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What is your current morning skincare routine?
Origins A Perfect World Cleanser, Skinceuticals C E Ferulic, Drunk Elephant B Hydra (sometimes), Avene Hydrance SPF 25 Hydrating Cream. I have normal-to-dry skin (mostly normal, just occasional dryness in certain places), and I’ve been using everything for awhile except the Avene, which was added in the last week or so. I only use B Hydra when I know I’m not doing cheek swatches (I usually photograph in the morning, so cheek swatches mean I’ll be wiping away most of my face products) or if I feel particularly dry.
— Christine
Lately I wash with Shea Moisture Black Soap for the lovely adult acne I still have, then follow up with witch hazel. I drop two or three drops of The Ordinary’s Buffet on my cheeks and rub it into the skin, wait for it to dry down, and then follow up with Korres black pine day cream.
It takes 15 minutes but my skin looks alright so there’s that.
Neutrogena Creamy Cleanser, Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Exfoliant, Paula’s Choice Ultra-Lite Antioxidant Serum, and Cera Ve PM Moisturizer. My skin type is normal, but gets very dry in our Michigan winters.
Interesting. I have dry skin and have quite a few steps I take to help my dry skin in winter. First I use the Glossier cleanser to wash my face, when dry I use Pixi glow tonic on a cotton round. Then Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum followed by one of my Mario Badescu sprays. I usually get dressed waiting for the spray to dry on my face. Then I pat Tarte maracuja oil on my face. And my last two steps are typically glossier priming moisturizer (as a moisturizer) and Josie Maran Daily Moisturizer with SPF 47. But recently I have been using samples of Ren Day Cream and the Drunk Elephant SPF in place of those item to work through some samples. And 7 steps later I realize why I have been running late so often lately. xD
Cosrx good morning low pH cleanser, occ Paula’s Resist, Cosrx AHA/BHA toner, Cosrx BHA (again, at times Paula’s Resist BHA; the others are a tad oily.) Paula omegas, and Mizon snail recovery gel cream. This is fairly pared down, bec of the inverse psoriasis, etc., and does not include eyes/lips. So intolerant of products at present. I used to do a fairly complex alternating days gig, with ferments, propolis, and various anti-aging ordinaries, but cannot now.
– Yes To Tomatoes / Cucumbers cleansing wipe.
– SCINIC honey AIO patted on and allowed to absorb.
-Paula’s Choice 2% (since the bottle isn’t empty yet), otherwise Stridex Red.
– A soothing and hydrating toner, currently Secret Key Aloe.
– SCINIC AIO mixed with about 5 drops of rosehip oil.
– The occasional bubble clay, Freeman’s peel or Indian clay masks.
Lots of water is the main thing though, and no picking.
In the winter: Cerave Renewing cleanser, SK-II Mask In Cellumination Lotion as a toner, and then depending on what’s going on: Aczone prescription for acne as spot or all over treatment, and/or Paula’s Choice niacinimide 10% serum.
Under eyes — I accidentally got a touch of Trentonin along the eye recently, so am experimenting to find eye creams that don’t sting in burned area. PC’s Resist eye cream and Jack Black’s intensive hand cream are so far the only ones that don’t sting.
For reference — my skin is normal/oily in summer, normal/dry in winter; issues are aging and occasional acne.
Morning routine, it’s just Dr. Jart Dermaclear Hydrowater. My main routine is at night , so I’m the morning I just get a cotton pad and swipe over my face for any impurities like sweat from the night.
I wet my face with tepid water, cleanse with a red clay konjac sponge, rinse with tepid water, tone with witch hazel, apply moisturizer & sunscreen (which depends on which base products I’m using & activity for the day). My current “go-to” sunscreens are Coppertone Clearly Sheer Faces SPF 50 when I actually wear foundation, Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 47 when I’m barefaced/MPF, or L’Oreal Age Perfect Hydra Nutrition Facial Oil SPF 30 with BB Cream/TM.
I do my actual “cleansing” at night, and that routine is quite simple, as well. I used to think I had to have a complicated, multi-step routine morning & night, with a myriad of expensive products, but my skin actually ended up in worse shape. Once I went “clean” & simple, my skin is in much better condition, and I can count on one hand how many blemishes I’ve had over the last 6-7 years.
Unless I’m washing my hair or plan to wear makeup or go outdoors, many times I don’t apply anything to my face in the morning. (I live in a mostly non-humid environment and have older, quite sensitive skin with minor rosacea on my cheeks and a slightly oily nose. My skin is pretty clear and perhaps most of this is due to genetics but also because I didn’t fuss with a lot of products when I was younger. (I realize that I’m in the minority, but I think using fewer products is better for the skin.))
