2012 Favourites - Part 5: Skincare and Haircare

Okay, I know this is possibly the least exciting post of the 2012 Favourites series, but I wanted to do it anyway because now that I'm getting older, I'm finding it increasingly important to have a good skincare routine. Mine isn't really complicated, especially because I'm always so late going to bed, I never have the energy to do a lenghty routine. I do have a good cleanser and make up remover, and also a good serum, night cream and eye cream, with the occasional scrub and mask thrown in, so that's fine. In the mornings I just use a face cream having washed my face in the shower with clean water. I don't have time for more, it's as simple as that.

I did a video about my skincare routine back in April and although some products I'm not using anymore (have run out or have decided to change), it gives you a good idea about which products I enjoyed using in 2012. Check it out here. 

I'll start with cleansing. I usually use Boots Botanics Soothing Eye Make Up Remover (old style, this has now been rreformulated) followed by Simple Kind To Skin Facial Cleansing Wipes. The two together work very well for removing make up and dirt from my skin. I haven't found a cleanser I am that chuffed about, I just can't really get excited about a cleanser, but every one I've used so far does a good enough job. I'm currently using a L'Occitane cleanser with the longest, most complicated name that I refuse to copy. I also really like Lancome Bi-Facil and will probably use it instead of the Boots one because I've heard that the new, reformulated version isn't very good.

See which other products I loved in 2012 after the jump!

Simple Spotless Skin Deep Clean Cleansing Pads

I like simple. Simple is good. No need to complicate things, right. I also like the brand Simple, I like it that they keep their products free of colour, perfume and other unnecessary ingredients. You might recall my review of their cleansing wipes. I also use their shampoo and conditioner on my children, I like the idea of them using products without parabens and the like.

I was sent these Simple Spotless Skin Deep Clean Cleansing Pads to try out after PR saw my review of the wipes. I was looking forward to trying them out as I'm always on the hunt for cleansers and scrubs to combat my blackheads and blemishes. These pads have a textured surface to gently exfoliate the skin while the active ingredients help deep clean the T zone. All this while not containing colour, perfume or other unnecessary ingredients. Sounds good, right?

I have to confess, these wipes didn't really do anything for me. I still have just as many blackheads as before and actually had a really bad breakout and two massive spots while using these pads. While I'm not saying they caused it, they certainly didn't eliminate the blemishes. I also found the textured pads a bit harsh and I'm not sure how suitable these would be for sensitive skin.

All in all these didn't work for me. I still like Simple and will continue to purchase the wipes and the haircare products, but not these pads.

A box of 60 pads costs £4.99 and available from Boots, Superdrug and other drugstores and supermarkets.

See more pictures after the jump!

Simple Kind To Skin Facial Cleansing Wipes

After finishing the Primark Tea Tree Cleansing Wipes I decided to try something else, and on a trip to Boots I picked up these Simple Facial Wipes.I didn't like the smell of the Primark ones, but luckily these Simple ones have no scent.

They contain pro-vitamin B5 that "actively restores, softens and smoothes", and have no alcohol, oil, perfume or colour, so should be suitable for sensitive skin. They work well for me, although my skin isn't actually sensitive. They clean well and I like it that even the last one is well soaked through with cleanser, so 25 days after opening the pack the last one still feels as moist as the first one did (I do store them upside down to make sure the top one doesn't dry out either).

All in all, I like these cleansing wipes and have already replaced the packet. They cost quite a bit more than the Primark ones, you get 25 wipes for £3.20 (although there's currently a 2 for £5 offer on at Boots) which is still very reasonable.

See more pictures after the jump!

Simple Kind To Eyes Eye Make Up Corrector Pen

Having worn make up for the last 20 years or so, I am now pretty good at applying it. However, I still make mistakes, especially when applying mascara, so on a recent shopping trip I picked up Simple Kind To Eyes Eye Make Up Corrector Pen. Up until then I either used a cotton wool bud to tidy up my mistake, or my Avon make up remover pencil (not sure if those are still available at all). But at £4.99 I thought I didn't have much to lose should the Simple pen not work out. Fortunately it did. I like it that it has such a fine tip, it's very easy to get under my lower lashes (which is where the mistakes often are), and also that it really is gentle to my skin with no alcohol or perfume.

I'm not entirely sure that it's that much better than my trusty cotton wool buds (dipped into make up remover if necessary), but I guess it would come in very handy when travelling or needing to tidy up smudged make up on the go. There is one thing I'm not too keen on though and it's this:

This is what the tip looks like after using it to remove some mascara. It is recommended that you clean the tip with make up remover wipes, but I do feel that having to do that suddenly makes it less of a portable option. Besides, might as well use a wipe to clean off the smudged mascara then, no?

But it is convenient and all in all works well, so I will forgive it for that small issue. Do you own this or have you tried it? Let me know in the comments!