No amount of makeup can make me feel pretty when I am having skin issues; therefore, skincare is even more important to me than makeup. I want to look good when I wake up in the morning... Who doesn't? I want my skin to be glowing and flawless without makeup. Again, who doesn't? We use makeup to accentuate our natural beauty, and our skin serves as a canvas for our makeup; why would you paint a canvas that wasn't clean? My skin is nowhere near perfect; it is stubborn and needs a lot of tending to for it to behave.
When it comes to my skincare routine, there is nothing constant about it. There are very few skincare products that I repurchase and use religiously. However, more recently, I feel that my skincare routine is better than it's ever been. My skin qualifies as oily, and I, unfortunately, have pretty large pores. Due to this, I have the dreadful nose blackheads, and I get the occasional forehead and chin blemishes. At least once a month, I get a monstrous pimple that is painful and stubborn and leaves behind a lovely post-acne mark every...single...time (even if I don't mess with it). So, I do have a bit of unevenness and a few acne scars. These are the products that have seemed to alleviate these skin problems of mine.
From left to right:
Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion
I use this as my daily moisturizer. It hydrates my skin without making it feel oily. It's marketed for those with blemish-prone oily skin, which epitomizes my skin-type. It claims to promote surface renewal, balance oil production, tone, and tighten. I get a blemish at the first sign of humidity, which is unfortunate for me, being that I live in Texas. This, along with a toner, does a good job of keeping my skin hydrated and soft. As for controlling oil, I don't think it quite lives up to that claim, but I have other things for that anyway.
Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Roller
While this product isn't necessarily skin-care, per se, it is a very important part of my morning skincare routine. I have been using this thing for about four years, so this product is the winner for being able to stick around the longest. It's an eye roller with concealer, and I think this is the most genius product! Instantly, my eyes look brighter and more awake. This came in handy in college when I pulled all-nighters. It has caffeine, which supposedly makes the eyes look more awake. I honestly just think the concealer's pretty awesome. It comes in two shades: sheer tint and medium/deep. I am on the pale side, but during the summer, I started using the medium/deep shade, and I found that it matches my skin-tone better year-round. I do hate that obvious concealer look you get when you put a concealer that's too light under your eyes. Let's not forget Eva, who was featured in a previous blog post about under-eye concealer (here)...
The sheer tint was a bit too light for me, but can be great if used as a concealer base. I think if it was too light for me, it might be too light for most. My only downside to this product is that it is pretty unfriendly to travel with. The product is pretty runny, and it tends to leak out of the rollerball when it gets tossed around in a travel bag. It should be stored upright, so keep that in mind. This is a huge bummer for me, because it's probably my most essential travel product. While it may run you about $11 at the drugstore, this product will last you a good four to five months, depending on how often you use it, of course. I use it in the morning and as needed throughout the day (when my under-eye area looks a little like I just got up from a nap, or my mascara's giving me raccoon eyes).
Josie Maran Argan Oil
Being that I have oily skin, applying an oil to my skin just always seemed counterintuitive to me. I finally set all skepticism aside, and when Sephora put out this travel-size of the infamous Josie Maran Argan Oil, I decided it'd be worth a shot. After reading about a lot of people with oily skin becoming avid skin oil users, my curiosity got the best of me. What is incredible about this product is its versatility. It can be used on your hair, cuticles, and body. I mainly use it as a face moisturizer at night. I use it during the day too when I have some flakes on my skin, and just a little drop does the trick. My skin has an instant glow and seems to be balanced all day.
Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream
I use this eye cream at night and in the morning, and I really do love it. There's "natural optic brighteners" in it, which is a fancy way of saying that it has some really fine shimmer to it. I hate glitter products, but the shimmer is so fine that it really gives your eye area a natural highlight. I originally bought this, because my eye area looks so puffy and dry in the morning. This product definitely did reduce the dark circles and relieved a bit of the puffiness. I am going to start keeping this in the fridge, and I think it'll do an even better job of relieving puffiness.
