FROM DAY TO NIGHT

The bare essentials of skincare diktat call for a morning regime that starts with clarifying and priming, and an evening ritual packed with powerful and reparative must-haves; easy enough, but what about the process of fine-tuning your skincare routine to suit you? If your skin is dry, you're going to want to make sure that intensive hydration is the basis of your agenda, 24 hours a day; but if you're prone to oiliness, you'll be well aware that whilst hydration is vital, it comes at a price, and must not imbalance your complexion.

Personalising your skincare routine from start to finish is no mean feat, but below I've identified some failsafe duos that will help you to maintain your personal skincare agenda, day and night.

DRY SKIN

DAY : Thick, buttery, and soft, SISLEY's Confort Extreme Day Skincare* is a joy to use, and without a doubt one of the most luxurious creams in my collection. It won't sit well under makeup, but is ideal for lathering on thick on foundation-free days, and is the ultimate treatment for curing and preventing dry patches. The nourishing and softening formula treats dry skin as sensitive skin, so this won't aggravate a fragile complexion - instead, like a comfort blanket to the skin, it restores suppleness and soothes sore skin, whilst replenishing the delicate moisture barrier and preventing future moisture deficiencies. The formula is packed with some of nature's most powerful moisturisers, including plum, shea butter, wood mallow, and olive, alongside solanum, which stimulates the production of lipids [notably deficient in very dry skin]. Warm in the hands and apply massage-style for the ultimate luxe moisture treatment.

NIGHT : Designed specifically to replenish dry skin overnight, the NARS Restorative Night Treatment* employs an innovative gel-to-oil technology that helps to deliver moisture into even the deepest layers of skin. The thick, balm-like gel melts upon application, forming a luxurious layer of nourishing ingredients that lock in moisture and leave even the dullest driest skin looking bright and radiant come morning. Packed with nourishing fatty acids, omegas, and antioxidants, ingredients such as almond, plum, rice bran, and alaria extract help to restore and strengthen the skin's water reserves whilst infusing it with moisture and minerals - boosting hydration levels by up to 146% in one use. When my skin is especially dry I take the time to massage this into my skin before bed, and always notice a smoother and brighter complexion come sunrise.

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BLEMISHED SKIN

DAY : Those who suffer from blemishes but have struggled to find a treatment that sits indiscernible on the skin will adore the MARIO BADESCU Buffering Lotion. The thin watery texture absorbes without a trace of residue, and can even be applied over makeup, thanks to its weightless and fast-absorbed formula. A blend of soothing anti-inflammatory herbal extracts, vitamins,and amino acids, this is one of the fastest acting blemish treatments I have ever used, and dries up blemishes without affecting the surrounding area or causing scarring. Specially designed to treat painful cystic acne, the astringent formula proves the ultimate topical treatment for daytime use.

NIGHT : Thanks to its thick, white, paste-like formula, EVE LOM's Dynaspot* treatment is most certainly not daytime appropriate [if you're planning on leaving the house, that is], by night however, I layer it thick and fast over both forthcoming and established blemishes [when applied in good time it will stop even the worst in their tracks]. Packed with soothing antiseptics [salicylic acid and tea tree], zinc [to prevent scarring and pigmentation] and chamomile [to calm inflammation] Dynaspot acts like a super potent targeted face mask, reducing the size, appearance, colour, and pain of blemishes within a matter of hours and without drying out the skin; spots will be visibly diminished by daybreak. I often layer this with the above when I have a particularly nasty breakout - together they're an unbeatable blemish-battling duo.

OILY SKIN

DAY : The oil-free, mattifying formula of SISLEY's Tropical Resins Complex* is tailored to suit oily skin and act like a blotting paper, absorbing excess oil and preventing shine. It works to balance sebum production and purify skin without compromising skin's moisture levels, via a soothing combination of plant extracts and zinc. If you're used to your morning treatments leaving your skin feeling tight or stripped, this will provide a welcome antidote [and also serves as a fantastic makeup primer thanks to its softening and easily-absorbed gel texture].

NIGHT : It's a common mistake to assume that oily skin doesn't need more moisture, when in fact the truth is quite opposite; keeping oily skin moisturised can help to reduce excess oil production and is vital to maintaining good skin health. AĒSOP's Oil-Free Facial Hydrating Serum* is a welcome alternative to cream and oil based moisturisers, and allows for intensive hydration without inciting a greasy complexion. In the form of a lightweight and easily absorbed gel serum, the aloe vera based formula is packed with vitamins and antioxidants to ensure that oily skin receives all of the usual benefits of evening hydration. Skin will boast a weightless, smooth, matte texture, which feels instantly nourished and protected.

SCARRED SKIN

DAY : Designed to restore brightness and clarity to sluggish skin after winter, the CODAGE Spring Break Serum* is the ultimate antidote to a lacklustre complexion. A blend of moisturising, reparative, and antioxidant ingredients help to rebuild skin's defences and detoxify, in order to restore radiance and comfort. Most notably, the reparative ingredients play a major role in reducing pigmentation and fading blemish marks and scars [this is one of few products I have used that made an impact upon the appearance of my blemish marks in one use] by boosting cellular renewal and speeding up the healing process. Skin is repaired from deep within the epidermis, and anti-inflammatories calm redness and blemishes. The silky texture absorbs without a trace, making it ideal for both morning and evening use - and its invisibility renders it ideal for use beneath makeup.

NIGHT : The only other product to have benefitted my blemish marks after just one use - I'm currently onto my third jar of the EVE LOM Brightening Cream* and I remain obsessed. The texture is light and gel-like, but I apply this in a thick layer before bed, patting it into my skin for optimal absorption. Aside from addressing hyper-pigmentation, calming redness, and evening out a patchy skintone, this rose-scented cream injects skin with a luminosity that is noticeable the morning after. With continued use, skin grows clearer, brighter, and more radiant, with a smooth and supple texture in tow. The key ingredient, Eve Lom's patented Dermapep blend, is proven to be 20 times more efficient than regular brightening treatments, so if you're after a product that reaps instant and noticeable benefits, this is the one.

DEHYDRATED SKIN

DAY : Offering immediate relief to severely dehydrated skin, the newly launched VICHY Aqualia Thermal Serum* is without a doubt one of the best hydrating treatments I have ever used [and readily available and affordable to boot]. The water-based formula means this absorbs seamlessly, and can easily be layered with other serums, oils, and creams for intensive rehydration treatment [but even normal, sensitive, and combination skin types will benefit from the soothing and fortifying formula]. Designed to provide 24-hour hydration, a cocktail of complex ingredients improve the diffusion of moisture into the skin, leaving it feeling soothed, softened, and refreshed.

NIGHT : A favourite amongst Korean skincare junkies, the LANEIGE Water Sleeping Mask* has long been adored for its ability to mimic the effects of a good night's sleep and restore hydration levels in a single use. Essentially a powerful night cream that doubles as a face mask, the featherlight gel formula is enriched with ingredients such as rose and sandalwood which condition and soothe the skin. The key ingredient, chestnut extract, boosts hydration, as well as soothing inflammation and enabling skin to attract and retain water. The next best thing to drinking eight glasses of water a day; those with dehydrated skin will find that this cooling gel immediately hydrating, and its silky texture feels therapeutically soothing and refreshing on the skin.