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My Current Skincare Routine

It’s been a while since I’ve shared my current skincare routine, so I thought I’d update this post for today. I try a lot of products for the blog, but I have my personal skincare routine pretty down pat, and I don’t deviate much. I do have a couple of new products I’ve added or swapped, though, since I last posted my skincare routine.

By way of disclaimer, I’m not any sort of skincare expert. Most of what I use was recommended by my dermatologist, or I tried it at the recommendation of a friend or favorite influencer.

I also don’t have a lot of lower priced alternatives to share. This is just what I do, and it seems to be working well for my aging skin, but I think consistency is probably more important than which skincare products you choose.

I’m linking mostly to Amazon because it’s widely available, and they make shipping and returns so easy. If you’re concerned about an item being legit, you can check the seller. I try to always buy from the manufacturer and make sure it’s fulfilled by Amazon.

In addition to these skincare routines, I see a cosmetic dermatologist every other month for a Glycolic Acid Peel, and I do get a bit of Botox in my forehead a couple times a year. She recommended or approved most of the products in this post.

I’m prone to dryness, but my skin isn’t super sensitive, although I do have some melasma and rosacea to contend with. In the wintertime, I need lots of moisture, and I have to exfoliate occasionally to keep the flakies away.

My Morning Skincare Routine

I usually just splash water on my face in the morning, and go right into the Vitamin C serum. If I do wash my face, I use whatever face wash I have handy; right now it’s the La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser.

#1. Timeless Skin Care Vitamin C and E Ferulic Acid Serum (also at Target) // I first learned about the Timeless serums from Angie at Hot & Flashy, and I’ve been using it for several years. My dermatologist approved it, so I assume it’s doing something good! I do like how it feels and smells on the skin… this is basically how I determine what I like in a skincare product.

#2. Timeless Skin Care Coenzyme Q10 Serum // I apply this after the Vitamin C. When I took these two products in to my dermatologist, she didn’t think the Coenzyme Q10 is necessary since that ingredient is in lots of other products. I like how the Coenzyme Q10 feels moisturizing, though, so I continue to use it.

I used to keep a mini-fridge in my bathroom to keep both of these serums cold, but it broke, and I didn’t replace it. I guess that makes them last longer? I probably should get another one.

#3. CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion // I use this as my daytime moisturizer, also at Angie’s recommendation. I love the price point, and it’s just a nice lightweight moisturizer without any fragrance. I use the PM version because I don’t want the chemical suncreen in the AM version, but if that doesn’t bother you, you can use that and skip the next step.

#4. ISDIN Eryfotona Ageless Sunscreen SPF 50+ // This tinted mineral sunscreen was recommended by my dermatologist, and I love the consistency and how easily it blends into the skin. It does tend to stain clothing, though, so be aware of that. I make sure not to let it touch my pajamas or robe when I’m applying.

I let all that set up while I do my hair, and then I go back in and apply my makeup, but that’s another post! I’ll update that one within the next few weeks.

My Evening Skincare Routine

Okay, I know that looks like a lot… bear with me! I’ve been using this skincare routine for a couple of years, and it works really well for me. I have very dry skin, so I have to use rich creams and serums to avoid getting flaky skin in the wintertime.

#1. Almay Longwear & Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover Pads // I always start by removing my eye makeup, and I’ve been using these Almay remover pads for years and years. I don’t wear waterproof eye makeup, but I find the waterproof eye makeup remover works best.

#2. Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm // My second step is always a cleansing balm, and my current favorite is the Elemis. It gently melts away dirt and makeup, it smells divine.

#3. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser // If I’m feeling lazy, I’ll skip this step, but I almost always double cleanse. You can google the benefits of double cleansing for more information, but it’s highly recommended, and I do notice a lot of leftover makeup on my cotton paid if I use a toner after the cleansing balms.  I’ve tried different cleansers, but some are too harsh, especially during the winter.

#4. PCA Skin Nutrient Toner // I started using this toner after my friend Lindsey at The Motherchic shared it, and I love it. It’s exfoliating and moisturizing, and it smells amazing. It also makes my face feel another level of clean.

#5. Revision Skincare Hydrating Serum // I first bought this from my dermatologist, and now I have it on auto-order at Amazon. I was having trouble with dryness, so she tweaked my Retin-A prescription and told me to add this to my nighttime routine. I would use it in the mornings as well, but I figure the Coenzyme Q10 has a similar function, and it’s a lot cheaper.

#6a. Prescription Retin A // Every other night, I apply the Retin-A prescribed by my dermatologist.

#6b. skinbetter science AlphaRet Overnight Cream // On the nights I don’t use Retin-A, I use Alpha-Ret. I also get this from my dermatologist. She used to have me on a glycolic cream, but I had trouble with dryness, so she has me using this instead.

#7. Replenix Age Restore Nighttime Therapy // This was also from my dermatologist; I was using La Mer because it was the only thing I could find that was rich enough to keep my skin from flaking. She seemed to think La Mer is overpriced, and she suggested this instead. I love it. It’s thick and rich and creamy, and I apply it liberally to my face, neck, and chest every night. I also have it on auto-order at Dermstore.

#8. Revision Skincare Nectifirm // This product is a big splurge, and if I had to cut back on anything, this would be the first to go, but I want to feel like I’m doing something for my neck. After all, it’s one of the first areas to show signs of aging, and one that’s easy to overlook in our skincare routine.

I can’t remember where I heard about this, but my dermatologist recommended the Revision Skincare Hydrating Serum, so I figured the brand is a good one. I try to use this morning and night, but always at night.

