My Current Skincare Routine

Morning Routine

- When I first wake up in the morning, I drink a few sips of water from my water bottle to wake me up a little and to quench my thirst.

- PSA DON'T TOUCH YOUR FACE WITH DIRTY HANDS! I always wash my hands very thoroughly with soap and warm water. Soap is soap and it all does its job so it doesn't matter what kind it is (IMO)!

- I wash my face with Murad Clarifying Cleanser two times. The reason I wash my face twice is because the first time it cleans my face from the oil built up over night and the products I used last night. The second time I feel like it actually cleans my face and keeps it clear throughout the day. 

- I then dry my face using a dry wash cloth I keep in my room so I know it's clean and other people won't use it. I know this sounds odd but I found keeping things as clean as I can and in my control, my face is a lot clearer and I feel better about my skin.

- If I woke up with a huge, stubborn pimple I will use Murad Acne Spot Fast Fix 3.5% Benzoyl Peroxide but usually I don't care and skip this step. 

- I use a penny sized amount of First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Oil-Free Mattifying Gel Moisturizer. I have very oily skin (even in the winter) and this moisturizer doesn't break me out and that's really the only reason I use it. It doesn't keep me matte all day long but it's a moisturizer and you need to moisturize even if you have oily skin!

- Sunscreen is a very underrated product nobody uses. "But Hannah, it's winter/cloudy/I'm not outside ever/don't use it. Why do I need sunscreen?" I thought this same thing for years. I found this sub reddit and boy did it change my life (I'll do a whole post on my skin journey but for now, just believe me). I recently tried MDSolarSciences Mineral Tinted Crème Broad Spectrum SPF 30 and I love it. It doesn't break me out and it's super lightweight. It does have a slight tint to it but I like it because my skin can get a little red during the day.

- To finish it all off, I use Burt's Bees Lip Balm because it's winter right now and my lips are struggling. If it's summer and/or I know I'm going to be outside, I'll use Fresh Sugar Sport Treatment Sunscreen SPF 30 for my lips because your lips can get sun burnt, too!

Bedtime Routine

- My bedtime routine is very different from my morning routine and it varies if I'm wearing makeup or not and how much makeup I'm wearing. 

- Wash my hands with soap and warm water.

- If I'm wearing a full face of makeup I'll use Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm. This stuff really breaks down and takes off all my makeup in one step. 

- Then I'll use my Murad Clarifying Cleanser on a Clarisonic Mia 2 Skin Cleansing System. This stuff REALLY breaks down my makeup and gets all the makeup out of my pores. I used to use the Mia 2 every night but it started to get too harsh on my skin so I only use it when I'm wearing a lot of makeup. Then I'll wash my face again with Murad Clarifying Cleanser with my hands.

- If I'm only wearing mascara and eyebrow stuff, I'll use Sephora Collection Supreme Cleansing Oil to break all the makeup down. Then I'll wash my face twice with Murad Clarifying Cleanser.

- If my skin is feeling gross and grimy, I'll exfoliate use Murad Pore Reform Skin Smoothing Polish. I won't exfoliate if I used my Clarisonic Mia 2 because that would be too harsh on my skin doing two deep cleaning things in one night. It's important to exfoliate because it deep cleans your skin and it helps with any hyper pigmentation. This exfoliate is great and makes my skin feel super soft after.

- After I cleanse my face, I use a dry wash cloth to pat dry my face.

- Then I'll use a cotton round and a small amount of Murad Clarifying Toner all over my face, focusing more on the T zone.

- After that I use one pump of my Curology Treatment made specifically for my skin concerns. This keeps my acne at bay and helps with any pigmentation. My prescription is 4% Azelaic Acid, 1% Clindamycin, and 4% Niacinamide. Curology is formulated by a doctor by asking questions about your skin concerns and past treatments you've tried. You post pictures of your face to show the doctor and she/he can make a final assessment. You can talk to you doctor and time if you have any questions on products to use, if you aren't seeing any progress, or anything else about your treatment! They automatically deliver your treatment every couple months so you don't have to remember to get more! It's $20 a month but your first month is free and can quit anytime! If you're interested, please use this link.

- To help even more with hyper pigmentation and post acne scars, I'll use Murad Post-Acne Spot Lightening Gel. This stuff if EXPENSIVE but totally worth it. You only need one pump and it covers my whole face. It really helps with any acne scars but you have to keep using it every day to really see results. I first only used it every other day (because of the price) but I wasn't seeing much results. 

- For moisturizer I use Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion - Blemish Prone/Oily Skin. This is really refreshing and keeps my skin super soft. 

- For spot treatment of acne I have, I'll use Mario Badescu Drying Lotion. I've only been using this for almost a week now but WOW does it just get rid of any acne over night. I use a cotton swab and dip it into the lotion and dab it on any acne spots I see then leave it on over night. The smell of it really reminds me of the lotion your mom puts on you when you have mosquito bites when you were younger, ya know? Anyway, I love this stuff. Would recommend. 

And that's it! I've learn to keep it simple for my skincare and to really listen to my skin of what it needs that day. I'll make a post later of skin masks I've been using lately and my acne journey. I posted a picture of what my skin looks like as of today and I'm very happy with my skin! If you have any questions or recommendations, leave a comment below!