Summer Skin..... My Summer Skin Care Regimen

I always get asked what products that I use for my skincare regimen... So I thought I'd share what products that I'm currently using for the Summer...

 

(* This is my regimen for my skin type, I'm not telling you that these products will work for everyone, this is just what is working for me right now.*)

 

 

 Summertime in the South is unbelievably hot and humid, so what I would use daily in Fall/Winter is very different from my Summertime routine....

I've listed each product and the product descriptions on the packaging below... and why I love them....

 

My Daytime Regimen:

 

 

 

*Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish: Hot Cloth Cleanser:

*British Beauty Essential that works for every skin type and any age.  It's a rich cream cleanser that removes dirt, residue and makeup and some of my toughest mascaras.  It has naturally active ingredients that make the skin softer, smoother and moisturized without stripping the skin and causing it to be tight and dry.  Ingredients include: cocoa butter, rosemary, chamomile, hops and eucalyptus.

This product has 2 steps:

1) Cleanse: Massaging product onto dry skin and even over the entire face,including the eyes, and down the neck to stimulate circulation.

2) Polish: Use the Liz Earle Muslin Cloth soaked under hand hot water and polish the product off the face and splash with cool water.

 

I heard about this product from some of my favorite YouTube Beauty Gurus: Tanya Burr, Zoella, and the Pixiwoo ladies (Nic and Sam).  I received this product in one of my monthly Birchboxes and I fell in Love with it...

This product is my ultimate fave for facial cleansers.  I love that it's non-foaming and not abrasive or alkaline like a lot of cleansers on the market that can strip the skin of it's natural moisture barrier.

 

*Mario Badescu Skincare: Alpha Grapefruit Cleansing Lotion:

*This is a citrus-based toner: it refreshes and gently exfoliates leaving healthy looking skin that glows.  It has aloe that helps calm the skin and has Seeweed Extract that nourishes the skin with it's rich mineral content.

 

When I look for a toner I search for toners that are Alcohol Free.  A lot of toners on the market can strip the skin due to a high alcohol content and harsh fragrance additives.  I chose this one because I have combination/dry skin and at the time that I bought it I was getting a lot of treatment facials done on me, so I needed to find products that wouldn't over stimulate my skin. 

This toner smells so good and helps make my skin softer and radiant. 

I try to stay away from harsh exfoliants like scrubs or microderm kits and only use those once every few weeks because they can make your skin sun sensitive and cause hyperpigmentation of the face if overused.

 

*Mario Badescue Skincare: Hyaluronic Eye Cream:

*Hyaluronic Acid is a moisture magnets for the skin. Because of the lack of oil around my eyes, I have to hydrate that skin.  This help with dehydration around the eye as well as diminish fine lines around the eye area.

This product locks in moisture and helps with puffiness that I can get from lack of sleep.

 

I truly love this product because I see great results from it.  I use this before I put on my moisturizer.  This product also helps when apply makeup around the eyes and helps prevent dreadful creasing.

 

*Hawaiian Tropic : Silk Hydration Face Broad Spectrum SPF 30:

* This is a dual ribbon formula for moisturization and sun protection.  This product is Amazing!  It's light weight, has a matte finish and smells so good.  I rarely wear makeup during the day in the summer because it will just melt off in the heat and humidity. What I love the most about this product is that it's non-greasy, most sunscreens can leave a shine all over the face that looks greasy and this product gives a nice matte finish.  I get so many compliments on how great my skin looks when I use this product.  I wear it everyday and make sure that I reapply when needed.

 

 

* Daytime BodyCare Routine:

 

*Shea Moisture: Coconut & Hibiscus Foaming Milk and Body Wash w/ Gluten-Free Vitamin E : Firming and Toning

 

* Rich foaming milk cleanser gently cleanses, conditions and scents your skin with a blend of fresh, natural Cocount and Sweet Hibiscus Flower.

This product has:

 Coconut Oil: Nourishes and moisturizes skin with Vitamins E and K, iron and fatty acids.

Hibiscus Flower: Natural emollient that treats dry, rough skin and helps improve skin tone.

Vitamin E: A powerful antioxidant highly effective in protecting skin from free radical damage.

 

I am truly addicted to this brand of products.  They smell heavenly and they are cruelty free and free of parabens, phthalates, paraffin, propylene glycol, mineral oil, synthetic fragrances, PABA, synthetic color, DEA or sulfates.  All of these can strip the skin and mess with the pH balance.  I use this sometimes on its own or in combination with it's matching scrub.

 

*Shea Moisture: Coconut and Hibiscus: Hand and Body Scrub w/ Gluten-Free Vitamin E: Firming and Toning

 

*Nutrient-rich sugar scrub that exfoliates and tones with a blend of antioxidant Vitamin E, organic Coconut Oil, and Hibiscus Flowers.

