Current Skincare Routine

I've taken a real interest in skincare recently, and have developed a consistent routine. I've never been consistent with my skincare before, usually giving up using products after a couple weeks. I'm hoping this routine continues, even if the products change (I am a beauty blogger, after all). I'll start in the evening, as this is when I shower and cleanse the day's impurities away.

If I'm wearing makeup, gel liner in particular, I use Lush's Ultrabland (review here - I said I didn't know if I'd rush out to repurchase, and here we are, three pots later). I found this quite heavy and tacky initially, but have grown to love it. It's the best for removing makeup, and it leaves my oily-combination skin feeling thoroughly moisturised.

I sometimes use The Body Shop's Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil (review here) if I have eye makeup on, but have found myself using this on the rest of my face more because it leaves my skin feeling really soft. I've been through a couple of these, and will no doubt go through more. I also love the Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter, but when both are sitting on the bathroom shelf, the lazy part of me gravitates towards the oil.

A couple hours later, when I finally head for bed, I moisturise and all that good stuff. I've been using some products from the Rodial Glamtox* range for about 5 weeks now. I'll use the serum and eye cream before bed, and the day moisturiser and sometimes the eye cream in the morning, before I apply my makeup. The serum is my favourite because it feels like it makes the biggest difference; my skin is left feeling nourished and hydrated the next morning. However, I wouldn't use this during the day like it claims you can. It's oil based and takes a while to soak in. I can't even see this being a good option for dry skin, but then it may be, depending on your skin and what you like. The eye cream and day moisturiser are also nice because they sink in quickly, allowing you to get on with your day. I don't feel like they do much else, though. They add some moisture to my face, but that's it, and for the price (£50-£75!), I want them to do a lot more. They claim to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and while I don't have these on the majority of my face, I do have them under my eyes (more than the average person, I think). The eye cream hasn't helped with these, and I can't see this suddenly changing in the future. They're good products, but for the price, I'd like them to do a lot more. I've come across products at a fraction of the cost which give similar results. I'd actually recommend trying the sister brand, Nip + Fab, for cheaper alternatives. They have their own versions of Rodial's Dragon Blood, Bee Venom, and Glamoxy Snake ranges.

Two other products I use before bed are the Blistex Intensive Moisturiser and Nelson's Pure & Clear Blemish Gel. The Blistex Intensive Moisturiser is the best lip balm I've ever used, although I'm sure my lips are getting used to the effect it has. The Nelson's Pure & Clear Blemish Gel is also the best I've used, but that's not saying much because most blemish gels do nothing for me. This one sometimes does and sometimes doesn't, so I take a chance when I use it. There's no harm if it doesn't always reduce the blemish, though.

Face masks have become a regular thing in my routine now, which I never thought would happen. Most face masks leave my skin feeling slightly cleansed or slightly moisturised, and not much else, but I've found two which do more than that. The Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask is like the Blistex Intensive Moisturiser for your face, leaving it feeling plump and unbelievably moisturised. You can read my review, as well as my thoughts on two other Origins masks, here. The Nip + Fab Glycolic Instant Fix Mask was also sent to me, but I'll probably be buying a tube when it runs out. It contains the highest amount of glycolic acid in the range, so I wouldn't recommend it for sensitive skin, but it leaves mine feeling smooth, and my pores are a lot smaller. Just be careful if you're going out in the sun after wearing this; it suggests you wear an SPF to protect the new skin it's helped to reveal. You can read my review of this here.

What skincare products would you recommend, face masks in particular?

Empties #09

It used to take me months to gather enough products for an empties post, but that doesn't seem to be the case these days. In fact, I'm having to split this post in two because there's just too much to talk about!

Figs & Rouge Mango and Mandarin Hand Cream, £3.95/20ml, Feel Unique, review here

The packaging, scent, and formula were all beautiful and made this the perfect handbag product. It wasn't greasy in the slightest, but still left my hands feeling soft and moisturised. I don't think I'd pay the full price of £3.95 for 20ml, but will certainly repurchase when there's a discount or code.

Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara, £9.99, Boots or Superdrug

Initially, I wasn't a fan of this. I just found it too clumpy for my liking. Then, once it'd dried out a little, it was perfect for a few weeks. Then it became too dry and clumpy again. For those few weeks, it separated my lashes and gave them length and volume, but I wouldn't repurchase because of the times either side.

The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter, £12/90ml, review here

The camomile cleansers from The Body Shop have become my all time favourites. My other cleansers don't compare, and I'm thinking about getting rid of them and just stocking up on this and the oil. They remove makeup so well and leave your skin incredibly soft. Even after months, I still get that same baby soft skin after using them every night. I love them both equally, but would recommend the butter if you travel.

Lush Mask of Magnaminty, £5.50/125g

First of all, I managed to get 20 uses out of this small pot, which is about 28p a time. So cheap. It also left my skin feeling thoroughly cleansed. I'm not sure if it helped with blemishes, but my sister thinks it helped hers. She's even bought her own pot, and she's not a fan of Lush!

Blistex Intensive Moisturiser, £2.63/5g Boots or £2.59/5g Superdrug (currently just £1.28, though!)

This is the best lip balm I've ever used, and the first I've actually finished. I apply it at night, and wake up with incredibly moisturised lips. It doesn't just moisturise the top layer of skin, like so many others do. Repurchase? Already have!

Nelsons Pure & Clear Blemish Gel, £7.40/10g, Feel Unique

This used to be sold in Boots, but I can't find it on the website any more. I managed to buy a tube on clearance for less than £2 a month or so ago, so I'm guessing they were removing it from the shelves. Anyway, I've always been unsure as to whether blemish gels work, but I can definitely see a difference when I use this. It just seems to calm and reduce spots. I prefer it over Lush's Grease Lightning, and the tube lasts for ages. This is another product that I've already repurchased.

Witch Anti Blemish Skin Clearing Primer, £6.99/30ml, Boots

I've used and loved this before, but stopped using it to try others. Then I found it in Superdrug heavily reduced (I think they were discontinuing it), so picked up two bottles for just 87p each. My skin's so used to this now that the effects have become the norm. I don't remember what makeup applies like without it, but I do remember thinking this made it apply smoother when I first started using it. It also reduced the amount of creasing around my eyes. I won't be running out to repurchase another bottle just yet because I've been loving the blur effect primers recently, but it's something I can see myself going back to in the future.

Have you tried any of these products?

Bedside Beauty

I've unintentionally accumulated a small gathering of products beside my bed, and thought I'd talk a little about them today.

Just before bed, I'll sometimes want to moisturise areas such as my elbows, knees, and feet. My body butter of choice at the moment is Soap & Glory's Sugar Crush Body Buttercream (review here), but I'm also a fan of The Body Shop's Raspberry and Vineyard Peach varieties. They all smell incredible, aren't too greasy, and provide my skin with a lot of moisture, leaving it soft and subtle.

I've also been moisturising my hands before bed because they've been needing more TLC since starting work. I'm absolutely loving the Figs & Rouge Hand Cream in Cherry Blossom (review here). It isn't greasy in the slightest, but still leaves your hands feeling hydrated. It also smells amazing!

For facial moisturisers, I have the Organic Surge Blissful Daily Moisturiser (thoughts here) and the Balance Me Moisture Rich Face Cream. I used, loved, and finished my pot of Organic Surge Super Intensive Daily Moisturiser, so am now making my way through the Blissful Daily version. It's obviously not as moisturising, but still sinks in well and leaves my skin feeling soft. The Balance Me one is a generous sample I received in a magazine the other month, and I'm still making my mind up about it. It isn't greasy, and leaves my skin adequately moisturised, but it's heavily fragranced. If you don't like strong rose scents, you'll struggle to use this.

