Updated Skincare Routine

It has been quite a while since I’ve done a full update on my skincare routine. I have to start this by saying that skincare is very personal. What works for me and anyone else may or may not work for you. I’ve tried lots of products over the years and I have found some great ones and others that didn’t work. I love trying new products but this post has my routine when I am not trying something new. This post is pretty long but I want a comprehensive list of everything I use in one place.

While finding a skincare routine for yourself, it’s important to understand your skin type and the current state of your skin. My skin is on the drier side and can be highly reactive. My main goals in my skin routine are to add moisture, even skin tone, and prevent aging. I always want to be completely honest with you so you understand that skincare can only do so much. For over a couple years, I have been getting Botox in my forehead to alleviate the lines I have and to prevent deeper ones.

As you change or add any products, it is important to observe how your skin reacts. I recommend to only change up 1 or 2 products in your skin care routine at a time. If you change a lot of products and have a reaction, you won’t be able to pinpoint which product was the problem. You also won’t know what is working too!

Updated Skincare Routine

My routine changes a bit day to day based on what my skin needs. At the bottom of this post, I’ve listed a couple versions of my day and night routines as well. Right now there is a big trend on tik tok talking about “skin cycling” that is basically doing certain steps to your face on certain nights. Certain nights you exfoliate, use a retinol etc. This is basically what I do when I say I change things up based on my skin.

By no means do you need this many products or options to have a good skincare routine. If you are starting out or if this post seems overwhelming, start with a cleanser, serum, moisturizer and oil! Concentrate on one or two main concerns of yours and you can always build from there. Routine is key with skincare so it is better to have a simple routine you do every night than an elaborate routine you only apply every once in a while. CONSISTENCY IS KEY!

Cleanse & Exfoliate

Elemis Cleansing Balm 

If I have any makeup on I start my routine with this Elemis cleansing balm. You take a small amount of the balm and rub it on your dry face. Once you’ve worked it in, you rinse with warm water. This balm, and other cleansing balms, are great for dry skin because they cleanse but don’t strip your face of natural oils. Even if you have oily skin you can use this!

It Cosmetics Confidence in a Cleanser Face Wash

It Cosmetics Confidence in a Cleanser face wash is a really great, gentle face wash that still removes makeup and impurities. It also moisturizes as it cleanses. It is the perfect cleanser as the second part to a double cleanse.

Exfoliating Pads 

A few times a week I’ll use an exfoliator. Exfoliating is a crucial step in any skincare routine. These pads work two ways to get rid of the dead skin cells on the top layer of your skin. The active ingredients on the pad is a chemical exfoliator that breaks the bonds between your skin and the dead skin cells. The pad itself is a physical exfoliator that lightly scrubs off the dead skin cells too. The pads work well but are gentle enough to a couple times a week.

Dr. Dennis Gross Exfoliating Peel Pads

While these pads are a bit of splurge, they are incredible for your skin. It is a two step process that exfoliates your skin and improves the texture. I used them around twice a week and noticed the difference in my skin. The texture was much smoother and all around more glowy.

Treatment/Actives

Once my skin is cleansed, it is time for treatment! These are the products that have active ingredients and typically are the hardest working part of your skincare routine. I pick products that focus on what my skin needs and where I want it to be. So I focus on ones that add moisture, glow and help with fine lines and aging. I only use one, maybe two at a time.

Retin-A -I have a prescription for a Retin-A product from my dermatologist and use this cream twice a week at night. Retin-A and retinoids are one of the top products for anti-aging. When I use a Retin-A product I make sure that I use a gentle cleanser, don’t exfoliate or use other actives at the same time, and layer on a moisturizing product after.

Biossance Squalene + 10% Lactic Acid Resurfacing Night Serum

Long name but great product. It exfoliates while also improving the appearance of your pores and fine lines. Apply one pump after cleansing. It’s gentle enough to use every night.

Beauty Counter Counter+ Bright C Serum

Vitamin C is one of the best skincare ingredients. So many skincare products say it’s an ingredient but that doesn’t mean they work well. This one packs a punch. It gives you a glow, evens skin tone and lightens dark spots. This serum also absorbs quickly!

Beauty Counter Overnight Peel 

This peel is great for anti-aging, exfoliation, and creating a glow. Over time your skin texture will improve as well. It proves that clean products can be just as effective as other products.  Apply a small amount of this serum to your face and neck after you cleanse and let it do its magic.

Cerave Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is incredibly moisturizing. I’ve tried several different products with Hyaluronic acid and this is my favorite. It is the main product I use in the morning. Cerave’s Hyaluronic Acid Serum soaks in quickly so you can get to the next step quickly.

