Doesn't matter if you are a man or woman taking care of your skin is one of the greatest things you can do for yourself. There are 3 main factors that affect how your skin looks and feels.
1.) Genetics: Family history is crucial when it comes to any medical history even with skin. If your parents and grandparents have great skin chances are you will be blessed with great skin and vice versa with bad skin as well.
2.) Diet and Exercise: What you eat affects every aspect of your body even the skin. Eating a balanced diet that is mostly plant based with just the right amount of protein can keep your hormones in balance therefore keeping your skin in check. Also don't forget to stay hydrated by drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day. Exercising not only keeps you physically fit but keeps your organs working better therefore your body in check.
3.) And last but not least the products we use... From the cosmetics we put on our face to the skincare products we use.
Genetics is something we cannot control. Eating a balanced diet is and is something everyone should do irregardless. The products we use on ourselves tends to be a little tricky since all products work differently on everyone.
I have dry, sensitive, acne prone skin that sometimes can get oily with environmental changes. As you can see this can cause a lot of problems. Genetics wise I wasn't very fortunate in the skin factor. My mom herself has great skin and so does her mom and dad. However the rest of her family is very mixed. A lot of my cousins on her side have acne prone, dry skin. On my dad's side and on my dad himself have oily acne prone skin. So for me this was something unavoidable. My sister also has issues with acne and my brother well let's just say he is the lucky one inheriting my mom's skin. He is still young so who knows.
My diet has always been a little off due to my health. I have gone through pretty much every diet medical and non medical out there. Same with exercise. In middle school and high school I was a sports maniac. I did everything from dance to tennis to soccer. Doing all these sports along with my health has resulted in some injuries over the years so my workouts haven't been as frequent or effective.
Now when it comes to my skincare I have tried so many products in my life and right now I think I have finally gotten it down. I do tend to change up my skin routine here and there. Keep in mind that this routine is designed for dry, sensitive, acne prone skin. And what may work for me doesn't mean it will necessarily work for you, but hopefully you guys will take away some tips and tricks.
MORNING ROUTINE:
I wake up every morning using my
Clean and Clear Morning Burst Hydrating Facial Cleanser. I did a review on this product not too long ago on this blog so go check it out for more information. This is a really nice and simple cleanser. It has little beads in it that burst once it hits the water making my skin feeling clean and refreshed. It doesn't make my skin feel dry at all throughout the day.
Next I use my
Simple Moisturizer. It is a semi rich moisturizer that keeps my skin hydrated and also contains SPF 15. It is crucial to wear SPF everyday no matter what season it is. It not only prevents burns but also premature aging, sun spots, wrinkles and of course skin cancer.
And this is pretty much it for my morning skincare. I don't like to use so much stuff in the mornings and this keeps my skin in check throughout the day even with makeup on.
EVENING ROUTINE:
My evening routine however is very different and contains a lot more products. If I'm wearing makeup that day I will always take it off first with a makeup remover wipe. I don't have a specific brand I pretty much use whatever I get my hands on.
After washing my face I use the
Clean and Clear Deep Cleaning Astringent with a cotton pad. This just gets rid of any gunk leftover on my face and also prevents breakouts. It does contain alcohol so it can be a bit drying. Just make sure to use a good moisturizer after. I highly recommend using an astringent or toner no matter what type of skin you have.
Once the astringent drys I apply my
Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil all over my face. This is a heavily nutrient pack oil that contains vitamins and minerals. It is very light weight on the skin and doesn't leave any greasy residue. This stuff is a miracle worker. It makes your skin so smooth and soft like a baby's bottom plus it also moisturizers and keeps acne in check. I tend to use oils only during the fall and winter.
After the oil drys I apply my
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Eye cream. The skin around your eyes is extremely sensitive and fragile compared to the rest of your skin on your face and body. Doctors recommend to use an eye cream starting at the age 14. The trick is to take care early on so that when you do reach your 30s, 40s, and so on you don't have as many problems then. This eye cream is very affordable compared to the other ones out there today and works really well. However you must be consistent and try not to skip days otherwise you won't get the effect. And this is not just for this eye cream in particular but for any eye cream you use. If you do want to invest in an eye cream check out Bobbi Brown, Clinique and Michael Todd Organics.
And of course last but not least my moisturizer. I use the
Clean and Clear Hydrating Gel Moisturizer all over my face. I have done a review on this too so check out the post. This is moisturizing and cooling on the skin. So after a long day this is definitely a lifesaver. It is also a dupe for the Clinique Gel Moisturizer which is around $30 or so.
Other products I use:
Lips: Lips are also very important to make sure to take care of. I usually exfoliate my lips twice a week with a mixture of honey, sea salt, sugar, and lemon juice. I put this mixture on and rub my lips together. This helps get rid of any dead skin and keeps my lips moisturized and smooth. This also helps with smoother application of lip balms and other lip products. If you don't want to use this exfoliater you can just scrub your lips with your toothbrush.
And of course don't forget to moisturize your lips with a lip balm. My current favorite one is
Dior's Creme de Rose. This is a pretty pricey lip balm and it is not something I buy a lot. A good drugstore one is
Aquafor Lip Repair.
Skin: Along with my skincare routine I do use a few other things here and there. One of them is an exfoliater. The one I'm currently using and loving is the
Neutrogena Deep Clean Long Last Shine Control Cleanser/Mask. I personally don't really need the shine control aspect but it has beads in it that are the perfect size for exfoliating that are not too harsh on the skin. Plus it smells amazing. You can also use this as a daily cleanser and it doubles up as a mask. This is really great for oily skin.
I also like to use masks when I have the chance usually once or twice a week. Masks can help with a number of things for your skin like brightening, tightening, moisturizing, anti-aging and so forth. They are packed with more concentrated ingredients that really soak into the skin. They are a big staple in Asian skincare. Here are some of my favorites and current ones I am using.
My Beauty Diary Face Masks- This is an Asian brand and is a bit difficult to get here in the States. Amazon has a few types on stock and sometimes these can be found at Asian Markets.
Acne: My skin has cleared up in the last few years so I no longer use any sort of acne treatments and skin products however I do occasionally still get breakouts here and there especially with climate changes and stress. If I do have a breakout I will use
Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion. All you do is dip a cotton Q-Tip into it and put it directly on the breakout. You will look scary with this on but leave it overnight and it will dry up the pimple and reduce any redness and size. It is one of my holy grail products. I only use this when my breakout first starts afterwards if my breakout still hasn't completely gone away I just rub some
Clean and Clear Persa Gel. This stuff contains 10% benzoyl peroxide so it is a bit strong. I would recommend starting out with products that contain salicylic acid and then move up to something like benzoyl peroxide.
Body: When it comes to skin it is not only your face that you need to take care of but also your body. For this season I been using body butters. Body butters are a lot thicker and creamier than normal body lotions and they also last longer on the skin.
Pacifica Body Butters are some of the best. They come in many different scents and are made of natural ingredients. Plus they are probably one of the most affordable body butters on the market today. I'm currently using the one in Sandalwood. You can find these at Target, Fresh Market, and Whole Foods nationwide.
For more information on the products mentioned just the click the links attached to the product and it will direct you to another site with more information.
