I don’t claim to have the best skin. It’s not the most flawless nor glowing, but it’s real. I have real ups and downs. Days of good looking skin not necessarily outweighing the days of broken-out skin. I have learned that the current state of my skin fluctuates with the seasons (I think), and it can get pretty bad. But there are some preventative measures I’ve been experimenting with and routines I do in order to ensure a nice face in the morning.
MORNING ROUTINE
I take showers in the morning, so I wash my face the most thoroughly in the mornings. The product that I’ve taken a liking to is Evologie face wash. It’s specifically for acne, and I know it’s taking good care of my skin. This face wash makes me feel like I’m doing something good for my face and leaves my skin feeling fresh and the bottle lasts a good few months. I also really like Evologie’s other products, their blemish serum, and face cream (I like them too much… because I keep using them up!). I’ve mentioned them in a previous post…. These products are good for essential skin hydration and extracting deep-seated acne.
I exfoliate sometimes. Honestly, I should exfoliate more often! I’d say a healthy amount to exfoliate is once or twice per week. Of course, you don’t want to over do it.
If I feel like hydrating my skin (especially because of how harsh I’m realizing winter is on my face), I will use a simple hydrating cream. Right now, what I have on hand is plain Ponds moisturizer as well as an aloe-based moisturizer called Infinite Aloe. This moisturizer feels great, doesn’t leave residue, and has similar ingredients to Nerium, which I will mention for my nightly routine (really good for redness).
Some other tips…. Throughout the rest of the day, I try to drink water as often as possible! Water is very cleansing and very nourishing for your body in general, which is a given! Humans obviously can’t live without water. But pure hydrating water does great things for your skin.
Ever hear of the phrase, “you are what you eat”? Well this is true too! I find that the better my diet is, the better my skin is! Stay away from dairy, foods that spike your blood sugar, and gluten (wheat and dairy in general are bad. Read why here! I’m slowly trying to eliminate these from my own health-conscious diet.). Personally, I try to keep to mainly veggies, supplemented by protein (nuts, legumes, wheat-less grains, healthy fats, etc).
I find that my skin gets worse and stays that way if I mess with it. I feel like a key component to keeping my skin fresh and clear is, even if I have a blemish, to treat my skin with my products and to not touch/mess with it otherwise. On the days I do have a breakout and I really need to clear my skin, I will take an anti-biotic, which really seems to help. But I try not to rely on those. Stay away from antibiotics, as they could cause more problems than they solve.
I also feel that sweating a lot in the gym 4-5 times a week give me an extra edge on skin care. Whenever I sweat, I feel like that water is working alongside my workout to expedite clearing out the crud beneath the surface. I don’t think sweat on your skin is very good though, so make sure to shower/wash afterwards!
NIGHTLY ROUTINE
So, basically, on days that I’m home for most of the day and I don’t even need to put any makeup on, I’m set in terms of nightly skincare. For the most part.
On other days that have required me to put on makeup, especially after photoshoots with lot’s of cake-y makeup residue, I wash my face with the Evologie face wash again and wipe everything clean with a soft cloth (hey, there’s my exfoliation, right there!). I don’t bother with moisturizer again. I know my skin and it generally leans toward the oily side (especially in the summer). What my skin needs at this point in the day is to breathe. Makeup clogs pores, so avoid makeup where you can.
Before I go to bed, if I have any redness, or need to look fresh in the morning, I apply my Nerium night cream. Nerium is actually an anti-aging product, but does wonders for your skin. It’s basically like a freshening night mask that makes your skin younger, and helps reduce redness by repairing your skin cells and it is an antioxidant.
MAKEUP
I don’t usually wear makeup. Actually, I avoid wearing makeup. In a general sense, I have skin that I feel confident in, even with a blemish or two, and I would rather be all-naturale than waste money on expensive product and worsen my skin by trying to cover up the problem. Besides, when you DO put on a face of makeup, it just makes you that much more impressive to your friends!
When it is required of me to wear makeup for my job as a model (either to cover up blemishes, even out complexion, or highlight my features), I like to keep it simple and down to the products I have available to me.
I’ve been using this wonderful NARS tinted moisturizer for the base of my makeup and it really helps even out my skin tone. Many days, I will just use this moisturizer. Other days, I will use a concealer lightly underneath my eyes (usually I have some darkness there), and directly on major blemishes. I blend that out, apply some nice matching powder, put on mascara, and usually call it good! If I’m feeling like the occasion calls for a natural eye shadow, I will go that route, but as far as foundation, that’s about all I apply. Simple, natural, and pretty.
After I do all these things on a daily basis, let my skin breathe and heal on it’s own, my skin remains in a relatively healthy state with no breakouts! Now, if I stick with this exact routine, diet, and lifestyle through til next winter, that will be the real test! I’ve noticed my bad breakouts happen with the NYC cold weather.
The real secret is just beginning to understand what your skin is like, how it behaves, what it needs, and what it doesn’t need. Apply these things to YOUR skin consistently, and you should begin to have a confident, glow-y face!
You have nothing to lose!
Be Fierce!!
Briauna Mariah (: