It’s been a minute since I’ve written a blog, but I get asked quite frequently about my favorite skin care products, routines, facials, etc, so I wanted to break everything down and give you a glimpse into how my skincare has evolved over the years!
First and foremost,
I just want to stress the importance of starting with your skincare from the INSIDE OUT. If you have some intolerances, allergies/sensitivities, struggling with an autoimmune disorder, or just maybe don’t have the best diet – I highly recommend starting there. Try to focus on having your diet be mostly whole, nutrient dense foods, lots of color to your diet, and most importantly: hydration! These are essentially the foundations, and then of course if you do dive more into any intolerances, it may be beneficial for you to experiment with removing dairy or gluten from your diet. Of course, as with everything, everyone is so different so you need to figure out what works for you. Not everyone needs to cut out dairy or gluten!
Next important thing to talk about is SUNSCREEN. Holy moly this is something I REALLY wish I paid more attention to in my teens and early twenties. I was a huge idiot and used to tan in tanning beds, out in the sun, and with no sunscreen. And trust me when I tell you, I’m suffering the consequences now with permanent sun damage on my face and chest that I’ve been working on treating with laser (I’ll get more into that later on).
This has been my go-to facial sunscreen for the last year and a half, and I absolutely love it. It’s SPF 30, and it has a non-comedogenic formula which won’t clog pores or leave a white cast. I also can just wear this alone and it leaves my skin with a really nice glow.
Think of skincare like a pyramid:
I think the biggest thing that drives me crazy about people who promote skincare products (there’s nothing wrong with that, I’ve been with Tula for 5+ years) is that they don’t give you the FULL picture. It’s not JUST the Tula products that have transformed my skin. Yes, having a quality skincare routine is HUGE, but keep in mind sometimes people aren’t showing you everything else that’s going along with their skincare. It’s honestly so much like the fitness & health scene! So lets get into those skincare products:
- Tula gentle milk cleanser : I use this morning & night, depending on how my skin is that day. I have super dry and sensitive skin so this helps keep my skin balanced with not over stripping.
- Tula pH balancing toning pads : I like toning pads because I can physically see anything that’s left on my skin after washing my face but again, it doesn’t strip my skin or make me feel dry & tight.
- Paula’s choice niacinamide enhancer : I put this on before moisturizer, since I can’t use a lot of intense acids or glycolics daily. If I’m having more of a breakout week, I’ll go in with the Tula glycolic resurfacing toner
- I am also prescribed a retinol serum from my dermatologist, but I can’t use that nightly because it literally flakes my skin to death. So I use every other night, or every 2 nights.
- Tula plumping & firming moisturizer : My favorite moisturizer for day and night
- Another thing I really love are the Tula probiotic gummies that also support hair, skin, and nails. My hair girl always says she notices a difference when I take these daily!
Lets talk masks:
For acne/spot treatment – GlamGlow super mud detoxifying clay mask
For resurfacing/brightening – Tula brightening & exfoliating mask
For calming/soothing – Origins out of trouble mask
For over deep hydration – Tula overnight repair mask
For spot treatments (I can’t use benzyl peroxide) – Paula’s choice BHA 9 treatment
I also have one of my holy grail way-too-expensive-of-a-product product that I SWEAR by, my bestie turned me onto it and I use it at night before I start my night time skin care routine after I get out of the shower:
Let’s talk TREATMENTS:
This is also another touchy subject for people because not a lot of women want to admit they get botox or fillers. Personally, I’ve been getting Botox since I was 22 and I don’t regret it. I also have filler in my undereye crease and smile lines. This is something that I do about once every 5-6 months (for Botox) and the filler I haven’t had touched up since I first did it. But that’s why you’ll see my forehead looking smooth and unwrinkled!
For chemical peels/facials/laser treatments, this is going to be something again that is super individualized and will depend upon your skin concerns. My routine is:
- Hydrafacial + Dermaplaning: once every 4 weeks
- Chemical peels (sometimes added into the Hydrafacial depending on my skin) as needed
- Laser genesis treatment: once every 4 weeks
- Pico laser (for sun damage): once every 2-3 months
- Botox: once every 5-6 months
- Filler: once a year
Overall, everyones skin is SO different and it’s important to find what works best for you and your own skin type! Remember that all of these things work as a system, so if you’re trying to solve cystic acne by just changing products, you may want to start from the bottom of the pyramid. Your sleep and stress are also a huge part of your skin too! Same with things like alcohol and drug consumption. You can’t just put a bandaid on those things.
I hope this helps!
xo
Manders
SIMPLY MANDER 