Summer Skincare Routine

Hi girlies, I'm so happy you're here! Okay, so we all know summer's pretty much here, and what's the universal thing we all want in the summer? Healthy, glowing skin! Wearing makeup - especially foundation - in the summer can be a pain when it's 9000 degrees outside (shoutout to North Carolina weather) and you're sweating your life away. It's thick and it gets cakey and let's face it, no makeup routine is 100% sweat-proof. The easier option is to just focus on having GREAT skincare and you'll be able to step out as a bare-faced beauty anytime you like. Personally, I get super annoyed with makeup year-round just because I'm the type of person who touches my face 24/7 (anyone else?) and I aaaalways end up with foundation all over my hands and clothes - no thank you. So I made skincare a priority within the past year or so and it's made such a difference! Your face feels cleaner and healthier and everyone notices the glow. Let's jump into all these great products!

P.S. - this is just my own personal routine. Some of these products may not work for you and that's okay! It's important to find products YOU love for your skin and your needs, so make sure you research before you apply anything to your body/face!

Step 1. Removing Makeup

Straight from the jump, this is one of the MOST important pieces of any skincare routine: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE remove your makeup. Don't sleep in foundation. Don't sleep in mascara. Don't let unhealthy products sit on your skin all night long. Please... don't make me sad. Makeup, as amazing as it may be, isn't the healthiest thing to put on your skin. A sad truth. A lot of foundations and various makeup products contain oils and just kinda gross things that don't need to sit on your skin for too long or they'll clog up your pores and them BAM - you wake up in Blackhead City, Population: You. The first step of removing all my makeup (oh yes, there's more than one) is to just wipe everything clean with a makeup wipe. My tried-and-true wipes are the Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes because they're super affordable and I feel like they really get down into my pores better than various wipes I've tried in the past. For my ladies with sensitive skin concerns, check out the Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes - also super affordable and they're great about getting your skin clean while still feeling super gentle and not causing any irritation!

After I've wiped everything off, I go in with a cleanser from my absolute favorite skincare brand: the sunshine of the the skincare world, the angel that is Mario Badescu. If you've never tried this brand before, you are living your life WRONG. I get all of my Mario products from Ulta - they're so inexpensive but soooo effective! I keep a cleansing gel as well as an exfoliating scrub on my sink at all times. My favorite cleansing gel, which is just a typical everyday face cleanser, is the Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel - probably one of my all-time favorite cleansers eeeeeever. I have oily/combo skin, so typically gels work better for me because the majority of them are oil-free. It's non-foaming, which I like because I feel like it just allows it to sink into the skin and pores a little better.

The Enzyme Gel is a twice-a-day-everyday thing, but every other day after going in with the gel, I also go in with my Mario Badescu Botanical Exfoliating Scrub. If you're looking for a GREAT exfoliator, look no further! This gets all up in your pores' business and gets rid of any and every ounce of oil and dirt and guck on your face (you'd be surprised how much makeup can still be there even after a wipe and a cleanse). This scrub is also amazing at buffing away any dead skin cells so your skin is baby smooth and the glow can really show!

Step 2: Toning

Toning is a step that I could never get on board with for years, I was convinced the whole thing was a hoax and served no purpose whatsoever. I've since then seen the light and now I can't even go a single day without toning my skin, even if I didn't wear makeup that day. Toning helps remove dirt and oil (again, you'd be surprised how much dirt comes out of your pores even if you haven't worn makeup all day), helps even your skin tone and get rid of redness, darkness, etc., and is great at minimizing shine. The Mario Badescu Cucumber Cleansing Lotion (I know, it's a LOT of Mario Badescu products but like I said, they're just the best) is amazing for oily or combination skin. Most cucumber-based products are made for oily skin because they do a great job of minimizing shine/oil as well as keeping your skin calm and cool. I pour a little bit on a cotton ball after I *think* I've removed all of my makeup just to really get into my pores or any creases (like the sides of my nose) my cleansing routine may not have gotten into as well!

Step 4: Masking

Ahhhh! Masking is my FAVORITE part of skincare! There's so many masks in the world to choose from depending on what you're trying to achieve and let's be honest, it just makes you feel like you're at the spa, and who doesn't want that? If you're more of a lazy gal, like me, a peel off mask will be your life-saver because you don't even have to rinse it off, just peel and you're done! For a peel off mask that really gets that summer glow, my go-to is the Formula 10.0.6 Get Your Glow On Brightening Peel Off Mask. This one is soooo great for leaving your skin feeling SUPER smooth by picking up any dead/dry skin, and it gives your face such a glow look! For an extra oomph (yes please), you can spritz yourself with any of the Mario Badescu Facial Sprays (if you're just REALLY trying to glow for the gods, I recommend using the rosewater one!) prior to applying the mask. 

Another great option is a clay mask. My favorite clay masks are the L'Oreal Pure Clay Masks - they have several different types to cover basically any skin/facial concerns you may have. What I really love about these is it's so easy to "multi-mask," which just means you can apply multiple masks to your face and use different ones for different areas. For example, I have an oily T-Zone, so I'll apply the blue L'Oreal Mask (for calming and deep cleansing) down my nose an across my forehead while applying the yellow mask (for smoothing and exfoliating) to the rest of my face to exfoliate all of the dead skin off and get it SUPER smooth! Be sure to check out all the different types of masks they offer so you know which one(s) you need to achieve your best skin!

