Sorting My Skincare Routine Out

Hands up if you have a skincare routine that makes sense? I must admit that I'm forever trying all sorts of things but nothing consistent by any means. Ever since I started working with Burt's Bees, I've used a few of their cleansers and moisturisers sporadically, but an entire system? No way. A few weeks I popped to a breakfast event held at the lovely Petersham Nurseries to learn about all things skin related and their Intense Hydration range. Did you know that your skin has a six week life cycle? No wonder chopping and changing and sometimes using nothing at all hasn't given me any concrete results, I often don't give things a real chance. Now I'm 27, I want to learn more about what makes my skin tick and what it really needs. Is it zillions of fancy products or just keeping it simple?

Some Things I Learnt About Skin

• We all know that eating healthily is important and most of us are still trying to get the right mix of protein, carbs, fat, vitamins and minerals. Your skin needs to be fed with plenty of nutrients too, it's the largest organ after all and needs it's own carefully thought out plan.
• A full cell turnover takes 6 weeks. They start off at the bottom basal layer of the epidermis and reach the outer layer after 28 days. For the final two weeks they stay on the surface as dead cells, protecting the body and grabbing moisture. This is the most important layer to take care of and keep balanced. I also realised that it's best to try out a new routine for at least 6 weeks, to make sure you've gone through a full cycle.
• Nature has a lot of answers already. It's designed so many complex structures with multiple advantages and plants have always had to adapt to new conditions. Burt's Bees look for the ones that solve the problems we're after. The herb Clary Sage grows in humid conditions and still manages to retain moisture, plus it makes you think of sunny gardens in Southern Europe and all sorts.
• Synthetic products aren't necessarily bad for the skin, so there's no need to worry if you still have a lot of these lurking around (it's like how I'll occasionally eat a burger, in between all of those 'healthier' meals). You'll just get a different result with natural products, a certain kind of glow. Coconut oil is used in some of their range instead of silicone, so that shiny, smooth box is ticked but then there's all of the added benefits too. It's a win win situation!

I've been attempting to stick to the cleanser, day cream and night cream religiously, adding in the mask whenever I feel like being 'that' person hogging the shared bathroom. When I want a full-on night-time routine, I use the eye cream and vow to read an interesting book. The smell of clary sage is probably the first thing that hits you, it's usually used in aromatherapy so it's no wonder you feel instantly calm and refreshed. Everything seems to be working together nicely so far, each product has been hand-crafted for specific reasons and it does make sense to use products from the same brand for a while. No more rummaging around and accidentally using hand cream on my face because I've run out.

What's your skincare situation at the moment? Do you follow a routine religiously or are you still figuring it all out? I know it can be tricky when we're overloaded by so much on information and it's hard to know where to start. Natural products seem to be the way forward for me and I'm definitely going to start paying more attention and work out when my skin looks at it's best. Permanent sunshine is my ideal answer but hopefully this is the next best thing!

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