Lindsey's "Serious About Skicare" Routine

I have people compliment me on my skin quite often! (Thank God b/c it makes me feel better as I age!) Combine that w/ the fact that quite a few people know how much I love skincare & that I'm planning to go to school to become an aesthetician & believe me, I end being asked about my skincare routine quite often. So, since my creative juices weren't flowing as far as what to blog about today, I decided I'd fill you all in on my strict skincare routine. Yes, strict! I follow this routine religiously & it seems to be doing the trick. I've mentioned in a previous post that from the age of 13 up until just a couple of years ago I was a serious tanner! I went to the tanning bed 3-4 times a week, sometimes more. I had a bit of a skin cancer scare back in 2008 & that's all it took to put that nasty little habit behind me. I was pretty much addicted to going tanning so when I first quit going, believe me, I wasn't liking what I was seeing. I felt nasty b/c I didn't like not having a tan color to my skin. Then, to top it all off, I noticed that any lines &/or wrinkles I had were now more noticeable. So, that's when my quest for figuring out how I could make my skin look younger & give it that youthful glow I seemed to be lacking really started forming. I started really taking note of all the skin tips I read about in all of the magazines I love to read & started playing around with different products. Some products came & went at first but some stayed around. I REALLY fell in love with the Philosophy brand. They have some phenomenal products. They aren't cheap but the ones I use work... for me! A few months ago my favorite cosmetics line, Benefit, put out a new skincare line so I just had to give some of these products a try. I really fell for a few of the products in the line so I rearranged the skincare routine just a bit by replacing my nighttime moisturizer, adding a scrub twice a week, & replacing one of my day/night eye creams. (yes, I use 2 eye creams each AM & PM) I've been following this routine for a few months now & I swear, I get compliments on my skin all the time. So, here's how it all goes down... or maybe I should say, on!

~~ Every A.M.- Wash w/ Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash. (it smells WONDERFUL) I could seriously bathe in this stuff b/c it has the prettiest smell to it.  $9- $22 at http://www.sephora.com/

~~ Every Tuesday A.M. & Friday A.M.- After washing my face, I apply Benefit's b.Right! Refined Finish Facial Polish. Because the scrub contains seaweed & clay, instead of immediately washing it off I let it sit for 3-5 minutes so it can work as a mask & help vacuum out my pores.  $22 at http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/

~~ Every A.M.- After washing my face (& using polish Tues. & Fri.), I use Philosophy's Miracle Worker A.M. pads. The "juice" that these pads are soaked in is full of good for your skin antioxidants. These help defend skin from free-radicals that are all in the environment. Free-radicals are just one of the things that cause skin damage/aging. Aside from helping fight off free-radicals, these give your skin such a pretty, health glow. $58 at http://www.philosophy.com/

~~ Every A.M.- After using the pads, I apply either Philosophy's Eye Believe or Philosophy's Eye Hope eye cream. I only use Eye Believe on days I wear makeup. The reason for this is b/c the velvety texture of it feels amazing & it's perfect for layering concealer over. It's great at filling in lines too! It's more of a balm then a cream so that's probably the reason makeup goes on top of it so well. The Eye Hope cream helps w/ lines, wrinkles & dark circles. It's also very hydrating & I find it's good for sensitive skin. I was using another eye cream for a while but it was starting to dry the delicate skin underneath my eyes out. I switched to this & it's working just as well & it doesn't dry out my skin. It does just the opposite! $30 for Eye Believe & $48 for Eye Hope at http://www.philosophy.com/

Eye Believe

Eye Hope

~~ Every A.M.- After applying the Eye Hope, depending on if I am going out of the house or not, I then use  either Philosophy's UBER FAMOUS moisturizer Hope in a Jar (it was even on Oprah's annual "Favorite Things" list for the last 10 years or something crazy like that!) or Hope SPF 30 (it's the same formula as the regular Hope in a Jar w/ the added benefit of UV protection) My skin seriously drinks this stuff up. The cream has a whipped texture to it & it's super light as well as oil free. It kind of smelled weird to me when I began using it 3 years ago but after a week I was used to the smell & now, I don't even notice the smell at all. Basically, I'm saying that this stuff is so good, I just made myself get over the smell. It's that freaking awesome! And to be fair, not everyone who uses it thinks it smells weird. To many people, the smell is "botanical". To many others, the smell is, well, "wet dog"! Those are the 2 ways I always hear the smell described. I know, it's crazy that I willingly put something on my skin that I thought smelled like a wet pooch but again, the way it feels just makes it that damn good! If the whole smell thing has you kind of thrown, just go to Sephora, Ulta or Macy's and smell the sampler! If you find that you don't like the smell, I really must say that you should give yourself a week to try the product b/c I promise, you won't even notice the smell after a bit! And most stores will allow you to return beauty products that have been opened & used! (I'm always surprised how many people don't know that. If you buy a mascara at Walgreen's only to find that after 1 use you hate it, take it back to them & you'll get a refund!) $15- $105 for the original Hope & $38 for SPF 30 Hope at http://www.philosophy.com/

