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Two of my good friends – Mary and Jean – have requested personalized skin care recommendations, just like the ones I have previously put together for others. If you’re interested in seeing those, you can view them here.) I love skin care and helping out other people who don’t have the time to learn all of its ins-and-outs like I do (and I love doing these posts!)
Since Mary and Jean both had similar concerns and were interested in some of the same items I had mentioned to them, I’ve created a joint recommendations list. As not everyone is into a 10-step skincare routine like I am, I have chosen some multi-function products to recommend that won’t be overwhelming.
I’m including a brief skin profile of their skin concerns for a good frame of reference for the recommendations. If anyone is interested in getting personalized recommendations based on your skin type and concerns, let me know via the Contact Us page!
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or a medical professional; my recommendations are based on self-education. This content is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, and I accept no responsibility or liability for any adverse consequences resulting directly or indirectly from use of this advice and these products.
Skin Concerns
- Sunspot reduction
- Fine lines reduction and prevention
- Brightening
- Firming
- Anti-aging
Morning/Day
Skinfood Egg White Pore Foam Cleanser
My favorite and also previously recommended egg white cleanser. This tightens and reduces the size of pores, as well as giving an overall tightening effect that helps to firm up the skin while maintaining elasticity and stimulating collagen cell growth. Use this cleanser in the mornings.
You can get this cleanser on Amazon for $11.87.
Body Merry Super C-22 Moisturizer
Body Merry’s Super C-22 moisturizer is highly moisturizing without being heavy; it helps reduce the appearance of sunspots on the skin, fills in fine lines as well as helps prevent them, and reduces uneven skin tone and redness without adding any grease or oil to the face. It also smells absolutely fantastic, like a bright splash of citrus, that makes it quite enjoyable to use. It also sits well under foundation, so if you wear makeup, this is a great option.
You can get this moisturizer on Amazon for $18.04.
Biore Aqua SPF 50 Sunscreen
Let’s all repeat after me: “I will wear sunscreen every day.” Even when it’s cloudy or raining. The sun is what really causes the most wrinkles and damage to your face. It causes sunspots. It causes wrinkles. It causes deep damage that you can’t even see until your skin’s regular cell turnover reveals them in time. Wear 👏 yo 👏 sunscreen.👏
My favorite sunscreen for my face that I have ever tried is this one by Biore. It is broad spectrum, light weight, moisturizing, and strong. It helps tighten the skin (in my experience, anyway!) while protecting it, and won’t budge even if you’re sweating. It has never made me break out and it doesn’t have that horrid sunscreen smell. A+ in my opinion. You only need a little, and this bottle lasts forever.
You can get this SPF on Amazon for $8.40.
Evening
Philosophy Purity Cleanser
Best for night use, the Purity cleanser uses a combination of oils to gently lift makeup and dirt from the skin without drying it out. Added bonus – even removes eye makeup with relative ease and without triggering any allergies.
You can get the Purity cleanser on Amazon for $32.00.
Body Merry Super 6 Serum
Incorporating retinol and alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) into your skin routine is essential for anti-aging. This intensive Body Merry serum incorporates both, as well as CoQ-10, vitamin C, and other primo anti-aging ingredients, making it a fairly affordable win-win. Apply before your evening moisturizer directly onto skin – i.e. nothing underneath – for best results.
You can get this serum on Amazon for $18.04.
Body Merry Breakthrough Night Cream
While you’re asleep, your skin is exposed to (hopefully) the least amount of toxins in your day. Take the opportunity to use a strong moisturizer that can sink into your skin and provide the best anti-aging benefits without having to fight off any airborne pollutants. This night cream from Body Merry has niacinimide, healthy peptides, and other vitamins/minerals that firm and smooth roughness. Whenever I use it there’s an initial tingly feeling and I can feel my skin getting a boost. Apply as a final night moisturizer and soak up all of those bennies while you sleep.
You can get this night cream on Amazon for $16.14.
OR Elizavecca Aqua Rising Argan Gelato Steam Cream
The last step in a skin care routine – I call “marshmallow cream” because of how thick and bouncy it is. It feels like you are putting on another layer of skin and can help fill in fine lines and wrinkles. If you wear makeup, put it on at night, because it is so thick that foundation doesn’t play well with it.
You can get this moisturizer on Amazon for $13.33.
Mini-Facial Routine, Optional but Highly Encouraged
1-3 Times per Week, in Evening
Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask
The first time you use this mask, it might feel like tiny sea urchins are investigating your face. Afterwards, however, when your skin texture is more silky smooth than you’d ever think possible, it’s beyond worth it. Not to mention it smells like you are slathering your skin with pumpkin pie. Use 2-3 times per week in the evening after cleansing and toning. It’s a little pricey up front, but you receive a lot of product, it lasts a really long time, and it works.
You can get the resurfacing mask on Amazon for $55.99.
If you’re a little hesitant about how well this works, you can try his sampler kit first for $22.52. That’s what I did, and I was hooked – so I went all in on the full size.
Skinfood Egg White Pore Mask
Use this after cleansing and after the Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask. After the pumpkin mask resurfaces your skin, leaving fresh cells ready for treatment, a thick layer of this egg white mask will deeply penetrate your pores and remove dirt, oil, and dead skin cells, while at the same time helping reduce the size of the pores, tightening your skin, and reducing facial skin sebum production.
You can get this pore mask on Amazon for $10.34.
Dermal Collagen Full Sheet Mask
As your last step after the egg white pore mask, use a collagen infused sheet mask to completely seal off the pores and help your skin. Sheet masks are great because they directly apply a concentrated essence to your skin for a length of time, versus a quick application of a cream or serum.
These ones are my particular favorite masks because they have so many different types and they are full of collagen, which is what your skin uses to renew itself. They also have eye flaps to cover the space that usually lifts between the bridge of the nose and the under-eye area, and compared to other sheet masks that are $3.99-$5.00+, you can score these for about $0.53 each.
Complete your mini-facial with your normal evening routine.
You can get a pack of 24 of these sheet masks at Amazon for $12.95.
