I’ll tell you one thing I’m never gonna do again… Although, you know what? In beauty, one should never say never, because you just never (haha, say it one more time, Karen!) know how you’ll feel in a few months or years, or what will be in vogue at any given moment, so I’ll tell you one thing I’m probably never gonna do again. I’m probably never gonna do another crazy extensive multi-step skin care regimen.
I tried one last December and January. I was using multiple serums, toners and treatments, both in the morning and at night, and I think it was just too aggressive for my face. I started breaking out in places I never break out, and my face was just HURTING, like all the time. Even applying lotion was painful. Plus, the regimen was too time consuming! I felt like I was always in the bathroom waiting for something to dry so I could layer something else on top.
In February, I quit that nonsense. Eight weeks had passed, which I figured was enough time to assess whether the routine was working (and it was wasn’t working, that’s for sure), so I scaled everything back and returned to using the products and lines I’ve had good luck with in the past.
Here’s what I’ve been using for the past two months…
Morning
- Gentle cleanser — Avene Tolérance Extrême Cleansing Lotion, which I wipe off with a basic cotton washcloth
- Benzoyl Peroxide cream — Kate Somerville Anti-Bac Clearing Lotion (I wait till my skin is completely dry, then apply four pumps all over my face)
- Moisturizer/sunscreen all-in-one — Clarins Extra-Firming Day for All Skin Types, and/or Drunk Elephant Umbra Tinte (I’m less fond of the Drunk Elephant one; I don’t think it’s as moisturizing as the Clarins)
Evening
- Oil-based makeup remover — I’m currently using the one by Tatcha because I had it around and needed to finish it up. I had been using the Tata Harper one before that. Honestly, I don’t think you need to go fancy with this step at all.
- Gentle cleanser — Avene Tolérance Extrême Cleansing Lotion and a basic cotton washcloth
- Acid Toner — Biologique Recherche p50 1970 (the hype is real! I wait till my skin is completely dry before applying it with a cotton pad)
- Moisturizer — Clarins Extra-Firming Night (the last thing I do before bed, after I use the toner)
So, yeah, a much less intense multi-step skin care routine for this girl now.
(You should have seen it before!)
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. TGIF. 🙂