 My skincare routine was one of the first things I changed when I started living a more natural, toxin and chemical-free lifestyle around a year ago. It seems like the easiest thing to change at the time as I could swap out my commercially made products for more natural options. My routine has changed a lot over the years. I used the oil cleansing method for most of that time and still do occasionally as I find it to be one of the best ways to draw impurities out of the skin without drying and stripping my skin of its natural protective oils. For the past year or so, I've been trialling a new routine which I've loved as my skin has never felt so soft and smooth. It's been fantastic in removing blackheads and impurities that have built up in my pores and it only requires a few different products, most of which I make at home. I'm a fuss-free kind of girl, so minimal is better for me. I don't like spending so much time getting ready in the morning. I like to be done in about half an hour so I can get started with my day. So over these past few years, I've been working at creating a skincare routine for my body and face that's natural, minimal and most importantly makes my skin feel good. I'll be sharing the steps I take in both my morning and nighttime routine, both of which are different as I switch up what I use. Now, the first thing I do to start off my skincare routine after waking up in the morning is drink a few glasses of water then I'll head to the bathroom to wash my face. I used to use a combination of cast oil and olive oil as part of the oil cleansing method to cleanse my skin, but this past year I've been trialling my own hand-made gentle calendula oil facial cleanser. Almost all of the ingredients are 100% natural and organic. The only ones that aren't are an emulsifying wax and olive M300 which have been added to allow the cleansing oil to blend with a splash of water on the hands, developing a white, creamy texture as it emulsifies. I use this first to cleanse my skin using warm water to cleanse which helps to open my pores and cold water to finish to close my pores after cleansing. I follow up with a face toner made of rosewater, lavender or chamomile hydrozole. The toner is completely organic and I love to make it myself as it's so much cheaper than buying it already made. I store the toner in an amber glass bottle either with a spray lid or with a dropper. If I use a spray bottle, I spritz the toner all over my face, neck and chest and gently massage it into my skin. If I store it in a dropper bottle, I use a cotton ball or a face cloth to apply the toner all over my clean face. If I have any scars or blemishes I want to heal, I'll apply some fresh aloe vera gel either straight from the plant or in a popsicle form to my skin and massage it into my pores. I then leave it on to dry and soak into my skin naturally. A compound in aloe vera called allosin may help to reduce hyperpigmentation in acne scars as well as reduce the overproduction of melanin, a dark pigment that can make acne scars more noticeable. This in turn helps to lighten blemishes. Aloe vera also contains aloe in a natural compound that can help in lightening skin too. The antibacterial agents found in aloe can help in removing bacteria from the skin, helping to reduce the chance of spots and pimples developing as well. After my toner, I like to apply a face serum to my skin as it can feel a little dry after cleansing. The serum I use contains a range of anti-aging ingredients such as jojoba oil, almond oil, evening primrose oil, pomegranate oil, vitamin E oil, carrot seed oil and lavender and frankincense essential oils. I apply just a tiny amount of this serum onto my face, neck and chest as the little goes a long way and massage it gently into my skin. And that pretty much makes up my morning skincare routine. I love how my skin feels afterwards and I feel so awake and rejuvenated once I'm finished, ready for the day. In the evening after dry brushing and showering, I'll begin my skincare routine for the night. I like to use a simple, joy-sided cleansing and exfoliating fiber mitten glove. All I do is add water to the mitten and gently scrub my face to remove impurities and buffer away dry, dead skin cells. This 2-in-1 facial scrub glove is from Santé by Enjoy and is made with 58% polyester and 42% polyacrylic. It lasts up to 3 years and is OECO-TEX certified. Once finished with, the face cleanser can be sent back to Santé to be recycled. They ship old fibers to Enjoy International who recycle the fibers into car seats and home insulation. The face cleanser comes with a laundry bag too, so once I've finished cleansing my face, I pop the mitten into the bag and place it in the washing machine. After washing, I let it air dry. To cleanse my face, I'll apply cool water to the cleansing side of the scrubber, then gently massage the mitten all over my face and neck in small circular motions. After cleansing, I pat my face dry with an organic cotton face towel, then I follow up with the exfoliating side of the face cleanser. I apply cool water to the glove and gently massage it all over my skin in a circular massaging motion. I finish by patting my face dry with an organic cotton face towel again. My handmade ultra-hydrating face and body moisturiser is my favourite natural moisturiser yet. It's the only one I've found that lasts throughout the day and night. I used to use it after swim teaching as my skin would feel like a dried-out prune after being in the chlorinated water for several hours. This moisturiser was the only thing that worked in rehydrating my skin afterwards as normal lotions would soak into my skin too quickly, so I'd have to reapply them again after an hour or so. This moisturiser is super nourishing but not too heavy, though I don't go too crazy with it as it is an oil-based moisturiser, so too much of it will cause skin to go greasy. It contains apricot kernel oil, coconut oil, vitamin E oil, sheer butter and lavender essential oil. To use I dab a little of the moisturiser onto my forehead and cheeks as a little goes a long way and then gently rub it into my face, neck and chest. The skin on the face, chest and neck area is very delicate so always be gentle when rubbing creams and oils into these areas. And that is my full skincare routine that I currently follow. I want to note here that the diet plays a big role in skin health for me. If I'm eating a diet high in healthy fats and low in carbohydrates and sugar, my skin is absolutely glowing. If I splurge and eat too many sugar-filled treats or processed foods, my skin pays the price. I end up with pimples around my face and neck and they're often really painful. I believe that in any skincare regime, diet must also be addressed for long-lasting benefits. Supplementing with a high quality organic gelatin and collagen supplement is really important for plumper skin as well as taking a quality fish oil, magnesium supplement and vitamin C powder to naturally boost collagen production. As I move into my late 20s, the thought of spending $20, $50, up to $100 plus dollars on eye creams or anti-aging skincare serums just doesn't sound appealing to me and it's definitely not within my budget or how I want to spend my money. Plus, those expensive collagen creams are pretty much pointless since collagen fibres are too big to be absorbed through the skin. Collagen instead must be taken internally via supplement or food form. The harsh ingredients found in Proactive, Neutrogena, Clean and Clear and other strong commercially made skincare products can really dry out the skin, meaning you have to moisturise like crazy to not look like a dried-up raisin. Plus, these products can exacerbate skin issues over the long term as the root cause isn't being addressed, which is often diet related. The gut can play a big role in skin conditions as inflamed, leaky gut can manifest itself as psoriasis, acne, eczema and more. I have oily skin, so I've opted for products that nourish my skin that still use oils but don't leave my skin looking oily or dewy once finished. I don't like to strip my skin of its natural oils as I believe these are important. My skin produces them for a reason and they protect my skin from the harsh elements around me such as the sun and wind. Without these oils, the skin would age much faster. I will keep you updated if I change and improve my daily routine. Thank you so much for following along. I hope you enjoyed this video. Let me know what skincare products you use yourself and how they've helped your skin. I'd love to know what's worked for you. I hope you have a wonderful day and I'll see you soon again.