As someone with blemish-prone, oily skin, no one loves a reasonably priced skincare product better than me. I’ve tried all the skincare brands under the sun—from Neutrogena to La Roche Posay. I’d love to be able to say that, entering my 20s, I no longer get spots and my skin is dreamy, but unfortunately this would be a lie. That said, I’ve settled on a pretty regular routine, with some products I’ve been using for years and a few new additions for 2025.
CeraVe Face wash
Starting with face wash, I use the CeraVe Blemish Control Cleanser both in the morning and at night. It’s definitely one of my routine staples at a modest price of £12.99, and it always lasts me a good 5 or 6 months. It leaves my skin feeling clean and soft. I find washing my face in the morning is essential as it tends to get oily overnight.
Simple Brightening Eye Gel
Next in my routine, I use the Simple brightening eye gel. There are very few occasions when I actually get my 8 hours of sleep so this is a huge help when my eyes feel like they should still be closed. It’s got all of the fancy ingredients like Niacinamide and Vitamin C but honestly, the main reason I use it is because it’s a gel, so it has more of a cooling effect under my eyes which helps wake me up.
The Ordinary Zinc and Niacinamide Blemish Serum
I would say this is the item in my skincare routine that has stood by me the most. I use it religiously, in the morning and at night, it gives your skin such a nice glow and helps prevent blemishes. It’s ridiculously reasonably priced at £5.00 for 30ml, or £9.00 for a 60ml bottle (which lasts me about 3 to 4 months). As my skincare routine continues, I’m sure you’ll begin to spot a pattern from the next few products.
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid Toner
This is a new addition to my routine, Glycolic Acid 7%, taking the place of The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5%. I much prefer acidic exfoliants over physical ones, as it’s so often mentioned that face scrubs can actually do more harm than good. Because of this I like to use this every night, only once a day, before going to bed. I’ve been using it for just over a month now and I’m liking it so far, I think my skin is used to more acidic exfoliants now so I haven’t experienced any issues, but those with sensitive skin might.
The Ordinary Lash & Brow Serum
Before I continue… I know this is not an essential, but it’s been an on again, off again part of my routine. I use it twice a day, and while I haven’t seen a huge amount of growth in my eyelashes, I definitely notice my lashes feel conditioned and fall out less! I particularly appreciate it if there have been a few days in a row when I’ve worn mascara and want my eyelashes to feel a bit more nourished. It’s £14.00 which I know seems like a lot but it’s tough to find an eyelash serum under £20, so I’ll take it.
The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser and Makeup Remover
Another newcomer to my routine is The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser. I used to be a micellar-water girl all the way when it came to taking off my makeup but I’m gradually starting to look at how I can add some eco-friendly products into my beauty routines. So, instead of using cotton wool pads and just throwing them away after, I purchased some microfibre face cloths and bought this makeup remover. It’s got a creamy texture which warms up when you massage it on your face and it then becomes more like an oil. This, however, is an extra step at the start of my nightly routine if I’ve had makeup on.
The Ordinary Face mask
Yes, this is the last product by The Ordinary. I think this might be my favourite, and the product I’ve recommended the most. It’s one of the only facemasks I’ve tried that I genuinely think makes a difference. While I wouldn’t recommend it for sensitive skin, or to use it more than once a week, I find that, somehow, my skin actually looks a bit clearer after using it. And, as the most expensive product in this routine (£25.00 for 100ml), that’s the least I’d expect.
Those are all of the skincare products I use on the daily (and weekly)! While it definitely helps to have a consistent routine, I’ve discovered that the biggest factor for my skin, particularly with spots and blemishes, is actually how much sleep I’m getting. So while these products definitely help, my quest for the perfect blemish-free skincare routine continues.
