The last feature I did on my facial routine was 6 months ago and that was reviewed here, so I guess a quick update is in order because my skincare has quite grown up in a sense but there is one item that hasn’t changed as you’ll notice below. I’ve become more conscious of ingredients and I recognized some sensitivity and an increase in dryness skin-wise and I’m sure that has to do with 30 being just around the corner. I’ve retreated from toners, even organic ones like Dickinsons because December brought in dryness. I’m not the sort of person who stays completely loyal to products for years. Naturally, my sensitive skin gets bored then at a certain saturation point begins to subtly reject skincare products I use for weeks or months on end. I just wait for it to tell me when it’s due for a switch. So far for the past 1-2 months these products have been my facial friends, some have been reviewed, some are waiting in line. It’s a split down the middle on availability…3 are locally available and 3 are imported if I’m not mistaken. Ignore the toothbrush. Reviewed items are posted as links. The funny thing is I noticed how great my skin was after using this team for a week before I was confined for dengue fever at the end of November. The significant difference in my routine now is the added factor of deliberate nourishment and intense moisturizing after cleansing, aka steps to stay young longer with good organic stuff LOL (I refuse to say anti-aging…”doh!”).
CLOCKWISE: Pevonia Botanica Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser, ORIGINS Drink-up Intensive Overnight moisturizer/mask, St. Ives Moisturizing Olive Cleanser, (underneath St. Ives) depotted Nivea Baby Smoothy Cream Moisturizer, Pai (UK) Rosehip Bioregenerate facial oil, Shiseido Extra Gentle Cleansing foam.
The moisturizers have become a vehicle for the active weapon. My new favorite thing is my Harper’s Bazaar Awarded “Pai Rosehip Bioregenerate Facial Oil” which carries vitamins like Pro-Vitamin A, non-irritating active botanicals, carotenoids, and anti-oxidants that penetrate the skin surface with the help of a quick absorbing moisturizer. Pai is an organic skincare brand based in the UK known for its multiple type ranges suitable for sensitive skin.
My friend Trixie in Singapore ordered it for me and since they only ship as far as SG and not to the Philippines she brought it home for me when she visited a few weeks ago. I just use the cap dropper to add 1 drop of the Pai facial oil to my moisturizer (the smell is a bit foodie since it’s organic, it may not appeal to some) and massage it into skin before bed. My Nivea Baby Smoothy Cream is my day moisturizer (mostly but sometimes I will use it at night) and right now I alternate it with the tropical fruity smelling Origins Drink Up Intensive as my night moisturizer…it’s not really a mask like it says it is. Both those moisturizers do the job of making sure that while I sleep good things are happening in the facial department and I wake up super hydrated on the surface anyway. With this new “step” added into my routine before bed I was burning up at the hospital but I was there with even better, more supple, rosy skin with no tiny bumps or rashes.
I’ve not been one of those people who without fail night after night performs the same skin ceremony, but I’ve been more consistent this month especially at night before bed. I now see why it’s important to have a regimen, so that the benefits compound and give you a completely unmistakeable result…just like exercise which…huhu…after dengue I desperately need to get back to. Friends might mock these remarks and say “Julia…duh…you were born with great skin”. Yes, I was born with soft, clear skin…that unfortunately reacts to almost anything new or sub-standard I might happen to put on it, so 7 times out of 10 there’ll be a set of whiteheads/rashes as a result camped in unnoticeable patches/groups on irritated areas that only I can feel (and pick at, TSK!) and only my Mom notices visually. With this skincare team though, I’ve not been getting those little things. Some spots have only resurfaced because of the late nights and rich food the past Christmas holiday week. I recently organized my products with this acrylic container which was a gift so they wouldn’t clutter my bathroom counter. I will take the time later on to review the remaining things I haven’t individually, but at least this gives you a glimpse of my skincare arsenal of the moment.
