Staying home and staying safe during the Coronavirus Pandemic Lockdown played havoc with my skin during the first couple of weeks. My oily/combination skin went very dry, irritated, and flaky! Definitely a result of stress and not following my usual skin care regimen.

I am sure many of you have been feeling the same, and are missing your usual beauty treatments. It is simple to give yourself a decent facial at home, if you know the right steps and the right products for your skin. Most of these you will already have at home, but if you are short of anything, I have made some recommendations from my favourite cruelty free skin care brands for you to try! I’m going to take you through this step by step and recommend some great products for different skin types.

*please note that this blog contains affiliate links which means I earn a small commission should you make any purchases

Set the scene… put on some comfy lounge clothes, light your favourite candle, and put on some relaxing music.

I love Candle Collective UK Candles! Bergamot and Patchouli is my fave!

Some useful tools –

Let’s talk skin type!

Are you oily, dry, sensitive, or combination? Here is a simple guide:

Oily skin – gets shiny throughout the day, feels greasy to the tough, large open pores, prone to spots and blackheads

Dry skin – small/invisible pores, may have visible fine lines, flakiness, feels tight and uncomfortable

Sensitive skin – reacts to certain products/ingredients, redness, flakiness, may feel itchy or irritated, may have spots or rosacea

Combination skin – may be a mixture of any of the above

Now we’ve determined your skin type, let’s begin the steps of our DIY facial

Step 1 – Cleanse your face

Remove all makeup using micellar water . I love

Thouroughly cleanse your skin by massaging the product in small circles all over your face and throat. Rinse with warm water and repeat the cleanse to make sure your skin is squeaky clean.

Oily skin – use a foaming cleanser such as Caudalie Instant Foaming Cleanser

Dry Skin – use a cleansing balm or oil like Charlotte Tilbury Goddess Cleansing Ritual

Sensitive – choose a fragrance free and gentle formula such as CosRX Low Ph Cleanser

Combination – balancing cleansers are best like The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser

Step 2 – Exfoliate

If you are using a scrub, massage the product all over the face and throat, again in small circles. Use gentle pressure. If you are using an acid based exfoliator, be sure to follow the instructions on the product.

Oily – Yes To Tomatoes Charcoal Deep Cleansing Scrub

Dry – UpCircle Beauty Coffee Face Scrub Floral Blend

Sensitive – NIOD Non Acid Precursor

Combination – The Ordinary Mandelic Acid Peel

Step 3 – Cleansing Mask

Apply the mask using a brush. Follow the instructions on the product for timings and best practices for removal.

Oily – Mavala Pore Detox Mask

Dry/Sensitive – Charlotte Tilbury Goddess Clay Mask

Combination – Elemis Superfood Berry Boost Mask

Step 4 – Tone

Because we have already exfoliated, avoid using a toner with any AHA, BHA, or PHA exfoliating ingredients. Apply a few drops of toner on the palms of your hands and gently pat your face. Allow to air dry.

Oily – Oh K! SOS pH Balancing Toner

Dry – Caudelie Moisturising Toner

Sensitive – Elemis Lavender Toner

Combination – Mario Badescu (Rosewater and Witch Hazel)

Step 5 – Nourishing Mask

Sheet masks are a great product for hydrating and nourishing your skin. Even if you do look a bit crazy wearing them! After you remove the mask, be sure to massage the leftover liquid into your skin and give it a couple of minutes to soak in before the next step.

Oily – Yes to Grapefruit Bubbling Mask

Dry/Sensitive – Charlotte Tilbury Multi Miracle Glow

Combination – Charlotte Tilbury Dry Sheet Mask