beauty

"My routines are... complex." 4 beauty writers share a peek inside their bathroom cabinet.

If you search the hashtag #shelfie on Instagram right now, you'll find a whopping 2.6 million results.

There's something about seeing inside people's bathroom cabinets, at all the skincare and beauty products they own, that's just so goddamn satisfying. 

Watch: Three steps to glowing skin with Leigh Campbell. Post continues after video.


Video via Mamamia

So we asked four members of Mamamia's You Beauty Collective (myself included), to do just that. Plus, share what their morning and night skincare routines look like and which products they reach for the most.

Here's what they had to say.

Iain Jeffery, You Beauty Collective Contributor.

Image: Supplied. 

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Iain's skincare routine: My routines are… complex and ever-changing. In the morning, my two goals are hydration and protection. I tend to skip cleanser in the morning unless it’s been a really hot night or I’m feeling grimy. A splash of tepid water normally does the trick! I’ll then start with a good mist, my ride or die is the NIOD Superoxide Disumtaste Saccharide Mist.

I also love a good Vitamin C serum in the morning to brighten and further prevent free radical damage. At the moment, I’m using the Mecca Cosmetica Vitamin C Serum and I’m loving it! It’s water-thin and absorbs instantly. Finally, I’ve fallen back in love with the Ultra Violette Supreme Screen again because it allows me to skip moisturiser and just go straight the most important step - sunscreen.

My night routine is where I aim to restore and repair my skin. I always start with a double cleanse - normally Deviant Skincare Cleansing Concentrate followed by Chanel Le Lait Anti-Pollution Cleansing Milk to remove all makeup, SPF, dirt and grime.

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Then comes my holy grail step - Lotion P50 by Biologique Recherche. I alternate between the OG P50 and P50 PIGM400. This balances, exfoliates and boosts collagen production. I love an oil at night and have been obsessed with NIXE Facial Drops which contain hemp seed oil to calm and restore. I’ll then go in with the Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Eye Cream to keep my peepers looking bright and seal all the goodness in with the matching moisturiser! It all sounds like a lot but I love having the ability to set aside time morning and evening for myself.

Iain's go-to products.

Biologique Recharche P50, POA: I think I’m going to have to be buried with a bottle of this stuff at this point. I’ve never ever come across a more transformative product that both gives instant results but also sustainable and continuous results. It tingles on contact, feels like it’s freshly brewed in an apothecary and gives me a glow even when I feel like I’m not owed one.

Sulwhasoo Vitalising Overnight Mask, $69: The holy grail of sleeping masks for me. It’s rich, buttery, and smells like Korean herbs. It delivers intensive hydration, softens any dehydration lines and brings back a rosiness to my cheeks. I can use this every single day if I’m feeling a bit dull, or once a week for a mid-week pickup. Also great if you’re not in the mood for a nighttime routine and just want to slap something on.

Laneige Radian-C Cream, $48: This is a new launch and new- to-me formula, but it’s the most decadent feeling cream that’s infused with 8.5 per cent Vitamin C. The formula is also anti-pollution to give you further protection during the day. It’s a great pre-makeup step and the ultimate day time moisturiser.

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Carly Sophia, You Beauty Collective Contributor.

Image: Supplied. 

Carly's skincare routine: I don’t have a routine, to be honest. These shelves are an amusement park and I wanna go on aaaaall the rides! I just wake up each day and try and figure out what my face needs. I’ve just started using prescription retinol and it’s given my skin a thrashing. That, and the cooler weather - I am one dry b*tch. Hydration is EVERYTHING so I am layering up gentle nourishing serums, creams and oils - basically lavishing my face with apologies each morning for what I did to it the night before.

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Carly's go-to products.

Aurae Skin Beauty Boost Hyaluronic Serum, $59: I actually cannot live without this right now. There are a million hyaluronic acids out there but this is my FAVE! It’s super light and silky and contains honey, collagen and rose.

Lady Luxe Beauty Cold Pressed Oil Cleanser, $69: This is the only cleanser I’m using at the minute as it gently and effectively cleanses while keeping my skin super plump and hydrated.

Amperna Lightweight Soothing Emulsion, $52: This is packed with probiotics, ceramides and hyaluronic acid and is pretty much the only one that my skin can handle right now. It also really helped with keeping perioral dermatitis at bay which I think was aggravated and inflamed by occlusives.

Mandy Huynh, You Beauty Collective Contributor.

Image: Supplied. 

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Mandy's skincare routine: My morning routine is very straightforward. I will always incorporate a Vitamin C followed by an eye cream, moisturiser and SPF. 

My nighttime routine differs daily. Sometimes it will be simple (double cleanse, serum, eye cream and moisturiser) or an elaborate 10+ step skincare routine (double cleanse, mask, essence, tone, a few serums, eye cream, moisturiser, sleeping mask, etc) depending on my mood. I rotate my actives and make sure I am using retinol around every second night. 

Mandy's go-to products.

SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum, $218: This vitamin C is beautiful and well worth the price tag. You can tell how high quality it feels when you apply it and it does wonders at brightening the skin.

Synergie Skin TriDration B, $99: This mask contains 11 per cent niacinamide to brighten the skin and only needs five minutes to work. It's literally an express 'glow in a bottle' and leaves your skin feeling so soft and bouncy.

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Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6, $108: I love Medik8's retinol serums. Their Crystal Retinal 6 comes in three different retinol concentrations so you can pick what's best for your skin. I like this serum because it's so gentle on the skin but also very effective.

Charlie Begg, Lifestyle Writer.

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Charlie's skincare routine: My skincare routine is stupidly simple. Mainly because I just can't be bothered with 10 different steps (sorry, it's true) - but also because I've found the fewer products I put on my skin, the happier it is. My morning routine is pretty fuss-free. I use micellar water to cleanse, followed by a moisturiser and SPF. 

My nighttime routine is a little busier, as it involves an oil cleanser to remove my makeup, my favourite cleanser, followed by mist, hyaluronic acid and Jojoba oil. And a few times a week I'll use a chemical exfoliant. 

Charlie's go-to products.

Skinstitut Multi-Active Mist, $49: I learned a while back that the best way to apply hyaluronic acid is to use a mist first so it absorbs into the skin. This is the one I always grab. It's stupidly hydrating, smells great and leaves my skin feeling even better. Plus, it doubles as the most beautiful, luminous setting spray. Ugh, I'm obsessed.

Jojoba Activating Cleansing Oil, $39.95: This is a new favourite! To put it simply, it removes all of my makeup (including my eye makeup), hydrates my skin pre-cleanser and feels like a treat.

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, $12.99: You won't find this on my #shelfie because my boyfriend steals it and uses it in the shower, but that's because it's that good. It's got this creamy, milky consistency and cleans my skin without stripping the important oils. I continue to repurchase it.

Feature image: Supplied.