~~ Every A.M.- After applying Hope, I tap a layer of Benefit's b.Right! It's Potent eye cream on over the Eye Hope. I've already done a product review of this stuff on a previous post. It's one of my absolute favorite products! It feels amazing & it has not scent to it. I keep this in my fridge which makes it feel even more amazing when I put it on. The cold temperature really helps w/ any puffiness you may have under your eyes. Plus, your creams will stay good for a longer amount of time when you keep them in the refrigerator. $32 at http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/

~~ Every A.M.~ I then apply a layer of Philosophy's Hope in a Tube Eye & Lip Firming Cream around my lips.Tell me you've never seen women who have those awful wrinkles around their lips from smoking!! I don't smoke but the point is, your mouth & lips age right along w/ the rest of the face. (& body!!) Then, I put on lip balm! I love Smith's Rosebud Co.'s Strawberry Lip Balm. I know they're famous for the Rosebud flavor but I don't like anything rose flavored! BLAHH! $33 for Hope in a Tube at http://www.philosophy.com/ & $7 for Rosebud's Strawberry

 ~~ Every P.M.- I wash face w/ Philosophy's Purity Made Simple while using the Clarisonic Mia. I honestly do not know how I ever lived without my Mia! "She" goes on every single trip out of town I make. Now, before you go thinking, "I can't believe she'd spend $149 on a facial brush when there are cheaper ones on the market!", let me just stop you! Before getting my Mia, I DID try a "cheaper" $70 facial brush. Big mistake! It hurt like Hell. The brush fibers were so damn scratchy on my face. It felt like it was tearing my face at times! Clarisonic's brush fibers are super soft! And I use the "deep pore" brush head. I can't imagine how soft the, "Normal", "Sensitive", & "Delicate" brushes are! So seriously, don't waste your $ by going out & buying a cheaper knock-off. If you, like me, are a fashion & beauty magazine junky, you've heard them ALL talk about the Clarisonic brush. The Mia's been out for a couple of years now & still, every single month I see it mentioned in at least one of 6 magazines I subscribe to! Every celebrity under the sun uses the brush & it's highly recommended by dermatologists! There's a reason you only here the Clarisonic mentioned: IT'S THE BEST! Now, you may be wondering, "Why do I need to wash my face w/ a facial brush anyway?". First, you won't believe how much makeup this thing removes. After getting my Mia, I did a little test I saw done on TV simply b/c I figured it was too go to be true. First, I washed my face like I normally did, just using my hands, a washcloth, & water. Then, I washed it again using the Mia. I was SHOCKED to see how much makeup was on my brush head. It amazed me to see how much makeup & dirt gets left behind when you just use your hands! Another reason this product is so worth it's price is b/c the brush vibrates which means any skincare products you put on your face afterward get absorbed better. If you don't understand how that's possible, just go onto Clarisonic's website or do a web search & it will help explain it. Clarisonic also makes a bigger brush which can be used not only on your face, but your entire body. I love my Mia & I'm able to use it on my face, neck & chest so it's the biggest size I need. Philosophy's Purity Made Simple is another product they make that has won numerous awards over the years. It smells amazing & it cuts right through any makeup, even waterproof mascara! For most people, it's gentle enough that they are able to use it to remove their eye makeup. I'm able to keep my eyes open when I use it b/c it doesn't cause me any stinging. I turned my mom onto this stuff a little over a year ago & it's now 1 of her beauty staples as well. $10- $47.50 at http://www.philosophy.com/ & $149 for Clarisonic Mia at http://www.sephora.com/ or http://www.ulta.com/





The Clarisonic Mia comes in a fun assortment of colors!

~~ Every Wednesday P.M.- After washing my face I use Philosophy's Oxygen Peel. I love how this feels on my face. It really cleans out your pores & helps to brighten up your face. It's also very gentle so it shouldn't cause any stinging on your skin. It's kind of fun too b/c you get to mix the enzyme gel before each use. Once you have the gel on your face you put the oxygen foam on over it... it feels really good when it foams up. It's almost like you can feel your pores being cleaned out. As an added exfoliating step, the kit comes w/ a little spatula that you use to scrape the gel/foam off of your face. $50 at http://www.ulta.com/

The Oxygen Peel



~~ Every Sunday P.M.- After washing my face I use Philosophy's Mircodelivery Peel. Now, this one may not work well for people w/ really sensitive skin b/c it contains Vitamin C & for some people that can cause a stinging sensation. If you don't have sensitive skin, definitely try this stuff. This is yet another of their award winning products. It does such an amazing job of exfoliating. Even after using it for 2+ years, it still amazes me how soft & smooth my skin feels after using it. $40- $65 at http://www.philosophy.com/

The Microdelivery Peel

~~ Every P.M.- After washing my face (& doing my Wed. & Fri. peels), I apply RoC Retinol Deep Wrinkle Night Cream. Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that retinol is THE holy grail of anti-agers! Go open a beauty or fashion magazine & try not to find it mentioned somewhere inside! Not only does retinol help as an anti-ager, it's also great for keeping skin/pores clear. They now have a version of this out for sensitive skin too. $22 at Target, CVS, Walgreen's & http://www.ulta.com/



~~ Every P.M.- After applying Roc, I again use Philosophy's Eye Hope.

