Daytime Skincare Routine For Normal/Combination Skin: Summer Edition

Here's a (relatively) simple daytime skincare routine that really works for normal / combination skin.I've been pretty happy with my skincare lately, and I always get compliments on my skin, so I haven't changed my skincare routine in six months at least.  However, a couple of new developments prompted me to switch things up.  I've been using The Body Shop's Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil followed by Kate Somerville's Gentle Daily Wash (used with my Clarisonic) pretty religiously for the past few months, but I was wondering if I could find one product that would remove all of my makeup and clean my skin thorough with less drying.  Plus, I'd noticed an increase in breakouts (most likely stress related), so I wanted to add something to address breakouts to my skincare routine as well.  Lastly, the seasons were changing (and I use that phrase loosely because it's basically 60 degrees year round in the Bay Area), so I figured change was in the air.Here's my new and improved daytime skincare routine:1. Cleanse.For the past couple of years, I've been totally devoted to my Clarisonic. I still love it, but at a recent Nordstrom Spring Trend Show, I was introduced to Julep's Bare Face Cleansing Oil and Konjac Cleansing Sponge.  The sponge sounded like a more gentle way to exfoliate daily, and I love cleansing oils, so I decided to try them out.The brand describes the oil as "a lightweight, antioxidant-rich oil blend that cleanses without over-drying." And the sponge is "an all-natural exfoliant enriched with skin-clarifying charcoal.  Made from the fibrous root of the Japanese Konjac plant, this sponge is gentle enough for everyday use and recommended for all skin types.  Bonus: It's attached to a suction cup for easy shower storage."First, the oil does an excellent job of removing all makeup (even waterproof mascara), and using the sponge is very gentle.  My skin feels very smooth and hydrated after using this pair.  Often, my skin feels tight after cleansing, but I haven't had that problem since using the oil, so that's definitely a good thing.  Also, the suction cup is genius!  You hang the sponge from the suction cup, so it stays clean and can dry between uses.  Bottom line: I recommend this for normal to dry skin.  You can buy the pair for $40 on julep.com.2. Tone.I've been a fan of the NARS Skin Multi-Action Toner for a long time, and I think this is a product that will always be in my skincare routine.  Although the Julep oil and sponge do a good job of cleansing my skin, they do not get rid of everything, so this toner is definitely necessary.  I love it for making sure that all makeup is removed without drying my skin.  It also lightly exfoliates so it preps my skin for any treatments that I may apply afterwards.3. Treat.I have a few dark spots left behind from past breakouts, so I've been using Clinique's Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector twice a day.  It's only been a couple of weeks, so I can't comment on whether or not it's working, but it is lightly moisturizing and doesn't irritate my skin at all.  I've used this before and have had positive results, so I'm confident this will help even my skin tone.4. Moisturize and Protect.I wear sunscreen every single day, and have usually worn a separate moisturizer.  However, since using the cleansing oil, I find that my skin is moisturized enough that I can skip a stand alone moisturizer.  I've been using Kate Somerville's Daily Deflector Moisturizer with SPF 20 for a couple of months and am pretty happy with it.  It moisturizes nicely and there is no ashiness or whiteness, which can definitely be a problem with sunscreen.  However, once that's done, I plan to switch to Clinique's Even Better Skin Tone Correcting Moisturizer with SPF 20.  I got a sample of this when I bought the Dark Spot Corrector and like that doesn't leave my skin looking as shiny as the Kate Somerville product.  The Clinique moisturizer also comes in a lighter lotion version that would be great for people with oily skin, or for people living in humid climates.If I'm not wearing any makeup, this would be it, but if I wanted to apply makeup, I would add some sort of primer next.  I'd love to hear what you guys are using on your skin, so let me know in the comments!  I'll be sharing my nighttime routine next week.Shop the post below:[xyz-ihs snippet="daily-skincare"]Like what you see?Like beautyluxelife on Facebook here.Follow along on Bloglovin' here.