Night Skin Routine

At first glance all of these products may seem entirely overwhelming, however the good news is that each steps only takes a few seconds and my entire nightly skin routine can be completed in about 7 minutes. I find that taking good care of your skin not only makes it look better, but makes you feel better. When my skin looks good naturally (no make-up, heavy self tanners or acne) I feel much more confident and also feel that people are paying attention to what I am saying rather than what is on my face. By no means to do I have perfect skin, rather I have found the products that make my skin look and feel its healthiest. My skin is dry/extremely dry (in the winter and sometimes in the summer if I'm not well hydrated) and it is sensitive, meaning that it can get irritated easily if I am too experimental with what I put on it. I rarely break out unless I am really stressed, but I do have to deal with large pores on and around my nose and some drier patches around my mouth. These are the products and the routine that I have found works for me. You will notice that the majority of my products are from the drugstore. I do think that some skin care products are worth splurging on, but I have found that the mild formula, fragrance free, hypoallergenic products that I can find at the drugstore work just as well on my skin and allow me to save my money for more expensive items. 

xo,

BC

Step 1: Remove all make up. This step is by far the most important. If you are bad about washing your face and feel like you have only time for one of these steps, do this one! I use a cotton pad and the Ponds Cold Cream to remove all of my eye make up. The cold cream is the best product I have found that will remove water proof mascara and liner without irritating my eyes. I rarely wear foundation because I find it looks too heavy on my skin, so to clean off any blush, bronzer, etc from my face I take another cotton pad, douse it with Boots Expert Sensitive Skin Gentle Refreshing Toner. This toner has a slight cooling effect without burning the skin like some toners with high levels of alcohol sometimes do. 

Step 2: Exfoliate. This is a step that I do not do every night. One night a week I take the Say Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Facial Mask and apply a liberal amount all over my skin. I let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it has dried and begins to crack if I move my facial muscles. Then I take a wash cloth and soak it with warm water and lay it over my face to allow the steam to gently lift the mask an de-clog my pores. Because this is such an intensive mask I suggest only doing it once a week. For a more regular exfoliation, I use the Up & Up Apricot Face Scrub (it is identical to the St. Ives apricot scrub but significantly cheaper). This scrub helps to remove any dead skin or dry patches that may be irritating the face. 

 Step 3: Cleanse. Cleansing the skin is something I do every single night, even if I haven't worn make up that day. The gentle Clinique Extra Mild Liquid Facial Soap helps to remove any oils from the day and leaves my skin feeling refreshed and soothed after a long day. I use the Clarisonic Mia on the days that I don't exfoliate. I find that if I use them both on the same day my skin gets too raw and irritated. On the days I do exfoliate I cleanse my face with just the mild soap and a warm-wet wash cloth.

 Step 4: Moisturize. Since I have dry skin I find that moisturizing is critical to having good skin. I use the Ponds Dry Skin Cream every night before I go to bed, applying a liberal amount all over my face and neck. Moisturizing will not only combat dry skin but it also helps to fight against wrinkles and loss of firmness. This particular skin cream is very heavy so if you have oily skin I do not recommend it. On nights that I feel my skin needs an extra boost I spray on Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rose Water. This spray has a calming affect and my skin seems to drink up the aloe for moisture and the rose water leaves my skin with a natural and healthy glow.