The Morning Skincare Routine | On Trial

A beauty blogger without a skincare routine is like a car without an engine – it just doesn’t work. After faffing around with different products and routines  unsuccessfully for way too long, last week I decided that it was time to establish a set skincare routine.

My skin had been acting up yet again (I’m sure all of the pre-Easter chocolate didn’t help) and I knew that it was time to make a change.

I turned to the skincare gods for advice – Sali Hughes and Melanie Murphy. Sali’s book, Pretty Honest, is a beauty bible full to the brim with information about makeup and skincare. Melanie Murphy’s YouTube channel has loads of videos about how she cleared her acne and what products she uses in her routine. I combined the two together, hit Boots and Lush and the result was a simple but (hopefully) effective skincare routine for morning and night.

I didn’t want to have a post the length of my arm on my two routines, so I’ve broken it up over two days. Today I’ll talk about my morning routine, and tomorrow my evening routine. Let’s get started!

1. Cleanser – For cleanser, I’ve used Cetaphil and Garnier Micellar Water over the past few months. Both are really gentle on the skin and effective at removing any makeup or grime. The micellar water is really refreshing, but Cetaphil is more moisturising and nourishing so I swap between the two depending on how my skin feels.

2. Toner/ Exfoliate – In Pretty Honest, Sali explains that toner isn’t exactly necessary, but after hearing great things about Lush Tea Tree Water toner I decided to give it a go. A few spritz on a cotton pad leaves the skin feeling clean and fresh. I used Nip and Fab Glycolic Fix Cleansing Pads a few months ago and as soon as they ran out my skin totally changed. They’re pre-soaked pads that gently exfoliate the skin to leave it looking brighter and feeling smooth. Again, I’ll swap between the two depending on what I feel my skin needs.

3. Serum – My skin has been really dry and tight the past few weeks, so a moisturising serum was majorly needed. By recommendation of Melanie Murphy, I picked up Vichy Aqualia Thermale Dynamic Hydration Serum. I love Vichy products because they are amazing quality for a relatively affordable price. I wouldn’t say they’re cheap, but they aren’t as expensive as a high-end product. The serum is really hydrating and sinks right into the skin really quickly, leaving no sticky residue behind.

4. Day Cream – Another Vichy purchase, I picked up Normaderm Hydrating Care. It’s a moisturiser that targets imperfections and blemishes, while providing hydration at the same time. Again, it sinks into the skin really quickly and doesn’t leave a film behind.

5. Sun block – If I’m not using a primer that has SPF, like Isa Dora Protect Face Primer, I use Kiehl’s Ultra Light Daily UV Defence SPF 50. I bought this last year and love how easy it soaks into the skin and doesn’t leave you with big white splotches all over your face.

While that sounds incredibly tedious for a morning skincare routine, it’s really not. Trust me, I’m not a morning person and I find it manageable before I’ve even had a cup of coffee. I’ve written out the two routines on a piece of paper and stuck it to my bathroom wall with some washi tape so I can easily see what I’ve to do each day. I usually hate applying loads of products under my makeup as I feel that it makes my makeup slip off and not sit well, but these products are all so lightweight that they sink into the skin really quickly, and leave it smooth and prepped for makeup.

I’ll keep you updated over the next few weeks with how I get on with the new routine and what I think of the products. I’ll have my evening routine up tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried any of these products before, I’d love to hear!