 

After using my milk cleanser, I massage this all over my body with a focus on my elbows, knees and my feet. This gets all of the excess dead skin cells that can cause skin to look dry and flaky and that's just not cute when you wear sundresses or shorts out.

 

*Hawaiian Tropic: Sheer Touch Lotion Sunscreen: Ultra Radiance : Broad Spectrum SPF 30 : Protects, softens and Leaves Skin Radiant

 

*Light weight lotion that conditions, protects and luminizes skin.  It's infused with shea butter complex, and mango fruit extract.

 

I use this product immediately after I shower so that my skin will soak the product in.  It's so important to use sunscreen everyday and to apply it before sun exposure even on cloudy days.  It takes 21 days to create a habit and this is one of the best habits to build.... The skin is the largest organ of the body and it needs daily sun protection... I'm very fair skinned, so when I have too much sun exposure I freckle vs. tan or sometimes burn instead and I reapply as needed.

 

 

*HEMPZ Treats Delicious Body Lotion: Vanilla Crème Brulee and Sugar Lemon Squares

 

*Daily moisturizer enriched with Pure Natural Hemp Seed Oil that helps to provide long term moisturization.

 

This products has a blend of:

Natural Honey and Vanilla extracts: rich in antioxidants and skin conditioners for soft and smooth skin.

Natural Hemp Seed Oil: Helps to renew, nourish and rejuvenate the healthier younger looking skin.

 

This product is also:

Paraben Free

Gluten Free

Guilt Free

 

I've started to layer this over my sunscreen because sometimes I just want a different scent for the day then just my sunscreen.  These lotions make you smell like a delicious bakery without all of the guilt. 

 

When layering products you want to start from the leanest and finish with the richest.   

 

*Night Time Regimen:

 

I start with the same cleanser, toner and eyecream that I use during the day and finish off with my favorite night cream.

 

*Mario Badescu Skin Care: Chamomile Night Cream:

 

* Chamomile and Vitamin A are the active ingredients in this non-greasy night cream.  Wearing overnight causes the skin to feel silky, soft and even out the tone.

 

It's so important to use a more emollient cream at night because it infuses moisture into the skin that you can lose throughout the night and also helps heal the skin from the environmental damage and free radicals from the day.

 

* Night Time BodyCare:

 

 

During the summer time I shower at the most twice a day so, if I exfoliated during the morning shower then I will just use body wash instead of following with the scrub then I'll follow with my night time moisturizer.

 

*Shea Moisture: Raw Shea Butter Body Lotion w/ Frankincense & Myrrh, Coconut & Hibiscus Body Butter w/ Gluten-Free Vitamin E, and Olive and Green-Tea Body Butter w/ Avacado

 

* To say I just like this brand is an understatement.  I am truly addicted to it.  Each one of these lotions or butters are Amazing!!!   They smell incredible, are rich in texture, and really treat my skin.  I love hot showers (which by the way are not good for your skin, so I don't recommend this) and these really put all of the moisture back into my skin.  Each one infuses the skin with antioxidants, help treat dull skin, and protect from free radical damage.

 

 

These are just some of my favorite products for Summer at the moment and I have a lot more that I'm trying out as well....

 

Heather

 



Drug Store Skin Products I Always Have on Hand

I have a skin care obsession.  I've worked in a dermatologist office and what I learned from that is that taking care of your skin is very important, it's the biggest organ that we have.  You have to keep it clean, moisturize it, protect it, exfoliate it, etc.  Skin care is a billion dollar business.  I've talked about a lot of higher end products that I'm using and now I want to share just a few of my go to's for skin in the drugstore.

CLEANSERS:

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser:

*Mild, non-irritating formula, ideal for face, hands, and body.

*Softens as it cleanses and helps skin to retain moisture.

*Rinses easily and leaves skin feeling soft, smooth and healthy.

*Mild enough to cleanse a baby's delicate skin.

*Non-comedogenic / Fragrance Free

Dermatologist Recommended

This product is amazing.  I love body washes bar soaps like everyone else, but sometimes your skin just needs a break from harsh soaps and fragrances and this is my go to product for that.  Sometimes my skin can become sensitive and this products prevents irritation.  I use it for makeup removal, shaving my legs, and sometimes as a body wash.  You can use it with or without water.  If you wanna know the truth....the Meaningful Beauty cleanser and the Cetaphil Cleanser are basically the same thing.   They have the same ingredients, same texture, same non-foaming product, but without the higher cost.  

You can get this from drugstores, Walmart, etc. usually costing $11.49.  You can usually find coupons for this or good deals at the drugstore.

I usually purchase this product when there is a BOGO deal at CVS because you can get the lotion or the facial moisturizer with it.

