Skincare routine

It’s been a long time I haven’t written about beauty in my blog and couldn’t stop thinking what I felt like writing. I used to be a big makeup junkie, more than skincare, but lockdown has changed me and now, I have more pleasure having my face free of makeup. To have a beautiful skin without any makeup, skincare becomes vital, hence I chose my skincare routine as a comeback in the blog’s beauty section.

Note, as much as skincare is important to keep your skin young, remember your diet and regular exercise play a big role too.

A radiant hydrated skin starts with good cleansers which keep your skin balanced and ready for the following skincare steps. On the picture, you can see my favourite cleansers that I couldn’t live without.

1. Superfacialist Vitamin C + Skin Renew Cleansing Oil – I absolutely love this product and even my boyfriend that is skeptical about skincare, loved it when I got this for the first time on holidays. I’m crazy about cleansing oils, because most of times I’m lazy to cleanse properly my skin or to remove makeup. This is the easiest way to cleanse your skin, keep your skin natural oils and if you have tough makeup on your eyes, everything gets taken off. Plus the vitamin C scent, relaxes your soul. Another pro of this product is the price vs. quality. Normally good cleansing oils are expensive, but this is affordable and it really works, without being greasy.
2. Garnier Micellar Oil-Infused Cleansing Water – I have been using this for ages and when I travel is must-have. If I’m lazy to the point, I don’t even want to wash my face off, some wipes and this micellar water and quickly my face gets soft like a baby and ready to be “slapped” with skincare and off to sleep.
3. St Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub – I can’t take a shower without washing my face with scrub. Although I know I don’t use correctly, since it should be used only 2 times a week, I just can’t get enough of the sensation of feeling something rough getting rid off daily dirtiness on my face. Also, I know there is better face scrubs, this one is pretty basic, but I just love the texture and how it feels after.
4. Beauty Pie Japanfusion – If you didn’t read my post about Beauty Pie, here is the link Beauty Boxes: Glossybox vs Beauty Pie – Michele Goes Glossy . I have subscribed Beauty Pie 3 years ago and I’m so glad I did it, because their skincare is top quality and the price is perfect. I used to spend so much in beauty products and I realise the beauty industry takes advantage of women’s fear of ageing. I learned with Beauty Pie, you can still take good care of your skin without getting your pocket ripped off. Anyway, moving along, Japanfusion is a very gentle and hydrating range and this cleanser has a milky creamy texture that once in contact with your skin melts any dirtiness, oiliness, leaving your face reenergised. I like to use it especially in the morning whilst taking shower, if I don’t feel like using St Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub.
5. Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Micro Cleansing Foam – If I’m taking a late night shower, this is what I want lathered on my skin. The fluffy soft foam texture combined with lavender scent, sends me to bed feeling like I’m in heaven. I’m so happy on my advance night repair serum coffret, this product was included, because at the end of the day, if you are feeling really tired, the lavender will calm your mind and body, so definitely I consider this an essential in my skincare.

My daytime skincare always include eye cream, serum, spf and then specific care for lips, lashes and eyebrows.

1. Beauty Pie QI Energy Eye cream – Normally I get all my eye creams from Beauty Pie and this is formulated with ginseng root and ginger, perfect to reduce dark circles and brighten the eye area. Usually eye creams get sold out quickly at Beauty Pie, so if you can’t find this, look for this: super retinol anti-wrinkle eye cream.
2. Beauty Pie Jeju Stem Cell Moisture Shot Serum – I so love this serum for daytime! The soothing aloe vera mixed with stem-cell extracts has an anti-oxidant power and it feels super calming. It’s the best way to prepare your skin in the morning.
3. Guerlain Abeille Royale Honey Smile Lift – This is a super essential product I can’t live without! Why? Because the rich texture honey based, hydrates intensively any deep lines. Even though, it’s only recommended for smile lines, I apply it on wherever lines are trying to defy gravity, meaning forehead and eye lines, the type of lines that are hard to beat. At daytime, I like to use it before day cream, so its brightening particles get blended perfectly with the day cream.
4. Elizabeth Arden Prevage City Smart SPF 50 – I worship this cream! Going out of home without it is a no-no for me. It works like a natural shield, protecting, hydrating and strengthening your skin. I wouldn’t recommend for dark skin tones, since it has a bit of colour, creating a blurry effect, which on dark skin tone can create the opposite, more of a dull effect than smoothing or blurry one.
5. L’oreal Paris Clinically Proven Lash Serum – I understand most people get skeptical about these type of products, especially coming from drugstores, but reality is, I have been using for one year now and I’m not disappointed. My lashes look stronger, they don’t fall as much as before and it does look like I have more lashes when compared to one year ago. I’m sorry, if I don’t have a picture to prove it, but so far I really like it and it didn’t cause any reactions or allergies on my eyes.
6. L’oreal Transparent Plump & Set Brow Artist Serum – I wouldn’t say it’s a must-have and I’m pretty sure the new brow freeze from Anastasia Beverly Hills is better, but it got sold out before I could try it. Anyway, It’s an ok product to brush your eyebrows.
7. Avene Eau Thermale/ Thermal Spring Water Spray – It’s so refreshing finish my skincare with Avene thermal water, it gives me the kick I need in the morning to face London’s dry air, either from heating or air conditioner. I love the extra hydration I feel, after I sprayed with it. I use it as a makeup setting spray too.

