Beauty Essentials
I
wish I was one of those ladies who have a flawless, perfect complexion... but alas I am not one of the lucky ones. I am fortunate to not deal with massive breakouts, but the occasional pimple, dry skin and some evenness have left something to be desired. Plus I tend to have really sensitive skin. Like REALLY sensitive. You will always know when I've started a new renovation because I will usually have some form of reaction to whatever is going on around me.
Instead of covering up any of the issues I have with makeup I prefer to spend my efforts and money on managing it so there isn't much to cover. Plus face poweders seem to only irritate me more, so it's key to make the best of my own skin.
Bioderma was an impulse purchase last year and it is one of those things I will never be without again. It is basically the most effective yet gentle makeup remover I've ever tried. I actually stopped wearing some eye makeup in the past because just using makeup remover would irritate my eyes to no end. But this is so gentle you can actually even swip it on and not rinse if off if you are in a pinch. It is a lifesaver for mascara wearers!
I have sang the praises of Dr. Haushka cleansers in the past and I still adore them, but locally my cleanser is out of stock about 80% of the time. So the last time I ran out I decided to try a new product and discovered this Korres cleanser. I had never thought to try this brand but I have found it to be super soothing and gentle but also really effective.
This is where my routine gets into the nitty gritty. I discovered Indeed Laboratories's Retinol Reface a little while ago and I am amazing by the results after a few weeks of use. My skin is softer, is more even and has a smoother texture. I did find it was very potent so I only use a light amount before bed. For the price this is the best value I've seen in a home treatment!
My day treatment is again by Indeed Laboratories and it is their Hydraluron serum. I use it around my eye area and a little on my forehead. It is one of those products that you have to use for about a week to build up results but I have been very pleasantly surprised at how effective it is! I am only recently 30, but any fine lines I had around my eyes have disappeared. It is not moisturizing so if you have dry skin you still need some hydration with a moisturizer but I don't think I will ever be without this product again.
This is probably the single most expensive item in my routine but it is the most important. I am religious about wearing sunscreen and finding a day cream that has it without causing a ton of irritation has taken years. I will usually be fine for a day or two and then notice my eyes stinging and getting red, I have no idea if it is the fragrance or ingredients but it is a near guarantee it will happen. So when the girls at Murale told me to try this Bobbi Brown primer and bring it back if that happened I decided to make the splurge. A year later I am using daily with no issues and my makeup seems to go on beautifully as well. This is what they call a win-win my friends (except for my wallet of course...). I use a handful of Bobbi Brown make up items and have always been pleased so I'm not surprised this is just as great of a product.
Looking through the list it seems like I spend a lot of time and money applying stuff to my face, huh? But I think my skin looks and feels better today than it did 3 or 4 years ago.
What are your beauty staples/routine?