Dry & Oily Skin-Care Routine

Hey friends!

I don't know about you, but my skin-care routine has been an endless cycle of trial-and-error. I love to read or hear about other people's routines or go-tos about what works for their skin type. It's always interesting to me to hear what people's skin care routines are and what works for them, so I thought I'd share mine.

I have dry & oily skin and have done a lot of research and trial-and-error for my skin type. One of my favorite brands is Mario Badescu because they're affordable and have specific products for specific skin type, but there are so many great brands out there. I've divided everything up into two categories because I have a daily face routine and then products that I use once a week or so.

Daily:

MB Botanical facewash - last summer, I was obsessed with Vanderpump Rules and I read that Lala uses this facewash for her oily skin, so I had to try it out, too. Silly, I know, but we've all been there (: Turns out, for $14 this facewash is really effective and deep cleaning. I like that it doesn't dry out my face but it gets a lot of the gunk off. I like a face wash that gets sudsy and isn't watery, and this one is perfect.

Micellar cleansing water - I am late to the party on micellar water, but I cannot get enough of this stuff. I normally wash my face twice in the shower, but even still, makeup and oil gets left behind. I wipe my face down with a cotton round soaked in micelle water in both the morning and night and am amazed at how much stuff I get off my face even after washing. It's really helped clear out my skin and make my makeup stay on longer because there's less oil on my face. Plus, it's under $7.

Vitamin C serum - This past fall, I went to my dermatologist asking if I should start using retinol for wrinkles ( I am 29) and she said a very enthusiastic no. She told me that retinol actually thins your skin out, which is really bad if you live in sunny climates like I do. She said vitamin C serum is way better for wrinkle prevention and doesn't damage your skin as much. Plus, it's helped cleared that oh-so-glamourous late twenties acne I still have.

Benefit It's Potent! Eye Cream - this eye cream is top-notch, effective, and under $50. At the beginning of the school year, I had dark bags under my eyes and I was covering them up with way too much concealer. I found this eye cream at Ulta and use it morning and night, and it's significantly reduced my eye puffy-ness and darkness. It's very light weight and isn't oily under your skin and this container has lasted me since August.

MB lotion for oily skin - My dermatologist told me that when you use a vitamin C serum, you need to let it soak into your skin for a minute and then apply lotion afterwards so that your skin doesn't dry out. I love this lotion because it's made specifically for oily skin and has really helped control that. It's worth noting that this lotion is scented and has a dye, so if that's not your thing, you can opt for their fragrance and dye-free lotion for all skin types.

MB peppermint lip balm - I don't know who else has this problem, but I have chronic chapped lips. Even though I take fish oil and it's basically summer year-round here, my lips are always chapped. I like this lip balm because it's under $10, it's super hydrating, has a muted peppermint flavor, and works as a great overnight lip mask.

Once a week:

Exfolikate by Kate Sommerville - there's a lot of exfoliating face washes out there, and this is my all-time #1 winner. I got this in my FabFitFun box and am hooked. This exfoliator is more like a facial because you let it sit on your skin for 2-5 mins, and it tingles the whole time so you can feel it working. It smells like peppermint and really deeply cleanses your skin.

Elemis Under Eye Mask - I love using this eye mask along with a face mask at the same time. It hydrates under your eyes really well so they don't look so sunken or dark. A little goes a long way, so it's worth the price.

Face masks - There are so many great face masks out there, but here's a few brands that I love: Alder New York, This Is Feel Skincare & Mario Badescu's cucumber mask for redness.

MB Glycolic Acid Face Wash - this is another exfoliating face wash but it's a gel face wash rather than a scrub. Glycolic acid helps with cell turnover, so it's great for preventing wrinkles and clearing out deep-skin acne. I use this face wash twice a week and absolutely love it. The gel foams up really well and I use with my Clairsonic.

What's in your skin care routine? I love finding new products, so if one works for you, be sure to share :)

XX

Lil