Good makeup starts with good skincare. If you’re not taking care of your skin, your makeup won’t look its best, and you’ll actually find yourself wanting to pile on more makeup to hide it! Once you start seeing the benefits of a good skincare routine, you’ll become more confident with little to no makeup like I wore in this post.
DISCLAIMER: Everyone’s skin is different – therefore we react differently. What works for me, may not work for you. You have to take into account your individual skin type and problem areas and choose products accordingly. I am not a dermatologist and far from a skin expert – I’m just sharing what has given me great results after some trial and error with different methods! I encourage you to do the same.
My Skin Type: My skin is Normal, leaning dry, especially during the winter. I don’t really suffer from acne, I get the occasional hormone-induced blemish around my chin area during that “time of the month.” Sometimes, if I use an oily primer, or haven’t washed my pillow in awhile, (that’s important!) I get pimples on my cheek – so I typically steer clear of oils on the face unless my skin feels excessively dry. My skin isn’t too sensitive to products in general, but when it comes to things like waxing, it is. I never get a “mustache” or chin wax – the irritation makes my face go nuts and break out in a bunch of red bumps. NOT a pretty sight.
Hopefully that gives you an understanding of the factors I look for in skin products. Now that that’s out of the way – here’s what I use!
Yes To Tomatoes Detoxifying Charcoal Makeup Wipes
I think most of us use makeup wipes to remove makeup from our faces. While it’s not enough to get a fully clean face, this is a great initial first step. I love the Yes to Tomatoes Charcoal makeup wipes. First of all – they’re black, so let’s be real – that’s probably 50% of the reason why I like them. Who knew makeup wipes could look so glam? Besides being aesthetically pleasing, I notice that it cleans the makeup off a little better than other wipes because of the charcoal – which is known to dig out impurities in the skin.
First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser
For cleansing, I use The First Aid Beauty cleanser. It removes all surface oil and is pretty effective at removing makeup even if I don’t use a makeup wipe beforehand. You’ll be surprised at how little product you need to get the job done. It removes every trace of makeup, but doesn’t leave it feeling stripped.
It’s also fragrance free so this is a great brand if you have sensitive skin – it’s very gentle and calming. A lot of their products are made with people with eczema in mind!
Clarisonic Mia 2
To exfoliate, I use the Clarisonic Mia 2. I got this as a Christmas gift last December and this has made the biggest difference in my skin this year! My skin has gotten smooth and supple, I had sun spots that have faded, and my pores got smaller! Since using this, my skin looks more even and glowy!
RIGHT: AFTER 2 WEEKS OF USE
SHOP HERE
It took me years to finally jump on the Clarisonic bandwagon because I was afraid it would dry out my already dry skin. When I first started using it, I eased my skin into it by using it on the lowest setting and only using it 2-3 times a week. Once my skin got used to it, it’s perfectly fine to use (once!) on a daily basis!
There are so many versions out now, I recommend trying the Mia 2 or any model that came after it. (The first one only has 1 setting and I like that future models have more options!)
First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads
This is basically a toner in face pad form! I don’t really like to take the time to use toners, so this is an easy alternative! These brighten up the skin, improve texture, and lightly exfoliate your skin. I use these on days that I don’t use my Clarisonic. It’s gentle and not drying like most toners.
First Aid Beauty has a great selection of products worth checking out. Sephora has a great value kit that’s perfect for introducing you to the brand here. You get the Facial cleanser and Radiance pads I spoke of, in addition to the Ultra Repair Cream which is a good hydrating moisturizer especially in the colder months!
Skyn Iceland Moisturizer
Seriously, if you don’t have much of a skincare routine, you should be washing your face and moisturizing as the bare minimum. Moisturizing prevents aging – it makes a huge difference.
MY HOLY GRAIL is skyn ICELAND The ANTIDOTE Cooling Daily Lotion. It’s hard to put into words the benefits of this lotion so I’ll defer to Ulta’s description:
“Skyn Iceland The ANTIDOTE Quenching Daily Lotion is a lightweight hydrating lotion for chronically stressed skin. It goes on with a cooling burst to decongest, detoxify and stabilize skin, returning it to its natural fresh and healthy state. With daily use, skin is fortified and protected from the ravages of stress.”
Even my boyfriend steals this moisturizer from me and I get pretty annoyed – it’s $45 which ain’t cheap! The first time I used this I saw a huge overall improvement in my skin. I had went from minimal breakouts to almost never having them! Oily skinned people will love this!
Every time I run out of this I try to get by for a couple weeks, because I HATE the price tag. But, I always go back – my skin just doesn’t feel/look as good without it. Thankfully, Amazon has a travel size for $12 that comes with a cleanser if you’re interested in trying it out before committing to the full size.
Noxzema Ultimate Clear Anti- Blemish Face Pads
In the case that I do get a pimple, I use Noxzema Ultimate Clear Anti-Blemish pads. I just grab a pad and rub it on the affected area until the product on the pad dries out. I would not recommend rubbing all over the face, unless you have extremely oily and acne prone skin.
You’ll want to wash your face first, then apply the pad before moisturizing. You can do this morning or night, but doing this at night seems to be the most effective method for me. I find that letting it sink in overnight makes all the difference – the blemish is significantly smaller when I wake up the next day. Using it in the morning and then applying makeup right after doesn’t give it enough time to work it’s magic!
Using this in combination with my Skyn Iceland moisturizer is my secret weapon for getting rid of zits FAST. Get it here.
Jade Roller
This is a new addition to my routine. When I first saw this thing trending everywhere, I was intrigued! It’s supposed to get your blood flowing, reduce puffiness, and help products absorb better.
What it claims to help with:
- Blood circulation
- Stimulates Collagen
- Lifts facial muscles
- Fine Lines
How to use it:
Starting from your neck, roll in an upward motion . Use the bigger stone for larger parts of your face and the smaller side for tinier areas, like under the eye.
I’m officially addicted to doing this before bed and in the morning! It feels like a spa massage on your face and I love using it to help work in my skin creams. You can even put this in the fridge so its extra cooling when using under the eye – great for depuffing!
I purchased mine from Amazon (here) for under $10, which is not a big investment to try something new! It’s definitely worth a shot.
That pretty much covers it. I have a fairly simple routine and to be honest, I didn’t mention any masks because I’m new to masking and haven’t tested out enough of them to form an opinion yet. Let me know some of your faves and maybe I’ll do a future blog post all about face masks!
Are we friends on Instagram yet? Follow me @rubionrepeat
HAVE YOU TRIED JADE ROLLING? WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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