2025 Skincare Check-In Challenge: LAST Week! - Don't forget hand + foot care

[TeamBIC]

Happy New Year, BIC! ✨ We’re stepping into 2025 with a crucial reminder: we must take special care of ourselves — this year and EVERY year. Some of us may already have set resolutions and/or stellar routines nailed down; regardless of where you are on your self-care journey, we could all use a few extra nudges and motivation to spend some extra time on ourselves! 🤝

Much like posts from previous years, we’ve come up with a list of weekly prompts to challenge you to strut your self-care skills. 💗 This time around we’ll be focused on all things skincare, because when our skin feels good, we feel GEWD. 🌟 We encourage you to participate and respond to the prompts that inspire you – and don’t be shy to share any other self-care tips and tricks along the way!

Week 1 (1/8 – 1/14): Curating the perfect rise and glow ☀ skincare routine to kick off your day 

Week 2 (1/15 – 1/21): Relaxing in your favorite face/eye mask(s)

Week 3 (1/22 – 1/28): Trying out tools to promote wellness (rollers, high tech tools, DIY massage . . .)

Week 4 (1/29 – 2/4): Adding some extra indulgence to your body care (baths, butters, oils, scrubs etc.) 🛀

Week 5 (2/5 – 2/11): Washing your makeup brushes, towels, pillowcases, etc. — whatever touches your GORG face 😘

Week 6 (2/12 – 2/18): Stimulating your scalp with treatments/serums (yes, this is skincare too!)

Week 7 (2/19 – 2/25): Sharing your favorite jumbo or refillable skincare goodies to get the best bang for your buck 🤑

Week 8 (2/26 – 3/4): Giving your hands and feet some extra love (masks, creams, exfoliants, etc.)

Hit the “Reply” button below and let us know how you are practicing self-skincare! 😍 Be sure to use the “#” to tag any products mentioned in your answers, if applicable.

[CorgiMommy]

Week 6 (2/12 – 2/18): Stimulating your scalp with treatments/serums (yes, this is skincare too!)

Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Coconut Oil Micro-exfoliating Scalp Scrub Shampoo great product for cleansing your scalp plus it has an interesting chocolaty mint scent.

COOLA Scalp & Hair Sunscreen & Color Protection Mist with SPF 30 a must when a hat isn't appropriate 

[Suzanne713]

@CorgiMommy  great picks!!

Love the Briogeo Charcoal Scalp Scrub!😍

[faeriegirl]

Week 5 (2/5 – 2/11): Washing your makeup brushes, towels, pillowcases, etc. — whatever touches your GORG face 😘

I try to wash my brushes once a week on Sunday. My favorite brush cleaner is the SEPHORA COLLECTION Deep-Cleaning Brush and Sponge Shampoo . I’ve always heard good things about the Cinema Secrets Makeup Brush Cleaner so I am going to try it next. I start by rinsing my brushes with micellar water and then I wash them with the SC with a silicone brush cleaning mat. I use the Slip pillowcases and sleep mask so I wash them once a week too.

[Suzanne713]

@faeriegirl  are the Slip Silk Pillowcase - King Silver  worth the money??

I've wanted them for a while!

[danielledanielle]

Kitsch makes decent ones, and you can usually catch them at 50% off @Suzanne713 

[faeriegirl]

@Suzanne713  Silk pillowcases have made a huge difference in frizz and breakage for me. The ones from Slip do seem a little sturdier than other ones I’ve tried from Amazon. I don’t think I would pay full price for one though. I would definitely wait for a sale.

[CorgiMommy]

Iove my slip eye mask @faeriegirl 

[itsfi]

Week 5 (2/5 – 2/11): Washing your makeup brushes, towels, pillowcases, etc. — whatever touches your GORG face 😘

These items are usually a little more scattered about my table at home but I brought them all in for a quick shoot. 📸

Daily / Weekly Cleaning:

With my foundation brushes, I try to do a quick daily cleanse of them after each use with a product like the Bisyodo Makeup Brush Cleansing Wipes or SEPHORA COLLECTION Mini Daily Brush Cleaner, one of which comes with me when I travel, and then a deeper, more thorough cleanse, along with the rest of my brushes about every  7-14 days, depending on what else I have going on, how lazy I am, and how many other clean brushes I can reach for. When it comes to beauty sponges, I do a full cleaning of the sponge I'm using after every use or every 2nd use.

