Here's What's Working
My skin is not exactly where I want it to be.
I’m sure it’s a combination of diet, ageing, lifestyle, the weather, my lack of exercise, the popular TV shows I haven’t watched yet and various curses from my enemies, but it’s not perfect. However, it’s pretty good right now.
I’ve managed to get my cystic acne under control for the time being, I haven’t had a hives breakout in awhile, and my fine lines are staying at bay despite how dehydrated my MF’ing skin is. In terms of issues I’m trying to fix? The aforementioned dehydration (I’m still on the hunt for the perfect hyaluronic serum - let me know!), clogged pores and a general lacklustre appearance are getting under my skin, so to speak. All things considered, my face is at a solid B+ right now.
Here’s what’s working for me:
I use an oil cleanser every night, and I’m currently rotating use between four different ones that I’m trying to use up before I buy another. I don’t have a favourite out of these, so I won’t bother mentioning them. They each have some sort of irritating yet minor flaw that doesn’t make them perfect, and yet I’ll continue using them until they’re gone because I’m trying to be better with my spending, dammit.
After that, I use a light gel cleanser, either Glossier Milky Jelly or Neostrata Restore PHA 4% Cleansing Gel. Both are extremely gentle, do not foam up or strip my skin and help remove the oily residue of my first step. I used to use Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip, but the new formulation was drying me out. I’m way too dehydrated to be using a cleanser with clay in it! But if you’ve got oilier skin, give it a shot.
If my skin texture is feeling rough, I’ll use the Province Apothecary Regenerating + Stimulating Exfoliator to slough away any dead skin cells. I scoop a little of this dry powdered scrub into the palm of my hand and add a few drops of water to make a paste and then massage it onto my damp skin for about a minute before rinsing off. I love this exfoliator because you get serious bang for your buck (I’ve used it multiple times a week for over a month and have barely cracked the surface layer of my jar) and I have found the oil production of my skin seems way more balanced now that I’m using a gentle physical exfoliator as opposed to constantly attacking my skin with AHAs and BHAs, which were making my skin very angry and sensitive. That’s not to say that chemical exfoliators are bad—I still use them sparingly!—but my particular skin type did not take well to daily applications of salicylic acid.
After cleansing and exfoliating, I try not to dry my face with a (rough, bacteria-ridden) towel and immediately jump into wiping off any excess makeup or grime with Bioderma Sensibio and a cotton pad. Then I mist myself thoroughly with thermal water (no preferred brand) and my Province Apothecary Invigorating & Balancing Toner and gently pat it into my skin to calm and hydrate. I love the PA toner because it smells like their spa and has lactobacillus ferment to soothe redness and irritation.
The next part of my routine varies from night to night and usually involves some combination of oils and treatments but I won’t bore you, I’ll just cover what I most frequently use.
Lately I’ve been putting about 4 or 5 drops of squalane into the palm of my hand (I’m currently using Indeed Labs’ version, but I’m not picky) along with 1 drop of tea tree oil, misting my face with thermal water and then massaging the mixture into my skin, avoiding my eyes and mouth. Even though I’ve diluted the tea tree oil with the squalane (you must always dilute essential oils with a gentle carrier oil!) it is still quite strong, so it’s best to keep it away from such sensitive areas. The tea tree oil is antibacterial, and I find this combination is keeping my skin hydrated while minimising the annoying bumpy patches of redness that frequently cover my jawline, chin and outer cheeks.
Two of my favourite children.
I’ll usually layer that with Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil, because it is a powerhouse naturally rich in vitamin C and nourishing, dewy omega fatty acids. I’ve tried other rosehip oils but I’ve always come running back to Pai, softly singing my best impression of Sinead.
If I’m feeling particularly sensitised or in need of an anti-ageing helping hand, I’ll finish up with Neostrata Bionic Face Cream, which may be the gentlest moisturizer I’ve ever used. It has a silky, slippery texture and gluconolactone and lacto-bionic acid, ingredients known for their ability to fight fine lines without irritation. I love it dearly for the benefits I’ve seen from using it for a few months, but it does pill on the skin, so I haven’t been able to figure out a way to use it in the daytime yet.
If I want to do a mask, I’ll either use plain ol’ raw honey all over for its antibacterial and healing properties, Dr. Jart Water Replenishment Cotton Sheet Mask (love, love, love) for an intense burst of hydration, or May Lindstrom The Problem Solver, mixed with a bit of water and layered over the aforementioned honey, for its glow-boosting, skin-purifying benefits.
The verdict is currently out on Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream. I got a deluxe sample in a Sephora order and used it once a week for three weeks and afterwards, my face peeled off in disgusting patches to reveal the most beautiful skin I’ve had in years. However, it went back to normal after a few more weeks and I’ve repeated the process again but I’m waiting on those same results. I’ll try to be diligent and use up the sample until it runs out, but I feel like I may be chasing a dream of beginner’s luck that led me to a temporarily glowy infant face. Sigh.
My skin during the brief period of post-retinol perfection. The mascara is Smashbox Superfan.
Other than the products I’ve been using, I’ve made a few dietary changes in an attempt to boost my skin health. That includes cutting my coffee intake by about 95% (I’ll have a cup maybe twice a month), since coffee can wreak havoc on female hormones and the adrenals, leading to annoying breakouts for me. I’ve also been taking a daily probiotic, zinc, marine-sourced collagen, and vitamin D3. So there you have it. My surprisingly natural and simple (for me!) routine that’s been working for the last few months. I hope some of these suggestions help you figure out any skin issues that you too may be having.
** Sometimes I use affiliate links to share products on this page. That means, if you purchase any of these products via those links, I may receive a small percentage of the sale from the store. However, these are all products that I have purchased and tested on my own dime and time.
