Welcoming Autumn

Hello beauties and welcome to my Realm of Beauty.

Autumn has arrived. The season of pumpkin spiced latte, halloween, freshers week, start of university, cardigans, layered clothing, cinnamon candles and getting ready for Christmas. It's also the season of gorgeous dark lips and dark, warm eyeshadows. So I thought I'd dedicate a post to welcoming autumn. A post full of beautiful berry colours and shimmery dark eyelids. These products are gonna be used a lot throughout the next 3 months.

As I have mentioned many times in the past, I am not really a fan of matte lips. But I couldn't really resist buying Mac's Diva when I visited the store last autumn. This was my favourite lipstick to wear all last year and I found myself reaching out for it as soon as the weather started getting colder. It's one of those irreplaceable products in my makeup collection. But, I still can't wear it on its own because I just hate dry lips. So what I do is I put on my best lip balm underneath and apply the lipstick over it. The lipstick is so pigmented that if I need to moisturise my lips throughout the day, I can just apply lip balm on top and it wouldn't make any difference to the appearance, it just makes my lips moisturised.
The lip balm I've been loving recently is Burt's Bees - Red Dahlia. This is a tinted lip balm with berry undertones, so it really goes well with Diva. I've never come across a lip balm as moisturising as Burt's Bees. It's one of those things I'll never stop buying. Also, keeping your lips moisturised is an essential thing to do in autumn/winter, otherwise you'll end up with cracked lips.

The nighttime version of the Mac's diva is my Clinique Pop - Berry Pop. I've already talked about why Clinique lipsticks are my favourites, so if you like you can check that out here: Why I think Clinique Lipsticks Are The Best.
The reason why I don't use this for daytime is because it's too precious for me. Also, if I wanted to apply my lip balm over it, it wouldn't really work since the lipstick itself is very creamy. So I just keep it for date nights and other night time occasions.

Swatch: Mac's Matte Diva and Clinique Berry Pop

Of course no dark lip is complete without the perfect lipliner. I always always wear lipliner with my lipsticks, more so when they are dark, or very red. And the perfect autumnal lipliner is Mac's Lip Pencil - Burgundy. This matches both of the lipsticks really well and I don't think I need to talk about the quality of it, since everyone knows Mac's lip pencils are THE BEST.

Moving on to blusher. I adore the Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush. The shade I use, which really compliments my skin tone, is Soft Murano. It also happens to be a very autumnal shade for blusher and it's perfect for a daytime look since it doesn't have shimmer to it.

For slightly more dramatic blusher to wear for nighttime, I love using Nars's Cactus Flower. The colour is so gorgeous and the gold shimmer makes it the perfect blusher for your fotd. It compliments a variety of lipstick shades, from classic reds to dark reds and berry. You can see the amazing shimmer in the swatch picture at the bottom of the post.

When it comes to eyes and creamy eyeshadow, you can't get much better than Maybelline's Color Tattoos. They have the perfect shade for autumn, which is called Metallic Pomegranate. This is such a gorgeous dark red with gold shimmer, which makes it a perfect match for the berry lips and the Nars blusher mentioned above. I apply this on my eyelid, and blend the edges into my crease. I don't tend to use anything else in conjunction though, it really is enough on its own. The texture is incredible and if you don't have oily eyelids like mine, it will last a long time without creasing. I just apply eye primer before I put it on, which makes it very long lasting. Although, I don't personally use it for daytime looks, since I think the colour and shimmeriness of it are a bit too much for daytime. But it's the perfect eyeshadow for evening looks. You can see the shade in the swatch photo below.

A matte shade that is perhaps more suited for daytime is Mac's Sketch Velvet. The shade is very cool slightly grey looking with a hint of dark purple. It's a very nice shade to wear in the crease, with slightly warmer tones on the lids. But on its own, it can be a very chic addition to your daytime look.

Swatches: Mac's Sketch Velvet, Maybelline Color Tattoo in Metallic Pomegranate, Nars Cactus Flower and Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush in Soft Murano.

For nails, I love Rimmel London Salon Pro - Celebrity Bash. It's the perfect shade of red for this season, and it compliments all the wonderful colours of makeup we've mentioned. These Rimmel nail varnishes have really good quality. They're glossy and shiny and don't need 2-3 coats to look proper, one coat is enough. Their consistency also doesn't change much over time, which of course is a bonus.

