Daily Skincare - what are you using?

[greenchilli]

Often people ask for recommendations on a skincare routine or for specific products/combinations.  This might be a place to share your everyday skincare, both AM and PM.  A skincare "what are you wearing" as it were.  Hope this is useful.

*Age - 40

Skin type - oily/combination

Current skin condition - quite dehydrated (winter/indoor heating)*

01/17/16 - AM skincare in the order I used

1. Nude Jelly cleanser (love)

2. Pixi Glow tonic (5% glycolic toner - love)

3. Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Spritz (sample)

4. Radical Skincare Youth Infusion serum - hydrating and anti-ageing (new to me.  Testing)

5. Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream (like)

6. Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine cream (really like as an AM moisturizer)

I will try to post PM skincare tonight so the post can be comprehensive.

General comments - Okay skin.  Apparently the age between 38-42 is a transformational time in hormones (dehydrated skin/spots), so I am more aware of how my skin performs/reacts .  My skincare definitely has more "actives" now than before.

[mrsbaine]

I find it fascinating how everyone's Blue Coccoon is slightly different.i hope it works for you this time! 

[gymgirl2]

Normal, dehydrated skin. Concerns are hyperpigmentation, cheek redness, flaky skin, and nose SF.

AM

1. cold water
2. Benton Aloe BHA Skin Toner
3. Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum
4. TonyMoly Black Tea London Classic Cream

PM

1. Heimish All Clean Balm
2. Hada Labo Gokujyun Foaming Cleanser
3. Benton Aloe BHA Skin Toner
4. alternate between Paula's Choice BHA & AHA
5. Scinic Iceland Water Ampoule
6. TonyMoly Black Tea London Classic Cream

The Benton toner really helps calm my cheek redness. I think DE serum is what faded my hyperpigmentation spots, maybe w/ the help of the TonyMoly cream. Still unsure how useful the PC exfoliants are on my skin, don't feel like they're doing much (negative or positive).

[fairlywell]

@@gymgirl2 I approve of your listing cold water as your first step.  🙂  I can't help but break down your evening to pieces: looks like you have cleanses A and B, toner, acid-ish?, serum, moisture. If you have redness (assuming not rosacea) do you think it's irritation, blood flow near the surface, dryness? If it's the second, we all want that! If it's irritation or dryness you might skip the PC for a week or so and see what happens. I might attribute flaky skin to some overexfoliation and dryness as well? Your toner is probably doing a nice job keeping your pores clear.

If you are in the mood to try things for your SF, an oil mask before cleansing could be worth a try. Baste yourself in a nice skin-friendly oil, wait a bit, cleanse as usual. The idea there is that the oil mask can help soften hardened sebum. 

Last thing, I think we all have a tendency to hit all the issues at once. So we do all the things, and our faces hate it. Lately I've been thinking of my face as a hospital - what's in the emergency room, who is in triage, who has an ongoing care issue, and thumbs up to the lady getting fat moved from here to there!

[jen81]

The oil mask idea sounds intriguing, never heard of doing that. Any type of face oil in particular? 

[fairlywell]

@jen81 I think any would be fine. Jojoba is good and cheap if you don't want to use something pricey in that quantity. 

[gymgirl2]

@fairlywell Appreciate the detailed post 🙂

I'm pretty sure the cheek redness is from dryness. I think you're right that the PC products as a big part of the problem. Since cheek redness is prob last on my concern list as it's pretty mild, I kinda overlooked it in favor of the PC use.

The main reason I use a BHA is for my nose SF. Use a AHA b/c it's suppose to help hyperpigmentation. But neither of these the PC's have affected either issue, so I think you're correct about stopping them. 

My Heimish balm is an oil-based balm (use it as a makeup remover). Does that count? B/c it hasn't helped my SF, the only thing that helps seems to be physical exfoliation. 

[fairlywell]

@gymgirl2 have you ever tried this method? I understand that SF can be really stubborn. Oh, the marvels of being human!

https://fiftyshadesofsnail.com/2015/03/28/how-to-shrink-pores-temporarily-plus-3-pore-myths/

[gymgirl2]

@fairlywell Just wanted to thank you for the advice on PC and overexfoliation. I stopped them for a couple weeks, and the flakiness basically went away! Skin feels more supple as well 🙂 So thank you again!

I tried the method from Fifty Shades of Snail (luv that name lol), but it was no different than just using a clay mask. Oh well, at least I enjoy clay masks so not too much of a hardship 😛

[fairlywell]

@gymgirl2 I'm so glad you found the solution so quickly! 

