Take Care of Your Skin

Wanna hear a secret? I'm really, really bad at taking my makeup off before I go to bed. I always forget about it until I get out of the shower the next morning and my face looks like Chris Crocker's in that classic "LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE." video. I was always extremely blessed with nice, resilient skin-- that is, until recently. Call it "old age" or the endless torment of wildly-whipping bone-chilling winter winds; whatever the reason, my skin has been terrible lately. I never really had a "nighttime routine" but I figured that at this point, I had no choice. To Sephora! After about a month of experimenting, I figured out what works for me, hopefully some parts of it will work for you as well! (Oh, and I know that every other blogger includes awkwardly staged "hey I'm not wearing makeup but I actually am" photos illustrating how they apply products to their skin. My readers are smarter than that so I'll save you that little part. Like I need any more face time on here anyway...)

1. Cucumber makeup remover wipes are the most perfect invention for low-key lazy people like me. Just wipe and throw them away. This is how I start my routine. Pretty self-explanatory, not very exciting. 

2. I spread a light layer of coconut oil on my face and keep it there while I brush my teeth and drink a glass of water. (More on that later.) In addition to being great for cooking, bulletproof coffee, and pulling, coconut oil is great for softening the skin and can even quell breakouts. It'll also help to remove any extra makeup. (Read more on the wonders of coconut oil.)

3. After washing off the coconut oil, I dab some rose water along my T-Zone. Rose water is another natural wonder. It's a natural toner and will also help with acne. Bonus, it smells amazing. 

4. I finish it off my using Ultra Repair Cream all over my face. It doesn't have any of those nasty parabens or what-have-you and is perfect for those who, like me, have combination dry/oily skin. It's not oily at all but is still extremely hydrating and refreshing. I add a teeny bit of Rose Salve under my eyes and a generous amount to my lips.  I don't know what made me start using it under my eyes but it's helped get rid of my dark circles in an amazing way so I keep using it. (Seriously, working overnights made me look like a raccoon for a while there.)

5. For the rest of my skin, I love Nourish Organic's products. I usually go unscented but lately I've been loving the lavender mint one. After an especially tough workout, LUSH's "Wiccy Magic Muscles" Massage Bar is a perfect treat. It's kind of like Ice Hot but smells WAY better. (Warning though, it does get pretty oily!)

See? I'm pretty simple. None of these products are particularly expensive but they work amazingly and that's all I care about. Honestly, the most important thing for soft, radiant skin is making sure that you drink enough water. (I try to drink 96 ounces a day!) What are some of your favorite skin care products?

xo,

e.m.

*opinions on all products are my own. I wish I was getting paid by these companies but alas, I am not.