I’m super serious about skincare.

Ever since I was 15 and I broke out in an allergic reaction which I thought was acne, I have made sure to keep good care of my skin. I get compliments all the time about how smooth and clear my skin looks and that’s totally because I put a lot of effort into it.

I’m not going to beat around the bush, my skincare routine is a six-step process.  Yes, I use seven steps at the end of the day and five in the morning. The perfect base for good makeup is good skin, and if you’re young like me, then it’s very important to take care of it early.

I used to be married to the Clinique Three-Step System, but since I’m a beauty blogger, I get sent a ton of skincare items, and unlike makeup, where you can use an item a few times and give an honest review, skincare takes time. Once I finish a product I’m usually onto something different from a new brand, so I don’t really use an item twice (unless I get it sent to me a couple times). The items I’m going to mention in this post are the ones I’m currently using. On deck I actually have a regime from Drunk Elephant, which I’m so excited to try and I will be doing a review on those items as well down the line.

Now let’s get to it.

Step one – Remove makeup

This is obviously my first step that I do at night, rather than morning, but I’ll grab a cotton round and put some micellar water on it to remove my eye makeup, and if I’m wearing matte liquid lipstick, that as well.

I have a container of Bioderma from Paris a few years ago, but I’ve been reaching for my L’Oreal Paris Micellar Water most nights. Micellar water is super popular, so you can find it offered by most brands nowadays, but the L’Oreal Micellar Water Complete Cleanser is great because it’s readily available at most drugstores. Micellar water contains tiny micelles that act as a magnet removing oil and makeup from your face. I like using it because it is heavy duty and reliable for taking off makeup, even some stubborn waterproof mascaras. Sometimes I have to go back after my cleanser to get all my mascara off, but this stuff does a great job prepping your face for the next step, the cleanser.

Step two – Cleanser and cleansing brush

I’m not married to a particular cleanser in general. Lately I’ve been using the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser, which has a ton of hype around it, but personally, I think it’s just alright. Here’s the thing, I like using a cleanser that foams up, which this one doesn’t do.  The foaming isn’t necessary, but to me, it’s a tangible way of seeing that it’s working.

I always pair my cleanser with a cleansing tool, and although I have two Clarisonics, I actually use my FOREO Luna 2 more.  I love the FOREO better than the Clarisonic because it’s made from silicon, meaning that it’s easier to clean and you don’t have to buy the expensive brush heads for it every three months.  It also holds a charge forever. I’ve done a review on the FOREO before, which you can read here.

Although you can use the cleansing brush in the morning, I only use it at night since I find it does a really good job of removing all my face makeup, leaving it prepped for the next step.

Now before I go on, if I’m having a late night and don’t feel like doing these steps, I’ll reach for an Olay Daily Facials Deeply Clean 4-in-1 Water Activated Cleansing Cloths, which remove makeup and grime, cleanse your face, exfoliate it, and tone it all in one. These are holy grail and I recommend everyone having this in their medicine cabinet since it does an amazing job of washing your face. It really does remove everything! These are perfect for travel as well.

Step three- Toner

So why do you need to use a toner? Toners help remove oil and traces of dirt and grime, making sure that your face is fully clean before using a moisturizer.  If you have oily or acne-prone skin, a toner helps to calm it.  By using a toner, your moisturizer will work better, since there is nothing left on your skin from blocking the moisturizer, allowing it to absorb into your skin.

I used to be obsessed with the Clinique toner since it contains alcohol; there is no better face feeling for me as a tingly face after using a toner since your skin just feels so clean.  Lately I’ve been using the Lierac Double Tonique Lotion Gelifiee, which doesn’t include alcohol (no tingly feeling here), but is a gel texture that helps capture and dissolve impurities. This gel is blended with a micro-enzymatic exfoliant to get rid of dead skin cells and it’s loaded with hyaluronic acid for plumping the skin and providing anti-aging benefits.

I always use a toner for both morning and night.

Step four – Eye cream

An eye cream is often a step that I find gets missed in most skincare routines, however, it’s super important since the eye area is where you’ll start to see the effects of aging first.