So there you have it my lovelies. I hope you enjoyed this post and found it interesting.
Make sure you follow me on social media for update and new posts. All the links can be found on the right hand side column.

See you soon x

My Everyday Makeup Routine

Hello and welcome to my Realm of Beauty.

It's been nearly 2 weeks since I started my training year and I've already found the perfect routine that is professional, quick, easy and long lasting. So I thought I would share it with you. This routine works for everyone who has to leave the house early in the morning and come home at 5 or 6 pm. That includes students and everyone with a full time job. It is a very minimal look and it only takes about 10-15 mins to do.

Before I start, let me just say that skincare is the most important part of my makeup routine. If I take care of my skin, I'm not gonna need a full coverage foundation, nor am I gonna need to spend a lot of time concealing spots and blemishes. If you wanna know about my skincare routine, click here: My Skin Care Routine | For Oily Skin.

This post will be divided into two categories: what I use in the morning; and what I put in my makeup bag for touchups at lunch time.

In the Morning

Clarins Ever Matte Foundation: this foundation is the love of my life! Those of us with oily skin have a difficult time finding a foundation that lasts a good few hours. As I've said this before, looking for a foundation that keeps your skin oil free all day is unrealistic. The best foundations for oily skins can keep you shine free for about 4 hours, after which you're gonna need powder to keep your face matte. 

After my long search for a good matte foundation, I finally found my perfect match with this Clarins foundation. I apply it with my fingers, mostly because I wanna save time, but also because I want light coverage. 

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer: the perfect concealer for your under eyes and imperfections alike, this is a holy grail product for me. It doesn't cake and it lasts all day. I apply it with my Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge, using the tip for blemishes and spots and the cone for under my eyes and around my nose. 

Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in Seductive Pink: I adore this blush. It suits my skintone perfectly, it's very high quality, it lasts all day and it's the perfect balance of shimmery and matte which makes it perfect for a professional daytime look. I have nothing but praise for this beautiful product. I apply it on the apples of my cheeks and extend it to my hairline with my beloved Estee Lauder blush brush.

No7 Eyelash Curler: a very simple but effective addition to everyone's makeup bag. It does the job perfectly.

Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara: if you want full, natural, long lashes then this is the mascara for you. What's more is that it doesn't smudge at all and stays in place throughout the day, even for glasses wearers like me. One coat is usually enough for me, but sometimes when I want a more dramatic result I apply two coats. 

Rimmel London Professional Eyebrow Pencil: another highly rated drugstore product, it is perfect for filling in your brows where you need it. The application is super easy and quick. The result is natural and long lasting. 

Mac Cosmetics Clear Brow Gel: one of those little products that make a huge difference to your makeup routine. Gives your brows some order and keeps them in place all day.

Lancôme Shine Lover and L'Oreal Color Riche: perfect lipsticks for daytime. They are both moisturising and add just enough colour to your lips to transform your face and complete your makeup look. Those of you who are regular readers know by now that I love my shimmery lipsticks and these two are the perfect examples. 

My Shine Lover is in the shade Plum d'audace, and my Color Riche is in the shade Berry Blush. Both are very subtle shades of plum/pink and are therefore perfect for a professional look. I switch between the two to introduce a little change to my routine. 

In My Handbag

Clinique Blended Face Powder and Brush: this is an absolute necessity for oily skinned people. It's the ideal way to reduce the shine throughout the day. Applying it requires minimal effort and time. It comes with a very handy retractable brush, so you can easily carry it with you. If you want to read my full review click here: Review: Clinique's Blended Face Powder & Brush.

YSL Touche Éclat: I use this when I'm really tired to add a bit of light and radiance to under my eyes and cheekbones. It sounds like an insignificant thing to do, but trust me it makes a huge difference. The highlighting elements introduce a natural light to your face and make you look refreshed. It also contrasts the blue in the dark circles to make you look well rested. 

Simple Revitalising Eye Roll-On: I know this doesn't really count as makeup, but it is a necessity for my makeup bag. Being a teacher is no easy task, you get very tired by lunch time but you can't really do anything about it. You eyes are tired and heavy and you just wanna sleep on your desk. This eye roll-on is the perfect product for those moments. It's so refreshing and instantly wakes you up and cools your eyes. 

