Full Skin Care

My skin with concealer just under my eyes and a swipe of Fenty Beauty Trophy Wife highlighter on my cheekbones, pictured above.

Products:

1. Cleanser: Sodium Sulfacetamide (10%) & Sulfur (5%)

2. Toner: Witch Hazel 

3. Moisturizer: Cetaphil Oil control moisturizer

4. Face cream: Tazorac

5. Exfoliator: Shea Moisture's Dragon's Blood & Coffee Cherry Rebound & Revive coffee scrub

6. Mask: Herbivore's Blue Tansy Resurfacing Clarity mask

7. Facial oils: Herbivore's Lapis face oil, Jojoba oil, Tarte's Maracuja oil, Argan oil

8. Face mist: 100% Bulgarian Rose Water, MAC's Prep+Prime Fix+

9. Dark spot treatment: Clindamycin Phosphate gel, Palmer's Dark Spot Corrector serum

So I have been asked about my skincare routine because I have such "perfect" skin so I decided to write a whole post on the products I use and some tips for maintaining clear and radiant skin.

Disclaimer: The products I use & tips I provide are highly recommended for anyone with the following skin types: oily, combination, or sensitive/acne-prone. 

First of all, I do not have perfect skin! And I have not always had perfect skin. I used to have really bad cystic acne on my chin, cheeks, and forehead but my dermatologist truly saved my skin. Now, I just struggle with occasional hormonal acne but I have recently started using some products that control it. Now, I want to share my favorite products with my readers because I know we are all trying to have clear, beautiful, and glowing skin, especially for the summer.

First of all, keep in mind that your skin is precious. It is the largest organ of the body as well as one of the most sensitive parts of your body; therefore, it is important to take care of it with the right products. Since I have oily & sensitive skin, I cannot put anything drying on my face because it will produce even more oil and clog my pores which will eventually make me breakout.  After visiting a dermatologist, I was prescribed a Sodium Sulfacetamide & Sulfur cleanser that deeply cleans my skin. I wash my face in the morning and at night with that cleanser and tone my face with Dickinson's Witch Hazel as well, paying special attention to my T-zone, and moisturize my face with certain products. In the morning, after cleansing and toning, I moisturize with Cetaphil's Oil control moisturizer. At night, I wipe my makeup off with Cetaphil's Gentle Skin cleansing cloths, fully cleanse my skin, tone, then moisturize with Herbivore's Lapis Oil. Let me tell you right now, this oil is AMAZING. It is made with all natural products, which is what everyone's skin needs. It is formulated for combination, oily, and blemish-prone skin types or any skin in need of relief from inflammation. Finally, I apply Tazorac on my T-zone. Tazorac was also prescribed by my dermatologist to clear my pores and smoothen my skin. I apply it last in my routine.

A few other facial oils that I love are jojoba oil, maracuja oil, and argan oil. Jojoba oil is perfect for oily skin because it is not heavy. Maracuja oil is also very light and filled with Vitamin-C (and vegan!). Lastly, argan oil is really hydrating, which makes it a bit too heavy for my skin in the summer but it is great for winter when my skin gets drier; therefore, I recommend it for dry skin. 

Now, let's talk about how to maintain good skin. If you have oily or sensitive skin, exfoliating twice a week is suggested. I exfoliate with Shea Moisture's coffee scrub on Mondays and Thursdays but only apply it to my nose area to clear my pores and remove whiteheads. It is too irritating to my chin so I would use this exfoliator gently because it can irritate your skin. After exfoliating, I use Herbivore's Blue Tansy mask to exfoliate my entire face while clarifying and soothing it. I will warn you, the smell of the mask is very strong but bearable unless you do not like strongly-scented products. I recommend getting the True Blue Skin Clarifying Duo that includes the Blue Tansy mask and Blue Lapis oil both in sample sizes for just $29 from Sephora. If you realize your skin does not agree with them, then you can always return it.

To get rid of post-breakout dark spots, I was prescribed a Clindamycin Phosphate topical gel that works wonders. I stopped using it because it begins it is created to lighten your skin in order to fade the dark spots, so there was no need to use it once all my dark marks were gone. Now I use Palmer's dark spot corrector serum whenever I breakout occasionally.

My skincare routine is different in the summer when my skin needs the right hydration to maintain oil production. During the summer, after completing my routine, I keep my skin hydrated with 100% Bulgarian Rosewater and MAC's Prep+Prime Fix+ for when I apply makeup. 

Quick Tips:

• If you have been dealing with acne for a while now, meaning you have tried so many products that have never worked, I would recommend seeing a dermatologist if you can afford it. The products that got rid of my acne (cleanser & face cream) are prescribed by a dermatologist that knew how to revive my skin. 
• Drink lots of water. I don't want to be that person who says "I have clear skin because I only drink water" but plenty of hydration does benefit your skin.
• Do not touch your face!!! Picking at a pimple only makes it worse trust me. As annoying as it is, you have to leave it alone. Touching your face transfers bacteria from your hands to your face which can cause acne and eventually leave dark spots of disturbed. Treat the pimple then let it go away on its own.
• If you wear makeup, make sure you are taking care of your skin before applying any such as foundation or concealer. While putting a lot of foundation on top of acne can conceal it, it will also make it worse if you are not using the right products or if you are not using clean applicators. Make sure your makeup applicators are clean and use non-irritating makeup.
• If you do not want to spend so much money on face products, create your own. I learned that natural products work best for my skin, so if I do not want to spend money on a mask I Google 'DIY face masks' and make my own.

I hope this post was helpful for anyone trying to get their skin right before or during summer. Comment below if you have any helpful skin tips or recommend certain products for specific skin types!

                                                                            -AK