My Skincare Routine

Last week my best friend asked me about my skincare routine and if I could recommend a few good products. My response? "CAN I?! Of course I can!" If you've been reading my blog for awhile you'll know I absolutely LOVE talking about beauty products and I'm especially obsessed with skincare so this is really fun for me! Since my regime has changed since the last time I posted about it back in 2011 I thought this would be the perfect time for an update and to help out my friend at the same time ; ). I'm not gonna lie, I spend a lot of money on skincare, more than I do on clothes, shoes or bags because you can change your clothes but you can't change your face (well, technically with plastic surgery you can but you know what I mean!) And I'm in my thirties now so it's important to me that I age gracefully. It's definitely been an investment but an investment that has been worth it, especially when people say I look younger than I am! (Toot, toot.) So here's my routine:

Morning:

I don't cleanse my face in the morning since I cleanse it the night before and my skin isn't oily, it's sensitive, I just splash water on my face and pat it with a washcloth. Then I spritz on some Yon-Ka Lotion Invigorating Mist Dry Skin Toner which refreshes and hydrates the skin. Before I apply any makeup I use Vivierskin Serum 20 Antioxidant Serum with L-Ascorbic Acid USP (which I've been using since I was 25! It has the highest grade Vitamin C available which is important because as you age you lose this nutrient over time), Algenist Complete Eye Renewal Balm underneath and around my eyes and Yon-Ka Creme PS Age Defense for Dry Skin on my face and neck. In the spring/summer when I spend more time in the sun I use Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 15 which you can read about here or an actual sunblock like Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face Sunscreen in SPF 60. I also like Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer with SPF 15. You can get both of these at the drugstore.

At night: I take off my makeup with MAC wipes (not pictured) then I cleanse my skin with NeoStrata Gel Cleanser with glycolic acid which removes the outer layer of dead skin cells on the surface of the skin using my Clarisonic Mia (if you don't have one you must get one, read about it here). I wait 15 minutes and then I apply Retin-A Micro gel. ***If you are looking to prevent wrinkles, I highly recommend using Retin-A. You need a prescription for it in Canada, so I get it from my doctor. But be warned, Retin-A is extremely potent, it will dry out your skin and it'll get worse before it gets better, it took my skin months to get used to but I waited it out and I'm glad I did, it's the best anti-wrinkle cream I've found. After applying the Retin-A I wait 15 more minutes for it to sink in and then I apply Yon-Ka Phyto-Contour Eye Cream for Puffiness and Dark Circles (I've been genetically "blessed" with dark under-eye circles unfortunately) and I either use G.M. Collin A.G.E. Total Defence Antioxidants + Peptides or Coconut Oil for a nightly moisturizer. I'll use coconut oil 80% of the time. This is the cheapest product I purchase and the most moisturizing, you can get it at the grocery store, so if you're on a budget I suggest using this.

Once a week I will either use REN's Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask or this homemade manuka honey face mask (which is AMAZING!!) I also use Yon-ka's Masque No. 1 for deep hydration weekly. I used to get microdermabrasion done about every 3 months as well as facials but now it's about every 4-5 months or so. I don't get Botox yet but I am not opposed to it and will probably entertain the idea in the future. I'm not trying to prevent myself from aging, I mean you can't, everyone is going to age and get wrinkles! I just want to do it gracefully and delay it a bit if possible and it's possible if you take good care of your skin. I know I use a lot of different products, if I had to recommend only 4 products for women who are in their late twenties/thirties/forties and beyond I would suggest #1 Retin-A, #2 A vitamin C serum #3 A good moisturizer (like coconut oil) #4 Sunblock for the face.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post as much as I enjoyed writing it! If you have any questions about any of these products please leave a comment in the comment section below and I'll respond. And stay tuned for my next post where I'll share some of my other skincare tips and secrets ; ).