Sanctuary Spa Velvet Hand Cream: in the wise words of house Stark: Winter Is Coming. And that means dry hands. I use this hand cream religiously at work. It doesn't make your hands slippery but it keeps them smooth and moisturised. They feel just like velvet, as it says in the name. This is one of those products that I'll keep purchasing again and again. 

With this routine I feel like I've found the perfect balance between simple and natural and time saving. The touchups take only a couple of minutes and the morning routine doesn't require you to get up super early and compromise your sleep time. And I know I haven't included any eyeshadow in the routine, but that's because I have very oily eyelids and even the best eye primer, such as Nars, can't keep the best eyeshadows from caking at the end of the day. Even when I use Maybelline Colour Tattoos, which are meant to be long lasting, with a primer it will end up caking. It really is a shame because I would love to play with eyeshadows in the morning, but there's really not much that can be done here. I just have to save it for those occasions when I'm only out for a few hours. 

There you have it lovelies. I hope you enjoyed this post and found it helpful. 

Please do follow me on social media, all links are in the right hand column. 

See you soon x

L'Oréal La Palette Nude Rose Review and Swatches

Hello and welcome to my Realm of Beauty. 

It's been a busy couple of weeks. I've started my training year and have been trying to adjust to getting up at 6 am and getting home at 5 pm. But hopefully, now that I have a regular schedule I can write more routinely.

Today's post is going to be about a beautiful eyeshadow palette brought to us by L'Oréal. I fell in love with this palette as soon as I saw it in Boots.
First of all, the packaging is very elegant for a drugstore palette. After all, you can never go wrong with a black case and gold writing.

But most importantly, the colour range is absolutely gorgeous. All the shades are very wearable and suited for every occasion. I especially love the orangey gold shimmery shade. The dark purple shade is also perfect for converting a daytime look into an elegant nighttime look. The palette is also sized perfectly for your everyday bag. What's more is that the brush that comes with it is very nice.

Let's move on to the quality of the shadows.
The application is quite nice. I would say they could be more pigmented. Also, they're a little bit dry and therefore hard to blend. But for the price of £14.99, it's pretty amazing and I would totally recommend it. Especially if you're not the sort to pay around £40 for an eyeshadow palette.

Now on to swatches. The top picture is natural light, and the bottom is with flash.

I hope you enjoyed this post lovelies.
Make sure you follow me on social media, all the links are on the right hand side.
See you soon x

Drugstore Haul

Hello and welcome to my Realm of Beauty. 

Today's post is gonna be a popular one: drugstore haul. Who doesn't love affordable quality makeup? I know I do. I love watching beauty vloggers' drugstore hauls, making a list of everything that tickles my fancy and purchasing them gradually when I go to Boots and Superdrug.

I recommend keeping a list on your phone of all the makeup items that you want to add to your collection. That way, you can keep track of things you like and the next time you're at a drugstore and have extra money to spend, you can look at the list and pick things you always wanted. Also, Boots and Superdrug usually have promotions for most loved brands, like Maybelline and Rimmel. Most of my drugstore products were purchased in 3 for 2 promotions at Boots. I also love Boots's advantage card. Just a few months ago I was able to buy an Elie Saab perfume I always wanted with my advantage card, which would've otherwise set me back £54!

But enough into. Let's get to it.

All products can be purchased at your nearest drugstore or online at boots.com and superdrug.com

Maybelline eyeshadow palette: The Nudes 

An amazing substitute for high end nude palettes, and a genius move by the Maybelline exec. They must've seen the rise in popularity of Urben Decay's naked palettes and decided to launch their own version for those who don't have £38 to pay for an eyeshadow palette.
This palette only costs £7.99, which is amazing considering the quality of the shadows. It features all the nude shades one might need, from matte to shimmery, form highlighting to black.
What's more is that it comes with instructions at the back of it. So beginners can look at the back to see what shades can be mixed together and where on the eyes the specific shades need to go.

