Beauty TAG! Skin care

TAGs - they are fun to do because you get to know bloggers a little bit more and it also makes you think about some things when you look at the questions, and they are not always straight forward to answer. Every time I'm lucky enough to get tagged I'm very grateful that someone has thought about me, and I will always join in. However, I also try to keep my content balanced so it may be a while before I do the tag. Quite a while back I was tagged by the sweet Michelle from Virgos and Kisses, to do a TAG about Skin care, which I'm passionate about so this was so much fun to do. Let's have a look at what Michelle asked:

Describe your skin care routine in 5 words?
Cleanse, Exfoliate, Nourish, Moisturise, Pampering. Even though my morning routine is a little bit different from my evening routine, and Is quite often - it's all based on these principles. Personally I also believe a lot in the actual experience of your skin care routine. If you enjoy the textures and the scents, it'll almost boost the effects - you'll feel great and relaxed, and it'll show outwards!

What's your skin type?
My skin is actually normal to combination, but like a lot of other people it tends to get dehydrated for lots of reasons; part of it is genetic, the weather, sitting in from of a computer screen all day long, air conditioning, general well being and sometimes it's even caused by certain skin care products. That means that the majority of my skin care products focus on retaining or restoring moisturise to the skin and for me some of the best brands for dehydrated skin are Gatineau, Caudalie, Estée Lauder and Clarins.

Top blemish zapper?
Aftershave! I don't often get blemishes, but on the other hand when I do - they tend to be bad and enough to ruin my day. So when I notice that something is brewing, I'll take a little bit of aftershave (it has to be something with a high alcohol %) on a cotton top and treat that area a few times a day followed by a dab of a rich moisturiser to avoid the area getting dried out. Fortunately Him Indoors has a nice selection of lovely after shave to borrow from and actually some of them are really wearable for women too!

Face wipes, yay or nay?
Njaay... I wouldn't use face wipes on an every day basis, and personally I prefer to have separate products for a gentle good cleanse that's adopted for specific needs e.g. eye make up remover, cleanser, toner etc and I don't see how different types of needs can be met in just one product. However if you're traveling or if you can't be bothered with a micellar water or cleansing solution and cotton pad, it's very practical, quick and easy to use facial wipes.

Toner, yay or nay?
Definitely! it's one of the beauty products I started to use, I still remember my first basic trio of products: Cleansing lotion, Purifying toner and a Moisturiser. I like to use a toner and for me it's like making absolutely sure that you remove every particle of makeup that you've used. I also like that it makes the skin feel very refreshed between cleansing and moisturising and it's also lovely to use a facial spray at this stage.

High-end skin care or high-end makeup?
I do have make up favourites from premium brands, that I wouldn't want to be without, but there is also an excellent range of more purse friendly makeup options on the high street, with great pigmentation and shades. So for me I'm more willing to splurge on high end skin care and I actually think of it as an investment. That doesn't mean that only high-end skin care is worth getting. We all know that we pay more for premium brands, not always because of how effective they are but because of the label, the packaging and the marketing - which all add to the price tag. If you strip out those costs, you'll get a different price and there are definitely budget brands that have lovely products, e.g. Garnier. For me it's not necessarily about using high-end or not, I think we all have a mix of products in our cabinets and drawers, but what it is about is getting the basics right. If you don't treat your skin well - it doesn't matter how much money you spend on makeup, since you'll only try to cover your skin rather than enhancing it, and the make up won't look as lovely as it could. 

What's the most unusual skin care product you've tried?
Since I love to try new products I have a long list of things to choose from, but it would need to be a face mask. It wasn't the texture or the sensation as such that made it unusual, it was that one of the  main ingredients was bee venom. It was supposed to deeply hydrate and rejuvenate the cells as well as help with scars. I don't know if it actually did that, but since bee venom has a plumping effect the skin did look nicely hydrated and smooth, which of course will help to smooth out any imperfections. 

Tell us your top skin care tip:
Sleep, sleep, sleep. Him Indoors jokingly calls me the Champion of sleep, but it's a well known fact that sleep is essential not just for general well being, but for the cells to regenerate. It's also the time when your skin is most receptive to treatments and creams, which is why a lot of products intended to be used overnight are richer than products intended for day wear. So make sure you get your Zzzeds.

Thank you again to Michelle for tagging me and to keep this going, I'm passing this on to the following lovely bloggers, who you must go and check out:

Lucy from the New Northerner

Rachael from All the Little Things

L from Maquillage magic

Jackie from Beautify

Ambi from Ambi Fashion

Have a wonderful day everyone! Xx