Current Skin Care Routine

Do you switch up your skin care routine, or are you dedicated to the same products year after year? While I am pretty loyal to many products and keep my tried-and-true on hand, I enjoy trying new products and switching up my routine. Here's my current skin care routine:

1 // using this face wash every morning when I get up. I won it in an Instagram giveaway, and I'm so glad I did! It's all-natural (and handmade too!), and it feels so good. It's really moisturizing, so for the first time in my life I'm not having to wear any kind of day cream as a moisturizer!

2 // using this body butter for extra hydration all over. It's nothing special--I got it as a sample in the mail and you can find it at Walmart--but I love the coconut scent, and it's really hydrating.

3 // using this scrub to exfoliate my face every night in the shower. It's the one product that I've used every day for about 15 years, and I can't move away from it. My face feels so smooth afterwards!

4 // using this cleansing gel every night in the shower to cleanse after exfoliating. With the humidity of summer I can actually use a gel face wash rather than a creamy one, something I can never do in the winter. This is really cleansing, and I'm a big fan of the anti-aging element.

5 // using this face cream before bed. It's a bit of a thicker cream which helps holds in moisture on my face all night long.

6 // using this body cream on my hands every night when I get in bed. The eucalyptus scent is supposed to be calming, and I've found that it is! I've been using this every night when I get in bed since Madeleine was born, and it's definitely become part of my nighttime routine.

5 Products I'm Using Every Day

Popping in on this Wednesday with another 5 Products I'm Using Every Day post...

ban.do agenda // Back in the fall I wrote a post on my favorite agendas, and I just have to say that I am loving having a planner again! I keep it on the desk in my office, and I am using it each day for reminders, plans, upcoming appointments, etc. I also am using it to keep track of my yearly and monthly goals, which is a great place for it.

The Honest Company multi-surface cleaner // I am a fanatic about wiping off my countertops, and I am loving using this spray. I can rest easy knowing it's safe for Madeleine, and I also use it on her high chair tray. It smells good, which is a big factor to me in whether I will actually use a product or not.

babyganics face, hand, & baby wipes // Again, I love using a product that I know is safe for Madeleine. I use these wipes on her face and hands after she's finished eating. Side note: why do babies absolutely hate having their mouths wiped off??

Urban Decay Original Eye Shadow Primer Potion // This eye shadow primer is amazing. It keeps my eye shadow looking fresh all day, but the biggest difference I've been able to tell is that my eye liner doesn't fade away and look smeared. A little touch of this goes a long way in helping my makeup's staying power.

Sharpie Pens // I've been using these pens for years. They write smoothly, but I really love them because they don't bleed through pages. I am one to frequently underline in the books I'm reading, so I love that it's colorful but doesn't bleed through - even on the thin pages of my Bible!

Fighting winter dry skin

I've always struggled with dry skin in the winter, but since being pregnant and giving birth, my dry skin has gotten a lot worse! Here's what I've been using to combat my winter dry skin:

one // This is by far the best hand cream I've ever used. I only had a small amount of this, and I've used it all up. It seems a little pricey for lotion, but it works so well I will probably break down and buy some more.

two // I use this really hydrating mask a couple of times per week. I put it on as my moisturizer before I go to bed. It soaks into the skin overnight and leaves my face feeling really well-hydrated and smooth. 

three // I really like this lotion for a cheaper, easy to find option. It has a faint coconut smell which is really refreshing, and it leaves my hands smooth but not oily.

four // All cuticle creams are probably about the same, but this is the one that I use and has worked for me. 

five // I just started using this face cream this winter, and I really like it! It's pretty thick, so I was afraid my face would feel sticky, but it doesn't. It soaks in well and has really helped keep my face moisturized and soft.  

six // This lip mask feels (and tastes) so good! I use it at night before I go to bed, and my lips are still moisturized and smooth when I wake up. I think there's some tinted versions that you could also put on during the day to give your lip a little color.

What are some of your favorite dry skin products?