Maybelline Dream Pute BB Cream

This 8-in-1 BB cream is an essential for those who don't like full coverage or even foundation, but still want enough tint to even out their skin. And at £6.99, why not add it to your makeup bag?
It's designed for oily skin and therefore has 2% salicylic acid, which protects against blemishes. It's also SPF 15, oil free and hydrating, so it's the perfect balance of matte and moisturising. It comes only in 5 shades, so one might struggle to find a shade that's suited to their skin tone. But since it's a tinted moisturiser rather than a foundation, you'd be able to get away with it if it's not exactly suited to your colour.
I do find my face getting shiny quicker than if I used a matte foundation. So maybe it's better suited to less oily faces than mine. But it's nothing a touch of powder can't fix.

Maybelline EyeSudio Colour Tattoo 24h Eyeshadow

This is truly a holy grail product. If I had a pound for everytime a blogger mentioned this product in a dupe or haul video/post I'd be rich by now. The range of colours on offer is to-die-for. My fav is Metallic Pomegranate, which is the most gorgeous burgundy colour and perfect for autumn. The creamy texture is absolutely gorgeous and it's very easy to apply. You can literally use your finger to apply and blend it. What's more is that it's super long lasting. Maybe not for 24h, as it says in the title, but more long lasting than any eyeshadow I've tried before. This is an absolute must have, so the next time you're in a drugstore browse through the colours and get yourself a pot or two because they only cost £4.99. Which if you ask me, is a bargain for the quality of this product.
If you're like me and have oily eyelids, you might benefit from applying it with eye primer to prevent it from creasing. That being said, that should only be the case if you're planning on wearing it from day to night. Otherwise, it will last around 4 hours on oily eyelids without the need for primer, which is amazing.

Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer 

Okay, this is getting a bit Maybelline-heavy, but what can I do, I love this brand. This is the last one though, I promise.
This concealer is amazing for covering imperfections, blemishes and spots. I personally haven't used it under my eyes yet, mostly because the shade that I have is too dark for that purpose. It's super easy to carry with you everywhere you go because you don't need a brush to apply it. Altogether a winner, and at £7.99, it's really worth adding to your on-the-go makeup bag.

Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush

Yet another holy grail of drugstore makeup, loved by bloggers and makeup artists alike. Creamy blushers are one of those products that are hard to come by in the drugstore. And when you do find one, it's usually not a good quality compared to the high end ones (I'm looking at NARS). But this little pot is truly an exception. I just love the texture so much. And it blends so beautifully. I like to blend mine with Real Techniques Sponge, but fingers would do just fine.
It comes in 4 shades (I want more), all of which cater to different skin tones. It's totally worth the £6.99, and I'm not the only one who says so.

Max Factor Colour Elixir Lip Liner

Another gorgeous products from Max Factor. The colour range is amazing and practical. The texture is creamy and easy to apply. The only downside is that it's not long lasting enough. And I want my lipliner to last throughout the day so that I can just touch up my lipstick and nothing else. I personally prefer No7 lipliners to this. I've also heard that sharpening it is very puzzling, but I'm yet to sharpen mine and see how it goes.

Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara

I think this is the most loved Max Factor mascara out there. I love the lengthening and volumising effect of it, but I most of all love how it still looks quite natural and not too fake. So it's perfect for everyday mascara, especially since it stays on perfectly and doesn't smudge your lash line after a long day. There's also no sign of clumping or any other problems if you decide to apply it more than one coat, very buildable I would say. It's just a perfect mascara at the reasonable price of £10.99.

LOreal Paris Perfection Color Riche Lipstick 

By now if you've been following my blog you know that I love moisturising and hydrating lipsticks. This Loreal lipstick is exactly that thanks its Omega-3 and vitamin E, plus it's very creamy and pigmented. It just feels really soft and beautiful on the lips. It comes in a whopping 30 shades! And it's a perfect dupe for high end creamy lipsticks at half the price, which is £6.99.

Simple Micella Water

An absolute must have, gentle and effective and hydrating. Really, you just can't say no this, especially at the price of £4.49.

As mentioned before, all of the products in this post might be available in promotions at Boots and Superdrugs. So make sure you make the most of these promotions before they end.

So there you have it lovelies. Hope you've enjoyed this post. Make sure you share it with others and follow me on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and Bloglovin. All the links are on your right hand side.

See you soon x

Liquid vs Gel Eyeliner

Hello and welcome to my Realm of Beauty. 

Today's post is going to be about eyeliners; one of the most loved and at the same time hated makeup items in everyone's makeup collection. We've all been intimidated by them at some point in our lives. We've also all been jealous of those beautiful and even winged eyeliners you see on Instagram. If you get passed that initial stage of fear by practising your technique and familiarising yourself with the shape of your eyes, you'll get to the point of exploring all the different options out there: liquid, pencil and gel eyeliners.

