Hi there, friends! We made it to Friday!
Today, I’m so excited to finally sharing my latest everyday skincare routine, a post that is long overdue. If you’ve followed me for quite some time, you may remember my first morning & evening skin care routine post from 2016 and my love for TULA. Honestly, my skincare routine isn’t THAT much different than it used to be but I have incorporated some new products to ensure I’m taking the best care of my skin and giving it the fuel and food it needs to look its best, especially after the laser treatments I had done last year. With so many new readers to the blog and followers on Instagram, I owe y’all all the details on what products I use and how I take care of my skin each and every day.
Before getting into my morning and evening skin care routines, which will always be a little bit different, let me share a little bit about my skin type.
MY SKIN TYPE
Your skin inevitably changes a little bit as you age but I think mine has mostly always been combination skin. My forehead and chin have always been oily and everywhere else is normal. I’ve always experienced occasional breakouts, especially along my chin, which has left me with some acne scaring. I also have freckles, redness and uneven skin tone, although my laser treatments have definitely helped with the latter of the two. If my skin has changed at all, I will say that I experience more infrequent breakouts and my skin is NOT as oily as it once was. Thank goodness.
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STEP ONE | TULA PURIFYING FACIAL CLEANSER
I always start every morning by washing my face with TULA’s Purifying Facial Cleanser with warm water. This cleanser starts as a gel and suds up as you work it into your skin. This cleanser starts as a gel and what I love about it is that it leaves your skin feeling SO clean, not dry or tight. I always have a new bottle of this cleanser ready to go while I’m working on one and I always bring two travel sized ones with me on trips [on my long ones, I definitely need two].
STEP TWO | TULA PRO-GLYCOLIC 10% PH RESURFACING GEL
After I cleanse my skin, I always use a toner for additional cleansing and resurfacing. Usually, toners are filled with quite a bit of alcohol to get dirt and grime off your skin but that actually strips the outer layers of your skin and leads to signs of aging. What I love about this product is that there is absolutely NO alcohol and, instead, it combines 100% natural probiotics and glycolic acid to gently slough off dead skin cells and remove excess dirt and oil. I can promise you my skin NEVER feels tight or dried out. I simply apply two pumps of product on a couple of cotton balls and evenly smooth it over my face in the morning and at night after I wash my face with the cleanser.
STEP THREE | TULA ILLUMINATING FACE SERUM
I apply TULA’s Illuminating Face Serum after the toner has set into my skin. It gives your skin a subtle glow and locks in moisture to support a balanced appearance through the use of probiotics. It helps me look a little more ‘awake’, if you will, in the morning! Can’t beat a product that does that!
STEP FOUR | ELEMIS PRO-COLLAGEN MARINE CREAM
This is a new product in my regimen and is my morning moisturizer. I purchased it in the Heathrow Airport on my way back from Europe in January and, since I had some time to kill, I chatted with the Elemis sales woman for a solid 20-minutes about how amazing their skincare products are. [Do y’all remember the Superfood Facial Oil I featured in this post? That product is by Elemis, as well, and it would have been included in this post if I knew where my bottle ran off to! I miss it in my skin care routine. So, just know that is a great facial oil if you’re looking for one!]
Okay, back to this product … the formula of this moisturizer has the ability to minimize the depth of wrinkles and improves your skin’s firmness, tone and hydration after two weeks of use. I had been wanting to incorporate an anti-aging product into my routine, although I think a lot of these products do aim to help keep your skin looking young and fresh, but I think this one in particular aims to defy the aging process while improving the quality of your skin.
It’s a little pricey and I don’t love the smell but I do think it’s an amazing product. A little goes a long way especially when I only use it once a day.
STEP FIVE | MARIO BADESCU FACIAL SPRAY WITH ALOE, CUCUMBER AND GREEN TEA
This isn’t a product I use everyday but it is something I like to spray on my skin on mornings where I didn’t get a lot of sleep the night before. The aloe , cucumber and green tea spray leaves your skin feeling revitalized and blankets your skin with an antioxidant protective layer.
STEP SIX | ALASTIN HYDRATINT PRO MINERAL BROAD SPECTRUM SUNSCREEN SPF 36
It’s more important to me than every to protect my skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays. I fell in love with Alastin products last year after using a lot of their products to care for and expedite the healing process of my skin after the laser treatments. The one product I couldn’t quit was their Hydratint Pro Mineral Broad Spectrum Sunscreen with SPF 36. I wear it every day and it goes with me on all of my trips. I love that it’s not oily at all and infuses into my skin quickly. Once this is done setting, I can start my makeup routine.
DISCOUNT CODE | Enjoy 20% off TULA products with code SEQUINS20
STEP ONE | POND’S WET CLEANSING TOWELETTES
These have been in my daily skin care routine for years and years. They do such a good job of removing your makeup without making your skin feel like it’s on fire. There are so many similar makeup removing towelettes that have so much alcohol in them and it can irritate your skin more than help soothe it. Although you should never rely on these as a means to CLEAN your skin, these do leave my skin feeling soft and smooth.
STEP TWO | TULA PURIFYING FACIAL CLEANSER
After getting a good majority of the days’ makeup off of my face with the towelettes, I will typically double cleanse with TULA’s Purifying Facial Cleanser. I want to make sure my face is squeeky clean and makeup free, especially if you wear a primer, foundation, two concealers and powders on top of that, like I do!
STEP THREE | TULA PRO-GLYCOLIC 10% PH RESURFACING GEL
Next, I take two clean cotton balls and use the same toner as I do in the morning. This will help balance my skin’s pH and help my skin resurface and repair.
