Skin Care : My Daily Routine

I’ve been asked what my skin care routine is, so I decided to make a post about the steps and products that I use. My skin used to be considered oily and is now combination. Though, to be completely honest, I believe that it being oily was due to me not taking proper care of it. Now that I’ve figured out how to properly take care of it, it’s settled down a lot and is in pretty good condition.

1. Remove Eye Make Up : There are two ways that I remove my eye make up. Either by very very gently using a cotton ball soaked in Neutrogena Oil Free Eye Make Up Remover. When removing eye make up, never ever rub! The skin on your eye area is extremely delicate and rubbing can damage it. Simply let the cotton ball and eye make up remover sit on the make up for at least 30 seconds, and then gently wipe away. A Q-Tip dipped in eye make up remover is excellent to remove eye make up along the lash line.

2. Cleanse : Garnier Nutritioniste Nuti-Pure Detoxifying Gel Cleanser is what I have been using for the past several months. Using warm water, I massage the cleanser into my facial skin using circular motions to help increase blood flow, then rinse completely with cool water to close the pores.

3. Exfoliate : Next I gently exfoliate using a wash cloth soaked in warm water by gently rubbing the wash cloth over my skin in circular motions. Rinse with cold water to close the pores.

4. Tone : Toning your skin is one of the most important and overlooked part of a skin care routine. It helps to remove extra dirt missed by your cleanser, close your pores, prep your skin for moisturizer, and balance out the PH levels of your skin. It’s important to avoid toners with alcohol and astringents as they will only dry out your skin. I prefer to use either Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner or Dickinson Witch Hazel.

5. Moisturize : In the morning, I moisturize my skin with Olay Complete UV Defense Moisture Lotion for Combination/Oily skin. It’s a great lightweight moisturizer that is perfect for every day use. It also has an SPF of 15. At night, I use this moisturizer on my eyes (I’ve yet to find an eye cream that my pocket book and skin can agree on) and use Oil Of Olay Age Defying Intensive Nourishing Night Cream. It’s never too early to start thinking about wrinkle prevention, and this amazing night cream helps take your skin in that direction.

6. Masks : Using a face mask should be done once or twice a week as a way to give your skin some extra pampering. I make up a mixture of 2 tablespoons warm olive oil and 1 tablespoon honey. 1 tablespoon of instant oatmeal can also be added if you would like an exfoliating mask. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, massage into skin, and leave on for at least 15 minutes before rinsing with warm water. This mask leaves my skin incredibly soft and glowing.

Over the years, I’ve also picked up a lot of really great skin care tips that are good for all skin types. Here are some that I consider to be the most important.

1. All skin types need to be moisturized daily. Oily skin is a lot rarer than we realize. Often times, people who suspect that they have oily skin actually have combination or dry skin. Products, like astringents, dry out the skin and cause it to produce excess oil.

2. Avoid skin products that are geared towards teenagers, even if you are one. These products are usually extremely drying. A spot treatment is something that we should all have on hand, but acne products rarely need to be applied to the entire face unless advised to do so by a Dermatologist. For the majority of people, gentle cleansing products are the best way to go because they allow your skin to settle into it’s natural being.

3. Any facial skin care that you do should also be applied to your neck and upper chest. The skin in these areas is just as delicate as the skin on your face and needs the same care. Cleanse and moisturize it with the same products and care that you use on your face.

4. Never go to sleep in your make up. For late nights, pick up some facial cleansing cloths with make up remover. They take a few minutes to use but are a much better option than sleeping with your make up on.

5. Your skin only gives as good as it gets. Drink plenty of water, take your vitamins, eat a balanced diet, get enough sleep, and stay on track with your skin care routine and your skin will show all the benefits of it. If you don’t take care of your skin, it is going to show.