I’m eternally a servant to the whims of my hormones. And my skin often pays the price, with breakouts and sensitivity. Sometimes simple is best, and, like many before me, I’ve found that simplifying my skincare routine and reevaluating ingredients has led me down the path to natural and organic solutions. I’ve found not everything has to be that pure, but I’ve made some changes that have surprised me and made me and my skin happy.

Cleansing is a very important part of skincare. Over clean and scrub, and you run the risk of sensitive or delicate skin reacting. Even acne prone skin doesn’t like being scrubbed and stripped, as it may start to overproduce oil to compensate for said stripping. Under clean, and you run the risk of leaving residual makeup and the dirt of the day on your skin to sink into your pores and make them angry.

One of my issues is with my love of waterproof mascara. Regular mascara melts off my face like wax and it’s not pretty so waterproof is my jam. Unless it’s a tubing mascara like my standby Clinique Lash Power which washes off easily with water, most waterproof mascaras require an oil-based remover. Too much mineral oil and you can end up with bleary vision at best and at worst, milia around your eyes (it’s happened to me UGH). Too little oil and remover and you may end up tugging and pulling so much that you could actually yank out some lashes – yikes!

Lately I have been using some heavenly coconut oil products from Skinny & Co (more reviews on those to come – omg the Peppermint Oil Pull!!!) but their simple and basic Skinny Coconut Oil is absolutely perfect for removing makeup. It makes waterproof mascara melt away in a flash, as well as any other makeup I might have on. I use a gentle cotton to remove the residue around my eyes, then wash as usual. If I have time and feel like treating my face, I use a clean wet and warm face cloth and gently remove all my makeup before cleansing. I love the little travel sized jars for obvious reasons! There is something satisfying about cleaning my face with something I can also eat. Seriously.

Yes, even after that, I cleanse again. Gently! Eminence Organics ProBiotic Cleanser is a favourite – it leaves my face feeling clean and is gentle on any acne I may have, and helps fight acne with good bacteria versus anti-bacterial agents like triclosan, which have a danger of killing off bad AND good bacteria, and even making bacteria resistant. All I know is my face feels clean, clear and not stripped. It’s from Eminence Organics, which means you know its certified organic, and comes from a reputable company with a strong track record of effective and luxurious products and treatments. I love to use this in the morning before starting my day and love the gentle way it cleanses my skin.

Another favourite is Aveeno Positively Radiant Cleanser. I’ve had this in my collection and kind of forgot about it until a few weeks ago, when I saw it in my cupboard. I started using in the evening after removing my eye makeup, and even when I wasn’t wearing makeup, and remembered why I loved it! It is gentle, and their patented Active Naturals Total Soy Complex helps with skin tone, which is perfect when one may have acne spots. Aveeno Radiant Cleanser has a soft clean fragrance that I find so soothing at bedtime – one of those products that make me think “Oh if this was a perfume I’d wear it”.

Then, the final and key step is my glycolic toner. My favourite right now is Pixi Glow Tonic (another review here)! Me and everyone else, it seems! Seriously, though, this stuff is the bomb. I love how fresh and clean my skin feels after using it. I love how my blocked pores and blackheads are almost obliterated, and how soft and smooth it makes my skin, preparing it for any skincare and beauty products I apply. Something I’ve noticed lately has made me very happy. I have suffered from milia on my jawline and neck for years. As my skin has been changing over the last few years, it has definitely gotten worse. Well, using Glow Tonic morning and night has been the first product I’ve used that has made me notice a visible reduction in that milia. Yay!

So – these are my current cleansing loves and obsessions. If you suffer from any of the same skin issues as I, please try these! And if you have any secret products and tricks, share!