My Nighttime Skincare Routine

Here's a look at my most recent nighttime skincare routines. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe!

These are the products discussed:

L'Occitane Shea Cleansing Oil 

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Cleansing Oil 

Kate Somerville Goat Milk Cleanser 

Omorovicza Cleansing Foam 

Aerin Rose Gentle Cleanser 

Avon Anew Retexturizing Pads 

Kate Somerville Nourish Mist 

Clinique Turnaround Lotion 

Diptyque Multi-Exfoliating Mask 

MV Skincare Signature Mineral Mask 

SK-II Facial Treatment Mask 

Colbert MD Illumino Anti-Aging Mask 

Clarins Super Restorative Eye Concentrate 

La Prairie Skin Caviar Eye Essence 

Mila Moursi Refining Lotion 

Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum 

Sunday Riley Good Genes 

Dermalogica Overnight Retinol Repair 

Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Transformative Cream 

Aerin Rose Night Table Cream 

Sisley Black Rose Face Oil 

REN Bio-Retinoid Cream 

MV Skincare Rose Plus Oil 

My Mom's Evening Skincare Routine

She's baaaack!!! My mom is back for her second post talking about her current evening skincare routine. She uses a ton of amazing products and has a consistent routine that has been working for her for awhile. You can read her first post that talks about her morning skincare and makeup routine here. Hope you enjoy!

1. Nude Perfect Cleanse Cleansing Oil - I put this oil on to a dry face with dry hands. Once I add a bit of water, it becomes a gentle milk that helps wash away all my makeup in one easy step. My skin feels clean but still hydrated and supple.

2. By Terry Cellularose Nutri-pure Balm Cleanser - Between the delicate rose scent and the thick creamy texture infused with camellia oil and vitamin E, this cleanser feels more like a treatment than something I want to wash away. I use it as a second cleanse and I have seen a remarkable difference in how hydrated my skin feels and looks after using. My skin feels clean yet comfortable.

3. Pixi Glow Tonic - This exfoliating toner is also one of Maree's favorites, and I am happy to say that I am also a huge fan. I only need a small amount on a cotton pad to wipe over my whole face, and it gives me a gentle yet effective exfoliation.

4. Radical Age-Defying Exfoliating Pads - I use these pads once or twice a week in place of the Glow Tonic to give my skin a stronger exfoliation when its feeling dull or congested. I notice that my skin glows when using these regularly and that is reason enough for me to keep them in my routine!

5. Mario Badescu Aloe Vera Toner - After I apply the Pixi Glow Tonic or Radical Pads, I like to follow it up with a swipe of this soothing aloe vera toner. It calms my skin instantly and gives it an added boost of moisture.

6. Mario Badescu Whitening Mask - A tried and true favorite for me. There is a noticeable difference in the brightness of my skin after I use this, so I rotate it into my routine 3-4 times a month.

7. Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask - My favorite part of this mask is when I first apply it. It has this decadent velvety texture that instantly cools my skin. I leave it on for 10 minutes and when I wash it off, my skin feels soft, supple and firm.

8.  Tatcha Ageless Revitalizing Eye Cream - I use this day and night because I love the way it immediately absorbs into my skin. I have repurchased this more times than I can count. It's definitely a favorite.

9. Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate - This is another product that I use both in the morning and evening. It soaks into my skin faster than any other serum I have tried and I have noticed a huge difference in how hydrated my skin looks and feels.

10. Ole Henriksen Invigorating Night Treatment - I typically apply this after the Ultimune Concentrate 1-2 times a week. Some exfoliating treatments can irritate my skin, but this one is an exception. It feels cooling and absorbs quickly, and in the morning I can feel a significant change in the texture of my skin.