STEP FOUR | PETER THOMAS ROTH RETINOL SERUM + JADE ROLLER
*** I DO THIS STEP EVERY OTHER NIGHT ***
Retinol is highly effective in reversing sun damage and signs of aging. This product helps to kill off surface skin cells and promotes the growth of new ones to then yield an even skin tone and texture as well as a healthy complexion. It also has Vitamin C & E to provide moisture to the skin. You should never apply retinol products during the day because it will break down when exposed to the sun. In order for your skin to benefit from the product, it is best to apply it at night. This product is oil-free, fragrance-free, paraben-free and sulfate-free.
If you don’t have a jade roller or don’t want to use one, simply apply two or three drops of retinol onto your fingers and pat them all over your face. Don’t rub. Then apply your moisturizer.
STEP FIVE | TULA HYDRATING DAY & NIGHT CREAM
This is my absolute favorite moisturizer I have ever used! It’s non-toxic and packed with probiotics that deliver deep hydration to my skin. I truly believe that the radiance and clarity that my skin exudes has so much to do with this product. It is worth noting that this product has retinol [Vitamin A] in it, which promotes cell turnover. Cell turnover means that new skin cells are being produced and traveling from the lower layers of the skin to the top and then shedding off. This prevents dead cells from building up on your skin so you definitely want to use products that facilitate this process. However, cell turnover creates new skin which is very delicate and should never be exposed to the sun so I only use this product at night. When retinol is exposed to the sun, it breaks down very quickly so it’s best to use this product at night to allow for this process not be interrupted. Another perk to only using it at night is that your money goes further!
You may be wondering why I use a retinol serum AND the cream with retinol and it’s because the retinol serum is PURE retinol whereas the cream just has retinol as a small ingredient.
STEP SIX | TULA MULTI-SPECTRUM EYE RENEWAL SERUM
This product is packed with caffeine, extracts and herbs that aid in reducing puffiness and the appearance of fine lines. The cool tip applicator that the product comes out of feels so good against my tired skin in the morning and anything cool always helps minimize puffiness, as well. I apply this in the morning to help wake up the look of my skin after I have applied my moisturizer. One pump of product releases is enough for both eyes.
STEP SEVEN | SARA HAPP ‘THE LIP SLIP’ ONE LUXE BALM
The last thing I do before hitting the hay is I apply this lip balm. It’s really thick but extremely nourishing. It penetrates deep while you’re sleeping to leave your lips plump and soft in the morning. If your lips have been dry, it’ll help shed those dead layers off quicker. I can’t recommend this lip balm enough. I don’t LOVE the smell but the performance of the product makes it easy to ignore that one minor detail.
I have experienced a few burns from my curling wand recently. You may see them on my arm and hand from time to time. I’ve been using this Bio-Oil, formulated with Pur-Cellin Oil, to improve the appearance of stretch marks, scars and uneven skin tone. It’s quickly absorbed into the skin and ultra moisturizing. I also rub it on my knees and elbows, areas that are usually dryer than most.
CLARINS RADIANCE-PLUS GOLDEN GLOW BOOSTER
This serum, when applied to your daily moisturizer, can boost your complexion and give it a warm, natural glow. I don’t like to apply tanning lotions to my face so this serum has been a great additive to my daily skincare regimen, especially when I’ve been applying my favorite bronzing mousse to my body or have recently gotten a spray tan.
KIEHL’S ULTRA FACIAL TONER
Immediately after I got my eyebrows microbladed, I wasn’t able to use the TULA Pro-Glycolic 10% Resurfacing Gel, which is my usual toner, for ten days. Due to the fact that glycolic acid promotes cell turnover, it posed a threat to the newly placed semi-permanent tattoo ink that had just been applied to my eyebrows. This could cause them to fade faster. So, during the healing process, I used this toner, which I had used for quite some time and always really liked. It’s pH-balanced for optimal comfort and doesn’t over-dry or strip the natural oils of your skin, which I love. It also has a lot of ingredients that help to restore your skin’s natural moisture.
** NEW PRODUCT ALERT **
TULA AQUA INFUSION OIL-FREE GEL
Skin dehydration is something that I often worry about during the warmer months of the year. Although there is a lot of moisture in the air here in Florida, and I do naturally have normal to oily skin, it’s always important to keep hydration at the forefront of your mind for the health of your body as well as your skin. Make sure your drinking the right amount of water. That will always help your skin look better than it did without adequate water consumption. However, if you’re afraid you won’t be able to continually get that in on your own, you can always try this new product that my friends at TULA just launched called Aqua Infusion Oil-Free Gel. In only two pumps of product, you can expect to deliver immediate hydration, while also ensuring sustained moisture retention for three full days! This will give your complexion a naturally refreshed and energized look! Sign me up!
I just received this product a couple of days ago and have yet to try it but have every intention of giving it a whirl this weekend and can imagine that it will be a product that I use a couple of times a week, especially when I’m traveling and during the summer months! I’ll keep you posted on IG stories if I like it. I’ll be looking to make sure it doesn’t make my oily areas feel more oily, although it is an oil-free product. You never know so I will certainly report back!
And don’t forget …. enjoy 20% off with code SEQUINS20 on any TULA purchase, except monthly shipments!
Thanks so much for stopping by today, friends! I hope this answers a ton of your questions about what I use day and night to maintain a healthy glow and to supply my skin with the nutrients it needs as well as opens your eyes to WHY these products are helpful. If you’d like to shop any of the products for yourself, be sure to click on the product below and leave any questions you may have in the comments section!
Have a great weekend, lovelies! I’ll see y’all back here on Monday with a new post! xo.
