I am under no illusions that I should be giving skincare advice. Nor am I going to pretend that “everyone” is asking - because they are not. But one person asked - my very first request for a topic - and we are running with it!
Skincare of course isn’t just the products we use. There are a few key factors in how our skin looks & feels, some within our control, some less so. I’d group them as follows:
- Genetics
- Lifestyle
- Products and routines
- The extra, extras
Genetics are where we have no control. Neither my mom nor dad have ever had dry skin and always have had fewer wrinkles than their ages would suggest, so I’ll take a plus in this column.
Lifestyle is obviously a huge factor, and I don’t think I do myself a ton of favors here. To start, I grew up in the pool in a very sunny climate so definitely had more than my fair share of sun exposure early. Of course I wore sunscreen to the beach as a kid, but was I putting it on everyday before year-round swim practices? Or whatever else I was doing outside? Absolutely not.
I continue to spend a lot of time outside. The nine years in San Francisco maybe didn’t cause too much damage, between the fog and generally being pretty covered, but Los Angeles sees me in the sun almost daily. Yes, I wear sunscreen and hats always, but after a few hours on a tennis court or a hike or walk is it really still on? And I seldom reapply quite like I should. Or how much is sunscreen really working when swimming laps on a sunny day?
And that is just the sun part of lifestyle - my affinity for cocktails surely isn’t helping my skin stay supple and youthful.
But water helps, and for the most part I am good about hydration. If for no other reason than I know being hydrated helps my mental and physical health - so I try and stay on this one, and my skin does get those benefits. And I do at least have sleep going for me.
Thankfully then there are products.
However — I subscribe to the theory that the less you touch your face the better - so my product routine is brief. And even if I didn’t believe that, skincare routines are a place I have always been a bit lazy. I have gotten better for sure in the last few years, and I might even get to seven nights one week - but absolutely no way have I ever done a nighttime skincare routine for a month straight.
With that preface, here is what I keep returning to, morning and night.
Morning:
To start, I do not wash my face. I don’t want to scrub away any natural oils that have accumulated over night. I may pat some water, maybe not. If I have morning exercise planned, I’ll just do a simple face oil and then sunscreen. Once I return, then I’ll wash my face in the shower, use Vitamin C, another face oil and sunscreen. (If no morning exercise, I’ll likely shower, not wash face - or maybe not shower quite yet to be honest - and go straight to the Vitamin C and what follows).
Face Wash: Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel. I used this is high-school and college and then used other things - both fancier and the more drugstore varieties - and have never had a favorite. I bought this again on a whim a year or two ago and have been happy since. I actually wash my face - that’s reason enough to keep it for me.
Vitamin C: SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic. This is definitely the heaviest hitter in my medicine cabinet, but I noticed a big enough difference in my skin once I started using it that I’m not willing to give it up or try something else. My dark spots, fine lines and overall skin texture I think are better.
Face Oils: The Ordinary Marula Oil; The Ordinary Argan Oil; The Ordinary Squalane. I keep a collection of these around and just grab whatever feels good. I like that they are super inexpensive and I can really lather them on. If I am feeling particularly dry, I might to the squalane + an oil; in the summer, maybe sqaulane only. I have tried nicer oils but then I am more precious about how I use them. I have been stocking up on these for years.
Sunscreen: EltaMD UV Clear SPF46. I love this one so much I have it on subscription. I don’t like to buy it in bulk as I don’t want “old” sunscreen, but I need back-up around because I use this daily and it gives you no warning that it is running low. Most often I wear the tinted - which I prefer for daily and sport use, since I am often not wearing any other face makeup then, but I keep the non-tinted around too. I think it is effective and I like how it wears and feels on my skin, and it is the most effective because I actually use it. I have it in my medicine cabinet, car, tennis bag - you name it.
Evening:
Nighttime skincare is one of my weaker links as mentioned, but when I am on it, I like skin cycling method, which like the rest of my thoughts on skincare, focuses on not doing too much. The quick of skin cycling is (after cleansing) night 1: exfoliant, moisturizer; night 2: retinoids, moisturizer; night 3: moisturizer; night 4: moisturizer. Sometimes I skip night 4 start over after 3 nights, but the of alternating days of exfoliant-rentinoid-rest-rest, is a great way to start.
Regarding washing my face, it’s something I’ve always struggled with, just in the morning I have a good reason to skip. At night however it is needed. Thankfully years ago a friend smartly shared how much easier it is to is wash your face in the shower rather than the stupid birdbath move at the sink. Not sure how I missed that one, but I have not looked back. And the evening rinse is so wonderful anyway.
Cleanser: Same Dermologica if I am in the shower. If I am doing the rare sink-only, I like Biologique Recharche Lait VIP 02, which is terribly overpriced for a face wash, but it doesn’t require water as much as damp cloths to remove it, and think it’s a lovely gentle evening option.
Exfoliant: Biologique Recherche Lotion P50V. A beloved classic for a reason - there is something in this that works. Even if it doesn’t smell the best. Honestly, the only reason I succumbed to their fancy face wash was an upsell when repurchasing this. It is a repeat purchase for a reason.
Rentinoids: I use the SkinCeuticals Retinol .5 mostly because when I was upgrading my Vitamin C is when I decided I needed a regular retinol. And if I am going to use something so harsh, I want it to work - I think this brand does. But everyone has their favorites, both prescription/non and different strengths. I just don’t want to look for alternative at this time.
Moisturizers: I use the same face oils from the day, but often times at night I mix in castor oil. It is very thick, so at most I do 1/2 castor oil, 1/2 and Ordinary oil.
Face tape: This one is maybe hocus-pocus, but I also like to tape my forehead. I have tried Frownies and don’t prefer them at all, but a few strips of medical tape on my forehead lines and elevens I think actually help. And I feel more confident sharing this today, as I have been very neglectful on this lately - and I can tell.
Misc. Items
There are plenty of miscellaneous products that I also use from seldom to somewhat regularly - clay masks, sheet masks, hyaluronic acids, etc. but none are the basis of my routine and I am sure whatever options are out there are better than what I have on hand.
The Extra, Extras
This is the category of the good stuff. The stuff that honestly makes the most difference. The botox, the fillers, the nips, the tucks. I have enough mixed emotions on this category that I am sure it there is at least an essay in it, if not more.
All of that to say, I love that everyone has options to do whatever makes them feel their best. And I am just never quite sure what that is for me. So I don’t partake in the extra-extra column currently - but that’s likely to change at any minute and is most likely just residual ick from a not great try years ago.
But it’s real, we’d be silly and naive to not think most people we think look good don’t have help. So I can’t skip writing about the category, and honestly just shouldn’t skip it either.
That’s it - my very simple skincare routine. In typing it out and scrolling up, it seems like more than it is, but in real life it feels quick and manageable, which is key for me. But what am I missing? What are the holy grail products in your arsenal?
What are the things you think make you look your best?
What are the things that make you feel your best?
P.S - If you enjoyed this or any other writings here, please share, comment, and like.
Also, if want to follow the spirit of Any Topic, please feel free to suggest topics via comments or email. Thank you! xx