My Daily Skincare Routine: 9 Go-To Products + Acne Fighting Tips

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It’s been a minute since I shared my go-to skincare products and daily routine, so I thought it was time for an update. To be honest, in my line of work we are BOMBARDED with beauty and skincare products… like boxes arriving to my house every day. It’s definitely a perk of the job but it’s also a little daunting sometimes, especially for someone who has acne prone skin and gets nervous about putting anything new on her face! I also feel really strongly about testing something for 2+ weeks before I decide if I like it or not which is why I a) have turned down sponsored beauty projects in the past if they require some ridiculous short turn around (hello, can I TRY it first?)  b) am very picky about what I share with you on IG and the blog. 

These products are ones that I’ve vetted for months, even YEARS. Some are drugstore brands and some are more expensive; I don’t discriminate. Also a little reminder that I’m not an esthetician or doctor - hah - I just like to share what works for me in case it may help you! I also strongly believe in getting monthly facials to really clean your skin (see more about that on this post). Keep scrolling for my AM and PM routines. I also created some easy graphics you can save and reference.

My skin type/concerns: oily and acne prone. I very rarely get dry except sometimes in winter months/ after lots of time spent on planes.  My two biggest concerns are: keeping acne at bay and preventing all the fabulous things that come with aging skin . 

AM Skincare Routine: 

1. I introduced a toner fairly recently and honestly it’s been a game changer. To be honest I used to laugh at people who pushed toner because I thought it was just a fancy add but my skin has really become a lot more balanced since using a toner regularly. This Elemis one works great for me and I also enjoy this one from XYZ.

2. After toner I use a vitamin C serum - it helps tremendously with discoloration from acne scars and sunspots - among other things. Here are 3 that I have tried and feel are effective (all different price points). The one I’ve been using most recently is Skinceuticals Phlorentin CF. It’s a close sister to the cult favorite CE Ferulic but better for acne prone skin.

3. Kiehl’s creamy avocado eye cream is just so hydrating! I also love that it sits well under makeup.

4. It only took me 35 years, but I officially wear SPF every day now. Love this journey for me! This summer I fell in love with Mara’s SPF Serum - it leaves my skin so dewy and glowy while providing SPF 35 protection. If you’re someone who doesn’t want added dew, the Elta MD is a great option. Both rub in very well and don’t leave the typical white/grey cast that other face sunscreen tend to do. And as someone with acne prone skin, neither have broken me out.

linking everything again below

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AM SKINCARE PRODUCTS

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PM Skincare Routine:  

My skincare routine is the same every night except for step 3 which is alternating between retinol and and exfoliation treatment. I try really hard to listen to my skin and some nights if it feels dry or just like it needs a break I’ll omit step 3 entirely.

1. I start with Garnier Micellar Water to remove makeup and then wash with Kiehls’ gentle cleanser. My hubby and I both love this cleanser!

2. Tone tone tone! This also helps get any excess makeup and dirt that may still be lingering.

3. RETINOL DAYS:

4. Followed by Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel - supposedly you can use this daily but I just feel like it’s a little too strong to use every day. Every other day or even just 2x a week is enough for me. Aside from being effective, the packets make this product so easy to travel with.

4. For eyes, I’ve been using the La Mer eye concentrate. It was a gift, a very generous gift. I think when it’s thru I will just continue to use the Kiehls avocado cream.

1. To finish everything off I apply the Mara Face Oil. Truly I love EVERY product Mara makes but this oil is the HOLY GRAIL! I know so many EDPfam babes who have started using it and seen great results. I wake up so hydrated and plump. It’s just packed with tons of skin nutrients and does not make me break out at all. They also have Mara Algae Retinol Oil - a treatment product with 1.2% Retinol so you could also use that product for a step 3/5 combo if you wanted 2 products in 1.

There’s a lot of misconceptions about retinol, so if you are confused abot when and how to use I would suggest using this post as a guide. It’s really helped me!

1. If you’ve been following me for a bit you know that Clearasil Stubborn Acne Acne Control Pads have been a saving grace for YEARS (like maybe 6!). I used to be a big ProActive girl and then my skin pretty much became immune to Benzoyl Peroxide. At that point I was like WTF?! One day I was at my parents house and saw the Clearasil pads (they were for my teenage siblings) and thought: what the heck? And I’ve been hooked ever since.

   I started using Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel about 2 or 3 yrs ago and loved how my skin felt in the morning. Both this and the Clearasil pads are exfoliants, the Clearasil just really focuses on acne with high % of Salicylic Acid whereas the Dr. Dennis Gross focuses on all the glories of aging skin with a combination of 5 alpha and beta hydroxy acids and retinol blend with vitamins, antioxidants and resveratrol to reduce fine lines, diminish hyperpigmentation and repair connective tissues. The price tag seems high BUT I strongly believe you don’t need to use it every day. Even if you use twice a week a set of 30 will last you two months.