5 Products I'm Using Every Day

I love trying out new beauty products, so there is a constant rotation through my bathroom of new hair, makeup, and skin care products. While I try many things that I like decently well, the true test of a great product is if it stays in my regimen for more than a couple of weeks. These 5 products are ones that I am using every. single. day. and have been for several months now.

Softsoap Basil & Lime Hand soap // This has got to be the best hand soap I've ever used that you can purchase at a big box store. I have a really sensitive nose, so I am very particular about what kind of hand soap I use, since I can smell it long after I've finished washing my hands. My mother-in-law had this soap at her house over the summer, and I immediately knew I needed it. I've stocked up on it in case they ever decide to stop making it.

Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Body Cream in Eucalyptus Tea // My aunt brought me a sweet gift bag of several items right after Madeleine was born, and this body cream was one of them. I've been using it on my hands every night when I get into bed since Madeleine was about a week old. It really is very calming, and I love that this scent will forever remind me of those early days when Madeleine was so tiny and new.

Olay Regenerist Luminous Tone Perfecting Cream // It's so hard for me to find a moisturizer that I love. I lean towards having dry skin, so I want it to soak in and moisturize without leaving my skin greasy. This cream is not heavy at all, but it leaves my face feeling so smooth. Bonus: it smells SO good (notice a trend here??).

Dove Advanced Care Nutrium Moisture Deodorant in Caring Coconut // I don't know if it's just me, but since becoming a mom I sweat like nobody's business. Between carrying a heavy carseat with a growing baby in it, to having said baby right up against me eating every few hours, I am constantly hot. I've used Dove deodorant for as long as I can remember, but this newer line of the nutrium moisture is my favorite. It goes on really smooth and--you guessed it--smells good. It smells better than that powdery scent of most deodorants, but the scent isn't so strong that it's trying to act like your perfume.

John Freida Beach Blonde Smooth Seas Detangling Conditioner // I really like John Freida products for my hair, and I think this might be my favorite one yet. My hair gets really tangly and just a small amount of this conditioner detangles really well. It's also lightweight, which I need since my hair is pretty fine. It has a minty scent to it which is really refreshing and energizing.

Do you already use any of these products? What are some products that you are using every day?

P.S. More 5 Things Posts

Birchbox Favorites

Do you get Birchbox? I've been subscribing for about six months now, and I really enjoy it. I frequently will purchase new beauty products to try, so I really like having them picked out for me and delivered to my door! There are a few products that I've received that I really, really like. You can't expect every item in every box to be a hit for your personal taste in beauty products, but the ones below are my favorites. 

1 // Toni & Guy Casual Sea Salt Texturising Spray // This spray really gives good texture and volume if you want wavy or curly hair, and it also smells so good! 

2 // Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips // Don't let "nipple balm" scare you off! This lip balm works so well and keeps your lips moisturized for a long time. I'm never without chapstick, and this is one that I have found actually works well.

3 // KMS California Freeshape Hot Flex Spray // I flatiron my hair most days, so I need something that will protect my hair from all of the heat. This smells good and does the trick.

4 // Folle de Joie Eau de Parfum // I have gotten quite a few perfume samples in my Birchbox, and this is by far my favorite. I actually wear this regularly and love it. 

5 // Tocca Crema da Mano Luxe in Cleopatra // My skin gets extremely dry in the winter, so I am always putting on hand cream. The grapefruit and cucumber so smell fresh, and it really keeps my hands well-hydrated.

6 // Number 4 Super Comb Prep & Protect // This leave-in conditioner is my other favorite hair product that I've gotten. It smells really good (clearly a must when it comes to my hair products!), detangles like a champ, and also protects from heat damage.

