Anonymous: Could you tell us about your skin care regimen? Those of us who struggle with our skin would love to know.

snpsnpsnp:

In the shower, and often on the mornings I don’t shower, I use a gentle gel-type cleanser, like Cetaphil (available at drugstores, also used by a lot of dermatologists) or this new one from Cosrx (a brand I discovered last year that does wonders for struggling skin; I buy it on Amazon). If I didn’t wash off my makeup (worst, but happens) or if I haven’t been exfoliating or if for some other reason my skin feels rough, I’ll give it an extra, literal scrub. Physical scrubs are rougher and not as effective as chemical ones, though also more satisfying, so I’ve split the difference with this brightening peeling gel from Tony Moly (bought on Amazon), which has chemical ingredients and a physical effect that amounts to, like, lint-rolling your skin. If my face is breaking out in a way that surface exfoliation won’t help, I put MUAC’s 25% or even 40% mandelic acid (bought on the Makeup Artist’s Choice site) on cleansed and dried skin under a charcoal-flavoured sheet mask (I like Dermal Korea, bought in Chinatown), and I leave the mask and acid on for minimum half an hour, max an hour. (Once I did this overnight, the night after no sleep and a plane flight had made my face feel like an ant’s nest, and I woke up as close to transformed as I’ll ever be by two simple products.) I also like a charcoal clay-type mask in the mornings, but Boscia’s is a scam and Origins is too expensive for how quickly you go through it, while Clinique’s is the same $ as Origins but lasts months (bought at Clinique, available at drugstores and Sephora). Clinique’s Moisture Surge mask is meant to be done overnight, but like most night formulations, all that means is you’re supposed to leave it on for a few hours and not add makeup (makeup doesn’t wear well over thick creams or gel-creams anyway). I got it because in the house where I’m staying, which is also where I took these pictures, the air is excessively dry. For a winter-level but still light-enough-to-be-daily moisturizing cream, my favourite is Cerave (available at drugstores).

At night, if I’m wearing a full face of makeup and still in possession of half a brain, I’ll remember to use heaven’s own cleansing balm, Clinique’s Take The Day Off (bought on Amazon, where it was cheaper than at Sephora). I smear it all over, then splash on water, then massage without rinsing, then take twice the recommended dose of this cocaine-expensive “classic rice enzyme powder” by Tatcha and massage it in ’til it forms a fine, fine, very fine physical scrub, then rinse and rinse dry. This is called a double cleanse and doing it makes you feel as good as god. Buying Tatcha does not, however, even when it’s a travel size like this (bought at Sephora in the checkout line), so I’m looking for a knock-off, and if I can’t find one I’ll make my own alternative with storebought rice enzyme and pearl powders. Other nights I just use wipes, although the ones my skin tolerates best (Simple Micellar, available at drugstores) are never wet enough, and the ones that are wet enough, my skin likes less (Pond’s, also available at drugstores).

Morning and night, I spritz this Cosrx AHA/BHA toner (bought on Amazon) and pat in Clinique’s Even Better essence (bought at Sephora), which is expensive but not as essences go. If I have time and inclination in the morning, when my skin is no longer wet but a bit damp and tacky, I pat in either a BHA exfoliant (not pictured as I juuust ran out of it, but either Paula’s Choice or Cosrx, both on Amazon) or a Vitamin C serum with hyaluronic acid (this one is from Amara Organics, bought on Amazon), depending on whether my skin needs more exfoliation or more moisture, then wait 20 minutes before putting on moisturizer and sunscreen. If I’m in a rush I’ll skip the last part, moisturize and sun-protect right away (usually with Neutrogena Clear Face, sometimes if I’m pale with Jergens, uh, “Natural Glow”), and do my makeup immediately. I put Weleda’s Skin Food around my eyes and lips for occlusive shine, but also to make it easy, with that greasy layer beneath, to wipe off any eye or lip makeup mistakes. I like mixing a light moisturizer with a few different drops of heavy foundation(s) and/or concealer(s) for my own custom tint, and Embryolisse works excellently for that, but the fragrance makes my skin itch, whereas Weleda’s Wild Rose doesn’t and works almost as well—though I suspect I still react to it slightly, so next I’m trying a Palmer’s Cocoa moisturizer, something with a bit of SPF and no fragrance, which I bought at the grocery store in the town where I’m staying. 

If I get a reaction to a cosmetic, or to alcohol, or if I over-exfoliate (which is rare, as my tolerance for exfoliation is naturally quite high), or if I stay up all night and become dermatillomaniacal (which is not rare), I’ll do toner, essence, serum, moisture, then a layer of the freakily calmative A-Derma Dermalibour cream, which is mostly zinc oxide and occlusives (bought on Amazon). Lately at night, maybe two or three times a week, I’ve been doing a thin layer of MUAC 0.3% retinol (bought on the MUAC site) under a thick layer of Palmer’s Cocoa night cream (bought at the drugstore), which also has retinol, and makes the whole room smell like a rotten cake. Somehow this works, provided I actually sleep.