Starting a Green Skincare Routine - Cleanse, Tone, Moisturise

My inspiration came from something I saw posted on social media. Someone was looking for advice on exploring the world of green beauty but also admitted that they hadn't used many skincare products up to this point. I always feel a tinge of sadness when I hear people don’t have a skincare routine and I understand there could be many factors for this. For me removing the daily grime is a ritual, my moment of meditation to do something for myself and to look after my wellbeing. I can’t imagine skipping this step from my day.

With this in mind perhaps I could suggest how to start maintaining healthy skin. I believe a basic routine should include cleanser, toner and moisturiser and used daily in the morning and evening. I base my purchasing decisions around ingredients not just because of my allergies but I have come to understand what works for me. It comes from a lot of trial and effort but also research. If you are short on time then recommendations come in handy. If you currently use a few skincare items take a look at those products and note their similarities. You may see a pattern forming and spot the ingredients that could become key to your new routine. Start with the basics, once you understand your skin then you should consider adding treatment products such as masks, serums and exfoliators. 

My recommendations come from personal experience so my knowledge of products is based on dry, sensitive and eczema prone skin. Often brands formulate for several skin types so whilst my recommendation might not be for you it is worth exploring ranges to see if you can find something else . There are hundreds of products I could mention but I have to keep it simple for ease of reading. I don’t want to overwhelm anyone with choices. I'll categorize by price bracket so that I give options for all budgets. 

Cleansers - you might need to experiment a little because cleanser come in many forms, you can chose between cream, milk, oil, balm or face wash. The latter is one I wouldn't necessarily recommend for dry skin but the choice is yours.

Under £15: Sukin Sensitive Cleansing Lotion or Gel, Lyonsleaf Beauty Balm, PHB Ethical Beauty Gentle Cleanser with Olive & Plum, Balm Balm Super Light Coconut Cleanser, Rossi Uvema Rice Bran & Borage Seed Face Cleansing Oil, Handmade Naturals Face Cleansing Oil with Japanese Camellia & Rice Bran (Unscented) and Plum & Avocado face cleanser (Unscented) 

£15 - £25: Odylique Creamy Coconut Cleanser, Skin & Tonic Makeup Remover, A'kin Rose & Geranium Creamy Cleanser & Toner, Evolve Gentle Cleansing Melt, Green People Gentle Cleanse & Makeup Remover, Ermana Cleanse Balm, Antipodes Grace Gentle Cream Cleanser, Harborist Balm-Gel Cleanser, Pure Potions Omega Rich Cleansing Oil.

Over £25: Botanicals Nourish Cleansing Melt, Mallow & White Soothe Cleansing Oil, Mel Millis Phytonutri Daily Cleansing Oil, Pai Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, Inlight Face Cleanser, Siskyn Camellia & Safflower Hot Cloth Cleansing Oil, Myroo Gentle Cleanser (available in orange blossom & fragrance free versions).

Moisturiser – I personally don’t believe it is always necessary to have separate day and night cream, it just depends on your circumstances and preference, of course if you use a moisturiser with SPF then you don’t want to be using it overnight. For ease I’m sticking to traditional cream products otherwise my list would be never ending as facial oils also make amazing moisturisers.

Under £15: Sukin Sensitive Facial Moisturiser, Lavera Basis Moisturising Face Cream

£15 - £25: Green People Neutral Light Day Cream, Nourish Relax Calming Moisturiser, Odylique Avocado 24 hour Replenishing Cream, A’kin 2 hour Unscented Moisturiser, Evolve Daily Renew Cream 

Over £25: Trilogy Very Gentle Moisturising Cream, Antipodes Rejoice Light Day Cream

Toner – I’ve noticed that some people feel this step isn’t necessary but I love using toners. They help refresh the skin; you can clean off the last traces of makeup and increase the performance of your moisturiser/serums. 

Under £15: A’kin Hydrating Mist Toner, Sukin Hydrating Mist Toner, Balm Balm Chamomile Floral Water Hydrosol 

£15 - £25: Evolve Daily Defence Moisture Mist, Antipodes Ananda Antioxidant Rich Gentle Toner, Odylique Calming Rose Super Tonic, Skin & Tonic Rose Mist 

Over £25: Dr Hauschka Facial Toner, Pai Lotus & Orange Blossom Bioaffinity Tonic, Inlight Floral Face Tonic

I would be happy to assist with questions if you are unsure where to start. If you would like a follow up article for expanding to treatments such as masks, exfoliators then please let me know. I can recommend a number of online retailers which are worth exploring, simply follow this link - where to shop natural and organic products.

Sarah x