MY MORNING SKINCARE ROUTINE

I If you’ve read my nighttime skincare routine post here then you know that I really slather on the products at night. The more the better, really. And because I’m just crawling into bed and going to sleep, I don’t mind my face looking as slick as a sidewalk in winter.  With that being said, daytime is a whole ‘nother story. I don’t like my face shiny or dewy as some people call it, so I’m more reserved on the amount of product I put onto my skin in the mornings. My routine, and the order in which I apply them, are below.

Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser – I like to start my routine with a clean, fresh face. Glossier sent me this cleanser a few months ago and I have to say it really is so soft & soothing. I love the jelly texture and how gentle it feels on the skin {something that feels especially nice in the morning.} Before Glossier sent me this product I was using Philosophy’s ‘Purity’ one-step facial cleanser which I also like a lot. Like the milky jelly, it is really gentle and soothing, but the texture isn’t as luxurious, so I honestly prefer the Glossier option. I will definitely be purchasing again when I run out {you can’t beat the under $20 price tag!}

Lotion P50W from Biologique Recherche 5.1 FL oz {Gentle exfoliating and purifying toner for the face}
This product has transformed my skin – I believe it is the single most powerful product I’ve added to my beauty routine. It acts as an exfoliator and toner all in one, and when I mentioned it on my Instagram story, I felt like I had entered into a secret society – the amount of people who messaged me back saying this product had also changed their skin was in the hundreds. My skin has a natural glow, and I no longer feel the need to exfoliate with a scrubbing cleanser every night in the shower {something I knew was bad for me, but couldn’t stop beforehand!} The toner is applied to a cotton pad and wiped all over the face, neck and décolletage. I let the toner sink in for 30 seconds before I follow with the accompanying  facial mist. {Side note: there are 7 variations of Lotion P50 – with P50W being the most gentle – if you are interested in adding this to your beauty routine, I would consult with a professional about your specific skincare needs before purchasing}

L’eauxygenante Phase D’Initialisation 1.7 FL oz {Multifunctional treatment mist for the face}
This mist neutralizes the P50W so it won’t remain active on the skin and cause irritation. It feels exactly like misting any other rose water or herbal spray over your face, and per the instructions, I give it 2-3 sprays across my face & neck. Sometimes I pat this into my skin to speed up the soaking in process, and sometimes I give it a few minutes. This step is great for when you first introduce the P50 lotion into your routine, but as your skin grows accustomed to the product, you can begin to wean off using this.

Kate Sommerville DermalQuench Liquid Lift
I started noticing fine lines and wrinkles around my eyes and mouth about 6 months ago {is this what getting old is like?!} so I set out to find a good at-home solution. I had heard great things about Kate Sommerville products, and after doing some research and reading the 100+ reviews on this DermalQuench Liquid Lift here, I decided to give it a try. The product comes out of the can ice cold and causes a slight tingly feeling once it hits the skin {I love that it does this!} It feels so refreshing and cool, and cold liquid on the skin is actually really good for it. A tip my facialist gave me {which seems so obvious in retrospect} was to only use the product in areas of need {vs. slathering it all over my face!}  I now only apply the liquid lift on areas that require it – my neck, eyes and around my mouth – stretching the product out to have a longer lifespan! Although I haven’t noticed major results yet, I do feel as if my skin is softer, and less dry in the specific areas where I’m using the product.

Dr. Barbara Sturm Calming Serum
My skin has changed quite a bit over the last year, and with that has come some blotchiness and redness. Without eliminating everything from my diet, I wanted to see if there was a product I could apply that would help combat that redness for me. Enter in Dr. Barbara Sturm’s calming serum. This product is milky deliciousness, and one of the most indulgent purchases in my life to date. It’s wildly expensive, but again I only apply in the areas where the redness is occurring, and let me tell you what – I have already seen huge improvements in the balance of my skin tone. If I could rock this product to sleep at night and sing it a lullaby I would – it’s that good. I am now a full blown Dr. Sturm addict {just bought this!}, and have my eye on a few other products of hers. Will definitely keep you posted…must save my pennies first!

