I am happy to report that in general, I have been buying fewer things. Well, with the notable exception of books – things seem to be getting worse on that front. But otherwise, there has been progress. I still have a soft spot for skincare, however, and tried quite a few things this year, some of which were very good. So here they are, in a vague order of application.

Cleanser. I was late to the Then I Met You hype train, but I hopped on it eventually and ordered their Living Cleansing Balm. And I’m happy to report that it’s excellent. It is extremely effective, pleasant to use and has a light citrus-herbal scent. I especially like the texture, which is properly balmy (not too sorbet-like, as some Korean or Korean-inspired balms can be), while not being too oily and heavy. It is rather pricy – as are most things on this list -, but if you are a cleanser connoisseur, it is a worthy one to try. I don’t have a clear winner for a second cleanse, although I did enjoy the ones I bought this year – Laneige Cream Skin Milk Oil Cleanser perhaps the most.

Toner. I don’t use toners that often these days, but I do enjoy I’m From Rice Toner that I have already talked about on the blog. It is hydrating and softening and very gently brightening. Toners aren’t an essential step in my view, but if you sometimes feel the need for an extra layer in your skincare, this is a lovely option. They do a small size as well, which is good for travel and trying it out.

Morning serum. As a rule, I use a vitamin C serum every morning. I have two favourites from this year that I would heartily recommend. The first one is Murad’s Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum, a great combination of vitamin C and glycolic acid – it is especially useful if you like your acids, but don’t want to have many steps in your routine. This allows you to cut out the acid toner in the morning. My other fave has a similar concept: Ole Henriksen’s Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum combines vitamin C with polyhydroxy acids – these are slightly gentler than glycolic acid, but as there is quite a bit of Vitamin C in there (15%), it is still a potent serum. Both work really well and also provide decent hydration.

Evening serum. If morning is the vit C time, evenings are for retinol. You could do much worse than go full Murad and use their Brightening Serum in the morning and Retinol Youth Renewal Serum in the evening. I did so this spring and was very happy with the results. Unfortunately, I have to confess that after the initial incompatibility, Medik8’s insanely expensive, innovative r-Retinoate Intense started working for me and once it did, it went all out. In recent months, I have been under a lot of stress, which usually manifests in the condition of my skin (among other things). But this time, my skin has actually improved as things went downhill at work: hardly any breakouts, less pigmentation, an overall smoother and glowier look (it’s of course all relative, it’s still a 41-year old face). It is always difficult to judge what exactly is working in one’s skincare routine, but I am pretty sure r-Retinoate is behind this unusual resilience. As I said, it is extremely spendy and I don’t want to make anyone feel like you should buy it. However, if you are considering it, the plus side is that the 50ml (instead of the more common 30ml) lasts a long time. I should also note that it is not a serum, it’s a cream. The reason I talk about it under this category is that I use it as a serum – no other serum underneath and sometimes I add a cream on top, as it’s not particularly hydrating or moisturising.

Moisturiser. As with the second cleanse, I don’t have a clear winner in this category. I wanted to include it, though, because I did use several really good moisturisers this year and I wrote about them in this post. If forced, I would probably pick Summer Fridays Cloud Dew as my absolute favourite. I also wanted to give a honourable mention to Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Cream. I only have a travel size that I got very recently (as a Gift With Purchase), that’s why it’s not a full-on favourite. But so far, I am very impressed. If you have dry-ish, somewhat sensitive skin, I think this would be ideal: it leaves the skin soothed, moisturised and beautifully supple. And it’s reasonably priced!

Sunscreen. Here, in contrast, I have an obvious number one: Ultra Violette’s Supreme Screen Hydrating Facial Sunscreen 50+. I tried a bunch of SPFs this year and liked several of them, but Supreme Screen is in a league of its own. I like that it’s hydrating enough (for me) to skip the moisturiser. At the same time, the texture is light and the finish is beautiful – slightly blurring and glowy. On many days this summer this was all the base I needed or wanted. The pump-tube is very practical and convenient. It is, in short, a joy to use, something usually not the case with sunscreens. And as it’s an Australian brand, you can be sure it will also protect you for all the harmful rays.

PS I am in Estonia and don’t have all the products with me, hence the inadequate picture.