11. Dr. Colbert Ilumino Face Oil - On nights that I don't use the Ole Henriksen Night Gel, I find myself reaching for face oils. I had never tried them before, but Maree suggested I add some into my routine. They have made a huge difference and I now use them all the time. This one immediately stood out to me because my skin has a definite glow the following day after using. Additionally, I have noticed a reduction in fine lines with using this and I attribute that to the retinol that is in this oil. (well, Maree told me it was probably from the retinol in it heehee)

12. Retrouve Intensive Replenishing Facial Moisturizer - Maree sent this to me since she found it to be a bit too rich for her, but I absolutely love it! It's a rich moisturizer that I use under my face oil or alone if I am going to skip an oil for the evening. It's nourishing but never greasy, and I have noticed a definite difference in the firmness of my skin especially around my cheeks and jaw area.

13. La Prairie Ice Crystal Dry Oil - I am saving the best for last, because this face oil has got to be one of my favorite skincare products that I have ever tried. It has a silky texture that absorbs into the skin almost as soon as I apply it. And then after I do, I can't keep my hands off my face because it feels so soft! If there is one product that I look forward to using the most in my routine, it's this oil. I love massaging it in and spending those extra few minutes to pamper myself. Any time my skin is feeling sensitive or irritated, I reach for this oil to help balance it or soothe it. It's truly a remarkable product.

Thanks to my mom for her evening skincare post! Hope you guys enjoyed this fun series that I have added to the blog. She will make an appearance now and again to share any new discoveries or updates to her routines.

Shop my mom's evening routine:

How I Take Care Of My Skin

This one is going to be a long one folks so grab a snack and take a seat.  My skincare routine is probably the most asked about question I receive regularly on my blog and different social platforms.  It's no secret, I have quite the multi step regimen but after much trial and error, I have found some underlying principles and rules that keep my skin looking its best.  Now I preface this post by saying that I am not an expert, doctor, or esthetician - I am simply one girl (with oily skin) staring in the mirror asking her skin to be as good as it can be.  And while you can search my blog for tons of great specific product recommendations, this post will be an overall conceptual explanation for how I approach taking care of my skin.  My extensive routine may not be for everyone, but this is what works for me, so remember that you can adapt some of my experience to what works for you.  The kicker with my skincare system however, is my skin is constantly changing and will continue to change for the rest of my life.  So the trick is trying to treat what my skin needs now, rather than trying to find the perfect recipe that will last me forever.  This is a major reason why I don't use the exact same routine every single night.  If I am testing out a new product, I will usually add to my routine 4 nights/week, maybe 5 for at least 4 weeks to see effectiveness.  But my skin is never (ever) the same from day to day due to external factors (stress, weather, NYC, life in general), so using the exact same line up every night does not work for me.  I do however, try to balance out ingredients each night, trying not to overload my skin with too much of the same thing all at once.  For example when using an acid based cleanser and toner, I may finish up my routine with a soothing mask and hydrating moisturizer. Remember however, this is what works for me - and many of you may have differing opinions for your own skin.  That's cool.  Diverse skincare routines is what makes the world go round, baby.  I have now rambled way too long, so let's get into the good stuff.  Here is a look at some of my best practices for taking care of my skin, and after each category, I will list a few of my favorite products.  Click on each product link for more information. 

1. Cleanse - I cannot cleanse enough.  And surprisingly I find that my skin does not dry out from my cleansing routine mainly because it's geared towards properly removing my makeup so not a single bit of residue remains.  I always begin with a face wipe of some kind to initially help me remove the first bit of my makeup.  Naturally it never gets everything off (eye makeup especially) so I always follow with a cleansing oil.  Cleansing oils are my holy grail products - and a huge key to how my skin stays looking so great.  Nothing breaks up makeup, dirt, grime and oil (eek, my face is disgusting, right?) like an oil based cleanser - and any amount of eye makeup I may be wearing comes off effortlessly.  Finally I finish with a third type of cleanser depending on what my skin needs that evening - perhaps an acne/glycolic wash or a gentle milk rinse to make my skin feel great but never stripped.  

