AD - Post contains products sent to me on a gifting basis in exchange for a feature on my social media and a post on my blog. All opinions my own. Recently I've been sent some beautiful skincare products from Live In The Light and I have to say I've been absolutely loving them and so has my skin! In fact, since using this range, more people have been commenting on my skin and it hasn't looked better!
Whenever I find something which works like this, I tend to use it all the time and then get upset when I finish it up so I'm going to have to restrain myself and make sure they last!
My Skincare Routine
OK so I think it's best I start off with which products I use on a day-to-day basis. I tend to stick to a tried and tested routine with my products, using the same ones in the same order more or less until I use them up.
I rarely change this up because once I hit upon products that work, I want to keep using them as I don't want my skin to get upset if I suddenly stop using something.
Cleanser
I don't really use a specific cleanser as such, I tend to just go for whichever facewash I have on the go at the time and use that as my first step when I'm in the shower.
I do love to use a hot cloth cleanser though and after using (and loving!) the Liz Earle one, I made the switch to the cheaper alternative from Superdrug. (I've also used the dupe from Aldi which is also very good!).
This one is really good and perfect for lazy people like myself who can't be bothered to wet their face when they just want to wash and go!
Toner
I don't use a toner on the daily either, just if my skin is acting up a bit then I'll use this Alpha H Liquid Gold which is a chemical exfoliator as it contains 5% cosmetic grade Glycolic Acid which helps with skin's resurfacing.
I find it works well for me when I'm suffering with breakouts/acne scarring.
Serum
I've been using the Mila Simone Azzura Essence since December and my skin has been absolutely loving it. It's almost empty and I will be most sad when I finish it because at £20 a bottle it's not cheap but is most definitely worth it!
I also use this Creightons H20 Hyaluronic serum which I picked up from BodyCare.
Oils
I've been using oils for some time now and can't see my routine without them in. I have quite a few and might change them around every so often depending on what I feel like! A few I'm using at the moment include:
Vitamin C Booster - Superdrug
Pixi Overnight Glow Serum
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% High Strength Vitamin and Mineral Blemish Formula
Kiehl's Daily Reviving Concentrate
Moisturiser
I have three which I switch between and love them all equally. First up is Superdrug's Naturally Radiant Brightening Day Cream with SPF15. It is a good lightweight moisturiser for normal to dry skin.
I like using this one in the day as I like its lightweight texture.
I recently purchased a British Beauty Box in their sale and this Emma Hardie Midas Touch Revitalising Cream was inside! (Alongside the Emma Hardie Morninga Balm, which let me tell you, is absolutely amazing and feels so luxurious!).
It deeply hydrates, moisturises, lifts and smooths and improves firmness and elasticity. My routine always levels up when I use my Emma Hardie products, they're the most luxurious, expensive and fancy products I own! My skin loves the revitalising cream and it helps to moisturise all the dry areas of my skin really well. I've also been using the new Youth Serum from Orgaid with Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid. It leaves my skin feeling really soft, smooth and feeling plumped. The antioxidants fight free radicals which reduce the signs of aging, and the hyaluronic acid keeps my skin moist, elastic and healthy. I put this on after using my Mila Simone Serum and before my moisturiser. I find, for me, this is the best fit for my routine and it works perfectly.
Exfoliate
For exfoliation I use my new Orgaid Purifying Face Polish probably more often than I should be! I've been using it twice a day for the past week despite it saying it should only be used twice a week! Thankfully my skin hasn't reacted at all, so I think I got away with it! This organic face polish is powered by crystallised honey which dissolves seamlessly during exfoliation to nourish the skin with its natural healing and hydrating properties.
Finely milled brown rice gently buffs away dead skin cells, whilst a cocktail of organic oils softens and moisturises. Use once or twice a week to reveal a flawlessly smooth, supple and refined complexion. Since using this, my skin has improved dramatically, and it has helped clear up my acne scarring which is something I've been suffering with a lot recently.
My Review of Orgaid
Prior to using these products, I hadn't actually heard of Orgaid and having done a little research they seem like a green, organic company whose ethos is to make skincare green, natural and non-toxic.
Their promise is to create formulations with three main values in mind, use of organic, non-toxic, cruelty free ingredients. (No parabens, formaldehyde, phenoxyethanol, alcohol, phthalaltes, sulfates, synthetic fragrance and no animal testing. (yay!)
Effective delivery of organic formulations and cosmetically pleasing skincare experience.
This then explains why these products are on the slightly higher end, price point wise. The face polish is £23.50 and the serum is £49.95 so not so budget friendly but when they work as well as they have been doing, then in my opinion it makes them (just) about worth it.
I think this is where being a blogger has its perks because I get to test/use (& enjoy!) products like these without having to pay for them. I've never claimed to be any type of budget beauty blogger, but I do like to think most of the products I talk about and recommend are within most people's budget.
This is by no means meant to be a slant on Orgaid (or any of the other brands mentioned here) at all, it's just something to note if you were wanting to perhaps try out these products for yourself.
Which I definitely think you should as they have worked so well for me in the relatively short time, I've been using them! Sometimes it's worth paying a bit more, especially when the products and ingredients are as green as the ones which Orgaid use.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I like to think I have a pretty good skincare routine. Some of it has been influenced by my 'work' as a blogger as well as seeing what other products the bloggers I follow are using and if they work well or not.
The biggest thing for me though was sorting out how to get my acne under control, once this had been sorted, I felt the time was right to move in other products without them upsetting my skin.
I do feel lucky that my skin is such a good place now that I am able to swap products in/out without much damage. Occasionally yes, I'll get a spot or two which indicates my skin does not like something I've been using but for the most part, everything works, and my skin is happy.
Whenever I get compliments on my skin, it always blows me away because of how bad my skin used to be! I never feel the need to cover it up with lots of make-up anymore and can quite happily go barefaced most of the time which is something I never thought I'd be able to do a few years ago!
I do believe my skin is looking better now than it did even a few months ago and I believe it's down to these new products and to Orgaid I'll forever be thankful.
Sarah
xoxo
