Every face is unique, not only in style but in "personality".
If your current skin care routine isn't working for you, I recommend researching products before you purchase.
I like to browse total beauty and youtube for reviews.
My skin type is sensitive, dry, with some redness and occasional breakouts.
My reviews and tips are based on my personal experience.
Tips for changing up your routine:
1- Any skin care changes should be given a 14 day trial period. The first 7 days your skin is going to be like "WTF is this?" and might give you a breakout here and there. The second week your skin should relax and you'll see the results of whatever you're testing on your skin.
2- If you experience burning or itching, stop using the product. The skin is allergic or the product is too harsh for your skin.
3- Only introduce ONE new item to your skin at a time. As in don't change your cleanser, moisturizer or foundation in the same week.
4- Use sunscreen! Tinted moisturizers with a built in SPF are the beauty departments gift to us, take advantage! Less sun damage, less wrinkles!
In the a.m. I literally just splash my face with water, I see no reason to use a cleanser to start the day. Since eliminating a morning cleanser my skin is less flaky and red. This works great for my skin type. If your skin is oily in the morning use a gentle cleanser.
-Water
Drink more water, flush toxins out and hydrate your skin from within. If you drink alcohol regularly, kick back a few extra glasses of water in between drinks. Being dehydrated is so bad for your skin!
-Yes To Carrots Moisturizer spf15
I find that chemical sunscreens irritate my face, make me itch and cause breakouts. (I use chemical sunscreens every where else no problem)
Physical sunscreens, like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide work better for me. This moisturizer is kind of thick and creamy which is great for my dry skin. It absorbs quickly and is great under makeup. If you have oily skin I recommend Burt's Bees Radiance day lotion with SPF 15, it is lighter and absorbs even faster.
-Boot's Tinted Moisturizer
I use this as my makeup on top of the Yes to carrots, because this is super lightweight. The color is great and smoothes out my complexion wonderfully without looking like a heavy foundation. It is the best tinted moisturizer I've across. Perfect for a spring/summer routine. Feather light and long lasting.
-Lush Baby Face
Ok this was a strange concept/texture to get used to at first. (Also it reminds me of princess mononoke, in a bad way.) The cleanser feels like you're putting butter or crisco on your face. I found that using a washcloth was too harsh for my skin, so I rinse several times using my hands to wipe away the cleanser. If I have heavy foundation and/or primer on I will use a cotton square to wipe away the cleanser/makeup. This stuff is amazing. My skin always felt stripped and raw after using a soap based cleanser and traditional eye makeup removers irritate my eyes. Baby face thoroughly and gently removes all makeup and grime, even waterproof makeup washes off with ease!
-Homemade Exfoliator
You can find tons of skin care recipes online. I find store bought exfoliators are a bit harsh on my skin. This recipe for a simple sugar scrub is great for dry and sensitive skin. Exfoliate the skin only once a week, daily scrubs can scrape away new skin and cause irritation.
-Face Towelettes
We all break the golden rule: {Don't fall asleep in your makeup} The next best thing you can do is keep makeup remover wipes at your bedside. Even if you are barely awake, you can take a few minutes to wipe away the makeup before dozing off completely. Keeping these in my side table has prevented many skin rebellions. I currently use the these.
-Jojoba Oil
Jojoba oil, from what I read is great for all skin types. I've used it for 6 months now and I've had great results. Although at first I broke out with it. I use it as apart of my p.m. routine. My skin is less oily and retains moisture better. Just a few drops is enough for my entire face.
Jojoba oil also works as a makeup remover.
I purchased mine at whole foods.
-Burt's Bees Repair Serum
I use a tiny bit of this on top of the jojoba oil at night. I love it! It makes my skin look rejuvenated. I've had no issues using this product.
Kind of pricy for the vile, but a little goes a long way! I have some creases in my forehead from too much eyebrow raising, this helps smooth the lines out a bit.
-Spot Treatment
For the occasional pimple or breakout, I currently use a generic spot treatment with benzoyl peroxide. Instead of going at your face with abrasive chemical cleansers, just use a spot treatment on the problem area. It is much gentler and effective. I do experience dryness and flaking, so I only use it until the blemish gives up. There are natural alternatives out there for spot treatments (like tea tree oil) I haven't tried any yet.
The best thing you can do is find (and stick to!) the unique balance for your skin. Research, research, research. That way you are an empowered consumer.
Buying things blindly leads to more breakouts and waste.
