Hi, hello, I’m back again! I’m going to spare you the long drawn out story about why I haven’t been posting. Life happens! If you want an update post, let me know, drop a comment! 🙂
Get ready, this is going to be a long one.
So let’s just get into it. I have oily combination skin. I get oily in my t-zone but it’s normal everywhere else on my face. Oh and I have sensitive skin. My whole life I’ve struggled with acne. All throughout middle school and high school I kept telling myself it would get better when I got older. Then college came and I was still dealing with it. Even in my early 20s I still couldn’t get a handle on it. I couldn’t even leave the house without 5 layers of makeup. I was TERRIFIED of what my boyfriend would think if he saw me without foundation. It’s easy to get stuck in the feeling that things will never change because they’ve been the same for so long. I’m now 26 going on 27 and I still deal with it here and there, but I’ve come a looooong way.
Growing up, I tried everything from Clean and Clear to Proactive to prescription topical creams…to yes, even the St. Ives Apricot Scrub. Nothing ever seemed to work for me. Then one day after YEARS of dealing with breakouts (I was 23), I thought to myself, what if I actually stopped using products made to treat acne? I realized that these acne products were actually over-drying my skin and to solve my acne problems I needed to treat my skin, not the acne.
I came across First Aid Beauty from hours of watching YouTube. Now, I wasn’t used to buying face wash that cost me more than $10, so going for one that was DOUBLE the price plus the face cream was pretty steep for me. I took a step back and realized skincare really is an investment and at this point I was more than willing to spend more money to get clearer skin. I tried it and I was HOOKED.
I started researching more and more skincare and it just snowballed into an obsession. Today, I love all the products I’m using and I repurchase everything whenever I run out. Sure, it’s a lot of money, but damn, it sure feels good to feel good in my own skin and not worry about having to wear foundation before leaving the house.
CLEANSERS
I’m going to start from left to right. The OLEHENRIKSEN Transforming Walnut Scrub is actually newer for me and yes, it is transforming. I’ve only had it for about 2 months, but I love it! Usually I tend to stay away from physical exfoliants because I feel like they always over-dry my skin, but not this one! It leaves my skin super soft and not dry. It also smells amazing! Since it is an exfoliator, I only use it at night maybe once or twice a week.
I love Tatcha. Every single product I’ve tried from them so far has been amazing and I can definitely feel a difference in my skin when I use their products. It wasn’t always like that though. Whenever I saw Tatcha I was like, nope, way to expensive. Then I saw Sephora had a mini size pack of the Deep Cleanse and Water Cream moisturizer. If you’re a skeptic like I was about their products, go buy the mini size pack. I wouldn’t even say they’re mini because there’s actually a lot of product in them, for only $25! Anyways, The Tatcha Deep Cleanse Exfoliating Cleanser is sooo luxurious and my skin just feels so moisturized and plump after using it. It’s a gel with natural fruit exfoliant that lathers into like a creamy foam type of texture. It’s supes luxe you guys.
Now of course I had to put in my OTP (did I use that right?) the First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser. This lil gem can do no wrong in my eyes. It’s creamy, it’s frothy, it’s just an experience in a tube…thing. Now, I’ve definitely strayed from this cleanser a few times to try others, but I always come back to it. It’s just perfect! My skin never feels tight or dry after using it and it just feels like I’m giving my skin a treat whenever I use it.
If you’re looking for THE BEST makeup remover. Look no further. I have re-ordered the Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm more times than ANY skincare product I have. Yes, it’s THAT good. Most cleansing oils or balms or whatever makeup removing product stings my eyes every time. It’s the worst. BUT this little guy is AMAZING. It takes off ALL my makeup and I can open my eyes and see my raccoon eyes without them burning. It even takes off water-proof mascara easily too! You know how when you’re trying to clean off your mascara, but it turns into that goopy mess that kind of clumps together no matter how much cleanser you put on it? Not with this product! This balm just melts everything off your face perfectly. I will never not re-order this thing as long as I live.
TONERS
I’ve always gone back and forth on how I feel about toners. Do they actually work? I feel like they work well with taking the extra leftover foundation and makeup on your face. Further than that? I’m still testing.
I want to start with the Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Facial Toner. This was the first toner that changed my skin. When I started using this toner, I was already using the First Aid Beauty cleanser and moisturizer. I thought my 2 step routine was good and then this beauty came into my life. My skin had never been softer and juicier more than it had with this toner. My skin was SO moisturized and just felt so healthy. I feel like it definitely helped change my skin to what it is today. I don’t use it as much anymore, because I’ve been testing these next two products, but she’ll always be on the re-purchase list.
