I will pause while you eye-roll that last bit and compel you to read this. Oh, and this. I'll wait.
Is your head exploding? Are you DOING IT ALL WRONG? I was definitely doing some of it wrong. A few years back I stopped washing my face in the morning because I thought it was contributing to my skin's dryness. Now I realize I was contributing to it's pollution. I'm also guilty of washing my face in the shower, splashing dirty water back up on my face, etc. Doing it all wrong.
So, I read Hiron's routine that I linked above and I thought, why not try it? What do I have to lose? I had most of the products already, I just wasn't using them daily. I actually typed out an embarrassing cheat sheet because it's a lot:
A.M.
- Cleanse (I use CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser)
- Exfoliating/Tone (I skip this because my skin doesn't love over-exfoliation)
- Spray hydrate (I use Avene Thermal Spring Water)
- Eye cream (I use Boots No7 Protect & Perfect)
- Serum/Oils (I use Skinceuticals Serum 10 AOX+*)
- Moisturizer (I use CeraVe AM, sometimes with a little jojoba oil first.)
- SPF (My moisturizer has SPF and I just CANNOT with another step)
P.M.
- Oil Cleanser/Makeup remover (I use DHC Cleansing Oil. Love this stuff.)
- Gel/Balm Cleanser (I use Cerave Hydrating Cleanser)
- Exfoliating/Tone (I use Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Peel Pads once a week. They're magical.)
- Spray hydrate (I use Avene Thermal Spring Water)
- Eye cream (I use Peter Thomas Roth Laser-Free Resurfacing Eye Serum )
- Treatments (I alternate Brad Essential Elixir Multi-Peptide serum and RoC Deep Wrinkle Serum.)
- Moisturizer (I use a few drops of jojoba oil mixed with CeraVe PM)
Supplements:
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids (mine are from Trader Joe's)
- Rainbow Light Women's One
- Rainbow Light Nail, Hair & Skin Connection
It sounds like a lot and it IS a lot but once you start doing it daily it goes really fast and I actually look forward to the ritual of taking care of my skin. And you know what? In the two weeks I've been doing this my skin looks quite a bit better. Not crazy better, but better. Here is a horrifying photo of me with no makeup:
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Room for improvement. |
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Yay makeup! Lip color is Stila Color Balm in Ali. |
Spend your money on supplements, skincare, foundation and concealer and scrimp on the rest. You will look fabulous.
I do use some drugstore skincare but I think there's something to spending more on better quality products. If you don't have perfect skin, don't be afraid to throw a little money at it. Just do your research first.
Okay okay, I'll start using my pricey precious Avene spray again! My routine isn't that drastically different from what you shared, I just need to be more regular with it. And thanks to the mention about the NARS powder, I'm using the same stuff and getting tiny zits and I thought it was due to stress! Love posts like this!
ReplyDeleteInteresting about the Nars powder! I can't find an ingredients list but I suspect bismuth oxychloride is the culprit.
DeleteDo you take supplements? I take most of the supplements she mentions, but I have a hard time with folic acid. It seems to make me bloated.
ReplyDeleteThey're listed above! Nothing crazy, just a multi, Omega 3s and a hair/nail supplement which I always forget to take.
DeleteOh, durrr, they are totally listed above. I guess I need to add a reading/brain supplement to my list :)
DeleteIt was a long blog entry!
DeleteI found that the best things for my 40-somethingish skin have nothing to do with what I put on the surface of it. I rinse my face in the shower daily, apply some Clinique moisturizer and that is it. What really has helped with the appearance of my face is dietary changes. I figured out I have some food intolerances, and when I don't eat those things my skin stays clearer, my whole face is less puffy, and I can breathe through my nose, so I sleep better which helps a lot with the tendency to puffy eyes and dark circles. I eat a lot more colorful vegetables now and the color undertones in my skin actually changed. I take fish oil and that seems to soften and de-wrinkle things, too.
ReplyDeleteOh, I totally agree with you on diet. Mine is decent but I've not been sleeping well, which definitely shows. I've recently added the fish oil into my diet and I'm hoping that will help!
DeleteI dunno… At 44, I am blessed to have good genes, but I've been wearing sunscreen and using retinoids for 10 years, and my skin is doing great! In Feb I added Paula's Choice RESIST super Antioxidant concentrate serum that I use on my eyes and crepe-y neck, and I already see an improvement in crows feet and dryness. I also have been using a clairsonic for 2 years and think that has made a difference too. So YMMV.
ReplyDelete