Summer Skincare Guide

I get a lot of questions about my skincare routine, so I thought I’d start by sharing a few of my favorite products and tips. I’d like to preface this post with the fact that I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT have perfect skin. It’s a struggle, I have adult acne, scars, hyper pigmentation & some fine lines. It’s the real world people! I haven’t jumped into the world of high tech lasers, botox or fillers. Not to say I have anything against them or would rule them out completely, but my goal is to wait as long as possible. I think there’s something to be said about aging gracefully. I’m not even 30 yet! I’ve tried a million different skincare products over the years. From Drugstore finds & natural remedies to the most expensive stuff you can find at Sephora. I’ve got combination skin, meaning I it has both oily and dry moments. During the winter & when I travel, I tend to get really dried out. In the summer, I get oily and have random breakouts. Because of my olive complexion, I scar really easily. I get dark spots from picking at dry skin & get what’s called hyper pigmentation if my face gets too much sun. Here’s a recap of my daily, weekly, monthly & yearly skincare musts:   A few months ago I 100% switched over to Dermalogica and I’ve seen a huge improvement in my skin’s texture & overall “glow”. It’s so hard to pick a skincare line. Every time I go into a store or search online, I’m overwhelmed with options. Not to mention the people working are always pushing something new. I just want to know what actually works. And I can honestly say – this stuff works. They’ve got products for every type of skin and issue. My current regimen: Step One: Precleanse  This stuff is literally a game changer and my favorite new product. I know it sounds like overkill, but it breaks up all of your makeup and melts everything away, making it easier for the cleanser to do it’s job. Step Two: Special Cleansing Gel  I use this in the morning and at night! I was a little surprised that it doesn’t foam up, but it definitely leaves my skin feeling clean. Step Three: Daily Microfoliant This stuff starts out as a powder and then turns into a scrub! It’s got Salicylic Acid and Rice Enzymes that micro-exfoliate your dead cells, leaving skin smoother and brighter. I use this at night time only! Step Four: Phyto Replenish Oil I really like that this oil is lightweight & doesn’t leave your skin feeling greasy. It also works really well when you mix it with your foundation to give a glowy look. Step Five: Active Moist I love the consistency of this lotion. It’s super lightweight and has plant extracts that help improve skin texture and fight surface dehydration Step Six: Hydrablur Primer This stuff is AMAZING. It makes your skin look airbrushed/gives it a matte look & blurs out wrinkles. I only use this in the daytime. You can use it alone or under your makeup! Step Seven: Solar Defense Booster SPF 50 I’m all about the SPF. I use this every day, regardless of what I’m doing or if I’m wearing makeup.

I also recently started using Tropy Skin’s RejuvadermMD Microdermabrasion System. It’s basically an at home microdermabrasion stytem you can use – instead of having to go into a dermatologist or spa. It combines suction with a diamond tip exfoliator, just like you get in an office. It takes about 5 minutes and you can do it at night time after you wash your face (but before you start putting products on). When you use it, the outer layer of your skin is removed, kind of like a buffer. This promotes healthy growth of sells. The suction helps increase blood flow with helps rebuild collagen and elastin – making your skin tighter & brighter! It’s great for erasing sun damage, fine lines and wrinkles and blemishes. It also comes with a super cool pore extraction tip – perfect for getting those pesky blackheads out without having to squeeze your face!