My Basic Morning Skin Care Routine

Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash, Reversa Cleansing Micellar Solution, Reversa Solution for Oily and Acne Prone Skin, Neutrogena Clear Face Sunscreen Lotion

This is my first beauty post!

I thought I’d dip my toe into the beauty blogging world and share some of my favorite go-to products, starting with five that are part of my morning skin care routine. I’ll share more in upcoming posts, so stay tuned!

I wouldn’t describe myself as having beautiful skin. I battled acne as a teen and in my early twenties and I was very self-conscious about it. It defined who I was for a few years. I was on a couple of different medications until I found the right one. And, finding the right one was a game changer for me. Then, things settled down, acne-wise, but I experience breakouts from time to time. Over the years, I’ve figured out what works for me and why. I’m very picky about the products I use in terms of how they address acne and oily skin: they can’t feel oily on my skin. The less greasy they feel, the more likely I will be to incorporate them into a regular skin care routine!

Let’s start with these five items that are part of my daily skin care routine.

Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash, Reversa Cleansing Micellar Solution

1) The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash
This wash makes my skin feel clean. I have to use something that lathers in order for my skin to feel like it’s been properly cleansed, which is what I love about this product. I also find the mild tea tree scent refreshing. I’d like this product more if it came in a pump bottle. The Body Shop makes a foaming version in a pump, but I still prefer the straight wash. I think it just works better.

2) Reversa Cleansing Micellar Solution
My dermatologist recommended the Reversa brand of products to me. They’re Canadian-made, out of Montreal, and I love them! I use about half of their product line in my full skin care routine, which I’ll cover over the next few months. I use this micellar water after I wash my face, for that extra clean feeling, and to remove any residual dirt. You’ve probably heard a lot about micellar water and you can read more about what ‘micelles’ are in this Huffington Post article. You can also use this solution instead of washing your face, meaning you can use it to remove basic eye and face make-up. One of the best parts about this micellar water is that it comes in a pump bottle for easy dispensing. I’ve tried other waters, but this one is paraben-free and doesn’t feel greasy – something that’s very important in my skin care routine.

Reversa Cleansing Micellar Solution, Reversa Solution for Oily and Acne Prone Skin, Neutrogena Clear Face Sunscreen Lotion

3) Reversa Solution For Oily And Acne-Prone Skin
This Reversa product is formulated for adult skin and contains 8% glycolic acid, which acts as an exfoliator. It’s free of parabens, oils, and perfumes, which I love. You don’t need a lot of this product on a cotton pad and you can feel where it’s going on your skin. I wait a minute or so until it dries before I move on to applying sunscreen, which you have to wear when you’re using anything that contains glycolic acid.

4) Neutrogena Clear Face Sunscreen Lotion
Again, my dermatologist recommended this sunscreen. I’m sure you’ve heard that sunscreen is essential in any daily skin care routine. Applying sunscreen every morning is the one thing you can do for your skin to prevent wrinkles. I like how simple that idea sounds, but if the suncscreen feels greasy on my skin, I won’t wear it. This Neutrogena sunscreen is amazing in that it doesn’t have a large ‘spreadability’ factor and that’s what I like about it. It’s a double bonus: because it isn’t greasy and it’s oil free, you have to use a bit more product to get it to cover your face (which is the whole idea behind sunscreen!!). Plus, it feels dry to the touch immediately. I am truly impressed by this sunscreen and use it when I know I’ll be outside for a good portion of the day.

5) Water!!
I drink about 8 glasses of water every day. It’s how I start and end my day and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Water is good for your skin and overall body health and I feel so lucky that I love water. I know lots of people don’t like water and have a hard time drinking enough. My only suggestion is to add natural flavoring like lemon/lime juice, a splash of cranberry to a club soda, or purchase naturally flavored carbonated water. It’s good for your skin!