Where to start?

I thought to myself… where do I start? I have so much to say, how do you start your first ever blog post. I should probably write about one of the most important parts of makeup. Yes! I must start with skincare.

It doesn’t matter what type of foundation you wear; liquid, cream, minerals, tinted moisturisers, bb or cc creams, if you don’t take care of the most important part, your makeup will fall short. 

Determine how much effort you want to put into your new skincare routine. If you normally just splash your face with water every night, start slow. Build up your routine to meet your needs. If you want to get rid of flaky skin once and for all, an exfoliator will need to be added to the mix. If you want to brighten those insomniac eyes (thanks, Pinterest) you will want to find an eye serum. Choose a cleanser, exfoliator, serum, moisturiser, sunscreen to suit your skin type. It may seem like a lot, but you can usually find products that act as a 2 in 1. Whether you are combination skin or dry, it is important to exfoliate once a week or once every fortnight if you are very sensitive. This will help your skin to look its best. Get into a routine. Every night, even if you are not wearing any makeup, cleanse and moisturise at the very least.

Here is my entire skincare routine as an example. I have a very Dry skin type that can become dehydrated. I still have the occasional breakouts and blackheads even into my late 20’s. 

Morning: Vichy Pro-Even Brightening Foam to gently exfoliate and brighten, great for post acne scarring and pigmentation. Immediately after with face still a little damp I apply 1 pump of Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum which relieves my dehydrated skin thanks to Whistler’s lovely mountain winter weather (It has snowed here the last two days! Roll on Spring already!) Finally I apply a small layer of Pond’s Dry skin cream because it is super rich and leaves me with a nice glow. It has a strong scent of baby powder and when I say it’s super rich, I mean it! I bought it needing something cheap to tie me over and I ended up loving it. 

Night: I double cleanse with BareMinerals Deep Cleansing Foam (my favorite cleanser ever) whether I was wearing makeup for the day or not. Once a week I use Stila’s Face Scrub and gently massage after cleansing for a good couple minutes. This is a stronger exfoliator than the Vichy cleanser I use daily, the Vichy one is very fine and gentle, this one gets rid of dry skin on a deeper level. I consider this a treat for my skin. After, I apply 1-2 drops of Clarins Blue Orchid Oil for Dehydrated skin all over my face, neck and décolleté (they have an oil for all skin types and each has their own scent.) This is my holy grail skincare product. Sometimes I will apply it while I’m in the bath and sometimes I will dab off the excess oils after letting it sit for 30 minutes and apply my Pond’s cream over top. Usually I will just go straight to bed and wake up with the best glow ever. On a regular day I will use the same serum and moisturiser after cleansing. 

Working at a makeup counter, I have the chance to try out everything. This is my routine lately and it will change as the seasons do and as the years go by. Except maybe the Clarins Oil, I can’t imagine my life without it… ❤ 

After you get your skin under control, you can start the sometimes daunting task of finding your perfect foundation.

Foundation can be the hardest and most frustrating part of starting out with makeup. It’s hard to know which one is going to be the best until you try it out yourself. One person’s holy grail foundation could be someone’s worst nightmare. Don’t be afraid to ask for a sample of a foundation you are curious about. If the makeup company “doesn’t do samples” or the girl at the counter gives you grief, take your business elsewhere. Drugstore foundations can be frustrating because most of the time they don’t have a tester out and if they do, someone has usually made a mess with it. Don’t worry. If you take it home and it doesn’t match perfect or you absolutely hate it, bring it back. As long as you have the receipt, there will be no problem! I promise. 

Don’t be too quick to judge. Sometimes it takes me a good few tries to really fall for a product. With skincare it can take a few months before you really see the difference it makes. Be patient and have an open mind. Trust the reviews you see and give them a chance before you say it doesn’t work. And please do your skincare testing way in advance of your Wedding Day to avoid any surprises!