Step 5: Serums

Serums are actually something I'm relatively new to in the skincare world! Having oily/combo skin, I've always been worried that serums will just create unwanted oils all over my face and cause more issues than it was worth - I was SO wrong! Obviously serums are amazing for hydrating dry skin and they can be just as amazing for oily skin, you just need to find the right ones! Like I said, I have oily skin. I found the Mario Badescu Rose Hip Nourishing Oil and I was like okay... there's no way any good can come of this, I'm going to look like a greased chicken. But again, Mario proved me wrong! The Rose Hips Oil is actually recommended for oily skin but rules are meant to be broken, right? I use this between my toner and moisturizer at night, but the main thing I grab this baby for is to give me a hydrated and smooth base under my makeup! I apply it directly after my toner (just 2-3 SMALL drops on my cheeks/forehead, wait about 10 minutes and then go in with my moisturizer (which we'll talk about later, don't worry). 

Another great serum is the Farsali Skintune Blur Perfecting Primer Serum. This one's a little pricier, but it's worth it! It can be used under makeup as a primer or just for everyday skincare, and it's literally like a potion in a bottle that blurs your face to perfection! Farsali created this to be a great brightening and pore-minimizing primer, but they also kept true skincare in mind and made it healthy and beneficial for your gorgeous face no matter how you choose to use it!

Step 6: Moisturizing 

Moisturizing is my final skincare step, and it's also one of the most important ones - no matter your skin type! I was always reluctant to moisturize my skin because it seemed every single one I used just added onto the oil on my skin and made me greasy halfway through the day. For all my oily girls, the key is to find an oil-free moisturizer. Typically if you can find a moisturizer that comes in a gel form rather than a lotion or that typical moisturizer feel, it'll be better at sinking into your skin and not creating any slipperiness or oiliness. My tried-and-true is the Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly. I feel like this one doesn't just sit ON my skin but really gets soaked in and it dries quickly without leaving a sticky and annoying feeling when I touch my face. I use this both morning and night every single day after all of my skincare steps are complete!

Especially in the summer I think we all crave a little bit of color and glow on our face, but you will NOT catch me tanning my face EVER - we say no thank you to wrinkles over here. Every other night I replace my typical moisturizer with the Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer Sunscreen. I love this one because it gives a very subtle and gradual glow and brings some color to your face and also has SPF so your face is protected from harmful rays, AND it's oil-free! It's a win-win-win. This one does have some color to it, so be sure to wash your hands after applying it to avoid tan finger tips/palms!

As an extra little skin bonus, I'll give y'all my HOLY GRAIL product - the Mario Badescu Seaweed Night Cream! It's ssSSoooOOooo good! I apply this every other night right after my serum and let it sit on my skin overnight and when I wake up, it's so stinkin' soft and smooth! Despite having oily skin this NEVER breaks me out or causes any kind of oil build-up or pimples, it just smoothes my skin out and makes it so perfect! A little goes a long way too which is great on your budget!

Helpful Tips

Even if you have the BEST skincare routine ever, it doesn't just stop there! Everything we do has an impact on our skin, from what we eat/drink to how much sleep we get and everything in between. You can invest so much time and money into your skin and if you're still eating unhealthy or not drinking enough water, it could all be for nothing! Obviously as far as the diet aspect, just try to stay away from greasy foods. Veggies like broccoli, carrots, and zucchini will do amazing things for your skin as well as the rest of your body!

Now for water - I'm one of those people who just loathes drinking water (personally, I'm a sweet tea girl all the way). I've never understood how people are able to just contently sip on water all day long! I knew I needed to get it together for my skin - I don't have bad skin, but I do get some texture bumps on my forehead if I'm not eating/drinking right. I always grab a 1L bottle of water (I always go for Fiji or Essentia Water because they have the best pH levels) and I *try* to refill it and finish it 3-4 times a day... sometimes I'm successful, sometimes I'm not, but I always at least drink one whole liter. To help it go down easier, I'm a fanatic for Crystal Light On-The-Go Packets! No sugar or calories or anything bad for you, but it definitely makes drinking water easier if you need some flavor! My favorite is the wild strawberry, I just pour one into my bottle every time I fill it up and I'm good to go!

Another big part of skincare is SLEEP. Now, I'm super guilty of always running on like 5-6 hours of sleep. I know I should do better but it's hard sometimes, ya know? Busy girl, busy life. My biggest concern with my skin has always been my under-eye circles. I don't really get acne or breakouts or discoloration but boooooy do I get the dark circles! If I keep up with both my water intake and sleep for about a week I notice such a drastic difference under my eyes. I typically don't use creams under my eyes because I just never feel like they REALLY do anything noticeable for me, but that's just me. 

Consistency!

Are you a person who hates change? Well, your skin is! Once you find a routine that works for you, it's SO important to stick to that routine! Our skin doesn't like change, it doesn't like to constantly be exposed to new and different products or methods. Personally I've been doing the same skincare routine for about five months, and I've hardly changed anything (the only time I do is if I think a product no longer agrees with my skin or if I feel like it just doesn't benefit me). I try to go about 4-6 months doing the same routine before I change anything, and if nothing really needs to be changed or updated then I just leave it alone. I mean, if it ain't broke then don't fix it, right? Make sure you're doing ALL of your steps daily - it doesn't do you any good to only take care of your skin once every couple of days, it defeats the whole purpose! 

Now GLOW, Girl!

Alright babe, you're all set! You've got all the tips and tricks you need to GLOW this summer! Step out with your bare-face and feel super glowy and confident in your skin! Makeup WHO? We don't know her. We just now this healthy, baby smooth skin! Remember, some of these products may not work for you and that's tooootally okay - just make sure you find products that make YOU happy in your own skin!