Beauty Regimen 2.0: What I am currently doing to my face – Nighttime routine

Here was my morning beauty routine if you missed it.

As mentioned previously, my skin has been super dry and red with eczema spots this winter, and if it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t really use or need any moisturizer.

NIGHT TIME ROUTINE

I’ll just make notes where applicable — won’t repeat myself from where I mentioned the products from my morning beauty routine.

STEP ONE: MAKEUP REMOVAL

I am currently auditioning a few products:

Paula’s Choice Gentle Touch Makeup Remover

What is is

So far, I like this one and have finished the first trial makeup remover bottle.

It is chemical-y and like water, but I put a little bit on my palms and then rub it all over my face and my eyes to remove my mascara to massage off all the makeup as a first step. Sometimes I use it twice to make sure all my super hard-wearing, long-lasting makeup is removed.

It doesn’t burn my skin, irritate, make my contacts all filmy, and thus far, works quite well.

Paula’s Choice Perfect Cleansing Oil

What it is

This is part of that trendy craze of using oils to cleanse your face but I really love this cleansing oil because it washes off so nicely.

I use it to remove my makeup and do a double pump into my palms, rub it into my eyes, my face, and then when I use water, it washes off with ZERO film or clingy-feel of oil.

It’s quite incredible. I can see all the makeup drain into the sink.

It doesn’t burn my skin, irritate, or feel greasy after I use water to wash it off, but it does make my contacts slightly filmy when I rub it into my eyes to remove my thick mascara.

That’s the only thing I’m sort of ehhh on but I think oil REALLY removes long-wearing foundation over makeup removers, but we’ll see.

I am planning on doing a cost per ounce calculation to see between this one or the Gentle Touch, which one is more cost effective.

Yet to be used: Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Cleansing Face Oil

What it is

Same as the Paula’s Choice one, but I haven’t broken the Skin Therapy Cleansing Face oil bottle open yet.

I bought it out of curiousity and will try it on my face to remove makeup. It is cheaper than the Paula’s Choice cleansing oil, so it could be a good option.

STEP TWO: CLEANSE

Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Oil-Reducing Cleanser

What it is

A fantastic skin balancing, creamy cleanser.

What it is

This is part of the double-cleanse routine to remove the oils off my skin.

How I use it

See, I remove all the oil and makeup removers off my face , that was just step one in removing the bulk of it, but this (knock on wood) is what will make sure the oils don’t stay on my skin and clog my pores especially since I use mineral sunscreen as well – I do this step even if I only have sunscreen on because mineral stuff REALLY sticks to your skin and does clog your pores.

Sometimes I even do a triple cleanse and use cleanser again as a third round to MAKE SURE all the oil is off my skin.

STEP THREE

Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid

What it is
It is a light leave-in exfoliator that feels like water.

How I use it
I use this in lieu of moisturizer. I don’t know why, but my skin doesn’t feel tight at all after I slap on a few drops of this all over my face.

This BHA liquid helps exfoliate my skin and absorbs in beautifully, removing all tightness as well as removing dirt and crap out of the pores to keep my skin pimple-free.

STEP FOUR

Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Lotion

What it is

It is a moisturizing AHA lotion exfoliant (another type of exfoliant, the twin if you will, to BHA) that removes built-up layers of dead skin (as exfoliants do). I find that it “boosts” the effects of my BHA layer and helps act as a mini moisturizer of sorts.

How I use it

I layer it on top of the BHA serum and before my skin went nuts, I found that it really did help my skin texture and helped reduce my skin spots down to clearer, brighter skin.

Most people are unable to use both together, but my skin is pretty resilient, and I am able to use both without irritation or stress on the skin or any feeling.

STEP FIVE

Any one of the following, a mix, or all:

• Organic Rosehip Oil
• Paula’s Choice RESIST Omega + Complex Serum
• Paula’s Choice RESIST 10% Niacinamide Booster
• Paula’s Choice RESIST Hyaluronic Booster
• Paula’s Choice RESIST Brightening Essence
• Paula’s Choice RESIST Ultra-light Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum

I didn’t mention it in my morning routine but this one is the only one I wear at night because like a pair of two-year old toddlers, it does not play or mix well with makeup.

STEP 6

If I have bumps (which I usually do), or acne that I need to kill, I do two more extra creams on my face after it has all dried:

Paula’s Choice CLEAR Daily Skin Clearing Treatment 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide

What is is

This benzoyl peroxide lotion kills the acne that causes bacteria. Everyone has this bacteria on their skin (even my son has it and he is a baby).

Some have more than others, and when pores are not exfoliated, or get clogged with dirt and oil, acne appears.

This helps minimize that. It also bleaches everything in sight.

I triple wash my hands and STILL bleach things, so make sure you put on your t-shirt first, and tie your hair back, and let your skin dry.

Be super careful with this.

It also tends to dry out your skin a little. I find this has really helped keep my skin clear if I use it daily but it is just so finicky because it BLEACHES STUFF.

How I use it

Light layer on the acne-prone spots – cheeks, chin, nose, t-zone. I avoid the sides of my eyes.

Paula’s Choice RESIST BHA 9 Spot Treatment with 9% Salicylic Acid

What is is

This serum is meant to “target” bumps and spots, to help flatten and diminish them.

IT ACTUALLY WORKS. I thought it was bupkiss until I tried it, and noticed my bumps did noticeably flatten over night.. It is meant to also exfoliate your skin as well to flatten the bump and clear your skin.

How I use it

I put it OVER the Benzoyl Peroxide however, after my Benyozl Peroxide has dried. I put a small drop on major bumps, and rub it around the area. It usually goes down in about 3-4 days, maximum with constant, nighttime use.

What I use less often these days

Paula’s Choice Vitamin C

I didn’t notice a huge difference when I used this sticky serum, even though all the literature says it does great things…. and the other products I use have SOME Vitamin C in there so… I do use it on occasion and buy it, but I don’t use it religiously because I find the other products make a bigger difference.

Who knows.

I just don’t totally love it because it is so sticky and makes my face orange with streaks. I don’t love that.

I just know that it is good for my skin so I might bring it back in. We’ll see.