My cleansing routine

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Toner, REN Clarifying Clay Cleanser, M.A.C Cleanse Off Oil, Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish, Bioderma Micelle Solution

I believe in clear skin. I also believe that making this extra effort to remove your make-up and wash your face every evening is a recipe for healthy and beautiful complexion. I'm sure I'd mentioned this before but - just to put it out there - cleansing is what I enjoy the most in my skincare routine. I love discovering new products and finding those that work well together to create a perfect combination for my skin type. The actual routine differs sometimes depending on my skin's needs and on the amount of make-up I have on but there is one thing I always try to be consistent about - washing my face every night regardless of how tired or lazy I feel.

Bioderma Micelle Solution

I usually start with two large cotton pads and some micelle water - at the moment I use Bioderma Micelle Solution Sebium to remove the majority of my make-up. The role of micellar make-up removers is to dissolve make-up  and wash of the first layer of foundation and powder. I start by holding the cotton pads to my eyes for a few seconds and then gently wipe off mascara, eyeliner and eyeshadow. Next I turn the pads over and - adding a bit more of the solution - I use it all over my face.

M.A.C Cleanse Off Oil

If I have particularly heavy make-up, such as a waterproof mascara or aneyeliner, I follow with an oil-based make-up remover. At the moment I am using M.A.C Cleanse Off Oil which is lovely-scented oil, packed in a simple, see-through bottle with a handy pump. I like to apply it on a slightly damp skin, massage it in (you can use it on your eyes - I doesn't hurt) and then rinse it off with some water. It dissolves my mascara and eyeliner easily and it is still gentle to my under-eye area. 

REN Clarifying Clay Cleanser and Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish

Whether I use or don't use the cleanse-off oil, my next step is always washing my face. I use a two-step cleansing routine. I start with REN Clarifying Clay Cleanser which I wrote about in my October favourites. It's refreshing cream containing clay as its active ingredient which makes the cleanser perfect for unclogging the pores and clearing all the dirt left by my make-up and the outside world. It leaves skin feeling squeaky clean and refreshed. Despite being a clarifying cleanser, it feels surprisingly gentle on mye face, doesn't leave skin red or irritated and does not sting when used around the eyes. The scent is not very strong and the packaging is very thought-through with a comfortable pum dispensing just a right amount of product. 

REN Clarifying Clay Cleanser

While REN Cleanser makes my face feel very clean, I like to wash it further with a more calming and moisturizing face wash. My favourite is Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser which is in a form of cleansing cream smelling of eucalyptus and containing lots of nourishing oils.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish

 After applying it on my face to remove any make-up leftovers I wash it off with a wet muslin cloth which is a part of a set the cleanser comes in. The amazing thing about the muslin cloth is also its exfoliating properties as it gently scrubs the skin when used. Every other day I change the muslin cloth for a face brush which feels softer on the face.

Muslin cloth and face brush

I finish the cleansing routine with a toner to balance out skin pH. My current toner of choice is Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner which I talk about more here.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner