Skin Care 101: Pt II

I've gotten a lot of requests to do an updated skin care routine and since I recently changed a few of my steps, what better time than now? In case you missed my first post (Skin Care 101) and you don't feel like reading through my older skin care ramblings,  I do not suffer from any sort of severe breakouts, blemishes, dry/oily spots, etc. However, I do suffer from each of those symptoms moderately when the seasons change, specifically summer to fall or winter to spring. Since we experience frequent temperature changes during those two time periods, skin tends to react to it just as we do. 

Every year during these times I make sure I head over to Lush to pick up at least one of their Fresh Face Masks because they are the only things that seem to control and cure my oily/dry spots, small breakouts and any other issues I have at the time. I've been experimenting for the past few years with which masks work best for me during which time so below is my current winter to spring regimne.

Since my last skin care post I have also switched over to Lush products completely and am extremely happy with the results so far. Since we all have different skin types, my specific regimen may or may not work for you, luckily the lovely ladies and gentlemen at Lush are a lot more knowledgeable than I am in this field and will always help you out. Since I am in no way, shape or form trained in skin care all of my advice is from personal experience with a little help from my friends at Lush.

CUPCAKE

Fresh Face Mask @ Lush / $6.95

This is my go-to mask for this time of year, since I mentioned that my skin does get a little oily as the weather is constantly changing from hot to cold, after just one use I noticed a huge difference. If you aren't familiar the Fresh Face Masks, they only last about two weeks because they're generally made with food products and need to be refrigerated at all times.. therefore they do expire. So, after my two weeks are over, my oily spots are completely gone and my skin settles into the weather perfectly. It also smells like chocolate so what more could I ask for?

THE SACRED TRUTH

Fresh Face Mask @ Lush / $6.95

This year I also incorporated a second mask into my routine and although this one isn't made from chocolate it still smells great and gets the job done. I picked up this mask specifically to deal with any sort of unevenness in my skin while it's going through its weather changing stage. The lovely lady at Lush explained that the ingredients act as a toner and would help to calm any redness and help with any dry spots while the other mask helped with oily spots. I used each of these masks over a two week period (alternating every other day or two) and am extremely pleased with how well my skin is adjusting to the weather change.

OCEAN SALT
face & body scrub @ Lush / $21.95

 I've recently purchased Ocean Salt to use as my exfoliator and I personally feel that it does a much better job than anything I've previously used (it also strangely tastes like a salty Margherita if you accidentally eat some). I will say that it is a little more harsh than anything else I've used in the past so I don't have to use it every single day. To me, this is one of the most important parts of my routine and I always stress it to other's as well so here's my excerpt from my last post that has a lot more detail on exfoliating:

"I'm pretty sure I've said it about 80 times already, but I feel that it is one of the most beneficial things you could do for yourself. When I was younger I was obsessed with using any face wash with the "little beads" because I thought they were fun. Little did I know, I was giving myself an early start to training my skin to "renew" itself for the rest of my life. If you exfoliate correctly and care for your skin afterward, you actually teach your skin to build collagen or "renew" itself constantly, thus creating healthier, younger looker skin. I take about two minutes every other day to exfoliate with St. Ives Apricot Scrub while I'm in the shower by using only use the tips of my fingers so that I don't apply too much pressure and damage my skin. This is also an important step for any gentlemen interested in skin care, not only will it leave your face feeling smooth it will also get any dirt out of your hair follicles that may cause razor bumps after shaving."

(I bought this product to replace my St. Ive's Apricot Scrub)

ULTRABLAND
facial cleanser @ Lush / $16.95

A few months ago I chose to replace my makeup remover with Ultrabland because at the time I needed something that would not only take off my make-up but moisturize my face as well. Although I do love it and use it every day, I will say that is on the thicker side so I'm not sure that it will work for any and all skin types. Even though I've only been using this specific product for a few months, I've noticed that my skin is generally softer, more smooth and there is little to not makeup left over on my skin afterwards.
( I bought this product to replace my Neutrogena Oil-Free Make-Up Remover)

9 TO 5
cleansing lotion @ Lush / $21.95

My best friend Lipsa introduced me to this product years ago and I still swear by it. If you now Lipsa personally her skin is flawless which is why I trusted her opinion on it, you can find her on instagram (@Lipsaaaaa) to see exactly what I mean. I use this product after taking off of my make-up to make sure I don't go to sleep with any left over dirt in my pores which can potentially turn into dreaded pimple or breakout. I also strongly suggest this product for guys who don't typically wash their face before bed, I can guarantee you'll find some dirt on your cotton pad after using it. 

TEA TREE WATER
toner water @ Lush / $21.95

Although I still do use the Breath of Fresh Air toner I listed in my previous post, I wanted to try a different toner that would really control my un-even skin while the weather is changing. Since the Breath of Fresh Air is exactly what it's name says it is, I use it mostly during the summer months when it's extremely hot and I feel like my skin needs a drink. I carry a smaller bottle of it in my purse to use in case of an emergency and it really does work wonders. I use a few sprays of the Tee Treat Water on my skin after cleansing and I even spray it on my pillow since it has antibacterial properties. Since I've been using it I have definitely noticed my skin is more even toned and I've experienced less oily and dry spots.

COSMETIC LAD
facial moisturizer @ Lush $21.95

I switched over to this moisturizer as the winter moths were ending because I didn't need anything too heavy anymore. Not only is it extremely light, it also smells amazing. I always use my moisturizer after I use my toner water and while my face is still a little bit damp, that way they mix together easily. If you chose to do it in this sequence you'll also find that you won't have to use as much moisturizer as you would if you used your toner afterwards.
(I bought this product to replace the Imperials Facial Moisturizer also from Lush)


GREASE LIGHTNING
tea tree cleanser @ Lush / $13.95

This product has been a life savior in a bottle for me these past few years. Every time I get a pimple or break out, I apply a small dab of it and let it sit either while I'm out or over night. If you put it on before bet, you'll definitely notice results when you wake up in the morning. Not only does it clean the area to keep bacteria from making the problem worse, the witch hazel also helps with any potential scarring. Since the bottle is relatively small I always carry it around with me in case a pimple or break out pop up during the day.

Not only do I strongly believe in these products for myself for reasons I've listed in this post and my previous post as well, I have also seen them work first hand on my friends & family (gentlemen included). Although the products are generally a bit pricy in comparison to drug store products, the results are definitely worth spending a little bit extra. Not only are the products 100% vegan, Lush is  also fighting against animal testing which is a huge factor for a lot of us when deciding which companies to support. They also have a really great recycling program where if you bring back five empty pots they give you a Fresh Face Mask for free. As I said earlier, I've been perfecting my skin care routine for years now so everything I've shared is solely from personal experience and I definitely wouldn't feel the need to share my story with you if I didn't believe in it as much as I do.

Hopefully this post helped if you were in need and answered any of your questions about Lush products or which products I use and why, of course if you have any other questions please leave them below and I will always get back to you. 

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xo