I always like to use a different serum and cream at night to help my skin recover faster from any damage caused by pollution, uv lights or lack of hydration.

1. Beauty Pie Dr Glycolic Pore Purifying Glow Toner – I so recommend this toner! It reduced visibly my enlarged pores due to oily skin and age. After 35, skin changes drastically and this is a life saviour that brings your dull skin back from the dead world and resurrects it into a much more illuminated and fresh look. It’s also good for pigmentation. I normally use it 5 times a week, always at night. I would compare this toner to the one from Pixi: Pixi Glow Tonic with 5% Glycolic Acid.
2. Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum – What can I add about this amazing serum that haven’t been said already?! This serum is unique, it works miracles at night to bring the best out of your skin, you thought it was impossible. It definitely gives more elasticity and evens your skin tone out.
3. Beauty Pie QI Energy Eye Cream – I use the same eye cream day and night.
4. Beauty Pie QI Energy Super Moisture Cream – I like light textures night creams that contain hyaluronic acid and really work as a hydration booster. This cream with ginseng root, ginger, ceramide and hyaluronic acid does the job contributing for a healthy shining face.
5. Guerlain Abeille Royale Honey Smile Lift – As I said before, I can’t survive without it. After so many products at night, I should be able to skip this step, but I’m addicted to. At night, I like to apply it after night cream and not before, like I do at daytime.
6. Frownies Facial Patches + Rose Water Hydrator – Frownies is my “best friend for life”! If I didn’t put botox until I was 36, taking into consideration I had many sleepless party nights, it was thanks to this magical patches. They freeze any expression lines EFECTIVELLY! If there is a line I hate, is the one on my forehead and this is the only thing that prevents the line to get deeper. The Rose Water Hydrator, which is important to get together with the patches, it’s made with natural ingredients only, so the rose water scent works as an aromatherapy treatment soothing your skin and soul. There is two cons of these patches: a lot of patience is required, mainly when you are feeling sleepy and it looks super strange when you have them on. When people see me with it, they think I have a wound on my face. Normally, I feel like answering: “Yes I have a wound is called age and gravity, do you have any other solution?!” My sarcastic personality, can’t help it… Anyway, if you are curious how to use it, pay attention to my Instagram, because next week I will post a video to show how to apply.
7. Guerlain Stop Spot – Whoever knows me well, knows I praise this endlessly as if it was a holly grail. Why? Because if you have a stubborn spot coming on the surface of your face to say hi, Stop Spot will destroy it, killing the spot quickly. The main ingredient camphor, purifies and reduces inflammation.
8. L’oreal Paris Clinically Proven Lash Serum – Besides using daytime, is part as well of my night skincare routine.

Once a week, it’s important to treat skin more deeply, exfoliating and hydrating skin intensively. Here goes the main product list that religiously it’s used once a week (ok when I’m on holidays, I don’t do it ahahhhaah).

1. Next beauty IPL Hair Removal System NBD01 – Don’t call me crazy, before I explain why I use this on my skin. This IPL comes with a red light attachment that helps to rejuvenate skin and the wavelength goes deep into the epidermis layer, regenerating damaged tissue. For enlarged pores like mine, due to ageing and my neck scar, due to thyroidectomy surgery, I can assure you it does improve your skin texture. I love light therapy as an anti-ageing treatment. It’s like going for a professional facial, but at home.
2. Jorgbe Peel Off Mask – I absolutely adore black peel off masks. Feeling my dead skin being pulled off, gives me a refreshing sensation. This mask isn’t the best because you have to put a thick layer to make it work and unfortunately it results in a longer process to make it dry. However, since I just use it once a week, I can live with it.
3. Beauty Pie Japanfusion Bio-Ceramide Moisture Mask – After a peel off mask, I really like to use after a hydrating mask. This mask with high level of vitamin C it plumps, soothes and smooths your skin.
4. Guerlain Pore Minimizer – So after removing the moisture mask, I like to use this as a serum once a week and the result is a much younger look skin texture.

Bottom line, from all the products described so far, the picture above shows the ones I would recommend and would be labelled by me, as my favourites and truly essential to have to fight ageing, pigmentation, enlarged pores and oily skin.

1. Superfacialist Vitamin C + Skin Renew Cleansing Oil
2. Beauty Pie Dr Glycolic Pore Purifying Glow Toner
3. Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum
4. Elizabeth Arden Prevage City Smart SPF 50
5. Avene Eau Thermale/ Thermal Spring Water Spray
6. Frownies Facial Patches + Rose Water Hydrator
7. Guerlain Abeille Royale Honey Smile Lift
8. Guerlain Pore Minimizer
9. Guerlain Stop Spot

Have you try any of them? If so, what’s your favourite?

If you have any other suggestion of other products that work for you, let me know in the comment section below.

Lots of love Xxx