STEP 1. CLEANSE
I use Osea’s Ocean Cleanser every night before bed. I like to get the day off my face; to clear away the sweaty workouts and messy cooking and whatever else I’ve come across during my day. I love this cleanser because it’s super lightweight and moisturizing and doesn’t leave me with that squeaky stripped feeling. Every few days I swap that out for Tata Harper’s Regenerating Cleanser for a super gentle exfoliating wash. It’s one of the most subtle and perfect exfoliants I’ve used and I love it.
STEP 2. SERUM
If you’ve been follow me for any amount of time, you already know that I LOVE Maya Chia’s The Straight A. It is a magical serum that has changed my skin and I think it’s essential. It combines 3 types of super gentle but powerful retinols with vitamins C and E and some super nourishing botanicals [including their signature chia seeds] to combat hyperpigmentation + fine lines and leave your skin super bright and nourished. Because this is the ‘active’ part of my nightly routine, I apply it first to get the most benefit from it. I let it settle in completely before moving on to the next steps [you’ll learn why] and just soak it all in, both literally and figuratively. Use this only at night and make sure to use sunscreen during the day with any retinol product. Sometimes I get curious to try other serums and then always come right back to this because it just works so well for me.
STEP 2. MIST
I start AND finish my day with Maya Chia’s The Optimist and it feels and smells just as heavenly in the evening. The HA serum that follows this step NEEDS moisture, so you might as well layer in something like The Optimist that’s going to add beautiful value to your skin in so many ways.
STEP 3. HA SERUM
I’ve been using Osea’s Hyaluronic Sea Serum for months now and can’t get over the crazy moisture barrier it creates on my skin. I can still feel it when I rinse my face in the morning and I love it so much. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant, meaning it’s like a serious moisture magnet and will pull water from anywhere it can [including deeper layers of your skin, which is why you need to have a damp face before applying]. Hyaluronic acid is already present in your body, but like lots of other things, diminishes as you age, so adding a serum can help plump up lines and wrinkles. It’s also used for scar and wound healing, so might help heal acne scars and other damage on your skin’s surface. I LOVE this stuff and it’s now an essential part of my routine.
+ If I’m using my Solawave, this is the serum I use with it and this is when I add it into the process. I think it’s making a difference in some fine lines around my mouth and eyes and in combating some hyperpigmentation, plus it’s kind of meditative.
STEP 5. MOISTURIZER
I LOVE Maya Chia’s The ARC for nighttime [and often daytime, too]. The ARC [Advanced Response Complex] is a crazy potent combo of amino acids, peptides and antioxidants that come together to address just about all of your possible concerns and it feels super nourishing and smooth. My skin soaks this stuff up any season of the year. It’s designed for nighttime use, but I use it many mornings, too, because my skin can handle it and it’s just goodness. I will say that I don’t love the packaging it comes in [the dispenser sometimes craps out on me and I wish they’d use glass], BUT I love it so much that I overlook this inconvenience and use it anyway. It’s just that good.
STEP 6. OIL
Essentialist’s Daily Renewal Facial Oil is the last step in my routine. Face oils seem to confuse people most as far as timing and functionality and I totally get it. I was scared to try it, too, thinking like lots of people do, that it was just a greasy and weird layer that I didn’t need. BUT it is neither of those things and has really changed the texture and quality of my skin. Face oil is NOT a moisturizer and unlike the HA, it’s not a humectant that pulls in moisture, either. A face oil’s job is to keep the moisture you already have locked in like a little seal. Which is why it’s most effective as the last step in your skincare routine, on TOP of your moisturizer [it’s called an ‘occlusive’ if you want to nerd out with me]. If you want to be a ‘glazed donut’ at bedtime, this is the step you don’t want to skip. I’ve tried several face oils and always come back to Essentialist’s. It’s super natural, not at all oily and makes a huge difference in the texture of my skin, especially in the driest months. LOVE it. Use code AFLUTTER15 at checkout for 15% off your first order.
STEP 7. LIPS
I love several lip products right now, which is rare because I’m pretty fussy about them [I don’t want them to smell or taste like anything, be sticky or make my lips dryer than when I started]. My top 4 are Alpyn Beauty’s Willow & Sweet Agave Plumping Mask, Ilia’s Lip Wrap Overnight Treatment, Dr. Bronner’s Naked Lip Balm and Poppy & Pout Lip Balm. I love and use all of them interchangeably and carry one or more of them everywhere I go.
STEP 8. NAILS + HANDS
I was having some issues with my nails after a series of manicures left them peeling and in pretty bad shape. I started using French Girl Organic Cuticle Oil every night and it made a HUGE difference in the health of my nails and cuticles, totally healing them and then making them stronger than ever. I’m kind of addicted to it now and have it on my nightstand as the last step before bed. And for all of the fancy hand creams I’ve tried, I am using The Seaweed Bath Co’s Collagen Hand Cream right now and I love it just as much or more than most of the expensive ones I have. It’s super hydrating and nourishing and not at all greasy or watery.
My Weekly Skincare Add-Ons