Updated Morning Skincare Routine – February 2017

I like to change up my skincare routine pretty often to suit my skin’s needs. I’ve found my skin changes every so often, especially because here in SoCal we’ve had some really varied weather lately. We’ll have days where it’s sunny and low 70s and then the next day be cold and pouring rain. What the hell? I adapt. Here is what has been working for me lately. You’ll see a lot of “or this”, because I don’t use the same things every day.

WAKEY WAKEY…LET’S DO THIS!

I start my morning cleansing with either Murad Essential-C Cleanser* or Foaming Pumpkin Cleanser* by Alana Mitchell. Both cleansers smell amazing (Murad smells like citrus, and the pumpkin cleanser smells like a pumpkin spice latte even though it has no added fragrance, which is incredible), which really helps me wake up. Both cleansers are formulated to brighten and even out the complexion, though they have very different ingredients. They’re both gentle and pleasant to use. In the mornings I often use my Foreo Luna* cleansing device. I have the version for normal to sensitive skin, which provides very gentle sonic cleansing. To be quite honest, I have been slacking on the Luna lately. But that’s just pure laziness. ;)

Depending on if I’ve done my cleansing in the shower that morning (I sometimes shower at night vs. in the morning), I may opt for an extra step. When I shower, my skin gets really sensitive to the heat and sometimes ends up looking red and blotchy. If this is the case, I give myself a good dousing with Mario Badescu’s Aloe Rosewater facial spray*. It calms my skin right down and smells so elegant. The facial spray has a chance to soak in and do its magic while I brush my teeth and towel off, etc. so by the time I’m ready to do the rest of my skincare I’m looking much less blotchy. Pro Tip: That facial spray is also FANTASTIC if you have a sunburn on an area that is otherwise prohibitive to treat, like your scalp.

Next up, toner. I have raved previously about the Pixi Glow Tonic, which is an extremely gentle (but potent at 5%) glycolic toner jam packed full of other delicious ingredients like aloe and ginseng. Since I’m very fair, I love anything that is formulated for evening out my skin tone. I feel like every little mark or blemish is that much more noticeable when you’re casper white like me.

After my acid toning step comes serum. I jumped on the Drunk Elephant bandwagon and splurged on their C-Firma vitamin C serum, and you know what? I am not in love with it. I know vitamin C serums aren’t supposed to smell good, but guys it smells baaaaaad. Like really bad. I’m doing my best to work through it, but it’s the type of product that you only need to use every few days. On the days I’m not using the C-Firma, I’ve been really enjoying the It Cosmetics Bye Bye Lines serum*. I turned 30 last August and gosh darnit those smile lines actually starting to bug me, so it’s time to do something about them. I’ve been using the It Cosmetics serum for about a month as a preventative measure. So far, so good. It’s very hydrating and seems to plump the area up at least.

Sometime around this time is when I put on my eye cream. I have a few that I love, but lately I’ve been really liking the It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye* eye cream. This claims to smooth, brighten, and depuff. It definitely hydrates and depuffs my eye area. I have been using it about a month and have barely made a dent in it because a little goes a long way. As far as brightening goes, I don’t have a ton of darkness around my eyes so I haven’t noticed a big difference or anything at this point. But I do know the cream doesn’t break me out or anything, and it seems good so far.

At this point it’s time to get my moisturizer on so I can start the fun part (makeup!!!!). I’ve been working from a deluxe sample of Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation Perfecting Moisturizer lately, and really liking it. It’s a pretty expensive product, so I am glad to have a sample to try. So far I like it a lot. It sinks in quickly and I’ve noticed slightly less redness. Other moisturizers I’ve used in the morning and enjoyed recently are the Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet, Proactiv Green Tea Moisturizer*, and Garnier SkinActive Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream (for Dry Skin).

Once the moisturizer sinks in it’s time to paint my face and gooooo! :)

Note: Products marked with * were sent for promotional consideration. I was under no obligation to mention these products, but I happen to quite like them! 

The Best Drugstore Skin Care Products

Welcome to cheap thrills – drugstore edition! While I’m an advocate of splurging whenever you can on skin care – because you DO get what you pay for when it comes to skin care, that doesn’t mean nothing in the drugstore is worth trying. Au contraire! There are also quite a few inexpensive gems to be found there.

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#1 – Fruit of the Earth 100% Pure Aloe Vera Gel

I ALWAYS have this on hand. Aloe is a soothing, cooling moisturizer that won’t upset your skin. It’s great for those of you who are prone to redness as well. My only caution is keep it away from your eyes. It tends to make my eyes sting/water if I get it anywhere near my eyes at all. Available in a mini size bottle for $1 at most drugstores.

