Monday, August 20, 2012

Skincare Routine!

Hi beauties!

So my first REAL post for this blog is going to be about my skincare routine! I'm really excited because the current mix of products I'm using is working EXTREMELY well, and I'm seeing very positive results with my dry, sensitive, acne prone skin. Everyone's skin is different so this exact regimen might not work for you, but there's at least one or two products in here that could be used by almost everyone! 

A little history... I got my first pimple when I was 8 years old, and my face has been a downhill mess ever since. I have "moderate-severe" acne (according to the dermatologist), but unlike a lot of acne-prone skin, I'm extremely dry. My skin is often flaky if I go too long without exfoliating, and many foundations dry my skin out and make me look cake-y. My skin is also VERY sensitive, so products that have acne medicines like benzoyl peroxide usually aren't good for me - I find it to be extremely irritating, drying, and it makes my skin fell really tight.

I've tried every over the counter treatment you can think of, (yes, Proactiv, etc.) and tried prescription creams and medicines too. I had an allergic reaction to a common anti-biotic used to treat acne, and I've chosen to never try Accutane due to health risks. In the past couple of years, I've used Lush Cosmetics' skincare almost exclusively, and I was having pretty good results with that but nothing was a miracle worker.

Until... the Clairsonic Mia 2.

I got the Mia2 almost two months ago now, and I can't believe I waited this long. I had heard so many good things about it, but I had been afraid to spend so much money on something that still (like everything else) might not work. My skin has drastically improved in a lot of ways since getting it - I could go on forever, but I won't bore you! If you want a full review of the Mia2, I'd be happy to do one - just let me know!

Here's my routine:


  1. Remove the day's makeup and grime with a Yes to Tomatoes facial towelette, (acne fighting ingredients - salicylic acid, witch hazel) all over. Use the Sonia Kashuk eye makeup remover on a cotton ball to eye makeup.
  2. Hop in the shower (at night!) and while my hair is conditioning, use the Clairsonic Mia2 with the Aveeno Clear Complexion foaming cleanser (salicylic acid) all over my face - 20 seconds on my forehead, 20 seconds on my nose and chin, and then 10 seconds on each cheek.
  3. Right after getting out of the shower, I spritz some Eau Roma Water toner (rose water is soothing!) on my face and wipe it off with a cotton pad. Then, I apply about a quarter size amount of Steam Cream moisturizer all over, plus Lush Enchanted Eye Cream (not pictured) around my eye area. If I have any bigger pimples, I use a Q-tip to get some of the Mario Badescu drying lotion (salicylic acid, calamine, sulfur) out of the bottle and concentrate it on the big spot(s). If I feel like my face is freaking out a lot in general, I use a fan brush to apply the Bare Minerals Blemish Therapy powder (sulfur) to the inflamed areas.
  4. In the morning, I use a toner soaked cotton pad to get rid of any leftover residue from the drying lotion, and mix both Steam Cream and the Aveeno Positively Raidant SPF 15 together for my daytime moisturizer. I let that sit on my skin for a bit, and then apply my makeup.
  5. Once my makeup is applied, I use the MAC Mineralize Charged Water Hydrating Mist to set my makeup. If there are any spots that might have gotten cake-y  throughout the day, this gets rid of that!
That's my skincare regimen! I hope it was useful for at least someone! If you're like me and have acne but are sensitive/dry and don't react well to products with benzoyl peroxide, try looking for products with salicylic acid, sulfur, and calamine to help sooth the blemishes. :)

Let me know if you have any questions!


5 comments:

  1. I'm so tempted by the Mia - would love to see a review! :) x

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    1. I'll do one then! It's a pretty amazing little contraption ;)

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  2. I love my Clarisonic! I received mine as a Christmas gift 2 years ago and have used it ever since! Great post! Definitely following! :)
    -Amber
    http://beautyguide101.blogspot.com/

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    1. I know - I can't imagine washing my face without it now! Haha! And thanks - your blog is great too, I'm following now!

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  3. Great post! I love my clarisonic mia too, and it did wonders for my acne skin as well! Of course they can never completely go away but it helped tons!

    I would like to follow you on Google Friend Connect but for some reason I can't seem to find the button?

    http://risingsun-fashionbeauty.blogspot.com

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