Skin Care for Dummies.

I have been such a bad blogger recently! Had a couple of things to work on but they are (nearly) sorted so I am back in business! 

So a couple of weeks ago I posted a blog about my amazing new No. 7 exfoliator, and in that blog I had mentioned about my new skincare routine (which I love). Now it’s time to delve a little deeper into it. Although I have always taken my make-up off it properly it was with the least effort possible, usually shoving a wipe around my face hoping it works. And as far as moisturiser went I pretty much grabbed the first one I saw and slapped it on before my foundation. One of my new years resolutions was to try and take better care of my skin so I went out and stocked up on a few basic bits and pieces to wean me into the daunting world that is skincare. 

Nivea Daily Essentials: Refreshing Facial Cleansing Wipes for Normal & Combination Skin

Okay so these wipes are not a new product for me; once upon a time they were the only things I used! For me these are the best wipes I’ve ever used to remove makeup. They really get in underneath the products and take it off effectively. I also find that the ridged texture gives my skin a good scrub! Something I never found with plain old baby wipes and the like. 

The formula in these wipes is very gentle and has never caused me to break out, always a bonus! These are step 1 in my day-to-day skincare routine, and I usually leave these beside my bed when I’m on a night out. I hate sleeping with makeup on and even after a few bevvies you can’t do too much damage with a wipe!

I will say that they aren’t amazing at taking off my (extensive) eye make-up. But regardless of that if I were only able to use one product for make-up removal, this would be it.

Nivea Daily Essentials: 2 in 1 Cleanser and Toner for Normal & Combination Skin

This was one of my new investments in the New Year and now I couldn’t do without it! I use this handy 2 in 1 cleanser after my face wipe, just to make sure I’ve got every last scrap of foundation off. This product is lovely. It’s a really creamy liquid that glides on the skin beautifully. I usually use it on cotton pads and I always find my skin smooth and refreshed after. One thing I particularly love about this (and the wipes) is the vitamin E. I have definitely noticed my skin becoming so much brighter. If you’re a bit lazy like me this is a great investment, cleansing & toning in one easy step!

Nivea Daily Essentials: Double Effect Eye Make-Up Removed for All Skin Types

I’m sure you’ve noticed a pattern by now… But hey I’m a sucker for continuity. This is vital step in my skincare routine that I used to not even do (the horror). I never realised how much eye make-up I actually wore until I started using a proper remover. This is double effect remover, using an oil phase to remove even waterproof mascara, and an aqueous phase that protects and cares for your lashes. I like this product, not as much as the cleanser and toner but it’s still very good. 

I’m just not sure if I agree with everything on the packaging. It states that there’s no oily residue left, but every time I’ve used it I’ve definitely had greasy lids after. It also states that there’s no rubbing needed, but I definitely have to rub to get all my make-up off, even on my ‘minimal’ days. Despite these things I’m still happy with the product and I will probably purchase again if I can’t find one that sounds better.

The Body Shop Seaweed Clarifying Night Treatment for Oily & Combination Skin

Where has this product been all my life? I bought this on a whim about a month ago and I am so glad I did! This gorgeous serum is a night treatment that balances the excess oil in your skin as it moisturises. I’ve seen my mum use night treatments before and I always thought they were too heavy for my young skin, but this is a light, easily absorbed, non-clogging, oil-free moisturizing gel and it’s perfect. I wake-up every morning with fresh, shine-free skin, and this used to be unheard of for me. I’ve noticed such a difference in my skin when I wake-up, and although that’s probably due to a combination of my new products I can’t help but feel this treatment has a-lot to do with it. I’ve had such success that I think I might go and invest in some more of their seaweed treatments.

(Sidenote: The seaweed (Bladderwrack for any budding marine biologists out there) in the product is taken from the coast of Ireland, meant to be!)

Nivea Daily Essentials: Oil-Free Moisturising Day Cream for Oily & Combination Skin

This little gem is amazing for use during the day. I always worry about moisturizing before applying foundation, as I didn’t like the thought of going shiny before the end of the day. This moisturiser promises a ‘shine free complexion’ so I thought I’d give it a go! I love this moisturiser. It’s so light on my skin it doesn’t feel like I’m wearing any. This light formula means it can hydrate my skin without clogging my pores and as of yet my skin has remained shine free pretty much every day. It also has Ocean Algae in it to help revitalize the skin, which I think is amazing. If you’re after a light day cream that won’t clog you up this is, in my opinion, perfect!

Water

Okay so this one’s pretty self explanatory but part of my resolution was also to drink 2 litres of water a day. I really feel like changing this one little aspect of my daily life has helped to improve my skin more than ever. My skin looks so bright and clear and part of it is definitely thanks to nature’s cleanser. Bye-bye impurities!

No make-up selfie.. the horror!

After my night-time routine I also use my amazing Lush Lip Scrub to keep my lips soft and supple. I reviewed it a few weeks ago and you can check it out here!

I have to also say that the smell of all these products is divine! So gentle and fresh! I hope you enjoyed this little post. It’s a bit of a long one but I seriously am so shocked at the condition of my skin just by taking an extra 5-10 minutes to remove my make-up each night! If anyone has any questions about it leave a little comment or tweet @Aisling_Nagz  Do any of you suffer from oily skin? What are your must-have products? xo