I get a lot of questions asking me what my skin care routine is, from start to finish. I believe that skin care routines should be as simplistic as possible, because otherwise you will eventually have “skin care burnout” and stop taking proper care of your skin. After many years of tweaking my routine with various steps and products, from the extremely complex to the bizarre, I have finally settled on a simple but effective skin care routine that works for me and keeps my skin clean, clear, and glowing.

I have oily skin, and my skin is not breakout prone unless it is hormonal, or I have been wearing a lot of makeup often and my pores become clogged. Please remember that this skin care routine is not meant for every person and every skin type, but is simply what works for me. I will explain each step, each product, and the benefits of each, so let’s dive in!

 

The single most important thing you can do in your skin care routine is remove any and all makeup on your face. Never go to sleep with your makeup still on. I cannot stress how important this step is – if you need to skip all other steps because of fatigue or lack of time, simply do this step.

To remove my eye makeup, I use Almay Eye Makeup Remover Pads (Oil-Free). They are my favorite eye makeup remover product, by far, and I have gone through containers and containers of this product throughout the years. The oil-free ones (in the purple bottle, shown above) are the best, in my opinion, because they are not greasy, won’t clog pores, and won’t leave a film behind in or near your eyes. You simply grab a pad or two, and lightly pat it down on and around your eye area to remove your eye makeup. Instantly, your eye makeup will be removed onto the pad, which you then simply dispose of. They are simple, convenient, easy to tote around, and ideal for those with sensitive eyes or for contact lens wearers.

To remove my face makeup, I use St. Ive’s Green Tea Scrub. This is a fairly new product by St. Ive’s and a great alternative to their original Apricot Scrub. It is perfect for those with blotches, blemishes, and/or oily skin, and really soothes your skin. It exfoliates dead skin cells off of your face, revealing smooth, glowing skin, and breaks down any dirt or makeup on your face. If you’d like to read a more in-depth review of this product, Beauty Gala featured it recently.

Toning your skin is an important step that many people skip. You do not need to have problem skin in order to use a toner. I personally use Proactiv Step 2: Revitalizing Toner on my skin, which helps remove any leftover oil, dirt, or makeup my cleanser may have missed. It also hydrates and soothes my skin, leaving it refreshed and more balanced. I simply take a cotton ball, or a cotton pad, and apply a bit of the product to it. Then, I rub it over the skin on my face. You would be very surprised what still comes off your face at this point! I personally purchase Proactiv products not because I have acne, but because their products work fantastically on my skin, and I have had excellent results with long-term use of their three-step skin care system. I do not typically use their skin care system the way they intend, but rather mix and match products as my skin needs.

Treating your skin will mean something different for every single person reading this right now. Depending on a variety of factors, including age, climate, skin type, and concerns, you will need a different product here. If you are concerned about aging, you may be using an anti-aging or retinol product here. If you are concerned about acne or blemishes, you will want to use something with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid in it. If your skin is blotchy, you will want to apply an anti-redness cream here. My skin is typically only blemish-prone when my pores become clogged from wearing a lot of makeup often, or from my hormones. When I sense a flare-up coming on, I use Proactiv Step 3: Repairing Treatment. It is a medicated benzoyl peroxide treatment you rub onto your face that kills acne causing bacteria. This treatment can be a bit harsh for my skin to use often, so I typically apply it once or twice a week faithfully to keep my skin clear.

Facial masks are a great treatment option for skin because there are literally face masks for every skin concern on the market: Anti-aging, blemishes, dry skin, blotchiness, oily, and everything in between. I personally use a face mask once a week, usually on the weekend, and my favorite is Mario Badescu Enzyme Revitalizing Mask. This mask is an alpha hydroxy based mask that is rich in papaya and grapefruit extracts, which help reduce the build-up of dulling surface cells. After thirty minutes of relaxation, this mask makes my skin feel smooth and even, and makes my skin glow beautifully.  I’ve also been reading a lot of Meaningful Beauty reviews lately (specifically for their revitalizing masks), but I’m not sure if I’m going to try it out yet or not.

Moisturizing your skin is another very important step that too many people skip out on. Just because your skin isn’t dry does not indicate that you need to skip this step! Every person can benefit from a moisturizer that is meant for their skin type and needs. I personally have oily skin, and green tea is known to soothe and calm redness, blotches, and blemishes. I use AcneFree Green Tea Moisturizer which I stumbled upon one day in the drugstore. Ever since, I have ordered this moisturizer in bulk online, and gone through bottles of it! It soothes my skin, and adds just enough moisture to my oily skin. The antioxidants in this moisturizer make my skin look refreshed and full of life, as well. It is well worth the trouble to find a moisturizer that works for your skin type, because moisturizing can make any skin type look less dull, younger, and more hydrated.

While my personal skin care routine may seem intimidating or full of steps, my skin care routine actually takes me less than five minutes every single day. Since I don’t always treat my skin with a mask or a repairing treatment every single day, I am in and out of the bathroom with clean, happy skin before I know it. The benefits to taking care of the skin on your face are endless. Not only are the benefits aesthetic, but happy, calm skin can boost your confidence, and the way you approach the world. I always believe in putting my best face forward, and that starts with skin.

Where To Buy The Products In My Skin Care Routine:

Almay Eye Makeup Remover Pads: Can be found at your local drugstore and mass retailers in the Almay Cosmetics section. You can also browse and purchase this product online:

Almay Hypo-Allergenic Eye Makeup Remover Pads, Non Oily

St. Ive’s Green Tea Scrub: Can be found at your local drugstore and mass retailers as well as online by clicking the photograph and link below:

Proactiv Step 2: Revitalizing Toner, Proactiv Step 3: Repairing Treatment Lotion: Can be purchased online through Rodan & Fields Proactiv website. Simply click the photograph and link below:

Proactiv Solution 3-piece trial kit

Mario Badescu Enzyme Revitalizing Mask: Can be found at your local Ulta location, and can also be browsed and purchased online by clicking the photograph and link below:

AcneFree Green Tea Moisturizer: Can be found at local drugstores and mass retailers, as well as online by clicking the photograph and link below:

Have a question for me about my skin care routine or any of the products mentioned above? Have a question you wanted answered in our “You Asked” column?

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[ALL PHOTOGRAPHY ON THIS SITE IS TAKEN BY REBECCA KAZIMIR. NO PHOTOGRAPHS ARE TO BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION.]

[I am not a professional esthetician or dermatologist. All of the above information is through years of my own personal research and experience. Never replace this information with information given by a professional or certified doctor.]