SKINCARE Part C

.......... 43/50 SKINCARE Part C ..........

Here is my PM routine:

1. Cleanse: If I am wearing make-up, I use Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm. Easily handles face/eye make-up. Or Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser.  Followed by 2nd cleanse with micellar water. If I'm not wearing make-up, I just use the micellar water with a cotton pad. Trendy product...it's all the rage. Attracts/traps dirt due to micelles, tiny oil molecules suspended in water. Was using Garnier Micellar Water (much cheaper dupe for the holy grail Bioderma) but it has ingredients I didn't love so switched to Caudalie.

2. Serums: again the serums are what do the work. I pick products with actives such as niacinamides, peptides, and fruit acids (glycolic or lactic acid). On half of my face (the half with Retin-A), I'm using Drunk Elephant Framboos Glycolic Night Serum (great name, cool packaging, cult following) It has both AHA and BHA (two types of acids). Listed as 12% glycolic.

On the drug-store half of my face, the best comparable I could find is the ProX Olay Nightly Purifying Night Peel, which may be about 10% glycolic acid.

I'm able to use both an acid (night) and a retinoid (day) because my skin is used to it. May be too much exfoliation for sensitive or virgin skin.

3. Moisturizer: the expensive half of the face gets Dermalogica (won't re-use when this runs out) or Mad Hippie (delightful natural cream with safer ingred). Drugstore half gets Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream. A great product, pleasure to use. One of the industry's and Olay's best seller of all time. For a reason.

Skin Treats: once or twice a month I use Dead Sea Mud Mask by Pure Body Naturals. 4.5 stars with over 8,000 reviews on Amazon 😱!! This is especially good for acne, rosacea or irritated skin. I just like using it....it makes me feel all spa-ish and fancy.

I use the PMD Personal Micro-Derm tool 1-2x /month.

Glycolic peel (30%) after the PMD. * Do NOT use with active cold sores. Caution with dormant HSV.

Obviously you can see, I employ both chemical and physical exfoliation.

Finally: love, love the luxurious Mahalo line: the company, philosophy, branding, packaging, name, everything about it. And opening a package from them is pure awesomeness! Check out their beautiful IG feed! I'm not a big fan of oils...but if I'm especially dry and feeling indulgent... this is the oil I reach for.

My two-sided experiment isn't perfect. There are lots of influencing variables....but I can definitely see a difference between the two sides of my face. Which side do you think is looking better?

Thanks for stopping by.... let me know if you have any questions, comments or suggestions!

xoXo,
Ms Fish