There are soooooo many personal care products and here’s what worked for me. Background: I have oily/combination skin, I get acne once in a while (especially when it’s close to my time of the month) mostly on the sides of my cheeks and chin. I also have dark circles under my eyes and hyperpigmentation around my mouth. It’s been reduced significantly! I wish I took before-and-after pictures.
If you have similar concerns try the below for at least two months, twice daily, to notice a difference. I’m not a skin professional however, I found a lot of tips for those with lighter skin tones and I hope this helps out anyone with my skin type.
Side note: I also don’t like buying too much products or spending on products that I never end up finishing! But I also do believe in investing in things that work for me. You can find most of these products at Sephora and Wal-Mart.
My routine is mainly three steps on a daily basis (CTM for short):
- Cleansing & Exfoliating – Washing your face without stripping essential, healthy oils
- Toning – Balancing your skin
- Moisturizing – Hydrating your skin
TIP: With any skincare routine, apply your products in order of consistency – from thinnest to thickest. For example, cleanser, toner, serum and then moisturizer.
STEP 1: CLEANSING & EXFOLIATING
Why bother? Because in the morning, you have oil and dust on your face from sleeping, and in the evening, you gotta wash off make-up, dirt and pollen (although you may not see it, it’s there!)
- Neutrogena: Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser
- How to use: Splash some water on your beautiful face, pump the Cleanser into your hands and count to 30 while you massage your face gently. Rinse!
- Neutrogena: Pore Refining Exfoliating Cleaner
- How to use: Squeeze the cleanser into your hands and massage gently onto your wet face. I like to do small circles and count to 30 once again. Please avoid going close to your eyes and rinse thoroughly!
STEP 2: TONING (Don’t skip this step!)
- Olehenriksen: Glow2OH Dark Spot Toner
- How to use: Everyone I know uses a cotton pad to apply Toner and to me that seems crazy because the pad saturates a lot of the product! Pour a few drops into and swipe over your clean dry face in a circular motion.
STEP 3: MOISTURIZE
- Origins: GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream to Brighten and Depuff
- How to use: Gently dabby dab around your eye area with your ring finger
- Note: I also tried the Olehenriksen’s Banana Bright Eye Crème which worked similarly.
- Fresh: Rose & Hyaluronic Acid Deep Hydration Moisturizer
- How to use: Apply a layer to your face – I find a little bit goes a long way with this product.
- Neutrogena: Sunscreen SPF 110
- If you’re going out, a sunscreen is a MUST! I love this one because you can wear it under make-up, it’s lightweight and non-greasy.
1, 2, 3 and you’re done! Let me know if you notice a difference with your skin. Take a before picture and make sure to do the steps above twice a day for two months.
It doesn’t have to be these products, whatever works best for your skin! You’ll learn what works best for your skin overtime – trust me! Don’t give up on your skin, it’ll let you know when something works. Tweak your routine slowly, try adding or removing something from your routine one-by-one. Be kind and be patient, give your skin a lot of love. It protects you and it will THANK YOU.
