My Skincare Secrets ➳

Hello lovelies! Hope everyone had a good Christmas, hope you all had a delicious Christmas meal and had a great time with family and friends. My whole family worked for most of Christmas day, but we still had fun and it was still quite special.
With the New Year coming up fast we all want the perfect make up look, so we can start 2016 looking fierce. We all know that the best way to perfect your makeup look is to have a great base, that means smooth, clean skin.
Everyone has their own little tips and tricks to obtain and maintain their skin so I thought it was about time to share mine.

First of all, I'm pretty proud of my skin, sure it might be normal for me to have one pimple somewhere on my face, but you know what, that's just normal for my skin type. I have normal to oily skin, but by cleansing and moisturising on a regular basis I am able to keep it smooth and balanced. Because of this my skin generally looks clear and isn't blotchy in colour. 

Now, I've been more or less using the same products on my skin since I was about 14. I know a lot of bloggers are always talking about what their current favourite moisturiser, cleanser or exfoliant is, but I figure that if I have found a product/brand that works for my skin then why should I change it? 

So most of my products are from the brand Alpha H, but I also one from the body shop. Theses are my staple products;

➳ Triple Action Cleanser with Thyme 

(I've also used their balancing Cleanser in the past, but this one works better on my skin).

➳ Balancing Moisturiser and Gentle Exfoliant 

➳ Gentle Daily Exfoliant with Papaya & Pineapple 

➳ Balancing and Pore Refining Mask with Jojoba Oil

➳  Elderflower Cooling Eye Gel 

My Daily routine is to cleanse and moisturise my skin twice a day, once in the morning and once before bed. I also use the Gentle Daily Exfoliant in the morning before moisturising, but I've currently run out and am yet to restock. I find that the exfoliant is great at making my skin look clearer but isn't totally necessary for obtaining nice looking, smooth skin.
After moisturising I apply the eye gel which helps brighten under the eyes, reduce puffiness/redness and it also just feels so nice and refreshing, especially when I've kept it in a cool place. 

Then once a week (haha, realistically more like once a month. Oops!) I use my mask in the evenings after cleansing. 

On top of this I also try to put my makeup on only right before I actually need to wear it and have at least one day a week where I don't wear makeup. This usually happens on a monday and I like to call it No Makeup Mondays. This allows my skin to breathe and minimises the damage caused by makeup. 

One other tip I have is to pay attention to what your skin reacts to. For example, Nutella, as delicious as it is, causes my skin to break out so I avoid eating it except for on special occasions. If you have a break out, take note of what you had been eating and work out what might've caused your skin to become unbalanced. 

On the subject of food, there are lot's foods and drinks that help to make you skin glow such as tomato's, oatmeal, pomegranate's, green tea and most importantly, water. Drink lots and lots of water to hydrate your skin!
Another really simple trick we all should know, is to frequently clean your makeup brushes. Makeup brushes are great at collecting bacteria and I try to wash mine every 1-2 weeks with baby shampoo and lukewarm water. Your makeup will be easier to apply if you do this as well.

I believe that all you need is a balanced diet and a good routine for your skin to look amazing!
Let me know about your favourite tips and tricks in the comments below! xx