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence
This product has been referred to as ‘miracle water’ and I know why. After using for several weeks, my skin became so soft and so smooth that even my husband noticed. I was so taken aback that I actually stopped using the product for a few months because I didn’t know what to think – but with all my recent traveling and skin changes, I’m back and have never been happier. Not only does this product make your skin insanely soft, but it reduces redness & evens out your skin tone {if you’ve been following me on Instagram, you know I talk about dealing with both of those issues often!} The main ingredient in the essence is Pitera and often referred to as ‘youth in a bottle.’ Read more about that ingredient here. To apply, I pour a few drops into the palm of my hand and gently pat it into my skin.

Skinceuticals CE Ferulic Serum – This may or may not be the holy grail of skincare items. My dermatologiest said that in her 25 years of practicing, it is the one item she has consistently recommended for 15+ years. Dubbed the ‘fountain of youth’, this serum contains multiple potent antioxidants to help prevent wrinkles and sun damage and help fade dark spots. The blend of key ingredients – Vitamin C, E & Ferulic – are all antioxidants that help protect your skin in ways other products can’t. The serum smells like boiled hotdogs but goes on light & absorbs quickly. Even my friends who know nothing about beauty all know about the power of this product and swear by it. So, is it worth the hefty $165 price tag? YES. 100%.

SERUM
Vitner’s Daughter {also here}  is the IT serum on the beauty market right now and has everyone talking. Everyone from Into The Gloss to The Cut is raving about its miracle benefits and all natural ingredients so I just knew it was a matter of time before I gave in. After dropping some serious $$$ {the most money I’d ever spent on a single beauty product at that point},  I was excited to see what all the fuss was about. Looking in the mirror after that first night, I was a little disappointed. Where was the ‘glow’ that so many had sworn would appear? Unfortunately, I saw the same old Bridget with the same old issues, and I had nothing to show for it except a dent in my pocket and a husband who said I smelled like his grandmother. To backtrack, the serum is thick – it has a consistency reminiscent of olive oil and it does carry a very heavy floral fragrance so my husband wasn’t wrong. But with that being said, I have continued to use the product because, well, it was crazy expensive and honestly,  it’s kind of grown on me. No, it still hasn’t changed my life, but the smell nor the weird consistency bother me as much as when I first started using the product, and it does make my face feel nice & hydrated in the morning.  Will I buy it again? I’m not sure – Maybe. But if I don’t I can always go back to my tried & true fav {and much cheaper} Kiehl’s Daily Reviving Concentrate. I love this product for so many reasons, but mostly because it smells like lemons, and goes on incredibly smooth leaving your face feeling fresh & light.

MOISTURIZER
Depending on the season, and the status of my skin, I like to change up my daily moisturizer. In the summer, I love using something that is super lightweight, while in the winter, when my skin is dry and dull, I switch to something thicker & more hydrating.  For summertime, the Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench moisturizer is so silky & slippery, and absorbs so quickly, that it’s perfect for days when I’ve been out in the elements. It almost feels like I’m rubbing a cooling aloe-vera like gel all over my face – and when I’ve been out in the sun all day, I can’t tell you how good that feels. I also love the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream – it’s slightly heavier than the PTR, but still goes on really smooth and has a lightweight texture. It also has such a nice, light smell that I love. I’ve had my jar for almost a year and I’ve barely made a dent in it – a little goes a long way! For winter, I’ve been loving my La Mer moisturizing cream. I bought this item back in July during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and was so disappointed.  It was so thick and heavy and just made my skin feel so weighed down. I put it away into a drawer and completely forgot about it until a few weeks ago, when talking to my facialist {Rebecca at Joanna Czech} about my super dehydrated skin and she mentioned the original formula La Mer cream to me. She said “don’t you have some of that?” And I was shocked that I had completely forgotten all about it! Rebecca suggested I mixed the cream with my daily serum and then apply that to my face. I haven’t missed a day since and my skin has done a 180 – it is looking plump and hydrated and feeling better than ever {I’m serious!} I went from having skin peeling off my nose, to having a glow again, and I must give credit where it’s due – this once hated, and too heavy cream {for the summer} has become my life saver during this harsh & freezing winter. If you’re looking for a super hydrating cream that is less expensive, I also really like Glossier’s priming ‘rich’ moisturizer. The texture is amazing, and it feels slightly heavier than other basic moisturizers. Plus, at $35, you just can’t beat the price!

