Top 5 Things Blogging Has Taught Me About Skincare

Before I started blogging, my skincare routine consisted of the occasional makeup wipe and a frothy cleanser. I didn't even think about what my skin type was or what products would keep my skin in the best condition, it was just, take makeup off, go to bed, kind of deal. 

Now I've read so many posts about skincare and researched into skin types so many times I feel like I'm all clued up. The world of skincare is definitely a confusing place and if you have sensitive skin like me, it can be a minefield. Luckily I'm surrounded by amazing bloggers who have imparted skincare wisdom, I've learnt so much in my 2 years blogging so here are my top 5 skincare tips. 

1. Always take your makeup off before bed - It seems like a fairly logical thing to do, but for years I didn't bother. I would go to sleep after school with a full face of makeup and then the next morning, jump in the shower and scrub the majority of it off. I never really suffered with blemishes in school, despite my poor skincare, but I think I'm paying for it now. 

2. Frothy cleansers are a no no for my combination skin - This may not be the case for everybody and I'm sure there are frothy cleansers out there that work for combination skin. However, as a rule of thumb when buying my cleanser, I tend to stay away from them. All the frothy cleansers I've used in the past have stripped my skin, leaving it feeling dry and tight. Since switching to cleansing milks and cream cleansers I've noticed a huge difference in how healthy my skin looks. 

3. Less is more - There are people out there that tell you to cleanse, tone, spray some other fancy stuff on your skin, then add a serum, then spray again, then moisturise. I tried that many times and for me, the less product I applied to my skin the less breakouts I got and the better my skin looked. You don't have to buy into the many toners, mists, elixirs etc that skincare brands offer, find 2 or 3 main products that work for you and go from there. 

4. You don't have to pay top dollar - Some might say that the higher the price, the better the product, that isn't always the case. Yes, I have found that the higher priced skincare products have a lower chance of reacting with my skin, but that doesn't mean I can't find amazing drugstore products that don't react and give amazing results. It may take a lot of trial and error, but there are some amazing, reasonably priced skincare products out there on the high-street. 

5. A flannel is your friend - I have my fair share of muslin cloths, but to be honest, a good old fashioned flannel is just as effective. There is nothing wrong with using a flannel to remove your cleanser, it does pretty much the same job, minus a tiny amount of the exfoliation properties of a muslin cloth. 

Luckily for me I discovered skincare posts, otherwise I don't know what my skin would be like. It's so important to find out what products work for your skin and once you do, you'll see the results immediately.  Let me know in the comments what skincare products you are loving at the moment and if you have any skincare tips of your own!