The Skin Care Drop *updated*
I’m not saying people are begging me to “drop the skincare routine,” but it tends to come up anytime I’m chatting with girlfriends. I’m happy to go on at length about what works and what’s a waste, but what better way to make a case for good habits than simply telling you what I use and do each day?
So, here’s the current version of my skincare routine, which is generally tweaked seasonally and I adjust if something weird is going on with my skin. For example, I’ve recently swapped serums and added in the Dr. Loretta Intense Hydrating Serum after getting a recommendation from my facialist, and it’s mega hydrating for the colder months. It’s also the time of year to reintroduce a couple of drops of my very Venn Red Oil Serum into my moisturizer to seal everything in. Always Be Tinkering.
The only other thing I'll add is that I go all out on good skin so I don't feel like I need to wear makeup. I'm a busy mom, and sometimes I just don't have time to put on a face. Making sure my skin is glowing is a life hack, tbh. If you have any questions or are overwhelmed, shoot me a reply or DM and I'm happy to help point you in the right direction!
Beauty is supposed to be FUN! So let's have some...
FACE
In the morning, while I wait for my conditioner to do it’s thing, I rinse my face with a tiny amount of either SkinCeuticals Gel Cleanser or Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser, the latter having delicate exfoliation properties. I use my Foreo face brush to give myself a little sonic silicone assistance. Yes, it’s like a vibrator for your face and it does it all: an excellent deep clean, mild exfoliation, and all of that Gua Sha / lymphatic drainage / face massage you aspire to do but can't quite fit into the mix. It’s quite a luxe start to the day.
Post shower, I hit with SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF with Ferulic Acid. No, this is not the popular 'hot dog water' CE Ferulic but it's a close relative for those of us with oily or combination skin. Both formulas are very effective daily topical antioxidants and vitamin C. I pat 4 drops of that onto my skin and follow it up with the tiniest dollop of Dr. Loretta's Intense Hydrating Serum. This serum is a departure from my usual Dr. Sturm Hyaluronic Serum, which is fantastic and very effective but expensive. Dr. Loretta's hero ingredient lipochroman packs the moisture and keeps my skin calm with vitamins E+F. It has a dewy finish that I am a big fan of. Glazed donut, indeed.
If I have money to spare, I will throw down for the Clarins Double Serum. It's legit and I swear it's like the Paris filter on IG. If I am traveling or want to change it up for funsies, I really love Origins Youth Serum.
Okay, time for more SkinCeuticals. Hey, I use what works! I use a tiny amount of the A.G.E advanced eye cream, and then add 3 drops of the Venn oil to my Daily Moisture, covering my face and locking all of the goodness in.
If my skin is on the oilier side, I will swipe on some Colorescience sheer matte powder SPF. When it's more on the normal-to-dry side, I prefer Unsun's mineral tinted sunscreen (I use light/medium).
To keep the luxe morning going, I will mist my face with the rehydrating Neroli water and pretend for a few seconds that I am at a bougie spa.
In the evening I gently scrub my face with the Humanrace Rice Powder Cleanser (it lives up to the hype), and I massage my face for quite a while in order to get the day’s gunk off of it and melt my worries away. I follow up with 10 minutes under the red light of my Omnilux red light mask for face and for neck. They say mornings are the best for it, but it doesn’t fit into the schedule. Plus, I like the forced downtime of the evening routine. Either way, I’ve noticed a significant difference in my skin in terms of discolouration, overall plumpness, and redness.
Depending on how my skin feels, I'll do one of two things:
Slather on the Dr. Loretta serum from the morning's routine, and follow it up with prescription retinol ie Tretinoin cream. If I'm really battling congestion, I'll instead go for The Ordinary's salicylic acid and the famed French Pharmacy A313 cream, which is a great option if you find your skin can't tolerate a prescription retinol.
The Daily Moisture is next, and then I live my best life by pretending I'm at a spa and spritzing Sangre de Fruta's botanical tonic all over my face.
To finish up, I swipe Latisse over my eyelashes and castor oil over my brows, and I pop the best smelling Somerset Moss facial balm onto my lips. Voila.
