My skincare routine

One of my goals for 2016 is to achieve flawless skin. I want smooth, well-hydrated skin that is free of acne, blemishes and hyperpigmentation. I have been a ‘cleanse, tone and moisturise’ kind of girl for as long as I could remember but now I have decided to dedicate even more time to skincare.

For reference, I have oily skin in addition to random breakouts of hormonal acne which has left some minor scarring on my face. After experimenting with a few products, I finally found the routine that works for me.

MORNING ROUTINE

Morning Routine

Products used on mornings

Step 1- Cleanse
On mornings I rotate between the Neutrogena Deep Clean Cream Cleanser and, on days where I see some emerging acne, the Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash Cream Cleanser.

Step 2- Tone
I have three toners in rotation: Himalaya Purifying Neem Cleansing Astringent Toner, Neutrogena Alcohol Free Toner, and Neutrogena Rapid Clear 2-in-1 Fight and Fade Toner.

Why, you may ask? The Oil Free Acne Wash is quite drying so after I use this I always use the Alcohol Free Toner to give my skin some balance again. I rotate between the Neem Toner and the Alcohol Free daily. However, when I have breakouts I bring out the big guns i.e. the Rapid Clear Toner in conjunction with the Deep Clean Cleanser. It has to be a serious acne situation when I use the Oil Free Acne Wash with the Rapid Clear Toner.

Step 3- Treat
The next step in my routine is acne treatment. I use either Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Vanishing Treatment Cream (10% benzoyl peroxide) or the Neutrogena On the Spot Acne Treatment (2.5% benzoyl peroxide).

Step 4- Moisturise
My moisturiser depends on whether or not I’m wearing makeup. Most days I do not so I use my Cetaphil DermaControl Oil Control Moisturiser with SPF 30. On makeup days I use a mixture of Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel and the Cetaphil.

NIGHT TIME ROUTINE

Products used at night

Products used at night

Step 1- Cleanse
I generally rotate between the same two cream cleansers at night. However, I tend to lean towards the Acne Wash most times. If I’m in need of exfoliation, I use an exfoliating cleanser up to three times a week i.e. Garnier Blackhead Eliminating Scrub.

Step 2- Tone
I prefer the Himalaya toner most nights and I reserve Neutrogena’s Rapid Clear Toner when I have pimples.

Step 3- Treat
I have two problems that have to be treated: acne and discolouration from acne scarring and minor hyperpigmentation. To treat acne I use the same products as in the day: Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Vanishing Treatment Cream or Neutrogena On the Spot Acne Treatment. To treat dark spots I use the Ambi Fade Cream. Since it contains hydroquinone, I am very careful to only apply this as a spot treatment.

Step 4- Eye Cream
I religiously use Raw African Shea Butter as an eye cream.

Step 5- Moisturise
Shea Butter was also my go to night moisturiser. However, for some reason I found that I would wake in the morning with slightly dry skin. I recently swapped Shea Butter for Bio Oil and it has already made a difference in the softness and hydration of my skin on mornings. I am now determined to continue using Bio Oil every night.


So this has been my routine for about three months. I have already noticed a difference in the texture and clarity of my skin. I still have some way to go since my ultimate goal is to have ‘flawless’ glowing skin. There are a few products that I wish to add to my skincare routine.

My Wish List
Clarisonic Mia 2– I would really love to try the Clarisonic Mia 2 for deep cleaning. I’m positive that this is a great investment and would work wonders on my skin.
Tea Tree Oil– I have heard amazing things about the use of tea tree oil on acne. I’m willing to give it a try.

I believe the use of facial masks has helped in my skincare journey as well. I’ll give details on the masks I use in another post. Stay tuned!!!
What are your favourite skincare products?

SUMMARY OF PRODUCTS
Cleansers
• Neutrogena Deep Clean Cream Cleanser
• Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash Cream Cleanser

Scrub
• Garnier Blackhead Eliminating Scrub

Toners
• Himalaya Purifying Neem Cleansing Astringent Toner
• Neutrogena Alcohol Free Toner
• Neutrogena Rapid Clear 2-in-1 Fight and Fade Toner.

Moisturisers
• Cetaphil DermaControl Oil Control Moisturiser with SPF 30
• Neutrogena Hydroboost Water Gel
• Bio Oil

Treatment
• Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Vanishing Treatment Cream
• Neutrogena On the Spot Acne Treatment
• Ambi Fade Cream

Eye Cream
• Raw Shea Butter

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1 Comment

  • Shauntelle says:

    OOOhhhh I love it ..do one on black heads please….do you think they can be removed permanently ?!

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