My A.M. Skincare Routine
About four years ago, I decided to put more effort into my skincare routine. I am getting older, and I felt like it was due time (if not past time) that I put more effort into my morning and nightly skincare than just washing my face and applying moisturizer (sometimes). I was approaching my wedding and my thirties, and I didn’t always wash my face properly. Yikes!
Now, I’ve developed a routine that Brian likes to joke is similar to David Rose’s nine-step skincare routine, but I truly love doing my morning and nighttime routine. It feels like a few moments for me, and truly reminds me to take care of myself before taking care of anyone else. Plus by taking better care of my skin I feel less need to cover it up with make-up.
I want to also note skincare is so deeply personal and can differ from person to person. I am by no means a dermatologist. This is what has worked for me and I am sharing my personal experience. As always consult your doctor if you have any questions or concerns before using a new product.
wash your hands
Before doing anything, WASH YOUR HANDS. This will remove any bacteria that might be on your hands from mixing with your products and then making their way to your face. Additionally, I picked this tip up from @ohio.esthetician, do not touch the nozzle or dropper of ANY of your products directly to your hand or face. This gives bacteria an opportunity to enter your product, and ew, no one wants that.
CLEANSE
Most every morning I wash my fave with the Countertime Lipid Defense Oil Cleanser. I love how easy it is to wash with because one of my main issues is being too rough with my skin. Since this is an oil, it glides over my skin so easily. It is rich in vitamin E, fatty acids, and a plant-derived Retinatural Complex to reinforce the skin’s fragile moisture barrier for a soothed, nourished complexion. The Retinatural Complex is two of the most powerhouse plant-derived ingredients available - Bakuchiol which has been shown to provide skin-care results comparable to retinol—without harmful side effects such as skin irritation and increased sun sensitivity—and Swiss Alpine rose which boosts the skin’s antioxidant defense.
The mornings after I use the Counter+ Overnight Resurfacing Peel (I’ll chat about this when I detail my PM Skincare Routine) I wash my face with Countercontrol Clear Pore Cleanser for extra exfoliation. This is a recent addition as I feel like 2020 and the pandemic has gifted me with more breakouts than normal given stress, wearing masks, etc. Before adding this step in, I didn’t regularly exfoliate my face with a cleanser. This cleanser has the SkinBalance Complex and aloe vera, the formula helps purify pores and soothe skin, while jojoba beads gently slough away dead skin cells. The SkinBlanace Complex is made with wintergreen and rosebay willow to help mattify skin, purify pores, and reduce the appearance of redness while keeping skin in balance.
TONE
This Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic has been a gamechanger to my skincare routine. With the aforementioned breakouts, this toner has helped keep them at bay and quickly eliminate the few that make their presence known anyway. Sometimes I will hold my bamboo round on a breakout with this tonic to help shrink it a bit more quickly. It is formulated with gentle, yet powerful Lactic Acid (AHA), Salicilin (BHA), and Azelaic Acid precursor. This tonic is developed for daily use which is great because I use it in the AM and PM. It brightens skin and brings the glow back to dull, dry, or tired-looking skin. Lactic Acid effectively exfoliates the skin surface, breaking up dead cells and adding hydration, without causing irritation.
Side note: In an effort to be better for the environment, I picked up these bamboo rounds for my skincare routine. They are machine washable.
EYE CREAM
Woah, I wish I had started using eye cream years ago. I’m pretty expressive with my face, so my eyes see lots of movement and I have the wrinkles to prove it. I really love the Countertime Ultra Eye Renewal. I put a tiny amount on my ring fingers and lightly tap in a half-moon around the outside of my eyes. This eye cream revitalizes the eye area for a youthful, brighter appearance. A combination of the plant-derived Retinatural Complex mentioned above and Persian silk tree extract reduces the appearance of under-eye shadows and crow’s feet for a smooth, firmed look. This is expensive, but a jar can last me six-plus months. I always use my ring finger and lightly pat this product in.
SERUM
I struggled to find a serum I loved, thought worked, and was worth the price until I landed on Counter+ All Bright Serum. I put two pumps into my hand and lightly pat on my face. It has an ultra-potent 10% blend of two forms of vitamin C to instantly brighten skin and help reduce the appearance of existing dark spots. Antioxidant-rich turmeric and camu camu extracts help protect against new ones. The formula also helps defend skin from the damaging effects of environmental stressors—revealing a more youthful-looking complexion and who doesn’t want brighter skin?
MOISTURIZE + OIL
I mix a moisturizer and face oil for extra hydration. I squeeze one pump of the Glow Daily Vitamin C Gel Cream moisturizer and about three or four drops of Counter+ No. 1 Brightening Facial oil in my hand and mix them together before patting it on my face and neck. This moisturizer is made with Tara Pod extract that activates in contact with the skin's natural microbiome to help illuminate skin complexion, while vitamin C and magnesium will help to smooth and re-energize skin's look for your perfect glow. And this oil helps hydrate and improve the appearance of skin radiance with omega-rich marula oil providing intense hydration, while antioxidant vitamin C helps brighten and even skin tone. Gimme all the vitamin C in my morning routine.
SPF
The Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 has been my go-to sunscreen for years. It is so light and invisible, and it works great as a makeup primer. It also helps to protect from blue light emitted from our phones and computers, so this is an EVERY DAY EVEN IF YOU ARE INSIDE SUNSCREEN. I love that it is a gel, so it leaves my skin feeling silky and not cake-y.
I do want to make it clear I did not go out and buy all of this at once. I know skincare is expensive, so I slowly added things as I could afford them and now I just maintain. Plus, I have found that the more I invest in my skin through skincare, the less I spend on going to the dermatologist or covering up my face.
Also, now that I have gone almost a year wearing the least amount of makeup ever since I started wearing makeup I am loving seeing my bare face more than ever and I have my skincare routine to thank for that. It is a little light of goodness each day during what has felt like the same day since March 2020.
Do you use any of these products? What are your go-to morning skincare products?
xx,
Linds
