I’ve just embarked on my second week of work and it’s amazing. I’m so happy and challenged and learning new things every day. The nerd in me is so satiated. The city has been great to me so far as well – new breweries and restaurants, parks and beaches. I just can’t ask for anything more. (*Tears up with joy.)

I’ve been meaning to do this blog post for a minute because I’m so proud of how far my skin has come this year, but then… I just… didn’t. But here I am again, determined to make a go of it.

So basically when I went off the Pill and got the IUD, I was already super stressed and my skin was responding like Trump against Hillary. I couldn’t get it to calm down and my skin was rough, uneven and I was getting cystic acne. So fun. The worst was our trip to Phoenix and I had trouble even going out in public because my skin was so bad.

But with a little finessing, it’s gotten soooo much better and I think it will only continue to do so.

THE Nighttime ROUTINE:

• Remove eye makeup with Lancome Bi-facial Double Action Eye Make-up Remover. ($30). This stuff is magic. It’s erases eye makeup in one swipe and whatever residue it leaves, isn’t oily but keeps my skin hydrated.
• The next step is the product that changed my life: The Biossance Squalene and Anti-Oxidant Cleansing Oil. ($30). You only need a tiny bit and you warm it up in your palms and then rub into your face. It removes all the makeup and leaves your skin so soft. I’ve been iffy about oil cleansers. I tried the Josie Maran cleansers as well as the Lush stuff, but this is by far the best. It makes me glow and didn’t make me breakout and still left my skin so clean.
• I then use a water based cleanser because I’m hella into deep cleansing right now.  I’ve been using the La Roche Posay Toleriane. ($15). It’s reminiscent of Cetaphil, but way more effect and not as expensive at Glossier’s Milk Jelly. I love that it’s unscented and French and free of parabens and sulfates.
• The next step is a swipe of Thayers Witch Hazel ($7). A tried and true classic for extra toning.
• So then comes the crown jewels of my skin recovery – Sunday Riley’s Luna Sleeping Oil ($55) and Good Genes. I use them together at night. I pop on Luna, let it sink in for a few minutes. Then I do a quick swipe of Good Genes 2-3x a week on my foreheard, nose and around my chin. Luna is a retinol wanna be with Blue Tansy to calm inflammation. It definitely smooths and calms my skin. Good Genes is lactic acid based and is a great exfoliator. It’s a bit strong, but damnnnn does it plump up your skin and it’s probably 110% responsible for glowy I get. The duo is expensive, but I got the set for $85 (smaller sizes of course.) I tried both of them out as samples to make sure it works with my skin and fell in love. Totally worth the cost (*eats Saltine crackers for six weeks.)
• If my skin is feeling a bit dry, I either slather on virgin coconut oil of the Dr. Jart Water Fuse Ultimate Hydrogel. ($39). TBH, I only have the sample size, but a little goes a long way.

It’ s a bit intense, considering I used to ravage my skin with some drugstore knock off acne cleanser and leave far too much eye makeup on that is acceptable at all. But you can tell the difference.

But topical stuff aside, my skin looks far better when I’m sleeping enough, drinking water, taking probiotics, starting the morning off with warm lemon water, and staying away from diary and gluten, but more on that later. (Because the puppies are cuddly, it’s raining, and it’s 17 minutes past my bedtime.

xx