In my previous post, I delved into the technical aspects of skincare, exploring ingredients and their benefits. It’s a world I love, but lately, I’ve been feeling the pull toward simplicity—both in my routine and my budget. I don’t think we need to make all our own products; that can be time-consuming. I do, however, love keeping a small collection of oils, butters, and waxes on hand to create some key products. My upcoming book, Beauty Pantry, will share all the recipes I mention below.
For now, here’s a look at my current skincare routine.
Morning Routine
My morning starts with a gentle face wash. I’ve been rotating between Burt’s Bees, Aveeno, and CeraVe. I’m considering trying an olive oil or shea butter soap, but I’m a bit concerned about them being drying. I’ll be trying one soon and will report back on how it goes.
Next, I apply a serum. To keep things cost-effective, I really like brands like The Ordinary and Good Molecules. I rotate between a Vitamin C serum, which helps brighten my skin and protect it from environmental damage, a Hyaluronic Acid serum for deep hydration, or a peptide serum to help firm my skin.
After that, I use a simple moisturizer. Trader Joe’s Aloe Gel Moisturizer has been my go-to for the spring and summer.
Then, I apply my DIY under-eye serum, which I make by infusing sweet almond oil with coffee. Sweet almond oil is a fantastic base because it’s lightweight and won’t clog pores.
This next step is my favorite DIY product: a light oil blend in a rollerball. I fill the bottles with various oils like squalane, rosehip oil, and my own blend of rose and vanilla-infused sweet almond oil. Rosehip oil is packed with essential fatty acids and antioxidants, which help reduce the appearance of fine lines and scars.
To help the oil absorb, I’ve been using a face tapping technique for years. I tap the oil into my skin all over my face for about 30 seconds, then let it sit for a few minutes before applying sunscreen or makeup.
Night Routine
I start my evening by removing my makeup with a cleansing balm. I have a DIY cleansing balm I’ll be sharing a recipe for soon, which includes sweet almond oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, and emulsifying wax. The addition of the emulsifying wax makes it easier to rinse off everything with water. I’m also a fan of the oil cleansing method, but I’ve come to prefer this balm.
After that, I do a second cleanse with a gentle, water-based cleanser. While some people stop at the oil cleanse, I just feel like a second cleanse gets my skin completely clean.
For my nighttime moisturizer, I rotate between a few products. I use a retinol night moisturizer a couple of times a week, a Korean night cream with hyaluronic acid, and my own face butter made with mango butter and rose-infused almond oil. Mango butter is deeply moisturizing and full of vitamins, but it doesn’t leave a greasy feel. One splurge I allow myself is the Farmhouse Fresh Golden Moon Dip Moisturizer, which leaves my skin with a beautiful glow. I only use it at night because retinol products should only be used in the evening. If I’m using my face butter, I first spray my face with rose water; I find that applying oil-based moisturizers on damp skin helps them absorb better.
If I’ve used the hyaluronic acid or retinol cream, I’ll add a few drops of rosehip oil on top and use my tapping technique. If my skin feels a bit too oily and I’m worried about getting it on my pillow, I’ll dust on some pearl powder mixed with a little cocoa powder. Pearl powder is known for its brightening properties.
For my eyes, I use my DIY coffee eye balm. It’s a solidified version of my morning eye serum with beeswax and cocoa butter added for extra moisture.
Finally, I apply an eyelash serum made from castor oil with a couple of drops of rosemary and lavender. Castor oil is known for its ability to condition and strengthen eyelashes.
