This year I have absolutely fallen in love with skincare. I’m not sure what the catalyst was that made me start to take my skin care so seriously, but now it’s a ritual I do not miss. I’m often surprised by the amount of people in their late 20’s and up who don’t take skincare seriously. Yea soap and water works, but it’ll only go so far. What most people fail to realize is that their skin is a canvas and the smoother the canvas the more flawless your makeup looks. You also don’t have to use as much makeup because you’re not working to try and conceal as much. In my opinion, an extra five minutes spent on your face will have amazing benefits in several areas of your life.
[ad name=”In Content Responsive Ad”]This year I made VIB Rouge at Sephora again after I told myself over and over I wouldn’t let my obsession with beauty get that far. While I’m still a little disappointed in myself, I can’t be all that salty because I picked up some amazing skincare gems during their VIB Rouge exclusive event. It was so great to get to talk to brand reps who broke down which products would work best for my excessively oily skin. Thank God for gift cards because I took home several goodies to add to my morning and evening skincare routine.
Our bathroom doesn’t have a lot of storage, so I was keeping my skincare in our upstairs bathroom, but using the downstairs bathroom to shower. To remedy this, and to save my knees some stress, I picked up a chic silver tray from Target and used it to display all my skincare goodies on my bedroom dresser. Since I was reorganizing, I decided to share some of my skincare faves from each category!
MAKEUP REMOVERS
Using cleanser by itself is never enough. This is why I use makeup removers and cleansing oils to help me take my makeup off before washing my face. On light days I like to use the Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes and on days when I have on a full face of makeup I alternate between the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil and the Lancome Energie De Vie Cleansing Oil. Out of the two DHC is my favorite. I always keep a backup handy and even have a smaller one I travel with.
CLEANSERS
You probably already know that I am a fan of anything with black charcoal which is why I love the Boscia Black Charcoal family of products. The black charcoal deep cleanses and helps to purify the skin. Since I’m super oily, I need a good deep cleaning after a long day. I also like the Kiehl’s Calendula Deep Cleaning Foaming Facial Wash. Since it’s a deep cleaning, I tend only to use it at night. What I like about this product is that it’s a bit less harsh on the skin than the Boscia. For morning washes I love using the ROC Daily Resurfacing Disk. Many people don’t think about washing their faces in the morning, and sometimes when you’re in a rush, you might be tempted to skip it if you know it’s going to take a lot of work. The ROC Daily Resurfacing disk making morning skin care so easy as the pads are presoaked. The bonus is that they’re double-sided and come with a perforated side great for exfoliation!
TONERS
I didn’t get super into toning until a few months ago. Yes, I know toning is a big part of skin care routines, but I just wasn’t feeling it (basically I was lazy). The toning step, in theory, shouldn’t be skipped as it helps to restore your skins natural pH and give you a quick dose of essential ingredients like antioxidants glyceride, fatty acids, and ceramides. I’ve fallen head over heals with the Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence as adds natural hydration to my face with bioidentical Hyaluronic acid and humectants. I use the Kiehl’s Calendula Herbal Extract Toner when I use the cleanser. I like that it’s alcohol-free and doesn’t dry my skin out. It’s also perfect for when I have breakouts.
SERUMS
Serums are often met with a big question mark as most people don’t know what they’re for or when to use them in their skincare routine. Basically, serums are concentrated with ingredients that your normal moisturizer just isn’t going to be able to carry. Moisturizers have thickeners and emulsifiers which give them their creamy nature. You won’t find this consistency in serum as it’s using all the room to make sure you get all the goodness of antioxidants as well ingredients that target specific skin concerns. I picked up the Korress Golden Krocus Ageless Safron Elixer during the VIB Rouge event and don’t regret a penny that was spent. This product packs a punch when it comes to anti-oxidants, beta-glucans, and low molecular weight goodies like hyaluronic acid, peptides, and amino acids that can penetrate into the skin. The Sunday Riley Good Genes All in One Latic Acid Treatment is not really a serum but can be used like one. It’s great at fighting dullness and hyperpigmentation, so I incorporate it into my routine every few days.
MOISTURIZERS
There are so many options when it comes to moisturizers. Daytime, night time, random spritzes in the middle of the day moisturizer you name it they make it. Above is my arsenal of moisturizers, and there are a few that I use more than others. My favorites out all picture above are the ROC Deep Wrinkle Day and Night Moisturizers followed by the Tatcha Balance Pore Perfecting Water Gel. I rotate through the moisturizers depending on what my skin needs. With it being summer I lean more towards the moisturizers that contain some SPF on days when I’m not wearing makeup. I also make sure to add moisturizer to my decollete (neck and chest) as it’s an area we often forget. For this, I use the ROC Multi 5-in-1 Chest Neck and Face Cream.
EYE CREAM
I didn’t take my eye cream seriously until I tried the Tria Laser Eye Wrinkle Remover. While trying to find a product to correct the hideously dark under eye circles I was developing I stumbled upon Algenist Complete Eye Renewal Balm and the Glam Glow Bright Mud Eye Mask, which I immediately fell in love with. The GlamGlow Bright Mud Eye mask contain caffeine which reduces puffiness, and the Algenist is just a great soothing cream. I find that the ROC 5-in-1 Eye Cream can be a bit strong at times, so I don’t use it often. I’m a huge fan of the DDF Protective Eye Cream on no makeup days as contains sunscreen. When my eyes need a pick me up, I reach for the Kiehl’s Multi-correcting eye opening serum.
NIGHT OILS
It may seem counter productive to put use oils on already oily skin, but listen Linda, oils are your best friend. Oils help your skin look radiant when used in small doses. They tend to be a bit pricey, but since you only need a few drops, it will last you forever. Like other skin care products, you can choose an oil that targets a specific skin care concern or one that’s all encompassing. One of the first oils I used is the Clarins Lotus Oil. This oil is great for combination or oily skin and works to tighten pores, refines the skin’s texture and works to smooth fine lines. You may have heard lots of talk about the Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil. It’s one of those all-encompassing night oils that targets an array of concerns. It’s important to keep in mind that some night oils may have a strong fragrance that can take some getting used to.
FACE MASK
Face mask are a great way to give your skin a quick boost. Did you know that you can even multi-mask by using different types of mask on specific areas? I love to try out different types of mask, so I usually grab the variety packs at Sephora, which give you the opportunity to try out several different types from a brand. There is also disposable sheet mask which is perfect for travel. I picked up the Umbrian Clay Purifying Mask from Sephora during the VIB Rouge event along with several other sheet masks that I wanted to try out. One of my favorite mask to use is the GlamGlow Super Mud Clearing Treatment for when I have stress acne, and I need it to clear up quick.
SUNSCREEN, MATTIFYERS, AND HYDRATORS
Since I don’t have too many items in these categories I lumped them all together. I picked up the Boscia White Charcoal Mattifying Makeup Setting Spray during the VIB Rouge event and let me tell you it really works. I used way too much of the Laura Gellar Illuminator one day and a few sprays of this had me looking more like myself and less like Tin Man’s long lost cousin. The Korres Moisturizing Fluid Veil is a good sunscreen to use underneath foundation however I do find that if you’re using a hydrating foundation it can tend to get a bit oily. For a quick freshen up I like to use the Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe Herbs and Rose Water or the May Coop Raw Sauce which are both awesome for days when I’m not even wearing makeup.