CosRx Snail Mucin

This may seem like a bit of a crazy product but snail mucin is one of the newest ingredients to hit skincare. It has great skin benefits. This serum penetrates deeply to really moisturize your skin. It also is really soothing to skin if you have an irritations or have highly sensitive skin. It also makes your skin look glowy but is a very light serum.

The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalene Serum

Retinol is one of the top ingredients that fights fine lines, wrinkles and other signs of aging. It can be a hard ingredient for some people to handle so if it is the first time you use it, here is a serum with a lesser concentration of retinol. After cleansing, pat of a few drops of this serum over your face and neck. I use this serum every other day in my nighttime skincare routine.

Moisturizer/Oil

After I’ve using a treatment/serum/active my next goal is to lock in that product and add moisture.

No. 1 Vitamin C Oil 

I love love love this oil. I’ve written about it several times on the blog including here. It is one of the first products I recommend when someone asks for skincare suggestions. Every skin type can benefit from Vitamin C. This oil provides a lot of benefits but a Vitamin C serum can provide the ingredient as well. Once I have cleansed and applied any serums I then apply half a dropper of this oil to my face and neck.

Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre

Last year in France I discovered this moisturizer and then learned it has a cult following. It not only is a great moisturizer but it absorbs quickly and is a great primer. It is a makeup artist’s favorite for this reason. I find that my skin is just the right level of moisturized before putting on my makeup.

Nivea Creme

This is a great, quality moisturizer for skin on the dryer side. I did a full post on it here because I feel everyone needs to know about it! The summary is that it is a great every day, no-frills moisturizer. It is thick so rub it in your hands to thin it before applying. The Nivea Creme can be used on both face and body! I apply this to my face and neck at night after the Vitamin C Oil. It locks in all of the skincare products I’ve applied before it and provides moisture.

Weleda Skin Food Ultra Rich Cream

Another great moisturizer. This one is thick but spreads well and doesn’t take too long to soak in. I will sometimes use it instead of the Nivea Creme. It has several active ingredients that moisturize and protect your skin. When my lips are really dry, I’ll put this rich cream on them.

Vaseline

I am a die hard fan of Dr. Shereene Idriss (follow her on Instagram here). She is a board-certified dermatologist and shares a lot of valuable information on Instagram and YouTube. She has shared several times the benefits of Vaseline. While it doesn’t have any active ingredients, it is an occlusive which means it locks in moisture. As the last step in my night time skincare routine I apply Vaseline under my eyes instead of an eye cream. In the driest times of the year I will also apply it around my nostrils to prevent them from peeling.

Extra

The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution

This product is an incredible exfoliator. It is a treatment that you put on like a mask and wash it off after a few minutes. I use this every few weeks or when my skin is really dull and needs some serious exfoliation. The two active ingredients in it are pretty potent so don’t keep this treatment on for very long.

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion 

I don’t have acne-prone skin but the occasional blemish can still be a problem. This drying lotion spot treats any blemishes I have, At night I use a q-tip to put a small amount on each blemish. It is very drying so it should only be applied to the actual blemish. I leave it on overnight then wash off in the morning.

Zit Stickers 

For the under skin zits or whiteheads I lwear these zit stickers overnight. They get product under the skin and can help flatten and shrink blemishes. They’ll also help with the redness of the blemish.

Glowscreen Sunscreen

Everyone should be wearing broad spectrum spf 30 or higher everyday. Not only does it protect you from skin cancers, spf is one of the best things in preventing aging. This glowscreen is a great source of spf but also is a primer with just a bit of shimmer. I apply it every morning before makeup. See more about it here.

Face Masks

Around once a week, I will use a face mask to focus on a specific concern. The ones I love the most are all listed here.

NIGHTTIME SKINCARE ROUTINE

• Elemis Cleansing Balm 
• It Cosmetics Confidence in a Cleanser Face Wash
• Serum Option:
  • Retin A (2x a week)
  • Biossance Serum (3x a week)
  • Beauty Counter Vitamin C Serum (2x a week)
• Snail Mucin
• No. 1 Vitamin C Oil 
• Moisturizer options
  • Nivea Creme
  • Embryolisee Lait-Creme Concentre
• Vaseline

(1-2x a week)

• The Ordinary Peeling Solution or
• Exfoliating Pads
• Dr. Dennis Gross Peel Pads

MORNING SKINCARE ROUTINE

• Vitamin C Serum
• Spritz of Water & Hyaluronic Acid Serum or
• Snail Mucin
• Embryolisee Lait-Creme Concentre
• Glowscreen Sunscreen 

This post is originally from January 2022 but has been updated.