Soap and Glory Supercat liquid pen and Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Liner. Both available at http://www.boots.com.

I personally started with pencil liners. But I only used it in my waterline or sometimes under my bottom lashes. I never got to successfully apply the pencil above my eyes, so I moved on to liquid eyeliner. I remember my first purchase was mac's classic liquid eyeliner. I initially had to practise with it but I instantly picked up the method and wore it a lot. It still took me a while to apply it though, because as a perfectionist I had to make sure that everything was on point.

After that I came across eyeliner pens. The results were very similar to the classic eyeliner, but a little less intense. The pens were a lot easier to apply, so I tried them in different brands, some of which I was really not happy with. Since I have oily eyelids, most of the eyeliners I've tried would smudge or leave awkward marks on my crease. It really is frustrating when you've got the most perfect winged eyeliner, but 2 hours later you find that half of it has gone on your crease.

I wasn't really satisfied with any liquid pens until I came across Soap and Glory's Supercat Eyeliner. I, like many other beauty bloggers, absolutely love this product. It doesn't smudge, it's super easy to apply and it looks beautiful. If you're just getting into eyeliners and would like to experiment with cat eyes and wings, then I'd totally recommend this especially since it's only £6 and widely available.

The story doesn't stop there. One day I was watching one of Lisa Eldridge's videos (can't remember which one) and in this video she used the Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Liner. I just loved the results and the fact that she recommended it was enough to send me to Boots to get myself one. Now, I have to be honest, I was always very intimidated by gel liners because I thought they were difficult to apply. But I thought I was confident enough with my skills to finally give it a try. And I'm so glad I did. Gel liner has become by far my favourite type of eyeliner. The intensity of the blackness is just amazing, and you can see the comparison with liquid in the pictures below. Also, if the product is high quality, such as the Maybelline gel liner, it will last all day without smudging.

Note: I didn't apply mascara in any of the pictures, because this way you can see the eyeliner more clearly.

Another advantage is that you can apply gels in your waterline, which you can't really do with liquids. Before I started using gels, I used to apply pencil in my waterline and liquid above my lashes. But now, I can just use the gel for both purposes.
You can see the comparison in the picture. I know it doesn't look like I've applied any product in waterline of the left eye, but trust me I have. It just doesn't show because that's the nature of liquid pens.

The down side is that drawing wings with gel liner is more challenging than with liquid, at least in my experience. You also need a fine liner brush, which is an added expense. The good news is if you buy the Maybelline gel liner, it will come with a brush of its own which has two sides: smudging side for smokey eyes; and fine liner brush for precise application. I personally use the Real Techniques Fine Liner Brush. It's much easier to use and it's of higher quality.

Final thought:
if I'm in a hurry, or not in the mood to spend 10 minutes applying eyeliner, then I'll reach for Soap and Glory's Supercat. But since I don't really use eyeliners for everyday makeup, this rarely happens. I also sometimes use it to outline the lines and go in with the gel.
I much prefer gel liners to liquid liner. And since I only tend to use eyeliner when I'm going out in the evening, I can afford to spend time applying it. Trust me, it's really worth it. Also, since there's such an amazing product like Maybelline's Lasting Drama Gel Liner available for only £7.99 at any drugstore, you don't really have any excuses not to try it out. I personally don't think I'll ever seek a high end gel liner, that's how amazing this product is.

There you have it lovelies. I hope you enjoyed this comparison post. Make sure to follow me on social media for updates and tips. All my social media links can be found in the right hand column.

See you soon x

Why I think Clinique Lipsticks Are The Best

Hello lovelies and welcome to my Realm of Beauty. 

Today's post is all about lipsticks, Clinique lipsticks to be exact.
Lipsticks are the most important makeup item for me. I could leave the house with no makeup on and it wouldn't phase me. But if I didn't have lipstick on I'd somehow feel incomplete, like I would be missing an item of clothing.

I am quite picky when it comes to choosing shades and types. I'm not a fan of nude lips, because they don't really suit my skin tone. And, I don't like matte lipsticks because I prefer moisturised lips to dry lips. So already, I have eliminated the very popular and arguably most loved lipstick in the market: mac's matte lipsticks. You also tend to get more shades with matte lipsticks, so that's another thing I'm missing out on.

