Creating a Fresh Morning Face

Words by Matt Huxley

If you know me, you are well aware that I am NOT a morning person. I resent getting up early and everything about it (I’m a night owl so it’s not just me being lazy don’t worry!). That’s why in the morning I prioritise sleep and therefore need a quick and easy routine to make me look both awake and professional. That extra ten minutes of snoozing the alarm matters people.

Where else can you turn for an epic morning routine than Mecca? They have all the best brands, plus the staff have the knowledge to really get your shit sorted. Now I am quite excessive with my skincare, the longer the routine the better for me, but I’ve pared it down to the necessities. This routine gets you up and out the door in no time (lingering in the shower not counted obvs.)

First, I need to make sure my skin is clean and fresh, I need to wash off last nights hydrating mask, plus anything that’s accumulated during the night. The Tatcha Camellia Cleansing Oil is a great way to gently lift off any impurities. I love an oil cleanser, and this one has a great blend of Japanese Camellia Oil, Rice Bran Oil and Green Tea extract that just emulsifies to a beautiful milk cleanser. It will remove anything, without leaving skin feeling tight or dry. People are always so wary about putting oils on their skin, but oil is legit the best thing for it, and suitable for all skin types. I have naturally balanced to dry skin, but oil cleansers can even be used for oilier skin types and can help to combat that natural development of oil. This guy is also great for removing makeup and grime at the end of the day too, gotta love a two for one product.

Then, because I’m a stickler for some sort of second cleanse, I go in with the Skyn Micellar Cleansing Water. The press pump on this bottle means that you don’t get your cotton round drenched in liquid, making this process nice and quick. A swipe of this across my face leaves my pores refreshed and slightly tightened, any excess cleanser gone and my face nice and prepped for moisturiser. Again, this is a multi use product as you can use it for a makeup remover at the end of the day as well. Comprised of Nordic spring water, Aloe Juice, Witch Hazel, Coconut water and Birch Sap extract, this blend is suitable for all skin types. Whilst I do tend to stay away from pure Witch Hazel as it can be a bit drying, the amount of hydrating products in this micellar water counteract that and the addition of Birch Sap is nice as Birch has firming and collagen boosting properties.

Now that our skin is refreshed and ready for moisture, it’s time for serum. I’ve been testing out the Hyaluronic Marine Hydration Booster by Dr Dennis Gross and I’m currently obsessed! It sinks in beautifully and gives my skin a huge amount of hydration which is definitely a necessity going into winter. Now this is a booster, meaning that you can mix it in with other products to boost hydration, use it as a spot treatment, or like me, use it as an all over serum. With a base of Evening Primrose extract, Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid, Cucumber extract and Hydrolized Collagen, this product boasts an extensive ingredient list of really great products – and little to no alcohol for those of you who want to avoid it.

Given that my skin is going to be looking a little blotchy in the morning, a tinted moisturiser is going to be my best friend. I love the Mecca Cosmetica brand one, and it has an SPF too which is great. You can get burned even when it’s cloudy so I always like some level of SPF on my face. This moisturiser lightly evens out skin tone and provides a bit of moisture to the upper layers of skin. Hyaluronic Acid, Pomegranate extract and Vitamin E all combine to give a healthy glow to the skin.

Because I have under eye circles that satan would be proud of (the bags are NOT designer) I need a bit of extra coverage there. The Hourglass Vanish Seamless Foundation Stick is the perfect option. It’s quick and easy to just swipe under my eyes and blend. Whilst I realise this is not a concealer, I don’t wear liquid foundation so this level of coverage is perfect for me for dark circles. I love the packaging of this as well, the triangle shape makes it just so easy to get into that dark inner corner without stabbing my eyeball (not a cute look). This one doesn’t tend to crease on me either which is nice. I would recommend setting this with a loose powder (the Nars Light Reflecting Loose Powder is a great option). This is just pure personal preference, but I tend to touch my face unconsciously during the day and I don’t want anything smudging. You don’t need to set if you don’t want to.

Finally, cos I’m a bit of an extra human, I always emphasise my cheekbones in some way. I’m currently loving the Hourglass Vanish Flash Highlighting Stick. It creates a nice, smooth shimmer and adds a bit of colour to increase definition in my face, as well as emphasise those cheekbones. This is a technique called draping, where you add blush products to softly define the cheek, without relying on a harsh contour – not necessarily what I want for everyday.

We’re done people! I get that this is a lot of writing, and that it seems like a lot. But realistically this takes me 5 minutes in the morning. It’s a quick, simple way, to look your best, without having to sacrifice those precious sleep minutes. Now if only I could have black coffee on a drip. Hmm.

Which products from Mecca interest you? I’d love to know! Leave me a comment below. Of course you need to follow me on Instagram and Snapchat @infirmofpurpose, Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Bloglovin and Lookbook.