My Current Skincare Essentials For Dry Skin.

“What are those lines on your face?” enquired my sister curiously. I glanced in the mirror and sure enough, it looked like my mouth was encased between two deeply etched brackets. I rubbed said brackets gently with my finger to ensure the foundation I had meticulously applied was not messed up, but to my horror – said lines did not disappear for they were now permanent smile lines, and in that moment I realised that my skin simply was not the skin of a fifteen year old anymore and indeed my black had began to crack. On a serious note, as December 2016 turned into January 2017, I made a small pact with myself that I would treat my skin with better love care and attention. You see, after turning twenty five last year, I noticed that my skin was constantly dull with patches of dryness and hyper-pigmentation, that even lashings of a makeup and orange concealer could not cover, and as someone who prefers the natural look in terms of makeup, I realised the importance of a good skincare routine to create a solid natural looking finish. I knew I wanted to reset and refresh my skin for good. Now, I’ll be honest and say that my skin is actually pretty easy going, I’m not acne prone or particularly oily, I only really have spot flare ups when my period is due, and even despite me failing on a daily basis to hit the two litres of water a day mark, my skin isn’t quite the Sahara desert (yet..), that being said, I do realise the benefits of a strong skincare routine regardless of the situation. This rotation has worked so well that I’ve ditched my foundation for just a simple swipe of concealer most mornings! Some are products that I’ve used for a few years unflinchingly, and some are a few that I’ve been trialling for the past three to four months…

[ T o n e r s ]

My routine does indeed begin with cleansers and makeup removers but I’ll be honest and say that the ones I’m currently using aren’t ‘wow-ing’ me much. They work well enough but I’m on the hunt for something better (if I do find any superstar cleansers, you’ll hear about it here first!). So with that out of the way, let’s talk about toners. Toners are supposed to improve the appearance of the skin over time, shrink those pores and in some cases exfoliate. I’ve been using the beauty worlds cult fave ‘Glow Tonic’ for a good couple of years now and let me tell you my friends – It has changed my life. I suffer from hyper pigmentation and this is one of the few products that have genuinely worked to shift any darks spots that have been left from me popping pimples or generally being harsh with my skin. Another great toning products is anatomicals very handy Glycolic Acid Pads which deep cleanse and exfoliate the skin without leaving my face feeling stripped or ashy.

[ S e r u m s ]

Erno Laszlo’s White Marble Essence Lotion is labelled as a toner, but for me it works as more of a serum and I apply it after I’ve toned with one of the two products above. The price is a little higher than I’d usually go in regards to laying down the pounds on skincare products but boy does this product work! It hydrates, plumps and leaves the skin looking and feeling dewy and bright, perfect if you’re someone like me who’s skin can tend to look dull and tight. Another star that saw me through my worst skincare patch (I’m talking face wipes and no a drop of h2o in my mouth kinda bad) during my hand in’s was The White Company’s Super Serum, and super it is. It helped me to retain moisture in my skin, lessen the dark circles around my eyes and mouth, and left my skin looking glowy and awake, even with very little sleep under my belt.

[ Moisturisers ]

My favourite! Moisturising is the coffee to my beauty life, and my handbags will tell you that I’m a little obsessed with lip balms and moisturisers. I’m just trying to live a well moisturised and hydrated life out here, you know what I mean? For face, I’ve been switching between Clinique’s dramatically different moisturiser and The White Company’s Advanced Hydration Moisturiser. The Clinique offering is lighter and better suited for daytime whereas The White Company’s moisturiser is thicker and feels like the perfect way to infuse moisture into my face after whacking on my serums and toners before bed. For lips, I swear by Carmex – It’s one of the only lip balms that actually feels like it penetrates and moisturises my lips fully as opposed to just leaving a mildly oily film on top of it like most balms do. Pixi’s lip polish is also the bomb dot com, and is another night time fave. It exfoliates and leaves my lips feeling smooth and plumped.

[ O i l s ]

I am a moisturise and then seal girl through and through and what works for my hair also works for my face. I ‘seal’ the moisture into my face using both heavy and lighter oils depending on the season and how my skin is looking and feeling. Three brilliant oils I’ve had on rotation are; Pixi’s rose oil blend (which I prefer to use at night as it’s on the heavier side), The Afro Hair & Skin Co’s flow oil (which I’ve found is the perfect balance between not too light and not too heavy – great for morning and evening) and The White Company’s Night Oil (which I actually prefer to use as a morning oil because it’s so light and because of it’s wonderful citrusy scent).

What are you skincare heroes? I’d love to know in the comments below!

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