Dr. Barbara Sturm SPF sun Drops – As I mentioned above, I’ve been mixing my serum & my moisturizer together recently, and it’s really helped with the application and texture of those products. Another product I initially had some qualms with was the Dr. Barbara Sturm Sun Drops. Although I love the premise of these drops {more on that in a second} they initially felt really heavy on my skin. Again, Rebecca recommended adding the drops to my daily combination of serum + lotion and man oh man, did that make a huge difference. The Sun drops absorbed so much better, and felt a lot less heavy on the skin. Also, Rebecca added that when adding SPF to our lotion {vs. buying a product with it already in it} you are actually saving the quality of SPF in that product. Does that make sense? Basically, when you buy a product with SPF already added, that SPF is diluted, and therefor not as effective. Adding our own SPF, and therefore being in control of how much we apply, enhances the quality of protection we are affording our skin. Pretty amazing, right? I know. It’s brilliant.  Now, back to Dr. Sturm, and why those sun drops might just be the best product of it’s kind on the market. Dr. Sturm, who is a specialist in aesthetic medicine and molecular cosmetics, creates her products under her philosophy that your skincare products should heal your skin, and to do that task, it should be free of fragrance, mineral oils, and preservatives {can I get an AMEN for the zero fragrance part!?} Last but not least, these drops can be added to any moisturizer or foundation. Let me back up for a second and explain to you why this is amazing. We all love to try out new moisturizers, but if I buy a moisturizer with SPF already added in I am limited to using that product only during the day {you would never want to sleep in your SPF!} With the sun drops, I can turn any moisturizer {day or night} into a daytime product that will not only protect the skin, but also promote the regeneration of damaged skin cells. Talk about a win-win {win-win-win-win. Sorry, it’s truly worth all those wins}

La Mer The Eye Concentrate
Last but not least, I apply my eye cream. The eye area is one of the most important areas of the body, making eye cream one of the most important steps in your routine. The skin around your eyes is extremely delicate and needs as much love and attention as it can get. Starting to use an eye cream at a young age is the best thing you can do as it  prevents fine lines and wrinkles from forming, & also helps keep your eyes looking bright and awake while reducing dark circles and puffiness. I started using the La Mer Eye Concentrate a few months ago and haven’t looked back since. A little goes a long way and I’ve barely made a dent in my supply. The gel-like consistency glides on really easily, and doesn’t weigh down my lids leaving them feeling refreshed and moisturized. If you’re wanting to spend less money, I used this for years before I invested in the La Mer & I really liked it. It’s lightweight, doesn’t have a strong smell, and glides on really nicely. I also just bought this de-puffing eye balm from Kate Sommerville that I’m *so* excited about. A cooling roller just sounds so nice & refreshing, doesn’t it?

If you haven’t noticed, I’m apply my products from lightest, to heaviest, ending with my face & eye cream. This allows the lighter products a chance to penetrate the skin and give the effect of a much more hydrated surface. I often get asked “If I was going to buy 3 products & start to implement them into my {nonexistent} beauty routine – which would you recommend?” This is hard, but I would have to say that I would suggest the Lotion P50, a serum, and a moisturizer.  The only reason I’m skipping the eye cream is because well, I’m being limited to 3, and because you can use the serum + face moisturizer around the eyes as well. After a few weeks or months, you can invest in a nice eye cream and add that step in, but it’s best not to overwhelm yourself in the beginning.

Although the routine above appears lengthy, the entire regimen takes me less than 5 minutes {swear!} I am constantly trying new products out all the time, but the above are my current favorites, and I’m so happy to finally be sharing them with you all. Let me know what products you’re loving at the moment in the comments – Can’t wait to hear!

xx

Bridget