For lips, I have the Blistex Intensive Moisturiser and Nivea Soft Rose Lip Balm. The Blistex Intensive Moisturiser is amazing, and leaves my lips feeling softer than any other product. More often than not, though, I find myself gravitating towards the Nivea Soft Rose Lip Balm because my lips don't need the Blistex one every night. The Nivea one is just like your standard tube of lip balm, but it's one I use a lot.

For blemishes, I use the Nelsons Pure & Clear Blemish Gel. It seems to do the job better than others I've tried, and that includes Lush's Grease Lightning.

Then I just have some products that I haven't been using that often, but are there just in case. I'm still deciding whether The Body Shop's Vitamin E Moisture Serum gives my skin any extra moisture. I'm honestly not sure. Then there's the Superdrug Vitamin E Skin Oil, which I'll use if my skin is feeling particularly dry (which is not that often).

Have you tried any of these? What products do you use in the evenings/just before bed?

My Current, Daily Beauty Routine (Evening)

Hello, all! Welcome to the second part of my current, daily beauty routine. You can find my morning routine post here. 

I shower in the evenings because I leave my hair to dry naturally and prefer to have relaxed mornings. I've been washing my hair with TRESemme's Salon Silk Shampoo and Conditioner (Superdrug, £4.99 for a 900ml bottle) for a while now. I usually buy them when they're half price. They're so affordable and last for months! I've also been using Liz Earle's Botanical Shine Shampoo* and Conditioner for Dry and Damaged Hair* (Liz Earle, £8.50 each). The shampoo is SLS free and contains many natural ingredients, so I've been using it every couple of weeks to give my hair a deep cleanse. Every time I've used the conditioner, my hair has gone dry, which is weird considering its claims.

After I've shampooed and conditioned my hair, I've been washing my body with Treacle Moon's One Ginger Morning Shower Gel (Tesco, £2.99). I love it so much! It smells like Starbursts. I then shave, which isn't interesting! and then I've been washing my face with No7's Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser (Boots, £9.95). It removes my make-up well and leaves it fairly soft. Not as soft as Liz Earle's Cleanse & Polish though. I've also been trying out Nelsons Pure & Clear Purifying Daily Facial Wash* (Boots, £7.85). It removes my make-up well... that's all I have to say about it, really. It's not an exciting product, but it does the job.

I don't regularly moisturise my body, but I've been making an effort to do so more often. Once out of the shower, I've been using Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Moisturising Body Oil (Boots, £5.10) (Review here) or The Body Shop's Coconut Beautifying Oil (The Body Shop, £9) (Review here) to moisturise. If I don't use those, I'll use Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Lotion (Boots, £3.77) or The Body Shop's Raspberry, Mango and Sweet Lemon Body Butters (The Body Shop, £12.50 each).

Once my body is moisturised, I moisturise my face with The Body Shop's Vitamin E Intense Moisture Cream (The Body Shop, £11) (Review here) or Simple's Kind to Skin Sun-Kissed Moisture Cream (Boots, £4.99). The Simple cream gives my skin a light tan, making it look healthy and glowing.

Next up to receive some TLC is my hair. I use Aussie's Miracle Hair Insurance Leave-In Conditioner (Boots, £4.49) and/or TRESemme's Salon Silk Serum (Boots, £4-5) on the ends of my hair. I don't use these every night. I use them once or twice a week.

And that concludes my current, daily beauty routine!

Thank you for reading!

*PR samples

My Current, Daily Beauty Routine (Morning)

Good evening, everyone! Here are the products I am currently using every morning. They are mostly make-up items because I shower and use my body products in the evenings. A post for my evening beauty routine will be up shortly.

Before I apply my make-up, I quickly wipe my face with a facial wipe to get rid of any excess oil and then use a light moisturiser. I'm currently using the Nelsons Pure & Clear Purifying Daily Facial Wipes* (Boots, £5.49) and Nelsons Pure & Clear Balancing Moisturiser* (Boots, £8.49). The moisturiser is light and absorbs into my skin well, which is just what I need before I apply my make-up. The facial wipes have a plastic lid on them - I wish more brands did this! Before I started using the Nelsons products, I was using Skin Therapy's Facial Wipes (Wilkinson, 2 for £1) and The Body Shop's Vitamin E Moisture Cream (The Body Shop, £9).  Once I've finished using my current face wipes, I'm going to buy a big packet of baby wipes because you get more for your money.

