My Favourite Products for Beautiful Skin

We are constantly told to look after ourselves. Treat yourself, have a pamper once in a while. For me, having a pamper and looking after my skin should be a daily if not a weekly thing. Every now and then I do go and see my beautician Becca for a deep cleanse and derma plane. For the times when my pockets are not so flush have a few products to keep my skin in check, so I thought I’d share them with you.

My Favourite Skin Care Products

Garnier Micellar Water: Before this genius cleanser came about, I used to remove my make up using face wipes. I would try and get as many uses out of them as possible, sometimes doubling them over to make them last longer. I still use face wipes for eye makeup and lips, mainly because as good as cleansers are, to remove make or waterproof eyeliner, you need a bit more oomph! It is very soothing on my skin and keeps deep into the pours. Even when I have not worn make up all day, I still like to wipe my face over with it just to get the daily muck off my skin. There is also different versions of the formula suited for different skin care needs, so I use the bottle for sensitive skin. I take a mini bottle with me when I go on vacation or away to events. Perfect for festivals too! Garnier also created reuseable eco friendly make up remover pads so you can go that extra mile to help save the environment. It is a vegan formula and cruelty free so perfect for everyone.

Simple Toner: After cleansing, I like to use a toner to close up them pores and stop Mr Muck from crawling back into my skin. Once again this product leaves my skin feeling very refreshed and makes it feel slightly tight, which isn’t a bad thing. I admit I do not use it all the time but it is handy to take with you on vacation. When you’ve been in and out of the pool, slapped on numerous amounts of sun cream, it’s perfect for building and repairing your pores for the next day. Simple is a brand known for being a sensitive skin expert (as it says on the tin), so you are not at risks from harsh chemicals destroying your skin and they are PETA certified cruelty free. Nothing goes near animals and it is suitable for vegans.

Nip+Fab Salicylic Fix Facial Scrub: Now, I know the previous items are really gentle to your skin and you shouldn’t use salicylic on your face too often. But… I only use this a maximum of three times a week just to buff away dead skin cells. This product (and the whole salicylic acid line) helps to prevents breakouts and evens out your skin tone, plus smells nice! It’s infused with lotus flower and vitamin E to avoid stripping the skin. I discovered the whole Salicylic series by Nip+Fab during lockdown. I purchased the morning and day pads as well as the serum. I think I went a bit over board with it, so I turned to varying my skin care regime. Doesn’t mean I don’t recommend the products, I love them but be careful using them for an extensive period of time.

Nip+Fab Vitamin C Concentrate Extreme 3% Serum: About three times a week I use this serum. Some days my skin can feel really dry after cleansing and toning it, so rather than slapping on extra moisturiser, I slap on a bit of this serum. Yet again it is a highly concentrated product but it works really well when using it in moderation. Once I use this product, my face feels plumper, juicier and fresher. Its goals are to detoxify, brighten and improve uneven skin tone. The morning after, my skin looks even (less red and blotchy in my case) and looks amazingly refreshed. A must have in my opinion.

Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto Replenishing Hydrator: I picked up this gem years ago, must be the best part of 10 years ago. I went through a stage of being obsessed with Clinique products. I had the foundation, the face wash, make up remover, lipsticks and then I came across this moisturiser. I’ve never been one for face creams, I have oily combination skin, so any cream tended to be a bit too heavy for me and I would break out. I just have to use to finger tip blobs on each cheek and it is enough to moisturise my whole face. It is amazingly light just like rubbing fresh air into your skin. It is oil free so perfect for combination skin but if you do have dry skin, my mother recommends the Intense version. This product is a little pricey but I have had a 50ml pot and it’s lasted me almost a year. I am barely half way through! Due to my skin having a tendency to become over oily all of a sudden, I am careful at how much I use. I love to take a small pot of this with me on vacation and slap it on just before bed, so my skin is sufficiently hydrated for the next day. It is worth the investment, trust me!

Optional Extras

Simple Face Masks: Yet again, Simple is perfect for the skin after it has been battered and abused by pollution, make up and your punishing schedule. This masks are perfect, just 15 minutes and you feel revitalised. My favourite ones are the De-stress sheet mask and Protect and Glow 48 hour mask. Both are perfect for both before and after an event. I use 48hr glow before I go away for the weekend, keeps my skin nice and refreshed all weekend but it is a lifesaver after being on vacation. Being exposed to that amazing sun, revitalising pool water and an excessive amount of cocktails, can take its toll even if it is just seven days. De-stress is a must for when you’re just about to have or have just come off your period (sorry guys). This tends to be when I break out even now as a “adult”, gives my skin a bit of a chance to calm down. As always Simple is vegan and cruelty free supported PETA.

Garnier Body Firming and Repair Tonic: My mother introduced me to this product. I must stress that I do not use this all the time, I use it in the run up to something, such as a weekend away or (when I can go on one) a vacation. It smells amazing, I used to make my ex give me a massage using it I loved it that much. It helps to firm up your skin so I mainly use it on my booty and my legs. It evens out my lumps and bumps aka cellulite and reduced the appearance of my stretch marks. It is deeply nourishing after in tests, skin looked visibly smoother and more toned within seven days. For me maybe a little longer but every girl’s body is different. It is also approved under the Leaping Bunny as Cruelty Free and the bottles are recyclable too!

Beauty Formulas Clear Skin Cucumber Cooling Eye Pads: My mother introduced me to these and I love them. I take these on vacation with me too. I stick them in the freezer to make them extra cold. When I get out the shower and before I got back out on the evening, I grab two of these and sit on the balcony or bed. Refreshes my eyes and helps them ache less after spending time squinting in the sun. They are handy to have rather than running out trying to find a cucumber you’re going to throw out at the end of the week. They instantly cool and help to reduce puffiness around the eye area. Bring them back home and continue to use them during the summer months or after a hard day at work. I purchase mine from a shop called Body Care but they can be found on Amazon.

So Much More

I could go on with a huge list of my favourite products for my skin, including body scrubs, body butters, hand creams etc. But this post has to end somewhere. If you want to know more, you can always leave a comment or contact me via email or social media.

My skin was terrible all the way through my teens and into my early 20s. A friend of mine is having a terrible time with her skin and I completely feel her pain. My only advice is that skin does get better with age. Yes, it loses it’s firmness, fine lines and wrinkles will appear but scars do eventually fade, spots may still pop up now and then. Don’t forget your diet can have a huge impact on your skin too! I am not a doctor so if you are having issues with your skin, please speak to your pharmacist or if it is more severe, ask to speak to your GP.

I’m lucky that my skin has mostly cleared up and I feel miles more confident and comfortable with my skin. Yes I have awful days which is expected with hormones, weather changes, diet etc, but I am happy my skin is settling down. I hope it shows!