Each year as I get older, and especially now that I am quickly approaching my 30’s (yikes), my skincare needs change.  Ah—to go back to the time when an occasional zit was my only concern.  I had smaller pores, no sun damage, and not a care in the world about wrinkles and fine lines cropping up on my face.  But, here we are.  The good news is that great skincare and anti-aging products are more affordable and accessible than ever. 

I remember the days when I had to accompany my mom to the cosmetics counter at the department store, where she was overcharged for skincare products that contained chemicals, like paraben.  Nowadays, you can find great skincare products anywhere—from Sephora, to your local Duane Reade, and even in the angsty teen haven, Urban Outfitters.  In this post, I will share some of my favorite skincare products with you and walk you through my evening skincare routine.  The next post will cover my morning routine.  Even if you are in your early 20’s, it’s never too early to start incorporating anti-aging and “adult” skincare products into your skincare regimen.   

Quick disclaimer—I recently went to Paris and stopped by (aka spent four glorious hours shopping) CityPharma.  This is my new favorite place on earth and I highly suggest you go there next time you find yourself in the city of lights (or the city of love, it is up for debate on the interwebs).  I need to devote an entire post to my product haul from CityPharma, but long story short, they carry all the cult favorite French skincare products at highly discounted prices.  Most of the French products I talk about today I purchased in Paris, but if you aren’t planning a trip overseas anytime soon, you can get most of them shipped right to your door from Amazon and other retail sites. 

Evening Routine:

First things first: take off your makeup! If you aren’t wearing makeup, it’s still a good idea to wash your face, both morning and night, before applying your skincare products.  Removing the oil, dirt, makeup, and anything else your skin has come in contact with throughout the day will allow for better results from your products.  And it’s just the logical and hygienic thing to do.  You can refer to my post on the face cleanser I am currently using in the winter to help my dry skin, however if I am feeling particularly lazy at night I will use a waterless face cleanser, Collosol Eau de Lait (which only recently became available in the US).  In my opinion, this stuff is way better than a makeup wipe because it does not cause any irritation or drying, it can be used all over your face, and one bottle lasts forever.  Squirt some onto a cotton pad and wipe the day away—I usually need 2 to 3 cotton pads of it to remove heavier makeup.  Bonus—it has a very unique and amazing smell. 

After cleansing, I take off any remaining eye makeup with THE BEST makeup remover known to mankind: Bioderma Sensibio H2O.  This magical potion has the consistency of water, takes everything off with just a few swipes of a cotton pad, and is super affordable.  I use the sensitive version because it doesn’t sting my eyes—beware that the regular version can cause some stinging and irritation. 

If dull, tired looking skin is an issue for you, I highly recommend using a brightening serum before moisturizing.  To brighten and even skin tone, you want to look for serums with vitamin C.  I really like Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution—which despite its name can be used all over the face and contains high quality ingredients like activated C, white birch, and peony extracts. It also contains the powerhouse of all acids, salicylic acid.  Salicylic acid “encourages exfoliation of skin and unclogging of pores.  It's also an anti-inflammatory, which can help calm inflamed acne” (read this Allure article for more info).

I could go on forever about the different types of vitamin c used in skincare products and how they vary in quality and shelf life longevity, but I’ll spare you for now.  Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective is a great option and if you want something slightly more affordable, I also like C Serum 22 by serumtologie.  If you don’t need a brightening serum, there are thousands of serums out there formulated for different skin issues, just be sure to do some research before investing in one that’s expensive.  Feel free to contact me if you have questions about other serums—happy to help!

Once your serum has soaked in for 5 to 10 minutes, it’s time to treat the most delicate skin on your face: under your eyes!  When I started to notice some fine lines forming under my eyes, I began religiously using an eye cream with retinol.  The one I like and am currently using is La Roche-Posay’s Redermic R for Eyes—made specifically for the eye area it helps reduce the appearance of crow's feet and fine lines  and contains caffeine to reduce the appearance of dark circles. I do not recommend using an all over face product that contains retinol under your eyes as it can contain a higher percentage of retinol and cause some serious irritation—so always be sure to look for retinol products made specifically for the eye area. 

If you are looking for a retinol product for your entire face, my favorite is Retinol Reform from Resurface By Shani Darden.  Of course, anytime you are using a product with retinol, be sure to use sunscreen in the mornings, as it makes your skin more sensitive to the sun.  Using retinol is something you want to ease into—it’s a powerful ingredient and applying too much or too frequently can dry out or irritate your skin.  For new users, I recommend starting use 2 to 3 times a week and gradually increasing use as your skin’s tolerance builds.  If you notice it’s causing irritation, take a break and use a different product without retinol.  On the nights I don’t use Redermic R, or anytime I am taking a break from retinol, I like to use Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado.  This stuff is amazing—it stays put under your eyes during the night (one of my biggest issues with eye creams is when they migrate up into my eyes at night and I wake up with bloodshot eyeballs—not cute and really uncomfortable) and it contains highly moisturizing ingredients like avocado oil, vitamins A, D, E, and potassium, cocoa butter, and shea butter.  I apply Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment every morning under my makeup too—it adds moisture and makeup goes on over it seamlessly. 

Finally, it’s time to slather on that moisturizer.  After your eye cream has soaked in, apply a moisturizer all over your face, neck, and décolleté.  At night you can use a heavier moisturizer than you would use in the morning.  A great moisturizer will deeply penetrate your skin while you sleep and help reverse some of the damage caused by daily exposure to elements.  In the winter, I tend to use a heavier moisturizer in the morning and at night since my skin is super dry, so it’s important for me to find one that absorbs into my skin without leaving a heavy residue that affects my makeup.  Peter Thomas Roth’s Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream does just that and still keeps my skin hydrated all day and night.  Cloud Cream goes above and beyond other moisturizers I’ve tried in the past.  It contains 30 percent hyaluronic acid, which helps plump the skin and make it appear more supple, full, and smooth and provides continuous hydration for up to 72 hours.  It also contains ceramides to help lock in moisture, and the antioxidant-rich anti-aging ingredient, elderberry, which reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.  I love when one product tackles multiple issues at once and Cloud Cream is a perfect example. 

I know this has been a long post and you’re probably wondering how you will find enough time to follow this routine, or one like it, every night.  But I promise it takes a lot less time to do it than it does to read about it and your skin will thank you.  Even the best makeup can’t hide all signs of skin damage and aging, so it’s important to start taking care of your skin now.  If you want to learn more about products you currently use or are thinking about purchasing, that I didn’t mention here, please don’t hesitate to contact me.  Chances are I have tried the brand or even the specific product and I am happy to offer my opinion.