~~  Every P.M.- After giving the retinol cream a couple of minutes to sink in I apply moisturizer. I use a different moisturizer at night than I do during the day. Your skin really benefits from all of the products you put on your face while you sleep so I use a night cream that's a bit rich. I like Benefit's b.Right! Total Moisture Facial Cream. It makes my skin feel so soft! I did a post of this stuff a month or so ago so I already explained the things I like about it. $38 at www.benefitcosmetics.com

~~ Every P.M.- After applying Eye Hope I use Philosophy's When Hope is Not Enough Neck Cream. All of those years of going tanning gave me the lovely "necklaces". Ladies, I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about... those lovely horizontal lines you get. This stuff is also really great to use on your decollete. I like that it's really thick b/c a little really goes a long way. It's full of peptides & antioxidants that help hydrate & firm the skin in this area. You may think that using your face moisturizer in this area is good enough but believe it or not, the skin on your face is NOT like the skin of your neck & chest. I always get the big 4 oz. size & I order it on the QVC website b/c every 3 or 4 months I get a new tube automatically shipped to me. So, basically, 1 oz. will last you approximately 1 month. Remember, you just need a tiny bit! $25- $55 at http://www.qvc.com/

~~ Every P.M.- Next, I go back to 1 of my favorite products: Benefit's b.Right! It's Potent eye cream. Can't get enough of this stuff. On those days where I didn't get enough sleep & my eyes look like I've been smoking meth or something, (okay, I've never done that so maybe that's not the best example) this stuff gets used about once every hour. That lets you know it's gentle though!

~~ Every P.M.- Right before I turn of the lights to go to sleep, I again apply Hope in a Tube around my lips followed by a layer of my Rosebud Strawberry lip balm. Obviously, it's always good to do this after you brush your teeth.

I know that sounds like a ton of stuff but seriously, it takes me about 10-15 minutes in the morning. When I do my night time routine, I usually take a bit longer but I enjoy doing all of this stuff so I just take my time with it. I usually do it while I'm watching Frasier reruns so there are usually some pauses between all of the steps.

JUST A FEW EXTRAS:

• I make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day. If you don't keep your body hydrated, your skin is going to look dull! PERIOD! And drinking soda all day does not in any way substitute water!
•  Get enough sleep. When you're tired, a lot of times your skin will also look tired... especially your eyes!
• Use a really good body lotion. Your face & neck aren't the only things that show age! I personally love Philosophy's body emulsions, mainly, b/c they contain antioxidants & ingredients that help firm skin. I also LOVE that they make lotions to match all of their wonderful Grace fragrances. Amazing, Pure, Baby & Inner are my favorite scents. Anytime I wear the Amazing Grace fragrance, I get compliments. It's so light & beautiful. My dentist LOVES it so much he had me tell him the name of the scent & where to purchase it so he could buy some for his wife! My mom also uses it along w/ Eternal Grace & Inner Grace. Oh, & when I want something more flirty, I use Philosophy's Falling in Love body emulsion. I love the scent so much that I often spray the perfume on my chest when I put my PJs on.

I'm always amazed at the people who are my age or younger yet look 10-15 years older than me. I'm not talking about any of my close, personal friends but I do have acquaintances like that. It's usually really easy to spot the people who indulge just a bit too much in things like alcohol, drugs & cigarettes! I'm not trying to sound like a bitch but I mean, stop & think about all of the things my body's been put through! I've been as close to death and being in a coffin as you can possibly get without it actually happening. I take a ton of pills a day, including an opiate to help w/ my pain level. For you to be the same age as I am & look 10 years older than me, you're definitely not doing something right! I drink occasionally & yeah, I may do some other things that I shouldn't from time to time but I know how to keep myself under control. I know that if I wasn't so religious about taking care of my skin my health issues would literally be written all over my face. I think it just shows that taking care of your skin is really that important. With all that I deal with, I really am in the position where I don't want to look like I feel most of the time! My skin definitely helps me with that issue. Now, I need to get this strict about working out!! I'm working on it! Actually, it's 10 P.M. so I'm about to go do my night time routine right now so I can go read & watch the Golden Girls in bed!

Only Audrey Hepburn could look this gorgeous "sleeping" w/ an eye mask on!