Again, I’m not married to a particular brand or product, but currently I’ve been using the Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment, which is a cream product that has superfoods in it, leaving you with long-term benefits. The C-brighter complex has antioxidant plant extracts that fights free radicals that give you sagging crow’s feet and puffiness. It also contains light-reflecting particles that offset the look of dark circles, leaving your eye area looking rested and radiant.

I find that eye creams tend to be a little pricey, but trust me, you’re going to want to start using an eye cream early to prevent the signs of aging. I have eye creams that retail upwards of $150, but this one is only C$48.  I use this both morning and night.

For nighttime, I actually pair the eye cream with the FOREO IRIS Illuminating Eye Massager, which totally isn’t necessary, but it’s a cool device to have. This device dances back and forth and helps to massage your eye cream into your skin, helping to reduce the appearance of under-eye puffiness, eye bags, dark circles, crow’s feet, and fine lines and wrinkles.  Like I said, it’s totally not necessary, especially for C$159, but I do enjoy using it as I like how it helps the eye cream absorb into my skin faster and the massaging helps to activate the area, making the cream work better.

Step five – Serums

For the morning, I stick with only the Estee Lauder Perfectionist Pro serum, which is brand new from the brand.  I actually received this at their spring press event in Vancouver at the beginning of February and have been using it ever since.

The serum, which I apply morning and night, visibly gives you a more lifted, youthful appearance.  You skin looks radiant, hydrated and rejuvenated, and in three days of using it you’ll notice that it feels softer thanks to the AHAs, which refine skin’s texture. I don’t have wrinkles, but the brand says that in two weeks the product will reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles.

Like I said, I’ve been using this for about a month and a half and I have noticed that my face and neck feels much softer, and I’ve even gotten comments on how my neck looks longer (less double chin). I have been using the Silk’n Titan for my double chin lately and have paired it with this serum as well for maximum benefits.

For night time, I will use the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum after Perfectionist Pro, which is the only item in this regime that I have continuously used multiple bottles of. This stuff is holy grail and one of my abosolute favourite skincare items ever since it helps promote younger-looking skin while you sleep. Lines and wrinkles look reduced, skin feels smoother, hydrated and more radiant. I can’t recommend this enough.

Step six – Moisturizer

For moisturizer, I’m not that picky.  I used to be a huge fan of the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion, and I still am, but when it comes to blogging and skincare, the item I get the most of is definitely moisturizers.

Lately, for daytime, I’ve been using the Glossier Priming Moisturizer, which is alright. It does the trick and I like how it’s also a primer, so I don’t need to use a second one once I apply my makeup. This moisturizer is also great for travel, because you won’t have to pack a primer (leaving you with valuable real estate for other products). You can read my review on it here. 

For nighttime, I’m currently using the Sothys Paris Wrinkle-Targeting Youth Cream, which helps to visibly smooth fine lines and wrinkles and maintain skin’s tone and give you an even complexion. This moisturizer is on the thicker side, which makes it perfect for nighttime wear. I tend to use something a little thinner for day and then slather on a thick cream for night.

Like I said, I get a lot of products from different brands to try out, so although I’m using these at the moment, in a few months time, I’ll be using something else. Currently on deck is the Olay Whips moisturizers and Drunk Elephant skincare. Other skincare brands I totally recommend are Nip + Fab (sometimes I’ll add in one of their serums as well if I’m looking for a little more power in my products), Rodial (I recently reviewed their Rose Gold line and loved it), Olay (always a fan of their moisturizers), Mary Kay Cosmetics, First Aid Beauty, and of course, Clinique. I also try to do a mask every week as well, which is always a treat for your skin.

I know this is a lot of steps to do everyday, twice a day, but I’ve never heard anyone say “I’m looking forward to getting wrinkles when I’m older”.  Skincare is quite expensive, so the best time to get it or try out a whole regime by a brand is around the holidays so you can find amazing gift sets for a fraction of the price.  Also, as you can see here, a lot of these products are actually drugstore brand, so you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars for something that works well.  I do recommend owning a cleansing brush for your face and Olay has an affordable one that you can get at drugstores.

What are your favourite skincare products, and how many steps does your regime consist of every day? Let me know in the comments below!

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