Current Morning Skincare Routine for Oily & Blemish-Prone Skin

If there is one thing that I am, it is definitely a skincare junkie. I love a good skincare haul and I am always on the look out for the latest and greatest skin potions. My love for all things skincare began when I realised the magic of what the right products can do for your skin. All throughout my teen years I suffered from quite horrible acne that did quite a number on my self-confidence and consequently I absolutely hated my skin and saw skincare as a chore.

It wasn't until my dermatologist introduced me to a new set of products that worked wonders for my skin that I began to really appreciate the importance of a proper skincare routine and started learning about the different ingredients that are beneficial for my skin. I've talked about my skin a few times on my blog before (you can read all about my skin story here) but in cased you missed it, my skin is very oily but can get quite dry at the same time, can get quite congested and is prone to the odd breakout or three (so much fun...)

After many years of trial and error I have collected a bunch of products that I know work well for my skin at the moment, so I thought I would share with you my current morning skincare routine. Now, I am no skincare expert and obviously what works well for my skin will not always work well for others even if your skin type is similar to mine! But you can definitely use this as a guide for what products or ingredients to keep an eye out for.



Cleanse 

One of the first things I learned about having blemish prone and oily skin is no matter what anyone else says, oil-stripping products are a BIG no go. So when it comes to cleansers, foaming washes are one thing you should stay away from. I tend to steer towards gel, milk or balm cleansers. At the moment, I am using the Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel. While it does produce a small lather, I find that it gently cleanses the skin leaving it refreshed and clean without feeling tight or uncomfortable. I have only been using this for a few weeks but I can already see the difference it is making on my skin. It feels smooth and refined and pores are slightly less visible. However, that may also be credited to the following product as well ...

Tone

I have previously raved about the greatness that is the Pixi by Petra Glow Tonic in my 2015 beauty faves but you know when a product is raved about by the Skincare Goddess that is Caroline Hirons that it is going to be a dang good product. And in a nutshell, that is what this product is. Essentially it is a Glycolic Acid Toner and Glycolic Acid is a Godsend for blemish prone skin (and especially for scarring). As an AHA it assists in ridding of dead skin cells that causes congestion, revealing a smoother, brighter skin surface while also hydrating and firming skin - aka all the good things that you want! This particular toner is gentle enough that it can be used day and night without over exfoliating the skin and I kid you not, this literally leaves my skin glowing. I usually follow this up with a spritz of a facial spray such as a thermal water or rose water. At the moment I am using the Dr Hauschka Clarifying Toner. I love this step in my routine as I feel it really wakes me up and leaves my skin fresh and hydrated.

Eye Cream

While my skin is still feeling quite dewy and fresh I like to follow up with an eye cream. Again, I use this to really wake up and hydrate around my eye area as I find it tends to get quite dry there throughout the day. The skin around our eyes is very delicate and different to the rest of our face so it should be treated differently as well! I have been using the Origins Ginzing Refreshing Eye Cream for many years now and I feel it is great for brightening dark circles and de-puffing eye bags without being too thick or heavy. 

Treat

This part of my routine is when I use a targeted treatment, which for me is blemishes and congestion. I often thought this wasn't an essential part of my routine when I stopped getting severe breakouts but I learned very quickly that my skin cannot be without this product. I have been using the Ultraceuticals Ultra Clear Treatment Lotion for the last 5 years and I don't think I will ever stop using it - I can seriously see the benefits when I run out of this product! Formulated with Salicylic Acid and Mandelic Acid, these two work together to decongest and unclog pores as well as reduce redness and irritation. I can easily say that this product was life changing for me and played a large part in clearing up my skin. I will recommend this to anyone who will listen!


Hydrate 

I seriously cringe when people tell me how they don't use a moisturiser or use oil-stripping drying products when they have blemish prone skin. It is a large misconception that those with oily skin should not be using hydrating products as it encourages more oil production. It is in fact the opposite, the more you deprive your skin of moisture the more oil your skin will produce, and thus leads to more breakouts. Lately I have been using the Dermalogica Clear Start Skin Soothing Hydrating Lotion*.  This particular moisturiser is light-weight but still heavy duty in the sense that it hydrates and soothes skin while balancing excess oil production as it contains Hyaluronic Acid. It doesn't clog my pores which is a plus, and has a light ginger citrus scent that is quite pleasant to apply in the AM!

Protect

Using a number of AHA/BHA products like I do, it is essential to protect my skin from the elements as they can leave my skin quite sensitive to the sun. And besides that, we all know that suncreen is best way to prevent premature aging! To finish off my routine, my product of choice is the Ultraceuticals Ultra UV Protective Daily Moisturiser SPF 30 Mattifying. This is fast absorbing and doesn't leave my skin feeling greasy or like it has thick layer sitting on it like traditional sunscreen tends to do. Of course, if I intended to spend the day in the sun I use a more heavy duty sunscreen but I find this perfect for daily use while working in an office.

So those are my current picks for my morning skincare routine. What type of products do you use in the morning? And if you also have oily and blemish prone skin, what products work for you?

Chantalle x

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