My AM and PM Skincare Routine

Until the age of 40 or so, I was rubbish with skincare. I didn’t give it a second thought and the most I’d bother with was a face wipe and a dollop of moisturiser. Most nights I rarely removed my makeup either, which looking back now was pretty shocking.

What was I thinking?!

Now, I’m a massive convert in the use of cosmeceuticals – professional skincare products which bridge the gap between cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. All have active ingredients, chemicals and more which are scientifically proven to help your skin.

So I’ve ditched the classic cleanse, tone and moisturise routine and instead, invested in acids and skincare which will help and improve my ageing skin.

It’s taken me a long time to get to grips with the right products, and so I thought it would be useful to list out what I use, both in the am and pm, in case you want to update your own skincare routine.

Morning Skincare Routine:

Cleanse: I use a few different products here but my favourite has to be Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm – M&S £47 for 100g. I also love Lize Earle Cleanse and Polish and Rodial Stem Cell Superfood Cleanser. For budget friendly alternatives Aldi often does a great Liz Earl copy.

Acids: Next up I use a Glycolic acid ‘toner’. It’s not really a toner but more an exfoliator, as glycolic brightens the skin. I always have a bottle of Pixi Glow Tonic on the go and use it day and night (it’s a gentle intro to glycolic if you’ve not used it before). M&S £20

Serums: Once the skin is clean and exfoliated I start applying serums. My go-to everyday serum is Buffet from The Ordinary. If you’ve not tried their products do check them out. They are great value and have all the active ingredients you need with out the fussy smells or packaging – this makes them very wallet friendly. Buffet is a great anti wrinkle serum which fights signs of ageing. Asos £13

At this point if my skin is quite dry or tight I apply a Hyaluronic Acid from The Ordinary to help trap moisure and plump my skin.

Moisturise: Finally I’ll apply a moisturiser. To be honest I’m not that fussy about this and vary depending on what I’m trying or have in the cupboard. M&S have some great moisturisers for around £15.

Evening Skincare Routine:

Cleanse and Double Cleanse: I tend to cleanse twice in the evening to really ensure my skin is clean and makeup free.

Acids: Next I use the Glycolic acid again, Alpha H Liquid Gold is a step up from Glow Tonic and works beautifully.

Treatments: So this bit gets complicated and I vary this up from night to night. If I just need a moisture boost, I’ll use Hyaluronic again. Two or three times a week I use a Vitamin C, essential for an ageing skin as it boosts collagen and generally evens skin tone. I use The Ordinary Vit C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% £4.90 (it does tingle slightly!).

If I feel my skin needs a glowing boost I’ll use a dry facial oil at this stage too.

AND new into my regime recently are Retinols and Retinoids. I’m still researching and testing some out but I’m seeing a huge difference from introducing them. They really smooth out my skin, reduce fine lines and larger pores. You do have to ensure you protect your skin from the sun when using them. The Ordinary has a good range of retinols (I’ve been using Granactive Retinoid 2% with no irritation and have just bought Retinol 1% in Squalane which can cause irritation and peeling! Let’s see how it goes).

Here’s a good review of The Ordinary retinol and retinoid products for extra reading!

Night Cream: Then finally I’ll add a night cream if I fancy one. My go-to is the M&S Sleep Cream £22, it really is a dream of a product, but sometimes I’ll just use one I’ve found in TKMaxx.

And there you go. My morning and night time skincare routine, ideal for the over 40s and not a Nivea face wipe in sight. I don’t spend a fortune. I look for offers, wait for Sparks rewards at M&S and always go for The Ordinary where most products are under a tenner. And they work.

What are your favourite skincare products?

Jen x