Let me start this by saying I never really had a skincare routine and took complete advantage of my "good skin". I am appalled to even admit this, but, I used to even sleep in my makeup, touch it up in the morning and carry on with my day.
When I voice a complaint about my skin people typically just roll their eyes at me and say "you have great skin!" But guess what.... I 👏 want 👏 BETTER 👏 ! This means that I invest in my skin and engage in active skin health. Your skin is the largest organ in your body. You go to the dentist for your teeth, the gynecologist for your lady bits, lets face it there is a specific doctor for every body part. WHY would I not go to a doctor for my skin health?
If you are questioning why would you take skincare advise from me as I tell you I have never had truly problematic skin, I totally get it! The point of this blog is not to simply sell you things, it's to share what has worked for me in the hopes it will help someone else!
My skincare concerns are:
-Anti-aging
-Redness
-Texture
-Pore Size
-Dryness
.... ok basically everything other than acne!
I am going to be really honest, I don't have bad skin to start off. My concerns are mainly from a preventative standpoint. I am a firm believer that if you take care of your skin today, your skin will thank you tomorrow.
I will describe each product in the order that I use / apply them. The order that skincare is applied is important for how deeply it is able to penetrate due to its molecular density. What the heck does that mean?!.... Go from thinnest to thickest!
The first product I use is the ZO Hydrating Facial Cleanser. I love this creamy, lightly foaming cleanser. It has a light grapefruit fragrance to it that is not overpowering and doesn't linger on the skin. I actually look forward to taking a big whiff during my morning shower as a nice little wake me up. It smells like very high end skincare that you would find in a spa. It has no problem cutting through my waterproof mascara but to be fair I only use it with my Clairsonic. Some of my friends don't like this cleanser because they feel like it leaves a residue on their skin. I never have that problem and feel that the Sodium hyaluronate, panthenol, glycerin, sodium PCA and urea found in the ZO Hydrating Facial Cleanser leaves my skin soothed and moisturized. I really enjoy this cleanser, but my hunt for better is not over.
Next is on to one of my FAVORITE products in my skincare routine, ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Polish. I use this polish 3 times a week and have seen a huge improvement in the overall appearance of my skin. This little pot of magic is made up of SUPER FINE magnesium crystals that exfoliate all the dead, dull skin off so gently it doesn't feel like it is tearing your skin apart (cough St. Ives Apricot scrub cough😜). The less water you use, the more abrasive the exfoliation will be. I like to use a medium pressure and use my fingertips to massage a dime size amount in circular motions around my entire face. I pay extra attention to my nose and forehead as that is where I personally notice more texture on myself when I have a full face of make-up on. I am fortune to not have an issue when it comes to blackheads, but if you do this is a must have product for you! These super fine magnesium crystals not only remove dead skin cells to reveal smoother and brighter skin but they also prevent clogged pores. They also promote healthy circulation and cell turnover and deliver Vitamins A, C, C-ester and E into the skin providing antioxidant protection. It will be very hard to top this exfoliating polish in my opinion!
This next product isn't physician grade. I actually as introduced to this while I was at Sephora picking up some dry shampoo. (I am on the hunt for a good, clean ingredients dry shampoo that will give me volume. Comment below your favorite please!!) Because I was purchasing other skincare products a lovely Sephora employee told me that they had time for a free perk facial. If you're not familiar with this complimentary service offered for all Sephora beauty insiders, get familiar with it. 🧖🏼♀️ The perk facial is by the same people who created the Hydrafacial! In less than 20 mins your skin will be exfoliated, sucked clean of dead skin and excess sebum (oil) and you will be introduced to some products that will leave your skin glowing. It was during my quick skincare assessment where I expressed interest in a new toner that would help with pores and allow the rest of my products to penetrate deeper. She told me "you don't need a toner, you need an essence!" This is how most of my trips to Sephora go. I think I go in there knowing what I need, but nope, Sephora tells me what I really need!
Flash forward: Black Tea Kombucha Antioxidant Essence by Fresh. I have personally noticed my skin looking and feeling more hydrated and less dull. My skin appears softer like a filter has been applied after a few weeks of consistent use. The Sephora website claims "The silky essence gives skin a luminous glow, helps fades fine lines, minimizes pores, improves elasticity, smooths its texture, boosts its healthy tone, and hydrates for up to 24 hours. Kombucha, fermented black tea proven to fight wrinkle-causing pollution and free radicals, is the star in this product"
Every person I walked past in the store that saw the box in my basket had something positive to say and seemed genuinely excited for me to add this to my skin care regimen. I use this morning and evening as the first product after cleansing and drying my face. I especially love starting my day with this stuff because it has a light fresh scent that reminds me of cucumbers; and I LOVEEE all things cucumber.
Months later my mother-in-law was spending a long weekend at our house and had expressed wanting to start a skincare regimen. We happened to end up at Sephora and she picked up a travel size of this essence and mentioned she noticed a difference in how her skin felt after just a few uses.
