Alison:
My routine had been the same for a long time, however, seeing as we were hitting a new school year, I've been trying to change it for the better. Every night when I come from school, I've been trying to get changed and do a workout straight away... admittedly I fail most days and get a snack and drink before hand...
Afterwards I get changed again into some casual clothes and do any homework or revision that I've got planned out for that night and then browse the internet for a good few hours before I bother to do anything else.
I've also started writing a diary at this point in my night, which seemed tedious at first, but just writing a page a day is surprisingly calming and really lets me get out any thoughts or worries rather than ranting away at others who don't particularly want to listen to me at that point in time (However, I do still think that if something is bothering you and getting you down it is very important to speak to someone about it!)
When it's time for me to head to bed, I start on my skincare. I know I should probably do it earlier in the evening so I'm more awake, and therefore more willing to put in effort, but for now this seems to be working. First, I get into my pyjamas (the onesies are back for me as I keep getting so cold!) and brush my teeth. At the moment, I've been using a combination of the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water and the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser to clean my face, depending on what I feel like that night (in other words how late it is and how tired I am, as the Cleansing Water is so much quicker).
If I'm using the Cleansing Water, I do it twice; first time to take off my mascara (I've been wearing the Benefit Roller Lash Mascara - which has to be the best mascara I've ever owned), and the second to clean the rest of my face. I follow this up with my Nectar of Nature moisturiser from France, which I spoke about in my France Haul, and then either Vaseline or shea butter on my eyelashes and lips.
At this point I normally get to bed and either scroll through apps on my phone for a little longer or read a book - which at the moment is Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson.
My overall evening routine is fairly similar to Alison's. I get in from school, grab a snack and drink, get changed, then go on my phone to catch up on any social media I missed out on that day. I usually wait at least an hour before doing any work as I find I really need the time to relax after school. However, we all know that homework should be done as much as you can, so I eventually push myself and do it. This usually takes me about an hour or two, depending on how much I need to do/how long it takes me to do each task (I often find myself being distracted every now and then, so I find that hiding your phone/turning off notifications helps you focus!)
Once some homework is out the way, I have dinner, and finish anything else off that needs to be done for that evening. To wind down, I like to watch YouTube videos or a nice film, as they tend to put me in a positive mood before going to bed.
This is when I have a shower, and I'm one of those people that take around 20 minutes to have one! I use a coconut and almond shampoo, and it was actually only 89p but it's surprisingly one of the best ones I've used. It leaves my hair feeling soft and fluffy, and a couple of people have actually pointed out that it smells really good! For body wash, I use Zoella's Tutti Fruity shower gel, as it smells quite fruity (as it says on the tin) and I haven't had any problems with it, so I would recommend it if you want a decently priced body wash. I then use cold water to put on conditioner, which is the Herbal Essences 'Beautiful Ends' conditioner. The bottle I've been using has lasted me months, as you only need a small amount at a time! Again, I feel that it helps look after my hair and helps from any split ends appearing as quickly.
For my skincare routine, I also use the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, as I find it really helps keep my skin clean and removes any makeup, leaving my skin feeling refreshed and healthy. Once that's done, I moisturise my skin with L'Oreal Paris 'Skin Perfection Cleasing and Perfecting Milk'. I've only been using this more recently (as I ran out of my Nivea Soft moisturiser) but it's had such positive effects on my skin. My face feels soft and hydrated, and it helps remove any makeup that I might have missed before.
However, in the mornings I don't usually put this on as I don't always have enough time, so instead I use Maybelline New York's 'Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser'. I find that this is a really good primer before makeup, so my skin always feels soft and healthy (even with concealer and powder on all day!)
Finally, I fill up my 750ml water bottle, put on some of my Rose & Co 'Rose Petal Lip Salve', and get into bed. I do one final check on social media whilst drinking my water (staying hydrated is one of my main aspects of looking after my skin), maybe read a book, and then I go to sleep.
We hope that you enjoyed this small glimpse into our everyday routines. Let us know what your skincare tips are, and if you have any recommendations for us!
See you soon with another blog post,
- Alison and Sabrina