Once my moisturiser has sunk in, I apply my Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer (Boots, £4.19) to any blemishes. Before applying it around my eyes, I use Witch's Anti Blemish Skin Clearing Primer (It's not showing up on Boots' or Superdrug's websites, but I know they stock it. I think it's around £5) because I have oily eyelids. I also sometimes use ELF's Eyelid Primer (ELF, £1.50). My skin normally looks quite even by this stage, so I just use ELF's Mineral Booster (ELF, £5) to keep any shine at bay. I then use my trusty ELF Studio Eyebrow Kit in Medium (ELF, £3.75) (Review can be found here) to fill in my eyebrows.

Blusher is one of the only products that I change daily. Above is some of my most used. At the back, you have Sleek's Pixie Pink, Flamingo and Rose Gold (Superdrug, £4.49), Natural Collection's Pink Cloud and Peach Melba (Boots, £1.99), 17's First Kiss (Boots, £3.49), Revlon's PhotoReady Cream Blush in Flushed (Boots, £5.99) and NYX's Cream Blush in Glow (Joy017, £6-7, including P&P). As you can see, most of them are warm toned. They look the most natural with my freckles and ginger hair.

For months and months now, I've lined my eyes with NYX's Jumbo Eye Pencil in Iced Mocha (Joy017, £4-5, including P&P) (Review can be found here). Recently, I've been using the NARS Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner in Campo de' Fiori* (NARS, £17), which is a beautiful gold. It is strongly pigmented and lasts for hours. This is great for someone like me who cannot be bothered to touch up my make-up throughout the day. I then curl my lashes with ELF's Eyelash Curlers (ELF, £1.50) and use Maybelline's One by One Mascara (Boots, £8.49). I've repurchased this mascara so many times. It has a plastic brush, so I was sceptical at first, but I was pleasantly surprised and haven't looked back since. I love it because it separates every last eyelash, making them look natural. If I want to wear an eyeshadow, I've recently been opting for Maybelline's 24HR Colour Tattoo Gel Cream Eyeshadow in On and On Bronze (Boots, £4.99), and if I want to use a liquid eyeliner, I've been using Collection 2000's Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner in Black (Boots, £2.99). Both the eyeshadow and felt tip liner do not budge once dry - I love them.

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Iced mocha, NARS Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner in Campo de' Fiori and Maybelline 24HR Colour Tattoo Gel Cream Eyeshadow in On and On Bronze

Like the rest of my make-up, I like my lip products to be fuss free and last most of the day. The shades I've been wearing the most are Collection 2000's Cream Puff Moisturising Lip Creams in Fairy Cake and Cotton Candy (Boots, £2.99) (Review can be found here), NYX's Soft Matte Lip Cream in Milan (Joy017, £5-6, including P&P) and Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Sweetheart. Sweetheart is not available in the UK, but you can buy other shades in Superdrug and Boots for £5.99 at the moment (Normally £7.99). The Balm Stain is quite bright, so I like to sheer it out with my finger.

Collection 2000 Cream Puff Moisturising Lip Cream in Fairy Cake, Collection 2000 Cream Puff Moisturising Lip Cream in Cotton Candy, NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Milan and Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Sweetheart

That's it for my make-up! I'm left with a natural look. The brushes I use are by ELF Studio and Ecotools.

I don't use any products on my hair in the mornings. I just straighten or curl my hair using my Remington Pearl appliances. The Remington Pearl Curling Wand (Review can be found here) makes the curls in your hair last for days, so I don't need to use any hairspray to keep them in place.

And that's me ready for the day! Holy Moly, this post is long. It's because of the make-up products. My evening routine post shouldn't be as long!

*PR samples