What’s in My Travel Skincare Bag | Blogmas Day #16






















In case you didn’t read yesterdays post, I am currently in New York! I thought I would take this opportunity to make a somewhat short travel series, and walk you through all the beauty goodies that I am hauling across the Atlantic with me. Today we are talking all things skincare…


It may not be the most travel-friendly option, but I couldn’t not bring the The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Oil (full post) as it is my ultimate favourite makeup remover. I haven’t found anything that removes makeup quite like this does. For my cleanser, I am bringing a sample size of the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish that I got in my You Beauty Advent Calendar – this actually used to be my favourite cleanser, so I’m quite happy to have this back in my life. Next up we have another also slightly bulky product – the First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads. I reviewed this only a couple of days ago here, and the convenience of them definitely made me take them on my trip. The final basic product I am taking is the Kiehls Ultra Facial Moisturiser, which is just a really simple effective lotion. 

Because I’m a little worried that my skin will freak out after the 8 hour plane journey, I am bringing the big guns when it comes to fighting blemishes and dehydration. The La Roche Posay Effeclar Duo + has become a classic in my routine, and a serum that I constantly use on blemishes because it helps to reduce them without drying out the skin. For spot treatment, I am bringing the Aesop Control Gel which is a personal staple. A product that hydrates, helps any blemishes and is generally a life-saver is the BalanceMe Radiance Face Oil, so this is a must for me. The final product I am brining along with me is the Nuxe Reve De Miel lip balm as planes (and cold weather) really take a toll on my lips. 

This isn’t the most travel-friendly skincare bag, but as I’m not too strapped for space on this trip, I was more concerned on bringing products that would really help my skin. I’m also brining a few extras for an in-flight routine, but that’s a whole other blog post…

RachelElizabeth

Evening Skincare Routine

This post is a continuation from my Morning Skincare Routine. In the past three months or so, I’ve really had to change the products I use in the routine due to my skin becoming drier than it has ever been before as this winter approached. This routine is much smaller than I would hope it to be, but I feel like I’ve got a really good core set of products than I can continually add to.

Step 1: Remove Makeup/Cleanse
As in the morning, I use the Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm, but instead I use it twice. With a full face of makeup on, I massage it all over the face, across the eyes and lips – inevitably ending up looking like the Joker… I then take the same flannel from the morning and run under warm (not hot) water and remove the makeup and cleanser from my face. I then do a second cleanse, massaging over the skin and removing with the flannel, just like the morning. Ideally, I would have a separate cleanser for this second step, but that is currently work in progress.

Step 2: Exfoliate
Just like the morning, after cleansing I take a liquid exfoliant, and in the past few months I have finally got my hands on the Pixi Glow Tonic (this is quite hard to come buy – I got mine, and a backup or two, from the Pixi Store off Carnaby Street). This unlike my morning exfoliant, is a glycolic acid based exfoliant which helps improves the skins surface and texture. Since using this, I have noticed a significant difference in my skin in turns of blemishes and also ridding of those pesky dry patches. 

Step 3: Serum
In the evening, I am much more concerned about hydrating the skin as much as possible, as I don’t need to worry about makeup slipping and sliding off the skin. I use the Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Booster which is a serum containing hyaluronic acid, which ‘can hold up to 1000 times its body weight in water’, meaning that it increases the affect of your moisturiser. This is a great serum for dehydrated or dry skin – I have dehydrated combination skin, and find this really helps hydrate my skin.

Step 4: Moisturise
Night time moisturiser has always been a category that I have struggled to find one that I really love. Many of the richer moisturisers I have tried have broken me out, which I assume is due to the ingredients. I decided to turn to La Roche Posay Toleraine Riche which is a moisturiser targeted at those with sensitive and dry skin. This is a really rich cream that gets rid of any flaky dry patches, without causing any irritation. Because of how much I love this, I am tempted to try the regular (non-‘riche’) version for the summer months when my skin is not as dry.

My skincare routine is currently quite concise, but I am constantly looking to add and improve to it. I feel like I’ve got a good core routine, and my skin has thanked me for it, despite those pesky spots that pop up at that time of the month. I will no doubt post about any new skin care additions… 


Morning Skincare Routine

Over the past year or so, I have started to really care about skincare. My skin is usually oily, and is quite blemish prone, but this winter (which has never happened before) it has started to become a little more dry around my nose. In the morning, I like to focus more on prepping the skin for makeup – making the face smooth and keeping the oil at bay. However, in the evening I use more hydrating and nourishing products. I think I have finally found a simple core routine that really works for my skin, and all the fancy add ons will come in time…


The Routine

Step 1: Cleanse
I start off my routine by taking the Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm on my fingers and massaging it all over my face. I then take a flannel and run in under warm water and remove the cleanser. This cleanser feels very luxurious and nourishing, and was quite daunting for me on first use having oily skin. This product has become one of my staples and has really helped change the appearance of my skin.

Step 2: Tone/Exfoliate
I use the Aveda Botanical Kinetics Exfoliant on a cotton pad all over the face after I cleanse as a liquid exfoliator. This contains salicylic acid, which is great for blemish-prone skin. I don’t find this to be too harsh on my skin and I am able to use this on an everyday basis. I find that it really helps to keep the skin smooth and free of any dead skin, and is much more gentle and effective than a manual exfoliant.

Step 3: Serum
The La Roche Posay Effeclar Duo is a product I would highly recommend to anyone who is prone to blemishes. It is a lightweight serum, and since using this consistently, I have noticed a significant reduction in the amount of spots I get and how long they take to disappear. This is a great daytime serum as it won’t disrupt any makeup, and surprisingly for a product aimed at oily skin it is not drying. La Roche Posay are a great affordable skin care brand that can be found in Boots and I would definitely suggest if you are on a budget to check their range out.

Step 4: Moisturise
Moisturiser is a step that I find quite hard to get right, but I’ve been really enjoying using the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel as my morning moisturiser. I use the ‘Gel’ as opposed to the ‘Lotion’ because it is nice and lightweight and a good base for makeup. Unlike many moisturisers aimed at oily skin, I still find that this is quite hydrating, and feels cooling when applied to the skin. I like this moisturiser because it is basic and simple, and doesn’t break me out. 

So that concludes my simple morning skin care routine. These particular products I have been using for several months now, and have all been repurchased once or more. The products I use are a little on the expensive side but I personally like to invest in skincare, because a) it helps makeup apply better and b) who doesn’t want gorgeous skin? If you’re looking for amazing skincare tips and you haven’t already, head over to Caroline Hiron’s Blog as she is simply a skincare goddess and genius and I have learnt so much from reading it – the cheat sheets are incredible! 

RachelElizabeth