Today I figured I would share my full skincare routine and the products I use on a daily basis. I mostly use products that can be found at Target, and I occasionally get things from Sephora or Ulta… but despite that, I never spend much money on those things!

I’m not one of those people who has a 8-step skin care system– although I have tried that, and didn’t notice much of a difference. I love trying new products, so every once in a while, I will swap a product out to try something new. But over the years, these are my tried and true products that I notice my skin looking it’s best.

My skin is not really oily, nor is it super dry (although it does get a bit dry in the winter months). It used to be very oily and prone to cystic acne, but since I used Accutane about 5 years ago, my skin is completely different! I do have a lot of redness to my face, and it can be sensitive, so I have to be aware of that. My goals with my skincare routine are wrinkle prevention, helping with fine lines underneath my eyes, and having an overall glow to my skin. Hopefully if you have similar goals for your skin, you will find this helpful!

Day:

Step 1: Cleanse

I start with the Philosophy Purity Facial Cleanser. I’ve purchased it at Sephora before, but I’ve found that it’s actually cheaper on Amazon (currently under $32 for a 16 oz bottle). I’m fully aware that this is probably more than you would spend on face wash at the drugstore, but 16 oz is a huge bottle! I just bought a bottle 4 months ago and I’m not even half way through it.

I really like this face wash because it melts away my makeup at night, so I don’t have to buy makeup wipes too! It’s not overly drying and is a very sensitive cleanser, but leaves my skin squeaky clean and soft.

Step 2: Moisurize

After I wash my face, I moisturize my skin and apply an under eye cream. I go with the Burt’s Bees Daily Face Moisturizer Cream for Sensitive Skin, which is under $10 at Amazon, and you can get it at Target, CVS, or most grocery stores (I love convenience)!

I use the Versed Zero-G smoothing eye cream for my under eyes next. It is moisturizing but not super heavy, so it is perfect for daytime use (I use it at night too). I bought mine at Target for $17.99 about 4 months ago and I’ve still got 2/3 of the container left. You don’t need a lot– a little goes a long way, and I dab it on with my ring finger.

Step 3: Coverage

I debated adding this part, because makeup is kind of a whole different beast from skincare, but since I use a CC cream with an anti-aging serum and SPF built in, it felt necessary to include. Wearing SPF is such an important part of skincare routine. I wish I had listened to my mom in high school and cared more about wearing sunscreen, but now that I am in my mid-20s, I am definitely more aware of how important it is. I generally go for a fake tanner nowadays, rather than letting my skin bake in the sun!

This CC cream is definitely on the pricier end of things. The it Cosmetics CC cream is $39 at Sephora, but my face makeup is the one thing that I feel okay with splurging on. Everything else about my makeup is definitely cheaper, but this CC cream is AMAZING. It is full coverage, totally covers any and all redness in my face, lasts all day, and has so many benefits built in. If you don’t believe me, just read some of the reviews for it, it is a very well-loved foundation.

Night:

Step 1: Cleanser

Same cleanser as before! Like I said, this cleanser melts off my face makeup, so I don’t buy makeup remover wipes. But I do use some reusable microfiber cloths that I just wet with warm water and use to wipe off my eye makeup. No chemicals necessary!

Step 2 (optional): Mask/Serum

So this step varies, because I cannot use this mask every night and I cannot use this serum every night (they are super concentrated!).

Twice a week, I use The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution Mask, which is only $7.20 at Sephora!!! It contains glycolic acid, lactic acid, and salicylic acid to fight blemishes and improve the look of skin texture and radiance. It kind of looks like you are applying cranberry sauce to your skin and definitely tingles when applied. It stays on for only 10 minutes, and then I wash it off with warm water. My skin has had so much more of a glow since I started using it a few months ago!

 

Also twice a week, on a night when I’m NOT using the mask, I use The Ordinary 5% Alpha Lipoic Acid which is a whopping $6.80 (seriously I cannot recommend this brand enough– they sell really quality products without marking them up like big skin care companies do). Alpha Lipoic Acid is a highly potent antioxidant and can restore a renewed skin appearance, improving visible skin texture and tone when applied topically. It feels a little oily at first and feels a bit tingly when you apply it, but it absorbs quickly and the feeling doesn’t last.

Step 3: Moisturize

In keeping with the Burt’s Bees moisturizer trend, I use Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Night Cream which is under $16 on Amazon. I absolutely love this moisurizer because it is thicker than a lot of drug store moisurizers you can buy, but still has a lot of natural ingredients. Despite how thick it is, it doesn’t make me break out. But if you have very sensitive skin, they have a sensitive version that is under $11.

Like I said, you can buy this moisturizer on Amazon, which is where I tend to find it is cheaper. But you can also get it at the drug store, grocery store, or Target, which makes it super easy to find when you run out!

 

Step 4: Eyes

Like I said earlier, I use the same Versed Eye Cream at night that I use during the day. The twist, is that when I use it at night, after I apply it, I put Cocoa Butter Vaseline on top under my eyes, which is a whopping $1.69 at Target. BIG SPENDER, I KNOW.

I heard this trick a long time ago, and it totally helps with the fine lines under my eyes by keeping them super moisturized.

Step 5 (optional): Spot Treatment

I don’t get many zits anymore thanks to Accutane in college, but when the occasional kit comes, I like to use these handy zit patches (under $6 in Amazon). I put one on the zit overnight, and the zit is always drastically smaller in the morning!

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