My Current Natural Skincare Routine
So, I know nobody asked about my current skincare routine (lol!), but I had to share this because it’s something I really love working on for myself. Exploring new products (especially natural ones with clean ingredients) is exciting for me and I know there are others out there who are also always looking for new clean products to try.
First, a little note: the things I am sharing with you in this post are simply based on my experience with different skincare products and routines. This is no way serves as medical advice for your skincare concerns. I strongly advise you to seek out a naturopathic doctor and/or a dermatologist if you want to explore your own skin concerns more thoroughly.
And now a brief background on my skin. I have sensitive skin in the sense that I breakout easily. I don’t get redness or reactions to products right away (which is the typical definition of sensitive skin), but I will get blackheads or whiteheads if a product isn’t right for me and they tend to stick around. I have combination skin (oily T-zone and dry everywhere else), however I notice a huge change in my skin type depending on where I live/visit. In BC, my skin is generally more hydrated. In Alberta, my skin is SO dry and it takes a lot to get it hydrated.
What I look for in products:
I generally look for products that don’t have a ton of ingredients, most of which I can identify and/or pronounce. When I see a lot of chemical names and/or fragrances, I am immediately turned off. I like products that have some herbs in it because I know my skin responds well to that. I prefer local Canadian companies that are easily accessible and have a good price point. I love learning about a brand and how they came to be as well as see the face behind the brand. Those things are more available to us nowadays. This doesn’t mean I won’t go for a higher-end Sephora product sometimes. If I love the brand and I’ve seen good reviews and I’m drawn to the product (especially the consistency), then I will definitely try it out. I’m all for natural/clean, but I also need a product to work.
Morning Skin Routine
In the morning, I usually keep things really simple. I’ll gently wash my face with water and then follow up with a moisturizer. If I’’m going to work then I like to apply moisturizer right before my makeup so that it goes on smoother and keeps my skin looking hydrated through the foundation. If I’m not going to work, then I will apply moisturizer right after washing my face with water.
Note: I keep a separate face cloth just for my face so that I’m not mixing hand washing and face washing on one towel. I do my best to switch out the face cloth as much as possible as well because bacteria build up and transfer from cloths and pillowcases can often be a cause of breakouts.
Moisturizer
My current moisturizer is CALM Lavender and Chamomile Face Lotion from Wildcraft. I just started using this one about 3 weeks ago, so it is still new to me. I chose it because the ingredients are all herbs and oils. There is literally nothing else in here. Which is so exciting to me. I love the smell of it and I feel like it’s helped clear up some of my breakouts that were caused by some of my previous products. However, I don’t love that it’s matte. I much prefer products that are hydrating and give me a glow. I will continue to use this one because it’s so gentle but I might try out one of their other face creams next that provide more hydration. Wildcraft is a local Canadian company which is amazing.
Nighttime Routine
The nighttime is when I do more for my skin because I like to take time to remove my makeup and allow other products to work on my skin overnight.
Oil Cleanser (makeup remover)
I recently started using K’pure Clean Slate Oil Cleanser/Makeup Remover and I love it. I was worried about using an oil based makeup remover because I always felt like oils clog my pores, but this is not the case with this product. First of all, it’s a beautiful blue colour. It smells SO good and its very very clean (as are all of K’pure’s products are - a local BC company!). It gently removes all my makeup (watch a how-to tutorial here) and my skin feels SO good after.
The best ingredients (and seriously smells amazing)
Foam Cleanser
I follow this up with the K’pure Sleepy Time Face Cleanser because I find that following up with a gel or foaming cleanser helps to ensure that there are no clogged pores from the oil and it really gets all the makeup off. This cleanser has also really helped clear up my skin and has very few ingredients. It’s so gentle and it’s used on babies too.
serum
The current serum I’m using is The Ordinary Niacinamide + Zinc. I chose this one because my breakouts were getting out of control at the end of last year and I just couldn’t get ahead of them. I popped into the Deciem store and asked them what the best product would be for breakouts. I had just stopped using a couple of their other products (for hydration) which I had liked but I just didn’t feel like they were doing anything long-term for my skin. They just gave me a short term glow. They recommended this product and I’m so glad they did. Niacinamide helps control sebum (oil) production which can often be a cause of hormonal breakouts for some people (me included!). I’m already on my second bottle and it has really done wonders for my skin. I’ll let this sit on my skin after applying for at least 30s-1m.
Moisturizer
I follow up the serum with the same moisturizer as the morning CALM Lavender and Chamomile Face Lotion from Wildcraft and let that sit for another 30s-1m. If I have extra time I’ll do some facial rolling with a rose quartz roller at this step or after the oil (below).
oil
The last product I use at nighttime is The Ordinary 100% Rosehip Seed Oil. I just do about 2-3 drops and gently press it into the skin. I chose this one as an alternative to the vitamin C serum that I was using before. I wanted to continue using vitamin C, but preferred a more gentle form of it. Rosehip oil is a really gentle oil and naturally has vitamin C in it so it isn’t as potent as other vitamin C products.
Sidenote: Anytime you have vitamin C in your skincare routine, especially if you use it in the morning - make SURE you are wearing a facial sunscreen to protect your skin (vitamin C can make your skin more susceptible to sun damage).
General skincare routines
There are a couple other things I make sure I do with my skin:
Currently, we are in quarantine so my skincare game has been elevated. I do a facial steam about 1-2x/week with this cute facial steamer (I got mine in pink) and at least once a week I’ll follow it up with a face mask. I’ve been experimenting with some DIY face masks and can’t wait to share some recipes with you. Since doing face masks about 1-2x/week, I’ve really noticed an improvement in my skin (more clear, better texture and brighter).
I also wear a facial sunscreen daily, especially because I sit in the sun a lot and I go for walks daily. We are currently experiencing a slight heat wave so I’m trying to make sure my skin is protected. I’m in the market for a new face sunscreen, but the current one I’m using is from Derma E.
I try really hard not to touch my face too much. I know it will break me out and I also know that picking at things on my face just ends up in scarring.
Sometimes I will use Honest Beauty’s Magic Balm on my upper cheekbones to give me a bit of a glow (like a highlighter) or on my lips on it’s own or under a lipstick. It’s a nice addition to a makeup free look as well as a makeup look. It feels really nourishing.
When I travel or I’m super busy and my skin needs a pick me up, I’ll use Summer Fridays Jet Lag mask. It’s a special treat for me because it is a bit expensive, but I love treating myself to it on occasion (a lot more when traveling).
Last note: in past last couple years I started going for facials. I don’t go regularly and I wish I could go a lot more. But since going for facials my skin has been significantly better. There is nothing I could do at home to get the same effect that a facial does. It truly saved my skin and I only go 4-5 times year. This is something I would love to increase if possible.
Let me know what your favourite natural skincare products/routines are. I would love to learn more!
Lots of love.