#9. RevitaLash // This is my secret to long, luscious lashes. Okay, so it’s not much of a secret, as I’m sharing it with the Internet. I’ve always had long lashes by nature, but as I’ve aged, they’ve gotten thinner and shorter. I’ve tried a few different lash serums, but this is by far my favorite. I only need to use it every other night, now that I’m in “maintenance” but I used it every night while my lashes were growing out.

#10. LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask // This is the final product I apply to my face… or my lips, rather. My lips get very dry and peel, and this helps prevent that. I’ve tried others over time, but this works as well as anything, and I like how it feels.

One final note: When my skin is still struggling with the flakies despite all that, I apply a face oil before my moisturizer. I love the Colleen Rothschild Face Oil N°9 for this, but I ran out and I had the Elemis Superfood Facial Oil in my cabinet, so I’ve been using that lately.

FYI, the general rule of thumb when layering skincare products is to go from lightest to heaviest. Supposedly the night cream seals in the oil, and that’s why you apply it last. I probably don’t need the oil and the serum, but I figure in this case, more is more, so I use both.

The other thing I do when I start to get flaky is exfoliate. I’m currently using the ELEMIS Glow Boost Exfoliator from this set I got from QVC.

Okey-dokey! That’s about it. I mean, I’m sure I could say a lot more, but this is what I do. I’m not an expert, but I’m happy to answer any questions in the comments.

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23 Responses

  1. All very good recommendations! My dermatologist put me on Altreno Tretinoin after I asked to be moved down in strength from strongest strength to .05. It is easier on your skin since combined with good skin ingredients to moisturize in a gel like base. Your skin looks lovely!!!

  2. Not related to beauty, but what’s your recommendation for a thin t-shirt to wear under cashmere sweaters to reduce washing/dry cleaning? Thank you!

  3. All good recommendations! Someoftjose we don’t get over here in the UK though. Have you heard of Tropic skincare…it’s a UK based all natural, vegan, plant based using zero harmful chemicals or artificial preservatives. My skin has been the best it’s ever been since using it.

  4. Enjoy your wellness retreat, looking forward to your posts on it. And honestly vacation is a time to unplug and recharge. We never bring our laptops with us on vacation, phones just in case of emergencies but as I tell my husband (who is a workaholic) there is something called work/life balance and nothing is so important that it can’t wait till we’re back and if it’s that big of an emergency, they can call, I know most people don’t feel this way but I personally think we are way to connected to technology and need to step away and take care of ourselves every so often and just chill.

    1. Fully agree! I do the same on vacation as well. iPhone now has several do not disturb modes, so you can set it in such a way that only other family members can reach you (and maybe one person at work).

  5. Welcome to Austin! We’re not exactly at our best this weekend with the weather but I hope you enjoy your time at the spa.

  6. I think the most important step in your routine is the sunscreen. I’ve been meaning to try the ISDIN tinted sunscreen. I didn’t know it could stain clothes, that was a great tip. Do you follow Charlotte Palermino on IG? She is very knowledgeable about sunscreens and ingredients – she defiantley has her “finger on the pulse”. Cheers!

  7. This fall my skin began to act up and I can’t use a lot of anti-aging products. I get eczema if I’m not careful. The Gold Bond neck cream which was working for over a year then gave me an eczema rash. My doctor gave me a steroid salve to bring the inflammation down. She said you can become allergic to products no matter how long you’ve been using them. Right now I’m using jojoba oil and castor oil for my beauty treatments. Castor oil is amazing for many other things such as helping me sleep. It has to be organic and hexane free and in a glass bottle. I hope you enjoy your stay. Too bad it had to get cold with that north wind today. At least it’s above freezing.

    1. I’m with you on this one Terri. More because I was tired of everything rather than out of necessity though. I stick to an oil and water ritual. I love Evan Healy products, and sunscreen in stick form (Supergoop mineral stick)…everything else runs into and irritates my eyes.

  8. Thank you for helping demystify purchasing beauty and skin care products through Amazon. I’ve often been tempted to do so in the past, but then stopped after reading reviews about customers receiving broken/used/old/fake products. Being able to read beyond Incentivized reviews and spot fake ones is another problem, but that’s a different topic for a different day. I appreciate your your hard work and efforts to make your blog a place where I can find trustworthy information and honest opinions. I’m going to order a few of the products mentioned.

    Have a wonderful time in Austin!

  9. I developed rosacea a few years ago. The Rx my dermatologist gave me did nothing and even seemed like it made things worse. What works for me is azelaic acid (I use Paula’s Choice Boost), followed by Clinique’s Redness Solutions Daily Relief Cream. I apply these at bed time after I wash my face.

  10. Wow. You have to do a lot for dry skin. Have fun. Are you there alone? You said “we” so wondered if you brought Paul or a friend.

  11. Enjoy your stay in Austin. My son is a sophomore at UT Austin so we are there often. Can’t wait to hear about your stay. Enjoy and relax.

  12. Thanks for sharing this! 2 questions: Do you prefer this sunscreen to the Ulta MD and why? And also, has your doctor recommended laser treatments or anything for the rosacea? It’s new to me and I want it gone. I have tried rhofade without much success.

  13. My skin has been REALLY dry lately, especially on the sides of my chin. I’m having to really search for what helps, so I’m going to look more into some of these products. I use, and love, the Laneige lip mask every night. I keep it, and my CND cuticle oil, in a little glass bowl with lid I brought back from my aunt this past summer. Enjoy Austin! One of my best friends moved there after the hurricanes destroyed her house here. She loves it there!

    1. Check out Dr Dray dermatologist on you tube (derm here in Houston)-great tips for dry skin. Worked wonderfully for me as i have dry skin too plus awesome sunscreen recommendations

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