• Wipes I love: Ole Henriksen, Dermalogica Pre-Cleanse
• Cleansing Oils I love: Shu Uemura (holy grail), Nude, Shiseido
• Cleansers: Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel, REN Foaming Cleanser, Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish

2. Tone - Why? What? Who? How? This is exactly how I felt about toning when I began my skincare journey.  And then I just dove in, did some research and tried out different types.  Voila - I am now in love with toners.  Typically, they are designed to remove any remaining traces of dirt/makeup, balance the pH of the skin and prepare the skin to receive the following treatments/serums/creams that will follow.  Since I have oily skin that is acne prone, I tend to gravitate towards ones to help me remove bacteria so I can prevent future breakouts.  But if my skin is particularly dry/irritated/sensitive that day due to who-knows-what, then I treat it accordingly.  

• Acne specific toners: Mario  Badescu Special Cucumber Lotion (holy grail)
• Hydrating Toners: Murad Hydrating Toner, Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater

3. Exfoliate - This step by far has made the most difference in my skin over the past two years - helping me achieve radiant and even-toned skin. I do love getting rid of those dead skin cells, but I read a great article a few months ago which mentioned too much exfoliation can have a negative effect.  Eureka! That was me - I was exfoliating in some form almost every night - and multiple times over.  It was a miracle I had any skin left.  So I began to really look at what was in the products I was using each night, and to make sure I was not overloading my skin with peels, scrubs and then acidic based ingredients in my products.  The two main types of traditional exfoliation I do regularly are chemical (peels) and manual (scrubs) - and I use each once a week, normally on Wednesday and Sunday nights.  The rest of the week I may have cleansers, toners, serums, creams with exfoliating properties, but traditional peels/scrubs I save for once each a week.  

• Peels: Perricone MD Blue Plasma (I swear by this stuff), Arcona Raspberry Resurfacing Peel
• Scrubs: Tatcha Deep Rice Enzyme Powder, Clarins Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser, Kate Somerville Exfolikate

4. Mask - This step for me truly embodies the notion of treating what the skin needs when it needs it.  If my skin is dry that day - a hydrating mask.  If I have a breakout, a pore refining mask.  If my skin is dull, an exfoliating/refining mask.  And a great tip that I learned from a close beauty blogging friend is that you only have to mask the part of your face that needs it.  For example, the t-zone may need that clarifying clay mask, but the cheeks and forehead may be dry and need a hydrating mask.  Mix it up.  Don't layer the masks - just use them on the parts of the face that will benefit the most.  

• Pore Clarifying - Boscia Luminizing Black Mask, Mario Badescu Drying Mask, Mario Badescu Silver Powder (not really a mask but amazing blackhead treatment)
• Hydrating - NARS Luiminous Aqua Gel, Dermalogica Multi Vitamin Power Recovery Masque, Tatcha Luminous Sheet Mask
• Exfoliating Mask - Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask, Ole Henriksen Blue/Blackberry Enzyme Mask
• Calming Mask - Mario Badescu Calma Mask

5. Eye cream - Many people feel that using their face cream around the eyes is a suitable treatment for this area.  Like I said before, I am no expert, but I do prefer to use a product designed for the eye area as I feel it may be more sensitive to the needs of that particular skin.  I liken it to using shampoo for your hair and shower gel for your body - while you can probably use one product for everything, you may not necessarily get the same results.  

• Hydrating - Tatcha Ageless Eye Cream
• Exfoliating - Perricone MD Blue Plasma Orbital
• Depuffing/cooling - Mario Badescu Ceramide Eye Gel

6. Serum - Often packed with a higher concentration of active ingredients, serums pack a serious punch when delivering results.  They are usually more potent than your typical face moisturizer and are best used under a day or night cream.  I have the least amount of serums in my arsenal mainly because they are the priciest of all skincare items, so I like to choose only a few that are effective for treating different conditions.  Hydration is a major concern for my skin, because while its oily, it can also be dehydrated - so a moisturizing serum is always in rotation.  I also love an exfoliating/retexturizing serum which really aids in brightening the skin and making it look refreshed.  Lastly,  I always need to have an acne treatment because I still break out after all these years - stupid hormones, ugh. 

