My Tips for Flawless Skin - Part 1- Milk & Acid
- Apr 7, 2017
- 5 min read
To get flawless skin, develop a consistent skincare program and stick to it. Flawless skin isn’t something that happens overnight—it’s a lifestyle. Having a routine is the hardest part to build for yourself - You travel, you're tired, everyday is different, you might not feel very good about yourself one day and the next you might feel empowered like a queen. If you take away one thing from reading this blog it should be to break the cycle of inconsistency, and make your routine happen everyday no matter what. That's the "real"secret here, below I've listed some products I love enough to recommend - you can start where you are with what you have tonight - I encourage you to. I had really bad acne when I was a teen, and it introduced me to the passion I have now for understanding how my skin works. We are all different ages, backgrounds, and lifestyles, this is to serve as more of a loose guide - please use what you have that works for you - I simply want to encourage you to do it often.
I have tried a ton of methods from aggressive peels a few times a week, to giving up cleansers and entirely relying on oils...But this is what works for me, 3-step system skincare regimen that is easy to follow and formulated to give you smooth, glowing results. Polish, Cleanse and Nourish—daily. This will speed cell turnover, support natural collagen and feed skin the nutrients it needs. It comes in three variants, as I wanted to cater to all skin types: normal, sensitive, and blemish.
01 -POLISH
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY THE MAGIC TRICK OF MY ROUTINE
Polishing aids with cell turnover and preps the skin for effective cleansing which I deeply feel helps my skin consistently produce collagen, and recover from travel and life in general (too much wine, not enough sunscreen), which can lead to breakouts and damage.
When I say polish most assume I prep my skin with an abrasive compound that buffs away dirt and dead skin, but I actually use a milk/acid peel that breaks down dead skin with gentle acids without causing irritation.
I know I probably just lost everybody reading this.
The key is to balance your skin, not strip it. With physical exfoliants I don't have a real way of understanding or measuring a definite amount of time or product to use. Which would leave exfoliating down to a 2-3 time a week occurrence which made me feel like my skin had great days (the day after), and bad days (picture looking at less smooth oily skin), also compounded with blemish bacteria which can be spread by transferring the bacteria to another point on the face.
This is why I switched to "chemical exfoliation", chemical is a very loose term here. Chemical exfoliants usually Include enzymatic ingredients that can be found naturally, for example - lemons - citric acid is very common. The exfoliant I use is truly the first one I've come across (you can see my discovery on my Instagram with my hand in-store in three minutes) that hits all the targets for me. This is a double-layered formula that packed with both powerful exfoliating acids and nourishing ingredients to maintain balanced healthy skin. Lactic and salicylic acid support rewened suppleness for softer skin. Coconut milk, panthenol, squalene, and allantoin deliver a calming and hydrating feeling to the skin by forming a protective moisture barrier. Glutathione tones and brightens, leaving your skin feeling smooth and looking radiant.
My bottom line: salicylic acid has a drying effect on my skin and because this product is a dual phase using another active but opposite reactive Lactic acid which helps restore that pH balance. It does all the work for you after you apply it to your skin and is neutralized with lukewarm water.
1. Remove Make Up - I use Neutrogena Night Calming Makeup Remover Wipes, available at most drug and grocery stores. You always want to remove your makeup before you cleanse your face, not all cleansers are formulated to breakdown makeup and this quick step ensures a more effective delivery of product to your pores. Also, if I wore a look that involved eyeliner and mascara (which most of mine do) I use a cotton round and eye makeup remover by gently placing it over my eye and letting it sit for fifteen seconds and then gently patting away the excess (my eyes are sensitive) so I never advocate rubbing the area inside your orbital bones.
2. Shake Exfoliant - Apply To Face, Behind Ears, & Down Neck (everywhere outside of orbital bones)
This product includes applicators, the gauze side is best normal-to-combination skin types while the smooth side is for sensitive skin. Using the side most suitable for your skin type, apply the product and allow keratin to dissolve for one minute before rinsing with lukewarm water. Keratin is found naturally in the skin and hair, and too much can cause blockages in the follicles and lead to small bumps on the skin.
All of light reading material just to tell you to put something on your skin for one minute - the most horrifying part is it has zero sensation, and you don't notice until after you've washed your face.
AVAILABLE AT SEPHORA (LINKED)
02 -CLEANSE
Despite my cravings for super-power-products the product I use as a cleanser is surprisingly simple compared to the complexity of my polish routine. I use the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser, if you use this brand you already understand the intersection of simplicity and effectiveness this brand has. If not, it's totally affordable and easy to find, and I recommend the hell out of it. What we're doing is a lot of removing here, removing the impurities I deliberately put on my face (make-up) and the ones I pick up from a full day of life in attempt to restore the skin back to a balanced happy and natural level. Products with fragrance, parabens, sulfates and color tend to leave traces behind after use which can lead to build up and skin issues. This product is sans those things mentioned above, and thoroughly removes impurities and visibly reduces excess oil on skin’s surface, while leaving skin looking more balanced. Also, it lathers. Completely personal preference on all of these products, but I've used a few cleansers that don't lather and personally it serves as a guide for where I've spread the product the most and what areas need more.
3. Cleanse Skin with Cleanser of Your Choice - My face will already be wet from neutralizing the Milk Peel, so I just move straight into cleansing after wards. Pat face damp/dry - don't rub.
03 - NOURISH
I've been using Fresh Lotus Preserve Face Cream for around two years because it performs in all the areas I need after I shock my skin with makeup and bring it back full circle to natural all with in the span of 12 hours. The ingredients in this face cream defend against wrinkles, preserve collagen, and supports the production of hyaluronic acid. With varying climates and the dry cold winter it keeps my skin feeling soft and moisturized which helps so much with inflammation when I get up in the morning which cuts my routine in half. My makeup routines usually start with moisturizing because that truly is the "real" base for how well your makeup applies and stays intact all day.
4. Apply Face Cream/Lotion of Your Choice - Make sure to press it into your damp skin, gently pressing it into your pores for consistency and don't forget your neck and décolletage.
AVAILABLE AT SEPHORA
Thank you for hanging in there for this very detailed post. This is done in five minutes.
I decided to make a "Part 2" that goes into my specialty face masks, eye cream, and other advanced skin care that helps keep my skin looking and feeling flawless.
XO
Her
Comments