Winter Skincare Routine

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Winter is STILL here and my skin is hurting from the dryness! My skin is on the dry side anyway, but the winter just makes it that much worse. Between the cold temps and running our wood-burning stove, all the moisture is being sucked out of the air and also, consequently, my skin!

Today I’m sharing my winter skincare routine and the products that have been helping me recently, which as you probably guessed is all about adding moisture and hydration back into my skin! Be sure to check out my Instagram story highlights (SKINCARE) so you can see some of the products in action!

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My Current Skincare Must-Haves

Vitamin C – For firming and brightening
Peptides – For combatting wrinkles and fine lines and as a preventative for those things
Hyaluronic acid – For hydration
SPF for protection, even in winter!
Exfoliant/Dermaplaning tool – SO many benefits but mainly for fresh, healthy-looking skin
Clean Paper Towels – For drying my face with something clean every time. Old towels harbor bacteria and could be the cause of some acne/breakouts!

Morning Skincare Routine

1.Rinse (or cleanse) & pat dry

I usually only rinse with water upon waking up, but if I feel I need to cleanse I use a very gentle cream cleanser – I am loving THIS ONE. My other trick is I always use a clean, soft paper towel for drying my face. I learned a few years ago from my esthetician how insanely important it is to either not touch your face at all, or if you do, touch it with CLEAN things only – that includes towels! For me, these paper towels work best, but if you’re into doing lots of laundry, by all means, go for regular face towels, just do not use them more than once!

2. Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum

This is the first thing I put on my face after rinsing/cleansing. It’s like a shot of hydration for my thirsty skin, it’s lightweight but hard-hitting. The ultra-hydrating vitamin B5 Gel replenishes nutrients, visibly brightens and improves the appearance of skin texture and tone, while delivering INTENSE skin hydration. It attracts and holds moisture, helping improve barrier function so your skin looks healthy and illuminated from within. I literally notice the difference as soon as it’s on!

3. Drunk Elephant Shaba Complex Eye Serum

It is so so important to take care of your under eyes! Especially if they are a problem area like mine (Hello dark circles!!). I make sure to hydrate in the morning so when I apply my make up it goes on smooth! For this serum I use the tiniest amount, just a little drop – a little goes a very long way!

4. BeautyCounter Countermatch* Adaptive Moisture Lotion

To round out my morning skincare routine I use BeautyCounter’s Countermatch* Adaptive Moisture Lotion. I love this line by BeautyCounter because it actually does “adapt” to your skin type. Everyone always asks me is it leaves my skin feeling oily and the answer is no – I feel hydrated, almost like a quenched thirst, after using this cream! It is a product I recommend even for oily-prone skin!

5. Drunk Elephant Marula Oil

As the last step of my morning routine, I use Drunk Elephant Marula Oil (2-3 drops for Spring/Summer and 5-6 Fall/Winter because it’s SO dry!). I love this oil because it absorbs so nicely into my skin and locks in all the previous products. It’s a thick oil but feels surprisingly lightweight and breathable once applied. My skin feels soft, smooth, moisturized and nourished immediately afterward. It’s no wonder everyone speaks so highly of this oil, it’s seriously the holy grail!

6. BeautyCounter Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you can stop protecting your skin from the sun. Another product I love from BeautyCounter is their Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer. It offers super sheer, minimal coverage and 20SPF so it’s the perfect base to your makeup routine, or leave it on alone for a natural look! Just beware, it’s called “dew skin” for a reason, I definitely suggest using a loose setting powder (this one is my fave) and setting with a BeautyBlender!

If you are looking for more coverage and a higher SPF (50), my other go to is the ItCosmetics CC Cream. Where the Dew Skin is more of a moisturizer with some coverage, the CC Cream is more of a foundation with SPF and some moisturizer! Can’t rave highly enough about this product, I have been using it for years and it’s my go-to when I know I’ll be in the strong sun!

BeautyCounter Countermatch

*About the Countermatch Line by BeautyCounter (from the BeautyCounter website): Breakthrough Bio-Mimic Technology that harnesses the unique life-giving properties of plants to match the composition of skin, giving it precisely what it needs and nothing it doesn’t.

Nighttime Skincare Routine

At night is when I do most of the “work” on my skin, whereas the morning is more maintenance. It is still a relatively simple routine, again I like to follow the “less is more” approach! At night is when your skin really soaks up all the benefits of your skincare routine, reviving and replenishing they don’t call it beauty sleep for nothing!

