MY MORNING SKINCARE ROUTINE

I am a true believer in the importance of a good skincare routine. I mean, you only get one skin so you might as well look after it. Unless you've ingested some reptile DNA and have turned yourself into a reptilian humanoid monster (a la the Lizard from Spiderman), in which case you probably will have far more serious things to deal with. I am, however, pretty sure that 99.9% of you reading this article won't fall into this ultra-specific category so happy days!

My mum always advised that high quality skincare is vital and should be considered an investment. So, when I was younger I used the 3-step Clinique skincare routine. I have to say, personally, I didn't really think the high price adequately correlated with its results. Almost as soon as I waved goodbye to home comforts and a rather dubious hello to student debt, I must admit, I quickly abandoned this account-draining trio and stuck firmly to the face wipes. I wouldn't recommend this, kids. Nor would I recommend being too lazy to take off your makeup. Often.

Once I'd finished university and started earning, I was adamant that I wanted a multi-faceted skincare routine, but still refused to accept that you needed to pay an absolute fortune for healthy skin. Cue my own personalised, 4-step morning routine. All the products mentioned are available on the highstreet and I think they work just as well as my Clinique trio ever did. Case in point that a flawless complexion isn't reserved for the aristocrats among us.

Oh and a quick note before I start, I have combination skin which is slightly on the dry side. In case you were wondering.

1. Cleanse (part one)
First, I like to use a face wash because I think a splash of water does wonders in waking you up first thing in the morning. Also, it washes away any moisturiser or night cream that you had applied the evening before. My absolute favourite is the Witch Gentle Exfoliating Face Wash. I actually first used this product at my boyfriend's flat because I had forgotten to bring my own (he had the man version which is dark blue, the colour of man, apparently). I felt like I instantly saw results. It cleared up my blemishes and left my skin feeling clean, but not completely stripped of all nutrients and moisture. Needless to say, I made a special effort to pick up my own when I was next in Boots. You can purchase this product, here.

2. Cleanse (part two)
The second step to cleansing for me is using a micellar water. This just helps to make sure you are beginning the day with a completely clean base. It can sometimes pick up makeup that you inadequately removed the night before. I prefer a micellar water to a makeup remover because it is more gentle on the skin. I have tried out both the L'Oreal and Garnier versions of this. Although I feel the L'Oreal has been more raved about by the beauty blogosphere (it has been around for longer, I guess), I actually prefer the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water. I must state that this is for no other particular reason than you get more and so aren't required to trek to the shops for a repurchase as often. Yes, I'm that lazy. It kind of makes you feel like you're saving money as well, even if you really aren't. You can purchase this product, here.

3. Tone
If there's one part of my skincare routine that I'm not completely sure about, it would be my toner. So, any suggestions here are very welcome! At the moment, I use Simple Kind To Skin Soothing Facial Toner. As my skin is on the dry side, I don't like to use an industrial-strength, burn-your-face-off type toner. It's a solid product but not one that I would say has significantly improved my skin. I don't know, maybe I'm being a bit harsh. You can purchase this product, here.

4. Moisturise

Another Simple product, but this time I have rave reviews! My moisturiser of choice, which I have used for a few years now, is the Simple Kind To Skin Replenishing Rich Moisturiser. It is unbelievably effective for skin that's definitely slightly towards the drier side of life. Plus, because it's so rich, you only need to apply a tiny amount. Four budget points for you Simple moisturiser, you GO Simple moisturiser! (Bellatula points for any of you that recognise this terribly delivered film reference). Sometimes, when the weather is warmer (about a week in Britain), I do find that this product leaves my skin slightly too oily, but, for the most part, I absolutely love it. You can purchase this product, here.

I do realise that it takes time out of your day to commit to a full-blown, beauty-guru-esque skincare routine, but you really will see the benefits, I promise. And when have I ever lied to you? Personally, I find the process quite therapeutic, but, then again, I'm a bit of weirdo when it comes to beauty.

NEW COLLABORATION SERIES: MAKE ME UP

Hey guys and gals, I have some very exciting news for you. Guess who I'm currently sharing a Chai Tea Latte with in Starbucks? Well, not sharing exactly, that would be weird. However, I am enjoying the company (with our very separate beverages) of the beautiful Sunna from the fashion blog "The New Noir".

Sunna is a designer and writer from London and writes posts about fashion trends and style which are both helpful and interesting for fashionistas and style virgins alike. She also blogs her own progress as a designer and often includes helpful tips on beginning a career in the industry. I especially loved her recent get the look on Clemence Poesy; because who wouldn't want to look like Clemence? She is effortlessly elegant and, more importantly, she was in Harry Potter. That's all I look for in a woman, really.

So, I think I've now effectively built up the suspense, although the title gave everything away before I'd even started: we are going to be starting a collaboration series together! The series, called "Make Me Up", will give you style advice for your height, shape, age, skin tone, facial structure. We also thought we'd throw in a few "Get The Look" posts for good measure, where we'll show you how to look your best whatever the occasion, wear the latest trends, and recreate that celebrity look you've been dying to try.

I hope I've managed to whet your appetite with this little taster (pun intended). If you are intrigued by this OTP, then check back in two weeks when our first post of this fortnightly series will go live. For those of you who actually have a life, OTP stands for One True Pairing. I wouldn't look it up, if I were you. There's some very strange (I would even go as far as horrific) fan fiction on the internet.

Please go and check out Sunna's blog if you have the chance! Here's an example of her design work.

INVESTMENT BUYS: THE SKIN SAVIOUR

I was recently perusing the latest blog posts, as you do, and I came across a very interesting review about a fairly inconspicuous skincare product. Now, as many of you fellow bloggers out there will know, there were probably (well, definitely) a lot more pressing matters to be dealing with than scrolling merrily through my Bloglovin' feed. However, when an amazing product is brought to your attention, you kind of feel your time has been used a lot more proactively than it actually has been.

So, what is this magical product, heralded as "The Skin Saviour"(well, by me, anyway)? Insert the drum rolls and chorus of singers here; my beauty must-have of the moment is the Body Shop's 'Vitamin E Sink-In Moisture Mask'. Here's a photo of the product in question. Try not to be blinded by its heavenly goodness. 

I'm getting ahead of myself, though.  It is imperative that I tell you about this original recommendation post because it makes some pretty earth-shattering claims about the mask. The post was written by a blogger called Maddie, who writes a witty and very informative blog called 'Qworter Life Crisis'. Here's a link to Maddie's post. She writes that her mother was personally recommended the product by the creative director of L'Oreal UK. Let's be honest, that's a pretty good stamp of approval, right there. 

I found myself, then, about a week ago, searching the Body Shop shelves for this little beauty with, what I considered, the worst cold anyone has ever had. Ever. I don't know if this is just me, but when I get a cold my whole face seems to become more dry and devoid of moisture than the Sahara itself (sorry for this rather hyperbolic comparison, the lack of sleep from coughing has made me much more dramatic than usual). No moisturiser, no matter how rich, manages to repair my skin when it's in this condition, so, I thought I might as well test out these claims for myself. 

Having used this product for about a week now, I can highly recommend it. Not only has it kept my skin feeling soft and nourished through the 'cold ordeal' (as I'll refer to it from now on), but it has also cleared up several blemishes. Although it does give quite an intense amount of hydration to the skin, I have found that it is gentle enough to use every night and I really think it would be suitable for practically any skin-type. At £12, it is a bit on the pricey side for me, but you do only need the smallest amount per application so I can imagine it will last me a while yet. 

Yesterday, in a small Body Shop in London, I spoke so enthusiastically about the mask to a friend that I think she was slightly taken aback. All this after just a week of use? That's why I thought I better write this post now. Who knows what level of obsession I will have reached in a month or two.

Just a quick note to finish, there's a 40% off deal running for Valentines Day, information on The Body Shop website. So, go forth and spend, my friends.