Most Wanted: Skincare

I've definitely noticed a change in my skin lately. I used to always describe my skin as normal to dry, and always bought products to cater for this.  However, lately I've noticed my pores becoming enlarged on my forehead and nose; it's not particularly oily, in fact I often get dry skin on these exact same places... make of that what you will! I'd probably describe my skin now as normal/combination and I'm currently on the lookout for products that will work for me.  

Cleansers: As you can see there's a few cleansers here.  I've read more and more about the importance of double cleansing; once to remove make up, and then again to clean the skin.  I like the idea of using the Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel to remove my make up first. While I do enjoy using my L'Oreal Micellar Water for this, I do think it'd be better using this solely for eye makeup, or after a late night.  I think I'm one of the few bloggers who has yet to try the Emma Hardie cleansing balm. I've heard nothing but good things but to be honest, the price keeps putting me off, which is why I'm tempted to try the slightly cheaper Balance Me cleansing balm first to see how I get on with this type of cleanser.

Moisturisers: As you can see, my 'most wanted' moisturisers and eye cream are all from Origins.  I'm yet to try anything from them but I have seen the ginzing products in particular mentioned over and over again.  My skin often looks dull and I have quite prominent dark circles, and from the sounds of it, the ginzing moisturisers and eye cream would help to combat this. 

Other bits and bobs:  Serums are something that are becoming more and more prevalent in the beauty industry and to be honest, I've never tried them. This Idealist Even Skintone Illuminator from Estee Lauder is said to help reduce the size of pores, and help repair the look of uneven skin texture which is a problem I seem to suffer with on my cheeks.  I'm at the age now where I should not only be thinking about incorporating anti-ageing products into my routine, but actually doing so too.  Advanced Night Repair by Estee Lauder has great anti-ageing properties and really helps to hydrate the skin.  I think these two serums would work really well together, but at over £40 each, I think it'll be a while before I own both!  I've also heard lots about the Hydraluron Moisture Booster which apparently increases your skin's hydration levels and helps your moisturiser to work better.  At under £20 it's a damn sight cheaper than the Estee Lauder serums, and going by the reviews, it seems to do a similar job.  Lastly here is the Clinique SPF40 face cream.  Again I'll be honest, the only sun protection I've been using on my face is whatever is in my moisturiser.  Apparently this isn't enough and we should be using a separate sun protection as well. This does make sense especially with the unusually sunny weather we're having lately.

As you can see, there's quite a lot of products here and I won't be purchasing them all at once.  Even if I did, I wouldn't start using them at the same time as I've heard it's best to introduce new products into your skincare routine one at a time to help prevent any breakouts or reactions.  I still want to do a bit more research into what will work best for my skin, but with pay day looming I am tempted to splurge on one or two items now!

What skincare items are you loving lately? Do you have any recommendations for my slightly misbehaving skin? Share your thoughts below, it'd be much appreciated!