits my skin.

What’s next on my skincare journey?

I intend to carry on with my skincare routine. I feel as though I haven’t been doing it for long enough to know whether it is truly effective for me or not, so I will keep it exactly as it is for now. If in the future I decide that the routine could be improved, I can always tweak it.

I don’t think it matters if I miss the occasional day. It’s probably a good thing to give my skin a break from products sometimes!

I will continue to use up the skincare products I own, and I will tailor my future purchases to suit my preferences. I am also likely to receive some great natural and ethical skincare products in the Cruelty Free Beauty Box, so that is something to look forward to!

Do you follow a skincare routine? If you have any skincare tips or product recommendations, I would love to hear about them! Let me know in the comments below!