• Hydrating - Mario Badescu Hydrating Serum (amazing stuff)
• Brightening - Sunday Riley Good Genes
• Acne treatments - Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion, Mario Badescu Drying Cream

7. Moisturizer - My goodness - where to begin with this final category. This is probably the category I am the least loyal to because I am always trying something new.  With that being said, I again take the "treat what you need" approach to moisturizers.  If I am dry, irritated, red, broken out, dull, or feeling like I need a whole new face (kidding, but there are those days), I will reach for the cream to address the concern.  Yes I have a few favorites that I can't live without, but for me, this category is forever just trial and error.  You win some moisturizers, you lose some moisturizers.  

• SPF day options: Mario Badescu Oil Free SPF 30, Dermalogica Oil Free Matte SPF 30, Perricone Photo Plasma SPF 30
• Hydrating/Soothing: Tatcha Rich Moisture Silk Cream, Neal's Yard Remedies Beauty Sleep Concentrate, Kiehls Ultra Facial Moisturizer
• Anti-aging: Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturizer

So there you have it folks - a more thoughtful approach as to the "whys" behind how I take care of my skin.  I feel that understanding this concept is more empowering than the products themselves.  Now that I know how to give my skin what it needs when it needs it, I feel more comfortable navigating all the trials and tribulations that my skin will go through over the years.  Let my future wrinkles be warned. 

  
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Adding Retinol To My Skincare Routine

Ok I have a confession - I am a beauty blogger, enthralled by all things skincare, makeup, etc, but I was never quite clear on Retinol, which is a pure form of Vitamin A.  What it was, what it did, why I should use it.  The truth is while I care very much about maintaining clear skin, I typically saw Retinol as a product that was designed for treating intense anti-aging concerns.  While I definitely want to keep myself looking as young as possible for as long as possible, I tend to gravitate towards products that help me deal with my adult acne and keep my skin hydrated as I find hydrated skin is beautiful skin. 

Then Ren sent me this Bio-Retinoid Anti-Aging Cream to try and there it was - Retinol staring me directly in the face, coaxing me to try it.  And since I am a HUGE fan of the Ren brand, I had to give it a real go.  Before I did however, I wanted to understand a bit more about this magical ingredient.  So I did some research and was pleasantly surprised to see that in fact it does a lot more than simply help address anti-aging concerns.  It is also designed to help unclog pores through exfoliation of dead skin cells, thus leading to fewer breakouts and clearer skin!  Ding! Ding! Ding! So I dove right in, face first.  I was aware that Retinol can cause some dryness/irritation/flaking in certain people so I added to my routine twice a week at first.  And after 2 weeks, I had no issues so I increased to 3-4/x a week and I have to say, I have been so impressed by the results.

My first observation was the even toned skin and secondly was the fewer breakouts - holy moly! So because I am a doubting cynic, I did a test and took myself off it for a 2 week period and I did in fact notice a slight increase in blemishes - cue the shock and awe.  Some other noteworthy benefits of Retinol are it's ability to boost collagen which reduces the appearance of fine lines and to stimulate cell turnover which helps even out discoloration and smooth skin.  Frankly, I saw it all - and my skin has continuously looked better and better.  Now there is that myth that using Retinol can make you more sun sensitive but after some research, I have found that is not the case.  The actual ingredient is sensitive to sun so it should be applied at night but the effects on your skin's sun sensitivity is no different than if you used a basic scrub.  This has been my first prolonged experience with Retinol and I have to say, I am hooked - with this particular cream inching its way up my cannot-live-without list.  What has been your experience with Retinol?

