Happy Friday! We made it! It’s finally the weekend and that means it’s almost wine time, right? Speaking of wine, how many of you are guilty of having a glass of wine…or two or three…and then falling asleep with a full face of make-up? I was definitely guilty of this for a long time and still am from time to time. It’s so funny to think about why we constantly skip washing our face when it takes so little time and such a small amount of effort.
As y’all know, I have dedicated this year to taking better care of my skin and to learning more about skin care and beauty products. Y’all, it’s a big, big world and there is so much to learn, but we can do it! It can be pretty overwhelming, but I encourage you to take it one step at a time. It seems so much easier to tackle when you just focus on one thing at a time. For example, I started super broad and switched from chemically-based to all natural deo. I use Kopari Coconut Oil deo and love it! But before we get into specific products I’ve tried and/or products I love, I want to share with you 5 simple tips to have a successful skin care routine.
Now, full disclosure, I do get botox and have for about a year. I had resting wrinkles on my forehead and eyes and was a good candidate for it. I guess perks of having an expressive face? But, botox most definitely does not solve your skin care issues. Sure, it’s eliminated some of my bigger wrinkles, but I still have fine lines and wrinkles under my eye, still struggle with adult acne, and dehydrated skin. So, my point here is that even if you get botox, it is still just as important for you to have a skin care routine that you follow religiously.
5 TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL SKIN CARE ROUTINE:
- Meet with a specialist – if you aren’t an expert, go to the expert. Meeting with a professional is the best way to begin to develop a successful skin care routine. I met with my dermatologist this past January to analyze my skin and determine my main skin care issues, which leads me to my next point.
- Pinpoint your skin care issues – this is something you can and should discuss with a professional. I think it’s easy for us to think we know our main skin care issue, but since we are professionals in this area, we usually miss some things. For example, I have always struggled with acne and still do as an adult. I thought my issue was due to oily skin. On one hand, I was right. I do have oily skin. But, what I didn’t know was that despite having oily skin, I also have dehydrated skin. Furthermore, determining that I have melasma and not just “dark spots” has completely changed my skin care routine. Dark spots from Melasma have to be treated very differently than dark spots from aging.
- invest in products that works – this tip is essential and honestly, the one I avoided for years. For years I tended toward cheap products and didn’t get the results I wanted. Now, hear me when I say don’t just invest in the most expensive product thinking it will fix your skin. You want to invest in the right products for your skin. Sometimes there’s a product that works that doesn’t cost a lot, but other times the best product may involve you investing a little bit up front.
- wash your face – it’s seems silly to explain this one, but I know I needed to hear it again. Washing your face is the best way to wash away dirt, oil, and bacteria that’s formed throughout the day. It also washes away any dead skin cells you may have; it removes your impurities and gives you a fresh look. There are several camps on if you should wash your face twice a day or not. I view it as creating a clean slate (pun intended) for your make-up or skin care products.
- don’t flake at night – don’t skip out at night. Truly. You’ve worn make-up all day and letting it sit on your face for an additional 6-8 hours is not good. It leaves your skin with little time to breath. It also prevents you from cleansing your face in preparation to use products to target your core issues. For me, if I forget to wash my face at night, that means I’m also not putting on my whitening cream for my melasma, I’m not using my GloPro, and I’m not addressing my acne via retinol.
I hope that by following these tips you will save time and money in the long run. I hope that your skin will look radiant and that you’ll start to see some marked changes. I highly recommend giving yourself grace and time as well as you figure out the needs of your skin as well as the best products and tools for your skin.
In case you have similar skin to mine, I wanted to share with you the products and tools that have truly changed my skin. Since January, I’ve added new products and tools that have left my skin feeling tighter, more moisturized, and kept my melasma at bay better than ever before. As always, if you have any specific questions, just drop a line in the comment section of this post or shoot me an email!
My Personal Skin Care Routine:
SKIN TYPE: oily, dehydrated, melasma
- GloPro – this microneedling tool has saved me a lot of money and saved my skin. You guys, prior to this tool I was spending about $350 on microneedling treatments about once a quarter. Then I got my GloPro and started doing it at home. I’m always skeptical of these types of at home tools, but have been truly blown away by this one. This tool works to regenerate your skin, make new skin cells, and create a glowing look. It’s left my face softer, reduced my fine lines, and helped keep my melasma at bay. I couldn’t recommend this product more.
- Melasma Serum – I wish I had a link for you here, but I use a serum that was prescribed to me by my dermatologist. It’s been the strongest and most effective whitening serum I’ve ever used for my melasma. It actually kept it at bay all throughout the summer, which is dang near impossible. If you have melasma, shoot me an email and we can chat!
- Retinol – to be honest, I hadn’t used a retinol since adolescence. However, my dermatologist recommended this one to me last Spring and it’s left me with shocking results. The most obvious result is a decrease in acne. My dermatologist told me retinol is great for adults because it unclogs our pores, boosts collagen production, and and speeds up cell turnover. I think we can all use some of that, right ladies?
- Beauty Bio “The Quench” Restoring Hydrating Cream – y’all, this cream has truly been a dream come true for me. It’s an intensely hydrating cream that works to restore your skin’s glow, reduces fine lines and wrinkles, and resets your tone. This is a great cream to use after you do teh GloPro or after a long flight of stagnant air.
- Beauty Bio pH Balancing Cleanser – y’all, I have been on the hunt for a good cleanser for so long, and this one is it! It’s so gentle on your skin and wait for it…it actually takes off all of your make-up. There are so many times I will use a cleanser that gets off most of my make-up but always leaves my eyes looking like raccoons. I’ve ruined one too many white towels to let that happen again.