Since I started wearing makeup more often, I began to look into and get more of an interest in skincare. I used to be super careless with my skin and do the bare minimum: slept with makeup on (eek!), “cleansed” with makeup wipes (double eek!), and so much more.
Some of the resources I’ve tapped into were some beauty influencers, namely Jackie Aina and Susan Yara from Mixed Makeup. For background, I have normal skin overall but have some sensitivity and cyclical rosacea in my cheeks. Some skincare concerns I have are dullness and texture.
Note: I am not a licensed dermatologist or esthetician, nor do I claim to be. This routine is only for when I’m wearing a full face of makeup, and feel like doing every step, not by any means my everyday routine. All opinions are my own. We may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page.Â
Double-Cleansing
Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm – $34
Since picking up a more extensive skincare routine, I’ve started double-cleansing. Let me tell you! Game changer. After only doing one cleanse for so long, and noticing how much still comes off after a first cleanse– I’ve started recommending all of my friends start a double cleanse. If you’re new to double-cleansing, it’s recommended you use a cleansing balm or oil for the first-cleanse and a gel cleanser for your second.
I started using Farmacy after a friend’s recommendation. I started with this cleansing balm and have enjoyed it. It melts all my makeup down and doesn’t leave my skin feeling stripped of any moisture.Â
Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel – $62
For my second cleanse, I use Dermalogica’s Special Cleansing Gel. It’s a super gentle cleanser that does a good job of getting in all the nooks and crannies of your pores to clean them out.
Exfoliating
Tatcha The Rice Polish Foaming Enzyme Powder – $65
As soon as I started getting more into skincare, I noticed that the days of physical exfoliants (I’m looking at you, St. Ive’s Apricot Scrub) were long gone. I’ve entirely ditched all physical exfoliants except for this one because it’s so finely-milled that it gets the job done without risking any damage to your face.
I usually tap out about a nickel-sized amount of powder into my hand, then mix with a little bit of water and apply it to my face in circular motions. I do this until I feel like my face is nicely foamed up and exfoliated. After washing, I can notice a difference in texture.
REN Clean Skincare Ready Steady Glow Toner – $38
I’ve found myself reaching for this more and more, instead of the Tatcha one just because it’s a lot faster. Apply to a cotton round and swipe across your face.Â
Treatments
Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum – $48
I started using the Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Serum at the recommendation of a Sephora employee, and I’ve never looked back. During the winter months on the east coast, I found that I would have dry patches across my face, no matter how much moisturizer I was using. (I ended up also ditching the moisturizer I was using before switching to this product.)
There’s been a lot of chatter about hyaluronic acids lately and how studies are finding they negatively react on the skin and pull moisture from within the body, rather than the environment. Because of this, a lot of skincare gurus and estheticians are recommending you go for hyaluronates– which have a much smaller molecule than hyaluronic acid. You’ll find a mixture of Vitamin B5 and sodium hyaluronates in this serum, which will help replenish your skin and improve texture.Â
Drunk Elephant A-Passioni™ Retinol Cream – $74
Again, this was recommended by a Sephora employee when my skin was in dire need of help. I was having a crazy rosacea flare-up and asked her to recommend some products for me to try out. After using Drunk Elephant’s A-Passioni Retinol Cream 2-3x a week interchangeably with my vitamin c serum for about a week and a half, I noticed a massive difference in the overall texture and tone of my skin.Â
Note: If you’re new to using retinol, do not use every day. Give your skin time to adjust to the product, and add frequency after a couple of weeks of use. Don’t use both retinol and vitamin c on the same day! Both ingredients are way too potent for your skin and can cause sensitivity and potentially burns.
Beauty Stat Universal C Skin Refiner – $80
If you’re exploring different products to add to your skincare routine, check out our article on our favorite vitamin c serums! This one didn’t make the list because I hadn’t been using it long enough to be able to speak to it yet, but I’ve really been enjoying my experience so far.Â
The Beauty Stat Universal C Skin Refiner has a higher L-ascorbic acid content (20% versus 10-15%) than other serums I’ve used and love how it leaves my face feeling. Something that always bothered me about a lot of other vitamin c serums I’ve tried was that they left my face looking borderline greasy. But Beauty Stat’s does the complete opposite: it leaves your face feeling matte and even sinks into fine lines to kind of act like a primer.
I use this interchangeably with the Drunk Elephant retinol.Â
Moisturizer
Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Cream – $58
This is another product that I’d learned about from Susan Yara. It’s a rich moisturizer that replenishes your skin without leaving your skin looking greasy. It has squalane, which is not only hydrating but also has anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties. I love how this leaves my face feeling after use and feel it serves as a good base for before my makeup too.
Biossance Squalane + Tea Tree Balancing Oil – $49
When I’m feeling I need an extra boost of hydration, I’ll reach for this oil instead of the repair cream.Â