The fact that I’m sitting here writing this post is a bit shocking to me. With the exception of the last year, I’ve never been big into skincare. I’ve always been the girl that skipped sunscreen preferring to tan over protect. When I was a teenager, I used (Oil of) Olay’s generic face lotion just because my mom had it out on the counter for years. And at some point in college, I realized I really don’t like the feeling of lotion on my skin anywhere so I stopped using it all together throughout my twenties.
I didn’t give much thought to my skin in the long term, and thus, have never spent much money, energy or effort into creating a skincare routine, let alone fathom using multiple products for different purposes. It just wasn’t me.
Well here I am, new mother at 30 and freaked out by the dullness and dryness of my skin and these new dark circles under my eyes. Is this the new me?
I decided it’s not, so I went a little crazy investigating ways to look like my youthful self again and all the beauty gurus and self care blogs said GET A SKINCARE ROUTINE, like 5 years ago.
So, I listened. I tried a bunch of stuff, disliked most, and stumbled upon some products that I wish I would have known about ages ago. Better late than never I guess, and so before we get any older, here’s a roundup of my favorite clean and natural skincare products that I use on the daily.
Youth to the People—Superfood Air-whip Moisture Cream
MADE WITHOUT: Parabens, Phthalates, Dimethicone | Cruelty Free | 100% Vegan Ingredients| Cold-pressed extracts | Recyclable packaging | Made in USA
When I started looking for some cleansers and moisturizers to create my new skincare regimen, I knew I wanted to stick with the purest ingredients possible. During pregnancy, I really got into watching what chemicals I was using topically and consuming while growing my little babe. So natural, clean, organic and vegan products are what I was on the hunt for (which aren’t hard to come by these days, might I add).
I started with this moisturizer and hands down, it has been my favorite discovery in skincare EVER. Major props to the woman at Sephora who helped me out with my first facial cream/moisturizer purchase over $5, she nailed it when I reluctantly gave her my list of “must-have properties,” which included:
- Lightweight, gel consistency
- Non-greasy, fast drying
- Fragrance free
- Hydrating, soothing, soft
This product hits all the marks, and more. It’s everything you would hope for in a moisturizer that claims to nourish and restore your skin. Aside from the hydration, the biggest benefit I have noticed from using this product is a very even skin tone and complexion. For me, it cancels out the blotchiness and works wonders as a primer before applying makeup which is why I choose to use this as my morning moisturizer after I rinse my face.
Kale, green tea, Hyaluronic Acid, I’m here for it all. This moisturizer is perfection.
Origins—GINZING™ Oil-Free Energy Boosting Gel Moisturizer
MADE WITHOUT: Parabens, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate, propylene glycol, mineral oil, DEA, petrolatum, paraffin, polyethylene beads, formaldehyde & animal ingredients| Cruelty Free
Another moisturizer that I am all for is this “energy-boosting” gel from Origins, it’s the very definition of fresh—cooling, soothing, and relaxing.
I actually apply this moisturizer first thing in the morning. Before my face has had it’s breakfast smoothie of kale, spinach and green tea from the YTTP moisturizer I just mentioned, I caffeinate myself (with an actual cup of coffee) and my face with this wonderful gel.
Infused with coffee & ginseng, this moisturizer is all about energizing, refreshing, restoring, revitalizing, and increasing energy flow, and I agree with all of those claims!
Typically I cannot handle any sort of fragrance in my skincare or makeup, but I am obsessed with the scent of this lotion. It’s infused with grapefruit, lemon & spearmint essential oils—the best of the best! Basically, it’s aromatherapy for the face.
Origins—GINZING™ Eye Cream To Brighten And Depuff
I loved the moisturizer so much I got the eye cream and after a disappointing experience with First Aid Beauty’s Detox Eye Roller (which I felt like did nothing), I’ve been pretty happy with it. I don’t use it every day, but when I’m looking extra puffy and tired, it’s a nice morning boost.
Honest Beauty—Hydrogel Cream
MADE WITHOUT: Parabens, Silicones, Petrolatum, Mineral Oil, Synthetic Fragrances, Dyes | Cruelty Free
Honestly (lame pun, I know), there is so much about this moisturizer that is off putting to me that I didn’t think I would be able to make it through the entire jar after I first purchased this product. To begin with, it has a slight sour smell and after applying, I need to wash my hands to cleanse the stench. And since I am not a fan of thick lotions, the texture of this cream is just not my jam. I don’t feel as though it is quenching or cooling as the product claims to be. And despite what the product name may suggest, it is far from a gel consistency. It’s heavy, it feels a little greasy, and to me it’s just not very comfortable on the skin.
That being said, it is by far the most effective face cream that has shown visible results in better looking skin.
While the other products I have mentioned are great for hydration, this moisturizer has worked miracles for this tired looking mama. The fine lines and smile wrinkles around my eyes have reduced drastically. My skin looks and feels plumper and smoother than ever. Even after the longest of days followed by sleepless nights, I look pretty youthful when I consistently use this cream.
My favorite time to use this product is at night just before bed. To combat the greasiness, I apply a light layer of my Youth to the People moisturizer after first rubbing in the Honest Beauty Hydrogel Cream and the issue is immediately remedied. For $20, this is a keeper in my routine—regardless of the few negatives in my book.
FYI: This product is $2 cheaper on Amazon than in stores at Target and Walgreens!
There you have it! Try one, try them all, but don’t skip out on taking care of your skin the way I did for so many years. Let me know your go-to skincare faves in the comments below!
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