If I’m going outdoors anywhere, I apply a broad spectrum sunscreen on top of my morning skin; if I’m going to wear makeup, I use one of three cleansers to remove everything and then use Josie Maran SPF moisturizer as a base. If it’s cold or windy outside and I won’t be wearing foundation, I apply a layer of Paula’s Choice Clinical Ultra Rich Moisturizer or some creamy concealer on my rosacea areas to protect them from flushing. If I’ve washed my hair and therefore cleansed my face in the shower, I use either the above moisturizers or Drunk Elephant La La cream or Odacite Oleosomes Time Release cream.
Most nights, I tend to my skin by rotating about three different products and treatments, with an occasional mask, retinol or AHA treatment as warranted. Whenever my nose feels oily or I get an occasional pimple, I use OTC Differin morning and night directly on the problem area.
First step; cleansing my face with Aveeno Ultra Calming Foaming Cleanser using it on a nubby washcloth that’s already been moistened with hot water. Then, Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream patted into my entire eye area, followed by applying a hyluronic acid serum over face and neck. If I’m going out, then I apply FAB Pure Mineral Sunscreen Moisturizer SPF 40. If I’m staying in, I usually opt for FAB Ultra Repair Cream instead.
The one significant difference between winter and the rest of the year is that this is when I’m less breakout prone, so I’m currently laying off of my Sunday Riley UFO except once or twice per week after I’ve used a mask.
I am so interested in reading all of the comments as I am looking to change up my routine, hence the question.
My skin type: Very dry skin but luckily no acne or sensitivity.
In the morning I begin by washing my face with the Nuxe Reve de Miel face wash. It is slightly gel like. I can’t find another way to describe it. I use my moist hands to massage it into my skin and sometimes leave it on for a few minutes to let the product really wake up my skin. I rinse with warm water and a microfiber cloth. I then spray my face with Pixi Milky Mist and follow with a lite acid. I usually use the pixi glow tonic very lightly on a cotton round and apply before the Pixi dries. I follow with Dr. Dennis Gross Ferulic and Retinol eye gel around my eyes. I apply a moisturizer such as Sunday Riley Tidal over my face and I use Keihl’s Avocado eye cream. I spray Clinique Moisture Surge and then I apply my sunscreen which currently is the Australia Gold. I try to allow about 15 minutes before applying my makeup but I don’t always have the time.
Whatever cleanser is handy in the shower – usually Jack Black. Olay eye rejuvenating cream, Korres Wild Rose serum and Trilogy Vital moisturising cream.
Ole Henriksen On The Go cleanser (now Face The Truth), Kiehl’s Cucumber Herbal toner, The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%, and Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Combination Watery Cream. That being said, I don’t do skincare every morning, usually about every other day. I usually have dry-ish skin so I find if I wash it twice a day, every day, I can get a little tight or dry, especially with the vitamin c. I know that’s like sacrilege for a lot of people but it works for me.
I start with a water based cleanser but as I am working my way through my samples, the cleanser changes from day to day. I follow with a Simple micellar water on a cotton pad until the cotton comes clean. Then I use an antioxidant serum , again from the sample drawer so it is either Elizabeth Arden Prevage or Ole Hendriksen Vitamin C serum. Then The Ordinary hyaluronic acid serum, Timeless CoQ-10 serum, and The Ordinary niacinamide. Maybe some Clinique salicylic acid serum on my nose. Finally Glossier sunscreen.
The past few weeks have been so cold, however, that my face has become really dried out and irritated. I have been using No. 7 hot cloth cleanser ( without the cloth) followed by Thr Ordinary hyaluronic, Belif moisture bomb, and the sunscreen.
First Aid Beauty cleanser, The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (and adding in Buffet today as well as it just came in the mail) for serum, currently using a deluxe sample of Drunk Elephant’s Lala Retro Whipped Cream for moisturizer, though before that it was a deluxe sample of Sunday Riley’s CEO moisturizer (which I would buy full size if I could afford it). Currently not using an eye cream though I’m thinking about getting The Ordinary’s Caffeine solution for that.
Oh and if I’m going out I throw on either the Farmacy Green Screen SPF 30 if it’s a low-UV number day, or Heliocare SPF 50 if it’s a high-UV number day or I’m going to be mainly outdoors in direct sun.
My morning skincare regime consists of:
Cleansing – currently I am using the Collstar (an Italian brand) milk cleanser – quite good
Day time moisturiser – Estelle and Thrid Hydrating daily moisturiser
Sun Screen – La Roche Posay’s Ultra light spf 50
Then I start adding my foundation…
Skin type: Combination, sometimes dry areas due to use of retin A or winter
I still have to use a cleanser with salicylic acid to cleanse the oil off my skin in the morning or my pores will become enlarged. I use my Clarisonic (I know, most people use it at night) with Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash (I’ve been using this same cleanser for about 20 years). I pat two pumps of Drunk Elephant’s B-Hydra mixed with one pump of C-Firma on my face, neck, chest, back of neck, and the back of my hands. Then I follow with Drunk Elephant’s Lala Retro Whip Cream.