Listen to Your Skin

One of the best lessons I learned last year was to listen to my skin. I, like so many others who read beauty blogs, became consumed with finding the best skincare that I could afford, and had a list the length of my arm of products I 'needed' to use. I would say I was a skincare obsessive, with a long routine for both morning and night. But when my skin kicked off last year, resulting in constant breakouts all over my face, I knew that all of my products weren't actually giving me the amazing skin I had previously praised them for. It made me question what I'd been told by so many others, and it's only when I took the time to care for myself my way that I began noticing a difference...

I stripped my routine right back, removing rich oils and creams and not faffing about with unnecessary steps. I'm still using this same routine months later, and my skin is just miles better. I still get breakouts, mostly hormonal, which do scar, but it has been reduced so much and the overall texture of my skin is miles better. What shocked me the most wasn't the fact that my skin was so improved, it was that I'd let myself get so carried away! I love to pamper my skin so it's no surprise that I was such a magpie for products, but clearly I was layering and layering products because that's what I thought I should do, and it took me far too long to come to my senses.

When it comes to skincare blogging, I think it's important to take everything with a pinch of salt. Obviously there are the skincare gods like Caroline Hirons, but even she is aware that some products just won't work for some people. By all means, try a product if you believe it is the right match for you, but really pay attention to how your skin is responding. For example, when I started using oils I couldn't believe how glowing and healthy my skin looked. But after continued use, that's when the breakouts started taking over. Because 'everyone' used oils I felt it couldn't possibly be the oils that were the problem, and it's only when I stopped using them that the breakouts subsided.

This post isn't to tell you to strip down your routine - it is to tell you to listen to your skin and what it wants. Maybe your skin thrives on a lengthy layering process! Over winter I incorporated some oils to my routine - I had some Kiehls samples and some dryness around my forehead - and at first I really noticed my skin glowing, but after a few weeks of using oils every couple days or so, I noticed the breakouts happening again. I'm going to keep some oils on hand on the off-chance that I get that dryness again, but now I know it's time to go back to the simple routine. I'll also use a mask once or twice a week to treat certain issues, whether that's needing more hydration or a deeper cleanse. Instead of using products just because, I take a look at my skin and consider what it needs.

And, I still love reading about skincare. I fully plan on trying new things, but now I'm happy to pick much more carefully, and to only consider products I actually need. Plus, the nice thing about having a simple 'base' routine means I can switch out more luxury masks or treatments to reach for every now and then - which is what I believe my philosophy will be from now on. Because I'm not buying a million and one products all the time, I actually have the funds to treat myself every now and then. It really has been a lovely lifestyle change!

So there you go, a little message from me to you, but one I think is really important. While I'm definitely no skincare expert, I believe that if you take the time to consider your skincare and to really pay attention to your skin, you should hopefully be on your way to improving it. You can find my favourite skincare picks in the bar above, (click here for 10% off your Glossier order!) but let me know if you'd like to see a whole routine post!