Clinique Lipsticks available at http://www.clinique.co.uk

For a long time I've been searching for the perfect moisturising lipstick. One that's not too greasy and not too shiny, but is still moisturising and long lasting and pigmented. I thought I had found my true match in Lancôme's Rouge in Love range, which ticked all the boxes for me. Until Clinique launched their Pop Lip Colour and Primer range. I was very intrigued by the description of this product, which goes like "Luxurious yet weightless formula merges bold, saturated colour with a smoothing primer. Glides on effortlessly to give a modern-velvet finish. Colour stays true and keeps lips comfortably moisturised for 8 hours". So I went to my nearest Clinique counter and the lady tried on 3 shades for me. I instantly fell in love with the intensity of the colours, and how moisturising they were without adding too much shine. This was the perfect match I was looking for. It really does what it says in the description. Thanks to the primer, it glides on perfectly and gives a gorgeous finish to your lips. The moisture doesn't really get absorbed either, so I barely feel the need to reapply it, unless it's after a meal. 

Don't get me wrong, I still love the Rouge in Love lipsticks and would purchase again as soon as I've ran out. But they are more expensive (£22) than Clinique lipsticks (£16), so I can't really use them everyday. 

By now I have almost made my case and have argued why Clinique lipsticks are the best. But there's one more product that I haven't mentioned: The Chubby Stick Intense Moisturising Lip Colour Balm. This is yet another wonderful product by Clinique and the reason why I love it is in the name. It's more shiny and much sheerer compared to the Pop Lip, but that can be an advantage when you want just enough colour and mostly moisture for a daytime look. I also love the shape of it, which makes it super easy to apply. It's £1 more expensive than the Pop Lip, but you get more out of it because it's taller. 

The shades that I have are limited, but as I said I'm quite picky when it comes to shades I like. I do aim to collect more though, so I'll keep you updated. The Berry Pop (15) shade is a gorgeous plum/berry colour, perfect for evenings and autumnal looks. While the Love Pop (13) shade is a gorgeous light violet, perfect for daytime and summery looks. This is the lightest shade I can pull off without looking like a ghost. 
My Chubby Stick shade is Roomiest Rose (06), which is a beautiful pink colour, perfect for everyday makeup.

Clinique Pop Lip Colour + Primer and Chubby Stick swatches.

Clinique Pop Lip Colour + Primer and Chubby Stick lip swatches.

So there you have it, my case for why Clinique make the best lipsticks. If you're like me and don't really like matte lipsticks, then they're the brand for you. 

I hope you enjoyed this post. Make sure you follow me on social media for updates and future posts. Links can be found on the right hand column. 

See you soon x

My Skin Care Routine | For Oily Skin

Hello and welcome to my Realm of Beauty. 

Today's post is gonna be about skin care. More specifically, how I look after my oily skin.

Those of us with oily skin are both blessed and damned at the same time. Blessed because our skin never looses its moisture and as a result, we are less prone to ageing and developing wrinkles than those with normal/dry skin. However, we are more prone to breakouts and acnes. In addition, searching for a matt foundation that keeps away the shine throughout the day is an impossible task.

Since 7 years ago, when I started caring for my skin, I have tried numerous skin care products. My current routine is the results of years of experimenting and finally coming to a combination of products that actually work together to look after my skin.

Before I introduce you to these products, one thing needs to be said. It is very important to be realistic and to not expect too much from your makeup and skin care. As I have mentioned in my previous post when talking about foundations for oily skin, it is unrealistic to look for a product that keeps the shine away for the entire day. If a products claims to do this, be it a foundation or a moisturiser or a cleanser, you should not trust it. Moreover, if a product actually delivers the "no shine all day" promise, you should stop using it because it is very bad for your skin. These products work by blocking your pores so that the oil is trapped underneath whatever you have on, which can cause all sorts of troubles for your skin.  So just be diligent out there, and know that keeping your face matt all day requires touching ups during the day. You can for example always carry a power with you to use mid-day over your foundation.

Now with the important "warning" out of the way, we can get started.

