If you saw Stories last week, I talked about how my skin is in the best shape of my life. Believe me, I haven’t always been proud of my skin and I usually wore some kind of makeup whenever leaving because I wasn’t fully confident in it. But after getting sick of not feeling 100% good in my skin, I decided to fully invest time and energy into a skincare routine that worked.
What I realized along the way is that products matter, of course, but there is SO much more to good skin. I’m going to save those other tips for another post that I’ll write soon so this isn’t too long but today I wanted to share my routine. This is a list of the exact products, tools, and routine that I’ve been using over the past few months. I’ve been really consistent and think that’s a huge part of it, and I truly believe these products are another big factor. Keep reading for what I use and do each week!
Shop My Routine
Morning
Cleanse
In the morning, I use two cleansers depending on how my skin feels that morning. Melanie Grant introduced me to Cosmedix’s Purity Cleanser. This is a very gentle exfoliating cleanser with a subtle cooling effect. It’s really calming and it’s great for acne-prone skin. I also use PCA Skin Facial Wash whenever I feel like my skin will start to breakout.
Tone
I use a toning exfoliant to remove any residue or buildup on my face. Melanie Grant also recommended cult favorite Biologique Recherche P50W to me and I love it. Acid-based toners are amazing because they gently exfoliate and prepare the skin to receive treatment products.
Exfoliant
If I need extra exfoliation, I like to use Dermalogica’s Daily Microfoliant. This is an enzyme powder that upon contact with water it activates and acts as a face scrub to remove any dead skin.
Vitamin C
No matter your skin type, you can benefit from a Vitamin C product since it brightens your skin and is full of vitamins. I personally like Summer Friday’s CC Me Serum since it’s light but effective. It’s not sticky either, which is hard to find.
Moisturize
So important! You can use an oil or a lotion, whichever you prefer. I switch it up based on how my skin is looking and whether it’s that time of the month. Most of the time, I use Kiehl’s Cannabis Sative Seed Oil which I recently found while on a trip with Kiehl’s. It’s extremely calming and so good for any redness or irritation from sleep. It gives my skin a healthy-looking glow and the oil sets nicely. Recently, I started using another cult favorite, Augustinus Bader The Cream, and I absolutely love it. It’s like a magic cream. Feels light and It’s supposed to improve skin’s appearance. So far I’m a fan! If I’m breaking out at all, I use PCA’s Skin Clear Moisturizer.
Eye Cream
This is another thing I switch up depending on the day. I have several favorites including La Mer (this is what I use if I didn’t get much sleep or had cocktails the night before), Kiehl’s Avocado (affordable and moisturizing), Re-Nutriv Creme from Esteé Lauder (my go-to for every day) and I’m currently testing this one that is clean.
Jade Roller or Gua sha
After I apply toner, serum, and moisturizer, I use my jade roller. I like to wait until I have all my skincare products on so everything sets nicely. The jade roller is great for puffiness and circulation, plus it feels nice. If you are extra puffy, put the roller in the fridge for 10 minutes before using it – I love this trick! The Gua sha is also amazing for puffiness and contouring your face!
SPF
Once I jade roll and everything sets, I apply SPF within Armani’s CC Cream. I really try not to skip this part, especially in LA! I know it can be an annoying step, but it’s such an important investment in your health and future skin. I find that getting a tinted moisturizer that has SPF makes it a lot easier to remember, and one less step.
Evening
I usually take off my makeup or wash my face the second I get home for the day. No matter what time it is or how little makeup I have on, I always start with a good cleanse.
Cleanse
I remove my makeup with either Bioderma Micellar Water or Chanel Micellar Water. Both are amazing! I soak some form of reusable face pad and then gently wipe away makeup, pollution, etc.
Serum
I recently started using this La Mer serum and so far, I’m loving it. It helps with dullness, anti-aging, and dryness and those are three things I’m working on during winter. Nighttime is a good time to let serums set in and do their thing, and I usually rotate a few different serums depending on what my skin needs. There are serums for hydration, balancing, anti-aging, etc.
Retinol
Retinols are a great tool for anti-aging and overall healthy skin. At the moment, I’m looking for one that doesn’t break me out since my last one did. If you have any suggestions, let me know in the comments.
Moisturizer
Same ones that I use in the morning. I rotate between those depending on how my skin feels. Make sure this is the last step of your routine (other than eye cream) since it’s the thickest.
Eye Cream
Same list as in the a.m. Make sure to apply your eye cream under, to the sides, to the upper lid, and above the eyebrow for best results.
What Else I Use & Do
On top of my everyday skincare routine, I have a few other tools and products that I swear by.
Nuface
I know there are a lot of skin tools on the market, and other than the jade roller, the Nuface is a favorite. I use this 3x a week and usually every other day. It’s essentially a mini microcurrent took that helps to contour and energize your skin, keep it glowy and youthful. I definitely notice a difference if I forget to use this, so now I bring it with me even while traveling. It’s the best, especially in-between facials.
Facials
It’s a luxury but I make sure to budget in facials 1-2 a month. They make such a difference in how clear my skin stays, and especially this time of year, facials can give you hydration that’s hard to find elsewhere. If you’re in LA, I go to n4skincare, Melanie Grant or Skin Worship with Sonia.
Face Masks + Eye Patches
Face masks are amazing because they can give your skin a lot of benefits in a matter of minutes. I always see a difference in my skin when I’m regular with them and I do them almost every other night. I honestly have too many to share but I promise to put together a full post soon. I’ll be sure to cover eye patches too because those happen almost as often.
You can shop for this entire routine below. Let me know if you have any questions! I will be sharing the other things that have helped my skin recently too, so stay tuned.