Skincare is such a difficult thing to talk about and recommend as a blogger, since everyone's skin is so different. For that reason, I tend to keep skincare chatter here to a minimum, and I always tell you guys about my skin type (Normal, but prone to hormonal breakouts and can be oily around 'that' time of the month), so that you guys know what I'm working with.
All that being said, nobody is born with oily or dry or combination skin, we are all born with normal skin, and the fundamental things our skin requires is the same person to person. So when it comes to certain things, you can generalise, because at the end of the day, all our skin is essentially the same.
One product that is pretty universal is makeup remover, since you should be going in with a proper cleanser after anyway. What you're looking for in a makeup remover is just good makeup removing ability. For day to day use I love the Bioderma Créaline H2O Solution Micellaire, which is incredibly gentle on the skin, almost the same as just water, but it gets rid of all the makeup. It's not the best for waterproof mascara, but for general, daily makeup you won't find better than this.
Where possible I like to use products with as many natural ingredients as possible in my skincare routine. Creamy cleansers are incredibly gentle on the skin, but really get rid of any dirt or buildup in your pores, and my favourite is the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser. This might not necessarily be the cleanser for you, but a cream cleanser is definitely something you should have in your arsenal, and as far as gentle, natural cleansers go, this is my favourite. I can't see this being a problem for any particular skin type either, since once you wash it off, it leaves no residue, just clean, soft and supple skin.
Something that everyone should be using in their skincare routine is the Lush Tea Tree Water. A few spritzes of this onto your skin post-cleanse will do the world of good. It's got antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and anesthetic properties, making this your blemish fighting best friend. This is also perfect for spritzing on your pillow to keep it clean!
In the same vein, a bottle of Tea Tree Oil is a must in any skincare collection. Mine is from The Body Shop and is liberally applied to the first sign of any blemish.
A lot of people seem to avoid oil in their skincare routine and I haven't the foggiest why. Even if you have oily skin, your skin still needs oils, and if you use an oil on your skin in the evening, your skin is likely to produce less oils. It seems to be a common misconception that oils make your skin oily, when that's not the case at all. A couple of drops massaged into the skin before bed, and with an hour your skin will have absorbed all the goodness and be rehydrating itself. My personal favourite is the Trilogy Rosehip Oil.
And lastly, one of my favourite 'lazy beauty' products, the Caudalie Beauty Elixir. Perfect for perking up the complexion, adding back in some radiance and even fighting blemishes. This is a deskside must have, whatever your skin type.
What are your skincare must-haves?
