Skincare | the first step to cleanliness is... finding my routine

I've gotten pretty lazy with my skin routine lately, I'm not going to lie. Last summer I was cleansing all over the shop, morning and evening. I'm not sure when I dropped the ball, but boy did I drop it.

My skin isn't awful, but it has definitely been suffering from poor care and some dodgy face wipes the last couple of months, not to mention a few too many nights sleeping in that evening's makeup. I get the ol' hormonal blotches creeping up and fading away in a never ending cycle, but the last week or so my face feels like it has EXPLODED. My forehead is bump-central and I have to try my hardest not to pick at my skin until it's a bleeding, scabby mess.

Attractive.

Caroline Hirons is fast becoming my skincare guru. I've been re-learning the importance of a proper skincare routine and I'm hoping (in the not too distant future) I'll find the products that work for me to find my very own perfect skincare routine. Here is what I've learnt so far, and it's back to my old favourites cleanse-wise...

Step 1. Removing makeup

I count this as cleansing, although Caroline doesn't and she's pretty scary. I'm sure I don't need to gush about how wonderful Bioderma's Créaline H2O (now Sensibio H2O) is - the whole of the bloggersphere went crazy it for it last year - but suffice to say I think it's awesome. It's so gentle on my skin and 3 cotton pads removes all traces of a day's makeup without the redness I'm used to - £3.49 face wipes I'm talking to you!

Step 2. Cleanse 1

After I realised pretty much every beauty blogger I loved was using the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish, I jumped on the bandwagon like the little sheep that I am. I love that you don't have to wet your hands and wash soapy suds all over your face; it's minimal mess and maximum results. My skin feels cleansed afterwards but not squeaky clean which, as I have learnt from Caroline, is a good thing - see last point here of Caroline's list of 'things I wish we could all move on from - part 1'. I know some people don't get on with C&P, Caroline included, and have found their face really red afterwards but I would say this is the nicest cleanser I have used so far and I'm definitely very happy with it. Baaaa.

Step 3. Cleanse 2?

Caroline (you may get bored of seeing her name but I just canNOT get over how much I've learnt from this woman) claims if you've been wearing makeup or sunscreen you should double cleanse. Bioderma, I have learnt, is not cleansing. So here I get stuck. Any ideas?! I'm interested in trying an oil-based cleanser but have no clue where to start...and no money to go taking loads of chances!

          

Step 4. Tone and Step 5. Moisturise

I've hit a bit of an issue here. I started using a new toner and moisturiser on the same day - Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic and La Roche Posay Effaclar Mat - and I think I'm allergic to one of them. After a couple of hours I was sat in bed (catching up on blogs, obviously) and my face started to feel a bit tingly, pretty itchy and really warm. Never having been allergic to skincare before  I couldn't decide what to do but in the end I decided not to risk it and wiped everything off with a good glug of Bioderma. I guess I need to try one without the other to work it out, because putting a sample of each in the crook of my elbow did NOTHING. Thanks google for that useless tip. I got the Skin Tonic free with an order but will be bummed if it's the Effaclar Mat as I really liked how smooth my skin felt afterwards! I can completely understand why people say it acts as a good primer, any bumps on my skin were definitely flattened and smoothed. Wahhhhhh.

Anyway, I've gone back to using my bog standard crappy drugstore moisturiser - something 'hydrating' from Simple if you must know - and even with this I have noticed a difference in my skin. My foundation stays on so much better and, despite not risking using Effaclar Mat yet during the day, my face has been far less greasy by the end of the day at work. I really do think a proper cleanse every evening is helping my (shit) moisturiser and my (nifty) hydraluron to do their jobs better. Magic.

I'll be sure to test out the toner and moisturiser and get back to you with the results of my undoubtedly extremely scientific experiments and conclusion but, in the meantime, any good skincare suggestions would be more than welcome!