This month I thought I would give you a run down of my current routine. I find that I usually stick with certain things for a while and then I find a new product and switch things up a bit. I think it’s also good for your skin to do this periodically as for me things stop working as well and its more effective to introduce a new product. I also just love trying new things!
Day
For morning cleansing, I usually just rinse with cold water or wash with something super gentle like Dr. Hauschka Soothing Cleansing Milk. Since I've usually put something on that "treats" the skin the night before, I don't want to strip it too much. The cleansing milk is a favorite of Vina’s too so she can vouch for me!
-Sunday Riley Good Genes I cannot say enough about this product. It has a cult following for good reason. The lactic acid exfoliates and gives you a serious glow, lightens dark spots, and tightens pores. I truly feel that it’s lightened some dark spots since I’ve been using it.
I try to be really good about using sunscreen all year round. My absolute favorite is La Roche Posay Daily Antioxidant Serum SPF 50. It has zero fragrance and is super light so you don’t even notice it’s on.
The older I get, the dryer my skin seems to be so I find that I need to moisturize constantly, if it feels dry I moisturize- it doesn't matter what time of the day it is. Usually after cleansing I either mix a drop of Olio Lusso Lavender Oil withNatura Bisse Vitamin C+C cream which smells like oranges and has a good dose of Vitamin C which is brightening too. Or my all time favorite La Mer Soft Cream which I want to dislike because of the price but I can’t because nothing quite replaces it in the winter. It is expensive, but worth it I think. If you don’t want to break the bank, I highly suggest asking for some samples at the nearest counter or buying a small bottle when they’re running a promotion which I recently did in Chicago. I purchased a small jar of the soft cream and got almost full sized bottles of the illuminating eye cream, a cleanser, the regenerating serum, and a cleansing lotion. Another super cheap and effective kitchen cabinet alternative Coconut Oil. I’ve slathered it on my face before and it works really well too.
Night
I use BIODERMA SENSIBO H20 on a cotton round to take off my makeup. A French pharmacy find years ago that has become pretty popular now and is available on Amazon. It’s very gentle, PH balanced, and effective for taking off make up and mascara.
REVIVE Moisturizing Renewal Eye Cream is literally the only one that I’ve used that in my opinion actually makes a difference. It’s not cheap but it lasts forever because you only need a tiny bit. It re-texturizes but doesn’t irritate. Confession: I have an extra in my cabinet in case they ever discontinue. Let's hope for my (very tired) eyes that the day never comes.......
A great lower priced alternative that I use as well is Dr. Hauschka Daily Hydrating Cream. This line is so natural and is available locally now at CVS as well as Whole Foods.
Depending on how my skin is feeling I will do La Mer, or the just the oil, sometimes both. I just add a couple of drops to the moisturizer and apply. Once or twice a week I use SKINCEUTICALS 1.0 Retinol Cream. Retinoids (Vitamin A derivatives) are great for unclogging pores, reducing lines, and speeding up cell turnover to even out discoloration and smooth the skin. This !% concentration is the highest that you can buy over the counter without a prescription. Make sure to gradually build up a tolerance to it and never apply two nights in a row in the beginning! Read the instructions, I didn’t and ended up with a red flaky face from my impatience. It's also important to use at night and use sunscreen the next day because it can cause sensitivity to the sun.
Recently, I added Oribe Radiant Drops Golden Face oil to the routine which is now available at The Zealous Root! This oil is soooo luxurious and smells amazing. It soaks in really nicely but doesn’t feel greasy. It made my skin super soft and next month I'll explain a home facial treatment that I like to do with it!
I suffer from super dry lips in the winter, and I tend to bite them which is so annoying! If I keep the dry skin off and keep them moisturized I'm less likely to bite them so recently I purchased ILIA Lip Exfoliator which is like putting lip balm on that has sand in it but it's actually volcanic stone powder or something crazy like that. It's great because you can apply it to your lips directly from the tube instead of dipping your finger into a pot. After that I've been applying
Oribe Balmessence Lip Treatment...With every swipe, camelina oil, which is rich in fatty acids and antioxidants, protects lips from dryness (we're looking at you, office air conditioners). Then, a smart combo of vitamin E, shea butter, jojoba and orange oil deeply moisturize while still feeling lightweight. I've been waking up with moisturized lips lately and it seems to be helping!
I try my best to do this routine every night no matter what's going on. With a new baby in the house that isn't always easy so sometimes I take 5 minutes to myself and run upstairs after dinner and do this before I'm too tired to care!
xx Lisa