For the weekly / every other week cleaning, I use either SEPHORA COLLECTION Deep-Cleaning Brush and Sponge Shampoo or liquid soap, like Dr. Bronner's Magic Pure Castille Liquid Soap - Baby Unscented or I repurpose a face cleanser (as a brush cleanser) that I have in my stash that is too drying for my already dry and dehydrated skin. 

Drying Brushes:

Like many here, I typically lay my brushes on a towel to dry. Sometimes, I'll reach for a brush stand, like this:

Photo credit: amazon

Once the brushes are dry, I'll either put them in the queue to be used or I'll rotate other brushes into use. I'll spritz rubbing alcohol on them before using (the spray bottle with the green silicone cover contain rubbing alcohol). I repurpose my candles and other items a few different ways, including as repositories for my brushes. I change the set up occasionally to keep it fun and interesting. Right now the black-and-cream vessel collects the brushes that need to be cleaned, with the Nest candle and the VW pencil holder earmarked for brushes ready for use. 

Towels, pillowcases, etc. 

I typically use all® free clear laundry detergent for sensitive skin. For microfiber towels I use on my face, I'll run the wash cycle twice, cold-to-warm water, normal cycle - once with the detergent and a second time without. Probably overkill, but it's what I do. For drying, air dry or delicates setting. @TeamBIC 

[Suzanne713]

@itsfi  oh I definitely need a Brush Stand like that!

I also need to be better about deep cleaning my Brushes and Beautyblenders...🫣

I use Beautyblender blendercleanser® solid Charcoal  and SEPHORA COLLECTION Daily Brush Cleaner 

[itsfi]

@Suzanne713, the brush stand comes in handy. I don't have a lot of surface space in my bathroom so the stand is helpful from a space perspective and also for drying my makeup brushes. There are different sizes and styles too depending on your preference. If you do decide to pick one up, I'd love to know how it works out for you.

[CynthieLu]

A brush drying stand, now that's genius @itsfi I have never seen that before. I'm pretty intrigued. 🙂 I usually just lay mine angled just so with the handles raised so the brush tips point down, it's effective but they can start rolling all over the place. This looks so neat and simple. 

[itsfi]

@CynthieLu, laying out brushes on a towel works well. The brush stand works well with my limited counter space. It's a nice to have, not a must have.

[peculiarzmakeup]

Such an amazing overview the brush wipes seem fantastic and the brush stand is so pretty and helpful it seems like it would be such a nice neat way to organize them to dry! I really love your take on this challenge and the product list is so helpful! @itsfi  ❤️

[itsfi]

@peculiarzmakeup, the brush wipes are very convenient when traveling ✈️ - I can keep my brushes to a small few and clean them quickly; also, wipes are not considered liquids by the TSA. 

[CorgiMommy]

@itsfi not overkill I always give my towels, sheets,  pillowcases a second rinse. 

[itsfi]

@CorgiMommy, the 2nd rinse is a 👍 for me. 

[jaaayp]

I attempt to wash my brushes weekly if not every 2 weeks and I gotta say, been procrastinating and it's going on 3 weeks.......

How do you guys dry your brushes? I find that during the summer time, it's not a big issue but during the winter.. it takes at least 2 weeks for it to dry...?

Luckily I have another "set", or two... or three, to use but i am absolutely in love with my MAKEUP BY MARIO F4 Dual-Ended Foundation and Face Brush so I keep avoiding to wash it! (Literally the only brush I use for foundation now). I'm starting to think it's just time for me to pick up another 🤭🤫

The Beautyblender Mini Blendercleanser® Solid- Charcoal Charcoal is always great and I get/have a bunch of these as part of my sample bags!

 

 

[Suzanne713]

@jaaayp  what a beautiful collection of makeup brushes!😍

I love the Beautyblender blendercleanser® solid Charcoal  that's what I use on my Brushes.

And, the SEPHORA COLLECTION Mini Daily Brush Cleaner works great for a quick cleanse!

[CynthieLu]

You've got a beautiful collection @jaaayp 

To dry mine quicker in the winter I run a dehumidifier in the room while my brushes are drying. I gently press them on clean towels to get out extra moisture and then rest them angled with the brush tip pointing down close to the dehumidifier. They don't take longer than half a day to dry.

[danielledanielle]

Seconding using a microfiber towel and a brush tree @CynthieLu @jaaayp 

[CynthieLu]

A brush tree sound very handy @danielledanielle 👌