I've been asked A LOT about my skin care routine.. Mainly because a lot of people, like me, have super oily skin and it's a pain to deal with. All extreme skin-types are difficult tho, whether it be super dry or the opposite. I have been to A LOT of estheticians and have had a lot of appointments with my dermatologist and through many medications to help acne, nothing has really been as important as diet and skin care, as cliche and crazy as that may sound. I can't drink excessive caffeine, so things like energy drinks are a no-go, although I will have my morning coffee and maybe another cup from time to time, I really watch my caffeine intake and can totally tell a difference if I go a little crazy for a few days. Don't get me wrong, I do have occasional breakouts regardless but nothing like I used to! My skin is not perfect by any means, but I have learned some tricks to help accompany me along the way - even though it may be a little maintenance from time to time ;)
I've mentioned, probably a million times, that my skin is REALLY sensitive so when I find products or brands that work, I stick to them. I don't tend to venture into a million skin care products because I could wash my face with a new product just once and it's all over. I think that also helps.. Stay with what you KNOW works. Don't listen to me if you're happy with your skin! That's super important to remember BUT if you're desperate to try and tone down the oil or breakouts, then maybe my routine will become yours :)
So here's what I use:
Acure Brightening facial scrub from Target and Acure Sensitive facial cleanser from Whole Foods or Amazon. These two are amazing! I can't live without them. I use the exfoliator when I don't want to use my Clarisonic Mia 2. No real reason other than I don't want to take the time but need to exfoliate. I use the Mia 2 every single night, sometimes in the morning as well! It has changed my skin completely. Totally worth the price!!
I love argan oil - I prefer Josie Maran but have tried others and have loved them all!
Acure eye cream from Target is amazing.
Mario Badescue Repair Collagen cream is the perfect mask! A little bit goes a long way and doesn't dry my skin out AND it helps clear acne, so sometimes I use it as a spot-treatment.
And for a toner, I've always loved using plain Witch Hazel. This one is Lavender scented, but I also use the original and both work so well. Just apply a little to a cotton pad and I'm good to go.
Here's a time for a small secret: I actually use Target brand eye makeup remover with the oil but I pour it in this MAC bottle because I really love the non-leaking top it comes with!! Plus, you have to push down, like a medicine bottle, to get the top off - HUGE plus while traveling and with having a little one that's getting into everything. One less thing I have to worry about ending up all over my floor ;) I used the original formula from MAC but didn't feel that it was any better than what I get at the drug store, again, the only plus is the bottle itself!
I also use the Josie Maran illuminating argan cream or Josie Maran MILK before I apply my makeup... I use the dark bottle of argan oil at night or during the day when my face is unusually dry during the winter months.
Here's the thing with oily skin that I learned that has worked so well: I CANNOT use ANYTHING that has Salicylic Acid in it. I ONLY use cleansers. This is because with my skin, I am naturally oily so therefore anything that strips that, makes my face go CRAZY. I use products that are gentle and I firmly believe that pairing natural oil, such as argan oil, actually helps my skin produce less oil. This is because my skin NEEDS oil. Some people don't need as much oil, hence why their face may breakout with the use of argan oil or why salicylic acid may work really well for them. Only time will tell, of course, so if you're wondering if this method will work for you but don't want to waste the money on an expensive oil, buy from amazon. You'll get the same effect. I recommend one with a dark bottle, to protect the pure oil and of course, all natural/organic, like this one HERE. Take 4-6 weeks for your skin to adjust, especially if you've been using a product that has striped the oil from your skin.
PLEASE email or post below with any/all questions you may have, I can only hope that this post helps some of y'all out with your skin if you've come across the same troubles as I have! XO
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This is great! Very helpful!! Like you, I have been to many dermatologists and estheticians and still haven't found anything that works! As you can imagine at this point I am willing to try anything! Of course keeping in mind what works for you and your oily skin may not work for me.
ReplyDeleteSo just a few questions...
1) I see you use the witch hazel with the lavender added. While researching I saw the one with rose water. I have seen many people rave about that. Would you recommend that or have you found that any added ingredients over others bother your skin? Or possibly just stick with the plain version??
2) I'm hesitant to purchase and use the clairsonic as I too have sensitive skin and am afraid of possibly using it and it taking skin off. Would you say possibly stick to the scrub then instead? And if so, use only the exfoliating scrub or possibly use that one at night and the sensitive cleanser for morning?
3) How often do you use the Acure eye cream?
4) how often do you use the mask?
5) If you use the Illuminator as your moisturizer instead of the milk do you not notice your skin to look extra oily?
6) You mentioned to give your skin 4-6 weeks to adjust to the new products. Did you notice if your skin would breakout badly after trying new products and still wait it out the 2 months or would you discontinue them after a few weeks? I used some skin lines that from day 1 they destroyed my skin and I would try to wait it out but I hated the process. Just not sure I would want to do that although if it works it's definitely worth it. Wondering if it's common and normal for that process to happen or if it does if you should automatically stop use???
Thanks again for your post! I'm very excited to try these products and hope they work! ;)
Sorry for the late response! I'll answer them numerically to each of your questions :)
Delete1) I would definitely suggest the rose water one! I would love to try that myself as I've always had good luck with using anything 'rose' on my face! I think the only issue could would find could be the smell, and that's a personal preference as some people don't like it... I personally think it's refreshing :) If you aren't sure you'll like it, I would suggest the original witch hazel for sure!
2) I purchased the sensitive-skin attachment and so far, that's worked great but you could probably get the same result with the exfoliating scrub, I would use it 3x a week or so at first, if your skin is that sensitive. Definitely using the sensitive face wash in the AM and the exfoliator at night.
3) I dab on a little bit of the eye cream every night. A little bit goes a long way and I still have tons left and I've had it for a few months now. You get great use out of that teeny bottle. I sometimes have nights where I skip it, if I forget or whatever, it doesn't really make a difference, I just like that it's gentle and moisturizes my under eye. Probably not the most need-to-have item on this list, that's for sure :)
4) I use the mask every other week, sometimes more, it depends on my skin. If i'm having a breakout, I'll use it as spot treatment by dabbing a little on the blemish and actually sleeping with it on, washing it off when I wake up. If i just want my face to look refreshed, I'l use it all over and leave it on for about 10-15 mins once a week, maybe every other week. Sometimes I go longer, it just depends if I have time before I'm ready to fall asleep lol
5) The josie maran illuminator actually has argan oil in it so it still moisturizes the same as the other 2 products; the regular argan oil and the milk argan oil.
6) I guess I just go by the feel of my skin... Meaning that I almost know right away that this isn't just a "getting used to" sort of thing. If my skin FEELS irritated, or if I have a breakout almost right away, I don't wait it out - I stop using the product immediately. That happened when I used a store-grade retinal treatment, it was BAD. I didn't give it time to adjust because I knew my face wasn't having it. The good thing about the stuff I listed is that it's not invasive. They're really gentle products, without harsh chemicals. The one thing I would say that COULD happen would be that your face may be a little more oily for the first week as your skin adjusts to the new levels of oil you're applying, with that process, your face MAY breakout because of the excess oil, ya know? But you would know that it's not from the products but more because of the change your skin will experience. I don't use any chemicals, just all natural products so when I first switched, my face was a little more oily than before but my skin quickly adapted. In my experience, I didn't have a HUGE breakout like I would if I used retinol or any other harsh products.. those breakouts were just different.
I hope all of this works for you :) If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate! XO