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This year has been a game-changer for me and skincare. I have talked a lot about my facial skincare routine and how it has evolved over the last year. From doing nothing, to doing everything, to finding out that natural beauty products are my skin’s favorite, I have done a lot of thinking about skincare. After strictly sticking to a routine for the last 3 months that completely cleared up my acne, I can say that this is my skin’s best year yet 🙂 I am really proud of the way my face looks, I am working on leftover acne scarring (fading day by day), and I have a routine that I am sticking with.
My Updated Skincare Routine
Since I haven’t shared my new routine permanently anywhere yet, I will give you this breakdown as a bonus, which is coincidentally also the order you should be applying your own products, from thin to thick consistency. If I could recommend one thing off this list that should not be passed by it is the Vitamin C Serum. You should be using one.
- Makeup Remover – Garnier Micellar Water
- Cleanser – Mad Hippie Face Cleanser
- Toner – Neutrogena Salicylic Acid Wipes
- Spot Treatments – Hydroquinone (from my dermatologist)
- Mists – Mad Hippie Hydrating Nutrient Spray
- Serum – Mad Hippie Vitamin C (morning) or Mad Hippie Exfoliating Serum (night)
- Eye Cream – Mad Hippie Eye Cream
- Moisturizer – Neutrogena Oil Free Moisturizer
- Sunscreen – Mad Hippie Facial Sunscreen
- Overnight Spot Treatment – Mighty Patch Hydrocolloid Spot Dot (possibly magic)
Now that I’ve mostly got my face on lock down, I am switching my experimental focus to the rest of my poor body that has been ignored and striving for that glowy, summer skin we all want. This blog post would have been perfectly timed about 2 months ago…BEFORE summer. But se la vie! You will be #hashtagblessed by it right now! Here are 4 ways that I am targeting those gnarly dry patches, scary cellulite, unwanted hair, and uncalled-for bumps. What it really comes down to is this; exfoliated and moisturized skin will always win. Got some color at the beach? Moisturize and it will last longer. Want a nice glow from your vacation? Exfoliate beforehand so that you tan evenly. Your skin will simply be glowing.
Shower Exfoliating
Ok we are gonna start easy. Probably 90% of you already do this. Or maybe not, because I didn’t. As winter and spring were fading into summer, I realized I had dry patches on my arms that I hadn’t noticed under my long sleeves. There were also bumps on the back of my arms under my biceps. My skin is typically pretty smooth, so I was not having any of this. I instantly got into the habit of exfoliating in the shower. I found 4 different products that I really love that blasted away those weird textures.
My first step was to start with a grapefruit sugar scrub from Trader Joe’s (awesome), then I graduated to an exfoliating and moisturizing soap bar from Lush (even more awesome), and now I use whatever bar of soap I want inside of this scrubby soap holder bag thing. I love using it on my legs right before shaving to remove all of the dead skin for a closer shave. Be sure to let it fully dry by hanging it up, sans soap bar, and wash it regularly.
Dry Brushing & Body Oil
I started “dry brushing” a few months ago with random brushes/washcloths/things in my house that I already owned, but then my sister gave me a real dry brush and body oil for my birthday so now I feel like I can actually talk about this. Dry brushing is awesome. The idea is that you brush your skin with a bristle-y brush…when it’s dry. That’s about it. But the benefits are worth the simple routine.
I like to dry brush at night and follow with a body oil to moisturize while I sleep. You can also do it before you shower in the morning to jump start your day. You should brush starting at your ankles in strokes moving towards your heart, 5 times on each arm or leg, and don’t forget your stomach too.
Obviously it is great for exfoliating and super smooth skin. Like supppperrr smooth skin. It is also said to encourage circulation, reduction of the appearance of cellulite, unclog your pores, and stimulate your lymphatic system. Your skin will likely be very dry after the first week, so moisturizer or oil is key to balance it out. You can do this everyday or only a few times a week depending on your body.
Sugaring
Ok this is about to get a little TMI so if you are faint of heart, a distant relative, or my mom (jk, she did it with me…insert cat emoji with surprised expression) please stop reading. So, haaaave you heard of sugaring? I decided this would be the summer of my first bikini wax and opted for all natural sugaring instead.
Sugaring is an ancient Egyptian technique of hair removal by way of a lukewarm sugar, water, and lemon solution. I would say it resembles honey. There are no other chemicals involved and it lasts longer than wax, is very hygienic, and is much less painful. This process should be done by a professional, certified Sugarista. I do not recommend DIY-ing this.
I have had my eyebrows waxed for years and each time the area is very red and breaks out a few days later. After being sugared, I had no pain afterwards, no redness at all, no tenderness, no bumps, no breakouts, and it lasted 3 weeks and everything that did grow back in is very faint. The process pulls hair out in the direction of its growth so the hair does not break off backwards or cause ingrown hairs. Totally worth the temporary pain and makes you feel so fresh, carefree, and ready for the beach. Maybe this technically doesn’t make your skin glow, but you will feel like you are glowing with nothing to worry about “down there”. I went to Sugared + Bronzed in Philadelphia for my treatment and I can’t wait to go back!
Spray Tanning
This is a hard one because if I truly prioritized my skin, I would stay under an umbrella and get spray tans all summer. I admit that I like to sit out in the sun and get some color, but I will never do that without first loading up on my sunscreen. With a history of melanoma in my family, I am extra careful not to burn and to stay on top of my dermatology appointments. If you are a tanner, please wear sunscreen.
With that being said, for those of you who are wayyy pale or committed to keeping your skin from aging, I give you, the spray tan. Spray tans have come a long way since I was in high school and stood in a weird chamber to get tan before prom. It smelled bad and lasted barely a week and I was probably a bit orange. This summer I tried the bronzing part of Sugared + Bronzed twice and it worked like a charm. I did a test run to see how it was and then I got another two days before vacation, so that I didn’t blind anyone with my pale-ness. It’s just a fun way to get bronze with no harm.
You can choose level 1-4 and each level comes out differently on each person. Level 1 would be perfect for a bride or bridesmaid and Level 4 is pretty dark. You can opt to wear underwear or nothing and a professional airbrushes your tan onto each part of your body. You instantly feel like a bronze goddess. It’s not smelly, not orange, and does not streak. I love it! And this one obviously nails the summer skin glow. If you are on a budget, I have used Jergens tanning lotion for years and would recommend that as well.
You Glow, Girl
That’s it! Simple, right? I feel like a million bucks when I keep up with these easy routines. It’s amazing what a little extra time and sometimes a small fee can do to pamper us and make us feel good. I don’t require any of these things to feel confident or to like myself more, but afterwards I feel like I have put time into caring for myself and appreciating the body that God gave me. And that’s worth every minute (and some pennies).
xoxo,
jojo
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