Following last week’s morning skincare routine , today Editor-in-Chief Susannah Taylor talks us through her evening skincare regime. Despite being a beauty editor, Susannah is a huge believer of keeping your routine as simple as possible to avoid breakouts, adult acne and broken veins.
Whenever visiting a dermatologist, she’s been told to strip her skincare routine right back and use something as simple as Cetaphil , £7.99, a pH balanced pharmacy product. With her hectic lifestyle, Susannah doesn’t have time to follow a 10-step skincare routine so keeping it simple also fits well into her schedule.
First up, Susannah removes her eye makeup. There are a lot of expensive ones on the market but she swears by Nivea’s Daily Essentials Extra Gentle Eye Makeup Remover , £1.74, and Simple’s Kind To Eyes Makeup Remover , £3.25. Susannah prefers to steer clear of oily makeup removers as she finds that they leave a misty film on her eyes (anybody else experienced this?!). The Nivea products are water-based, so they don’t feel aggressive on your eyes. Also, Susannah finds that sleeping after the use of an oily product can leave her eyes feeling slightly puffy in the morning. If you’re prone to that, switch your eye makeup remover, pronto.
Next, Susannah washes her face. Having tried all types of cleansers on the market, from milk-based cleansers (she’s not a big fan) to hot cloth cleansers (her favourite is Liz Earle’s Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser , £19.75), Susannah has found herself always going back to wash-off cleansers. She’s a big fan of Institut Esthederm Osmoclean Pure Cleansing Foam , £26.40, and applies the gentle formula all over her face, then rubs it in with a bit of water. Once she washes it off, she’s left with incredibly clean skin, that doesn’t feel dry or as if it’s about to crack.
After cleansing, Susannah applies a serum and has recently been going back to her Clinique Smart Custom Serum , £48, which targets the problems that you have with your skin. For example, if you have problems with pigmentation, it will target that or if you have issues with breakouts, it’ll work to battle that specific area. She’s been using it for the last month and feels that it’s helped to improve her skin. In the summer, it’s all she’ll use.
When she feels like she needs it, Susannah will also add a moisturiser into her routine. Pricey, but one of the best moisturisers she has ever tried, Susannah can’t get enough of the Absolue l’Extrait Regenerating Ultimate Elixir by Lancome , £255. Each pot is said to contain thousands of rose petals and stem cells, which help to encourage rejuvenation. After lots of research, Lancome discovered that the rejuvenation that happens within the stem cell of a rose could also happen within the skin. Due to its expensive price tag, Susannah uses this product extremely sparingly. She believes that it’s one of those skincare products that is worth the money and by wearing it in the day, you’ll find that it helps make your skin glow. It also doesn’t hurt that it has a beautiful rose petal scent.
Once a week, Susannah finds herself reaching for her Aurelia Refine and Polish Miracle Balm , £57 (she also loves their cleanser). This balm is an enzyme polish, so not only does it contain little granules that dissolve as you rub it into your skin; the enzymes also work to nibble away at dead skin cells. After a couple of minutes, rub it in and you’ll feel the grains disappear without them being harsh. Granules in other products have led to scratching the skin, breakouts and can cause broken veins but this Aurelia product is extremely gentle. It also smells of chamomile, eucalyptus, rosemary and bergamot, so before you go to bed, you’re left in a sensory heaven.
One thing that Susannah always does as part of her night routine is removing her makeup. Whether she falls asleep on the sofa or in her child’s bed, she will wake up and clean her face straight away. If she really can't be bothered, she’ll use micellar water and a cotton wool pad to remove her makeup.
If she’s feeling particularly awake, Susannah will have a bath with some Aromatherapy Associates bath oils, preferably Deep Relax , £40, to help her zonk out. Or if she’s feeling pale, she’ll reach for a self-tanning product instead of a moisturiser. Her favourite is James Read’s Sleep Mask Tan , £25, as it always makes her wake up to bronzed and glowing skin.
Are there any products that you swear by for your evening routine? Let us know your favourites and recommendations in the comments below!