OLEHENRIKSEN has become a favorite brand of mine lately. I would say most of my skin products are from Ole. I got into the Balancing Force Oil Control Toner because of Desi Perkins on Youtube. I LOVE her, I love everything she does and I buy everything she suggests. She SWORE by this toner that it helped clear her acne. Now, here’s where my skeptical-ness came in because this is the second time I’ve re-purchased this toner and I can’t 100% say for sure that alone, it helped my acne like it did for her. Everyone’s skin is different and I was a little disappointed that it didn’t work for me. HOWEVER, when I started using the Glow2OH Dark Spot Toner WITH it….game changer. I use the Balancing Force in the morning and then the Glow2OH at night and together…they are magic. My skin is clear, it’s flourishing, it’s living its best life thanks to this combo. I’m not sure why it is that you have to use both for one to work, but idk maybe it’s just me and my difficult skin.
EYE CREAMS
Eye creams, what can I say about eye creams? INVEST IN A GOOD EYE CREAM PEOPLE. I was one of those people that didn’t think I needed eye cream, and then I got older and I was sleeping less. The sleep hasn’t gotten better, hello anxiety thank you very much, but you wouldn’t be able to tell because of these amazing little creams.
Saturday Skin is definitely a silent contender. I don’t really see a lot of bloggers or Youtubers talk about this brand all that much, but I LOVE them. I love that they don’t have fragrance, I love their cute simple pink packaging. They’re just great and this Wide Awake Brightening Eye Cream is so thick and hydrating on the eyes, it’s like…whoa.
Wow surprise surprise look what we have here…OLEHENRIKSEN. Again. Sorry not sorry, but I love their products ok?! I’ve only been using the Banana Bright Eye Cream for a couple of months, but I can say that it does work! It makes my under eyes super bright, like sometimes I don’t even need concealer. I mean…I’ll wear concealer because I’m an anxiety ridden mess and I think I look worse than I do, but just trust me when I say it does what it says.
As much as I love both of these eye creams, I feel like my under eyes could look better. I’m not saying that these don’t work, but maybe there’s something stronger out there for me. Because you know…lack of sleep and such.
MOISTURIZERS
WOW…you’re in the home stretch! If you made it this far, thank you so much for reading and I promise future posts won’t be this long! Unless you like long posts…let me know.
Let’s start with my absolute favorite skin care product in this entire post. The one, the only Farmacy Honeymoon Glow Night Serum. Oh my goodness how much I love this thing. When I first used this product, it was like the skin gods were shining down on me. This product is no joke. Whenever I wake up in the morning after using it at night, my skin is the softest it’s ever been, smoothest it’s ever been, clearer than it’s ever been, and just UGHHHHH I love it so much I don’t know what else to say other than it’s amazing!! You need this in your life. That’s all I have to say.
I never knew the importance of sunscreen until I did my research. My whole philosophy growing up was, I’m brown, I don’t need sunscreen. UM HELL NO GIRL! You def need sunscreen. Protect that skin. Wrinkles and pollution don’t see color. The Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen SPF 50 is my favorite sunscreen. It doesn’t leave a white cast on my brown skin, it doesn’t have that oily sunscreen feeling, it absorbs right up into your skin. I wore this to a full day of Disneyland and I felt like it held up the entire day.
I have two favorite moisturizers that I like to switch between. The Saturday Skin Featherweight Daily Moisturizing Cream and the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream. They both get the job done. Super moisturizing, lasts pretty much all day, like my skin does not feel dry at all throughout the day when I’m wearing either of them. They’re both great for sensitive skin like I have. I’ve tried moisturizers where my ENTIRE face broke out in acne or those little irritating gremlin bumps. Not a cute look. I’ve never had a bad experience with either of them and you really can’t go wrong with one over the other.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Thanks so much for hanging in there to the end! Thank you for letting me vent about my skin problems haha It’s been a long journey, and it’s still a continuing journey. Sometimes I feel like my skin gets used to some of the products I repeatedly use and they don’t work as well anymore. Then I have to find new ones. I guess that’s a good thing because then I can give you all a skincare update down the line 😉 Remember, these are what worked for me, not everyone has the same skin type so trial and error and you’ll find what works for you.
This is what my face looks like now. Look at that! We are THRIVING HELLO! If you told my 17-year-old self that her skin would look that good in like almost 10 years, she would not believe you. Yes, it took me almost 10 years to realize what was good for my skin and do research. You can’t fix what you don’t know, you know? Do your research and find what works best with your skin type!
Until next time!…hopefully not a year later…
