If you’re anything like me, you’ve started to accumulate a healthy collection of skin serums, treatments, oils and masks from any number of the new age skincare brands like The Ordinary and The Inkey List which I have been LOVING. It’s about time skincare was more transparent about their ingredients and became more affordable without sacrificing quality.
Now that we have all of these wonderful new products available to us, I wanted to dig a little deeper into what an effective skincare routine looked like and which products pair well together. To be honest, before this I would just throw whatever on my face without rhyme or reason and see what happened? ? But it turns out there is some legit biochemistry behind a good quality skincare routine and I wanted to share some of that info with you all ☺️
HERE’S WHAT OUR GAME-CHANGING NATURAL SKINCARE ROUTINE LOOKS LIKE:
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1. DOUBLE CLEANSING:
yup that’s right, this one is important! I was not a huge fan of this idea because who wants to wash their face twice?? But after implementing this step and trying some new products – I’ve noticed a huge difference in the clarity of my skin. I use double cleaning in my nighttime routine if I’ve worn makeup or sunscreen. In the morning, I do a single cleanse – here are the deets:
First, cleanse with a facial oil to remove any makeup, sunscreen or dirt accumulation from the day. Cleansing oils pull dirt and oil out of our pores without any harshness or stripping of the skin. I am OBSESSED with this facial oil cleaner from COCOKIND. It feels like you are in a luxury spa the moment you put it on your face. It has the cleanest ingredients and leaves my skin feeling silky and ultra-smooth.
Second, use a non-oil cleanser to clean the rest of the oil off of your face, leaving a clean palette for better absorption of treatments and serums to come. You can use a variety of cleansers here – I have been liking low pH, cream and milk cleansers, as they again don’t strip away the natural protective layers of your skin. Using a low pH (acidic) cleanser helps prevent stripping of acids from your skin that can occur with high pH cleansers. If you find your skin is more on the oily side, you can try a cleanser with salicylic acid. I am currently using this Good Morning low pH cleanser from CosRx which is a K-beauty brand I have been loving. They have all-natural ingredients like birch sap and tea tree and don’t use fake fragrances, fillers, phthalates or parabens. Another popular second cleanse is micellar water which is a great lightweight and affordable option.
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2. TONER/ESSENCE:
Now you can apply a light layer of toner or essence. These are very similar products. A toner is traditionally the last step of cleansing which cleans away any remaining dirt or residue and adjusts the pH of the skin. AHA and BHA (alpha + beta hydroxy acids ) toners get deep into pores and provide mild exfoliation to help unclog buildup. An essence is typically the first step of the treatments and functions as more of a lightweight serum, which usually contains some concentration of vitamins, minerals, and herbal infusions. This provides slightly more targeted skin treatment such as barrier repair and hydration. I’ve been using The Ordinary AHA Toner and Cocokind’s Raspberry Vinegar toner.
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3. LIQUID TREATMENTS:
Now comes the real game-changers, the new age liquid treatments I have been loving in my skincare routine. These completely changed the health and durability of my skin and all for a very affordable price point. These treatments are targeted ingredients applied before your moisturizer to optimize absorption. Many serums such as Vitamin C are pH-sensitive. They function optimally under a lower pH range – which is why it is important to use them right after the toning step. These treatments help repair the skin and create a stronger barrier to make your skin more resilient to environmental damage. Retinoids can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and discolouration. Niacinamide (B3) helps reduce the appearance of large pores, reduces dullness and fine lines and evens skin tone. Zinc has an anti-inflammatory effect and can help reduce acne and redness. For these reasons, I love using The Ordinary 10% Niacinamide + zinc serum with The Ordinary retinol serums to help reduce sensitivity and recovery from the retinol. I use retinol at night because the majority of skin repair and turnover occurs while you sleep (aka beauty rest ?). I also like The Ordinary Lactic acid for a mild exfoliation.
Note: Niacinimide + vitamin C react poorly together, so make sure to use these two products separately if using them both in your routine
I also love hydrating serums such as hyaluronic acid and polyglutamic acid. The Ordinary caffeine serum is also a great morning under-eye and upper lip booster to help fight puffiness. Peptides are another great addition to a skincare routine to help provide amino acids which help build collagen and elastin to keep skin firm and smooth.
Note: you’ll want to pat/push these serums into your skin vs rubbing in order to maximize absorption. Choose a maximum of two to use during your routine to maximize their absorption.
Tip: You can also add a drop of hyaluronic acid or polyglutamic acid to your foundation to give your skin a more hydrated dewy look.
The Ordinary and The Inkey list both provide great targeted treatment options at very affordable pricing – I do slightly prefer The Ordinary because their product comes in recyclable glass jars vs plastic which The Inkey List uses. There are also a number of great clean beauty brands at Wholefoods. You can find all of The Ordinary brand products at well.ca, Sephora, or Amazon and The Inkey list can be found at Shoppers Drug Mart and Amazon.
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4. FACIAL OIL:
Facial oil is a newfound appreciation for me. I used to think that using oils would make my skin oily or greasy, but they actually provide my skin with so much hydration that I was lacking before. It’s best to apply facial oil to hydrated skin (from serums in prev step) then apply a moisturizer afterwards to lock that moisture in. I would also suggest using facial oil during the day to protect your skin and use them away from retinoids, which you can incorporate at night to increase skin repair. If you are new to retinoids start with a lower concentration once a week, then you can slowly increase to 3x per week and a higher concentration. Facial oils are excellent at locking in hydration while also providing some added nutrients such as vitamins and antioxidants. Some of my favourites I’m currently using are the Cocokind chia oil and Cocokind Golden Elixir (Obsessed with this one right now) which you can use on your face, body and hair, Whoop? (Also love putting oils in my hair post drying). The Ordinary chia oil, The Ordinary Marula oil, The Ordinary Rosehip seed oil – which are all organic and cold-pressed?.
Make-up tip: I love adding a dab of facial oil over my cheekbones after I’ve applied blush. It gives my cheeks a lovely dewy glow and natural highlight.
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5. Moisturizer:
A good quality moisturizer brings home this whole routine. Finish off with a very small amount of moisturizer, which adds an additional protective layer over the skin and also locks in all of those nutrients you’ve just applied. Locking in those serums helps with their absorption and improves the effectiveness of their ingredients. I’ve been loving this oil-free moisturizer from CosRx which has super clean all-natural ingredients including birth sap, japonica juice and tea tree leaf oil. It has a light refreshing scent that I love applying each day.
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I hope you enjoyed reading this information and hope it will help you make wise purchases when it comes to your own skincare routine.
For more information on clean beauty and personal care products, check out the Think Dirty app and the Environmental Working Group apps.
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