skincare 101
WOW... this is my very first post and I'm starting with a basic skin care routine because it's the most critical step when it comes to giving good face. When you start off with prepped and polished skin, it becomes the ideal canvas for everything else that comes after. The following is an easy, every day, go-to skin care routine without all that stressful guesswork.
- Ladies meet the Clarisonic...your new best friend. Admittedly, this step is a bit of a commitment. Most of the time, I look at my Clarisonic with some serious "AGHHHHHS" and "UGHHHHHS- DO I HAVE TOS???" but using this spin brush on a regular basis (and remembering to charge it) will pay off. It easily sloughs of millions of dead skin cells revealing more polished and radiant skin. Commit to using the Clarisonic at least a few times a week so products absorb better into skin. You'll look like you caught some extra zzzzs and maybe even an apres-sex glow (wait, what does that look like again?) Downside: a tad pricey and you do have to replace the brush heads every few months or so.
- Cleanser- I love Ole Henrikson Face the Truth Gel Cleanser....I tend to be critical of cleansers. Too many promise to thoroughly clean skin but often come up short. With Ole's cleanser, my makeup melts off (even mascara!!!) without drying me out and leaves my face feeling refreshed; and it smells deliciously citrusy too. For all of you out there with OCD tendencies (I'm speaking from experience), a double wash is an a-ok in this instance. ***added bonus: comes WITHOUT parabens, sulfates, phthalates***
- Exfoliater- For years, I have been a cult follower of something found consistently in my mother's bathroom: Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser with Orange Extract...mirror,mirror on the wall, I am my mother after all? This gentle detox cleanses skin and sloughs off dead skin cells making my skin look and feel radiant and smooth. The smell is divine. I use this almost every day at night for a refreshing feel and my skin never feels stripped. This is simply a must-have and a necessity for a basic skincare routine.
- Serum- ALL HAIL SUNDAY RILEY'S GOOD GENES ...run, don't walk to a retailer near you (or simply click a button and VOILA!). SR's serum contains lactic acid- a powerful ingredient that will bitch slap that tiredness right off your face. Amen sister. This stuff truly cleans your pores, gets you glowing AND IS WORTH EVERY PENNY. I noticed results almost immediately and really, you only need one to two pumps a night for your whole face- so the bottle lasts longer. Because Good Genes does contain AHAs- make sure to use a facial sunscreen if applying during the daytime.
- Moisturizer- My quest for finding a GOOD moisturizer has not been easy. I have tried so many different products and have rarely been truly satisfied. I have combination skin and my pores are easily clogged; that is a tough equation. I can't stand when my moisturizer feels heavy and thick but yet- I still want my face to feel dewy and hydrated. Is that too much to ask? A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a sample of Belif at Sephora. Belif, the true cream moisturizing bomb- is an all the rave, new moisturizer influenced by the Korean skin care regimen. It is light-weight, actually almost gel-like, with a smooth, luxurious feel that leaves your skin dewy, not oily at a very reasonable cost. Claims to "keep skin hydrated for 26 hours" which I can attest to as I am now the proud owner of a FULL SIZE bottle of Belif and I have no regrets.***added bonus: comes WITHOUT parabens, sulfates, phthalates***
Beauty Pro Tip: Leave a minute or two between steps 4 and 5....it's always wise to give each product some time to seep into the deeper layers of the skin before the next one is applied.
