My Daily Skin Care Routine

I’m not sure what’s tougher, being heavily pregnant with a 14 months old toddler or being a mom of a month old baby and a 17 month old. Either way, the sleepless nights and long days have taken a toll on my skin, but as part of my resolutions last year, I’ve made my skin and overall well being a priority. So here I am sharing with you my current daily skin care routine.

Step 1: Face Masks

Like every other girl and her mother, I’ve been indulging in some serious masking lately, trying out all sorts of different formulas and ingredients. Some I liked, some did nothing for me and others I’m obsessed with in particular, this one. If you follow me on SnapChat you already know how strongly I feel about Kiehl’s Turmeric & Cranberry Seed Energizing Radiance Masque. Yes, what a combo you might be thinking? But here is why these two natural ingredients work so well together. Tumeric has anti-inflammatory properties and Cranberry seed is a super antioxidant, et voila…radiant energetic skin. And it works, like REALLY works. My dull skin gets a major boost after just ten minutes. It’s super creamy just make sure you spread generously and evenly, get all the cranberries everywhere. The very yellow mixture will then harden and stiffen. I didn’t use it as an exfoliate as I’m always weary of breakouts, but I like to remove it with two wet cottons. Instant bright skin. My secret and now I’m sharing. I also recommend the Cilantro & Orange Extract Pollutant Defending Masque which protects against environmental aggressors.

Step 2: Kiehl’s Nightly Refining Micro-Peel Concentrate

Don’t worry , I too was slightly alarmed by the word “peel” when I got introduced to this new concentrate. I remember the red and irritated faces of my mother’s friends after a peel and that forever made me weary of peels. And although this is indeed a form of peel, it’s a micro peel, nothing like an actual chemical peel, Dermatologist tested and screened for safety, so I was assured. In fact, I was hooked. Kiehl’s Nightly Refining Micro-Peel Concentrate is formulated to speed up your skin cell turnover to give you fresh, smooth, even radiant skin. And I attest to all of the above. The active ingredient? Quinoa husk extract-which is responsible here for gently releasing the dull skin surface and making way for the new.

The serum comes in a glass bottle and a dropper, a little different than your average serum in a tube or jar, which I like and all it takes in one drop every night before your night cream and before bed. Although it looks thick it blends on your face very easily. Something happened the first night I applied it, my skin had taken such a rough beating and was feeling so dehydrated that it started to actually peel the next morning. Not dramatically. Kind of like when you use scrub to remove burnt skin after a nasty sunburn. And what was revealed underneath was pure satisfaction. Even my notorious dark spot seemed to take a day off from annoying me. Supple, even, clear and so fresh. And that was only day one. One month later, and my skin has never looked better. It could be because of my no caffeine no alcohol no nicotine diet from the past 9 months, but let me tell you, for someone who doesn’t get more than 4 hours of sleep on a good night, this stuff is magic in a bottle.

Step 3: Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate

I’m in my very very early thirties. Ok, so now that I’ve put that out there so casually, that makes me in the anti-wrinkle cream demographic. But I started early, in my mid-twenties to be precise. And though most of the girl’s my age are having “preventative” botox, I’m not, so I’m always on the lookout for a cream or serum that can keep my fine lines at bay. Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate is really doing it for me at the moment. I especially like it because it has a very high concentration of Vitamin C. It has a thick texture and can be worn first on the skin, even before your moisturizer. I use it in the mornings and at night right after Kiehl’s Nightly Refining Micro-Peel Concentrate. I’ve felt real results after a steady two months and this quickly became a staple in my daily skin care routine.

So this is my current skin care routine. Although it is recommended you apply these products daily, I’ve seen results even when I skip a day or two a week- nowadays I’m lucky if I have time to wash my face let alone treat it. You can follow me on Snap Chat @IvySays to stay up to date with all things beauty related and I hope they work for you like they have for me!