Summer Skincare Routine- Back to Basics

Before I discuss the products, a little background into my skin so you can decide whether these could be worth trying. So I was commuting a couple of weeks ago, the train was unbearably stuffy and my freshly applied makeup felt like it was melting off my face. Something had to change as my foundation suddenly felt too heavy for summer. Before making a switch to something like a tinted moisturiser, my stressed out skin desperately needed sorting. It was spotty (something I never had before in my life and they just weren't going down) and also had dozens of little bumps all over my face. I'd also got little rashes elsewhere which was the cherry on the cake!! I basically felt as though I didn't know my own body anymore because nothing I used or ate make a difference.

I decided to invest in a Clarisonic cleanser after reading a whole bunch of reviews, and to keep the products as simple as possible. No parabens, little perfume and no sulfates. Also I'd read about the importance of staying loyal to products to give them time to work, so I have not introduced anything else into my routine since.

The Clarisonic cleanser has a 1 minute timer and beeps at intervals so you know when to move on to another section of your face. It gives you twenty seconds for each cheek and ten seconds each for your forehead and chin. I gently massaged the La Roche-Posay Ultra-Fine Scrub into my face and swiped the damp brush around my face for the minute. As many of the reviews point out, it doesn't feel like it's doing a great deal to your face as the bristles are so soft but after the first use my face felt insanely clean. The La Roche-Posay scrub, which doesn't contain alcohol , colourants, soap or parabens works really nicely with the cleansing brush and exfoliates without causing any redness. When this ran out I moved on to the Antipodes Reincarnation exfoliator which is organic and enriched with avocado oil, marigold flower, cedarwood and orange. This cleanser has a creamier texture than the other one and although pricier it lasts me about five times longer.

When the cleansing ritual is over, I apply the La Roche-Posay Effaclar-K face cream and that's it. I am really loving this cream and it seems to have a big following. The cream has a serum lightness to it and quickly sinks into the skin. Since focusing the cream on my spots there has been a noticeable reduction in redness and bumps.

An extra little discovery in this new routine is the Antipodes natural Nirvana shower gel which my colleague Jo is loving. She swears that it smells like Christmas and one thing is certain, the scent is DIVINE. Think fresh mint leaves. Afterwards your skin is left super soft and nourished. I can honestly say that these products are an absolute dream team together and although there hasn't been any real drastic change, my face feels so clean after following this regime. Fingers crossed that the bumps disappear, that would be magic!