Daily Skincare Routine | Part 1: Morning

I love being nosy into what products people use and how these fit into skincare routines, as I'm always on the look out for new tips and tricks to try! Being a student, my budget can't always stretch to the limits of a lot of bloggers' skincare items and so, I thought it would be helpful and interesting to share the cheaper products I use daily to look after my skin and show you don't always need to splash out for a good result! These products are all available in shops such as Boots and Superdrug and definitely won't break the bank! If you're just starting out in skincare and would like to build up a routine to start your day, these are some of the products I recommend!

| STEP ONE |

The first thing I do is take the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, drench a cotton pad and sweep it all over my face to remove any dirt and left over makeup from the night before. The cotton pads are use are an oval shape and I buy mine from Primark for just 90p - definitely recommend these if you are on a budget! As well as cleansing your skin, this also very cooling and refreshing so perfect to wake you up in the morning! After this I just get another cotton pad with warm water and rinse off any residue - the bottle does say this isn't necessary but I find it feels more refreshing!

| STEP TWO |

This isn't a step that I do everyday but when my feel is feeling more groggy and I'm in need of a freshen up. I take the Boots Essentials Cucumber Facial Wash, which at an amazing price of £1.50, isn't life changing but definitely worth investing in to leave your skin fresh and awake. I have normal/combination skin and find this facial wash gentle and uplifting. The cucumber scent isn't too intense and the gel like consistency is easy to apply and foams up when washed onto wet skin. As I said, this range is very basic, but a nice way to leave your skin feeling clean without being too vigorous or drying! I normally take a small amount onto my palm, smooth over both hands and massage into damp skin. Once smoothed all over my skin, I add more warm water to create a lather and then splash off the product with cold water, to awaken my skin and close pores!

| STEP THREE |

After washing my face over with a flannel and warm water, to definitely remove any product excess and towel drying, I apply my eye cream around the contours of my eyes. For over a year now, I have been using the No7 Early Defence Eye Cream (Read a review of that here!) which I love and has really helped brighten and smooth my eye area. Recently, I have changed to try out the Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Eye Cream, at about half the price, to see if there's any difference in the outcome - so far, so good!

| STEP FOUR |

The last step is moisturising my skin ready for the day ahead. My all-time favourite moisturiser, which I have used for years now, is the Ponds Hydro-Nourishing Face Cream, which is so creamy and hydrating, leaving my skin feeling drenched and smooth all day long. Sometimes, especially when my skin is feeling particularly dry, I will mix a drop or two of Bio-Oil into my moisturiser to give an extra burst of hydration. I normally do this on days when I'm not wearing makeup so my skin has a chance to fully appreciate and soak up the extra moisture! As the days become sunnier, I have also been applying SPF onto my skin to help with sun protection. The one I am currently using is the Boots Soltan Protect and Moisturise SPF50 Face Cream, which is easy to smooth over the skin without feeling as greasy as normal suncream while still hydrating and protective!

So, that's my super easy and budget-friendly morning skincare routine. Most of these products have been in my collection for a while now and I trust them all, so would definitely recommend you give them a try! Thank you for reading and stay tuned for part 2!

| Products Mentioned |

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water 
~ Micellar Water Link ~

Primark Oval Cotton Pads
~ In-store Only ~

Boots Essentials Cucumber Facial Wash
~ Facial Wash Link ~

No7 Early Defence Eye Cream
~ Eye Cream Link ~

Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Eye Cream
~ Eye Cream Link ~

Ponds Hydro-Nourishing Face Cream
~ Face Cream Link ~

Bio-Oil
~ Bio-Oil Link ~

Boots Soltan Protect and Moisturise SPF50 Face Cream
~ Face SPF Link ~

~ Becca ~ 

New Product Review: No7 Early Defence Eye Cream

For a while now, I have been contemplating adding an eye cream to my skincare routine. Your eye area is very delicate and I knew that the earlier I took care of it, especially considering I dab concealer over it every time I apply my makeup, the more I would thank myself later in life. As I browsed the shelves in all the high-street shops, I couldn't find an eye cream that covered all bases for my skin type and what I was hoping to conquer. Many boasted their 'anti-ageing' or 'hydrating and cooling' formulas that just weren't right for my 19-year-old, normal skin. My ideal eye cream was one to primarily brighten my dark circles, something I am quite self conscious about. With a limited few on the market, and even fewer in my price range, I thought I'd wait it out until either one I had seen came down in price or I found another alternative. 

The No7 Early Defence range was released shortly after my quest began and it seemed to fit exactly with what I wanted. This range was replacing the infamous 'Protect and Perfect' range from No7, which targeted anti-ageing rather than early protection against the ageing process, like this range. I have used the No7 Protect and Perfect Day and Night creams and although I did get on OK with both - the night cream more so than the day however - I still felt they weren't actually miraculously helping my skin, especially for the price tag. I was so pleased to see the targets of the Early Defence to be much more suited for my skin, age and daily life - it's concept focused of preventing and defending against the signs of ageing rather than slowing them down! I purchased the eye cream 4 weeks ago in April and have used it every day and night since.      

The consistency is much thinner than I would have imagined. I thought having 'special' ingredients to target the eye area would leave it a much heavier product but luckily it is very light, especially on such a delicate area, and absorbs quickly to save you waiting around before applying your next product. Another bonus is the product isn't perfumed and seems perfectly suited for not only sensitive skin by also younger skin prone to other skin problems like breakouts. Working just a small amount across the contours of your eye is not only quick and easy to squeeze into a busy schedule like mine but also gives an instant refreshing feeling to your eye area when applied. 

Not only have I loved the concept and the quality of this product, the results have been so impressive. Each morning, my dark circles are getting brighter and brighter and also a lot less puffy. My skin looks so much more hydrated and the eye area just seems more youthful and bright. I feel more confident about my dark circles now and have also noticed myself using less concealer than I have before. I am very glad I chose to start using this product and know it will hang around in my skincare routine for a long time! My only wish is for the tube of product to be a little bigger! Also, although this product is a bit pricey compared to other brands in Boots, No7 are always giving out '£5 off' vouchers to bring it down in price, or it might be a nice little product to splurge on! I must admit I was sceptical to pay out for this product at first. The idea to 'slow mo your skin', as the tag line suggests, seemed a bit far-fetched, but am glad I stuck by it. The results have made me feel more confident about my eyes and ready to dare to go bare and makeup-free as summer comes along! 

What eye cream has rescued your skin? 

- Becca x

No7 Early Defence Eye Cream - RRP £13.50 (for 15ml) 

♡