Summer is just around the corner, so let’s talk skin care!
I decided this was really important to share. My mother passed away a few years ago at 95. She had very little health issues, except skin cancer. She probably had over 100 very small basil cell carcinomas. She had to go for checks every 3 months in her later life.
I grew up in the 1970’s and 1980’s as a very outdoorsy kind of girl, and unfortunately, didn’t wear sunscreen. In fact, I didn’t really wear sunscreen at all until I was 40, when I decided it was time to take good care of my skin. I started with a light chemical peel that was really helpful. I’ve had a chemical peel once a year for the past 6 years. This year, I decided to try Intense Pulse Laser (IPL) which helps remove or lighten the sun spots and possible pre cancer areas. So far I’ve been lucky and haven’t had any skin cancers. For best results, see your skin care specialist for any procedures during late fall through early spring. You’ll be less tempted to go in the sun and disrupt the healing process of your procedures.
I also started making homemade facials every week, with ingredients that would change depending on the weather or my skin’s needs that day. A healthy skin care routine is wonderful and can be relaxing. I do my facials in a nice tub with candles and aromatherapy – sometimes even bubbles and rose petals.
Here are some products that I’ve been using to get my skin summer ready!
I’ve been pretty consistent with my bedtime ritual for years. I change products, but the procedure is similar. A nice shower and a super clean face is top priority for me (the hot shower is awesome for my scoliosis, so double bonus.) Then, after I pat my face dry, I follow up with a retinol. I love Peter Thomas Roth’s Night Serum, followed by SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore. I also use a gentle lip exfoliate: Ulta Beauty Brown Sugar Lip Scrub Stick is awesome. I finish with an extra firming retinol eye serum, which I use on my neck too. I also condition my eyebrows with a touch of olive oil on a cotton swab.
Recently, I tried this interesting product from Amazon called Lindo Silimask. It is a super soft silicone mask that goes over your very own sheet mask or any type of masks you are using. This mask cover keeps your sheet mask from moving or dripping. I like it because you can keep your mask on longer, it’s way less messy, and it makes your skin feel warm. I have also used it with my DIY masks, which is great for allowing me to keep my mask mixture on longer without it drying out quickly. And it is super easy to wash!
An old favorite of mine for years is Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay. I love this face mask because it is a deep pore cleansing mask. The natural calcium bentonite clay in the mask’s formula really goes deep into the skin to find dirt, oil, blocked pores, and impurities to clear them from the skin. The mask is incredibly powerful: it minimizes and clears pores, refreshes and soothes the skin, and it makes my skin feel so smooth. It is also completely natural and contains no additives, synthetic fragrances, or animal products. I always mix this mask with apple cider vinegar and a few drops of pumpkin seed oil.
The first new mask I’ve tried this year is Alba Botanica Hawaiian Facial Mask Pore-fecting Papaya Enzyme. It’s infused with pineapple and papaya enzymes. I have made many DIY masks with pineapple and papaya, and this mask is great because it easy and contains the enzymes that really brighten my skin. These enzymes function to dissolve dullness in your complexion as well as eliminate impurities in your skin. When massaged into your face, the mask softens and smooths your skin and minimizes the appearance of visible pores. Not only is this face mask effective, but it is also pure and natural. The mask is formed from 100% vegetarian ingredients.
The second new mask I tried was Freeman Facial Charcoal & Black Sugar Polish Mask. I’m a big fan of a scrub facials, but I try to use a scrub facial only a couple times a month. I prefer a chemical exfoliant, especially in the winter time. But this was gentle and really effective. It is a dual action face mask and exfoliator. When you use this product, the black sugar polish gently scrubs the debris off of the surface of you skin while the charcoal mask goes deep into your pores to pull out oil and grime.
I used my new Lindo Silimask with all 3 of these facial masks, and the results were amazing. The facials stayed in place better, and because my skin didn’t get cold, the masks worked even better.
I get so excited when my friends share their beauty secrets with me. It’s fun to take ideas and combine mine and theirs. You never know what you’ll come up with, but it’s so fun experimenting! Share your fun, interesting, or unusual rituals with us and let’s see what we come up with! We can mad scientist together!