Ladies, it’s time to talk skincare! I know for some a skincare routine seems years away, complicated, and honestly a hassle. I get it we’re still in college, and most of us lead busy, ever-changing, carefree lives. But I’m here to tell you it’s NEVER too early to start taking care of your skin. And I’m here to make it easy for you.
My Skin Type
Skincare is different for everyone. Our faces have different needs depending on the its texture and oil levels. That’s why it’s super important to know your skin type to make sure your skincare regime is combatting any problem areas you may have. I have combination/oily skin which means I deal with shiny areas around my T-zone and relatively normal skin around the rest of my face. I also have a very uneven skin tone, think a much darker forehead tone compared with red undertones in my cheeks. Also, remember that our skin type changes as we age, which mine definitely has.
Morning Routine
Step 1 | Mario Badescu Glycolic Foaming Cleanser
Good skin starts with a clean slate. I start every morning by washing my face with this cleanser. I absolutely love it because it works hard to remove the overnight buildup of oils on my face. It’s a gel-like consistency which leaves you face refreshed and squeaky clean. The added benefit of this face wash is the glycolic acid. Glycolic acid removes the outermost layer of dead skin cells and leaves your complexion brighter and fresher. It is best used to treat uneven skin tones and also helps combat oiliness.
Step 2 | Caudalíe VinoPure Clear Skin Purifying Toner
Next up is one of my favorites—toner. What the hell is toner you may be wondering? Toner is used to reset the pH balance of your skin while also purifying post-cleansing. I apply a few pumps all over my face using a cotton pad. Caudalíe’s is my favorite because it smells wonderful and tightens my pores preparing them for the day!
Step 3 | Caudalíe VinoSource Moisturizing Sorbet
After the toner sets in, it’s time to moisturize. Caudalíe, as you can obviously tell, is one of my favorite skincare brands because they have such a well-crafted selection of products for any skin type. The VinoSource brings hydration back into my skin, which is extremely important. I am obsessed with this moisturizer also because of how lightweight it is. It practically melts into your skin and smells mandarin blossom. It’s also formulated to soothe skin, so it really reduces the redness in my cheeks.
Step 4 | SuperGoop Everyday Sunscreen SPF 50
This is literally THE. MOST. IMPORTANT. PART. Ladies, sunscreen is the only way to fight the dreaded future wrinkles of our old age. I never ever leave my house without putting it on. After years of trial and error, I have found a sunscreen that doesn’t make you look either white and pasty or grey and washed out. SuperGoop does a fantastic job of protecting your skin
Step 5 | NARS Radiance Primer SPF 35
On the days I feel like wearing some makeup, this next step is essential. For all my makeup lovers, this NARS primer is hands down one of the best. It leaves my skin looking glowy and radiant. Also, my makeup lasts 2x as long when I use it. The best part is that it has even more SPF. So there’s no chance in hell for wrinkles.
Evening Routine
Step 1 | Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleaning Towelettes
Absolutely never ever sleep in your makeup. This is a holy grail mantra for me. No matter how late I got home or how drunk I may be, I will never not take my make up off. The residual makeup leads to bacteria buildup and eventually breakouts. These makeup wipes are a no brainer. They are strong enough to remove 99.3% of makeup EVEN waterproof mascara!
Step 2 | Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water
I tend to wear a full face of makeup, so often times just a makeup wipe is not enough to remove all the gunk off my face. That’s where micellar water comes in. Micellar water is made up of micelles which are essentially tiny dirt/oil magnets. They pull out imperfections without drying your skin out (so much better than alcohol). I quick swipe with a cotton pad leaves me feeling so much cleaner. You can literally see all the left behind product!
Step 3 | Murad Clarifying Cleanser
In the evening, I really try to tackle any potential breakouts. I have been using this cleanser since I was 15 years old, so it is the definition of tried and true. The gel-like formula suds up and provides a very stripped clean. This product is slightly stronger as it has the active ingredient of salicylic acid. It helps also dissolves excess oil which makes it perfect for combination/oil skin.
Step 4 | Caudalíe VinoPure Clear Skin Purifying Toner
Toner time again!
Step 5 | Ole Henriksen Truth Serum
After toning, I apply 1 pump of the Truth Serum. Serums provide higher concentrations of active ingredients directly to your face after cleansing. The active ingredient in this serum is Vitamin C and Collagen, which are super powerful for anti-aging. This serum has noticeable brightened and firmed my face, which is why I am so willing to splurge on it.
Step 6 | Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream
My nighttime moisturizer is a much thicker, denser product than the Sorbet I use in the mornings. Drunk Elephant is a fabulous skincare company that is extremely innovative. This specific cream has a proprietary formula packed with signal peptides, growth factors, and amino acids. All that to say its clinically proven to reduce wrinkles, fine lines, and sun damage. It also works to boost your cell production which leads to younger looking skin. I truly believe that the radiance and clarity that my skin exudes has so much to do with this product. It’s a must try!
Step 7 | Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Crème
This last product is my holy grail product. Because I have darker skin, I am more prone to bags and dark circles under my eyes. It is my biggest insecurity. This product has genuinely changed my life. I use this every single night. It has absolutely brightened my under eyes over the course of a year. Similar to the Truth Serum, this product contains Vitamin C and Collagen which both target fine lines, dark spots, and wrinkles. I promise you guys this is a must have if you want to illuminate your under eye canvas.
Extras
Step 1 | dr. brandt Microdermabrasion
Brandt’s microdermabrasion is one of the best exfoliants on the market. I generally use this product once a week after cleansing my skin with Murad. The reason this product is so great is because it contains professional grade exfoliating crystals aka the same texture and consistency of a microdermabrasion your dermatologist would perform on your skin. This exfoliant works like a polish (because of how small the exfoliants are) and literally wipes away dead skin cells. After using this product, my skin looks smoother, brighter, and luminous.
Step 2 | Sunday Riley A+ High Dose Retinoid Serum
Post-microdermabrasion I like to hit my skin with this serum. As I said above, I only use these products once a week. The active ingredients in this serum are Retinol Ester 5% and Liposome-encapsulated retinol 1%. Retinoids are a class of Vitamin A that help with a variety of skincare problems. Vitamin A helps promote skin cell turnover and growth. It also acts as a exfoliant and helps promote anti-aging. This is super strong stuff, and I highly recommend doing your research before choosing a retinol.
I hope this helped you guys learn more about helpful products for combination/oily skin. It’s so important to remember to take care of our skin over the years especially as we age. It takes a lot of trial and error to find products that work best with everyone’s individual skin, but in the long run it work it to have radiant, healthy, glowing skin.
Vanidy Fair 