My Favorite Moisturizers

If I had to pick only one makeup/skincare product to use for the rest of my life, I would be super stressed out at the thought but moisturizer would be high on the list of possibilities. I have really dry skin, so I am very faithful at cleansing and moisturizing my face morning and evening--no matter what.  I've tried lots of different kinds*, but these are the four that I've been the most pleased with. They don't go on too thick and they make my skin feel soft and fresh. They also don't have a strong scent, they just smell clean, except for #3 which smells like cucumbers (and I love it!). If you're looking to try a new moisturizer, here are my recommendations, in a range of prices:

1) Origins Starting Over Age Erasing Moisturizer with Mimoa ($47.50)

2) Mary Kay TimeWise Age-Fighting Moisturizer ($22)

3) Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Daily Calming Moisturizer ($14.99)

4) Simple Light Hydrating Moisturizer ($10-$12)

What is your go-to moisturizer?

*Note: When trying new skincare or makeup products, be sure to add only one new product at a time. After trying it for a couple of weeks, add one more new product. This way you will know which products you may have an adverse reaction to.

Daily Skin Care Routine

Over the weekend I had several people comment on my face.  I think the word was "glowing" and they were convinced I was pregnant (I'm not).  I thought it was so funny because in the past month or so I've really noticed that I'm finally happy with my skin!  I'm not acne prone, but I had never liked my skin texture or the occasional red splotch I would get.  After getting questions about what I'm using on my face, I thought I'd share with you the daily skin care routine that I've found to be the best for my skin.

I use St. Ives Apricot Scrub every morning when I first get in the shower.

Every morning I cleanse my face with Origins A Perfect World cleanser.

I make sure to cleanse my face after I shampoo and condition my hair

to prevent hairline breakouts.  Also I leave my

cleanser on my face for 30-45 seconds.

After moisturizing I lightly brush on Mary Kay Mineral Powder. 

Then I use a little bit of Mary Kay Mineral Bronzing Powder in Sandstone.

Before bed I remove my makeup with these and cleanse my face 

with Aveeno Ultra Calming Foaming Cleanser.

Even when I'm really tired I never let myself go to bed

without taking off all my makeup and washing my face.

Again, this is what I've found to be the best for my skin.  It takes a while of trying different products and routines to figure out what works best for you.  For other skin care products that I like and use, see this post.  Also check out Lindsay's blog!  She gives amazing skin care tips that I have found really helpful!

What is your daily skin care routine?

Products I Love: Origins

One of my favorite brands of skincare is Origins.  My sister-in-law used to work at Origins and got me hooked!  I love that their products are natural and without all of those things you're supposed to avoid in beauty products*.  I also like that you don't have to use very much of any product each time, so they last a while!  I haven't tried Origins makeup, and I certainly haven't tried all of their skincare products, but these are my absolute favorites that I use all the time:     

A Perfect World Cleanser

I use this face wash every day.  It's best for

 combination/dry skin and has age-fighting protection.

A Perfect World Serum

I put this serum on before my moisturizer.  

The silver tip white tea protects against visible oxidation, 

deterioration, and dehydration of your skin.

Starting Over Age-Erasing Moisturizer

After I cleanse and apply serum, I use this moisturizer.

It helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but

I mostly like that it helps improve my skin texture and tone.

GinZing Eye Cream

This eye cream is amazing!  I use it in the mornings

to help reduce puffiness and darkness under my eyes.

It contains caffeine (among other things) to help

wake up and refresh tired eyes.

Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask

This is my favorite mask.  You should use it

about once a week rid your skin of toxins, dirt, and debris.

High-Potency Night-A-Mins

After I cleanse my face at night, I put this on instead

of my other moisturizer.  It smells amazing and works

through the night to replenish your skin.  I love how it 

makes my face feel!

Modern Friction

This is a great dermabrasion to use

a few times a week.  It's gentle enough

for my sensitive skin, and it leaves my 

face feeling so soft!

Do you use Origins products?  What are some of your favorite skincare lines?

P.S.  Right now Origins.com is offering free shipping!

*Origins products are made with natural and certified organic ingredients and 100% natural essential oils.  Origins products are also formulated without parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol, mineral oil, PABA, petrolatum, parrafin, DEA, and animal ingredients.