It's been a while since I've shared a skin care post with you guys, so I thought now would be a good time to give an update! This is the current skin care regimen I'm following and have been following for several months now. Though the product line-up may seem pretty simple, it does a great job of keeping my skin in check. I have combination skin, which causes my t-zone to be more oily in the warmer months and fairly dry in the winter months. My biggest skin concerns are keeping my skin radiant and firm (yes, anti-aging concerns ALREADY) and correcting my acne-scarring and hyper-pigmentation Through this regimen, I've been able to take care of these issues quite well.
The Products
- Ambi Complexion Cleansing Bar- This bar is boss at keeping my skin clear without being too drying. It does not, I repeat, IT DOES NOT lighten your entire face. People sometimes see the Ambi name and assume such, but I use it to fade scarring.
- Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Detoxifying Scrub- This scrub has skin brightening properties, which helps my dark spots fade quicker. It sloughs off dead skin so gently, it can actually be used daily.
- mark. See Things Clearly Brightening Moisturizer- This moisturizer has radiance-boosting properties also. Though very light in texture, it is chock-full of antioxidants such as lotus flower, that help keep the skin clear.
- Avon Anew Clinical Eye Lift- The Eye Lift Cream helps to decrease fine lines and puffiness around my eye area.
- Olay Professional Pro-X Brush- The Pro-X brush used in conjunction with my cleansing bar, gives me a deep cleansing for a fraction of the price of a Clarisonic. This brush is very budget-friendly!
- mark. For Goodness Face Antioxidant Skin Moisturizing Lotion- This moisturizer doubles as a sunscreen, as it has an SPF of 30. Its main ingredients are dark chocolate and blueberries, which are both antioxidants.
The Regimen
Daily: I cleanse with Ambi Complexion Cleansing Bar using the Olay Professional Pro-X brush to cleanse deeply. I then moisturize with mark. See Things Clearly Moisturizer or mark. For Goodness Face Moisturizing Lotion. I alternate between moisturizers when the seasons change, as For Goodness Face has an higher SPF which is better for summer months.
Nightly: I repeat the same cleansing and moisturizing routine in the above step. Before moisturizing, however, I use a cotton ball to apply lemon juice to my scarring. I do this 2-3 nights weekly. I follow up by using Avon Anew Clinical Eye Lift around the eye area to decrease fine lines and puffiness.
Bi-weekly (Tuesdays and Thursdays):
along with daily cleansing and moisturizing,
I add an additional step to my routine by exfoliating with Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Detoxifying Scrub.
On Fridays I add an at-home steam facial to the regimen:
I simply heat distilled water and rosewater, grab a towel, and bask my face into the steamy goodness (just not too close to the water)! At times, I replace the rosewater with an essential oil, such as tea tree oil or peppermint oil.
The Lifestyle
Doing these seven things consistently have definitely kept my skin in check, with little to no breakouts and acne scars fading into the abyss. Check them out:
1. Drinking more water- As someone who has been plagued with acne-prone skin and scarring since adolescence, I learned to eliminate sodas from my diet back in my teens. Though I've always been keen on drinking water, I haven't always drank as much as I should. According to a Daily Water Chart (that my friend Drea shared with me via fullspike.com), someone my size should have a daily water intake of at least 1/2 gallon. So after seeing this, your girl definitely had to step it up!
2. Eating healthier foods that are good for my skin . It's amazing the difference your diet can make in your skin. I'm telling you, whatever you're feeding yourself internally definitely shows on the outside. Just adding superfoods like yogurt, salmon, spinach and green tea into my diet have improved my skin's clarity and radiance. For more great foods for your skin, click here.
3. Changing my pillow case at least twice weekly- Planting your face on not-so clean linen nightly is a no-no. This is self-explanatory.
4. Cleaning my satin hair scarf twice weekly- Yes, I religiously wear my scarf to bed. I have to keep my moisturized tresses in place! But if one doesn't routinely keep her scarves clean, the breakouts are soon to come. To find out the easy, economical way I keep my scarves clean, click here for Youtuber jmarie's instructional video.
5. Keeping my cellphone clean or away from my face, if possible- We all know that cell phones can carry several germs from all of the handling. The same goes for our hands. That's why I keep my hand sanitizer on deck at all times and carry electronic cleansing wipes (like the ones you use to clean your computer and tablet screens) to keep my phone clean.
6. Wearing less makeup- Contrary to popular belief, I do not wear makeup everyday. As a WAHM, it really does me no good to be all made up with no where to go EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. But when I am out and about during the week, I've been wearing minimal makeup as you saw last week. Not wearing a full face all the time definitely helps my pores breathe! Now the weekends are another story lol.
7. Pampering myself and eliminating stress- It has been said several times that stress is not good for the skin. Now I'm not sure of the scientific facts linking stress to breakouts, but I do know when I'm stressed, it shows on my face. In my case, it may have lots to do with the fact that stress causes me to indulge in poor habits, such as eating junk food. But when I pamper myself, by getting manicures and pedicures, enjoying a night on the town, or simply having quiet time alone in my home space with my music and candles, my overall health reaps the benefits. Skin included.
*One thing my skin care regimen currently lacks is a nightly serum. I was using Avon Clinical Luminosity Pro Brightening Serum, but it's getting to be a bit too greasy for my taste. So if anyone has any suggestions for an anti-aging serum with retinol, please let me know in the comments!*
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SKIN CARE PRODUCTS?
