Hello everybody! So today I thought I might share with you my evening skincare routine. I don't know if anyone would actually be interested in it but like I said, I just like sharing things like this & if it happens to help someone, then that's an added bonus. So without further ado...let's get started! (Beware, it's a very, very long post!)
I usually wear quite light make up on a daily basis so sometimes a face wipe will suffice, but I like to give myself a nice cleanse with the amazing product. It's a fairly new addition to my skincare routine but it is awesome. I was a little reluctant on using an oil on my face but I took the leap and I definitely will not look back. It is a great way to get rid of your makeup. What you do is, after washing your hands, add a few pumps of this to your fingertips and gentle rub it into your face. I like to leave my eyes last, even if I'm not wearing eyeliner or mascara that day.
In the case where I am, I like to use some eye makeup remover or micellar water on a cotton pad and get rid of the bulk of it before going in with the cleansing oil. I found that this helps me to not scrub at my eyes as much. And then once I'm satisfied, I run my face towel under some hot water and wring it out. Without washing my face off first, I like to just smother my face in the warm face towel. Seriously, it's the highlight of my day. It's like giving your face a mini sauna. So I just do that about 3-4 times and remove the cleansing oil that way.
I know, I know. The Clarisonic is not a very cheap thing... But personally, I would say it is worth every penny. I use this every night in the shower & it just washes your face so well! Mine is the Mia 2 and so it has 2 setting. On the days where I want a particularly deep cleanse and wash, I put it on the higher setting. It buzzes at 20 seconds, 20, 10 and then 10 so you wash your face for a minute. It says to do 20 on your forehead & chin area, and then 10 seconds on each cheek. That's what I do & I find it very effective.
That combined with the First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser is a particularly powerful duo & does very well to get rid of all the surface oils, excess make up that my cleansing oil didn't get, dirt and grime. It foams up a little & there's no real smell to it so it's very nice and quite refreshing actually.
Once I'm all done in the shower, I apply this cream on my face. Trust me when I say, a little goes a long way. It is very thick & you should probably put it on after using some toner or moisturiser of some sort because that makes it apply smoother. But alas, I don't live by the 'rules'. I don't have too many 'problems' with my skin & I think this is responsible for that. I feel like it acts as some sort of barrier against breakouts. You do not want to know how bad my skin used to be in high school. And I was always so afraid to try new products but my skin tends to like Mario Badescu so I ain't complaining. It's not cheap but it's not overly expensive, so I stick to it.
Now here is the penultimate step. Probably my new favourite step. This is a facial oil & I know what you're thinking. I was so afraid to try it. I mean, cleansing oils were a big enough leap for me, but an actual facial oil? That I leave on throughout the night? I was very reluctant to try it. But I took the very big & very expensive leap and wow. Wow, wow, wow. I only need 2 drops that I gently rub into my skin. It's not as oily as I imagined, which I love about it, it sinks in quite quickly, it has a pleasant, refreshing smell and leaves your skin looking so young & bright the next morning!
Okay, so maybe it's not THAT obvious. But it kind of is. I mean, Kalen even noticed! Now that's big! My skin just feels so nice & smooth and isn't so dehydrated all the time. It's quite moist but not in a bad way & in no way too oily. And the good news? Possibly the best news? No breakouts! (so far) But that was the biggest pro for me.
Finally! The last step! This is something I do right before I go to bed and almost every night (I figured it might creep Kalen out a little if I went to bed with pink blobs all over my face when he sleeps over). You can probably see in the picture that the mixture is 'separated' - liquidy at the top and a pink thing on the bottom. And you DO NOT SHAKE IT! I thought you would have to but the sales person told me not to. And so what I do is I use a Q-tip & dunk it in, smearing it over any spots I may have. It doesn't entirely get rid of it by the next morning, but it definitely makes any breakouts noticeably smaller.
I'm not gonna lie, it has a strong, alcohol smell to it but I think that's what makes it so effective. And I look like a pink-faced monster when I go to bed. But it's worth it! And for only $22 a bottle that lasts months, it's one of my holy grail skin care products. The Buffering Lotion is also quite good. Apparently it's 'stronger' than the Drying Lotion & the good thing is that it is clear. So whenever Kalen comes over, I usually use that instead. It has a similar smell but you have to shake this one, and I apply it the same way with a Q-tip to the problem areas.
Another Mario Badescu product that I quite love is the Drying Mask. About twice a week or whenever my skin is feeling particularly bad, I like to use this mask after I wash my face but before I shower. So yes, I wash my face again in the shower. But it's the best way to not get water everywhere for me. But back to the mask. It's one of the only masks I've tried so far so I can't really compare it to anything, but it really helps minimise spots & troubled skin by drying it out I think. It smells a little funky but it's only for 10-15 minutes, so why not?
I'm quite interested in hearing your skincare routines & the different products you use. I'd love to try new things such as the Origins Charcoal Mask & other Kiehl's products. When I got the Midnight Recovery Concentrate, I got some free samples which I loved so I might have to make another trip to Myer...
Anyways, thanks for reading & extra brownie points for those of you who stayed until the end!
Love Always,
Anna Banana ♡
