First, everyone do me a favor and hide your wallets. And please remember that beauty routines and skincare are like diets —what works for one person isn’t going to be the next person’s holy grail.

Second, this post will just be covering my basic skincare routine for face and neck. I don’t want people falling asleep on their smartphones by my getting too involved here.

Some quick notes:

- As life moves forward, seasons change, and stressors shift from low to high and back again, so will your skincare needs.

- Don’t jump ship so quickly if you think something isn’t panning out for you. Cell turn over is a real thing, and you can’t truly gauge the success of a product without giving it a MINIMUM of 27 days. I’d argue longer because many products out there have a cumulative effect to really see how powerful they are.

- Do some math. If you are flying through shitty, sub-par product, why not just do a bit of math to see if the pricer product is actually the better value? I am not stating it will always be “cheaper,” but I am saying that in many cases it’s just a better way to go.

- Please don’t be quick to judge when you see how much I chose to invest in my product. For me when it comes down to buying a coffee or dropping some cash on skincare, I will always pick skincare. I can not wrap my brain around paying $4 hot beverage but not investing in a good moisturizer or face mask. If after buying skincare I have a few extra bucks, I’ll see you in line at the coffee shop.

But just for shits and giggles, let’s look at this real quick — If I go to Starbucks 4x a week at $4 a pop, that’s $16. Four weeks in a month roughly puts you at 64 bucks. And I can tell you my $100-200 moisturizer, depending what’s in my current lineup, lasts me 5 months using it 2-3 times a day. So that coffee, which is arguably doing nothing beneficial for my body is costing more than my skincare.

I would never tell anyone where to invest their own money, but I would suggest to anyone who will listen to sit down and make a list of priority’s so that you’re clear on where you do want to see your money go. I do this quarterly most times. When I don’t, I always seem to spend out of my comfort zone.

Okay, enough small talk. Let’s get to the meaty stuff.

AM Routine: I have workout day skincare and non-workout day skin care. On workout days I don’t wash my face before I leave the house. I quickly swipe my face with a cotton pad saturated with micellar water and slap on a moisturizer — The end.

I had an epiphany a few weeks ago that went like this — “Wait, why do I keep putting on my pricy moisturizer only to wash it off in an hour or two. I am a dumb-dumb.” So now I am working through the few moisturizers, oils, serums, etc. that I liked but didn’t like enough to keep using before my workouts.

Non-workout or post-workout days look like this — I wash with an oil-based cleanser. I find that my skin is more balanced, less oily, more plump and hydrated looking. My go-to is OneLoveOrganics’ Vitamin B Enzyme Cleansing Oil. It’s dreamy. I’ve used it for years.

https://shop.oneloveorganics.com/products/vitamin-b-cleansing-oil-makeup-remover

I recently bought Pure-E.O. Free Oil Cleanser which is a collab between Kristan Holey (holistic skincare guru) and Marie Veronique. I do like it… a lot…. but man, the smell is such a turn-off. I mean, brace yourself. I won’t be repurchasing it unless, by the end of the bottle, I am seeing some pretty magical stuff happen or I get used to the scent.

https://www.marieveronique.com/products/pure-e-o-free-oil-cleanser

I follow this up with the Balance HypoTonic by the same brand. It is a beta-glucan + d-panthenol which basically means it increases the skin’s ability to protect itself. It also quickens skin recovery and is a strong anti-irritating and anti-inflammatory agent.

It can’t replace my Biologique Recherche P50 lotion (which is a liquid, not a lotion regardless of the name) so I probably won’t be rebuying but will be finishing because it is super nice. Let me quickly say these two products don’t do the same thing, but I am just not up for using 2 toners in my routine right now.

(*Moms, if you are breastfeeding, you shouldn’t order the Original 1970s version of this. It is reported to be even more effective and brilliant but contains phenol, so it’s a no-go until the babe is weened. I’ve not yet tried the original, so I can’t speak to it.)

https://www.marieveronique.com/collections/all/products/balancing-hypotonic

https://shoprescuespa.com/biologique-recherche-p50.html

Next, moisturizer. I used to try all the serums and tonics and oils to treat my sun damage, do the anti-aging thing, and help with my hydration issues, but I’ve simplified. I’d rather invest in a key pieces that addresses all my skin needs. I am now 6-months into using the most expensive skincare item I’ve ever purchased, Augustinus Bader’s The Rich Cream, and I think I am in love.

From the site, “Augustinus Bader's Precise Personalised Cosmetics, with TFC8®, bring an innovative approach to skincare. Supporting the body's innate renewal processes, they help to visibly reduce the signs of aging and damage caused by environmental stressors, and leave skin looking restored, regenerated and glowing with health.”

I didn’t really notice the change in my skin until recently. But it really hit me as I was editing photos for the blog. I was struck by the difference in my skins tone and texture from a few months past to today. I have had the microneedling done, but nothing else has really changed since starting The Rich Cream.

https://augustinusbader.com

And here is a beautifully shot, 8-min documentary on the product that is worth a watch if only for some great skin information:

https://augustinusbader.com/en/thecreamthatworks/

Finally, eye cream. As of November, I’ve been giving Obaji’s ELASTIderm Eye Cream a go. Before that, I was loyal to Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Eye Rescue.

I can’t say I have seen a big difference, I am going to stick with it because the reviews on this stuff are pretty rad, but if it’s a wash, I’ll go back to CT due to the price difference.

https://www.dermstore.com/product_ELASTIderm+Eye+Cream_9346.htm?keyword=elastiderm%20eye%20cream

https://www.charlottetilbury.com/us/magic-eye-rescue-eye-cream.html

I repeat this routine in the PM but will add Retin-A after the toner. If you don’t use Retin-A and you are a living person with a face, please consider putting it in your regimen. This is why:

- It increases cell turnover of skin

- It stimulates collagen production

- It thickens the skin

- It reverses photodamage (sun spots, etc.)

- It decreases depth/reduce the appearance of wrinkles

- It brightens and smooths skin

Retin A must be used for many, many weeks to experience real results and shouldn’t be discontinued unless you want to see everything you tried so hard to get rid of return.

Consult a dermatologist, cosmetic nurse practitioner, or plastic surgeon for dosage, and how to best ease yourself into a regular schedule without looking scary for a while. Most offices have various strengths on hand. If they don’t, a prescription can be written for you.

And with all of the above, please remember that your neck needs love too. Wash it, tone it, give it the same respect that you provide to your face. You don’t want to end up with a neck that looks 10 years older than your face.

And that’s it. I do have a few extras that I’ll share concerning masks for different occasions, home beauty tools, and some fun tricks, but as I said before, I’ll save those for a future post.

If you have any questions, I am here to answer as best I can. Just leave a comment below. As far as brands or products I didn’t mention, if it is ‘greener and cleaner,’ there is a good chance I’ve used it. Hit me up.

p.s. For anyone thinking “Holy moly! Is she in the bathroom for half the morning with this routine? Do her kids not get breakfast?”

The first answer is No — I can guarantee you that I get ready quicker than the majority of the male population, and the skincare portion takes less time than brushing and flossing my teeth.

As for the second question — Somedays.

Hehehe… I’m playing.

xxoo

Other go-to purchasing sites:

Day 6: My Beauty Routine