Getting a nighttime/daytime skin care routine figured out can be a feat in and of itself. What ingredients are good for my skin? What areas do I need to target? The questions go on and on. I have found throughout the years that keeping a routine simple is key. Trying new products all the time can be irritating to your skin and create issues. I myself have very sensitive skin. It wasn’t until this year that I made the switch to fragrance free, or near fragrance free products. I have seen a HUGE difference in my skin! With all natural ingredients you are not introducing synthetic ingredients to your skin which can potentially clog pores, or just be a quick temporary fix to your issues. One other difference maker was to stop picking at my breakouts, which should be an obvious thing! We all hate looking at our skin up close and seeing this looming blemish, but the worst possible thing is to pick at it before it is ready! For a clean fresh start I love to treat myself to a facial every few months. Yes these can be a little pricey buy Groupon has some great deals and many spas offer first time, or holiday specials!
Morning Routine
My Morning routine is very simple. I wake up and splash some cold water on my face to wake up/wash any previous night products off. As far as products go in the morning, I only use my First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Moisturizer. This moisturizer is a perfect canvas for my foundation and provides hydration without making your skin feel heavy. After this I am ready for makeup! Simple as that!
Nighttime Routine:
This is where I like to have more fun with my skin care routine! Sleeping with some of these products on your skin overnight has the benefits of being able to soak in and let your skin breathe without any makeup blocking the way. I think it goes without saying but always take your makeup off at night!!
Makeup Remover: I love the Simple Micellar Face wipes to remove my makeup. They are so gentle and soothing and do not leave any residue on my face where I feel like I need to rinse off again afterwords. These wipes even make taking eye makeup off easy which deserves an award all by itself.
Cleanser: I found this cleanser through the organic spa I have been going to. This was one of the hardest things for me to nail down in my skin care routine. I could never find one that did not irritate or strip my skin of its nutrients. I started using the Osmosis Purify Cleanser about a year ago and it has worked wonders! It has a nice natural citrus scent that is pleasing and the consistency is gel which allows you to be able to lather and leave you nice and clean!
Moisturizer: I use the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Moisturizer, that I mentioned was a part of my morning routine, most nights to moisturize. I love how light this product is as it allows the product to soak into my skin and not sit on top of the surface. Nights where my skin is feeling a little more dry or broken out, I use the Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask. I could rave about this product for hours!!! As you can tell from the name of the product, it technically is a mask. This product however can be used in so many ways which is why I love it! You can put the mask on and wash it off after 10 min, and you can even wear it as a makeup primer under foundation! My favorite way to use it though is either applying lightly as a moisturizer, or applying more generously and sleeping over night with it as an overnight mask. It is also great as an under eye mask to relieve dark circles. The brand does not have a claim to help breakouts or reduce acne scars, but I really do feel like it has helped in revitalizing my skin. The final moisturizer (How extra am I?) Is my Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb. I have very dark under eye circles that will never ever ever go away. With this issue, I found my under eyes getting dry so I invested in this eye cream that does wonders! It is a little more pricey but you need the smallest amount of product to go a long way. I have had mine for 6 months and have still not run out! It is also smart to start this step early to avoid wrinkles forming in this area.
Mask: I don’t mask as much as I used to since finding Summer Fridays. Many face masks have high fragrance in the ingredients which isn’t ideal for my skin. I find it better to keep it simple rather than creating an irritation just because you wanted to “relax” and try a new mask. The two masks I do love are the Mario Badescu Whiting Mask and the First Aid Beauty Oatmeal Mask. The Mario Mask has helped my acne scaring in so many ways. This mask is geared for hydration and correcting discoloration. The most I would use this mask is once a week and sometimes only apply it to the areas where I experience discoloration. The First Aid Beauty mask is perfect for days when my skin is dry and irritated. It helps calm and hydrate the skin and is a super quick mask you can apply and wash off in 10 minutes!
Acne Treatments: God forbid we have to use these…. but when in the event in an unexpected friend I have two acne spot treatments that I love to use! The one I use most frequent is the Clinique Acne Solutions Clearing Gel I find this treatment is the most effective and helps minimize the size of a breakout. The Mario Badescu drying lotion really helps dry out a breakout, hence the name. It really depends on the breakout on what treatment I use on it!
Add On’s/Devices: Sometimes our skin needs a pick me up after a long day and my favorite way to do so is with Mario Badescu Rose Water. This light spritz offers skin care benefits as well as refreshing and waking your skin up. I will use this in the morning prior to makeup as well as after a long day of wearing makeup to refresh my look! Some people will even use this to set their makeup after applied. The final step to my skincare routine can be viewed as gimmicky to many but I am telling you it works. You see Jade Rollers being talked about everywhere now, and many think it must be some marketing ploy to get you to buy this little contraption. I was one of those people that fell for it, but let me tell you, it actually works! The whole point of Jade Rollers is to decrease puffiness, help circulation and clear your lymphatic system. I like to use this after applying moisturizer or an oil as it also helps the product to sink into the skin. You will begin rolling from your nose outward, down your neck and roll upwards on your forehead. Always roll outwards from your face. You can actually feel the drainage and see the puffiness diminish in no time!
Remember that just because a product works for one person, it may not work on the next. We all have specific skin types and needs when looking for a product. Stay patient and really research ingredients and benefits in the products that you use today!
