Review: Facial Routine

Recently I was asked what I do for a skincare routine and I've decided to write about it. I haven't done a product-review post in quite a while- and definitely not on this particular blog! I will preface the entire post with saying that I'm still working on my skin... but that right now it's probably the best its been in years. I'm still learning and exploring what sorts of products I like and as I run out of things, I'm trying new products.

Sephora Supreme Clean Foam (all in one cleanser)
Love love love this! From the first two days of use, I fell in love with this product. I was really fighting redness on my cheeks-- not quite rosacea but close. I never realized how much my other facial cleansers were really aggravating the symptoms until I started to use this. This product is waterless so it doesn't really rub or scrub when I use it; my face is honestly so clear when I rinse it off. I've also started to notice my blackheads starting to lighten up, and in some areas, disappear. Since this is all in one, it doesn't require a toner afterward! Plus it doesn't make my skin tight or just blah. It feels clean and most importantly, isn't aggravated and red!

Day Moisturizer: Hope in a Jar Moisturizer SPF 25
What can I say about this moisturizer? It's just solid. The formula is creamy and absorbs really well. Doesn't smell weird and I really like the way it dries, which is kind of matte. Not to say I look all pasty, but it doesn't dry sticky or oily which is what I used to dislike about Oil of Olay Moisture Cream + SPF. My face feels hydrated but not oily and my makeup really glides on and adheres great.

Night Moisturizer: Hope in a Jar Moisturizer (all skin types)
In all honestly, I don't care for it!! The formula is great and for a night cream I don't mind (and I actually like) how it makes my face feel dewy. What makes me dislike this cream is that.. it smells weird. I've tried samples of this many times, keep expecting something different, and it's always the same. Plus, I just notice how my eyes feel aggravated by the formula and tear up as they do when slicing onions. So while I'm using this, it's only until I run out and can try a new night moisturizer!

Exfoliate: Olive Oil and Sugar
Weird? Oh yes. Read about it online, tried it, totally happy with what it does for my face. I will admit that I hadn't exfoliated my face in a month or two... and I didn't realize how much it was messing up my face until I started to get these little under-the-skin pimples on the sides of my face and chin. I was also getting patchy dry skin between my eyebrows and on my cheeks. Tried the olive oil+sugar combo and my face has dramatically improved! The olive oil didn't break me out at all and it actually really hydrated it like crazy. The sugar is also fine enough to do its exfoliating job without scrubbing to flare up the redness on my face. Now, the dry skin is almost all gone and the little pimples are fading away. While it's a really good home remedy, I'm still looking to try Soap and Glory's The Greatest Scrub of All here soon.


There's a few other random products I'm trying, but I'll post about that some other time. This is the core of what I'm using but will be switching up here soon (night moisturizer and exfoliate for sure). I'm also about to start using masks from Lush, but I'll talk about it when I get there.