My Skincare Routine: Summer 2018

by | Jul 29, 2018

summer skincare reviews

It’s been over a year since my first (and last) “seasonal” skincare update, so that idea for a regular feature worked out well, didn’t it? Why do I have such an aversion to my own deadlines? I can spend three hours thinking and writing about sink design, a topic so obscure and irrelevant to this blog that I should never have even penned the first sentence, yet I struggle to find the time and motivation to start what I’m actually supposed to be doing.

But let’s move quickly away from my inadequacies and into the glorious land of skincare; this post is all about what I’m currently using on my face. As with the previous skincare routine, this is more about the types of products I use and the frequency that I use them rather than giving specific beauty reviews.

I’d say that the most notable features in this skincare video are: 1) the guilty admission that I don’t do two lengthy cleanses a day and 2) the regular use of retinols into my evening routine.

If you’re feeling itchy over the idea that I don’t do a proper morning face cleanse then let me expand on my statement and ease your potential fears: I do cleanse, I just don’t – usually – do a thorough balm-and-flannel cleanse. I rarely have the time. It tends to be either a face wash (sometimes splashed on and off whilst I’m having a speedy shower!) or, if I’m in a desperate hurry, micellar water on cotton pads.

And the retinol introduction you’ll already be mildly familiar with, if you’re a regular reader; I did a video on retinol a while back (that’s here) and since then, I’ve been testing a few different bits and pieces. I only feature two products, here, because they’re the ones I’ve used most, but there are some exciting things coming up that haven’t even launched yet.

summer skincare reviews

The other – more season-appropriate – tweaks in this routine would probably be the daily use of a broad spectrum sunscreen (loads of reviews here) and then the addition of gradual face tanners into my evening rituals. You might think that face tanners would be more useful in the winter when there’s no sun, but I have to use them in the summer months because my body tans so easily and I don’t really expose my face so much. I end up with a head that looks as though it’s been patched onto the wrong body.

Anyway, I could waffle on for ages but I’d only be giving you a sort of weak, hot-potch transcript of the video below so I’d recommend watching the full thing and then reading the notes further on down the page if you need more info. Of course, as always, feel free to leave questions or comments and I’ll try to get back to you as soon as I can! I currently have a dissembled Louis XV armoire blocking my way to the door and a flat-packed child’s bed leaning up against the wall behind it, so you can guess what I’ll to be doing tonight…**

**disclaimer: I won’t be doing any actual constructing, because Mr AMR holds all of the tools and I just have to pass hinges to him and look around the house for the screwdriver that’s missing from the screwdriver set and try not to pass comment on the fact that Mr AMR never reads the instructions for anything before he starts.

CURRENT SKINCARE ROUTINE FOR SUMMER. 

AM: 

CLEANSE (usually quick one!) 

SERUM (usually something antioxidant/hydrating)

MOISTURISING SUNSCREEN

PM:

CLEANSE (full, usually twice)

ACID PEEL/ACID TONER

MOISTURISER

or

CLEANSE

RETINOL

MOISTURISER

__

Morning Cleansers currently include: 

Garnier Micellar Water, £3.33*: https://bit.ly/2NOoYzB

L’Oreal Age Perfect Micellar, £3.99*: https://bit.ly/2v6ZtlB

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, £9*: https://bit.ly/2AcnOvQ

Balance Me Face Wash, £16*: http://bit.ly/2NP3Ut3

You can find all of my cleanser reviews here

Serums currently include:

Paula’s Choice Antioxidant Serum, £35*: https://bit.ly/2LugX6f

Caudalie Vinoperfect Serum, £46*: https://bit.ly/2NQg5p9 or

£37.20 at Amazon*: https://amzn.to/2mJxAw6

First Aid Beauty Serum, £23.77*: https://amzn.to/2OgsbJv

L’Oreal Hyaluronic Serum, £11.14*: https://amzn.to/2Ok1Qdr

Sunscreens currently include: 

La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL here

COOLA Classic here

Clinique Mineral SPF30, £22*: http://bit.ly/2LVy25c

Find all of my sunscreen reviews here

__

Night cleansers currently include: 

PIXI Double Cleanse*, £24*: http://bit.ly/2LCb5Y5

Dr Sam’s Flawless Cleanser: https://www.drsambunting.com/shop-all/flawless-cleanser

Clinique Take The Day Off Balm, £24*: http://bit.ly/2LPqYaf

Acid Peel Pads currently include: 

Zelens PHA pads, £65*: http://bit.ly/2NR2U7M

First Aid Beauty Pads, £24*: http://bit.ly/2LStQDq

L’Oreal Glycolic Pads, £14.99*: https://amzn.to/2Ok1EL6

You can (usually) use an acid peel or acid toner and then retinol afterwards but, as I say in the video, I tend not to. I suppose I just don’t like doing too many things at once! 

