It’s been a while since I last wrote about my skin care routine, so I thought I’d do a post roundup of a few of the skin care products I’ve been reaching for these chilly winter days…

Morning

Cleanser: I’ve written about this one before here and here, but the Aurelia Miracle Cleanser (£34 for 120ml from the Aurelia website) is one that I just keep reaching for! It smells wonderful, is luxurious to the touch and just feels so soothing while I massage before washing.

Toner: I don’t think I’ve stopped using this toner since I first tried it to review. Like I said back then, I find the LouLouBelle Lavender & Cypress Purifying Toner* (£17.95 for 100ml from LouLouBelle Skincare) soothing – though I still don’t love the pump on the packaging. Solution: I’ve stocked up on cotton pads and kind of make a bowl shape with them when I squirt the toner. Result!

Hydrate: During the summer I loved this step because it helped cool me down, and now in the winter I love it because it makes my skin feel less tight (read: dry) because of indoor heating systems and chilly winds. I’ve not run out of this Mario Badescu Premier Rosewater Facial Spray (8oz for £11.95 from Beauty Bay) yet, so it’s doing well and earning its keep in my daily routine.

Eyes: The Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado (14g for £20 from Kiehl’s) was a recommendation from Caroline Hirons, and it’s one that I absolutely love. My naturally dark under eyes certainly appear brighter when I use it, and it’s been a real staple for me for a while now.

Treatment: Lately I’ve been reaching for Ren’s Omega 3 Optimum Skin Serum Oil (£23 for 30ml from the REN site). My skin tends to go from oily to combination in the winter, and when I put this on I feel like it’s really feeding my skin and helping me prepare for the cold, windy (when is it ever not windy in London?!) walk to the tube.

Moisturiser: THE Moisturiser* (£35 for 50ml from the Urban Retreat website) was a gift a while back from the team at Urban Retreat, and while I used it a bit in the summer I found it was a tad too heavy for my skin back then. I’m wary about moisturisers containing shea butter considering my oily/acne-prone skin, but used sparingly this one seems to be OK and hasn’t made my breakouts worse. The shea butter also helps build a barrier to protect skin from the elements, so that’s a plus.

Evening

Pre-cleanser: Ever since Mrs. Hirons introduced me to the RMS Beauty Raw Coconut Cream (£12.50 for 70g from BeautyBay.com) I haven’t been without. I am absolutely obsessed! It just melts away my makeup and feels wonderfully nourishing, something my skin needs in the cold climes.

Cleanser: I’m still loving the Geranium & Tea Tree Purifying Cleanser* (£19.95 for 100ml via the LouLouBelle Skincare) so I’ve not placed it to the side. (In fact, I’m pretty sure I’m nearly out.) While my acne hasn’t cleared up yet, I do feel like this is one of the products that make a difference in keeping it under control.

Toner: It’s no secret that I have acne-prone skin, but the Peter Thomas Roth Gentle Complexion Correction Pads (£23.95 for 60 pads from BeautyBay.com) do a fab job of keeping my skin under control without being too drying for the winter. Sadly these bad boys haven’t ‘cured’ my acne (my acne is hormonal, so that wasn’t really ever an option!) but it has helped move things along, if you will.

Hydrate: I totally could use something else here, but I’m still reaching for the Mario Badescu Premier Rosewater Facial Spray. Seriously, that stuff doesn’t seem to run out!

Eyes: When I was visiting the USA in November/December my under eyes developed dry patches like you wouldn’t believe. (To be honest I could barely believe it – they cropped up pretty much over night!) It was a terrible combination of long travel, dehydration, cold weather and indoor heating –  a perfect storm for skin issues. So while I was out Black Friday shopping I picked up the Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Resist Intensive Eye Contour (£55 via House of Fraser) on a recommendation while I was at Nordstroms. My under eye dry patches improved significantly overnight, and I’ve been reaching for this every night since.

Treatment: Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate (£36 for 30ml via Kiehl’s) was another USA shopping buy, only this time at the NYC flagship store. (How cool!) Basically, it does what it says on the tin and it helps to recover radiance by morning. Though if I haven’t slept well – ahem hungover ahem – then I find it helps me look just a little bit tired rather than looking like the walking dead.

Treatment 2: When I can feel cystic acne preparing to rear its oh-so-ugly head I reach for my Aesop Control Gel (£15 for 9ml via Aesop) ASAP. You can read my full review here, but the short story is that I swear by this because it helps soothe the soreness my acne brings, reduces redness and helps keep things from getting too ugly.

As needed

While my skin is normally oily, sometimes in the winter it just dries right up – shout out to forced hot air and cold, windy days! – and when it does I need something that’s going to address the dryness without being too heavy for me. And that’s where argan oil comes in. Lately I’ve been reaching for this one by Radiance* (starting at £4 for 10ml via Radiance Skincare) which totally does the trick.

What’s your winter skin routine? What are your favourite skincare products for the winter? I’d love to know! x

Please note: while the products marked with a star (*) in this blog post were gifts, the views expressed are my own.