Today for Makeup Monday, I’ll be talking about my evening skin care routine. I will also be posting about my morning skin care routine and skin care treatments that I use in future posts. The reason I have them separated into evening and morning routines is that I do a little more to my skin in the evening. I have combination/oily skin that is dehydrated, acne prone, and sensitive. I’ve pretty much been dealing with acne since I was a teenager. Last year, I came across Caroline Hirons’s blog and learned a ton about proper skin care. I could probably write half a novel about the things I’ve learned, but a few of the highlights (in note form) are:
+use a cleansing balm
+avoid foaming cleansers. not only will they dry out the skin, but surfactants (the stuff that makes cleanser foam) makes your skin more alkaline, which creates a breeding ground for acne and bacteria. an acidic ph balance could help keep your skin clear. (i.e., using an acid chemical exfoliant)
+cleanse skin twice at night if makeup was worn that particular day
+toners are NOT meant to finish the cleansing process. if you are using a toner to remove the rest of your makeup, you’re not using the right cleanser and/or not cleansing your skin enough.
+toners help your moisturizer work better. using two is best — one for exfoliation and one for moisturization.
+moisturize, moisturize, moisturize
+all skin types need moisture, no matter how oily.
+and the my most important take away: oily skin can be dehydrated. oily = oil production. dehydrated = lack of moisture. lack of moisture = more oil production. thus more moisture = less oil production.
Some tips I took away on how to handle acne spots:
+don’t pick. srsly. don’t pick.
+keep it clean.
+and, oddly enough, keep it moisturized. your skin needs moisture to heal itself from a spot, so don’t dry out your skin!
Remove Makeup and Cleanse
Products I Use:
+L’Oreal Clean Artiste Waterproof & Long Wearing Eye Makeup Remover
This removes all my makeup very easily. I don’t even wear waterproof makeup, but I use this because it works so well. I have super sensitive eyes. This is the only makeup remover that doesn’t bother them.
+REN No. 1 Purity Cleansing Balm
This cleansing balm feels so great on the skin and smells great! I love the way it makes my skin feel.
+Clarisonic and Fresh Soy Face Cleanser
I use my Clarisonic as my second cleansing step when I wear makeup and as a bonus it exfoliates my skin a little bit. The Fresh Soy Face Cleanser makes my face feel cleansed without feeling stripped.
Tone x2 and Daily Skin Treatments
Products I Use:
+Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2
This is my exfoliating toner. My skin is nearly always clear when I am using this!
+Pangea Organics Facial Toner for dry skin
I don’t have dry skin, but I love the extra moisture from this toner. I mist this on my face, and it feels so good!
+Vivite Rejuvenating Eye Cream
This is a sample that a friend at work gave me, and I love it! It’s taken me so long to use up this small amount. So, although this is an expensive brand, it might be worth it for how well it moisturizes and how long it lasts!
+DDF Acne Treatment or Origins Super Spot Remover
I’ve been flip flopping between these two spot treatments. The DDF can be applied across the entire face, while the Origins is applied directly to spots. Both are AMAZING products, but I do find that my skin is not dried out with the DDF like it is with the Origins.
+REN ClearCalm3 Replenishing Night Serum
Another REN product! I seriously love that brand. This is a serum to use after the toning stage and before the moisturizing stage. It replenishes your skin with the things it needs while spots are healing. My skin looks really good when I use this.
Moisturize
Products I use:
+Boots Botanics Light Night Cream and Algenist Firming & Lifting Cream
I don’t have a steady night cream at the moment, but in general I look for a lot of moisture to replenish my dehydrated skin. The Boots moisturizer isn’t carried at my Target anymore, so that won’t be an option when I run out of it. The Algenist is a sample from Sephora, and it’s really nice and moisturizing. I won’t purchase a full-size of it, because I’m not concerned with firming and lifting at the moment. I have a full-size Origins Night-a-Mins Moisturizer that I’ll be opening after these run out! For now, I’m flip flopping between these two.
And that’s it, aside from a lip scrub and a lip balm. I know that this amount of products sounds absolutely ridiculous, but this routine just happened organically as I tried new things out and reworked my skin routine according to the things that I learned from Caroline’s blog. And the best thing? My skin has never looked as good as it has now. There have been many, many days this year that I haven’t needed concealer to cover spots, because I hadn’t had any! I still break out about, um, once a month (if you know what I mean). But, after dealing with acne for over half my life at this point, I won’t complain about a couple spots a month!
What is your skin care routine like?
I have this routine in Youtube video form here.
Today, I’m linking up with Carly and Molly for #FundayMonday.
