Last week I did a post on the basics of skincare and helping to know what products to use for your skin type. If you haven't read it already you can here: http://chloe-etc.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/skincare-part-one.html

Forming a skincare routine is going to be different for everybody - some more complex than others. But one thing that should never go a miss is cleansing. Cleansing the skin is very important. You can use a gel, cream, oil, balm or exfoliating cleanser depending on what skin type you have. They help to remove bacteria, make-up, and any dirt, sweat and oil that has accumulated on your skin (gross right?) I wash my face with a facial wash twice a day but once will work just fine. This one works well for me: http://www.boots.com/en/Simple-Kind-To-Skin-Moisturising-Facial-Wash-150ml_6131/ I would say I have normal/combination skin which can sometimes be a little oily but not very often. Twice a week I swap my cleanser for a gentle scrub to help remove any dead skin cells, however don't over do it and make sure you don't scrub too hard. The one I use and recommend is the 'St.Ives Gentle Apricot' scrub. St. Ives are great because they do loads of different scrubs formulated for specific skin types. Buy them here: http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Brands-A-to-Z/St-Ives/

The number one rule for any skin type is to NEVER SLEEP WITH YOUR MAKEUP ON. If I'm wearing a lot of makeup I remove my eye makeup first. I tend to use some sort of micellar water. I like this one from L'Oréal http://www.boots.com/en/LOreal-Paris-Skin-Perfection-3-in-1-Purifying-Micellar-Solution-200ml_1299734/ I personally don't think there is anything wrong with using makeup wipes to get rid of face makeup. It's better than not taking it off at all! Cream cleansers will also help to remove makeup. To make sure that every last trace of makeup is removed, I use a cotton pad and some more of the micellar water over the rest of my face. Of course, do all of this before cleansing in the evening.

The basis of any skin care routine should consist of:

1. Tie your hair up - Make sure you secure your hair off of the face.
2. If wearing makeup, REMOVE IT! - Start by using your preferred type of makeup remover for the eyes and remember to be very gentle as this part of your skin is very delicate. Then remove the rest of your make up using wipes, micellar water or oil/cream cleansers.
3. Apply cleanser to the entire face - Using a cleanser appropriate for your skin type, massage in a circular, upward motion. Remember to include the neck.
4. Rinse the face with warm water.
5. Pat the face dry with a soft towel.
6. Tone the face - Don't use toner around the eye area and don't use if you are breaking out. The toner helps to restore the skin to its natural pH level and to remove any left over dirt and excess oil. Toners are more useful to those with oily skin types or people who wear a lot of makeup.
7. Moisturise - Moisturise the skin using the correct formula for your skin type. Never skip this step it is very important
8. Eye cream - If you are under the age of about 25 you don't really need to worry about eye creams.
9. Moisturise the lips - apply your favourite lip balm to moisturise dry/chapped lips

*To really restore the skin, all skin types (especially oily and blemish-prone) will benefit from using treatment masks.

For more information on skincare check out http://www.paulaschoice.com/expert-advice/skin-care-basics/

Thank you for reading,

Chloé
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