If you have known me for a while, then you know my love for makeup runs deep. But you can’t have great makeup without a good base to start. Skin care might hold a place in my heart just a smidgen bigger than lipstick. So, I am sharing my face. Here is my naked skin. A little scary to show it up close and personal, but it has come a long way from when I suffered with cystic acne.
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New York has been brutal this winter. I can’t remember the last time we have had such cold temperatures so many days in a row. Twenties that feel like single digits or below. The weather has been brutal on my skin. My face is like the Sahara, and my legs can feel like sandpaper if I forget to moisturize. I get a lot of questions about how I get my skin to look it’s best, so I thought it would be fun to share my current routine with you guys! I am sharing each and every thing I do to keep my skin plump and soft. Not everything will work for every skin type, but if you have dry skin like me, you should definitely give some of these products a try!
Morning Routine
Cleanse – I like to keep my cleanser in the morning quick and easy. I love to use a miceller water on a cotton pad, so I can just swipe and be done. I give my skin a really good cleanse in the evening, so something gentle works well for me! I love this Garner Miceller Cleansing Water. It doesn’t burn my eyes or leave my skin feeling stripped.
Tone – Nothing is as refreshing as a rosewater spritz. It is a good way to waken up my skin and push some moisture in. I love the way it smells! The Mario Badescu Rose Water Spray is AMAZING, especially for the price. It is what I use on the regular to hydrate my skin post cleanse. If you are looking for a bit more a splurge, I have tried the Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Toner, and it is luxe!
Serum – I don’t know if I can say it again, but the goal is moisture! moisture! moisture! What you don’t want
though, is grease or oil to ruin your makeup throughout the day. Save that for the evening. I have been using Indeed Labs Hydraluron Serum for over 5 years. It is super lightweight and uses hyaluronic acid to plump up the skin and offer deep hydration. It can be tricky to source in the US, be careful of where you choose to buy! I can guarantee, it will be worth it!
Moisturize – Keeping my base light, I go for a gel moisturizer so that my foundation sits nicely throughout the day. I have dabbled a little in a few Korean brands, and fell in love with almost everything I have tried. Primary Raw’s Azulene Gel Cream is just too good. You get double the product of most moisturizers. It is natural, hydrating and feels cooling on the skin. The perfect morning moisturizer!
Evening Routine
Double Cleanse – You read that right. Cleanse twice. First, to take off the makeup and grime of the day, and, second, to clean deep down into the skin and pores. My two holy grail cleansers that I rarely veer from are the Whamisia Organics Flowers Cleansing Oil and the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser. Oh, my gosh, guys.
Both of these are incredible. The cleansing oil is just so spa like. It smells incredible and feels silky and light. And the Glossier cleanser is…. Unique to say the least. The texture is exactly like it sounds. Jelly. Once you get over the fact that you are rubbing something inappropriate all over your face, you’ll fall in love. It does the BEST job taking makeup off. Both are super gentle. Either I can switch either for the first and second.
Exfoliate and Tone – Pixi Glow Tonic changed my skin. I had never before used an acid or chemical exfoliator on my skin. You can’t have glowing skin when you haven’t exfoliated. If you have any uneven tone, bumps or acne breakouts, this is the number one thing I think you could add to your routine to help! Just swipe it over you skin on a cotton pad, and you are ready for the next step.
Facial Oil – There are lots of different oils out there, from budget friendly to more than your car payment! I’ve tried a few different oils and always go back to rose hip oil. It is great to treating scars and any hyper pigmentation, super hydrating and smells divine. I’ve been using this Rhada Rhosehip Oil for nearly a year and love it. Great price, too!
Moisturizer – If you are in need of inserting some moisture into your skin, you must try this stuff out. I avoided the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream for a really long time, thinking it would be too think and clog my pores. When you are acne prone, thick creams are a little scary! But I was desperate to get some hydration while on vacation in Utah, and this stuff was like the angels coming out and singing hallelujah. I couldn’t get over how soft and supple my skin was. I kept waiting for a break out to happen, but two months later and I am still suing this stuff every. single. night. It is so good!
Eye Cream – I use the same eye cream in the morning and evening right now. My eyelids really suffer from eczema in the colder months, so it is all about being as kind to the delicate skin as possible. I use this Clinique All About Eyes – Rich cream, all around my orbital bone. It is safe to use from the under eye to the brow bone, which is great. I also throw a little Aquaphor on my eyelids right before bed just to help with healing the peeling that occasionally happens.
That’s it! It can seem like a lot, but it never takes more than five minutes. Skin care is so important, and as I am heading into my 30’s, I am trying to take even better care of my skin. I try to make drinking water a priority, but sometimes a Diet Coke wins out.
What are you favorite skin care products for this time of year? Share with me!
