As recently as last year, I didn't have to work too hard to keep maintain healthy glowing skin. It just came naturally. I was lucky to not really struggle with acne and aside from a few breakouts here and there, I honestly didn't have to put much thought into it. Then something changed. Suddenly, I started experiencing random breakouts. My skin started looking dull and lackluster. I started needing more and more makeup to keep it looking smooth and fresh. Something had to change.
Healthy Glowing Skin Requires Effort
The first thing I did was consult with a dermatologist to make sure there weren't any underlying issues. Her advice to me was that healthy glowing skin requires effort on my part. I can't sleep with my makeup on and expect my skin to look fresh every morning. I can't moisturize randomly and maintain that smooth complexion. I can't make zero effort and expect major results.
Now I know what you may be thinking: you don't have time. I have timed my currently nightly skincare routine and it takes me 10 minutes or less every night. Skincare, indeed self-care isn't about having time, it's about making time. And there is nothing more important than making time to take care of your largest organ.
External Factors Affecting Your Skin
Secondly, I want to make sure that you remember that your skincare isn't just the products that you use. The food we eat, the amount of water we're drinking, basic sanitary tips like clean towels (and hijabs if you wear one) also have a huge impact on how your skin will look. I'm working on a blog post about 5 non-skincare things that have a major impact on your skin so stay tuned for that.
Healthy, glowing skin isn't something that will magically appear but if you put in a little bit of effort, you'll see big returns. Below, I'm going to share my daily skincare routine for morning and night.
Morning Skincare Routine
Mornings in our house are very hectic so I keep my morning routine extremely simple. It's important to cleanse your face every morning to get rid of all the dead skin cells and gunk you might have picked up from your pillow. This is the process I follow every morning:
- Cleanse- using Fresh Beauty Soy Cleanser
- Spray Toner- Fig & Yarrow Complexion Water
- Sunday Riley UFO Oil
- Ole Henriksson Banana Bright Eye Cream
- Moisturize with the Herbivore Pink Cloud Rosewater Moisture Creme
The whole process takes me less than 5 minutes and I'm able to head out the door with a clean and moisturized face.
Nighttime Skincare Routine
I take a little more time with my skin at night. Most evenings, I'm heading to bed past midnight and I always have to convince myself to go through this process. However, I honestly do see the difference when I don't take care of my skin at night.
- Remove makeup using the Farmacy Green Clean Balm and Bliss Makeup Remover Wipes
- Cleanse face using the Clarisonic Smart Profile and the Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Cleansing Gel
- Pat on the Fresh Kombucha Essence
- Sunday Riley Luna Night Oil
- Fresh Black Tea Eye Concentrate
- Moisturize with the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream
Besides the regular daily cleansing, I also use a deep cleanse mask like the Charlotte Tilbury Clay mask or the GlamGlow Supermud mask to do a deep clean. I love using the GlamGlow Thirstymud every three days to get that deep moisturizing overnight. If I'm going through a period with more breakouts, the First Aid Beauty Acne pads are also amazing in giving your skin an extra hand with that salicylic acid to keep it free of breakouts and leave your pores clean.
Don't Forget Your Body
It's important to remember that your skincare shouldn't be limited to your face. You should also be moisturizing your body regularly, especially during the winter months. I have been dry brushing regularly and it makes a huge difference in removing dry skin and improving circulation. I dry brush every day prior to taking a shower and it's an extremely refreshing feeling. I also love the Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum cream for my whole body but especially for my elbows and feet.
Some Additional Tools
I have recently been using a face roller and it is an amazing tool. You can pick up a number of really inexpensive ones from Amazon. I personally prefer using the Rose Quartz face roller and keep mine in the freezer which adds an additional depuffing element to the rolling.
I also use the Nurse Jamie Uplifting Massaging roller to depuff my face in the mornings. I tend to get puffy, especially around my eyes and I've found the tourmaline in the nurse Jamie roller to be magical in helping depuff my skin.
And that's it.
I hope this was helpful. I know it sounds like a lot of information and potentially a lot of effort. I leave you with the thought that it isn't as much work as it sounds and also, that you are absolutely worth ANY and ALL the effort. Healthy glowing skin makes you feel confident about yourself and that is the best feeling in the world.
