I have always felt that investing in skin care is so important because you have one face and one body for your whole life. It is so essential to take the time and invest in your skin care the way you would on a new bag or pair of shoes you really want. In fact – it’s more important! My Mom always used to say that it was always okay to spend money on your makeup and your hair – because you’re always better off getting quality than picking up the cheap eye shadow at Claire’s I always wanted as a 10-year-old. Now, my skin is particularly sensitive, so I guess that Claire’s eye shadow most definitely was a good thing to avoid. But, I really think this applies to anyone. Both men and women should take the time to moisturize and wash their face – it’s good to remove all that dirt from the day and, bonus, it prevents breakouts. But, guys, it also feels REALLY GOOD.
Lately, my skin has been all out of whack. I had these teeny tiny little bumps all over my face, more prominently on my forehead and cheeks, that just would not go away. I felt like I was trying everything – face masks, ensuring I was washing my face before bed, cleaning my makeup brushes, making sure my sheets were always clean (KEEP YOUR PILLOW CASES CLEAN) – ya know, the works. But, it didn’t really work. In all seriousness, I have spent the last 8 weeks angry with my skin and feeling like I didn’t do anything wrong to cause that change.
This photo was taken a few weeks ago – see the bumps on my cheek? (I’m wearing a light layer of my Lancome Foundation.)
Well, news flash, I didn’t do anything wrong. However, I was trying new products all at once without testing out to make sure that these products definitely worked well on my skin type. I was using a new moisturizer by “it cosmetics”, along with their liquid foundation. Both the “it cosmetics” moisturizer and foundation I was using work so well for my Mom – because “it cosmetics” is an excellent brand founded by both plastic surgeons and dermatologists! In fact, I still use their Bye Bye Under Eye cream because it’s light and perfect for any puffiness on my face. But, my extremely sensitive skin needed something less heavy than their moisturizer. I honestly would still recommend the moisturizer and liquid foundation, based on how well it has worked for my Mom, for women older than me – but, you need to know your own skin type and I realized I was basically having this continual minor reaction to it and I needed a serious reset. I went back to my Lancome liquid foundation, something I already knew I was comfortable using and worked great on my skin. But, I also added a few new things.
Jeans are J.Crew slim boyfriend jeans – they don’t sell the exact wash anymore, but this is for sure the closest. My white button-down dress shirt is from J.Crew Factory – I have scoured the internet for it, as I believe it to be perfect (never wrinkles!) but this Madewell one is the closest available. My leather band is from Etsy (I got one for my Dad for his birthday – he loves it!) – could not recommend this band more. This moisturizer am holding is the Beauty Counter Countermatch Adaptive Lotion – I find it to be extremely gentle and I recommend it to anyone who wants a lighter moisturizer.
First, I started using the Beauty Counter Overnight Resurfacing Peel. THIS is magic. I am not exaggerating, I have recommended it to everyone. It completely transformed the bumps on my face. All you need is two pumps, smear it on your face, and then I put my trusted Kiehl’s Moisturizer on top of it. This stuff is literally life-changing, you guys. The bumps on my face were completely out of control, showing through my makeup on a daily basis. Now? Almost completely gone. It took a couple of weeks of using a few times of a week, but the result was beyond worth it. In addition to using the Beauty Counter Overnight Resurfacing Peel, I also used the No. 1 Brightening Facial Oil – this stuff was what I originally used and I just loveeee the citrus scent. I put it on under my moisturizer, and let it sink in overnight. By morning my face feels smooth and looks both bright and fresh. The combination of these three items really got my skin back in check. It also helped that I knew there was a foundation that already worked really well with my skin, and I took the precautions of making sure everything else was clean – brushes, pillowcases, etc.
This is how my cheek started looking after two weeks using the resurfacing peel twice a week. (This is also with the Lancome Foundation on!)
If you are having trouble with your skin, I highly recommend checking out Beauty Counter products. They have a “never list” in which they have committed to not using any ingredients that are already banned in the EU and other countries. They have incredibly high standards for their products, which makes it a great place to shop beauty for anyone with allergies or concerns about particular chemicals. If you buy now, you can even get a travel size version of the Countersun mineral sunscreen mist if you spend $125 or more – win-win!
Has anyone ever had a similar experience?
