Let's talk skincare...
Honestly, up until this year, I never took great care of my skin. Sure, I'd wash my face in the shower, and face masks are fun, but I didn't have a solid skincare routine. I blame genetics. Thankfully the acne gene wasn't one of the ones my parents passed on to me and it was rare for me to get more than a few pimples when I was in high school and even early college.
Yeah...not so much now. Between wearing a mask nearly 24/7 and the stress of oh I don't know a global pandemic, entering post-grad life, etc., etc. my skin took a serious hit over the past year. I'm talking acne, dullness, massive pores, you name it. I went from someone who was always confident with her skin to someone who wanted to wear baseball caps and masks to cover up most of her face. Not good.
So, here's the deal. Just like my decision to take my health seriously and switch up my workout routine, I decided to invest in my skin. Here's a secret - it was one of the best investments I've ever made! I feel so much more confident and now I hardly wear makeup - honestly like maybe once every 2 weeks!
Here's what investing in my skincare looks like!
Facials and High-Quality Face Masks
God bless Luxe Lounge Medspa in Lexington! Right before Christmas, I decided to treat myself to a hydrafacial since I'd seen so many people talk about them all over social media! I mean why not? It's Christmas and I deserved it! Guys, if you can, try a hydrafacial! It was amazing! I don't think my skin has ever been cleaner, healthier, and happier than it was after that facial! Everyone at Luxe Lounge was so nice too that I decided to treat myself to another birthday gift and buy myself a membership that included a monthly, customized facial! Such a killer deal! Not to mention I have the best aesthetician ever, Savannah! For real, if you try out Luxe Lounge go see her! She was so helpful with figuring out what my skin needs and how to get my confidence back when it came to my skin!
Now, I know facials aren't for everyone and not everyone can make getting facials often something that works with their lifestyle. But that doesn't mean you can't have a mini spa night at home! Another part of switching up my skincare was investing in some high-quality face masks that actually helped my skin rather than making it angry. I've got super-sensitive skin so sometimes those cheap drug store sheet masks leave my skin looking red and itchy. That's where this clay mask comes in! I know I've talked about it before but the OleHenriksen Cold Plunge Pore Mask is my ride or die face mask! I discovered it after reading this post all about it on The Skinny Confidential and I've bought it so many times since then! It lasts me months and leaves my skin feeling fresh and healthy every time! Not to mention, it's a clean beauty product and I'm all about that!
Medical Grade Skin Care
Having grown up with great skin I never worried about the skincare I was using. I was fine with using drug store brand face washes or even just whatever was on my counter or in a cabinet. I used Cetaphil for years and that's still one of my favorite non-medical grade face washes, but medical-grade products have made my skin that much happier! Again, this is why I love Savannah, because she found the perfect skincare line for me! I switched to using ZO Skin Health products and I don't think I'll ever stop! My routine takes me 5 minutes max and leaves my skin feeling fantastic all day! I'm all about short, manageable routines so having a skincare routine that consists of 3-4 products is a game-changer! I use the gentle cleanser, the toner, the Daily Power Defense serum, and the Broad Spectrum sunscreen every single day. This stuff is definitely pricy, but for me, it was worth spending the money to feel good about my skin.
SPF, SPF, SPF
If you're not wearing sunscreen every day this is your sign to start! Sun damage is real and it can seriously mess up your skin so take a few minutes and put some dang sunscreen on! I've always been pretty good about wearing sunscreen on my face, even in the winter. My mom is a radiation oncology nurse so she has drilled wearing sunscreen into my brain for years! I swear one of the reasons my skin has always stayed fairly healthy is because I protect it! I promise, trying to tan your face is not worth the sun damage.
There you have it! That's how I've gotten confident in my skin, even without makeup on to cover the zits and blemishes that pop up every now and then!
Let me know what your skincare routine is and share your favorite skincare items!