AHA acids (like lactic and glycolic) exfoliate the surface of the skin so they make it look really bright and renewed. The wipe-over-and-leave peel pads like the ones above are a really handy way of applying acids. 

Retinol is a different beast and something of an anti-ageing powerhouse – there’s pretty much no skin ageing issue it doesn’t tackle. Fine lines, lack of firmness, dullness, proper wrinkles… The ones I’ve shown here are a mixed bag. 

I don’t know the potency of the retinol in the This Works No Wrinkles Night Repair, I just love the texture, smell and general brightening and hydrating effect. 

It’s currently on sale at Amazon for £35 here*: https://amzn.to/2mME79j

You can also find No Wrinkles at FeelUnique*: http://bit.ly/2uT32MP 

The Medik8 Crystal Retinal is a new, very clever product that delivers very effective and powerful ingredients with no side-effects such as flaking or redness. This is the serious one, I love it! You can find it on the Medik8 website, it’s £59 here: https://www.medik8.com/crystal-retinal-6.html

Post-acid moisturisers currently include: 

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Night: here

Sunday Riley Tidal Cream: here

Herbivore Pink Cloud Cream, £42*: http://bit.ly/2NKTYAy

Treat-to-self moisturisers currently include: 

Darphin 8 Flower Nectar Oil Cream: here

Darphin Aromatic Renewing Balm: here

Gradual tanners I’m currently testing (all good!) include:

Isle of Paradise light drops, £13.30*: https://bit.ly/2uW19Pk

M&S Overnight Glow Mask, £12.50*: http://bit.ly/2uVjKet

OSKIA Tanning Drops, £65*: http://bit.ly/2LSG4fn

ESPA Gradual Tan Face Concentrate, £25*: http://bit.ly/2NLMMo0

Eye creams I’m currently using: 

Pai Echium (ALWAYS! have used this for years), £32*: https://bit.ly/2LvopON

DCL Peptide Eye Cream, £86 (sorry)*: http://bit.ly/2uTigBy

More eye cream reviews and recommendations here

15 Comments

  1. You look amazing in this video!
    What products / make up are you using here? Your skin is glowing

    Reply
  2. You have such a good skincare routine, it puts mine to shame :P

    Reply
  3. Hi Ruth,
    How do you compare those self tan drops to hylamide’s?

    Reply
    • Really similar. They all give me just about the same effect I think. x

      Reply
  4. My routine is v similar to yours Ruth. Daily acid (ha, as if!) is just too much for me. As is whacking on too many products. I hate feeling sticky before the days even started. I’ve also started wondering lately about just washing with water in the morning as I did in my 30s. My skin seems to be going oilier again in my 40s and I wonder if it might balance itself if I didn’t use a (non-stripping, obvs) facecwash in the shower first thing. Ho hum. Your skin looks great – hope you’re feeling brighter x

    Reply
  5. Interesting and informative. I stopped cleansing my skin in the mornings long ago and just do a quick cool-water splash followed up with a moisturizer. Two cleanses a day was just too drying for my skin and I have found that my skin looks and feels better now.

    Reply
  6. Hi Ruth! Loved the video and post. Best self tan of the ones you’ve been testing?? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Honestly can’t really tell much between them all! The M&S mask is probably the strongest, the OSKIA drops are MEGA expensive but nice and natural, but really they are all pretty faultless! x

      Reply
      • Thank you :)

        Reply
  7. My morning cleanse is usually a speedy one too, I rather snooze a little longer than spend longer than necessary on my face routine. No micellar water without at least rinsing my face afterwards though, otherwise I feel like I have disappointed Mrs. Hirons the whole day.

    Anne|Linda, Libra, Loca

    Reply
    • Hahahaha!!!! She’s watching you….

      Reply
  8. Thanks Ruth. My routine is really quite similar to yours and there’s lots here that I want to try now. It’s good to hear your thoughts on Dr Sam’s Flawless Cleanser as I’ve seen it pop up on quite a few Instagram feeds. X

    Reply
  9. I’ve been interested in Retinol for awhile, but lack of knowledge has stopped me from pulling the trigger, this post definitely helped, so thanks a mill for that!!

    Rebecca | http://www.peppermintdolly.com

    Reply
  10. James Read Gradual Tan Sleep Mask is ace.

    Reply
    • Yes I thought so too, when I used it! Must write that up x

      Reply

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