At the risk of sounding like a 26-year-old narcissistic jerk, I get asked a lot what I do for my skin, so here’s the answer.  
 
Up until about a year ago (when I noticed I was getting forehead wrinkles, and my dear grandmother suggested I "use something"), I didn’t do anything all that special – just some soap and water – for real.  But more recently I’ve been conscious of my “aging” skin, and I’ve made an effort to keep it looking smooth and feeling soft.

I’m also compelled to write about this skincare routine because I’ve actually seen great results, I’m mostly head-over-heels in love with each of the products I use, and they’re all relatively inexpensive. 

Morning

In the morning I like to cleanse my skin with Clean & Clear Morning Burst Skin Brightening Facial Cleanser.  Apparently this stuff has vitamin C and ginseng, that helps “wake up” your skin.  Now, I would think that’s just a load of crap, but I admit that I do feel more energized after using it.  Maybe it’s the act of splashing water on my face, or maybe it’s the citrus scent, but it does help me (and I guess my skin) feel more awake.   My skin also feels very clean and soft after using Morning Burst…which is the main goal, I suppose.

In terms of makeup, it’s no secret that I’m an addict.  However, I’ve never been big into foundation, especially not the liquid variety.  But recently I’ve been completely obsessed with BB creams.  I use them every day (right now I’m using Smashbox’s version, but I’ve also tried Garnier, L’Oreal, and Boscia).  They’re essentially tinted moisturizers that make your skin look glowing and fantastic.  Initially I was worried that these might cause breakouts, because I have somewhat oily skin, but that has not been the case so far!

Evening

Before bed I remove my makeup with the Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes.  I’ve tried many brands and formulations of these kinds of wipes, and these are my favorites by far.  They remove every last bit of stubborn water-proof eye make up, and they’re gentle on sensitive skin, which is also an anti-aging plus!  These towelettes do leave a slightly oily residue (“residue” sounds gross, but that’s what it is!) behind, but that doesn’t bother me – it just feels “conditioning,” if anything.

This next step involves my absolute favorite skincare product right now.  If I could marry it, I totally would.  It’s the Lush Tea Tree Water Toner.  First I spray some of this magic potion onto a cotton round and sweep it all over my face (except for my eye area, of course) to remove any dirt, oil, or make up that the Neutrogena towelettes may have missed.  Then, I spray it directly onto my face, maybe 4 squirts.  It feels so refreshing, and it’s gentle, unlike any other toner I’ve ever used.  Apparently tea tree water has natural antibacterial properties, so I’m crediting this bad boy with my lack of breakouts or blemishes recently.

Next comes moisturizer.  I’ve been using this thick, but not greasy, Sensitive Night Cream from Burt’s Bees.  This is my #2 fave product right now.  It just plain works, and doesn’t leave me feeling slick or oily, just soft, smooth, and luxurious. 

The final piece of the puzzle is eye cream.  This is the one area where I’m still looking for a product to fall in love with.  I like my current one just fine, but it doesn’t knock my socks off.  I use Basq Cucumber Tea Eye Gel.  This stuff really helps with puffiness, and the cooling sensation is divine, but I’m not so sure about the anti-wrinkle properties of this one…I’m open to suggestions on a kick-butt eye cream, so let me know if you have one!

So, there it is! Hopefully I remain (relatively) wrinkle-free for the next 26 years! Stay tuned…

Because I’m utterly addicted to watching beauty “gurus” on YouTube, I found out about BB cream awhile ago, as it was the hot item that everyone seemed to be raving about.  BB cream, also known as blemish balm (which doesn’t entirely make sense to me), is touted as this miracle product, good for covering flaws, sun protection, moisturizing, solving world hunger, blah, blah, blah…It’s been around in Asian for ages, and high-end versions have been available in the US for some time now.  But being the frugal skeptic that I am, I decided to hold out for the affordable version.  When I heard Garnier BB Cream was out in the US, I started stalking drugstores and finally found it at Walgreen’s.

I’ve been using the Garnier BB Cream in place of foundation or tinted moisturizer for a few weeks now, and I love it.  It works well for me as an alternative because I find foundation to be too heavy much of the time, and tinted moisturizers tend to make my skin super shiny and gross, which leads to breakouts and general icky-ness.   I do tend to have an oily t-zone, so I’ve been using a bit of powder to set the BB cream if needed.  I’m loving the fresh, natural, flawlessness BB cream gives my skin.  Partnered with Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Hot Tamale, it creates a great glowy effect perfect for spring and summer.  The scent is also really nice, in my opinion.  However, in a recent conversation on the subject, I was told that the Garnier cream smelled bad.  But, I was speaking with a rep from Smashbox, who has its own BB cream (for about 3 times the price), so maybe she was biased. ;)

I have been raving about this product to everyone lately, and the proof is in the pudding; the past few days I haven’t even felt the need for any concealer!  The moral of the story is, this is my official stamp of approval.  The cream comes in two shades, and I use the light/medium, which provides a perfect match for my skin tone.  Garnier’s “Miracle Skin Perfector” is available at drugstores nationwide or online for around $10 to $13.  Check out Garnier's Facebook Page - they're running a sweepstakes for a year's supply!

*I was not compensated in any way for this post; I just really like the stuff. :)