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During this strange season some of you have made an effort to get healthy, eat right, and work out more. Others have been so creative with your kids, become the perfect homeschool teacher, or mastered the art of virtual schooling. What have I done? I have been influenced. Social media influenced, that is.
It all started with my face. I knew I needed a routine, but had no idea where to begin. Every time I walked into a beauty section, I would get totally overwhelmed. Retinol this, hyra-that, vitamins, cruelty free, sulfate free, matte, on and on!
In walks my BFF to introduce me to the book that would educate me right where I needed (on my level with a bit of humor). Skin Care: The Ultimate No-Nonsense Guide by Caroline Hirons is the best (IMO) book for getting someone started on a facial routine. She is funny, sometimes crass, easy to follow, and provides pictures and products. Here are a few key takeaways :
- Use a washcloth to wash your face a.m. and p.m.
- In the p.m., wash your face twice (double cleanse as she calls it).
- Spend your money in the middle of your routine.
- Use a separate moisturizer and SPF in the a.m.
- If you are in your 30s, you NEED to use a retinol.
After reading this book, you will be armed with what your skin needs and what products/ingredients to focus on. I discovered that I needed to pour some attention into brightening my skin, evening out dark spots, and protecting it. I was ready to get influenced and purchase some products!
Faces to Follow on Instagram
Everyone has their favorite Instagram follows for helpful tips and tricks. I love these women (listed below) because they are real, honest, make good skin care recommendations, and seem to be my age and in a similar stage of life.
A Real Mom’s Skin Care Routine
Without further ado, here is my routine that was totally and completely created by being influenced (in a good way)!
- In the morning, WASH YOUR FACE WITH A WASHCLOTH. This was a totally new concept for me. I had no idea that I needed to do this step, but you would be amazed at how dirty your face is in the morning. I don’t spend a lot of money on my face wash and usually rotate between Neutrogena and CeraVe.
- Use a tonic. So many to choose from here, but remember to focus on what you want to treat in the AM. I like something soothing and refreshing. I LOVE Pixi Glow Tonic for the morning.
- Apply vitamin C serum. I have played around with this and have not settled on an absolute fave, but all of these have been good. TruSkin, Namskara, and Pixi.
- Use a moisturizing eye cream. There are SOOOO many eye creams out there that it can be overwhelming to pick one. I decided to focus on what I wanted to treat, and for in the morning, that is moisturizing. I really like Mario Badescu Hyaluronic Eye Cream.
- Spritz a facial mist. This is hands down a skin care product that I would NEVER have tried had I not been influenced. Not only does is refresh and wake you up, but it is great to spritz on throughout the day to add some freshness to your face. Like adding a spritz of perfume to make you feel fancy. I have not found a fave of this either, but have liked all of these. Pixi Hydrating Milky Mist, and Pixi Rose Glow Mist.
- Moisturize your face. This was a new skin care concept to me as well. I always used the combo lotion with SPF. But to properly protect your face these need to be seperate. I have found that the CeraVe PM Moisturizing Cream works great for this step.
- Don’t forget an SPF. Hands down the most important to protecting your face. My absolute fave is Elta MD.
While the morning routine is about waking up and protecting your skin, the evening routine is about cleaning, treating, and moisturizing your skin.
- At the risk of sounding like a broken record, but WASH YOUR FACE WITH A WASHCLOTH. And wash your face twice (double cleanse as it is called). I use a Pond’s cold cream for wash number one and Cetaphil for wash number two. The two washes really cleanse the skin of all your makeup, SPF, and just yuck from the day.
- Next up is retinol or vitamin A. This was not on my radar, but apparently it is the holy grail for helping with age and wrinkles. This is also a step to put some money into if you can. Start out on the weaker side. It can be drying and you need to know how your skin will react. I used FAB Skin Lab Retinol Serum to start.
- This next step is for what you need to treat on your skin. Is it acne, dark spots, redness, etc? For me it was reducing my dark/age spots. Currently, I am using a Peter Thomas Roth Discoloration Treatment. Hiron’s book really explains what ingredients to look for depending on what problem you are trying to treat.
- Lastly, a deep moisture treatment. I don’t spend a ton of money on this step. Just any good overnight moisture cream will do the trick. I tend to prefer Loreal or Oil of Olay.
And there you have it. A complete routine from a regular momma, on a budget, with kids, and limited time for herself. If I can understand it all, you can, too!
