A few of you have been asking lately what my skin care routine is like so here it is.

I have been making a conscious effort to use cruelty free, more natural products but there are a few things in here i’m uncertain of that are either older products, samples or gifts.

My Obagi basics.

I received the Obagi C system (for oily skin) from my mother in law who has been using it with great results for a while now. 

Vitamin C Protection Like You’ve Never Seen Before

I found the products a little too drying at first so i only used them once a day until my skin adjusted and now i’m able to use it twice a day as it suggests. My skin has become incredibly clear, obviously i didn’t have deep wrinkles and age spots but my skin tone has definitely evened out. My darkest freckles have lightened, any discoloration from breakouts is basically gone and i feel like my skin has a new radiance.

I thought my skin might miss the more acne-targetting products i’ve used for years to deal with breakouts but i’ve barely had a zit.

My makeup goes on smoother and lasts longer and i don’t need to use as much. I happily go out without any foundation on now which would’ve made me cringe a little before.

Considering this wasn’t something i’d researched and got for myself i was seriously surprised how well its worked for me. Whether this will be a longterm affair or not i’m not sure but i’m happy with the results so far.

My mother in law also got me an avene eye cream that i’ve been using with the obagi and it seems to have kept my eye eczema at bay really well and hydrated any fine lines i had.

Treatments and masks.

In case of breakouts or dry and dull skin, these are my go-to items.

- Murad clarifying mask is great for those giant volcano zits that come out of no where but also good for generally greasy areas like the t-zone.

- Lush grease lightning is the perfect spot treatment for more sensitive skin. It uses tea tree to dry out any problem areas without being too drying. Full of yummy ingredients!

- Fresh rose face mask is great for when i have patchy, dry skin because it hydrates and tones those areas without making the rest of my skin too greasy. Smells like heaven too!

- Ole Henriksen Lemon Strip Flash Peel is great for oily skin that also gets dry skin build up. Definitely brightens my skin tone and leaves it smooth.

My Perricone favorites.

- Intensive Pore Minimizer really does work and i’ve had lasting effects especially around my nose from using this product. I use it first thing in the morning before working out.

- High Potency Evening Repair is something i use at night when my skin has been dry and dull just to give it a boost.

- Cold plasma is one of perricones star products for anti aging but also generally improves your skins texture. I got this in a kit and don’t think i’d necessarily buy it again but it has been a great addition so far. I’d say this is for slightly older skin.

My Naked Skin favorites.

- Their eye makeup remover is great for waterproof makeup and is still so gentle!

- Thirst aid is my favorite any-time moisturizer. I like to slather on a layer of this when flying to help keep my skin supple and protected from all the drying air.

I love getting samples of things i actually like.

Here are my most recent favorites.

This exfoliator is expensive but the sample was awesome. It has really fine granules in it which i always prefer because i feel like they really get into your pores and scrub out all the dry skin and oils. It would probably be pretty harsh on sensitive skin and its definitely not for every day use. I’d say one or twice a week or just as you feel you need it for a boost. I definitely felt like my skin was a lot smoother and my pores were a lot smaller after i used it.

I haven’t used a mask for a while and found this sample in my magic box of sample goodies so gave it a go. The consistency is great, not too thick like a lot of clay-type masks but thick enough to get a good coating. It doesn’t take forever to dry and doesn’t have a lingering sulphur smell like some. Also super easy to wipe off which usually annoys me about clay masks. My skin felt clean and fresh, pores were smaller and it wasn’t super tight and uncomfortable.

The morning of July 4th i was searching through products to find a foundation with an SPF that i could put on fast and go. I found this sample (it doesn’t say which color it was but there are 4 available) and gave it a go. I was really impressed with the coverage which was great but still light. I felt like it left my skin glowing and dewy but not sticky or thick. I’m usually not a fan of tinted moisturisers but i’d definitely buy this! Perfect for days where you want something sheer that still has some coverage and decent SPF.