My skincare routine for what shall forevermore be known as The Winter of Discontent. Obviously, in true Crilly style, I am posting this just as we pip over into springtime, but as I’ve said before, this is more of a journal post recording my skincare routine rather than anything that’s responding to seasonal changes or trends. I like to look back on them. And, in the future, when everyone is Googling stuff from their Google glasses as they lounge about on floating hoverboards in their Martian villas, they will be able to access these posts and use them as historical documents.

“Look what shit they were chatting back in 2021, Brian! Arguing about scotch eggs and the EU when all that time the planet was about to implode! Ha ha ha!”

This skincare routine could really be subtitled The Retinol/Moisturiser See-Saw. I’ve been working my way up to some stronger retinoids (I really want to try the Crystal Retinal 10 and 20 from Medik8!) but every time I get too overly confident my skin revolts and starts going all itchy and tight on me. And yes I know there’s often a period of discomfort before you get to all the good stuff, like a smooth and shiny-glowy face that can be seen from the moon, I just can’t be doing with it. I’m the sort of person who feels cross all day if a gusset is too seamy, so having an itchy face is just not tenable.

What I do, therefore, is absolutely lard my face in between retinoid applications. (Hence the retinol moisturiser see-saw.) I find the strongest, most emollient balms and creams I can and slather them on and massage them in as though I’m one of those outrageously expensive turkeys you can get from the farm shop. I massage and pummel and when it has all soaked in I massage over another layer.

And “layer” is another key word this season; I’m usually one for keeping things very simple, with a cleanse, a serum and a moisturiser (the retinoid or whatever active I’m using would slot into one of those categories, whether it was an antioxidant serum in the morning or an all-in-one retinol+whatever moisturiser at night); this winter I’ve been adding in the odd extra coating of something just to try and banish the tight feeling.

One very good discovery (and I’m not usually one for mists or spritzes, unless it’s Emma Hardie’s one* or the LRP Toleriane 8 here*) is the Josh Rosebrook Hydrating Accelerator (here*) which is brilliant for boosting the effects of whatever is piled on over the top.

Then it’s a serum (antioxidant in the morning, something hydrating at night, unless it’s a retinol night in which case straight on with that after cleansing) and a moisturiser to seal it all in. I’ve even been known to add a drop or two of oil into my moisturiser, though I forgot to mention that in the video!

The easiest way for me to show you the current skincare routine is to put it below in a list form. So here it is – beneath that you have a video with full explanation and whole joyous minutes of waffle.

Morning Cleanse

I use a quick micellar water sweep-over! Naughty but all I can be arsed with – currently using this*: https://bit.ly/2MkViiy

Antioxidant Serum 

Skinceuticals Discoloration Defense Serum*: https://bit.ly/2MgaIos

or

SkinGredients Skin Protein: https://skingredients.co.uk/products/skin-protein-vitamin-a-serum

Day Sunscreen

Arden Great 8 (discontinued?!): https://www.ruthcrilly.co.uk/the-fresh-summer-sunscreen-that-feels-barely-there/

Some other favourite sunscreens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4pzGoALxlU&t=161s 

Evening Cleanse

Dermalogica Active Clay Cleanser*: https://bit.ly/3r0uQcS

Kate Somerville Goat Milk Cleanser*: https://bit.ly/2ZM9UKV

BeautyPie Cleansing Balm*: https://bit.ly/2NXoRY5

Spritz

Josh Rosebrook Hydrating Accelerator*: https://bit.ly/2ZOqZnI

Emma Hardie Pump and Glow Spritz*: https://bit.ly/3qV225G

LRP Toleriane 8 Spray*: https://bit.ly/3aPTNT6

Eye Cream

Murad Retinol Eye Cream*: https://bit.ly/2ZLWlLt

Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream*: https://bit.ly/2ZYeCak

Kiehl’s Powerful Line Reducing Eye Serum*: https://bit.ly/3gwo9dg

Retinol (once every two or three days)

Murad Night Cream*: https://bit.ly/3khXnZj

Kate Somerville Retinol VitaC Serum*: https://bit.ly/3klOluf

Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 and 6*: https://bit.ly/2ZK5btl

Rich Night Moisturiser

Weleda Skin Food Light*: https://bit.ly/3aQ0lRG

Lumene Night Balm here

REN Evercalm Overnight Balm*: https://bit.ly/2ZKgOQL

Darphin 8 Flower Necar Oil-Cream*: https://bit.ly/3klfYU9