My Morning & Night Skincare Routine
I’ve said it once, and I will say it again: self-care is king. However, self-care can mean something different to everyone. One aspect of self-care that is important to me is my beauty routine. Even the anxious need a break from talking about their anxiety, so today we are diving into beauty. Beauty products and regimens are a part of my self-care routine. Self-care makes me feel good, feeling good helps my anxiety. See? It’s relevant after all! I love investing and trying new beauty products, it’s a little luxury that I indulge in.
My Morning & Night Skincare Routine
I went to Europe for the first time late last year – yeah, yeah I know, I’m very late to the European travels game. Life is good as hell over there. In Paris, for example, locals eat baguettes, croissants, and drink wine on the daily and they look ah-mazing. I was introduced to French Pharmacy products while I was there – a fancy Walgreens on crack. I basically blacked out, fought the crowds, and threw as many beauty products into my basket that I could while throwing elbows if I needed to. Thinking I dropped as much as I just did on a handbag, the total was next to nothing for all these amazing French beauty products. Some people get their adrenaline flowing from a big race, mine comes from fighting crowds in a Parisian pharmacy to get a bargain on good beauty products. Everyone has their strengths.
While I’ve been on my cleaner beauty mission, I’ve also started to add Beautycounter products into my routine as well. They are a certified B corporation (which, apparently is difficult to achieve) meaning they must have the utmost standard of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. They ban over 1,500 potentially harmful ingredients (most of which are banned in Europe, btw) to make their skincare and makeup safer.
In the event you too are interested in beauty products as a part of your self-care routine, I thought I’d share my current regimen that makes me oh so happy. Not all of it is deemed natural, clean beauty, but I’ve stopped using my Covergirl mascara so I think it’s at least a step in the right direction.
My Morning Skincare Routine
1. Bioderma Sensibo Foaming Facial Cleansing Gel
I use this product in step one of my morning routine to cleanse my post-snooze face in the shower. My skin tends to run on the dry side, and I like that this cleanser doesn’t strip away any oils keeping your face from feeling overly dry after using it. I also get really annoyed when after I cleanse, I still have eye makeup remnants dripping down my face making me look like a crazy person. This product does a really good job of removing eye makeup, which not all cleansers do. I prefer it all in one step. This is a French brand that is reasonably priced at $14 and accessible in the US.
2. Biologique Recherche Lotion P50V
Another French brand, friends! I couldn’t pronounce this correctly if I tried (and I’ve tried). This isn’t a lotion as the name says, it’s a chemical exfoliating toner that balances the PH of the skin. I use this in the morning after I cleanse my skin. This product smells like shit and can burn like hell, which I love because that means it’s working! It comes in many different versions, but I like the P50V because it’s gentler and without phenol (which is a really harsh chemical that is now banned in Europe). I scar very easily – curling irons, accidentally scratching myself, acne, skin removals – and I swear this smooths any imperfections on my face. I’ve actually started to use it on scars outside of my face. It’s available at one place only online in the US – Rescue Spa.
3. Beautycounter No. 1 Brightening Facial Oil
I’ve been using a Vitamin C serum on my face for years. I’ve started to replace it with this oil – which also includes a small amount of Vitamin C – in my routine. This product has seven natural oils meant to awaken and brighten the skin. It smells like citrus too, which studies show is a natural mood booster. I’ve been really happy with the results and the way it saturates into my skin. I’d call this a more affordable Vintner’s Daughter, but even Vintner’s Daughter didn’t saturate into my skin like this does.
4. Clinique All About Eyes Serum
I love this eye serum. I personally battle dark circles and crazy puffiness (seriously, one glass of wine the night before and my face is double the size). This product has a cooling effect and rollerball that helps massage the eye and de-puff at the same time. It also has caffeine to help your eyes wake the hell up. I don’t find that many eye products blow me away, but this one works really well for me.
5. Beautycounter Dew Skin Moisturizer
Glowy, dewy skin…so hot right now. I am obsessed with this product. It has a slight tint to it, but it’s mostly a sheer lightweight coverage for your face before your makeup routine. It has SPF20 in it, and I do not mess around with SPF. This doesn’t leave your skin feeling oily, but does give your skin a nice glowy base to start your routine.
6. LipSmart Ultra Hydrating Lip Treatment
Alright, this is a splurge for little tube of lip balm, but whoa is it amazing. My facialist introduced me to this and as someone with chronic dry lips, especially in the harsh winter, and I am blown away at how amazing this product is. Their formula has natural water attracting components and ingredients to keep your lips moisturized for a longer period of time. I put on one swipe of this every morning and it lasts for hours. I only use it one or two times a day (it’s all I need!) so the tube lasts me forever.
My Nighttime Skincare Routine
1. Bioderma Sensibo Foaming Facial Cleansing Gel
2. Filorga Dual-Action Exfoliating Scrub
The French are back! I use this in my beauty routine two to three times a week when I feel like I need a good exfoliating scrub. Once you massage this into your face, it bubbles up and you kind of look like Santa Clause, and I dig it. What’s happening is that the mask is re-oxygenating the skin to create a smoother, brighter appearance. My skin looks and feels so great afterwards.
3. Bioderma Sensibo H20 Microcellular Cleansing Water
At night, I double cleanse my face to make sure all makeup and pollution from the day is the hell off my face. It never fails, whenever I’m done using this, the cotton ball is still full of makeup. This makes my skin feel extra clean, bright, and not overly dry with it’s gentle components.
4. PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum
I should also include the disclaimer here that my facialist is French. Clearly, I’m obsessed. Anything she tells me I need, I believe. Including this serum. I tend to run on the dryer side, but hyaluronic acid for any skin type is going to help plump up the skin and reduce the look of fine lines and skin fatigue.
5. Biojouvance (Vegetal) Placenta + Serum
This is made from plants, don’t freak out! However, placenta is known to majorly help with anti-aging and cell turnover.
Oh, my beloved A313. This product isn’t particularly easy to find, they even hide it behind the counter at the French Pharmacy. I have yet to get on board with retinol. It’s too harsh for my skin and I’m constantly peeling from it. Retin-A is even harsher, and you need a prescription to get it. A313 is a gentler version of Retin-A and does the same thing – promotes skin cell turnover. I can use this several times a week without any sort of reaction, but make sure to wear sunscreen when using this product (or any retinol!) because you can sunburn a lot easier. I also tell my eyebrow waxer that I use it so she uses a gentler form of wax. Don’t F around with it!
7. *OR* Beautycounter Overnight Resurfacing Peel
It’s important to note that I do not use this with any other acids or serums. This has 15 botanically derived acids in itself. It burns for a second when you put it on, but it’s safe enough to sleep in. I use this 3 times a week and when I wake up, my skin is silky smooth and brighter. I’m kind of obsessed with the results.
8. Bioelements Crucial Moisturizer
I fricken love this moisturizer. It’s extremely hydrating, and somehow still lightweight at the same time. Usually stronger, hydrating creams are thick and can cause breakouts. Not this one! Plus it smells amazing.
This is the most effective eye cream I’ve ever used. Like I mentioned, I seriously struggle with dark circles, lines and puffiness. I have actually seen a difference in under eye brightness and fine lines after using this eye treatment. It has crushed pearls in it used to brighten the under eye. Who knew it’d work so well!
Last but certainly not least, this is a must to wake up with hydrated soft lips. I received a sample from Sephora and have been hooked ever since. They use their own trademarked Moisture Wrapping Technology, and whoever invented it, thank you.
Phew - 6 steps in the morning, 10 at night, damn I’m high maintenance! Maybe I should just move to France.