My Evening Skincare Routine

Over Christmas, I posted a snap on Instagram of some of my evening skin care products. I received a few requests to do an evening skincare routine post so here goes!

Makeup removal -  My first thought on getting home is usually "GET THIS MAKEUP OFF ME!" closely followed by "FOOD!" I usually go for a quick and dirty first step removal using the Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes ($6.99) followed by my favourite makeup remover of all time, Lush's Ultrabland ($17.95) which leaves my skin feeling super soft and cleansed. I know a lot of people find Ultrabland quite greasy but I use a hot cloth to remove it and have never had an issue. 

Masks - Masks are a key part of my evening skincare routine, I absolutely love popping on a face mask and having a bath to wind down. I've been really loving Mask of Magnaminty by Lush ($15.95) lately, it's a product I reach for whenever my skin is having a major freak out. The mint is really cooling and while I do get a bit of a skin purge initially, long-term use leaves my skin in mint (hehe) condition. For a more gentle, hydrating mask, I've been reaching for the St Ives Oatmeal Scrub + Mask ($9.99) which not only smells amazing but really calms my skin. I love the exfoliating oaty grains too, my skin always feels really soft after using this.

Tone it up - It's always been difficult for me to find a toner that doesn't either feel like I'm just splashing water on my face or burn like the fires of hell. They always seem either too harsh or not very effective. I picked up Lush's Breath of Fresh Air ($19.95) at the Boxing Day sales and have finally found a happy medium kind of toner. I really like that this has a spray nozzle so you can choose to either spray it directly onto your skin or onto a cotton pad. It also smells really refreshing and feels like an instant pick-me-up.

Exfoliation - No, I didn't get this step wrong, this type of exfoliation is chemical rather than physical and comes after toner. The John Plunkett Glyco Peel* ($29.95) has been an absolute saviour for me and has really improved my skin condition. This contains 25% Glycolic Acid which chemically removes dead skin cells meaning your skin looks more radiant. It also contains aloe vera to soothe and calm. This works best if you use it for a week, then rest for a week, it gives the skin time to adapt. Glycolic acid also makes your skin sensitive to sun damage so if you do decide to use this (which you should, it's amazing!), then make sure you're also using SPF.

Hydrate - I like to go for a slightly richer formula for my night-time moisturiser as I have all night to absorb it and don't have to worry about looking too greasy. I absolutely love my custom made Bespoque Skin Care* ($36.95 - $69.95), mine is called Little Jar of Magic. You can customise the formula, scent and active ingredients so you can get exactly what you need out of it. You can read my full post on Bespoque here. My other go-to night cream is the Dirty Works 8-in-1 Miracle Cream* ($19.95). I'm a huge fan of the Dirty Works range, I think it's effective, affordable and fun, I love the retro packaging! the Miracle Cream is perfect to apply overnight as it then has plenty of time to brighten, smooth, moisturise and hydrate. Bonus points for smelling great too!

The Eyes - I have been fighting a very long battle against my dark circles. No matter what I do, they're always there and a bad night's sleep makes them all the more obvious. I currently switch between Benefit's It's Potent Eye Cream ($42.00) and Dirty Works Eye Cream* ($12.95). I like both of them because they're more like gels than creams, they absorb really quickly and (most importantly), I feel like they actually do make my eye area look more hydrated and my dark circles are less obvious.

Blemish Fighting - The final step for my evening skincare routine is a liberal application of Witch Hazel Blemish Gel ($9.99) to my most obvious spots. Witch hazel is excellent for banishing blemishes and I really like the gel formula, it's a little easier to work with than liquid witch hazel. 

Now, this might seem like a huge routine but rest assured that I don't use every single product every single night. I use each of them when I feel I need them and obviously, I wouldn't use two masks or two moisturisers in the same night. 

What products have you incorporated into your evening skincare routine?

Dani xo

*These products were provided as a PR sample but as always, my opinion is my own