Is it vain to be thinking about my FACE during a worldwide pandemic? You may think so. The way I look at it, other people are taking time to binge watch Tiger King, so let’s not judge either side! I think it’s okay for me to use the extra anxious time we all feel during this time to watch self care videos for my face on YouTube. You do you!
I am turning 42 next month and I don’t have a very good facial care routine. My face is starting to show it’s age and I figured I would start testing out some products and committing myself to a new routine.
Here’s what I have tried so far and what I am liking.
Morning:
I am beginning the morning with a glass of water then a cup of coffee. While I am either answering emails or writing in my gratitude journal, I use the Ice Roller. It wakes me up and reduces swelling in the face. It feels SO GOOD! Some days when I am super puffy, I will use the Jade Roller instead.
After we do the breakfast routine, I wash my face with black charcoal soap or the Magic Gel to Mask cleanser by the Honest Company. I didn’t find the Magic gel to be anything magical so I think when it runs out, I will stick to the charcoal soap.
When I wash my face, either in the morning or the evening, I follow up with some toner. I only do this once a day. I like both toners that I own and I think one was given to me as a gift, otherwise I wouldn’t own two! The third toner option is 3 parts water and 1 part apple cider vinegar out in a dispenser bottle normally used for nail polish remover. It’s awesome! The apple cider vinegar has a bunch of positive benefits for the skin, be sure to check those details out below.
After washing my face, I use a daily lotion with SPF from Trader Joe’s (I’ve used another one from Burt’s Bees but after it runs out, I won’t buy it again) Here’s the key to my morning lotion, I add a few drops of Rose Oil from Trader Joe’s LINK and mix with my lotion. I normally have dry skin, but not anymore!
Evening:
There are nights when I am lazy and can barely brush my teeth (if you are reading this and you are a parent, you probably know exactly what I am talking about). For those nights, I use a makeup remover wipe from Trader Joes. I love the clean ingredients list. Other nights, I wash off my makeup with the Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Oil cleanser.
Now comes the fun part. I have a few gimmicks that I have been using before or after I put my nighttime lotion on. I can’t’ be positive they work like they are supposed to (check out the benefits list below) but they feel good and they make me feel relaxed. These tools are the Derma Roller, Glam Wand and Face Vacuum. Again, you can check out the benefits list below, I will say I can feel a difference in the tightness of my skins after using the vacuum for a few weeks. Maybe it’s all in my head, but for $30 I will take it!
Last is my nighttime lotion. Like my morning routine, I add a few drops of oil in the palm of my hand before mixing it with my lotion. The oil I use at night is Jojobo oil with essential oil drops of Frankincense. This oil gets mixed with either my Tula 24-7 Night/Day Cream or Tatcha Silk Cream. I have never spent so much money on face lotion before but there are so many reviews and I found a deal which took the cost from $120 for JUST the cream to $133 for the same size cream PLUS a neck cream.
On weekends or days when I have more time, I will occasionally use a mask. The Aztec Clay mask feels so good but for those with dry skin, I wouldn’t recommend it for more than once every few weeks.
Hyaluronic Acid for the face is something else I use on occasion before putting on my morning or evening cream. It is known to help boost collagen in the skin to reduce wrinkles. I also have something called The Ordinary Caffeine Solution which helps reduce the puffiness in your eyes. It really has caffeine in it so don’t use it at nighttime!
- I recommend purchasing your Trader Joe products at TJ’s, not online. They are MUCH more cost effective!
Special Products
Loreal Revitalift 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid
Benefits: Intensive hydrating 1.5 percent Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum moisturizes skin instantly for visibly plumped skin and reduced wrinkles to reveal visibly glowing skin and an even complexion. Skin feels smoother and tightened.
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution
Benefits: Independent studies have shown that topical use of each of caffeine and EGCG can help reduce looks of puffiness and of dark circles in the eye contour.
Masks
Blue Flame Purification Mask
Astara
Benefits:
– Deeply extracts and purifies pores while nourishing and strengthening skin
– Fortified with tea tree oil and botanical detoxifying, antibacterial, and healing agents
Prime & Perfect Mask with Superfruits & Shea Butter
Honest Beauty
Benefits: This moisturizing mask, infused with antioxidants, leaves skin primed & perfectly prepped
– Black currant extract helps to revive stressed and tired skin so skin looks and feels healthier
– Vitamin E helps to nourish and replenish skin
The Aztec Clay Mask
Benefits: Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay is a deep pore cleansing facial, hair and body mask
– 100% Natural Calcium Bentonite Clay that’s great for facials, body wraps, clay baths, foot soaks, chilled clay knee packs, hair masks, insect bites & more
Lotions
Enrich with SPF 15
Trader Joes
Firming Day Lotion with SPF 30
Burt’s Bees
24-7 Moisture Day & Night Cream
Tula Skincare
Benefits:
EVERYDAY HYDRATION – This whipped moisturizer delivers deep hydration to help revive dull, tired skin. Formulated to be light enough for day and under makeup yet deeply hydrates at night.
PROBIOTICS & SUPERFOODS – This nourishing cream, full of naturally derived probiotics and superfoods, reveals an even, glowing, youthful-looking complexion.
The below two were bought for an amazing deal on QVC-both for $133 versus
The Silk Cream Face $120
Ageless Neck Cream $110
TATCHA Silk Cream Face & Ageless Neck 2-Piece Set
Benefits:
IMPARTS A YOUTHFUL RADIANCE: Beneath the silk, our Hadasei-3 complex, a trinity of anti-aging Japanese superfoods, restores a healthy-looking glow.
GIVES THE LOOK OF FIRMER SKIN: New Akoya Pearl extract helps to protect skin from the yellowing or browning that comes with age for more supple skin.
Toners
Facial Mist with Witch Hazel
Thayers
Benefits: Witch Hazel: proprietary extract contains 195% more tannins than competitors, tightens pores, controls acne and oil production, reduces redness and inflammation
Rose Water Facial Toner
Trader Joes
Homemade Toner 3 parts water, 1 part Apple Cider Vinegar
Pump for above toner
Cleansers
Cucumber & Citrus Face & Body Wipes
Trader Joes
Magic Gel-to-Milk Beauty Cleanser
Honest Beauty
Face Wash with Tea Tree Oil
Trader Joe’s
Charcoal Soap
Benefits: made from palm and plantain peel ash and contains a combination of various oils which have been used in Africa for centuries to balance oily skin
Tools
Ice Roller
Benefits:
– After getting up, massage before makeup to eliminate facial dropsy
– Massage during mask caring to shrink pores and calm skin
– Prevent wrinkles and improve dry skin Massage eye socket and temples to relieve fatigue
– Calm skin and reduce burns of skin after sun exposure.
– Alleviate neck and facial redness and fever for menopausal females.
Glam Wand (currently unavailable)
Benefits:
– YOUNGER, HEALTHIER SKIN: activate your blood circulation and balance your dermal energy to detoxify and tighten your skin, preventing wrinkles and slimming your contours.
– FACE UPLIFITING AND FIRMING: tighten and energize your skin with the anti-aging galvanic effect of Germanium’s negative ions.
Jade Roller
Benefits: a facial skin massager roller for face, body, eyes, neck will cool, tighten, relax.
Face Vacuum (similar Amazon one as the below is out of stock)
Benefits: Anti WrinkleD’Fine stimulates blood circulation, helps to nourish and oxygenate tissues, hydrating them to give skin a renewed luster, tightened and younger appearance.
Derma Roller
Benefits: Stimulates Collagen Production – People who use derma roller state that their skin feels suppler and more elastic.
