Hello, hello, hello! Claire and Hannah here from the LIY Team. We partnered up to bring you a simple guide to the skincare basics plus a few of our favorite products! Before we dive in, let’s clear the air. Hannah and I are just your average gal pals with no professional training when it comes to skincare. These are simply a few of personal favorites and it’s important to keep in mind everyone is different when it comes to the skin we’re in! Make sure you give your skin time before using products and ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS test a small area on your skin before fully committing to a product all over your face. What might work for one skin type isn’t guaranteed to work for everyone! For reference, we both have sensitive skin with monthly acne [hi, Mother Nature!]. I struggle with dry skin, while Hannah is more on the oily side. Let’s start with the 4 basic skincare steps!

Step #1. Cleanse

Getting a deep clean is SO important to help clear makeup, dirt, and oil from clogged pores. I always wash my face before bed, even if there have been a couple extra glasses of wine at night! A dermatologist recommended Cetaphil in high school and now I will never use anything else. It’s gentle on my skin and has never caused a breakout. To get your best wash, I always recommend using a cleansing device since they help achieve your deepest clean. I love this one because it has 24k gold plated skin sensors to analyze your skin and reveal its true age [scary, I know] and type. The FOREO app then creates and syncs a customized skin profile and cleansing routine. Cool right?

Step #2. Tone

On to the next one! Following your cleansing routine, a toner helps to remove excess dirt, traces of oil and makeup, and overall cleans and closes pores. Proceed with caution here because some toners are alcohol based and can often be over-drying, even for oily skin. An alcohol-free toner refreshes skin without stripping its natural moisturizers.

Step #3. Moisturize & Hydrate

Moving on to moisturizing. This one is important, even for ladies with oily skin. I often hear women with oily skin say they don’t use/need moisturizer. Your skin can actually overcompensate for the lack of moisture by producing MORE oils, so don’t skip this step! I’ve had great luck with Clinique and this one has been my favorite everyday moisturizer for years. If you’re anything like me and get dry in the winter months, the Moisture Surge is my secret weapon for a little additional hydration. Bonus: you can apply under or over makeup or even at night before bed. The world is your oyster, friends.

Tea Tree Oil // Transforming Pearl Serum // Drying Lotion

Step #4. Repair

This is your final step after cleansing, toning, and moisturizing. I just started adding serums, moisturizers, and eye creams into my daily skincare routine and my skin looks SO much better. In the mornings, I use this serum under my makeup. It isn’t as budget friendly as I would like, but got it on sale and it’s definitely worth the price. It’s gentle while brightening and refreshing my skin in all the right ways. I’m running low on it at home, so I have since been adding this little bottle of heaven into my routine as an alternative. In just 10 days I have already seen a DRAMATIC difference in my face. Acnes scars from years ago are slowly fading, my monthly acne flair up is minimal and my skin feels AMAZING. Bonus: it’s much more budget friendly. To really get that serum into your skin this is key!

In the evenings, I reach for a Vitamin C Night Cream. Never at 30 years old [Hannah here, hi!] did I think I would be using night cream. But friends, with two kids, lack of sleep and not properly hydrating, I need all the help I can get. This little jar of goodness is packed with all of the things my skin needs to feel refreshed and ready to take on the next day. It’s super light and doesn’t irritate my skin while adding all of the vitamins you need all in a super easy step! TIP: If you are sensitive to skin products, do not use the recommended amount! I use a small amount over my face and it has worked wonders for me. My skin feels hydrated, brighter, and ready to take on the day! ps. Vitamin C is SO good for your skin and if you don’t currently use it, find a product you love that has a whole lot of it in there. Your skin will thank you.

Let’s talk spot treatments. Hannah and I both struggle with monthly breakouts, thank you hormones. During the day, I use a Tea Tree Oil as a spot treatment for breakouts. Since it’s a clear oil, you can apply it over your moisturizer and under your makeup. At night, this Drying Lotion has worked miracles! Just apply it with a cotton swab before bed and watch your pimps vanish overnight. Boom.

Oxygenating Deep Cleanse Mask

Face Mask Favorites

I think we can all agree this is the best part of skincare. Grab your glass of wine, get ready to binge a little Netflix, and mask up ladies! I try to squeeze in a face mask a few times a week. It’s a perfect excuse for a little “me-time” and will make your skin oh-so happy. These are our current favorites:

Exfoliating Mud Mask: It’s important to detox and refresh your skin regularly! This charcoal exfoliating mask tightens, exfoliates and works it’s magic to firm your skin and deep clean at the same time. Put a decent layer of this on your face and let it sit for a good 10-20 minutes and feel it’s magical powers work! Warning: when it dries laughing and smiling may be difficult and cause cracking to occur in the mask. So have fun, but not too much fun with this one.

Pumpkin Brightening Mask: It’s like Thanksgiving three times a week. This stuff smells like pumpkin pie on your face, in the best way possible. The minute you put this mask on it gives this amazing tingling sensation as if it were saying, “I got you girl!” When I can feel a product working, I know it’s a good one.

Oxygenating Deep Cleanse Mask: This one is so much fun! As soon as you remove it from the package it begins to bubble up. Just leave it on for a few minutes for a quick detox and instantly brighter skin.

Charcoal Eye Mask: If I could buy these in bulk and use them every single morning, I would. Apply to clean skin for about 15 minutes to reduce bags and dark circles under eyes. Bonus: they have anti-aging and wrinkle reducing properties. Win, win, win.

 

Whew! There you have it, folks. We would love to hear which products you are using and loving right now, so feel free to drop YOUR favorites below. Thanks so much for stopping by! xoxo

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