My Top 10 Skincare Products

I have quite problematic skin and I’ve always struggled to find the right products that won’t give me breakouts or drown my skin in excess oil.

As I mentioned in this post, I suffered with bad acne when I was younger and was eventually prescribed Roaccutane when I was 17. Luckily, I didn’t suffer from any of the nasty side effects and it cleared up my skin.

Although I’m now 24, I still get breakouts that remind me of my awful teenage skin years. Even now, I sometimes get whiteheads (sorry if you’re eating while reading this!) which are just the worst! They’re impossible to cover up with make-up, as piling concealer on just seems to draw attention to them. You shouldn’t pop them either, as you can be left with scarring, but they’re so gross that it’s hard to just leave them alone.

It has taken a long time and a lot of products to find a skincare regime that works for me, but fingers crossed, I think I’ve found my wonder products. These are:

• Clean & Clear deep action cream wash (oil-free)
• Clean & Clear morning energy skin brightening daily facial scrub (oil-free)
• Clean & Clear dual action moisturise (oil-free)
• Clearasil ultra rapid action gel wash
• Simple cleansing facial wipes
• Simple soothing eye balm
• Olay Essentials complete care night cream (for normal/dry/oily skin)
• Differin 0.1% gel (this is a topical acne treatment and only available with a prescription from a GP)

Technically, I guess they aren't skincare products, but I also love:

• Vaseline healthy hands and stronger nails cream
• Burt’s Bees lip balm

My favourite wonder products!

My morning routine

As soon as I wake up, I’ll wash my face with the Clean & Clear morning energy skin brightening daily facial scrub. It’s the perfect morning skincare product as the lemon and papaya extracts make it smell so zesty and refreshing. The bursting beads gently exfoliate your skin and wake you up so you’re ready for the day ahead!

I usually try and do a workout in the morning, so after that, I’ll have a shower and wash my face again with the Clearasil ultra rapid action gel wash. This is one of my favourite products because I’ve found it really does help with breakouts. Its description says it’s clinically proven to help visibly clearer skin in as fast as 12 hours and it has definitely helped mine.

The only downside of the gel wash is that it is a little drying, so I’ll put some Clean & Clear dual action moisturiser on my face afterwards. I used to worry about putting moisturiser on my chin (where I always seem to get my breakouts), but this product is oil-free, so it doesn’t feel greasy at all and it doesn’t feel like it’s clogging your pores.

After I’ve done that, I’ll put my make-up on as usual. I find that make-up is much easier to apply and looks a lot better when I’ve cleansed, gently exfoliated and moisturised my skin.

These are the best face washes I've found for oily skin

My evening routine

I’ve read so many articles about the importance of taking your make-up off before bed, so I always make sure I remember to take mine off. First, I’ll use a Simple cleansing wipe. I love Simple wipes because they have no alcohol, no oil, no harsh chemicals and no artificial perfume or colour, they also include pro-vitamin B5 and vitamin E. I always stock up on these whenever they’re on offer as I hate using any other wipes, my skin just doesn’t feel right afterwards.

After I’ve used a Simple wipe to take off my make-up, I’ll wash my face with Clean & Clear deep action cream wash. I only started using this about a month ago, but I love it! It leaves my skin tingling and feeling like it has been thoroughly cleaned, but without clogging my pores.

Once my skin has been completely cleaned of all make-up, I’ll put some Olay Essentials complete care night cream on my cheeks, as they can sometimes feel a bit dry. It’s a thick cream which feels so lovely when you put it on and it smells gorgeous too. Then, I’ll pop some Simple soothing eye balm all around my eyes which reduces puffiness and relaxes tired eyes.

Finally, I’ll put rub a small amount of Differin 0.1% gel on my chin. The gel is really good, I’ve been using it ever since I came off Roaccutane six years ago. It is strong though, as it’s for acne, so you need to ask your GP about it if you have troublesome skin and want to try it.

My other two favourite products that I’ll use throughout the day are Vaseline hand cream and Burt’s Bees lip balm. Vaseline hand cream is a nice, non-greasy cream which apparently strengthens nails by 50% - a plus point for me, as I spend all day typing on my laptop!

Burt’s Bees lip balm with coconut and pear has been a revelation for me. I’ve been trying to wean myself off using Vaseline as a lip balm, as my lips constantly felt dry. Burt’s Bees is a great alternative, as it’s made from all natural ingredients which help keep your lips healthy and hydrated.

Burt's Bees lip balm is a great alternative to Vaseline

There you have it, my top 10 wonder products! What are yours? x