Skin Care & Self Care

I started my skin care journey about two years ago and I have my best skin yet at 28 years young. I used to think that skin care meant just washing your face with water or a cleanser and you're done. At the time I wasn't worried about wrinkles or pimples. I simply didn't find joy in applying a variety of products on my skin and not seeing immediate results. But, I also was not informed about the ingredients you should or should not be using and the reasons why. Take fragrance for example. It is used in nearly 50% of beauty products and without you knowing, can severely irritate your skin. Sadly, this is not something that a lot of brands advertise to their consumers. It is up to you to be as informed and educated as possible regarding what you choose to put on your skin. I will walk you through my skin care steps and each product I use, and more importantly why I recommend them. Now, I can honestly say that I find joy in doing my skin care as part of my everyday self care routine.

Cleanse: This is an important first step you have to take as it literally gives you a clean slate. In the morning I love a gentle cleanser that doesnt feel like I have taken all the hydration away from my skin. I wasn't aware of the ingredients in the products I was using and therefore, my skin didn't feel good after cleansing. It always felt super dry and stripped from any hydration. I learned that cleansers with high concentrations of alcohol can seriously irritate your skin. When reading the ingredient list of a product you are interested in watch out for these: ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, and denatured alcohol. What I use and what I recommend others with sensitive skin to use is Simple Micellar Facial Gel Cleanser. For nighttime, I highly recommend doing a 2-step cleanse which simply means using 2 cleansers. I love using Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water first, then going in with the Simple Micellar Facial Gel cleanser to ensure that everything is off. Other products I have used that I love are Glossier Milky Oil and Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Water.

Tone: It is highly important to understand that a toner should not be used to remove your makeup or cleanse your face. I have made this mistake before. A toner is meant to help close your pores after cleansing and restore your natural pH balance. I love using Simple Soothing Facial Toner.

Moisturize: Ever feel like your skin has the texture of a raisin? I know, very weird, but a true feeling of mine before I knew the importance of using a moisturizer. I used to think this was only a morning thing but turns out that it is actually even more imperative to do it at night. A moisturizer can help maintain your skin's healthy cells and protect the skin from irritation, which can cause breakouts. I swear by Trader Joe's Ultra Hydrating Gel Moisturizer. I'm also a big fan of Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream.

Exfoliate: I used to think exfoliating meant scrubbing my face with St. Ives Apricot Scrub until I could scrub no more. It turns out that I was damaging my skin in the worst possible way without even knowing it. When you use physical exfoliators that have little grounds of anything and you scrub, scrub, scrub, you are basically making tiny micro-cuts all over your face. Over time this can cause major damage to your skin's barrier. This is the main and most important reason why I switched to a chemical exfoliator. It may sound intimidating at first, but hear me out. Using a chemical exfoliant does not involve scrubbing your face so it's a lot more gentle and safer than using a physical exfoliant. I highly recommend trying one of The Ordinary's chemical exfoliants. My favorites are The Ordinary's Lactic Acid 10% + HA and their AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution (only to be used 1-2 times a week) as well as Glossier Solution. I prefer to exfoliate at nighttime every other day.

Sunscreen: It is true that you should wear sunscreen every day even during cold Winter days. I love to use a mineral sunscreen because it's not harsh on my skin and doesn't leave a white cast. I use Krave Beauty Beet The Sun SPF 50 and I've previously loved using Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40.

Serum: When it comes to using serums I love to keep it very simple. I have a few go to's and staples that I use depending on what my skin needs. My all time favorite serum and a staple I cannot live without is The Ordinary's Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%. I use Niacinamide every single day for morning and night. Just a couple of drops will go a long way. A good Vitamin C serum is another staple for me because it brightens my skin and gets rid of dullness. I've been using Tree of Life Vitamin C Serum for some time and still love it. I apply it in the morning only. And yes it is perfectly fine to use both of these products together in your routine as long as you follow up with sunscreen. Some honorable mentions include The Ordinary's Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 and 100% Plant-Derived Squalane.

Self Care: I strongly believe that skin care and self care go hand in hand. For me, it's important to take my time during my skin care routine because it truly brings me joy. I encourage you to create your own routine and make time to do it every day and night. Be consistent and accountable as this is only for you and your skin's benefit.