Storage is from Stackers available at amazon.co.uk

Morning routine: 

In the morning, right after I wake up, I use the Clear Skin Oil Balancing Exfoliating Face Wash by Simple. This product is a life saver for those of us with oily skin. It has no artificial perfume or colour and no harsh chemicals. It's just full of goodness and vital vitamins. The 'zinc' element helps absorb excess oil while the 'witch hazel' reduces blemishes and 'B5' helps to keep the skin smooth and soft. And at the price of £3.99 and wide availability, it's really worth adding to your routine. 

Simple Clear Skin Oil Balancing Exfoliating Face Wash available at Boots.com.

After I've dried my face with a clean face towel, I apply the Clinique Clarifying Lotion in No. 4 with a cotton pad all over my face. This is such an amazing cleanser and comes in 4 ranges. 1 is for dry skin and 4 is for oily/greasy skin, 2 and 3 are for those with normal/combination skin. I just love it when I can see the dirt and oil on the cotton pad after I've used this.
The No. 4 lotion contains alcohol which can be a skin irritant for some, so if you are one of those people it's best to go for a different number. I personally love it because it helps keep the oil to minimum for longer. It's also deeply penetrating and gets rid of all the dirt that's accumulated under your skin.
It is on the pricey side, but I'm not one to hesitate spending money when it comes to skin care. The 200ml bottle is £16.50 and the 400ml bottle is £26.50.

Clinique Clarifying Lotion in No. 4 available at  Boots.com.

The next step is moisturiser. I have wrestled with this for so long. It is very tricky to add extra moisture to a face that's already oily. But I can't forgo it either because the benefits of using moisturiser are well known, plus they really are important when it comes to applying foundation.
So, as you can understand I had a hard time finding a moisturiser that didn't make me even more oily. Until I came across this gem: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel. This is a holy grail of skin care for me. At this point, it is one of the very few products that I know I will not ever replace. The texture is gorgeous, it is not drying and it glides smoothly and perfectly on the skin. And once it's on, you don't even realise you have moisturiser on and yet you feel all the benefits that come with it. It controls the shine without giving you dry patches and is full of natural goodness. I just cannot recommend it enough.
Again, this is a pricey product (£30), but it's really worth it.

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel available at Boots.com.

Now, I know at this point some of you are wondering why I don't use the 3-step skin care routine offered by Clinique, since I already have 2 of the products in this range. The reason is because I have spent a long time looking for a good face wash and now that I've found 2 of them, one which you have met and one that's coming up in my night routine, I am just scared to let them go and try the Clinique face wash. If I could get my hands on a sample it would be great. But until then, I'm gonna continue using my 2 beloved face washes.

Night routine:

Before I go to bed, I usually look like a disco ball because of the amount of oil on my skin. No matter what I do/use, I end up with a shiny face at the end of the day. So it is important to make sure I treat it before any breakouts occur. For this reason I use Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Exfoliating Face Scrub. This is an absolute gold and I have already been through 4 bottles of since I discovered it. It is so gentle on the skin thanks to the 'witch hazel' and yet tough on the dirt and oil that's trapped inside the pores. It unclogs your pores and leaves you feeling refreshed and clean. It also helps prevent breakouts and dries any existing spots thanks to its 'tea tree' element. 

And at the price of £3.79 you just cannot resist to add it to your routine. 

Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Exfoliating Face Scrub available at Boots.com.

Next I use the same Clinique clarifying lotion to cleanse my skin before applying moisturiser. 

Night time is when I can stop worrying about looking shiny and apply a more conventional moisturiser to maintain moisture throughout the night. This is when I use Palmer's Cocoa Butter Night Renewal Cream, which is a fantastic anti-ageing and firming cream with Shea Butter and vitamin E. I really take my time with this to massage it onto my skin. And when I wake up in the morning my skin is visibly firmer and well rested. 

It might be a bit unusual for a 26 year old to use an anti ageing and firming cream already. But since I lived 19 years of my life in Iran and barely used sun screen (I know, very bad!), I'm afraid that I've done some (reversible) damage to my skin. Which is why I thought it would be good idea to start using this cream to counter act those years of negligence. 

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Night Renewal Cream available at FeelUnique.com.

So there you have it lovelies. I hope you enjoyed this post and found it helpful. 

Let me know if you have any techniques to tackle oily skin. And don't forget to follow me on social media for updates, all the links are on the right hand side. 

See you soon x