Skincare Routine

I've recently received a few comments on my skincare routine & considering makeup & skincare go hand in hand I figured it was time for a skincare post. I want to warn you that I am a skincare JUNKIE. I use a TON of products. I really like trying out new things & alternating products that I use. 

Let me tell you a little bit about my skin in particular. I have relatively normal skin. In the Summer my my t-zone area gets a little oily, which is pretty normal. & in the Winter my skin gets drier than usual. I never really had a problem with acne, I am prone to get it around my mouth when I am stressed though!! My biggest skin problem is that I have very large pores on and around my nose, & lots of blackheads, yuck yuck yuck. I've been going for deep cleansing facials for years & nothing seems to make them go away. I recently got a facial & the woman did microdermabrasion on my nose & it was the most amazing thing EVER! She suggested that I go back every 4 weeks for about 3 months & do this & it should drastically clear up my nose. For anyone wondering what Microdermabrasion is, its the process of exfoliating with a suction  to remove the outermost layer of dead skin cells from your skin. It was completely painless & felt like a tiny vacuum sucking the dirt out of my pores!!

Every morning I wash my face with Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser. It is super hydrating and I love how it makes my skin feel squeaky clean after using it. I wash my face with warm water, rinse with warm water then rinse again with cold water which will close up your pores which is super important in the morning because more than likely you'll be applying makeup afterwards.

At night I wash my face with mark.'s Thats Deep Purifying Gel Cleanser. & Every other night I add mark.'s Berry Grand Super Exfoliating Beads to my cleanser for a deep clean, especially on my nose to scrub away all of the dead skin. Like I said I have large pores & very rough skin around my nose so I exfoliate every other day. Depending on your skin type you can do this less often. No matter what type of skin you have I suggest to exfoliate at least once a week at night!
Another product I've become addicted to is the Neutrogena Wave. It literally leaves my skin the softest it could ever feel. I use it maybe once a week at night and apply a light moisturizer after and the next day my skin is literally glowing. 

If there is any bit of advice I can give to anyone its to NEVER SLEEP WITH YOUR MAKEUP ON!!! I'm not going to lie & say I have never done this but its been YEARS since I have. Even if you just use a Makeup Removing Wipe & don't wash your face get that makeup off of your skin!! Your skin needs time to breathe!

I have 5...yes 5...different moisturizers I like to alternate between. If you read my mark. Monday posts you know that in Step 1 its pretty much a different moisturizer ever week! There are many reasons I alternate between moisturizers, it depends on the time of day, weather & how my skin is looking and feeling that particular day.

mark. Calm & Composed Super Soothing Moisturizer was my first mark. moisturizer I ever tried and it is still one of my favorites. I am prone to a lot of redness on my face and this moisturizer contains avocado and oat which drastically reduce redness while packing your skin with a ton of moisture.
mark. For Goodness Face Antioxidant Skin Moisturizing Lotion with SPF 30 is a lotion that is great all year long because people rarely remember to apply SPF in the Winter, when its needed!! Blueberries and dark chocolate found in this are powerful antioxidants which helps protect and restore skins natural beauty.
mark. Break Out Plan is an Anti-Acne Gel Lotion and at first I didn't know if I gel would be practical considering sometimes my nose gets oily, but this gel lotion zaps any oil on my face while working to clear up acne. When I feel a breakout coming on I switch to this moisturizer and rarely see any pimples! Plus its made of apples and cinnamon extract which not only reduce redness but make it smell amazing!
mark. Matte Chance Mattifying Lotion is probably my favorite! My worst nightmare is to go out and have shiny, oily skin. YUCK! Matte Chance literally sucks all of the oil out of your skin creating the perfect shine free canvas to apply makeup to. & believe me it will keep your skin looking perfect the whole day/night. I use this everytime I go out under my makeup! Pumpkin Seed, a natural mattifier, and Silica, a oil absorber, play key roles in making this amazing lotion work!
mark. See Things Clearly Brightening Moisturizer is perfect on those days where you skin just seems a little dull. In the winter my natural paleness comes out and I need that little sometime extra in my moisturizer that will give me a glowy look and this does it. Mulberry, molasses and licorice are combines in this lotion for a unique brightening and radiance boosting complex!

Garnier Skin Renew Radiance Moisturize Cream is seriously AMAZING. I have tried a ton of night creams but I always come back to this one. It is the most moisturizing cream I have ever used. It says it right in the name - Radiance Moisture. I wake up in the morning with my skin feeling great. If I skip a day of using this I can definitely tell and my skin doesn't feel the same!

Garnier Skin Renew Dark Spot Corrector I just started using because I have been noticing a lot of discoloration around my nose and lips. I went to the spa and the woman said its definitely from the sun and even though I always wear SPF it could still occur. So I picked up this dark spot corrector and have already noticed a drastic change. I apply it around my nose and anywhere else I feel its needed after my moisturizer and it has already lightened up some spots!

Garnier Skin Renew Eye Puff Roller is like heaven on your eyes. The coolness of the roller ball leaves my eyes relaxed when I go to sleep and drastically reduces the puffiness and circles when I wake up in the morning. Even when I don't get my full 8 hours of sleep if I use all of these products I know I will look rested in the morning!

mark. Blemish Banisher Anti Acne Treatment Pads are individual pads packed with apple, cinnamon and salicylic acid which gently exfoliate my skin and keep my pores clear. I don't like to use these every day, but I use that once or twice a week to wipe my face down after washing my makeup off.

Deep Cleaning Pore Strips are a lifesaver! Don't you remember when you were younger when these first came out and it was the coolest using them and seeing all the stuff that came out of you pores....no...was that just me! Well either way I still use these twice a week because the pores on my nose are so large! I always buy whatever brand is on sale, they all serve the same purpose!

NIA 24 Sun Damage Prevention Sunscreen. This sunscreen is just about the best sunscreen you can buy! Its oil free obviously - whatever facial spf you use shouldn't contain oil - but its also 100% mineral! My dermatologist got me hooked on this after seeing some of my sun spots on my face. This sunscreen really protects and prevents!

mark. Get Defensive SPF 15 Eye Cream is a brand new mark. product that I have come to use every single day! I use it in the morning after my moisturizer around my eyes. The skin around your eyes is super sensitive and even if you don't use sunscreen on your entire face you should protect the delicate skin around your eyes. The licorice root it contains also brightens your skin, and I've found that my under eye makeup goes on much smoother when I use this first!