#2 – Freeman Face Masks & Scrubs

Hi, jr high called, and said to remind you THAT CHEAPASS DRUGSTORE MASK WAS THE SHIT! And you know what, they still make it! And tons more! Freeman masks are the TRUTH. I haven’t met one yet that I didn’t love! The cucumber peel-off mask is delightfully gross (if you are the kind of person that enjoys peeling dried elmers glue off of yourself, you’ll love this…), and have you even imagined anything more decadent than a chocolate strawberry detox mask? These suckers are available at Ulta, drugstores, and online (for the whole huge selection, go there!) at freemanbeauty.com from $1.99 to $3.99 each.

acnestresscontrol

#3 – Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Line

There are 6 products in Neutrogena’s Acne Stress Control line and they’re all pretty fan-effing-tastic. They’re formulated with salicylic acid (chemical exfoliant and known acne zapper) as well as soothing cucumber. Zaps zits effectively, and cheaply. If you have dry skin you’ll want to either use lots of extra moisturizer, or only use this every other day. Each product in the line is $6-$7 at drugstores.

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#4 – Epielle Facial Cleansing Tissues

These face wipes are the bomb dot com. They come in several varieties in addition to the “original” cleansing wipe, including Aloe, Cucumber, Citrus, and Green Tea! Green Tea are my personal favorite, but they’re all amazing. Not sure where to find these? Big Lots is a sure bet. A pack of 24-30 will run you a whopping dollar.

#5 – Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream

Duh, this product made my favorites! And I gave it a good review! So you know it’s going on my best of drugstore skin care list. Lazy person version of my review: it’s surprisingly great, more gel than cream, and is as refreshing as advertised! It’s about $8 or $9 at the drug store.

blueberryserum

#6 – Yes To Blueberries Age Refresh Intensive Skin Repair Serum

Lest you think you can’t get skin care that goes beyond basic cleansing at the drugstore – voila! Yes To Blueberries has this nifty little serum for a mere $20. This serum is chock full of antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and more goodness to help prevent signs of aging. It also smells good, so if you’re not into the science-y part of skin care, there’s that.

There are countless other products I could get into from the drugstore that are equally fab if not moreso than their high end counterparts. Have you tried any of the six products I mentioned above? Which are your fav cheap thrills in skin care?

April Favorites

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Sure it’s a week in to May already, but I’m telling you my April favorites dammit. And you’re gonna like it. Maybe. Or something?

Not a ton of color things this month because I’ve been all about skin care recently! As you may or may not have read, I’m obsessed with Urban Decay’s B6 Spray (see my review here). That’s definitely been a favorite. I use it every single day before I apply my makeup, and sometimes in between as a little boost, or afterwards to calm my skin down even more. ($33, Urban Decay)

I’ve also been really enjoying the Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream. I still feel weird calling it a cream, because it’s totally not. But it’s still a great moisturizer even if you have sensitive skin like mine. I like the refreshing scent too. It’s very “spa” to me. In case you missed it, my review is here(~$10, Drugstores)

If you’re in the market for a fan-friggin-tastic spot treatment, do check out Murad’s Acne Spot Treatment. The active ingredient is sulphur, which I find way more effective than salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. It’s also much more gentle on my skin than spot treatments made with those ingredients. It works beautifully, even though it smells kinda funky. A little goes a long way, so the tube will last you a while. Just keep in mind the expiration date (usually about a year is par for the course for these types of products). ($17, Ulta)

Two other secret weapons I’ve been relying on for the past month are Proactiv’s Refining Mask and Origins’ Clear Improvement charcoal mask. I’ve been tag-teaming my skin with these two masks to try and keep my pores as clear as possible. Both masks also make my skin soft and smooth. The charcoal mask from Origins is better for dry skin, gently removing impurities from pores. The ProActiv mask has an active ingredient of 6% sulphur and contains kaolin clay to absorb oil. (Origins Clear Improvement mask is $24 from Sephora, Proactiv Refining Mask is available from proactiv.com and Proactiv boutique kiosques).

I’ve been using and enjoying Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Beauty Balm, too! It functions as a primer with a bit of coverage too. It’s weird, even though it only gives you a little coverage, the “optical blurring” effects truly make it look like you have more coverage than you actually do. Does that make sense? I don’t know. But it’s pretty magical. See my full review here($34, Urban Decay) Whether I’m just wearing the UD BB cream or doing a full face, I have been setting my makeup with Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder. The first time I felt this powder I literally said “holy shit” out loud. It’s sooooo silky smooth. Just a little bitty bit is needed to set your makeup and give it a smooth finish. ($34, Urban Decay)

Color-wise, my Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey has been a constant staple in my purse. How many favorites posts have I mentioned it in?? I wear it a few times a week. I can’t stress enough how much I love this lip. Mine doesn’t even have any lettering on the pencil anymore because I’ve used it so many times the lettering has worn off! These are so comfortable to wear, and the colors last forever. The particular shade Honey goes with a ton of different looks. If you like colors like MAC’s Viva Glam V, you should definitely check this chubby pencil out. You won’t be sorry. Plus, it’s super cheap. ($8, Drugstores)

