My Skin Care Routine

My Skin Care Routine

I should probably give a shout out to my parents. For as much as I wash my face, I have those days where I don’t want to forget at the end of the night. And by the grace of god, their genes still have my skin looking relatively great. So shout out to you Mom and Dad, you are the real MVP’s!

Well I can’t just rely on genes to make sure that my skin looks the best it possibly can. Especially now turning the big fat 2-8, I worry about my skin, especially through the aging process. Luckily, through my trial and error of skin care products, I have found 9 of my FAVORITE products (and some back-ups) that keep my skin care routine on point! – Care to skip the mumo-jumbo? Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page for a full list of products!

• Tooth Paste

Most people don’t consider brushing their teeth as part of their skin care routine. Personally, it’s the first thing I do and I think your smile is one of the biggest factors on your face. I am extremely particular what I put on my teeth and pride myself on having a clean, white smile. DoTerra, the essential oils company has a toothpaste that my mom actually bought for me a while back. The OnGuard toothpaste is a natural and fluoride-free solution to help clean teeth, reduce plaque, and whiten teeth with gentle polishing agents. I also have never received more complements on my bright smile than when I started using this product. (As a backup I recommend Crest Vivid White!)

• Cleanser

I won’t lie, facial cleansers aren’t super important to me. All I really care about is making sure oil is being removed and I am left with a clean face. I do however have pretty sensitive skin with a combination of oily and dry patches. It’s pretty essential that I use something that will not only get rid of the oil but also is gentle on my skin. Clinique Mild Liquid Facial Soap is my go-to. It’s priced well, it does the job and has never irritated my skin.

• Toner

I hope you guys don’t judge me but some mornings I wake up and skip the cleanser and go right to my toner. Especially when I am running late, which may or may not be 2-3 times a week… So toner is pretty important to me. It lifts remaining oil and deep cleans my pores, prepping me for sun care and lotion. I really only trust one brand on my skin and that’s Humphrey’s Which Hazel Facial Toner. Available in a ton of different scents and types, I go for the lavender version and literally refuse to try anything else.

• Serum

I really used to be really skeptical about putting added oils onto my face. Now realizing that I can’t just rely on moisturizer alone, I have graduated to the big leagues of skin care and that means Serum. I have tried a few previously but as soon as I tried a sample of Kiehl’s Daily Reviving Concentrate, I was hooked. Being paraben free and 100% natural was serious selling point for me. But the real magic comes from Ginger Root, Sunflower and Tamanu, to help my skin feel fresh and look energized morning to night.

• Eye Treatment

I think besides just wrinkles overall, we are fearful that the skin around our eyes will start to look old. I know that isn’t just me, but as soon as I hit 25 I knew I needed to start adding an eye cream into my skin care routine. Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado is hands down my absolute favorite eye cream on the market. It moisturizes and brightens my eye area and is a great beginner eye cream for all my late twenty-somethings out there! (Want a drugstore version? Try Neutrogenas Healthy Skin Eye Cream!)

• Sunscreen

We all know now a-days that sunscreen is essential. What I didn’t know was that you should be applying it on separately from your moisturizer. Sunscreen is a layer that you need to add on to your skin, not blend in with a moisturizer that is trying to do something completely different. Be sure to apply your sunscreen first, before you moisturize. I recommend Glymed plus Environmental Protection Gel. It doesn’t even smell like sunscreen and applies like a luxurious lotion. I have honestly thought about ditching lotion all together sometimes!

• Moisturizer

I think we could all argue and say that moisturizer is probably one of the most, if not the most important part of skin care. I have tried so many different kinds from drug store brands to high end brands and honestly… you have to pay for a good one. I use Rhonda Allison Exotica Rhodiola Luxury Moisturizer. It was recommended by my esthetician and she was spot on. It’s a light silky cream that keeps me moisturized all day without adding extra grease. I can’t handle anything that feels like I am putting a layer on my skin that doesn’t absorb. (You can also check out Ole Henriksen’s moisturizer, I used that for a few years and still love it!)

• Hydrating Mist

Hydrating mist is actually something I use everyday but it’s a complete preference. I keep my Kiehl’s Cactus Flower & Tibetan Ginseng Hydrating Mist at my desk at work. It might not be something I use as I am going through my skin care routine, but I use it almost everyday. Hydrating mist is great because when you skin feels dry or flat, it keeps your skin hydrated. It also can increase skin-cell respiration, helping skin maintain its essential moisture to keep it soft and smooth. *I also read an article stating that when stressed, you skin can also take on your stress, causing it to age quicker. When stressed, I usually calm myself down a bit with a quick spritz!

• Body Lotion

Yeah, yeah, yeah… not TOTALLY part of my ‘Facial’ skin care routine, but making sure your body is moisturized is just as important. I actually am not a huge fan of body moisturizers all together, but when I shave or just need a quick refresh in the winter and dry summer months, I use Kiehl’s Creme de Corps. It’s a rich, non-greasy, hydrating body moisturizer that doesn’t irritate my skin (my legs are the most sensitive skin on my whole body, it’s annoying). – (Bliss has an amazing body lotion I also pack when I travel!)

If you have any questions about the products I use or how to apply them, please feel free to let me know in the comments below or in an e-mail! Also, if this is something you want to see more on Eleventh & Sixteenth I’d love to know!

Tooth Paste // Cleanser // Toner // Serum // Eye Treatment

Sunscreen // Moisturizer // Hydrating Mist // Body Lotion