It’s been a crazy couple of months everywhere, but despite the added stress of COVID-19 and everything that’s come along with it, my skin has been looking pretty darn great recently! Aside from grocery runs every couple weeks, I’ve been isolating at home for almost six weeks now, and keeping to a pretty simple but consistent skincare routine that entire time.
Here’s a look at what I’ve been using in the mornings. (If you keep up with me on Instagram, you will have likely seen most of these products already.) I'll be sharing my night routine and occasional/extra products next.
This cleanser has been in and out of my iHerb cart for at least a year and I’m so glad I finally ordered it last month! Marketed as “pH perfection,” the Cream Cleanser is intended to gently cleanse while moisturizing, soothing, and supporting the skin’s natural balance of oils. The ingredients feature oil-balancing jojoba, sesame, and macadamia oils, moisturizing shea butter, hydrating and water-binding sodium hyaluronate, sodium PCA, and algae extract, and antioxidant-rich green tea and orchid extract. It’s a nice lotiony cleanser that leaves skin feeling soft and refreshed without any heavy residue, and I just love it for a quick and gentle morning cleanse. The Cream Cleanser smells fresh and floral, courtesy of the orchid, but the scent is mild and unobtrusive.
Thayers toners are a true classic, and this Facial Mist, a re-imagining with a handy spray top, has sparked my love for them once again. Since eliminating disposable cotton from my routine, I typically apply toner using just my hands, and the spray top makes things that much easier! Thayers steeps their witch hazel in water rather than alcohol, which means it retains all the natural tannins and antioxidants from the plant without the drying properties inherent to a traditional alcohol distillation. The end result still acts as a natural astringent, balancing oil production and cleaning out pores, plus Thayers' hydrating formula also incorporates organic aloe vera and glycerin. The unscented version, which truly has virtually no aroma, has always been my favourite, and I’ve been loving having it back in my lineup this spring.
The AM Serum-Shot is a multi-functional morning serum loaded with active ingredients and potent botanicals. The formula includes niacinamide, sodium hyaluronate, stable vitamin C, ferulic acid, peptides, manuka honey, and green tea, mugwort, and grape seed extracts in a hydrating base of aloe vera, panthenol, and glycerin. The Serum-Shot promises to hydrate, firm, and improve skin tone, while reducing the appearance of pores and wrinkles and I do think it delivers. After roughly two months of use, my skin seems firmer and more plump, and my pores are looking pretty great too.
I’ve had so much love for {save} Skincare the last few months, with this moisturizer being my latest hit. Formulated with probiotics and prebiotics to support the natural microflora of the skin, it's a fantastic lightweight lotion that helps strengthen the skin's defensive barrier. The ingredients also include a silica-rich bamboo bioferment that acts as a natural silicone substitute and lends a similar softness to the product, and bakuchiol, a plant-derived retinol alternative that boosts collagen and elastin production. The moisturizer is very light, and I’ve been enjoying mixing in a few drops of the next product to add a little extra moisture, but I can definitely see myself using this on its own once the weather warms up a little more.
Okanagan Lavender & Herb Farm Sensitive Skin Face Serum
I’ve used this oil, which just scored a runner-up spot in the 2020 Clean Beauty Awards, alone as well, but most recently, as mentioned, I’ve been mixing a couple drops into the {save} moisturizer. With a simple ingredient list featuring lavender, immortelle, rose geranium, and frankincense essential oils in a base of herb-infused sunflower, jojoba, avocado, apricot kernel, and rosehip oils, the Sensitive Skin Serum is a beautiful soothing blend that’s great for targeting sensitive or inflamed skin, or for just adding a hit of moisture. I’ve also started using the oil as an eye serum/under eye primer immediately before makeup and I love the way my concealer applies over top. As an added bonus, the lavender essential oil and herbs are all sustainably grown, hand-harvested, and distilled on the company's family-run farm in BC, so you know they’re extra fresh and potent.
Have you been keeping up with a consistent skincare routine despite everything going on right now?
Have you been keeping up with a consistent skincare routine despite everything going on right now?
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