I once was someone that never had a daily skincare routine. A few years ago my skin eventually got to the point where I had small bumps on my forehead. I thought they were due to wearing makeup frequently for months, and that giving my skin a break would be the ticket. Unfortunately they stuck around, and mild acne kept appearing in my T-zone in general. Because of this, I have developed my own skincare routine to help keep blemishes at bay. At one point, most of my products were available from Dollar Tree, but I am branching out due to discontinuations. I now have a very stable skincare routine to share. I am by no means an expert, rather, I have created a daily skincare routine that works for me. My goal in sharing this routine is to help others like myself discover new products and/or processes to try. Of course, you should always consult your doctor or even a dermatologist if you are having skin troubles.
Cleanse
The majority of my daily skincare routine happens in the shower. I begin by wetting my face and generously applying Noxzema all over. Noxzema does an excellent job of whisking away dirt and oil from deep down in your skin. It also acts as a makeup remover. I use a facial scrubbing brush to really give my skin a deep clean. You can find these brushes in most drugstores and odds and ends stores such as TJMaxx, Ross, Tuesday Morning, etc. I then rinse the Noxzema from my face. I like to hold my hair back with a microfiber head wrap. This ensures that the spinning brush does not grab onto my hair while I am cleaning my face. I do not wear the head wrap on hair washing days because my wet hair stays back on its own. You can find head wraps in most drugstores and dollar stores.
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| Noxzema and facial cleansing brush |
Exfoliate
The next three products I rotate in my daily skincare routine and use them following the Noxzema wash. Here is what my rotation schedule looks like: Monday: St. Ives Apricot Scrub Tuesday: Charcoal face wash Wednesday: St. Ives Apricot Scrub Thursday: Apricot Facial Scrub/wash Friday: Charcoal face wash Saturday: St. Ives Apricot Scrub Sunday: Apricot Facial Scrub/wash I always use the products with a silicone facial exfoliation pad. What I like about the pad is that it turns any face wash into an exfoliating experience, even if the face wash has no gritty, exfoliating ingredients. Also, the pad is easy to wash and sanitize. You can find these in most drugstores and odds and ends stores. I really like the St. Ives Apricot Scrub because it is thick and highly gritty, but not to the point that you will hurt your skin by using it. On the other hand, do not use it more than two or three times per week. There are also off brand versions of this product if you are looking to save money.
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| St. Ives Apricot Scrub and silicone face pad |
The following product is one of a few Dollar Tree products that I will mention. I like this facial scrub because it is more runny and not as gritty as the St. Ives, making it a great for daily use or as a general purpose face cleanser. You can find an equivalent for it in the drugstore.
Charcoal products do an awesome job of cleaning your pores, so I like to have a charcoal face wash on hand. You can use any charcoal face wash that you find at the drugstore.
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| Charcoal face wash and silicone face pad |
Scrub Acne
Following Noxzema and an exfoliating treatment I like to use a foaming acne scrub. This one is from Dollar Tree but it is hard to find. You can use any foaming acne scrub from the drugstore. I only apply it to my problem areas, which is my T-zone. I find that it works best when I scrub it into my skin with the mesh side of a microfiber facial pad. You can always find these pads in three packs at Dollar Tree. I use the microfiber side to wash the acne scrub away, as well as the exfoliating product that I am using that day.
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| Foaming acne scrub and exfoliating face pad |
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| Exfoliating face pad |
Treat Acne and Moisturize
When I get out of the shower I dry my face off and apply a moisturizer that contains salicylic acid only to my problem areas. I am doubtful that this Dual Power Moisturizer actually does anything for me, but I do this step anyway.
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| Equate Dual Power Moisturizer |
Friday Charcoal Masks
Every Friday night I apply a charcoal face mask according to the directions on the package. I have a few different ones right now that I am trying to use up. You can use any charcoal face mask that you find at the drugstore. I pick Fridays simply because I have more time in my routine to do something extra. I also have my face washing schedule set up so that I always use my charcoal face wash on Fridays to follow-up with the mask. Charcoal face masks are the only masks that I use regularly in my daily skincare routine. I use other masks as I get them. Sometimes I get samples, or I find a good price on one I want to try. I simply use whatever masks I have on hand, but I do not go out buying them often.
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| Charcoal face masks |
I really enjoy using a silicone face mask applicator to apply any kind of gel or clay face masks. The tool assists in applying the mask evenly and prevents you from sticking your fingers into the product or getting product stuck under your nails. The one that I have came with a mask in a set, but elf makes an affordable one that you can get at most drugstores that sell elf. I simply rinse it under hot water to clean.
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| Silicone face mask applicator |
Moisturize!
I am in the habit of using moisturizer daily, even on days when I am not applying makeup. I find that if I keep my skin moisturized it produces less oil. Moisturizer also sets the stage for great makeup application when applied before primer. I use whatever moisturizer that I have on hand. I do not have a solid drugstore recommendation as of yet due to getting a lot of high-end moisturizer samples to try. Right now I am using Loreal Hydra Genius. I am not a fan of the price, so I am continuing to search for another. I know elf has one that is about half the price. To summarize, I do not have a moisturizer that I am committed to. You can use any one that you like.
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| Loreal Hydra Genius Moisturizer |
Treat Acne
elf makes a completely awesome acne fighting spot gel that is only $2 that is one of my most repurchased beauty products! It is intended to be applied directly onto a pimple to dry it out and make it heal, but I use it daily all over my problem areas. I find that it dries out acne and keeps it at bay without causing dried out skin and/or peeling.
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| e.l.f. Acne Fighting Spot Gel |
Makeup Removal
As part of my daily skincare routine I need to mention makeup removal! On days that I wear makeup I like to remove it using a reusable makeup removing cloth. I get them at Dollar Tree and in most drugstores and odds and ends stores. I run the cloth under warm water and squeeze it until it becomes saturated, then I squeeze out the excess water. These do just as good of a job of removing makeup as any disposable wipe. Of course, it does not remove 100% of your makeup, but what makeup remover does? I use the cloth right before I shower anyway, so I know that I am following up with a deep clean. To wash the towels I run them in the washer with a scoop of OxyClean. These are a total money saver!
The makeup cloths will not remove stubborn and/or waterproof mascara. For that I recommend purchasing an eye makeup remover or any micellar water. I buy my cotton pads from Dollar Tree. Honestly they are thicker and more luxurious than the name brand.
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| Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water and cotton pad |
This concludes my complete snapshot of my daily skincare routine. What do you think? Will you be adopting anything that I do or use? Definitely let me know in the comments, especially if you are seeing improvement. For me, my daily skincare routine keeps my skin smooth and hydrated, while minimizing blemishes. Blemishes still happen, but they are in no way out of control. If you have any tips for me I would love to hear them and learn something new! Thanks for taking the time to review my routine. Until next time, continue to let your true beauty shine.
