Hi!
Are you ready to hear how I washed my face all week? So exciting, right?! Ha.
I've been taking down notes of everything I did to care for my skin this week, (actually, this will be for last week, the week of January 23rd, AKA the darkest week in recent American history.) In addition to politics, I've also been thinking about why it is that I do everything I do to my face. What are my skincare concerns? My goals?
Truthfully, I don't have many concerns. While I've struggled with clogged pores, oily skin, breakouts, and freaking out about every little potential wrinkle in the past, (y'all know I used to be an actress, right?) my skin is fairly balanced these days - which I believe is thanks to my skincare line and ditching dairy from my diet. Also, I care a lot less. Of course there are always random exceptions (breakouts are usually on my neck/jawline,) but thankfully breakouts and irritations are pretty rare.
I'd say that my top concerns are:
1. Keeping my pores clear, and stopping breakouts before they start.
2. Reducing redness. I don't have sensitive skin, but I do have a lot of natural pink/red undertones in my complexion, which are exacerbated whenever I get hot or exercise, drink wine, eat spicy foods - basically all of my favorite things in life...
My powder cleanser really has helped with this, but since I rarely wear makeup these days, my easily flushed skin can be kind of annoying. I'd like to fix it, although I'm pretty sure it's a genetic "problem" that can't be changed. (Also, let's be honest, there's no way I'm giving up hot yoga, wine, or Siracha.)
3. Aging gracefully. I read an interesting article the other day saying that women should stop telling people how old they are to fight the patriarchal age bias in our society, but for the sake of honesty and this diary, I feel like you guys should know that I'm currently 33, and I'll be 34 in April. I know that time and gravity is inevitable, but I want to glow, regardless.
All that being said, if you've read my blogs you know how I feel about miracle creams (no such thing) and and that I believe topical treatments are no substitute for rest, hydration, and eating healthy foods. So, I like to think that my skincare routine is just a bonus to a whole mind-body-spirit approach to health and beauty, which I am by no means perfect (or even good) at balancing, but I'm working on it!
So, let's get to the details - links to all of the products I mention are at the end!
SUNDAY, JANUARY 22ND
I'll start this off on Sunday evening.
I've been at my BFs in Tulsa all weekend and I have a miserable cold, but I've been powering through cause I'm a grown woman and that's what we do. Like, I'm totally fine, just some sniffles, let's go out lol, but inside I'm dying, you know? I've been taking Sudafed, which I HATE but it was necessary, and after I get home and the high of the weekend has worn off I realize that feel disgusting and EXHAUSTED.
This calls for matcha. Like a detox... maybe the antioxidants will seep into my skin and heal my body? I follow this exact routine, letting the mask sit while I take a bath. (PS - I hate the word "detox" and the idea behind it. This is probably the main difference between me and Gwyeneth Paltrow. Besides the wealth and success. Also, she's not vegan, so maybe she needs to detox? Anyway, I digress...) I do feel much better after my bath. I go straight to bed instead of staying up late working. Yay me!
MONDAY, JANUARY 23RD
Morning: I spritz my face and a cotton ball with toner and wipe my face down to make sure it's good and clean. I use a few drops of my makeup remover + oil cleanser as a serum, and apply beauty butter as an eye cream (I'm totally out of eye serum and need to make more.) I also rub beauty butter on my nose and mouth, because I've been blowing my nose a lot.
Evening: I use my makeup remover + oil cleanser (I honestly can't remember why - I must have worn makeup that day) then I mix my powder cleanser with toner to do a mini mask while I brush and floss. Then I add a couple of drops of facial oil to a smidge of beauty butter and apply it all at once. So efficient!
Too bad I stayed up late and wasn't able to sleep after going down a Facebook hole where I accidentally stumbled upon anti-feminist posts with the hashtag: notmymarch
But at least now all of my current stock of logo bags are stamped and ready to go!
TUESDAY, JANUARY 24TH
Morning: My usual routine, sans eye serum, since I'm still out. I apply beauty butter to my nose, mouth, and chin every time I blow my nose. Which is often.
Afternoon: After walking on the treadmill, I massage my oil cleanser into my skin, and rinse it off in the shower. Then, rub my face down with toner on a cotton ball, apply a few drops of facial oil, and roll on some freshly made eye serum. Beauty butter on my nose and chin.
Night: Powder cleanser with water, toner, straight-up aloe from the plant I keep in my bedroom*, facial oil, and beauty butter all over.
*There's a reason for this - my face feels extra warm and flushed and looks really red. It took me the rest of the week to figure out it was because the yogi skin-glow herbal tea I was guzzling (cause cold) contained herbs to stimulate circulation, which is kind of the opposite that someone who's skin is already easily flushed needs! Good reminder to pay attention to what you're eating and drinking whenever your skin starts to flare up!
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25TH
Morning: Usual routine + beauty butter
Mid-Morning: A few extra drops of facial oil before I head to yoga (couldn't figure out why my face felt so irritated and hot!)
Afternoon: Rinse with water in the shower, then toner, facial oil, eye serum, beauty butter on my irritated nose, mouth, and cheeks
I snapped this no makeup, no filter selfie, so you all can see what my skincare routine is doing for my face, despite my lack of sleep and too much wine over Donald Trump:
Night: Worried about my red hot cheek situation, (duh, Stefanie, it's the tea!!!!) I hold off on exfoliating tonight and just do an oil cleanse, followed by toner, more facial oil, and beauty butter.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 26TH
Morning: Usual routine
Night: Powder cleanser mask with water, toner, facial oil, beauty butter
At this point, I definitely know something isn't right and I'm starting to panic a bit. My cheeks are soooo hot. Is this the point where I really do have to consider giving up wine and salsa? Am I having an allergic reaction? Is it the weather? Is my toner too drying? Is it because I become enraged every time I get a news alert on my phone? Maybe I should look into sourcing some soothing cucumber or rose hydrosol... she thinks to herself as she sips on her circulation boosting tea... O.M.G.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 27TH
Morning: Usual routine
Afternoon: Refresh with toner and more facial oil after a shower
Night: Powder cleanser + charcoal (trying to do this at least once a week to stay on top of blackheads and breakouts) followed by an oil cleanse, toner, facial oil, and beauty butter
SATURDAY, JANUARY 28TH
Morning: I depart from my usual routine by doing an oil cleanse first thing (hoping for a little extra hydration boost cause my skin still feels irritated) followed by a light mist of toner, facial oil eye serum, and beauty butter
Afternoon: I'm so freaked out by my skin that I'm suddenly inspired to create a new product - a soothing matcha green tea facial balm! I whip up one, which I immediately know is not quite right, so I make another real quick. Better, but the texture still needs work. I apply it to my face, and it is soothing. But I know my recipe needs a couple more tweaks and some testing. I had promised myself I wouldn't make anything new, but I was desperate for relief! (Update: today, I'm about to make version number 4 to compare with #3, which I've been using and loving, but I think I can get the texture juuuust perfect with one more go. Fingers crossed!)
Night: Powder cleanser mask with sandalwood powder added, (my version of a fancy Saturday night) toner, facial oil, and LOTS of beauty butter.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 29TH
Morning: oil cleanse, toner, facial oil, eye serum, new green tea balm
Afternoon: more green tea balm
Night: I didn't make a note of what I did... oops!
I did however, vow to figure out how to stop the redness in my cheeks. I decided to focus on boosting my water intake before getting all crazy and changing my diet. I made a plan to limit myself to no more than two cups of coffee, drink lots of water, and switch the herbal tea for green tea, which is known to reduce redness.
And do you know what? It worked.
Of course, I don't know for certain that the herbal tea was the cause, but I'm pretty sure. Since laying off and boosting my water intake the redness, heat, and irritation in my cheeks is completely gone.
I still have my natural flush, but I don't feel all hot and bothered.
Phew!
Here's what I looked like a couple days later:
(When you have your own beauty brand but you're a slob who works from home and only leaves to go to the post office...)
Here I'm wearing my translucent mattifying powder, blush lip + cheek tint on my lips and cheeks, and Pacifica Dream Big Mascara, which I love so much I wish I'd invented it myself. This is my standard no-makeup makeup look. When I actually bother to wear makeup.
Anyway, I hope you all got some useful information out of this week in my skin's life!
I'd love to hear your thoughts. What are your top skincare concerns/goals? Are you interested in a soothing matcha green tea facial balm release in the next month or so?! Let's see if I can make some twinkle magic!
-XO-
