As a beauty journalist, I often get a lot of people asking for my skincare and makeup recommendations. I can’t lie—it’s a pretty good feeling. I’m lucky enough to be gifted with new products to try out on a weekly basis, but as someone who’s always had an interest in beauty, a lot of the products I own I purchased myself. There’s truly nothing better than testing out products that catch your eye. Fortunately, even if I try a product that I’m not necessarily fond of, I always have a friend to take it off my hands.
My thorough skincare journey started a year and a half ago. I’d had an intense panic attack that left me in bed for a few weeks feeling as though I’d lost all control of my life. However, I soon discovered that creating my own a.m. and p.m. skincare schedules was the perfect way to help me feel more in control. My morning routine usually consists of using a cleanser, toner, serum and hydrating SPF, and my evening routine includes an exfoliator and face mask once or twice a week and a double cleanse, toner, serum/treatment, eye cream, moisturiser and hydrating lip mask.
I’ve tried a whole heap of brands and products from budget-friendly serums to higher-priced ones for my normal-to-dry skin type and get such a thrill out of recommending products to anyone who asks, no matter their skin type.
It was quite the struggle to condense my list, but here are the 12 skincare products that I always recommend as a beauty journalist, whether you’re looking for something to help with spots or give you a glow.