I have extremely dry skin- especially during the winter. At the start of the season, my entire forehead broke out because it was so dry. I didn't even know this was possible.
It felt like I had tried everything. From exfoliating, to serums, to face masks- nothing seemed to help the problem. I would start the day with smooth skin, but by the end of the day I would notice that my makeup had cracked and my skin was peeling a bit.
One day I knocked over my serum. It spilled so rapidly that there was very little left to salvage. After cleaning up/ a few mumbled obscenities, I realized that without the serum I would be in even worse shape than I already was. I am beauty junkie, so I had backups.
I found a bottle of vitamin E oil that I use during the summer after my skin has been exposed to the sun or on my hair when it needs a little extra moisture. I decided it would be a good alternative until I got to the store to replace the serum.
Let's just say the serum was never replaced. I woke up the next morning and my skin was positively dewy. Before I did my makeup, I mixed a little more vitamin E oil into my moisturizer. I noticed that my foundation looked better than it had all winter. At the end of the work day, it was still in place.
Weeks went by and the dryness was completely gone. No peeling or dry patches to be found. My makeup even stays flawless throughout the day. The only adjustment I made was adding in the vitamin E oil. So I have to believe that this is what caused the change.
Here's my routine...
At Night:
This could take all of your makeup off in one sitting, but I prefer to use the same way that I would use a makeup wipe, as a pre-cleanse. It's particularly great for taking off eye makeup and long-wear lipsticks.
Cleansing oil picks up where the micellar water left off and removes left over foundation/eye makeup. You could stop here, but personally I like to use one more form of cleansing to make sure all of my makeup is really off.
I use a charcoal face wash as a last step for an extra deep cleanse. It is perfect because it removes any remaining makeup and gets deep into your pores.
After cleansing I use witch hazel as a toner. It gets rid of residue that cleansers can leave on your skin. This is not the exact one that I use, but they all serve the same purpose and get the job done.
I lather on a generous amount of vitamin E oil right after I use the witch hazel. I do not even worry about my skin fully absorbing it. It has a better effect when it starts out sitting on top of the skin.
I have used this moisturizer for at least the last 10 years on and off. It is perfect for my skin type so why mess with what works.*
*I'll admit that currently I am using the Walgreen's generic version. For some reason they did not have my go-to moisturizer when I went in. I am pleased to report it works just as well!In the morning:
I use this cleanser when I am in the shower in the morning. While I actually hate to use it night I think it is great for the morning. It does strip away any moisture and leaves my face feeling super soft before I even put on moisturizer. I use the witch hazel again to get rid of any residue and add a small amount of vitamin E oil to my moisturizer (both same products used at night).
If you suffer from dry skin, I strongly encourage you to try this routine. This is literally the first year that may skin has been normal during the winter. It take less than 15 minutes from start to finish. What do you have to lose?