2. Mara Algae Retinol Oil OR Mara Universal Face Oil - a dropper full pressed into my skin

   I fell in love with Mara Universal Face Oil when they launched early last year. An influencer friend of mine started the brand and she has THE BEST skin. Oils have always been a part of my nighttime routine (see honorable mentions below), so I jumped at the chance to try it. It’s a CLEAN product with nutrient rich superfood plant oils–moringa, bilberry, baobab and kalahari melon–soak your complexion with phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamin A, B, C, D, E, & F and minerals. When I wake up I’m legit glowing and so so hydrated. This is also a must for travel (see more about that on this post.)

6. Tatcha Hydration Firming Eye Serum: I’m also starting to layer this over my Kiehls Line Reducing Eye Brightening Concentrate. I recently re-purchased the Kiehls product after forgetting how much I used to love it a few years back but sadly they changed the formula. After reading a lot of review I’m not sure what’s going on but it definitely doesn’t feel like it used to. It appears (based on what I read) it still has the same potent ingredients, they just changed the texture. I don’t really want to waste it so I chatted with a few people at Sephora about and they said I can use this first then layer over the Tatcha to get the hydration I’ve been missing!

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PM SKINCARE PRODUCTS

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Special Products: 

My #1 favorite Mask is Dr. G Aqua Collagen Mask. I use it before any special event (right before makeup) including my wedding! It really just plumps and hydrates. Skin looks amazing and it creates the best foundation for makeup application!

Paula’s Choice Hyaluronic Acid Booster is my go-to before any flight. I mix it with Mara Universal Face Oil and land looking like a glowing goddess - hah! I’ll also add it to my Skinceutials C E Ferulic when I feel like I need a little something something (usually when I don’t have time to mask).

Tea Trea Oil - really great for cystic acne. Dip a Q-tip in and apply to your skin (make sure it’s not broken skin). The smell is ROUGH but it works. I’ll sometimes do 3 times a day and the stubborn under-skin zit will slowly disappear. If you really can’t take the smell, Sunday Riley UFO is a less smelly but pricier option. There’s also some other benefits to the Sunday Riley one. I recently used a sample and definitely felt like it was effective!

If I use a moisturizer it’s Clinique Moisture Surge or Moisturizing gel: this is really ONLY in the winter time and every few days. 99% of the time I don’t use moisturizer because my skin is super hydrated in the AM after my nighttime oil.  My skin is naturally oily and I’ve found that most moisturizers actually make the oil 10x worse. These are two products that I like a lot because they are a gel not a lotion/cream product.

LIPS: my two go-tos are Clarins Hydra Essentiel Lip Balm and Darphin Petal Infusion Lip Oil. Both are SUPER moisturizing and especially great for travel and winter elements. The Darphin kind of looks like a gloss when you put it on vs. the Clarins which is a bit more subtle. I would say if I had to pick one the Clarins is the way to-go!

Honorary Mentions: 

Two nighttime serums that I have used a ton in the past and definitely still love are KORRES Black Pine Sculpting Oil and Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate.  

KORRES Black Pine Sculpting Oil is a CLEAN product and the price point is under $70 which is pretty awesome! I went through BOTTLES of this stuff in 2017 and early 2018 (wore all through wedding skin prep and week leading up to my wedding).

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Other Skincare Products I Love

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Best Night Serums: Korres Black Pine Noir, Mara Face Oil, Kiehls Midnight Face Oil

Q +A 

How long before you noticed results with Dr. Dennis Gross Peel and the Skinceuticals C E Ferulic? I would say roughly a month to a month and half. You have to be diligent about using. For the dark spots and acne scars it definitely takes some time to see those fading but it works. A bottle of Skincueticals lasts about 3+ months, so you should know by the time you’re done with a bottle if it’s worth it (and it sooo is!)! I know a lot of people that use the Dr. Dennis wipes daily (and according to the directions it can be used daily) but for me that’s too much; when using just twice a week I see a difference. 

Tips for prevent pimples / acne:  Personally, I’ve found the following to be helpful:

• Drinking tons water (see my post for 4 free things you can do to get clear skin)

• Clearasil Face Pads - my #1 product suggestion

• Monthly facials (find someone who will create a custom facial for your skin - deets on my gal here) 

Are the expensive skincare lines that estheticians sell worth it?  My esthetician turned me on to Skinceuticals which is a very reputable skincare brand with pharmaceutical grade ingredients. From what I’ve read and been told, ideally you want pharmaceutical grade ingredients, however, it typically comes with a price. I can’t vouch for all estheticians and what they are trying to sell, so I would suggest doing your research. My gal Molly works under a medical doctor, so I feel comfortable that the products she suggests/they are stocking at their office are high in quality and worth the price. 

Any clean product recs? This is something I haven’t researched much (and probably should start doing) but the Mara, Tatcha, and KORRES beauty products I use are all clean.

Super Hydrating Lotion/ Body Firming I’ve always been a Jergens girl!

Best Eye Creams? Checkout my beauty highlight on IG for a crowd sourced list of the best eye creams from the EDP fam!

Recs on a good toner? I’m not really a toner person but I’ve heard great things about SK II. 

I also got a lot of Qs about travel skincare. You can see what’s in my travel toiletry bag here; its much of the same plus what I use before I fly! 

Hope this was helpful - I tried to his as many things as I could! Def DM me or comment below if you have additional Qs. xo - Ash

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in case you missed it….