my Simple skincare routine

From Top Left to Bottom Right: Deep Cleansing Face Mask, Oil Balancing Moisturiser, Oil Balancing Facial Scrub, Revitalising Eye Roll On, Pore Minimising Toning Cleanser, Oil Balancing Cleansing Wipes, Illuminating Radiance Cream, Eye Make Up Remover

Back at the end of 2012, one of my targets for 2013 was to create a skincare routine for myself that I would be able to stick to. I was successful in doing that by making better use of some of the products I was already using and adding other products to my routine as and when needed. Above are all the products I use for my routine, some every day, some twice a week, some occasional etc. They are all from Simple as you may have seen for yourself and that is another thing I wanted to mention, my Simple routine has turned into a bit of a Simple addiction.

I have really sensitive skin and am very reluctant to try new products for fear they will cause breakouts, redness or rashes but Simple is a line that I have always loved since discovering it around 3 or 4 years ago. When I find something I love, compliments my skin and most importantly works then I become a complete loyalist and that’s what has happened here. I know a lot of people mix their skincare up and I should try new things but I’m not experimental especially when it comes to facial skincare. So here is my ode to Simple skincare, looking at my routine and the products that have not only become mainstays but in some case life savers.

I’ll start with the products I use every day as they are the most important and work wonders in my opinion. First up is the Pore Minimising Toning Cleanser, I use this twice a day – in the morning and at night. I put a small pea sized amount on a cotton pad and work all over my face concentrating more around the sides of my nose and chin, where I’m more prone to breakouts and I have the highest concentration of bad pores. It’s a gel like formula that sinks into skin quickly and leaves it feeling clean. It’s also good for removing excess make up as well. I’ve been using this for nearly a year now and I’ve noticed a considerable reduction in the size of my pores, I had horribly massive pores on my nose before and they have shrunk a lot, I would totally recommend this to anyone. Next up are the two moisturisers – Illuminating Radiance Cream and Oil Balancing Moisturiser – the former is the newest addition to my routine and is a miracle product for my skin. I use it in the morning as I have quite dull skin especially in winter and it really brightens my skin especially noticeable on days I don’t wear make up but I also use it on days I wear make up to a) carry on the brightening benefits and b) it makes a good base for make up along with a bit of primer. The latter I use every night before bed, I know I should really invest in a night cream but this works wonders for the time being and I’ve been using it for years and have only ever seen benefits with it. It’s particularly good for my T-Zone which can get quite oily through the day and teamed with the cleanser gets rid of any excess oil whilst also hydrating my skin and not drying other areas out. It’s the perfect balance of moisturising effects and oil reducing benefits.

Next up is the Oil Balancing Facial Scrub which I use twice a week in the morning to help combat any oiliness that has built up over the week and give myself a more fresh faced look by getting rid of any dirt or grime build up from wearing make up etc. The product itself is really good, it’s quite a thick consistency with rice grains and witch-hazel in, both are brilliant for my skin and do a good job at clearing the badness in my skin. The Deep Cleansing Face Mask I don’t tend to use that much and is very much an as and when product for me. At the weekend I always use a Lush face mask and combined with the rest of my skincare routine it usually is all I need but if I’m having a particularly bad skin time then I will use this around mid week to help sort things out. It’s a creamy sort of mask that contains clay which is good for helping sort out spots and drawing out dirt. You only need this on for around 5 minutes as it says on the packaging and it really is enough time to help things out a little, it’s no miracle product and I wouldn’t recommend it as the only face mask you should use but as a sort of top up when needed, it’s a good product.

When it comes to the Oil Balancing Cleansing Wipes I use these to remove my make up. I’ve seen beauty blogs that say you shouldn’t use wipes as they can be bad for your skin but as a starter for removing the main chunk of my make up it is good and obviously gets rid of any oil build up through the day too. I team them with the toner to get rid of any traces of foundation that is left behind and the Eye Make Up Remover which is just a brilliant product. I only bought this last year to try and it instantly became a favourite. I wear mascara and eyeliner every time I wear make up and for a night out there is eyeshadow etc. too so this is really brilliant for getting rid of all the eyeliner and mascara that clings to your eye and lashes reducing the risk of the dreaded panda eye. It’s a water-like formula and just a small amount per eye applied to a cotton pad and gently wiped over the eye a few times removes all or most traces of eye make up and I’ve found it really refreshes my eyes too making them feel more awake. The final product I want to mention is another eye based one and it has become a miracle product for me and I genuinely don’t know how I’ve lived without it for this long. It’s the Revitalising Eye Roll On and it is just perfect. It’s mainly for days when you wake up with puffy eyes or when your eyes feel tired. I use this pretty much every morning as I usually always wake up with puffy eyes and within 5 minutes there is no trace of ever having puffy eyes at all, it takes down the puffiness and any redness in your eyes seems to disappear too. The ultimate test is obviously the hangover puffy eye test which it passed, admittedly it took a little longer than 5 minutes to make my eye area less puffy but within 10-15 minutes that was at least one outward sign of my hangover that I had managed to diminish.

I’m sure it’s clear to see that I am an absolutely massive fan of Simple and their products. For my sensitive skin it is perfect and though I may not be the most adventurous skincare wise, I am loyal when I find a good product. I can’t see me straying from them any time soon, they are great for me and I love the natural ingredients used. Basically me and my face love Simple and are 100% grateful for what they do.

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