Skincare: Etc.

Hi! So this will probably be my last post on skincare. I might do a post on makeup as well, but I haven't really decided yet.

Today's post is about the extra little things I do to keep my skin looking its best.

• Once a week, I like to do a few special things to keep my skin from becoming dull.
• The Clarisonic does a great job of deep cleaning my skin but I do find that I need to exfoliate once a week to get my skin really polished. I like Philosophy's Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash. Like many of the other products I'm currently using, this one was another free sample from Sephora. It has tiny little exfoliating particles in it that help to buff away the dead skin cells. BUT, I will share with you an easy money-saving trick... if you do not have an exfoliating face wash and do not want to invest in one, just use a little baking soda and water. It works really well, but can be drying so make sure to really moisturize afterwards.
• I like using Clinique's Oil Control Mask once a week (I try not to do this the same day as the exfoliating) because it really has helped control how much oil my T-zone produces in a day. I used to use a blotting paper or powder my face twice a day - I put my makeup on around 7, blot around 11 and again around 4pm - but now I barely have to touch up. The mask contains clay, which helps absorb excess oil and it works. I just take three pea-sized blobs, one for my forehead and one for each cheek and the spread it all over, avoiding the skin around my eyes and eyebrows, and then let it sit on my skin for 10 minutes, sometimes longer if I get caught up doing something. Then, using warm water, I gently rinse and then pat dry.
• I also like to use a moisturizing mask, the chocolate masque by Montagne Jeunesse is great (so is their fruit smoothie one). Though it looks kind of offensive when I put it on (kind of like black face makeup) it smells amazing and makes my skin feel hydrated, smooth, and clean. It feels thick, like a super creamy moisturizer. I'm not sure if the pack is meant to be used all at once, but I can get about 3 or 4 uses out of one packet. I just scoop out a small amount and spread it all over my face, wait 10 minutes, and then rinse off with warm water and pat dry.
• I'd also like to share about a few products that I use in "emergencies."
• When I feel a pimple coming (sometimes you can just tell that one is brewing under your skin), I just swipe on some Burt's Bees Herbal Blemish Stick. This stuff is serious! Even though I'm not a fan of the packaging - the rollerball applicator makes me feel like it traps germs into the product - it zaps away any lurking pimples before they actually fully develop. It has a pungent herb-y smell and it will sting if your skin is too dry or chapped or if you have a cut.
• I've also been using Clean & Clear's Persa-Gel for years now and it works (for me). It tends to dry out my skin and it can bleach clothing and pillowcases (and probably bleaches skin a bit as well) and makes me super sensitive to the sun. However, I like to use it as a spot treatment for any blemishes that make it past the Burt's Bees (which is rare) and along my jawline when I am starting to feel hormonal (which is code for "my lady times") as a preventative measure. I also tend to break out where the earpieces of my glasses touch my face but using the Persa-Gel in that area prevents that from happening.
• The last thing I want to share is Caudalie's Quench Serum. I received a small tube of this, again, as a free sample from Sephora and it is amazing. There are some days, in the winter, not too often in the summer, where my skin is just super parched - like if my humidifier runs out of water in the middle of the night or if I have windburn from the day before - and I just take the tiniest amount (the size of a dew droplet, a little goes a long way) and rub it all over my face, concentrating on the driest areas, before using my regular moisturizer. This stuff is so good, I am considering buying the full size version when I run out of my sample tube.

So that's it! The end of my skincare series. It might seem like a bit of work to maintain, but really, once you develop some good habits, it's just second nature. Besides, your skin is your largest organ and the better you treat it now, the better it will look when you're old(er). Also, I'd like to mention that all of the products I mentioned above come in travel-friendly 3 oz. or less containers.