My Easy 5 Step AM Skincare Routine
Happy Monday, everybody! I wanted get this week started off right with my morning skincare routine. It wasn't until my early twenties when I started to realize how important taking care of your skin is- we have one chance to preserve and protect our skin, we must take care of it! If we're being totally honest here, I am constantly exploring new products (thank you free samples from Sephora ROUGE) so the products that I use vary. However, if you are a complete skincare newbie- this might be a good start for you because these are the products that I continue to go back to over and over again. I have combination oily & dry skin, so many of these products are excellent for all skin types!
Pro tip: I love buying at Sephora online because you get a promo & free samples on every order. Something many people don't know- you can return ANY product ANY time for ANY reason, no matter what. So if you decide you buy one of these products and end up not liking it, you can return it! Sephora is owned by Louis Vuitton so their return policy is AMAZING! They are also offering 2x points for VIB's until 1/22 so now is a great time to get stocked up on your skincare! All images are clickable, which means you can shop the products directly from this post!
Step 1 // Cleanse
This cleanser is the bee's knees. Does anyone say that anymore? No, okay well I LOVE it! I use it in the morning and at night, it has a way of cleaning the skin that doesn't make your skin feel dry or that 'tight' feeling. When it comes to faces that are both dry and oily, it takes a clever cleanser to balance the two. This gentle, frothy face wash carefully does both jobs without canceling each other out. Skin feels comfortably refreshed after cleansing—never tight, pulled, or parched. Great for all skin types, it’s enriched with aromatic bergamot, spearmint, and lavender to add pleasure to the process. I've tried dozens of cleansers and this one by far takes the cake- the bottle also lasts FOREVER. I probably buy a new one every 4-5 months even though I use it twice a day!
Step 2 // Tone
Most people are very skeptical of toners, I'll admit I was too. Growing up, I used toners that left your face with that burning feeling- something I learned that you NEVER want to do. You never want to use products that make your skin feel tight or pulled. The key to this is using a toner without alcohol in it. This one has purifying chamomile and linden extracts—to remove every last trace of cleanser, leaving skin pH balanced, de-stressed, and spa-refreshed. Pro tip: Do you ever see acne in your hairline or jawline? It could be because you're not rinsing your face wash off thoroughly! Be sure to rinse well and use a toner on a cotton square to make sure it's ready to go.
Step 3 // Brush Teeth
I know this isn't technically skincare but I've read that you should let your toner set into your skin for a minute before you apply serum or moisturizer to get maximum performance from it. My dad bought me this toothpaste for Christmas and I'm obsessed! It beats every whitening & freshening toothpaste I've ever tried, really leaving your mouth with that clean feeling for hours! This tube also lasts a long time, I feel like we usually blow through toothpaste within two weeks and we've been using the same tube for about a month now!
Step 4 // Apply Serum/ Moisturizer
Some days I apply a serum and a moisturizer, some days I apply just one or the other depending on my motivation and how my skin feels. If it feels dry, I'll apply both. This is a great time to add SPF - yes we need SPF all year round! I love this super lightweight moisturizer that doubles as a versatile sunscreen to protect from UVA/UVB rays, pollution, and free radicals while improving skin’s texture and tone.
My thoughts on the anti-aging serum: it's never to early to start anti-aging. This powerful, age-fighting serum visibly improves fine lines and wrinkles in as little as two weeks. The cocktail of ingredients helps give skin the look of resilient bounce while creating the appearance of firmer, more lifted skin.
Step 5 // Eye Cream
Eye creams are ESSENTIAL- I was so skeptical of these, as I wasn't sure what they'd be able to do for me but they have significantly improved the dark circles underneath my eyes. This one is good for all skin types, even the most sensitive of skin, Bye Bye Under Eye Cream is a luxurious moisturizing treatment clinically shown to address key signs of aging and visibly smooth the under-eye area.
BONUS: Step 6 // Apply Makeup
Now that your skin is prepped and clean, you are ready to apply makeup! In case you missed it, I recently posted my 7 step natural beauty tutorial on the blog. I also have a video saved to the Highlights on my Instagram page.
Are you loving these product roundups? Or maybe you'd like to see something different? Please let me know in the comments below! xo