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Beauty Bits: Nightly Routine

While I am quite fickle with regards to my makeup, my skincare routine remains solid for weeks at a time.  My commitment to lipstick is often no more than a day or two, and one would think my eye shadows are in the witness protection program with the way they change so frequently.  But with cleansers, toners, potions, etc, the test of efficacy takes longer than a mere 8 hours and requires a more disciplined diligence in use.  This of course is difficult for me because I am easily distracted, constantly chasing sparkly things and shop like it's a sport.  But I occasionally buckle down and let the products run their course.  Here is a peek at what is currently in rotation for my nightly skincare ritual (I say ritual because often I am wearing a mask and there may be dancing involved):

1. Josie Maran Argan Cleansing Oil - How many times do we have to go over this?  Cleansing OILS are not bad people - they are good.  In fact, they have changed my skin remarkably.  And for all you science buffs out there - oil binds to oil, correct?  Exactly why this is the perfect cleanser for oily skin.  This particular one is thicker than I have used in the past, which makes you work a little more to scrub off the makeup.  However, the result is ridiculously clean skin and not a trace of makeup.  Nothing.  This stuff should be used to clean crime scenes.

2. Amore Pacific Treatment Toner - Toner Schmoner.  This was my mantra for so long - until I happened upon this product.  I find after using this toner, my skin feels much smoother and calmer, and I am convinced it has helped manage my oil production.  I find on the nights that I use this - the following morning my skin is less oily and more even tone.  I can officially say I am now on the toner bandwagon.

3. Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask - I sang this mask's praises on my post for ThisThatBeauty, and we are still going strong.  Simply amazing.  And the best part is it foams up and looks like a fluffy, bubble bath on your face.  Yes - it's delightful, trust me.  When you rinse it off however, the true magic happens because your face is hydrated, plump and glowing.  You should not be getting ready for a special night out without this mask.  Your fabulous outfit will thank me. 

4. Clinique Exfoliating Scrub - If I could exfoliate my face 10 times a day, I would.  I love the feeling of freshly scrubbed skin,  but I realize that my skin needs an outer layer, so I manage to reign in my tendencies.  I appreciate this scrub because it has a minty scent that even after the scrubbing is over, still leaves my skin tingling and feeling ridiculously fresh.   

5.  Mario Badescu Drying Lotion - This stuff should be renamed the "Pimple Police".  It fights blemishes with such vengeance - and for its service I am truly grateful.  Little tip - do not shake the bottle no matter how tempted you are, simply dab the Q-tip in all the way down to the pink sediment and then spot treat away.  Precaution: do not apply before you take out your dog for his last nightly walk.  People can see this on your face, and people will stare at you.   

6.  Kiehls Ultra Facial Cream - Sometimes I just want a basic skincare cream - no bells, no whistles, no change-the-course-of-my-life-with-a-single-drop claims.  No muss, no fuss.  This is why I have kept this cream in my skincare arsenal for so many years, along with its sister the SPF 15 lotion.  Hydration is the best key to keeping skin looking its best, and this Ultra Facial range is the expert.

7.  Dr. Perricone Formula 15 (c/o) - As a regular contributor to the Daily Perricone blog (oh you didn't know?  yes I am, but I don't like to brag.  *blink, blink* *blushing*), I have had the opportunity to try this cult-classic.  Always wary of beauty hype, I often tread cautiously - however my tread turned into a full gallop of joy after using this product.  Used to help correct skin imperfections and improve overall skin's appearance - check.  Perfect for day or night, under makeup or alone - check.  Total worthy of its cult status - check, check, check!

8.  Julep Elixir Organic Moroccan Argan Oil - This product can be used to do everything but fix the kitchen sink (though I haven't tried, so it's possible).  I have used it on my face, my cuticles, my hair, my body - it is my cure all for giving my skin intense nourishment.  Though I have oily skin, I have never been scared of oil on my skin and find my body seems to get the memo and chill out on overproducing it.  It's my reverse psychology trick I play on my skin.  How brilliantly manipulative of me. 

 

Now that I have given you my nightly run-down, I think it's time you share yours.  What products are you loving that I am missing?  I want to be included.  Drop me a comment below or tweet me @alittlebitetc and tell me what I am missing out on.  I can be persuaded very easily.