I chuckled smugly under my breath as the girls in the pamper tent – I am aware how ridiculous this sounds – at Camp Bestival discussed how not being able to cleanse properly was ruining their skin.
Pampered princesses! I thought to myself. Surely alcohol consumption and sleep deprivation were the culprits here? and surely their skin could survive a few days of wet wipes.
That night, as I cleansed before bed, I noticed that my cotton pad (ahem!) was covered in brown sludge from all a full day and evening spent outdoors partying and looking after our offspring. By looking after I mean dishing out money every 5 minutes and trying to keep everyone happy.
By the time I got home after 3 nights of revelling and camping my skin was dull and gearing up for a full on break out. The time for my overnight skin healing routine for clear skin had come.
Double cleansing
I’d be lying if I said that I double cleanse every day because in real life sometimes you are in a hurry and other times you just can’t be bothered. However, it is really beneficial, especially if you wear makeup most days.
Ideally you should cleanse with an oil based cleanser or a balm followed by a water soluble cream, gel or milk but you can also use the same cleanser twice.
I like to use a foundation that offers good coverage so double cleansing is great for my skin. On this occasion I used a very gentle but effective hydrating cleanser from Pai which is ideal for sensitive skin. It isn’t drying at all and smells lovely. I think I got mine in a goody bag but I can recommend Liz Earle’s Cleanse and Polish as an effective and really affordable option.
Acid Toner
No surprises here as this is one of my favourites. I use Pixi Glow Tonic to catch any dirt or cleanser that might have been missed and to close my pores.
All Pixi products are natural but this might be a bit strong if you have irritated or sensitive skin. It’s great for making your skin look brighter but I really rate Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir as a gentle yet refreshing toner.
Face masks
I used two on this occasion, one to brighten and one to nourish. REN Glycolactic is fantastic at giving skin a lift. It contains glycolic acid and you know I love glycolic acid. It tingles and leaves a little bit of redness behind but I like the brightening and skin smoothing effect.
Now comes the relaxing part of this routine. I used a Korean sheet mask kindly sent to me by Lucky Face. I liked this one because it included a serum for eyes as well and there was a lot of product let in the sachet which I used after.
To round off my pamper / emergency skincare situation I made myself a cup of Pukka Womanhood tea and had an early night but not before dabbing some Sudocrem on a few spots that had appeared. I swear by Sudocrem, I think it would be my desert island health and beauty product. It has a multitude of uses but you know this already! I put it on everything from spots to cuts and grazes. If you have seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding, it’s my equivalent of Windex!
So there you have it my skin rescue routine. I always enjoy talking skincare and beauty so don’t hesitate to get in touch so we can swap notes!
Antonia x
All words and opinions are my own. Please note that I am not a skincare professional and the methods and products discussed in this post work for me but may not be right for you.