Hands down, if I could only have one beauty product in my arsenal (ok, maybe two cause I have dry –combination skin and need moisturzier), it’d have to be the 1. Kiehls Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily cleanser. I ran out of it two weeks ago and my face has been a teenager’s nightmare, breakouts and all. It’s not just the change in product (I know that you’re supposed to wait up to six weeks to see how your skin adjusts), but my face loooves that stuff.
When you have exceptional skin, I believe you can go sans make up and feel really confident. Cosmetics lay nicer, your skin has a natural glow and suppleness and people notice a difference. I love a “good skin day” almost more than a good hair one. So how do you keep on top of your epidermis when it’s the first thing people see?
Most dermatologists and skin care specialists agree that you need to cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize (with a product containing SPF). The slight variations are how often some may need to exfoliate and with what. I should probably add an alpha hydroxy serum to my regimen but here are some of my basics.
A.M. – Wake yourself and don’t strip your natural oils by simply splashing lukewarm water (cold, if you can handle it!) on your face. If you usually wash your face in the morning, you don’t have to unless you have oily skin. Keep reading and you’ll see why later…
The product you want to be most effective, you put on first. If you have blemish issues like yours truly, dot on an acne cream like 2. Neutrogena On-the-Spot Treatment. I use a nice make up primer by The Body Shop. 3. Vitamin C Skin Boost gives my skin a smooth feel and I dot it in areas that need extra defense and antioxidants (like around my mouth and eyes where it’s sensitive to damage). Lastly, I rub in a good SPF coverage face lotion. Look for something like 5. Olay’s Complete SPF 30 Daily Defense for a non-greasy moisturizer.
Voila! You’re prepped and ready to get made up.
P.M. – In the evening, your face has accumulated all the dirt and pollution from the outdoors. Whether you shower at night and wash your face or get ready to go in the morning, it’s integral that you wash your face at bedtime. Otherwise, you’re clogging your pores with pollutants, even if you don’t wear make-up.
I take a pea-sized amount of the Kiehls cleanser and add a little water. I work it on my fingertips and rub all over my face for one minute (if I’m not too tired and rushing, that is). I rinse with warm water and blot my face dry with a towel – rubbing is too harsh!
Recently, I got samples of 4. Natura Bisse Diamond Cream and there’s no way I can bring myself to pay the $225 per container but I’ve been squeezing the life out of sample packets. This stuff is magic. It soaks in, makes my skin visibly more supple, dewy, and without feeling greasy. And it smells of lavender. Simply amazing. I guess that because most drugstore and even department store brands are filled with fillers and even lye (!!), that don’t chemically benefit your skin. But Natura Bisse products penetrate through two layers of the epidermis and have all active ingredients that chemically react to your skin. I don’t know exactly what happens but something’s happening, believe me. I’ll be very sad when I’m out of this stuff. If necessary, I dot on more acne spot treatment and it’s off to bed with a headband (so oil and dirt from my hair don’t lay on my face all night).
Every person’s skin and situation is different so this is only a suggestion. A lot of people benefit from mid-day use of blotting papers or sprays of Evian too. It’s totally up to you to find what you like and need. I hope you find it because there’s nothing more luminous or head turning than great skin!
What are your skin care tips and secrets? xo
