As most of you probably (and painfully) know, finding a skin care routine that works for you is a carefully crafted science which, once mastered, usually stops working for you immediately and you must start from scratch. Sigh. As this happened to me recently, I thought I'd share my current routine for all you fellow clear-skin seekers out there in hopes that my sparse knowledge will give you a little guidance



Although like most women, my skin type changes throughout the month (Sigh, again.), my skin generally majors in being oily-combination with a minor in small breakouts. I can tell when my skin isn't loving my everyday routine due to the fact that my small breakouts spread around the frame of my face, and my nose starts to get a little dry. Pro Tip: learning your skin's 'pattern' like this can save you a lot of time, frustration and concealer in the long run.

My routine in the morning is pretty simple, I start with Nivea's Daily Essential Soothing Cleansing Mousse (The sensitive formula, because apparently my skin is classified as sensitive nowadays - more skin sighs.) to clean and refresh my skin; I really enjoy this product as it isn't too harsh like other cleansers I've used, but it definitely gets the job done. Plus. the foaming formula is super invigorating first thing in the morning.

Next, I assess the smoothness situation and decide whether I need an exfoliant - if i do, I use Nivea's Daily Essentials Gentle Exfoliating Scrub for Normal & Combination Skin. Like the cleanser, this is not a harshly abrasive scrub that leaves your skin feeling like you've gone at it with steel wool, but it definitely smooths your skin. As I said, I only occasionally use this in my morning routine, but when I do, my foundation glides on like a dream.
Sidenote: I may sound like a walking Nivea advertisement here, but I swear by their products, and as a young teen I swore by their 'young' range - it just works, simple as that! Gold star for you, Nivea.

My final step is moisturiser, and I am loving the Clean & Clear Essentials Moisturiser as it is oil free and lightweight yet it is incredibly nourishing - perfecto!


My night-time routine has a few extra steps, however it is still pretty basic - not only because I believe simplicity is key, but what university student has the time or the money for non-essential products? Not this one. I start off by removing my make up with Garnier's Miceller Cleansing Water - this incredible dupe for cult classic Bioderma removes all of my make up, even the waterproof stuff, using one cotton pad. One. One! This is a recent addition but possibly my favourite skin care product of all time, I'd highly recommend this to anyone looking for a great make up remover.

I follow up with the cleanser and exfoliant from my morning routine, and if I have time that day I will treat my skin to a face mask - my favourites are Lush's Catastrophe Cosmetic (see my Lush post for full review) and Formula 10.0.6 Pores Be Pure Skin Clarifying Mud Mask. The latter works miracles on removing nasties from your skin and smells delicious - bonus!

If I don't opt for a face mask that night I will reach for my Clean & Clear Advantage Fast Clearing Spot Gel, which as name suggests, targets any mean little spots overnight and almost completely clears them by morning. This is great for the spot that inevitably shows up the night before an important event, it'll stop the little devil in its tracks.

I finish with the same moisturiser from the morning and voila! Clear skin. (For the most part).

Sophia ♡

Price List:
Nivea Cleansing Mousse $9.99
Nivea Exfoliating Scrub $9.99
Clean & Clear Moisturiser $7.99
Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water $11.99
Clean & Clear Spot Gel $8.99
Formula 10.0.6 Face Mask $8.99