I get a lot of questions about how I keep my skin looking its best. While #blackdontcrack has SOME truth to it, it’s not an excuse to neglect my skin! I think it is important to have a good nightly skincare routine that is easy but effective.
I believe that the most important thing is consistency. Without it, you will not see the results you want! It’s like anything else in life: Exercise, relationships, work life, eating habits and time with God…Consistency is the key to seeing change in any area of your life. Allow for 30 days minimum, and 8 weeks optimally, to really judge whether a product is working for you.
My nightly routine is fairly simple- it’s all about cleansing, exfoliation, and moisturizing. Keep it low maintenance and you’ll be able to stick to it! Of course, there are other things that I do on a weekly basis like manual exfoliation and masks, but for this post I am going to focus on what you should be doing nightly.
First, let’s talk about cleansing. Cleanse your skin at night without fail. I mean, if you have to pick between morning and night, pick night! That’s because during the day, your skin picks up dirt, oils, and free radicals. Not to mention, makeup is sitting in your pores and you’ve got to get that out before you go to bed. Also, night time is when your body regenerates itself, and that includes skin. You want to clear the way for your skin to do its job, plus allow it to absorb products that will boost your skin’s natural ability to heal and replenish itself.
One of my favorite cleansers is The Pharmacy Green Clean Cleansing Balm. You guys, this stuff is amazing! It removes everything, even waterproof makeup, and it leaves the skin feeling perfectly clean without dryness. It starts like a wax, and as you massage it into dry skin, it turns into a hydrating cleansing oil. Keep massaging until the makeup melts off. Then add water to turn it into a silky, non greasy milk. Massage once more, then rinse. SOOO CLEAN!!!
Before we move on, a friendly PSA: Put your products everywhere! Face, neck, chest, the BACK of your neck, on and behind your ears! It hurts my feelings when I see a perfect face but discolored chest, wrinkles behind the ears and a sagging neck! This can be avoided by slathering all of your skincare products everywhere!
PSA: PUT YOUR PRODUCTS EVERYWHERE!
Next, I like to use face oil. Oils are plumping, firming, hydrating, and give your skin a beautiful glow.
Two of my favorites are the Colleen Rothschild Face Oil Number 9, and the La Mer Renewal Oil. The La Mer oil contains Miracle Broth, a ferment that is anti inflammatory. You shake it up, and smooth about 4-5 drops into your skin. I like to use an oil at night because I use retinol and it helps to buffer and protect the skin from some of the side effects of retinol.
Retinols are some of the most effective anti aging treatments out there. They rapidly exfoliate, revealing even, smooth skin, plus they cause your skin to produce collagen and elastin. If you have Microblading, stay away from your eyebrows when you use any exfoliating products in order to have a lasting brow.
I like the ROC night retinol, Dr. Obaji 1.0 Retinol, or one from a dermatologist. I use .1% Retin-A Tretinoin. If you are not used to using retinol, start with an application every couple of nights and slowly build up to using it nightly. Let it absorb, then follow with a rich moisturizer.
I have always loved the La Mer original Moisturizing Cream because I can use it as a moisturizer AND an eye cream. I like it as an eye cream because it is the only product that healed the symptoms of my eczema around my eyes. Lately, though, I have also been trying Restore by Dr. Rogers. It is a heavy duty ointment that also doubles as an eye cream. Both products are great for healing redness, dryness and promoting healing after procedures like micro needling, microdermabrasion, and peels. La Mer contains the Miracle Broth for added anti aging and anti inflammatory benefits. After your retinol, simply use a small amount of either product and press it into the skin, including the eye area.
For blemishes, I like to spot treat with a combination of Tea Tree Oil, and Copaiba. Tea tree is antibacterial, and the Copaiba is a powerful anti inflammatory, which brings down redness and irritation in acne breakouts. It will also heal up your skin if you happened to get a little handsy with your zits!
Finally, I sleep with a layer of La Mer Lip Balm on my lips to keep them hydrated throughout the night. This balm is so healing- it will fix even the driest of lips! I always say it is the gateway drug into La Mer…once you see how amazing the lip balm is, you can’t help but try some of the other most loved La Mer products!
I hope this helps you to narrow down what you need for a good night time ritual- Let me know your favorites, or ask me any questions in the comments! Be sure to subscribe to stay up to date!
(As an Amazon affiliate, I may receive a fee when you purchase using some of the links above. As always, I only recommend products that I truly believe in.)
