I have very dry, sensitive skin,
but I get an oily t-zone. In a humid climate, such as India or NYC, my skin
does fairly well in the spring and summer – it appears moisturized, and even
has a slight glow. In a dry climate, like California, or basically anywhere
during the fall and winter, I look like I’ve aged more than a few years.
Thankfully, I’ve found a magic combination that seems to keep my skin supple
and healthy-looking rather than dehydrated and parched. I only cleanse at
nighttime in the shower – I first remove my makeup (pre-shower) with Amore
Pacific Cleansing Oil, which is a splurge and a half but absolutely amazing,
and afterwards, cleanse with Mario Badescu’s Acne
Facial Cleanser. I finish my routine by mixing several drops of tarte’s pure
maracuja oil with Sanre Organic’s Siesta
Sunset face cream, which contains avocado and seabuckthorn oils. I
religiously wear eye cream (currently tarte’s
C-brighter maracuja eye treatment) for its “preventative aging” properties.
I wake up with the soft, redness-free and dewy skin that I have always dreamed
of. In the morning, instead of cleansing, which I find dries me out immensely,
I simply tone with Thayer’s
Rose Petal Toner, to get rid of oilies on my t-zone, and smooth on a light
layer of whatever day cream I’m using; at the moment it is Mario Badescu’s
A.H.A. and Ceramide Moisturizer. I follow with my makeup application. If I
happen to get a breakout, I spot treat, rather than using an all-over acne
serum, which I find dries me out. I use the classic Mario Badescu Drying Lotion.
The lesson here? To “winterize” your favorite cream, add facial oil, like the
aforementioned tarte product. Don’t believe the common misconception that oil
will break you out. In fact, it will help acne. Facial cleansing oils (R.I.P.
Shu in America) are some of my favorite products to try on the planet. Are my lips chapped?! |
I am almost as picky with body creams as I am
with my foundation. There are only a handful of products that I’ve found that
actually bestow immense moisture, don’t cause sensitive skin breakouts and
flare-ups, and do not offend my nasal passage to the highest degree.
Kiehls Crème de Corps Body Butter is my ultimate, but the high price tag
can be a bit off-putting, so in a penny-pinching move, Aveeno’s
Skin Relief Moisture Repair Cream does the trick.
While this hair looks awesome in editorials, the same cannot be said for it in real life. |
Obviously, I glow this much, if not more |
It goes without saying that a healthy diet will help your skin as well. Right now I'm loving Green Monsters - Spinach/banana/cocoa/flax/protein smoothies that I make daily in my beloved Vitamix and look quite putrid but taste delicious and are full of nutrients to heal you from the inside out.
P.S.: I would have done a proper product photoshoot for this, but I have been beyond busy between moving, work, and school. I'm quite pleased with the shelving I've installed in my bathroom. Here are some instagram photos; official shots to follow soon.