Origins Super Spot Remover
I will never try another spot treatment again...well, maybe. This product is amazing! I have tried everything when it comes to spot treatments, and this is the only one that has actually worked. When I notice the first signs of a pimple, I dab this on it, and it prevents it from ever making its way to the surface of your skin. Around my college graduation, I felt one of those stubborn, monstrous pimples forming under the skin, and I put this on it twice a day, and that thing never showed its face! I am forever grateful to this product because of that. It is just truly amazing. This is the only spot treatment that I feel confident recommending. It's a pretty tiny bottle and will run you about $15, but I think it's totally worth it.
Clarisonic Mia
I have been using this for about 3 years. At first, I'll admit, I didn't see much an improvement in my skin and got a little frustrated when I experienced the whole "worse before better" stage. However, after you get past that, your skin does indeed get the cleanest of clean with this. The only annoying part is keeping up with changing the brush head. I do feel that this contributes to the overall clarity and toning of my skin. When I set this aside for a few months, I definitely noticed that my skin wasn't nearly as soft or clean. I will never use my hands again! Okay, I'm lying. I do when I'm lazy, but I do try to use my Mia in the morning and at night, because it really does help with the blackheads on my nose and my overall skin appearance.
BareMinerals Deep Cleansing Foam
This cleanser has been repurchased the most of all the many cleansers I have tried. I buy the travel size at Ulta for about $12. This smaller size lasts me at least four months. Most products say you only need a pea size amount, and they usually don't foam up with that little veggie-sized amount, but this one really does. I use it with my Mia, and my skin immediately feels incredibly soft. It does NOT strip my skin of moisture, and this is the only cleanser I have ever used that actually does something for my skin. It is vital, to me, that my cleanser is gentle enough to be used on the eye area like this one. Even after using an eye makeup remover, there's always traces of mascara that need a little help coming off. This cleanser is perfect, and I think it would work for any skin type.
Neutrogena Pore Refining Toner
I have just recently added this to my skincare routine, and it has easily become my favorite part! I put some on a cotton round, and smooth it all over my face, neck, shoulders, and even my upper back (where my hair touches all day). It feels so refreshing and cooling. This will be especially loved as it starts to get warmer outside. I use this when I get out of the shower, after a run, and at night. Adding this toner to my skincare routine was definitely a good decision, as I saw some improvement in my skin texture and tone immediately. I believe this has also contributed to keeping my skin clear this past month. I'd always ignored the whole "after cleansing AND toning" instructions that are usually on serums and moisturizers, but now I understand why they say that. Since I've added a toner to my skincare routine, I've noticed that my moisturizer seems to work better. This particular toner is pretty magnificent too! I decided to get a drugstore toner as my trial toner, and I actually love this one and will definitely continue to buy. Although, I think it is in the process of being discontinued, because I can literally only find this at Target; everywhere else only carries it online.
Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask
I have been using this mask for about eight months. This is an incredible mask for those with oily skin and clogged pores. I use this once or twice a week, depending on how my skin is acting. My pores look smaller and the blackheads on my nose are less visible. It helps keep my skin clear, especially when it is showing signs of acting up.
and I almost forgot my favorite make-up remover wipes....
Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes
These wipes are the best! They can be used as a cleansing substitute for a night out, when you feel way too lazy (maybe tipsy) to do the whole routine. These are the most effective at removing my mascara, compared to the Neutrogena and the Up and Up Target brand, which were my former favorites. They are also very wet, which is what you'd expect of a makeup wipe, but I've tried many that just aren't wet enough. These are perfect, and I have actually repurchased them several times. Not only do I use these on my lazy nights, but I do use these every night that I have makeup to take off, as I like to have a makeup-free face prior to cleansing.
Well, there's my skincare routine. Like I said, I'm always trying new products. However, I do think it is important to keep your skincare constant, and I'm working on it. I am trying my best to put all my insatiability aside and do what's best for my skin, but it can be hard with all the innovative products coming out, with their appealing and outlandish claims!
If you have any questions about the products, feel free to ask, as I'd be more than happy to answer!
-Jillian
