My skin-care routine

Ahh beautiful skin. We all love it. We all want it. But how to achieve it? 

You don't need to spend a lot of $$ to have great skin. Let me walk you through my simplified routine. Yes there are a lot of extras out there, but if you get these basics down, you should see improvement soon!

Disclaimer: not all skins are the same, and hence not everything will work for everyone. I strongly recommend a visit to your friendly dermatologist to A. get an annual overall skin check for skin cancer, and B. target any problem areas you may have. I had acne even as an adult.

Morning routine:

1. I do not cleanse my skin in the morning with a cleanser as this made it more dry. If you have super oily skin, go ahead and use Cerave Foaming Facial cleanser. I usually just let water run over my face during my shower in the mornings. I definitely use it at night.

2. I apply a few drops of Vitamin C serum. There are a lot of Vitamin C serums out there. I used to use SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF brand, but at $184 a bottle, it's a bit pricey. After doing some research, I came upon my current favorite brand, Maelove. I've been using to for about 3 months and did not find any differences so, I will continue to use it for now and report back later. This brand costs about $30 a bottle, so huge difference. I mean I also got to the point where I love my skin, so it's hard for it to look better (I promise this is not supposed to be as braggy as it sounds, lol).

3. Next comes my The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum. This serum is magical! It gives you a super dewey, fresh-faced look.

4. Then I apply sunscreen. My favorite is Cerave Daily Moisturizer with SPF30. This 3 in 1 formulation has the big 3: hyaluronic acid serum, niacinamides, and SPF. It's very light, and doesn't leave a white cast on  your face. Truth be told, I like to layer my sunscreens because you can never be too protected. If I'm running out the door, that's the end of my morning routine. If I have time, I apply EltaMD UV Daily Tinted Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide, SPF 40 Face Sunscreen Moisturizer tinted sunscreen. This is another of my favorites because it has ingredients that help with wrinkles and nourishes your skin.

During the day, I keep La Roche-Posay Anthelios Tinted Sunscreen SPF 50 | Ultra-Light Fluid Mineral Sunscreen for Face with Titanium Dioxide |in my car and re-apply throughout the day. It also helps my skin look flawless with a beautiful, sun-kissed glow.

I love love this sunscreen because the slight tint makes it look like you have flawless skin. It's super light, goes on smooth and helps me look put together.

Night time routine:

1. I don't wear make-up a lot, but I do tend to re-apply sunscreen several times during the day. I like to double cleanse. What is double-cleansing?

I use Bioderma - Sensibio - H2O Micellar Water - Makeup Remover Cleanser. Make-up removing wipes are so bad for your skin. I mean sure, in an emergency go ahead as their better than going to bed with full on make-up, but overtime they can breakdown your skin's natural barrier. 

I use a soft cloth, apply some of the above micellar water and gently press on my eyelids for about 10 seconds. Then I gently wipe my make-up off.

2. Then I use the above Cerave Foaming Facial cleanser. I wet my hands, pour some on my hands and build up a good lather before applying it to my face, doing gentle circles. I do th is for about 30 seconds.

3. I dry my face gently by patting it. Then apply: Cerave Moisturizing Cream. It has all the best ingredients needed to keep your face moisturized and protected.

4. Last but not least, I apply my topical tretinoin 0.025%. This cream is prescription only and was prescribed by my dermatologist. But if your primary care physician is up for it, they can prescribe it as well. Most insurances will cover it, and it runs about $30-$40 out of pocket. It's great for acne and for fading out the fine lines around your face. You shouldn't use it if you think you might be pregnant or getting pregnant. It can be super irritating for some people when you 1st use it, so do a test on a small patch of your skin before applying it widely to your face. You should avoid your eyelids and eyes. Start about 2-3 times a week, then progress to 5-7 times a week as tolerated.

I am trying out some eye creams and masks, so I will update you on these later. But above is the basics. let me know how it goes!