My Daily Skincare Routine \ Morning + Night

Hi hi! It’s been awhile since I’ve discussed skincare, and today I’m going to share my current step-by-step routine. From morning to my nightly “skin cycling” thanks to the Dermatologist, Dr. Whitney Bowe – more about this below!

As many of y’all know, I’m a huge skin practitioner. I love to try new products/techniques/procedures and TRUST, that I take my time in doing so. I’m here to share all of the goods I’m loving and WHY! Remember, everyone’s skin is different and these are what I’ve found work for me.

Essentially my beauty philosophy is, it starts with the SKIN, keep it simple and use “clean” products when you can. I’m aware the term “clean” is different for everyone. Being mindful of what I’m putting on my face/body is something I became much more aware of when I became pregnant. 4+ years later I’ve tried a lot of good and bad products. Again, it takes time to figure out what works for you!

If you’ve seen me on Instagram or pictured here on my blog, you know I’m ALL about a glow, which = hydration. That means the dewier the better. I not only prefer that look but I also live in a VERY dry climate. For example, when I lived in California, where it is much more humid, I didn’t need to use as many hydrating products. When approaching skincare, I think about my own physical makeup (oily, dry, combo, ance prone, etc.), the climate I live in and the types of products I want to use (i.e. clean). This has helped me find the right things for me.

Below is a collage of my morning and night products as well as details about each.

Morning Routine

I keep it simple in the morning. Typically I do not wash my face unless I’ve worked out prior to getting ready. I always start with vitamin C followed by a moisturizer, eye cream, spf and a tint. Let’s get into the details…

1. Vitamin C – I’ve tried numerous vitamin C products and have found I like Dr. Dennis Gross the best. It is important that the bottle is dark and is a pump, so the product does not get exposed to light. If it does, the product will be compromised/not work. So fun fact, the packing is VERY important! Vitamin C is great for brightening and evening out skin tone (my major issue). It is packed full of antioxidants so it helps protect the skin from environmental damage. This is why it should be part of your morning routine. I don’t go a day without using it!

2. Moisturizer – If you’re going to wear makeup, hydration is a must. It starts with skincare! Don’t skip this step. I’ve found an awesome moisturizer that is great for acne prone skin (like mine) as well as sits nice under makeup – no flaking.

3. Eye Cream – We can’t forget about those sensitive under eyes. Again, if you’re going to wear makeup/concealer, eye cream is a GREAT idea. I’ve used Bobbi Brown’s Hydrating Cream for years and love it. Make sure to dab the cream under your eye area.

4. SPF – This is probably THE most important step in my opinion. We gotta protect the skin y’all! I found this mineral based face sunscreen about a year ago. I’m literally obsessed with the consistency, hydrating glow and how well it wears under makeup. 10 out of 10!! If I’m outside more than usual, I’ll apply it a few times a day. Face, neck, chest and hands!! If you get anything I recommend, this is it!

5. Tint – Lastly I apply a moisturizing tint. Do y’all see the theme… HYDRATION lol 🙂 This product from Saie is wonderful at evening out my skin tone – light coverage. Another added bonus is it has SPF in it too! Can’t go wrong with some extra protection. I regularly wear this instead of foundation. You can easily layer on makeup for more coverage. I wear the color: “Three + Half”.

Night Routine

I’ve found nighttime is the best time to do the most “work” for your skin. As I mentioned above, I’ve started to skin cycle. This mean I exfoliate and use retinol on different nights followed by two rest nights. I found I was over exfoliating my face and breaking down it’s natural barrier. Essentially it’s a 4 day cycle, using an exfoliator on the first night (step 3), retinol on the second night (step 3) and neither on the third and fourth evening (skipping step 3). Dr. Whitney Bowe explains it here. I also listened to her on this podcast: The Blonde Files – The Gut, Mind & Skin Connection. Details about the products I’m using below…

1. Face Wash – Always start with washing off products from the day. Keep it gentle. I love this foaming oil from Skinfix.

2. Micellar Water (2nd wash) – To ensure I get everything off of my face, I do another “wash” using micellar water on cotton pads. This is something I started to incorporate in my routine years ago and it has really helped alleviate my acne. Highly recommend!

3. Exfoliation OR Retinol (depends on the night) – As I mentioned above step 3 is either an acid exfoliation or retinol for day one and two of the four day cycle. Both of these products are wonderful! I use the Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment as my exfoliator. It instantly brightens my face! It’s a bit pricey but worth every penny. Remember, you’re not using it every night when skin cycling, so it lasts a long time! For my retinol I use another Dr. Dennis Gross product (big fan). I can FINALLY use a retinol (vitamin A) product now that I’m not pregnant and/or breastfeeding. Remember a little goes a long way!

4. Face Oil – Next step is hydration. You can use a moisturizer/cream for this step, like the one from my morning routine, however I LOVE to use an oil at night. It’s a heavier product and prefer to lather it on in the evening. I like a bunch of oil products but I’m currently loving MARA.

5. Under Eye Serum – Shocking another Dr. Dennis Gross product! Love this serum for the night. An added bonus is that it can be used on your LIDS as well as the under eye area. Yes, you read that right. It’s one of the only products I’ve come across. It’s such a sensitive area and one of the first to “go” – AKA, sag. Ya, I’ll be using this! It can be applied every night.

6. Lip Mask – Let’s not forget about the lippies. Since living in a very DRY climate, I always take the time to care for my lips too. I LOVE the Laneige mask and apply it every night before bed. So does Luke 😉 My favorite kind is vanilla.