There are a few basic things that I always have to have in my daily skincare routine. There are some products that I would not have thought of using until I actually tried such as a tinted moisturizer and concealer. The key is to wisely choose the ones that will not block your pores and that have a dual purpose such as to conceal and to treat a blemish. That being said, here are a few of the products you may find in my bathroom drawer or toiletry bag. So what products do you use on a daily basis and what ones do you use sometimes?
MDskincare Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel
I use the peel at least once a week to remove dead skin cells that may cause my skin to appear dull. The treatment leaves your skin refreshed and glowing. ($28 to $166 from MASC)
Face wash & Exfoliating Scrub

Try to find one that uses beads instead of crushed nut shells that contain sharp edges that may cause more damage to your skin and one that is preferably non-comedogenic, which means they do not block your pores. Do not wash your face with soap as it tends to dry your skin and strip it of it’s natural oils that are actually good for your skin. The particular brand I use for a face wash is PhisoDerm which you can get at any local drug store & I use L’Oreal’s Microdermabrasion system.
Night Moisturizer
During the Winter my skin tends to be dry so I switch to a heavier cream based night moisturizer that contains AHA (alpha hydroxy acids) like PUR’s Nourishing Night Cream and in the Summer I switch to a lighter gel based or lighter cream based night moisturizer like Elizabeth Grant’s Anti Aging Face Cream. ($60 from Elizabeth Grant)
Day Moisturizer

During the day, I always wear a moisturizer that has no less than an SPF 15 for the Winter like Clinique’s M protect moisturizer and higher in the Summer. When I have blemishes, I sometimes use a tinted moisturizer which has a hint of colour that is similar to a foundation but not as heavy so it doesn’t actually look like you have makeup on. It doesn’t completely conceal or hide your blemish but it just makes it look less obvious. MDskincare carries a tinted moisturizer from MASC.
Concealer

I don’t know about you but when I have a blemish I usually don’t want to go out but sometimes you can’t help it. So I usually use a concealer that’s also a treatment in one, so not only does it hide your pimple it also helps it dry, usually with salicylic acid. A concealer is a more concentrated cream that matches your skin tone to hide blemishes. ($10 from local drugstore by Almay)
Lip Balm

My lips tend to get chapped and dry in the winter so I use a lip balm that contains natural ingredients such as shea butter and natural soothing mint and an SPF 25. ($9 Jack Black from MASC)
anon
April 6th, 2010 at 11:04 am
Is someone getting a kickback from MASC, I wonder? This article sounds too much like an infomercial.
Instead of extremely overpriced and potentially harmful “products”, simply use a face cloth gently and mild soap (if necessary) for exfoliating and cleansing, antibacterial spot treatments for acne (when necessary), and a light moisturizer as needed (for outdoor use, one containing a minimum SPF15).
Clinique M Protect – unfortunately like most sunscreens out there – contains oxybenzone, a hormone disrupter and carcinogen. Jack Black lip balm contains octinoxate, another toxicant. Avobenzone may not be harmful alone; but it requires photostabilizers to be effective enough, chemicals which are yet poorly studied.
Most sunscreens out there are thus questionable. Why protect from “harmful UV rays” if the product itself promotes skin cancer or other ills? Only products containing titanium dioxide and zinc oxide alone are considered relatively safe, I think.
Also note: it’s highly unlikely that any “beauty” product containing an active ingredient like AHA will have any noticeable impact on your skin whatsoever. The concentrations of these active ingredients in OTC products are so low as to be non-existent. In reality, any effective dose would cause a harmful reaction in a minor percentage of average users, which would be enough to drive up insurance rates for these businesses and affect their bottom line. So don’t be fooled by all the hype. Go to a dermatologist for the real stuff if you think you really need it.
The important thing to learn is that most people’s skin would look better if they ate a healthier diet, got enough rest, shaded themselves well between 10 and 2, reduced alcohol and partying, and basically didn’t fuss so much with excessive “skin care regimens”. Also, a light natural tan is a healthier and better photo-protectant anyway than any sunscreen out there.
But if people knew these basics then the cosmetics industry wouldn’t be raking in the cash, so they’re certainly not going to be forthcoming…neither, it seems, will Redd.
Redd
April 6th, 2010 at 11:20 am
Thanks for all the info… you’re right, I didn’t know those things and now that I do, I will be looking into my skin regimen and make some adjustments.
Jared
April 6th, 2010 at 1:44 pm
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Plain Yogurt, Lemon Juice, DONE.
Patrick
April 6th, 2010 at 4:45 pm
Great article Redd. Glad you like those products. Just to make it clear for everyone, Redd wrote this article of his own accord, without any request from Masc, or “kickback.”
There are a lot of products out there – some good some not as good, but a lot of people aren’t aware of the options or what the basics in a skincare regimen are – it’s quite surprising.
I do know first hand from all the people I deal with on a day to day basis the fantastic results they achieve from the products, and that’s why they come back time and time again. Not everyone’s skin is the same.
Certainly living a healthy lifestyle in terms of minimizing the partying and poor diet choices, etc. affects your skin and the visible aging process – but that’s a given as a too much partying and not that great of eating habits affects most areas of your life, affecting you emotionally, physically, mentally, etc.
Marylou Steensland
July 9th, 2010 at 4:51 am
excellent writing .
moureen
August 10th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
i love this site!!!!
Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel
August 10th, 2010 at 6:22 pm
The products you speak about are top knotch and I would recommend to all.
Thanks,
Linda :)