My Morning Skincare Routine

Morning Skincare Routine - Amour Ophelia — Glowy, clear, radiant and hydrated - the 4 things I look to achieve when it comes to my skin. Now, there’s no denying that I am skincare obsessed (a skincare junkie some would say). I’m constantly looking for new ingredients that are emerging that will aid in my journey to maintaining a glowing and blemish free complexion every day and find utter joy in discovering products that really *work*. I’ve always been quite lucky with my skin in that it’s not dry, nor oily and remains pretty well balanced (most of the time) however, that doesn’t mean I don’t get the odd spot every now and then that drives me mad. I’ve recently completely revamped my routine to one that I am 100% happy with - the products are great and the results even better. My skin’s remained blemish free for quite some time, it’s hydrated, healthy, has a good amount of glow to it and I’m here today to tell you what I’ve been using to achieve all of this…

Daily Routine

The first thing I do once I wake up and before I get into the shower is splash my face with cold water. This just really helps to wake me up and refresh my skin before I have a hot shower and carry out my skincare routine. Once I’m in a towel and my hair is tied back off my face, I start my skincare routine and the first step is to mix some of the Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant* with water and massage it into my skin. This extremely gentle exfoliant uses a skin brightening complex of Phytic Acid which comes from Rice Bran to achieve a more luminous complexion and White Tea and Licorice to balance an uneven skin tone. When mixed with water, the powder is activated and Papain, Salicylic Acid and Rice Enzymes are released to work polishing the skin. I remove this with warm water and muslin cloth to aid in the exfoliation process and pat dry with a clean towel. 2 to 3 mornings a week I swap out my Dermalogica Micro-Exfoliant and use the This Works Morning Expert Multi Acid Pads*. These alpha hydroxy acid infused 100% cotton biodegradable pads are the key to a brighter, clearer complexion in my current routine as the acids remove dead skin cells, unclog any blocked pores and encourage skin to resurface whilst the added azeliac acid also helps to calm and reduce any signs of blemishes.

As an extra step post cleanse to hydrate and add some moisture, I generously spritz the Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Face Mist* all over and let my skin soak in the divine rose and neroli scented toner. To keep blemishes obey, some mornings I press into the skin some of the Omorovicza Silver Skin Tonic*, a targeted blemish clearing solution that treats and prevents whilst smoothing and brightening. Formulated with colloidal silver which is known for it’s anti-bacterial and healing properties, BHA salicylic and niacinamide, this phenomenal treatment water has reduce all signs of breakouts over the past couple of weeks and kept my skin calm and clear.

I often change my serum based on my skins texture and appearance or if I have any particular concerns at the time and currently, I’m working at maintaining a clear, balanced and glowing complexion, making the Pixi Glow Tonic Serum* the perfect morning choice. Containing the same ingredient list as the original Glow Tonic, this lightweight, slightly sticky serum adds a dose of hydration from the added glycerin and helps keep skin ultra glowy and healthy looking. If my skin ever appears dull in the mornings or feels as though it needs a little extra TLC then I’ll spend a few minute massaging in some of the Sunday Riley C.E.O Glow Vitamin C and Turmeric Face Oil* - my newest and most luxurious addition to my skincare routine that I am just in love with. This divine smelling, Vitamin C, evening primrose oil and turmeric infused oil boosts skins radiance and enhances your overall glow like no other product has ever done before. Eye cream for me is all about hydrating and brightening to reduce the appearance of my dark circles and I’m currently using the Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Crème* which has been formulated with Vitamin C to revive and illuminate over time whilst the banana coloured pigments act as an instant brightener.

The next step comes as a no brainer; SPF. The most important step in anyones skincare routine, particularly in the Summer but also one to be used all year round. I’ve recently been using the Dermalogica Prisma Protect SPF30* which is a super lightweight moisturiser that provides protection against UVA/UVB rays to prevent skin damage in the future. What I love most about this product is it’s paraben free formula, the antioxidant technology that helps protect skin against pollution and it’s luminous veil it adds to the skin. More recently, my skin’s been a little ‘off’ with blemishes appearing more regularly on my chin and jawline, meaning a blemish busting moisturiser has been introduced into my routine. With the same ingredients list as the Silver Skin Tonic, Omorovicza’s Silver Skin Lotion* which is a treatment cream for blemish-prone skin but is not at all harsh and drying and provides a lovely luminous looking complexion. Again, this has been formulated with antibacterial and skin healing colloidal silver, pollution protecting zinc, skin brightening niacinamide and the ultimate skin hydrator of all time, hyaluronic acid. This is a beautifully soft and smooth formula that perks up the complexion, keeps it clear the longer you use it and has become my new favourite moisturiser.

Extra Steps

I always finish off my morning routine with lip balm and currently, I’m obsessed with the jammy tint that goes by the name Glossier Berry Balm Dot Com*. It’s hydrating, provides a lovely sheer berry tint, a dose of moisture and a satin sheen to the lips. On weekends when I have more time in the mornings for a mask and some gels then I’ll always apply my Pixi DetoxifEYE Depuffing Eye Patches* which just help to refresh, brighten and cool the eye area. I’ll also go in with a sheet mask from my favourite sheet mask brand; Patchology* that deliver hydration and radiance in 5 minutes.