Skincare 101

My entire life skincare has always been super important to me. I mean, my mother gave me anti-wrinkle serums & hydrating Esteé Lauder cremes when I was ten years old. Skincare to me is one of those ‘if it’s important to you you’ll make time, if not you’ll make an excuse.’ No matter where I am, who I’m with, or what I’m doing, I make it a priority every night to follow a strict yet very simple skin routine.

One of the number one things I’ve been told my whole life is what great skin I have. I’ve never had Botox, fillers, surgeries & crazy skin procedures. All I’ve done is been consistent with taking care of my skin, so I wanted to share with you some simple rules I follow along with my skin routine & favorite products.

Rule #1: NEVER FALL ASLEEP WITH MAKE UP ON

I kid you not, I might have fallen asleep with make up on my face less than ten times in my entire life (most of which I have tequila to blame). This is by far one of the worst things you can do to your skin. Falling asleep with make up on clogs your pores, thus causing breakouts, dry skin, irritation & the worst of all, wrinkles.

*Tip* Sometimes I find myself without my face products or can’t find any where I’m at, so a trick is to wash your face with warm water, then grab toilet paper & rub lotion on the TP. Rub on your face and very gently around your eyes, this will act as a make up remover substitute.

Rule #2: WASH, WASH, TONE, MOISTURIZE.. REPEAT!

I’ll go into my skin care routine here shortly, but I highly suggest finding what products you like best & are  most suitable for your skin &  STICK WITH IT. Not for a week, not a couple times a week, EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. The rule of thumb here is to always wash, wash, tone, & moisturize. Why wash, wash?

Rule #3: WASH, & THEN WASH AGAIN

Why would I wash my face twice, you ask? The first step in cleansing your face properly is to wash away the day’s dirt, oils & most importantly, make up. You have to wipe away the dirt & create a blank canvas before you can begin the actual cleansing process. So many people make the mistake of washing once & wonder why their $70 face wash isn’t helping them out. Well, because all you really did was remove your make up. The second wash is when the true magic begins & is barrier free to dig deep into your pores.

Rule #4: WATER IS YOUR BEST FRIEND

Really simple here. Drink as much water as you possibly can. There are a million benefits to drinking water, including the easiest & cheapest secret to glowing skin.

*Wrinkles are caused by lack of hydration. The more you hydrate, the less you have to worry about 🙂

Rule #5: EAT HEALTHY

This goes hand in hand with hydrating. It’s real simple here folks, you treat your body & skin like a temple & it will shine like one.

MY SKIN ROUTINE:

I am a ride a die for my products, have been using them for years. Having said that, this is what works for ME & my skin type. Every woman is different- different problem areas, skin types, age & previous damage, & budgets. If you have any questions or are looking for something specific don’t hesitate to shoot me a message, this area is my shit!

1. WASH, WASH

I normally use alcohol free make up remover wipes for my first “wash.” If I’m not wearing make up that day (about 90% of my days), then I go straight to the deep cleansing. Five out of seven days of the week I use Dermalogica Essential Cleansing Solution. I buy the huge one of this to get the best bang for my buck, it lasts forrreeevverrrr (queue Sandlot).

*All Dermalogica products are made in the USA and are free of artificial fragrances, artificial colors, drying S.D. alcohol, and ingredients like Mineral Oil – all of which are known to exacerbate common skin concerns.

 

The other product I use 1-2 times a week, or as needed, is a Image Skincare Clear Cell Salicylic Gel Cleanser. This is a stronger gel wash that has salicylic acid, a peeling agent causing the shedding of the outer layer of the skin. I find this is used best when I have oil buildup or a breakout. Don’t over use though, because it will cause your skin to dry out!

2. TONE

Immediately after I wash & my pores are open I use Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner. This product helps condition the skin and prepare for proper moisture absorption when you spritz over skin after cleansing, and before applying your moisturizer. It’s so refreshing!

3. MOISTURIZE

The final & most amazing step is adding moisturizer. I am a 100% ride or die for Esteé Lauder. My mother used to work for the company in her twenties so she introduced me to the line literally when I was 10 years old (THANK YOU, MOM). I’ve tried so many moisturizers but nothing has done the trick like this line.

My go to moisturizer is Esteé Lauder DayWear Multi-Protection Anti-Oxidant. If you’re looking for something a little thicker & more anti-wrinkle & firming focused then I suggest Estée Lauder Resilience Lift Firming/Sculpting Face and Neck Creme. This brand is a little on the pricey side but I find it’s always worth it because EL always has promotions going on where they give out gift bags filled with product goodies with your purchase. I might buy this moisturizer 2-3 times a year, but along with that I get enough samples for my evening eye cremes & travel products for the year.