Depending on the day, the time, my skin, and my mood, I also do a mask or a combination of any of the following:
Dr. Dennis Gross Universal Daily Peel Pads, which transform my skin overnight.
The SK-II masks are so calming and hydrating, I love to use them following a more intense mask like the 111Skin anti-blemish mask or SkinCeuticals clarifying clay mask, which has a bit of bite.
BODY
Next up: my very high- and low-taste for body care beauty products.
In order to actually use it, I leave my dry brush on the rack in the shower. I use it before I turn the water on, and enjoy the light exfoliation, getting the lymphatic system going, and increasing circulation.
I am not bougie when it comes to regular body wash. I enjoy whatever is on sale and believe most soap is just…soap. Last month it was Method’s body wash, and this month it is Morocconoil in the “Amber Noir” scent because it makes me feel expensive. For lots of suds, I use a natural loofah or sponge.
In order to avoid body acne or random bumps, I use Neutrogena’s Body Clear body wash with salicylic acid. A few times per week, I’ll be extra diligent and use this wash on my chest and back where I tend to get pretty sweaty.
For general exfoliation, I use these dumb gloves but they really work. When I want to pretend I’m at a spa, I indulge with the Clairins body scrub and my skin feels so good I could turn myself on if I really focused. I also keep a pumice stone nearby as well to work on my heels.
I wish I had a fancy razor recommendation but, again, the drug store staples tend to win. I love the men’s Schick Hydro-Skin Comfort with 5 blades. If it can manage a dude’s face, it can handle my stems.
Post-shower, I go all out with a few pumps of heavy-duty Eucerin body lotion mixed with a couple of pumps of scented body oil - I have a luxe oil from Tata Harper and a more generic use option with a yummy scent. This makes the oil last a bit longer and I still get the effect and scent. When I have time, I get luxe with Nécessaire’s body serum because goddamn it really makes a difference. We spend so much time and money on our faces, and their products remind me to take care of the rest of my body, too.
Before I tuck in for the night, I do my best impression of a little old lady and squirt some cuticle oil from L’Occitane on my tired hands, and follow it up with a fat schmear of their hand lotion.
I really want to throw down for one of these Higher Dose Infrared Sauna Blankets but it hasn't been in the budget. The health benefits of infrared and sauna are incredible and I feel like that will be the next big ticket item on my list! If you have one or get one, report back!
SERVICES
While this really isn't a shoppable list, I wanted to share the other things I do to make sure my skin is top notch. You can have a lot of treatments and services done with many different types of practitioners, and I opt to keep my choice crew small and mighty. I don't need to risk messing up this face, and am therefore never casual about who I let handle it.
Face
I visit Dr. Shannon Humphrey and her team in Vancouver for various laser treatments, which I affectionately call 'laser beams'. I find the IPL treatment followed by the Clear+Brilliant service my skin best. I am in awe of the different in my skin since I started visiting her nearly 8 years ago, and I can't recommend her enough!
For general acupuncture I see Vivien Hsiung, who will also treat my face and jaw which relieves tension and improves facial muscle tone. She's magic and you'll love her.
In addition, I have a monthly subscription to Formula Fig, a facial bar and the genius creation of JJ Walsh. They offer several different options for a 30 minute medical grade facial, and I alternate between the All In and the Collagen and Texture Facial. The team is also my go to resource for knowledge and fun skin care products. Fig has locations in Vancouver, Toronto, and LA.
Body
Massage and physiotherapy from Myodetox. Incredibly effective and functional, and not a spa-like experience. These practitioners are aiming to keep you mega fit.
Studio Sette is a next-level experience for lymphatic massage.
Arbutus Laser Centre is a bit old-school, but they've been in the laser game for a *lot* longer than it's been cool. They are my go-to for all things hair removal, and while it can be snappy and a bit painful, it's well worth-it.
My high-maintenance beauty friend also swears by Vancouver Laser (they even zap nipple hairs!).
For waxing, Waxon in Toronto and Stripped in Vancouver. I have tried home wax and I just can't recommend it! Someday I’ll feel brave enough to share the shocking photos.