Olay Age Defying Classic Cleanser

*Cleanse and renew skins surface to reveal softer, smoother skin instantly.

*Cleanses to reveal softer, fresher, more radiant skin.

*Removes dull, dry skin with gentle micro-beads.

I used the entire Classic Age-Defying line by Olay for a few months and I love this cleanser.  This is my go to  facial cleanser on the go.  I really like this products because it exfoliates while it cleanses.  I like to use this when I don't use a facial scrub because the micro-beads in this are gentle and then the creamy cleanser makes my skin feel so good.  I always have a bottle of this in my shower or next to my sink.

Again, the great thing about this product is that you can get it from the drugstore or Walmart, there are coupons that are always available and every month at CVS they have a BOGO deal on Olay products.

TONER:

THAYER'S Lavender Witch Hazel Alcohol-Free Toner with Aloe Vera

*All natural skin toner derived from an honored Native American formula.

*Alcohol-Free toner for sensitive skin with delicate, soothing, calming natural Lavender water.

* Adds moisture while helping to protect the skin from airborne impurities and is an alternative to drying astringents.

* Witch Hazel tightens pores and smooths to beautify the skin.

I've used a lot of toners over the years and this one is my absolute favorite.  I've used the harsh astringents with alcohol and fragrance in them that leave your skin super tight, dry and smelling like chemicals.  I've also used Dickinson's Witch Hazel toner and I don't recommend that product because if you read the back there is alcohol in it and it dried out my skin more than anything.

This product does exactly what it says it does.  It soothes my skin, moisturizes and it is really gentle.  I like to use this before I put my moisturizer on in the morning and at night.  I always have this product on hand because this isn't just a great toner...you can use it to calm a pesky zit, bug bites, and more.

I've tried a few of the Thayer's Witch Hazel Alcohol-Free toners and I like all of them.  The Rose Witch Hazel is just as awesome as the Lavender.  You can get this product from GNC, and again, they usually have a BOGO deal on these at GNC.  They usually run about $9.95 per bottle.

TREATMENTS:

Gena Tea Tree Oil

*100% Pure Oil of Melaleuca Alternifolia.

*Australia's natural antiseptic.

*For skin, nails & scalp.

*Made in U.S.A.

I'm not going to go into all of the uses of tea tree oil.  You can Google all of that.  Like the Argan Oil that I talked about yesterday, this product is a multipurpose product.  

I don't get zits that often, but when I do I use a dab of this product and it goes away over night.  So if you don't like an embarrassing zit then use this product.  

The other thing about this product is that it goes a long way.  I rarely have to use this product, but it's great to have on hand because of the many uses for it.

I got this product at Walgreens for $7.99

SUNSCREEN:

*Pampers your skin like no ordinary sunscreen!

*The breakthrough dual ribbon formula combines superior protection with luxurious, hydrating silk protein to wrap your skin in continuous moisture and help you maintain luminous skin in the sun.  

*Plus, it's light, tropical fragrance stimulates your senses for a completely captivating in-sun experience!

*Water Resistant(80 minutes) *Light and Non-greasy

The best thing that you can do for your skin is to protect it with sunscreen on a daily basis.  I'm very fair complected, so for me it's not just a suggestion, I NEED IT.  I was outside a lot last year because of outside events and this product became my favorite.  I needed something that didn't smell like regular sunscreen, had a high SPF and kept my skin moisturized and not tacky feeling and this provided what I needed.  It has a great texture, the smell is very beachy ( coconut, fruit, etc.) and has a decent SPF.

You can get this product at drugstores, Walmart and again coupons and BOGO deals.  This product is worth having.  Prices vary.

BODY LOTION:

Olay Ultra Moisture Lotion with Shea Butter

*Locks in moisture for 24 hours

* Olay lotions go beyond moisturization to improve skin's barrier over time.  With continued use, skin becomes noticeably soft, smooth and more resistant to skin dryness.

I bought this product because I use a lot of lotions with different fragrances in them and sometimes I want something light so that I can wear a perfume or a body mist to change things up a bit.  This does have a light fragrance to it, but it fades and doesn't clash with my perfumes and body mists.  I didn't feel like it locked in moisture for 24 hours, but it does make my skin feel really soft and if I'm on a bend where I wear it everyday and night then my skin looks very healthy and glows.

I really like the Olay brand, it's been around for a very long time, it's a trusted brand.  My Mema used all of their products, so I pretty much trust this brand myself.  Affordable, great texture, light fragrance, but again it fades.

I find this lotion more at Walmart, but occasionally you can find it at a drugstore and purchase it in a BOGO deal or with coupons.

These are only a few of my drugstore favorites, but these are the products that I keep on hand the most.

Heather