[dziggi]

My skin has been alright even though my diet has been awful for the last couple of months. Now that I've finally cleaned up my diet my skin is going a bit bezerk. Or it might be the fact that I fell asleep with make up last week (gross,bad... I know). 

Anyways yesterday I had a lot of little whiteheads all over my cheeks and chin area. Used BHA at night and this morning my skin looks felt very tight and shiny. So used products that I know help my skin calm down for AM. 

[fairlywell]

@dziggi I spent way too much time inspecting your bookshelf. Either you're a Bukowski enthusiast or a lit major!

[dziggi]

Not a lit major (economics) but I've always had a love for the classics. LOL I had a Bukowski phase a couple of years ago, I remember reading all of his books over summer holiday. I'm actually itching to reread those books and see what I think of them now. @fairlywell

[mspera80]

Does anyone use the Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Facial Toner and can you review compare/contrast with Mario Badescu Rosewater?

[fairlywell]

@mspera80 neither! But I hate a question hanging for three days. Have you made a decision yet?

[Aishanki]

I like to keep my skincare very simple and short so that my skin breathes as well as repairs. I am 28 and this time of year my skin tends to be combination type. I cleanse twice a day and exfoliate 2-3 times a week followed by 1-2 times mask (Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay).

AM: 

1.FAB cleanser ;

2. Tatcha polished classic rice enzyme powder

3. DE B hydra gel with C firma serum

PM

DE Pekee Bar

Boscia eye brightening mask

FAB facial radiance pads

Trilogy rosehip oil

[mrsbaine]

I changed up my skincare slightly; since it's getting warmer out, I am scaling back on the moisture. I had a couple of really good non texture days last week- my skin was kinda fabulous! I started to change things up a bit and the texture started to come back a little. This routine is what I believe was working last week.

AM:

Cleanser: Tata Harper Refreshing Cleanser

Serum: The Ordinary 23% Vit C serum

Mist: Fresh Rosewater

Oil: Uma Oils - Clarifying Oil

Moisture: Sarah Chapman Day Moisturizer

PM:

First Cleanse: Sarah Chapman - The Ultimate Cleanse

Second Cleanse: KGD Spa Water

Chemical Exfoliate: The Ordinary 10% Lactic Acid

Essence/Mist: Missha First Treatment Essence

Serum/Oil: Uma Oils- Clarifying Oil

Moisture: May Lindstrom The Blue Cocoon.

I was using the Uma Oil when I had a breakout and it cleared it up; I kept using it for a couple of days and incorporated the Ordinary Lactic Acid and my skin was perfection for a couple days. Then I stopped using the Clarifying oil and went back to regular ones and the texture came back- even with the Lactic Acid. I still need to play around with it, but if the Clarifying Oil keeps the texture at bay, than I'll be replacing it as my only oil. (Even though I have a million and just ordered one from African Botanics to try.)

[gymgirl2]

@mrsbaine How do you like The Ordinary Vit C Serum? I heard the formula is a bit gritty(?). Do you find it high-maintenance to use?

I'm about to empty my Drunk Elephant Vit C which I liked, but been looking to try different brands.

[mrsbaine]

@gymgirl2, its gritty for sure. I can't use it daily yet I saw results quickly. I didn't like it under makeup the last time I used it. I had grit left on my face. I recently just got the liquid version that is only 12% Vit c. I am using samples right now but hope to try it this week. 

[gymgirl2]

Yayy glad you saw immediate results @mrsbaine, took about 1 month before I saw my hyperpigmentation fade w/ the DE. I think you've convinced me to give it a try. Been wanting to try their Serum Foundation and Niacinamide anyways.

Please let know how the 12% Vit C works out!

[fairlywell]

@mrsbaine I think Uma Clarifying is a great partner for acids! I've had the great skin days experience you describe with my glycolic acid things and Uma. I feel like I need an extra smidge of hydration, I've been playing around with mixing in Aurelia and Vintner's Daughter and Squalane. I'm jealous that Blue Cocoon works for you, I love everything about it except how my cheeks reacted to it. 😕

[mrsbaine]

@fairlywell, I was reading that about you and Blue Cocoon; that's a bummer. I've used it basically exclusively for a while. How is mixing Uma and other oils going? Do you mix all those oils? When you do, how many drops if Uma do you use?