Two things happened recently that made me think a little more about skincare:
- Z and I moved to a place with a larger bathroom. Our old bathroom was pretty dingy. This one is somewhat less dingy, however, the lights above the vanity mirror were out. Z replaced them, so now I have a bathroom with very good lighting and a fair amount of counter space.
- Some friends and I had a talk, and it sounds like everyone is using some kind of retinol except me.
Honestly, #1 has been terrible. The first time I used the bathroom after Z replaced the lights, I was like: “OMG, my skin! I can’t believe it looks like that!”
Dim lighting is great for self-esteem. Bright lighting, I am not loving. Especially bright lighting after several years of dim lighting. Before Z and I lived together, I remember spending hours in the bathroom, inspecting my pores. I hadn’t done that in years, and I hadn’t really realized it was because the bathroom at my place with Z was so terrible.
So, I’ve talked to some friends, done some research, spent a bit of time in front of my bathroom mirror, made some purchases, and am starting a new skin care routine.
Every Morning
- Cleanse with gentle cleanser (I’m using Cetaphil)
- Vitamin C Serum (needs to be minimum 30% to be effective. Vitamin C boosts your skin’s collagen production)*
- SPF!
* I’m going to wait and start this after my baby has stopped sucking my face. Right now, she is like a little guppy. In the mornings, she often grabs my face and sucks on my nose or chin or cheek, so I’m going pretty easy on the product until this passes.
Every Evening
- Cleanse with gentle cleanser
- Apply Retinoid*
- Apply Moisturizer
*You have to work up your tolerance to using a retinoid, and you should avoid this when pregnant or breastfeeding. I myself have not started yet, but I bought some basic product from DECIEM. While working your way up, you might want to reverse step #3 and #2 (moisturizer first).
I love the Avene brand moisturizers.
Weekly
- Instead of using gentle cleanser 7 days a week, once-a-week I’m going to use a salicylic acid cleanser, because I want a few of the pores in my T-zone to be smaller.
- I’ve also bought a generic brand mechanical facial brush, which is apparently more effective than using your hands or a washcloth.
I will let you know how it goes. I’m trying to keep it pretty simple, but I might go in for some microdermabrasion every few months. I used to go before I lived with Z, back when I had good bathroom lighting, and I’m thinking now that I have good lighting again, maybe it’s worth revisiting.
