Lately people have bee asking me what my current skin care routine is and what products I have been using. I am very flattered they ask so I thought I would share them with everyone. Skin care has always been my passion so I tend to try new products all the time. I will share my current fave skin care finds. (mind you I have very oily, acne prone skin so some of these may not work on those whose skin is either dry, combination, or normal) I look at skincare as medication. When you go to the doctor he/she will sometimes give you more than one medication to take. So having 1 or 2 different cleansers and moisturizers may be just what your skin needs.
Ok the first and MOST important part of any skin care routine is….water. No matter if you have any skin type, water will add moisture and a healthy glow to your skin. As it has been proven drinking 8, 8oz glasses of water a day is beneficial to your overall health. If your not a big water drinker start slowly and start gradually increasing your intake. After 2 weeks you will notice an a difference not only in your skin but your body as well. I have always said that beauty starts from the inside so start by cleaning your body of all the toxins. I have also found cutting down on dairy and sugary products has helped as well.
St. Ives
My two favorite cleansers are Systéme 41 Gentle Purifying Cleanser and St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub. 5 times a week I use the Systeme 41 Gente Purifying Cleanser to help erase all the everyday makeup, dirt and whatnot that our pores tend to attract. Infused with the Apple Stem cell, Systéme 41 is gentle enough for even the most sensitive of skin (if I can use it so can you 😉 and is made for all skin types. The other 2 I exfoliate with my St. Ives Apricot Scrub ( people with oily skin should exfoliate at least 2 times a week where people with dry or combination skin should exfoliate at least 3 times a week). Exfoliating not only breaks down dead skin cells but also speeds up the production of sebum (oil) in the skin. Having a little bit of oil is good but an over abundance causes acne.
Murad
Facial masks are my favorite time of the week. I prefer to use a facial mask on the days I exfoliate to help aid the break down of dead skin and cleansing of the pores. My favorite mask right now is the Aveda Clay Mask. Now this is another product made for oily skin. If you have dry, combination or normal a gel mask is the best for you. The Aveda Clay Mask is left on for ten minutes and sucks out all the debris from inside the pores. The other days I like to use my Murad Intensive C Radiance Peel mask. This mask is made for anti aging but is a great mask to help break down dead skin as well and adding radiance to your skin.
Night Cream S41
And last but definitely not least ( and probably the 2nd most important) is moisturizing . I again have 2 moisturizers that I LOVE. The first one is the Systéme 41 Day Treatment and Night Treatment. I like using these two from S41 when my skin is not as broken out because they are just a bit heavier than my other one. I am HUGE on anti aging. These two treatments will help slow down the production of fine lines and wrinkles all while keeping your skin soft and supple Just like the cleanser these two are made up of the apple stem cell. My second favorite moisturizer is the St. Ives Timeless Skin Collagen Elastin Moisturizer. I use this one more than the Systéme 41 because my skin tends to break out very easily. This one is water based so it is great for all skin types and will not make your face feel greasy. Every morning I feel a difference in my skin even without touching it.
So there is my skin care routine as of now. I hope it helps you with your routine or at least gave you some options to choose from. Remember this is what works for me. Everyone is different so I hope you find these ideas helpful in finding your own skin care routine. I will post a blog soon on facial exercises I do as well that help tighten and tone. For more info on the products I use visit www.systeme41.com, www.stives.com, www.aveda.com and www.murad.com