Hello beauties!
So, the other day a friend of mine confessed to me that she has no skincare regimen. NONE! No moisturizing or exfoliating. ..She doesn’t even wash off her makeup at night – just whenever she’s in the shower! WOW!
As a product junkie who owns every serum, cream and cleanser out there, I was completely shocked to hear this! Especially since said friend has flawless skin! So not fair!!
Anyway, although she is blessed to not have to wash or moisturize, she all of a sudden feels maybe she should start some type of skincare ritual as a precaution- just in case she starts aging one day! So, she has asked me to put together a list of things to do and products for her to buy at the drugstore that I feel are absolutely necessary. Smart girl – for skincare newbies and seasoned pros like myself, just walking down the skincare aisle can be completely overwhelming, with a gazillion products to choose from.
So for all you skincare newbies, here is my list of basic daily skincare steps along with products to buy that I believe everyone should have at all times to get you started!
*Note: The products I’ll recommend for this are basics you can find at any drugstore for a good price, and work for sensitive skin!
MORNING:
Give your skin some TLC before applying makeup
STEP 1: CLEANSE.
Girls, clean your face! Even while sleeping, dust particles, pet dander, etc can still end up on your skin and cause build-up and irritation, so cleanse every morning to start fresh.
How to: Simply wet skin, apply a couple drops of cleanser to hands, cleanse skin using circular motions and rinse.
*Be sure to rinse well as soap build-up on the skin can lead to irritation. Also, if you are acne-prone it doesn’t hurt to wash twice with a gentle cleanser.
Shopping List Item: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
Cetaphil is the most gentle cleanser out there and recommended by almost every dermatologist. I have extremely sensitive skin, and this is perfect!
STEP 2: SERUMS/CREAMS.
Serums and eye creams go on before moisturizing. If you’re just starting out, an eye cream is probably all you need.
How to: Just take a small drop onto your ring finger and dab under and around eyes lightly, then blend. – You can also use eye creams around lips! Allow a few minutes to completely dry before moisturizing.
Shopping List Item: L’oreal Revitaift Eye.
I love how light it feels on my skin and it’s soft and creamy.
**BONUS TIP: Leave eye cream in refrigerator and use it cold for morning under-eye puffiness!
STEP 3: MOISTURIZE/SPF.
This is best part! Moisturizing your skin keeps it looking young and plump, and also protects from UV rays and other external elements. Ask any Hollywood actress or skin guru their most important beauty ritual, and most likely they will say hydration!! Dehydrated skin causes fine lines and wrinkles to appear, makes skin look dull, and also irritates acne-prone skin. So drink up!!
How to: Use about a quarter-sized drop on fingertips and rub in using light circles. – start light and add more if needed. Moisturizer should completely blend into skin. If you use too much, just lightly wipe off any extra with a tissue.
Shopping List Item: L’oreal Collagen Moisture Filler Day Lotion, $16.79
Works great for most skin types. – It provides enough moisture to satisfy dry skin without being greasy for those with oily skin and has SPF.
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NIGHT:
The Routine is pretty much the same at night, except that this is a good time to apply heavier moisturizers and anti-aging creams.
STEP 1: Take off the makeup!!
This is so important. Don’t let your makeup sink into pores causing them to appear larger and also irritating the skin, which could cause acne!
I recommend cleansing with the Cetaphil I mentioned for morning. But I understand, after a late night of partying that sometimes a full cleanse can be so much effort. So, if all else fails, use makeup remover wipes! They come pre-moistened so all you have to do is wipe off your makeup! This is a MUST HAVE ITEM!!!!
Shopping List Item: Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes
I recommend these because they do not irritate my sensitive skin like many others!
**Note: Makeup wipes do leave a bit of a film on skin, so if you can, just splash a little water on face after.
STEP 2: Night Cream.
Now is the time to apply special serums and heavier creams since you won’t be going out. Most night creams provide the benefits of serums and moisturizers in one and will have you wake looking refreshed, rehydrated, and perhaps a little younger. Yay!
Shopping List item: Olay Regenerist night Recovery Cream
LOVE it!! It’s gentle on my sensitive skin and I really do wake up looking plumped and refreshed!
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WEEKLY EXTRAS:
Great, so now that you have a basic skincare routine, time to throw in a couple extras! Once or twice a week it’s a good idea to slough off dead skin by exfoliating and perhaps treat yourself to a mask. I like to do these on Sundays to start the week fresh! For these you can pick whichever appeals to you for your skin type.
*Here is the order when adding these extras: First cleanse, then exfoliate, the mask is next, then finish with serums and moisturizer.
Extras Shopping List Items:
St. Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub – also comes in blemish/blackhead removing scrub! I always St. Ives scrubs on hand and LOVE all of them!
St Ives Mineral Clay Firming mask – cleanses and firms yum! A great multi-purpose mask!
YAY! Now you have all the products and know-how for the perfect skincare routine! Here’s your shopping list one more time!
Drugstore Shopping List
- Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, $7.99
- Revitalift Eye Cream, $14.99
- L’oreal Collagen Moisture Filler Day Lotion, $16.79
- Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes, $7.99
- Olay Regenerist Night Recovery Cream,$18.99
- St. Ives Apricot Scrub, $3.79
- St. Ives Mineral Clay Firming Mask,$4-$7
Enjoy your new healthy, glowing skin! And be sure to check back often here at Positively Celebrity for all my beauty tips!
Peace, Love, and Sexiness,
Angie O
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Dear Angie, I loved this articile. This was one of my New Years Resolution, to take better care of my skin. So after reading this I went to Walgreens and purchased all 7 of your suggested products. I have used the towelettes before, but none of the other products. I am proud to say I have faithfully used every product on daily basis since the beginning of the year. My favorite product is the night recovery cream..love, love, love it. Thanks again for such GREAT suggestions.