Self care has become a popular buzz word recently and while sometimes I can’t help rolling my eyes when I hear it, it is a practice that I am all for (after a long week I love to lounge on the couch with a sheet mask on my face and an ice cream treat in my hand). One of the ways I practice self care daily is through my skincare routine. I get asked about the specifics of this from time to time so I thought I would share in a post. Here is my routine:

After cleansing with True Botanicals Renew Hydrating Cleanser…

MORNING

• SkinCeauticals C E Ferulic
• True Botanicals Renew Pure Radiance Oil
• SkinMedica TNS Illuminating Eye Cream
• SkinCeauticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50
• SkinCeauticals Antioxidant Lip Repair

EVENING

• Moon Juice Exfoliating Acid Potion
• SkinMedica Retinal Complex 1.0 (every other night)
• Sunday Riley Good Genes
• True Botanicals Renew Pure Radiance Oil
• True Botanicals Renew Cellular Repair Serum mixed with Antioxidant Booster
• SkinCeauticals Antioxidant Lip Repair

VITAMINS

• Source Naturals Skin Eternal
• Source Naturals Hyaluronic Acid
• GliSODin Skin Nutrients Advanced Skin Brighting Formula (to treat melasma)

BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE

• The Beauty Chef Body Inner Beauty Protein Powder
• Sun Potion Tocos
• Sun Potion Ashwaganda
• Sun Potion Reishi Mushroom Powder
• Sol Raiz Organics Maca
• Dr Nigma Talib Immortal Skin
• Oat milk
• Frozen wild blueberries (important that they’re wild)
• Banana

In addition to everything detailed above, I also do face masks once a week and try to get a few facials a year depending on what I can swing financially.

I have been using SkinCeauticals and SkinMedica products for about 5 years so I can attest to their effectiveness and quality with confidence. They are very expensive but I find they last a long time and because I have experienced such great results and improvement in my skin I’ve decided that for me they are worth the cost. I see great results and my sensitive skin has never become irritated or broken out from use of their products. True Botanicals are a newer addition to my medicine cabinet but have provided fast results, plus their clean ingredient lists seals the deal for me.

If my routine is a little too involved and you want something more simplified the must have products from my list are: Skin Ceauticals C E Ferulic, True Botanicals Cellular Repair Serum, Skin Medica TNS illuminating Eye Cream and Retinol, and Skin Ceauticals Physical Fusion SPF. If you have melasma or hyper pigmentation I highly recommend the GliSODin brightening vitamins.

One last tip, purchase all SkinCeauticals and SkinMedica products on Dermstore.com. They have 20% discount offers every few months and if you become a member you receive 5% back on every purchase in Dermstore dollars. True Botanicals also offers 10% off for subscribing to a product and if you take their quiz to determine the best products for you they will give you a code for $20 off your first order.

PHOTO Gina Marie Barbaro