Look at me being productive and writing another post within a decent amount of time! Yay, a gold star for me! I hope that you all have had a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year! I spent Christmas here in Austin this year with my family and we enjoyed all the festivities. Today’s post is going to be dedicated to my skin care routine. I often get many compliments on my clear complexion, so I thought I would share my routine in case you are interested in how I keep my skin maintained.

By no means do I think that any of these product are miracles “cure-alls” to unruly skin, however I do believe you have to put work into your skincare to get the desired results. I was blessed to have a good complexion in the first place, but I do believe it is important to treat your skin well. In addition to a good diet, lots of water, and essential vitamins, using the combination of the right products goes a long way for targeting a multitude of different issues. This post is not sponsored, meaning these are the actual products I have discovered, tried, and liked without any outside bias on my opinions.

Morning Routine

I am one of those people who wake up with minutes to spare, so I need something quick, easy, and effective. This morning routine takes on a couple of minutes and leaves my skin feeling fresh and ready to take on the day.

1. Every morning I make sure to start  by washing my face to ensure I have a clean “palette” for my morning routine. I started using a foaming cleanser from The Face Shop as recommended by my best friend about a month back and I am definitely enjoying how light it feels. Its formulation (enriched with rice water and vitamins A, B, E, and ceramide to hydrate skin) is perfect for my sensitive skin and the scent is not overwhelmingly strong. I use circular motions to remove any impurities and thoroughly rinse my face afterwards. ($14.00, The Face Shop)
2. Once my face is dry, I use just one drop of Hyaluronic Acid 2% (hydration support) on my nose and chin only and rub it in. I had previously used it on my entire face, but it seems to be too strong for my sensitive skin around my eyes and forehead, so I stopped using it on my entire face and now only add it once a day to those specific areas. ($6.80, Ulta)
3. After adding the Hyaluronic Acid, I add a couple drops of a peptide serum called “The Buffet” (an anti-aging and hydrating serum) and cover my whole face and neck with the serum. ($14.80, Ulta)
4. The last step to my short morning routine before applying my makeup is adding my sunscreen moisturizer. This sunscreen doesn’t have an obnoxious scent and is non-greasy. It’s formulation is actually like using a moisturizer instead of a sunscreen, which I love. I am not a fan of sunscreens, so it takes the right product for me to use one! ($14.99, Amazon)

Evening Routine

My evening routine is a bit more complicated than my morning one given the fact that I usually have more time and have to wash my makeup off for bedtime. However, it is not too bad and I always enjoy smooth skin!

1. To start the process off, I again use my rice brightening cleanser to start washing off my makeup. I usually do this process in the bathtub or shower as I find it more convenient. Word of caution, if you do purchase this cleanser, make sure not to get any in your eyes, ever. It’s like pure jalapeno juice being squirted in your delicate eyes. ($14.00, The Face Shop)
2. After rinsing, I do a second wash with my essential oil cleanser. I love the smell of this product (it’s rose) and I feel like it is a necessary step in removing any built up dirt, sweat, and make-up from the day. I previously used this entire skin care line, but it became too costly, so I limited it to one of my favorite products. Not only does this product remove impurities, but it also balances my skin’s natural oil production! ($31.50, Kari Gran)
3. After drying my face thoroughly, I use Thayer’s Witch Hazel Lemon Astringent to soothe and cleanse my face. I love that this product is all natural and works on the most stubborn of makeup and the scent makes my skin feel energized and refreshed. ($10.95, Ulta)
4. To be absolutely certain all my makeup is removed, I also use micellar 3 in 1 makeup removing wipes. These wipes are perfect for sensitive skin and made with repurposed cotton; they have 99.5% natural ingredients, so you can feel good about what’s going on your face. ($4.99, Target)
5. Now that my face is makeup free and cleansed, it’s time to progress to the next steps. I use two different serums at night to leave my face feeling hydrated and young. I start with Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% which is formulated to brighten skin and reduce signs of aging with the help of its ingredient, vitamin C. ($12.90, Ulta)
6. My second go-to serum is Retinol 0.5% in Squalene by The Ordinary. This water-free solution is one of my favorites to use as it leaves my skin feeling hydrated and fresh. It is formulated to provide anti-aging and refines skin texture. The best part of using the ordinary is that you are paying a low price for the ingredients alone and not all the “extra” added fragrances and products that other skincare lines love to charge the wazoo out of. ($5.80, Ulta)
7. My skincare routine is nearly complete! To finish off, I added a moisturizer and vitamin C crystals right before I call it a night! I use The Ordinary’s natural moisturizing factors + HA moisturizer and mix in Comedix Pure C Vitamin C mixing crystals. This combination helps even skin tone, reduce pigmentation, aids in anti-aging, improve elasticity, and leaves my skin feeling hydrated. (Moisturizer – $7.70, Ulta, Mixing Crystals – $32.40, Amazon)

This completes my skin care routine! I love trying out new products and am always open to suggestions in improving my routine. So far I have loved the results from my current routine. My skin issues usually include dry skin and black heads. I try to include a clay mask or face mask and deep cleansing blackhead strips at least once every week or two. I don’t have a preferred brand when it comes to face masks, but I am a fan of Pacifica products and use the clay mask to target dirt build up in pores. As for my blackhead strips, I use Bioré’s deep cleansing nose and face strips to target blackheads on my nose and chin! These strips are designed to bond to only blackheads and not the skin, so it doesn’t rip off skin cells! (Clay Mask – $5.99, Target, Blackhead Strips – $7.99, Target)

I hope you enjoyed a little snap shot of daily my products and feel free to leave a suggestion on what else I should try below!

Happy New Year!

Xoxo,

Cass