Skincare has always been a passion for me. So of course, like anything you have interest in I read a lot of articles and reviews. Old me would click on anything on the internet that had a headline like ‘Certain celebrity you do not care about loves this high end product you can not afford!’ I thought I knew a lot, but you guessed it, I did not.
Worst of all was the guilt I felt because I did not have endless money and time for the creams and procedures. That I would never know good skin and would age horrendously.
Fact check 1. Perfect skin exists only through filters and airbrushing. Fact check 2. You will age and should feel mighty lucky to do so.
Like so many at the beginning of this pandemic I found myself with a bit of extra time on my hands. I chose to use it to binge a handsome British man named James Welsh. He does not just review products. He discusses them. Why they work. What is pure hype and what ingredients actually matter. He also loves a decent priced product and explains fully when he has chosen a more expensive brand. I found I learned so much about ingredients not just products and felt so much more in control when I shopped.
So here it is lovelies. I have been rocking this skincare since Christmas 2020 and feel like I have NEVER been happier with my routine!
Below is both the products I am using and the order I use them in. I have normal skin that is not very sensitive and I have very few breakouts and when I do they are always on my chin. I am concerned about aging since I am in my mid 30’s and have some sun damage.
This is the routine I do every night, or when I get home from work. I have to be honest and admit I cleanse in the shower, therefor my water is most definitely considered too hot by the experts. But the thing is, I like this ritual. It works for me. Therefor I keep doing it. Sometimes you have to be a little dirty even whilst getting clean 😉
The Ritual PM
Double Cleanse.
One to remove make up and sunscreen. The second to gently cleanse the skin clean. The cleansing balm you fist apply to dry skin and then wet your hands and watch it become a creamy dream. It melts everything off! Even waterproof mascara stands no chance. The Low PH cleanser might say morning on the tube but I use it at night because I am a rebel like that. It is so gentle and never leaves your skin tight. Now tell me how could you not want that in the PM too, like who could blame me?!?
The Tone The treatment. The Essence.
This has a cult following guys! And if you are looking for a clearer complexion and to make those pores look smaller look no further. You might have to start slow but I can use it every night without issue now. I would only skip if I was going to use a retinol because they do not play well together. My sister bought me this years ago and I just thought it was ok, but it is simply because I did not commit and did not use it right. I find you have to give this one 5-10 min on your skin before you add any other products.
Toners are so different than the ones we grew up with. The old toners were astringents that were so harsh or were used to clean the leftovers from our old crappy cleansers. haha We have come a long way. Explore. But my absolute recommendation is below!
The Serums.
My favourite. I feel like this is where you target your targets. This is also the mostly likely place I will chose to spend a little more money. But, not with either of these. These two serums are very easy on the wallet. Niacinamide is incredible. It evens out your complexion and controls oil production. And this it is beyond affordable! Some people are not a huge fan of this brands consistency, but call me cheap because it is so not going to stop me from buying it! I apply it after a few sprites of a Rose Hibiscus Spray (But anything that will slightly dampen your skin will do) so my face is a little damp and I find I like it a lot more. The Green Tea serum is just lovely. So calm and soothing. It feels ever so slightly cool when you apply it and I feel like it has helped repair my skin barrier that I have hurt over the years when I did not know what the F I was doing.
I am not sure about how I feel about spending money on eye creams. My reasoning for purchasing this was that I may not have sensitive skin but my eyes and the the skin around them is. I find this cooling, non irritating and gives me a temporary brightness and plumpness.
Smoothing Eye Cream
Moisturize baby!
You have done all that work now lock it in for the night. Your skin will thank you. I am still obsessed with using sleeping mask as my new night cream and I do not think I will be changing my mind anytime soon! I still love Korres Wild Rose Vitamin C night mask but it was on the expensive side so I am super happy to report I have moved on, and this relationship is easier on the wallet. It is light but still so hydrating. It never causes me to break out and it feels like heaven! You just wake up with nice skin.
The Ritual AM
I am a very simple AM girl. Coffee, cat cuddles and my smoothie are by far more important than skin.
I splash warm water on my face and pat dry. (Revolutionary right!)
The only product I use before SPF and a BB Cream is Vitamin C. It really brightens your skin and I find it gives me a great glow. Once again this is super affordable and does the job. I have to warn though I do not think this ‘cream’ feels nice to put on. I def get a tingle and at first I assumed my skin would not tolerate it. But it does and I like what vitamin C does for me. I am going to try the inkey list when this is finished though. It is still affordable and I might like it more. That being said I can see myself purchasing The Ordinary’s again. It is just that good of a price and does the job.
+ HA Spheres 2%
And well, that is all folks! Questions? Recommendations? Is there a product you guys would like me to try?
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By way of introduction, I am Mark Schaefer, and I represent Nutritional Products International. We serve both international and domestic manufacturers who are seeking to gain more distribution within the United States. Your brand recently caught my attention, so I am contacting you today to discuss the possibility of expanding your national distribution reach.We provide expertise in all areas of distribution, and our offerings include the following: Turnkey/One-stop solution, Active accounts with major U.S. distributors and retailers, Our executive team held executive positions with Walmart and Amazon, Our proven sales force has public relations, branding, and marketing all under one roof, We focus on both new and existing product lines, Warehousing and logistics. Our company has a proven history of initiating accounts and placing orders with major distribution outlets. Our history allows us to have intimate and unique relationships with key buyers across the United States, thus giving your brand a fast track to market in a professional manner. Please contact me directly so that we can discuss your brand further. Kind Regards, Mark Schaefer, marks@nutricompany.com, VP of Business Development, Nutritional Products International, 101 Plaza Real S, Ste #224, Boca Raton, FL 33432, Office: 561-544-0719