I am a BIG fan of ZO Skin Health for a many reason, but mainly because this stuff works! This lightweight, non-greasy serum is jam packed with antioxidants to fight against fine lines & wrinkles and prevent against future damage. There is also a whisper of Retinol in this product the further the anti-again benefits. I like to think of this step as my self-defense layer against environmental pollutants. The bottle labels this product as a serum but to me it feels more like a thin, very light weight moisturizer. Two pumps of this serum is all I need to treat my face, neck and chest. Repeat after me: Do onto your chest and neck as you do to your face!! Because this is professional grade skincare the ingredients are high quality and highly concentrated so a little goes a long way which helps me justify the $150 price tag on this every day must have.
An aesthetician recommended I replace my Zo Daily Power Defense with SkinBetter Alto Defense Serum to better address the redness to my skin. I am almost out of my ZO Daily Power so I am thinking I will give Alto a try with low expectations that it will replace my ZO. So stay tuned to see!
5) Herbivore Botanicals Face Oils (these are also now available at Sephora!)
I personally like to combine 2 of the Herbivore Facial oils, Phoenix for anti-again and Emerald for extra moisture and to calm any redness I have in my skin. I noticed an undeniable glow to my skin after the very first use of these oils. I always warm them up by rubbing them between both my hands and then gently patting them into my skin on my face, neck, chest, and any extra gets rubbed into my hands.
I really enjoy these facial oils as compared to others that I have tried because they actually soak into your skin rather than sitting on top and sliding around. These don't cause my makeup to break up or do anything funky, even if I am in a rush during my morning routine and I apply my makeup on top before these anti-aging and extremely moisturizing oils sink in.
These oils help my skin glow to the heavens and feel supple! These will be constants in my skincare routine and will repurchase them for years to come. I love these facial oils so much that I am going to explore other Herbivore products!
This is a product I don't think I can be without. I never let it fully run out and always make sure to apply it day and night even if I don't have the motivation to go through my entire skincare routine. I have noticed an improvement in the puffiness in my under eyes the most! There has also been a significant improvement in the fine lines and tightness. Some of the active ingredients are:
Retinol and hydrolyzed sericin: Collagen stimulation to visibly promote skin elasticity and natural collagen health
Kojic dipalmitate: Targets to help lighten dark circles
Saccharomyces lysate extract, carnitine, coenzyme A, caffeine: Supports natural microcirculation to reduce appearance of puffiness
Shea Butter and squalane: Skin lipid, barrier replenishment
Sodium PCA and olive fruit extract: Hydrator and moisture replenishers
Arnica Montana flower extract: Antioxidant and anti-irritant
There is retinol in this eye cream so if you have sensitive skin you may want to start off using this once a day and working your way up to day and night. Some people I know thought they were having an allergic reaction when they first started to use this because their eyes got red and flaky. That is just the retinol working its magic! It won't stay like that forever
7) SPF
In search of a great everyday physical SPF for the face & Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Lightweight Sunscreen Spray on the body
After makeup I apply Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Lightweight Sunscreen Spray from my neck down to any exposed skin. I like this SPF because it gives my skin a beautiful healthy glow without being greasy like many sunscreens. It is light weight and almost immediately absorbs into my skin almost like a dry oil. It does smells pretty heavily of SPF but I'll take that over damaged skin! The full reach spray top lets you spray in any direction with an even mist, even upside-down. This comes in handy when I wear my backless tops and dresses or head out to the pool. I first stumbled upon this SPF when Scott Barns used it on Tatti (youtube beauty guru!) in one of her videos and said this is what he uses on JoLo. Well there you have it... if it is a factor in keeping JoLo's skin looking the way I t does say no more besides add to cart! This sunscreen is broad band meaning it defends against both UVA and UVA rays!
Do As I Say
1) Put a pea size amount of ZO Skin Health Hydrating Facial Cleanser onto the center of your Clairsonic and wash your face as per the timed settings
2) 3 Days a week apply a dime size amount of ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Polish to damp skin using medium pressure with finger tips in circular motions paying extra attention to areas with more texture or dry patches (The drier the skin the more abrasive of an exfoliation you will get). Do not use this with your Clairsonic or on the days you use your Clairsonic. Over exfoliating your skin is a real thing!
3) Apply a dash or two of the Black Tea Kombucha Antioxidant Essence by Fresh by pressing it into the skin on your face, neck, and decollate
4) ZO Skin Health Daily Power Apply 2 pumps to your fingertips and pat into your face, neck, and chest
5) Mix together 2-3 drops of each Herbivore Phoenix Oil and Emerald Oil. Warm the product up in your hands and press into the skin on the face, neck, and decollate.
Pro tip: Make sure to rub any ext4ra products into your hands to keep them looking healthy and youthful!
7) Gently apply a pomegranate seed size amount of ZO Hyrdafirm and split between each ring finger. Then begin gently tapping into the lower eye area. I like to apply mine in that ridiculous upside triangle shape you see people drawing on with concealer. Make sure to be delicate and not rub aggressively as you under eye area is made up of very delicate skin!
8) Send me your suggestions for a good SPF! But here is where I would implement it before makeup . To any skin. From my neck down that is exposed I apply Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Lightweight Sunscreen Spray (see above for which celebrity with goddess like skin swears by this).
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