I have been on a skincare journey from the time I was twelve years old. For years, I have had oily, acne prone skin. I suffered from pre-teenage acne turned adult acne. By my mid-twenties, I feared I would never be rid of it. I tried everything from a basic skincare routine to oral medication and topical prescription cream.
By my late twenties, I finally found a routine that worked for my skin! With the help of my dermatologist and esthetician, I have found a mix of prescribed oral and topical medications, facials every two months and the below skincare routine to have completely transformed my skin.
My daily routine is admittedly involved but after years of having terrible cystic acne, textured skin and acne scars, it is worth the investment!
Morning Routine
Cleanser – I start everyday by washing my face with Tula’s The Cult Classic Purifying Face Cleanser. I have been using this for a few years and always keep at least one backup bottle so I never go without.
Toner – Thayer’s Witch Hazel is my go-to toner. I douse a cotton pad with this to apply. I find using it after the cleanser is refreshing and allows my skin to better absorb my pricey vitamin C.
Vitamin C – I use Skinceuticals C E Feurlic every morning. It is an investment but it has great reviews and quality ingredients. To apply, I put four to five drops on my fingers, run my hands together and gently press the product onto my face, neck and chest.
Serum – I swear by Lancôme Génifique serum. This is one product that I noticed a visible difference in my skin after a week or so of use. I rave about this product to anyone who will listen. I have introduced my mom and friends to this serum and they now use it daily as well.
Eye Cream – I go between Origins Ginzing Vitamin C & Niacinamide Eye Cream to Brighten and Depuff and Ole Henriksen Banana Bright + Eye Cream. I am currently using the Origins eye cream but am a big fan of both and have back stock of both.
Moisturizer / SPF – EltaMD has been my staple SPF moisturizer for at least two years now. It contains zinc but does not leave a white cast and absorbs quickly. I will not leave the house without putting on my EltaMD UV Daily or Elta MD UV Clear on my face, neck and chest.
SPF – If I’m looking for additional sun protection, I add on La Roche- Posay Anthelios Clear Skin Dry Touch Face Sunscreen SPF 60. Beyond the higher SPF, it absorbs oil and reduces shine. My makeup lays beautifully on it!
If I’m looking for more of a glow from my sunscreen, I use Supergoop’s Glow Screen. It leave such a stunning, lightly tined glow. It’s ideal for days you don’t want to wear makeup or plan to wear light makeup because it gives you an effortless glow with minimal effort.
Nighttime Routine
At night, I am going for the full glazed donut look. I want to ensure my face is clean and the anti-aging, anti-acne and hydrating products are locked in.
Makeup Eraser – Whenever I wear mascara, which is almost daily, I start my nighttime routine with my Makeup Eraser. I get a corner of it wet with hot water and use that to take off my mascara and eye makeup.
Precleanse – Once my eye makeup is removed, I apply Dermalogica’s Precleanse to my dry face, gently massaging it in and then dampening my hands with warm water and continuing to massage it in before wiping my face with a damp face cloth. I have been using this Precleanse for close to a decade. I don’t go a night without using, whether or not I’m wearing makeup. It makes my skin feel so clean!
Cleanser – I use Tula’s The Cult Classic Purifying Face Cleanser at night as well. It removes any remaining makeup I may have missed with the Precleanse to ensure my skin is ready to absorb the products that follow.
Scrub – Once or twice a week, I use Tula’s So Polished scrub. My skin is so smooth after using this!
Toner – Thayer’s Witch Hazel is a staple in my nighttime routine as well.
The next step I do depends on the day.
Retinol – I use a prescription retinol every other night to help keep acne away as well as helping improve acne scars. It has the added benefit of helping fight wrinkles and fine lines.
Peel Pads – Once or twice a week, I use Dr. Dennis Gross Peel Pads . These are another product where I notice a visible difference in my skin. My pores look smaller and my skin overall just looks better the after using these.
Solawave Wand + Solawave serum – A few nights a week, I use the raved about Solawave wand with the Solawave activating serum. It’s good for fine lines and wrinkles. With blue tansy, the serum also helps keep breakouts at bay. Some nights, I use other skincare devices that I will have share in an upcoming post.
Back to the products I use every night!
Serum – I also use the Lancôme Génifique serum every night. This is a must-have product for me. I even keep a small sized bottle in my travel bag to make sure I never miss a day with this serum.
Eye cream – I tend to switch up my eye cream but am currently using Lancôme’s eye cream and like it.
Moisturizer – At night, I use IT Cosmetic’s Confidence In A Gel Lotion. I find this moisturizer to be a good weight for my oily, acne-prone skin while still providing ample hydration.
Oil – I press Tarte’s Maracuja Oil into my skin after applying moisturizer to lock everything in overnight. Even though my skin is oily, I like this oil to lock in the hydration overnight.
Lip Treatment – The Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask is the final step of my skincare routine every night. I always keep extras on hand because I don’t want to run out and they also make great gifts.