1. BeautyCounter Cleansing Balm

This cleansing balm is a makeup remover, cleanser, and moisturizer all in one. I scoop about a dime-sized amount onto my fingers and start rubbing all over my face in a circular motion, finishing around my eyes last because they turn black from the mascara. This particular balm I love because it’s so easy to get my makeup off and much more gentle than make=up removing wipes! It also comes with a muslin cloth which I wet with warm water to wipe away the balm after it’s done its job.

2. Alchemist Cream Cleanser

After I’ve wiped away all the balm (and makeup), I go in for a quick, gentle cleanse. All about the gentle!! I recently got this cleanser in my FabFitFun box and have been loving it! It is so gentle on my skin but leaves it feeling fresh! Plus it smells AMAZING!!

3. BeautyCounter No. 1 Vitamin C Brightening Oil

In truth, I alternate between either BeautyCounter or Drunk Elephant for my vitamin C serums because I love them both equally! With freshly cleansed skin I pat on my Vitamin C oil (I alternate between the two because I love them both, I use the Drunk Elephant C-Firma when I need more of a hydration boost because it also has hyaluronic acid). I am a Vitamin C fanatic because of how well they work to brighten and firm my skin!

4. BeautyCounter Countermatch* Recovery Sleeping Cream

I finish with this rich night cream because it replenishes my skin with hydration and creates a protective layer to shield my skin from further moisture loss overnight. replenishing hydration and revitalizing skin while you sleep.

It offers a huge dose of replenishing hydration with its main ingredient, hyaluronic acid, and provides essential, revitalizing nutrients like omegas 6 and 9 as well as vitamin E via ingredients like plum oil and tara gum. This is the one product out of my regime that I would not recommend for oily skin but below I have linked some options to consider in its place!

Weekly Masks and Extra Tools

Exfoliation

I use the Baby Facial mask by Drunk Elephant once a week to exfoliate my skin. I can’t do it more than this because my skin is pretty sensitive. It does tingle a bit when applying but it’s short-lived and the results are baby-soft skin, I’m not kidding! Once a week has been perfect for me, which also means the product will last longer, YAS!

Dermaplaning

After exfoliating with this mask I use my new FAVORITE tool, and guess what!? It costs LESS THAN $1 on Amazon! You guys have to try this if nothing else! These Tinkle razors are my new obsession. I use it to dermaplane (in a word, shave) my face before applying products. I do this once a week right after the DE baby facial! There are many tutorials available on Youtube, it’s SO EASY, just be careful around your eyebrows haha, one slip and they’re gone! I’ve listed below exactly why I love dermaplaning with the Tinkle razors!

Benefits to Dermaplaning:

Exfoliates the skin
Removes peach fuzz
Skincare products absorb better – This was the most instant and satisfying result I noticed! I had never known just how much product I had been WASTING by not shaving. My skin drank up every product so quickly that I layered on more!
Makeup goes on smoother. Seriously. Game-changer.
Gives you a dewy, glow-from-within look
Cheap (under $5 for a 9-pack of Tinkle razors versus $100 per treatment by an esthetician!)

Microneedling

I have also recently been LOVING my BeautyBio Microneedling GlowPro, I have been using this 1-2 times a week to give my skin some extra love! The idea is that tiny punctures in your skin will trigger healing and collagen production naturally to create plump, healthy-looking skin and more even skin tone. I have gotten professional microneedle treatments in the past (because of cystic acne, ugh) and of course, those were more intense (think surface bleeding and redness) but I am VERY happy with the results from this at-home (and WAY cheaper) tool!

After microneedling with the GloPro, I put on PCA Skin’s Exlinea Peptide Smoothing Serum and have noticed a HUGE difference in skin plumpness and reduction of fine lines!! The littlest bit goes a LONG way, trust me!

Lips

I go over my lips lightly while using the GloPro but I am also linking my absolute favorite lip scrub, I use this to exfoliate my lips every time I shower! I tried doing it every night as recommended but there’s no way I would remember haha, either way, Sara Happ knows what’s going on when it comes to lips so I trust the expert!

Pimples

Occasionally, and now of course with the lovely postpartum hormones thrown in the mix, I get breakouts. Don’t we just love breakouts! My tried and true, holy grail product for combatting pesky pimples is the Mario Badescu’s Drying Lotion. I put this directly on blemishes, as the very last step of my skincare routine and before going to bed. Usually when I wake up in the morning the pimple is gone or significantly less inflamed! Best part is the drying lotion is under $20 on Amazon!

Shop All My Skincare Products Here

I’ve also added my suggestions for oil-prone skin and value set options!

My Current Skincare Must-Haves