A few days ago, I finished up my second Senna Sketch-a-Brow pencil. I’m sad because it’s gone, but happy because it happened. Does that sound like an InstaQuote? I’ve tried a lot of brow pencils that I like and enjoy, but I’ve never used up two of any one kind except Senna’s. On the one hand, I want to go out and buy more immediately. On the other, I’m hesitant because I apparently go through brow pencils super fast. I mean I just bought that thing the first week of March! It’s hard to decide. Bloggers have such weird problems. ;) ($18, Senna Cosmetics)

After finishing my last tube of my beloved Maybelline The Rocket mascara, I received a sample of Rimmel ScandalEyes Retro Glam to try. Great news – I really like this mascara! It agrees with my eyes well (certain mascaras irritate the crap out of my eyes). It’s buildable, it’s really black, it doesn’t clump. Every once and a while if it’s really hot conditions it will smudge slightly, but it’s over all really solid. I would definitely purchase it again sometime. ($7, Drugstores)

And there you go! Those were my favorites during the month of April. What were you loving on in April?

Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Creme Review

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I was holding off on this review because I was expecting some other of the newer Garnier skin care products in the mail and was going to review them all together, but I don’t know what happened to them – they seem to have vanished! So perhaps I will review the scrub and the cleansing oil some other time. For now, I have a review of the Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream for Normal/Combo skin.

I don’t even know where to begin with my skin right now. Previously, “normal” for me was dry, but clear skin. Now it’s still normal-to-dry, but breaking out like crazy. It’s still not severe acne by any means, or probably not even moderate depending on who you ask, but going from not even really having clogged pores to having 3-4 deep under the skin zits and a handful of smaller surface pimples = PANIC at my disco. I know it was caused by a combination of hormones and a great deal of stress. This past weekend I moved house, which as you know is insanity no matter what. Anyway. Moisturizer.

I was intrigued by the idea of a “gel-creme”. It sounded like some new exotic thing. The reality is this is a gel. Not even a thick gel actually. It’s pretty darn liquidy in texture. I was kind of skeptical about it being able to moisturize well when I felt the texture. I was pleasantly surprised though. It does a decent job! A little bit goes a long way, because it’s so liquid (it spreads over your face quite easily). For me, it absorbs very quickly and leaves my skin feeling moisturized and refreshed, but not in any way greasy.

It does have a scent! The fragrance is floral-fruity and pleasant, typical of most Garnier products – if you’ve ever used any, you know this smell. I happen to love it. You may not. If you’re sensitive to fragrances, save your receipt! It dissipates though and I think it adds to the refreshment I feel when I use it.

There is also a dry skin formula that is allegedly a ‘dupe’ for Clinique Moisture Surge. I would like to try that sometime as I’ve tried samples of Clinique’s and I liked it. Also I do anticipate that once I get the hormones and the stress in check my skin will probably go back to being more dry as usual, so it’ll be good to know if I can make a switch. ;)

The price runs about $8.50 for a 1.7 oz jar, available at most drugstores. I believe I got mine from Target!

Garnier Skin Renew Awakening Face Massager

Garnier was awesome enough to donate a bunch of the Skin Renew face massagers for my giveaway, and since I wasn’t familiar with the product I wanted to try it out and let you guys know how I feel about it. I wouldn’t want to give something away if I knew you guys would hate it! ;)

Anyway, this little baby is pretty cool. If you can get past the fact that the packaging makes it look kinda like a sex toy, (cmon, it DOES) you have a really nice product on your hands. It’s a light moisturizer with caffeine and fruit extracts in it that will awaken and refresh your face. The moisturizer is dispensed with a rollerball applicator so that when you massage your face, it applies the lotion (to its skin…bwahaha, sorry. -ahem-).

I had some concerns before trying it. First, would the rollerball effectively distribute the product? The answer is yes, it does! And it feels pretty nice doing it too. I like to really take my time on my forehead & temples. Pretty relaxing. I was also concerned if the lotion would be a good formula for my skin. Since that’s probably what most of you are wondering about, I will tell you about it. It’s lightweight and non-greasy with a pleasant fruity scent as all Garnier skincare has. It feels both hydrating and refreshing on my face in the morning, and relaxing and soothing at night. If you need deep hydration you will probably want to follow with an additional moisturizer. My skin leads more towards oily so I can skip it and just use this if I want to.

One important thing to note…the applicator is not meant to work the lotion in to absorb. It applies it to your skin. After you finish your massage, rub the lotion in with your hands. It just takes a few seconds because this absorbs quickly. I take any excess and massage it on my neck in an upward motion.

Overall my opinion of it is that it’s a nice product and I like it! I am glad I got the chance to try it because I probably wouldn’t have tried it out otherwise. It seemed kind of gimmicky to me, but it actually works!

Have you tried this? What do you think?